Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Now, Forever and Always ❯ chapter 12 ( Chapter 13 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: moose_of_doom 
Anime/Manga: Digimon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Romance / Action | Type: Songfic | Uploaded On: 07.14.2005 | Pages: 8 | Words: 6.0K | Visits: 261 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Digimon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Adventure / Romance / Action | Type: Songfic | Uploaded On: 07.14.2005 | Pages: 8 | Words: 6.0K | Visits: 261 | Status: Completed
Chapter 12:
The edge of the knife.
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Liam Dillon, his hands clutching the rifle that he had taken from the fallen guard, Moved from the lift across the main lobby, running towards the group of Digidestined. The NIDF men followed him. Tai turned as he heard them, and his face lifted as he saw the big Irishman. It brightened up even more as he saw Jun, Ken and Kari.
“Where did you guys come from?” he asked.
Jun ran towards him, and threw herself into his arms. TK and Tasha stood from where they had been seated and moved over to Liam.
“What's going on?” TK asked.
“The Shadowmon army is moving down here. We need to get that door open. We need…”
The elevator across the way from them pinged. The NIDF troopers spun around, bringing their weapons to bear on the opening doors.
Nick Pallet stepped out, followed by the captured Digimon, who ran joyfully to their owners.
Salamandramon leapt into Tasha’s arms, and she hugged him close. Patomon swooped through the air and perched on TK’s hat, knocking it down over his eyes. The blonde man laughed, momentarily forgetting the danger facing them.
“How’s that door coming?” Liam asked, snapping them out of their reverie.
“I’m working on it! There’s a code!” McKane called back.
Liam walked over to his friend, looked at the door, and shrugged.
“Step back, Tet.” He said quietly.
McKane moved back, giving Liam a look.
“Do you know it then?” he asked.
“Yes.” Liam said.
He raised his rifle and fired five rounds into the lock. The handle segment of the door broke away, and it swung loose, onto the meadow outside. He shrugged.
“That’s my code.”
“Boss?” called one of the troopers.
Liam turned to face the man and stopped as the trooper motioned for quiet.
A scurrying sound was coming from the next chamber, on the other side of the big double doors at the end of the hallway. The sound of many feet, all moving at once. Liam raised his rifle again, quickly replacing the depleted magazine.
“Everybody out. Move it. We’ll cover your backs, until your outside.”
Pallet, Liam, And McKane all moved forward, the troops behind them. Pallet’s sword and shield were at his side.
“Where the hell did you get those things?” asked McKane.
“Off one of them.” Pallet nodded towards the doors.
The Digidestined started pushing out of the exit, and as the NIDF troops readied their weapons, kneeling and aiming at the door, the first Shadowmon burst into the room, slamming through the big doors.
The sound of rifles echoed through the lower level of the tower.
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Davis ran out of the elevator doors, onto the roof, running after Paul. The Paladin sword was light in his hands as he moved, sprinting after his uncle. Veemon ran alongside his companion as Paul ran into a domelike structure, in between the two huge transmission aerials that pointed into the sky like blades.
He ran through the door after the older man, and stopped as a bright light dazzled him.
“Marvellous, isn’t it?”
Paul’s voice had a mocking edge, taunting Davis. As the young Paladin’s vision adjusted to the brightness, he made out a crystal, sitting in a fixture in the middle of the room. It was from this crystal that the light emanated.
“The key. The focusing agent. It contains the twelve crests of the dragon- lords, Courage, Friendship, truth, all of them. All having their power enhanced by the dark crests.”
Davis could see him now, standing on the opposite side of the crystal.
“You’ve lost, Paul. By now, Liam and his men will have got the Digimon back to their partners. Even the Shadowmon can’t stand up to that.”
“Maybe you would be right. Except for one thing. The Digimon are useless if they cant digivolve.”
Davis felt the first cold spike of doubt creep into his mind.
“What are you talking about?”
“You always were stupid. Any normal person would have figured it out by now.”
They started circling around the table, their eyes never leaving each other’s.
“The crests are what supply the power of the Digital World. They are linked to the power cores themselves.”
A mocking grin spread across his face.
“Whilst I hold the crests, none of the Digimon can digivolve.”
Images flooded into Davis’s mind, of the Shadowmon army slamming into the Digidestined. His friend’s faces flashed in front of his eyes.
TK,
Tasha,
Tai,
Kari.
“No.”
He leapt across the table, slashing his sword at Paul, a lethal cut.
Paul hadn’t even seemed to reach for his own sword, but suddenly it was in his hands. The two blades clanged together, and before Davis could attack again, Paul had whipped his foot around, flooring the younger man. The black Blade was suddenly at Davis’s throat, as he looked up at his uncle.
“Never attack in anger. It only leads to ruin. Did Gennai teach you nothing?”
The walls of the domed building seemed to stretch, and then to crumble, as the roof was pulled off.
Viramon’s craggy face stared down into the room, and a slow smile spread across his evil features.
“You have him.”
Paul nodded. And looked back at the young Paladin. Viramon egged his master on.
“Finish him. Once he is destroyed, nothing will stand between us and the worlds.”
Paul didn’t move. The black Katana still rested against Davis’s throat, but the younger man could see the doubt in his uncle’s eyes.
“Finish Him!” Viramon yelled.
A black film started to cover Paul’s eyes, and he started to raise the Katana for a killing blow.
Davis’s hand edged towards the hilt of the Paladin blade. His finger touched the pommel.
A sneer crossed Paul’s face.
“Time to put an end to the line of the Paladin. Now, forever, and always.”
Those words, a cruel echo of the promise Davis had made to Kari, galvanised the young man into action. As the Black Katana swept downwards, his hand clenched around the handle of the Paladin-sword, and he swept it up in front of him, deflecting Paul’s strike.
The clang of metal on metal sounded on the rooftop, as Davis leapt to his feet. It started to rain, making the floor, now open to the elements, slippery under them. It ran over Davis’s bare chest, but he didn’t notice it. His eyes were fixed on Paul Miyomoto.
“Not today, Paul. It’s time to end this.”
Paul blinked.
“It’s just you, Daisuke. They cant digivolve. There is no-one here to help you.”
Davis shrugged.
“Then maybe we should remedy that situation.”
He flipped backwards, over to the other side of the table, and Lightening flashed in the sky, as he brought the golden sword down onto the crystal, shattering it under the blow.
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Liam pulled the rifle’s trigger, sending a spray of bullets into the first Shadowmon that rushed out of the corridor at them. The rounds riddled its body, stopping its momentum, making it jerk in the air as it collapsed.
But it was immediately replaced by two more, and the firing pin of Liam’s rifle clicked on empty as he put them down, using up the last of the rounds in his magazine.
All around him, the Weapons of the NIDF troops spoke in a cacophony of sound, deafening him, shredding the bodies of the Shadowmon. They couldn’t keep this up for long. More of the creatures were flooding into the room, surrounding their little semi-circle. The last of the Digidestined were getting out, moving onto the green land outside. Liam could hear the crash of thunder as the rain started.
One of the Shadowmon ran at Nick Pallet as he was changing his magazine. The foul creature swung its sword at the Londoner, who dropped his rifle, and snatched up his shield. The sword blow knocked him backwards, and off balance, but he was alive as he swung his own blade, digging it deep into the Shadowmon’s neck, sending the head spinning away, as the body dropped in front of him.
That was it.
“Get their weapons!” Liam yelled.
The rest of the NIDF force gave him a brief look, before snatching up the swords and shields of the fallen beasts.
“Lock you’re shields together, and move backwards towards the door!” Liam ordered.
He took a sword blow on his newly acquired shield, and drove his sword up into the Shadowmon’s guts. Tetsuo McKane, standing next to him, locked the edge of his shield over Liam’s, part of a wall formed by the NIDF men.
They started edging backwards, moving out of the door.
A scream came from Liam’s left, as one of the Shadowmon’s blows found its mark. The wall became a little Narrower, and Liam could only watch as the body of a sandy-haired trooper was dragged into the crowd of black bodies. Another scream came, and then silence. They made it out of the door.
Suddenly they found themselves with huge open spaces at the ends of their lines. Liam glanced over his shoulder.
The Digidestined, all of them now reunited with their Digimon companions stood in the distance, ready for battle.
The last of the NIDF warriors pulled the doors closed, and jammed his useless rifle through the locking slots, buying them a couple of minutes until the horde broke the door down.
With nothing else to do, they turned and ran for the Digidestined.
Tai looked round at his fellow captives. Jun stood at his side, ready for action, her pistol clutched in her hand.
“We’ll have to fight.” He said quietly.
“I know. I’ve done a lot of that these past few days.” She replied.
Tai looked around him. Matt and Sora stood a little bit away, hand in hand, their Digimon in front of them, TK and Tasha stood beside them, looking at each other intensely. Everyone was here.
Kari Kamiya stood beside her brother, and looked at the top of the tower.
‘Please be safe, Davis. We’ve fought to hard. We cant stop now.’
A tear crept into her eye, as she readied herself for combat.
“He’ll be okay, Kari.” Said Gatomon.
“I hope you’re right. I don’t want to lose him.” She replied.
“I think that you two couldn’t lose each other if you tried.” Her companion replied.
“All right everybody!” shouted Tai. “Let’s kick some Shadowmon ass!”
All of the Digidestined took out their D3’s. Tai looked down at Agumon.
“You ready?” he asked.
The little dinosaur-Digimon nodded. Tai raised his D3 in front of him, and pressed the activation stud.
Nothing.
He looked around, seeing the same confused look on the other’s that he was sure was on his own face.
“Something’s wrong!”
“It isn’t working!”
As the NIDF troops reached them, the Shadowmon finally broke through the doors, and poured onto the plain. They moved at speed, rushing forward, a horde of darkness intent on killing.
They were closing in on the Digidestined, when a huge torrent of light flew from the top of the tower. The rampaging beasts halted at the sight of it, as twelve brighter specks of light flew through the shining haze. The twelve points flew to several D3’s in the crowd.
Tai’s.
Kari’s.
Matt’s.
Sora’s.
All over the crowd, the light flooded into D3’s. Agumon looked up at Tai.
The brown-headed man raised his D3 again. He pressed the stud.
Agumon’s form glowed, grew.
WarGreymon looked at the Shadowmon hoard.
“Our turn.”
He unleashed a barrage of missiles from his chest plate, and the battle started anew, as the rest of the Digidestined activated their own D3’s.
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“What have you done?”
Paul’s face was shocked as he looked at the shattered remains of the crystal. Davis lifted the golden Katana up.
“It’s over Paul. You’ve lost. Give up now.”
Paul looked up at him.
“Over? It’s only just begun.”
The black sheen crept across his eyes once more. Covering them completely. He charged at Davis. The young Paladin sidestepped, knocking Paul to the ground. The would be ruler looked up at his nephew. Then he called out in the hissing language of the Shadowmon.
“Viramon! Destroy them!”
Davis leapt back as Viramon’s Claws raked the ground where he had been standing. Veemon was knocked into the air by the huge creatures other arm, spinning away from them.
Davis leapt back out of the remains of the domed room, onto open ground. He reached up for his D3, the small device hanging from the chain around his neck. Then he stopped.
He could feel a pulse, running through the hilt of the paladin sword. Gennai’s words came back to him.
‘As Ichiro fought against the dragon-lords, His Digimon fought overhead.’
He gripped his D3.
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Down on the plains beneath, the battle was Evenly spread. Everyone was scattered over the field, and even the Digidestined had picked up the weapons of their fallen enemies and were fighting alongside their Digimon.
TK swung the sword at the neck of the Shadowmon, feeling it bite. He turned away as the creature fell, and looked around him. He was the only one who had trained with Davis, as a swordsman. While he didn’t have the Paladin’s power, he had some of the skill. Another of the creatures ran towards him, and as he sidestepped, he cut out on his left, slicing into the creature’s stomach. He stabbed down once, and the Shadowmon’s neck.
He had cleared a circle around himself, free of enemies. He glanced around, at the raging battle. He saw them.
Tasha and Kari were side by side, being pressed back against the walls of the tower, surrounded by Shadowmon. A fresh wave of anger flooded through TK, and he ran towards them.
Cody, looking to his side as the blonde man ran past, finished off the Shadowmon at his feet, and joined his friend, running towards the enemy. They were swiftly joined by Tai, and Ken.
They crashed into the Shadowmon like a thunderbolt, slashing, stabbing. Reaching out for the two girls. By the time they were finished, the Shadowmon lay dead beneath them, and they were at their sides.
Kari looked up at them. There were tears in her eyes.
“She’s…”
Tasha lay there, pale, motionless. There was blood on her shirt. TK sank to his knees beside her, and put his arms under her shoulders.
“Tasha?” his voice was small, croaky.
He put his ear against her lips.
She was breathing, just. He pressed his hand against her chest, pressing down on the wound, staunching the flow. The battle still raged around them, but he didn’t care. He leant down, and gently pressed his lips against hers.
Kari was leaning against Tai, sobbing. Her brother hugged her close, as Cody stood beside them, ready for action, but still glancing nervously at the blonde girl.
“She stepped in front of me, when one of them stabbed… she did it to save me, Tai.”
She spoke between the sobs, then she looked up, and her expression was furious.
“Everyone seems to be doing that. Davis, Tasha…”
she pulled her sword out of the ground where it had been stuck, and looked up.
“No-one else is going to be hurt because of me.”
“You can’t stop other people, Kari.”
She didn’t respond, instead she suddenly pushed him to the side, and swung her sword upwards.
The blade caught the oncoming Shadowmon under the chin, snapping its head back. It’s blood sprayed into the air, as Kari lowered her blade again.
TK, his lips still pressed against Tasha’s, felt her move under him. He whispered quietly.
“Come back to me.”
Her D3 started to glow. The light enveloped her body, and then…
She coughed. And her eyes fluttered open.
“TK?”
“I’m here. I’ll always be here.”
He hugged her close, as she threw her arms around him.
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Veemon fell through the air, and as he hit the ground, his hands and feet scrabbled for purchase on the slippery ground. He started to go over the edge as he saw Davis reach for his D3. A glow surrounded the young fighter, as he pressed the activation stud.
Veemon felt a new power surge through him, as he started to fall off the edge of the tower.
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Liam, Pallet, and McKane stood side by side as they fought. Various different Digimon swooped above them, raining fire down on the ground. Angemon, his white wings bright against the gloom, visible even in the pouring rain, swung his huge staff. It raked through a group of the Shadowmon, scattering them in different directions. Shattering their black bodies. A disembodied arm flew over Liam’s head as they pressed forward against the enemy.
A young Digidestined ran past them, yelling in Russian. His cries were silenced as a Shadowmon slashed a clawed hand upwards against his throat.
Liam cursed. They were losing too many men. They had to…
McKane suddenly screamed out in agony beside him. The Englishman writhed in pain as his friends turned.
The top half of a sword stuck out of McKane’s chest, and the Shadowmon that bore it slammed his shield against Liam and Pallet, throwing them backwards. They sprawled in the mud, as the Creature lifted McKane up on the blade.
Tetsuo McKane looked into Liam’s eyes, as the Irishman stood, and readied himself to charge. He moved his arm towards his belt. Every movement was agony. He had to work fast or his friends would die too. Liam stopped as recognition grew in his face.
“Tet! No!”
McKane flipped the pin out of the grenade in his hand, and twisted on the blade, ignoring the pain. He shoved the sphere against the creature.
“Choke on this you motherf…”
The grenade exploded between them.
Liam turned and saw Mimi. He started running as a Shadowmon rushed at the young girl, but more of the creatures barred his way. Liam didn’t slow, but used his weight to slam through the wall, cutting left and right as he went.
He saw Mimi turn, watched as she was slammed to the ground. This one was a regenerate. It wasn’t armed. Liam rushed at it as it raised its clawed fist. He cut out, hard, slashing the blade into the creature’s neck. Its head fell to the ground beside its body.
Mimi was unconscious, as he lifted her, like a mother lifting a child.
He looked up, and saw a blue speck falling from the top of the tower. As he watched, it started to glow.
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Davis leapt back again as Viramon slammed his fist into the ground. He couldn’t keep this up for much longer. Where was Paul?
The young Paladin spotted his uncle as the older man ran up a ramp that led to the top of the transmission towers. Viramon barred the way, and Davis was forced back again as Viramon unleashed a blast of energy at him.
The blast was heading straight for him, and as he slipped on the wet ground, he realised the truth. There was nowhere to run.
He closed his eyes.
“Kari… I’m sorry.”
There was a rush of wind, but no impact.
He opened his eyes.
A towering figure stood in front of him, clothed in golden armour, with a shield of energy clasped on one arm. As Davis stood, the shield seemed to fold back into a compartment in the figures hand. Viramon snarled.
“Edenamon!”
Edenamon nodded at his name, and stood to one side.
“Davis, go stop Paul. I’ll deal with him.”
Davis nodded at his Digimon companion, and ran for the gantry ramp.
The two huge Digimon circled each other.
“You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this.” Viramon snarled at his opponent.
Edenamon’s face split in a grin.
“The wait’s over. Bring it on.”
Viramon charged at him, fists extended.
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Davis ran after Paul, surging up the ramp, and up onto the tower. On the gantry that ran between them, Paul stood waiting, Weapon in hand.
Destiny calling.
An ending, or a beginning Davis didn’t know which. But he went forward all the same.
The black sheen still covered Paul’s eyes, and the bearded mouth was twisted in a sneer.
“You are good, Paladin. But are you good enough?”
Davis raised his own sword.
“Let’s find out. Your move, uncle Paul.”
Paul laughed, a hollow, mocking sound.
“You still believe he exists, don’t you?”
He lunged forward, swinging his black Katana in a savage blow, that raised sparks from Davis’s own sword.
“Fool! He is gone! Only darkness rules in his soul now!”
Davis kicked at him, knocking him backwards. He swung the golden sword in an uppercut, Which Paul parried near to the ground. The older man whipped round. Moving his blade in a smooth backhand cut.
Davis wove a wall of steel in front of himself, blocking Paul’s attacks, but launching none of his own.
Finally, he saw an opening, a small hole in Paul’s defence. He stabbed forward, driving at the gap. Paul, his hands barely seeming to move, stopped the blow, and kicked Davis hard on the kneecap.
Davis fell forward, stumbling. Instead of trying to maintain his balance, he allowed himself to fall, turning his tumble into a role at the last second. He twisted around, and slashed a backhand, cutting a slash in the material of Paul’s shirt. The older man lurched backwards, clumsily. He slashed his katana at Davis, But the Paladin moved beneath the blow, caught it with the edge of his blade, and with a mighty heave, ripped Paul’s Katana out of his hands and sent it sailing over the railing, spinning into the darkness below.
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Edenamon dodged Viramon’s wild attack, spinning quickly out of the way. The huge black Digimon charged past him, spreading his wings as he ran off of the tower, taking to the sky. Edenamon soared after him, grabbing the monster, and hurling him around, back towards the tower. Viramon crashed into the side of the huge structure, shaking it to the core. He dropped under Edenamon, and raked his claws upwards, slashing at the armoured Digimon.
Edenamon felt the black claws score into his armour, and flinched backwards as they dug into his skin. Viramon, sensing the damage he had done, flipped onto his head in mid-air, and kicked with both feet up at Edenamon. The huge golden Digimon span away, falling towards the ground. Viramon roared his triumph and dived after him.
WarGreymon saw Edenamon fall, spinning out of control, and soared up towards Viramon. MetalGarurumon, soaring alongside his friend, looked sideways at his huge companion.
“On three…”
WarGreymon nodded.
“THREE!” they shouted in unison.
Both unleashed a surge of energy, straight at Viramon. The blasts slammed into the huge black beast, knocking him backwards. Viramon twisted, and raised his hands.
“DEMON METEOR!”
A huge black Ball of energy surged at the two Digimon. They had too much momentum to avoid it.
Fast as light, Edenamon flew in front of the two. The ball of energy erupted against his chest plate, exploding with a monumental blast.
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“It seems that you have beaten me.” Paul said.
Davis levelled the blade of his sword at the bearded man’s throat. He couldn’t even feel the rain on his skin; so great was the surge of adrenaline that ran through him.
“It seems I have.”
Paul shook his head. The black film still covered his eyes, like liquid darkness.
“What do you want of me?”
“What happened to my father?”
The question was quiet, the blade never once wavering from Paul’s neck. But despite the metal pressing lightly against his skin, the bearded man laughed.
“Your father? What do you think? I killed him.”
The dark globes looked up at Davis’s eyes.
“He died like a coward, begging for mercy. After we went through the digiport, that tore apart our jet, killing all the passengers, only the cockpit remained. All he wanted to do was get back to you, his family.
But I could see the opportunity for so much in this land. We both knew the legend of the Paladin, but he had the power over the light crests. He was the one who had been chosen.
So I picked up the flashlight from the emergency compartment, and smashed it over his skull. It didn’t kill him, not straight away. I let him live long enough to BEG me to let him live. But I kept hitting him, slamming the Flashlight onto his head again…and again… and again…”
“ENOUGH!”
Davis’s yell cut through the sound of the thunder that erupted overhead. Lightening slashed out of the sky, slamming into the tower beneath them, crumbling the stone of the roof. The weather seemed to have found a focus for its anger. Tears were pouring down Davis’s face, mingling with the rain. He drew back his sword, and the lightening flashed again as he readied himself for the killing blow.
‘You stand on the edge of the knife. One path leads to the goals you desire, the other leads to ruin.’
He stopped, hearing Ichiro’s voice in his head. Was it really only a week ago? It seemed like it had been so long. He felt the rain, seemingly for the first time.
Davis shivered; he was cold, wet, and miserable. He wanted to see all his friends. He wanted to see Kari.
He looked up at the blade in his hands. So far, he had only killed when it was necessary. He couldn’t kill an unarmed man.
“What are you waiting for? Kill me!”
Davis lowered the sword. Reaching behind him, he slid it gently into its scabbard.
“There’s been enough killing. I’ve already beaten you.”
Paul suddenly collapsed to the floor, clutching his head. Davis’s words seemed to cut through the darkness shrouding his blade like a knife, driving to the very core of his being.
The black sheen crawled back from his eyes. And he looked up.
“Davis?”
The Paladin nodded. And Paul looked back down to the ground, as lightening continued to strike into the tower, crumbling it, demolishing it.
“I did… all of this?”
“You couldn’t help it.” Davis replied.
He knelt down and gripped his uncle’s arm.
“Come with me. Let’s leave this place.”
Paul shook his head.
“No. I can still feel it, Davis. The Darkness. I can only hold it back for a while. I’m too dangerous to live.”
He stood, beside his nephew.
“Besides, my hands are too stained to give me any chance of deserving life. Everyone I’ve killed was innocent, from my brother to that Russian boy. I’m all that’s holding this tower together. My mind is the basis for it’s entire structure. If I go, it’ll fall, on all the people beneath it. They’re running Davis. They’re all scared.”
He turned to look at him, and there were tears in his eyes.
“They need you. They need the Paladin. You are here to protect, always remember that. I never learned the lessons well enough. The power does not make the man, the man makes the power.”
Another bolt of lightening flew from the sky, and they leapt back as it crashed through the gantry between them. Paul smiled sadly at his nephew from the other side of the gap.
“Go. Be their protector.”
“Paul…”
“GO! I can’t hold the tower together for much longer!”
Paul gripped the railings on either side of himself, steadying his body. He looked up at his nephew again.
“There are more dangerous things than me out there, Davis. Always be ready.”
Davis looked at him one last time, nodded, and turned, running down the ramp, heading for the roof elevator. Paul whispered a final farewell, under his breath.
“Your father would be proud of you.”
He focused his mind, driving back the darkness, as a bolt of lightening slammed into The gantry behind him, severing the floor away, leaving him hanging over the precipice below, the hole that now led right down to the bottom of the tower, hundreds of feet.
He looked up, as another bolt of lightening flashed in the clouds, making the journey towards him. He smiled, grimly.
“End of the line.”
The lightening slammed into the transmission masts, snapping the gantry rails. Paul Miyomoto closed his eyes as he started his final journey.
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The Ball of energy dissipated against Edenamon’s chest armour, and the shockwave threw WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon back. The levelled themselves off, and turned back to their friend, fully expecting to see his destroyed form. Their eyes widened at the sight they beheld.
Edenamon’s form was surrounded by a bright glow, permeating his body. And as he charged at Viramon, his body seemed to melt into the distance, battering the black Digimon back, away from the crumbling tower.
Angewoman and Angemon, the twin Digimon of Light and hope, Flew up beside their friends. Angewoman was the first to speak.
“Is that… Veemon?”
WarGreymon nodded.
“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s help him!”
Edenamon was kicked back again, And Viramon, his face snarling, growled at the light Digimon.
“Where are your friends now? Where are your companions?”
“Where we always are!”
Angemon, WarGreymon, Angewoman, and MetalGarurumon lined up on either side of Edenamon.
“Right here.” Angewoman finished.
Edenamon didn’t look at them.
“This is my fight. You don’t have to get involved.” He said
“You’d think that you would have learned by now…”
Stingmon said as he joined the line.
“…That we’re all a team.”
Aquilamon settled at the other end.
“None of us have to fight alone.” Angewoman finished.
Viramon looked from Face to face.
“Are you going to fight, or talk all day?” he snarled.
Edenamon’s eyes narrowed. He held out his gauntleted hands.
“Help me. Focus your power through me.”
Angewoman placed her palm in his, and felt an electric current run through her body. All of the Digimon in the battle line linked hands.
The glow that surrounded Edenamon’s body intensified, focusing into his hands. He smiled.
“Get back, all of you. This is gonna be big.”
The other Digimon backed off, and Edenamon brought his hands together. He shouted out two words.
“REDEMPTIONS… EYE!”
A beam of pure white light blasted out from his outstretched hands, slamming into Viramon. The other Digimon turned away at the dazzling brightness. Finally, the light dimmed, and they turned back.
Viramon was gone. Nothing was left, no trace that he had ever existed. They flew back next to their friend, but he seemed to be listening. Edenamon said one word.
“Davis.”
The great Digimon turned and flew full pelt at the tower, smashing through its side.
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Davis ran down the stairs, moving through the tower as fast as he could, racing against time to reach the bottom. He had encountered some of the Shadowmon on the way down, but they had posed little resistance. Nothing was going to stop him getting out now.
He ran across a crumbling floor, as it started to disintegrate under him. He didn’t make it to the other side. The floor vanished from under him, falling away, and he fell with it. He made a desperate grab for the edge of the platform, but to no avail.
He fell downwards, picking up speed.
A crashing sound alerted him to the impact of something big against the side of the tower. Edenamon, his huge hand outstretched, smashed into the huge cylinder, and dived after his human companion. His hand wrapped around Davis’s leg as they dived for the bottom, pulling the Paladin into his grip. They reached the bottom as the tower crashed around them.
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Kari, TK, Tai, and Tasha watched in horror as the tower fell.
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The edge of the knife.
******************
Liam Dillon, his hands clutching the rifle that he had taken from the fallen guard, Moved from the lift across the main lobby, running towards the group of Digidestined. The NIDF men followed him. Tai turned as he heard them, and his face lifted as he saw the big Irishman. It brightened up even more as he saw Jun, Ken and Kari.
“Where did you guys come from?” he asked.
Jun ran towards him, and threw herself into his arms. TK and Tasha stood from where they had been seated and moved over to Liam.
“What's going on?” TK asked.
“The Shadowmon army is moving down here. We need to get that door open. We need…”
The elevator across the way from them pinged. The NIDF troopers spun around, bringing their weapons to bear on the opening doors.
Nick Pallet stepped out, followed by the captured Digimon, who ran joyfully to their owners.
Salamandramon leapt into Tasha’s arms, and she hugged him close. Patomon swooped through the air and perched on TK’s hat, knocking it down over his eyes. The blonde man laughed, momentarily forgetting the danger facing them.
“How’s that door coming?” Liam asked, snapping them out of their reverie.
“I’m working on it! There’s a code!” McKane called back.
Liam walked over to his friend, looked at the door, and shrugged.
“Step back, Tet.” He said quietly.
McKane moved back, giving Liam a look.
“Do you know it then?” he asked.
“Yes.” Liam said.
He raised his rifle and fired five rounds into the lock. The handle segment of the door broke away, and it swung loose, onto the meadow outside. He shrugged.
“That’s my code.”
“Boss?” called one of the troopers.
Liam turned to face the man and stopped as the trooper motioned for quiet.
A scurrying sound was coming from the next chamber, on the other side of the big double doors at the end of the hallway. The sound of many feet, all moving at once. Liam raised his rifle again, quickly replacing the depleted magazine.
“Everybody out. Move it. We’ll cover your backs, until your outside.”
Pallet, Liam, And McKane all moved forward, the troops behind them. Pallet’s sword and shield were at his side.
“Where the hell did you get those things?” asked McKane.
“Off one of them.” Pallet nodded towards the doors.
The Digidestined started pushing out of the exit, and as the NIDF troops readied their weapons, kneeling and aiming at the door, the first Shadowmon burst into the room, slamming through the big doors.
The sound of rifles echoed through the lower level of the tower.
=============================================================
Davis ran out of the elevator doors, onto the roof, running after Paul. The Paladin sword was light in his hands as he moved, sprinting after his uncle. Veemon ran alongside his companion as Paul ran into a domelike structure, in between the two huge transmission aerials that pointed into the sky like blades.
He ran through the door after the older man, and stopped as a bright light dazzled him.
“Marvellous, isn’t it?”
Paul’s voice had a mocking edge, taunting Davis. As the young Paladin’s vision adjusted to the brightness, he made out a crystal, sitting in a fixture in the middle of the room. It was from this crystal that the light emanated.
“The key. The focusing agent. It contains the twelve crests of the dragon- lords, Courage, Friendship, truth, all of them. All having their power enhanced by the dark crests.”
Davis could see him now, standing on the opposite side of the crystal.
“You’ve lost, Paul. By now, Liam and his men will have got the Digimon back to their partners. Even the Shadowmon can’t stand up to that.”
“Maybe you would be right. Except for one thing. The Digimon are useless if they cant digivolve.”
Davis felt the first cold spike of doubt creep into his mind.
“What are you talking about?”
“You always were stupid. Any normal person would have figured it out by now.”
They started circling around the table, their eyes never leaving each other’s.
“The crests are what supply the power of the Digital World. They are linked to the power cores themselves.”
A mocking grin spread across his face.
“Whilst I hold the crests, none of the Digimon can digivolve.”
Images flooded into Davis’s mind, of the Shadowmon army slamming into the Digidestined. His friend’s faces flashed in front of his eyes.
TK,
Tasha,
Tai,
Kari.
“No.”
He leapt across the table, slashing his sword at Paul, a lethal cut.
Paul hadn’t even seemed to reach for his own sword, but suddenly it was in his hands. The two blades clanged together, and before Davis could attack again, Paul had whipped his foot around, flooring the younger man. The black Blade was suddenly at Davis’s throat, as he looked up at his uncle.
“Never attack in anger. It only leads to ruin. Did Gennai teach you nothing?”
The walls of the domed building seemed to stretch, and then to crumble, as the roof was pulled off.
Viramon’s craggy face stared down into the room, and a slow smile spread across his evil features.
“You have him.”
Paul nodded. And looked back at the young Paladin. Viramon egged his master on.
“Finish him. Once he is destroyed, nothing will stand between us and the worlds.”
Paul didn’t move. The black Katana still rested against Davis’s throat, but the younger man could see the doubt in his uncle’s eyes.
“Finish Him!” Viramon yelled.
A black film started to cover Paul’s eyes, and he started to raise the Katana for a killing blow.
Davis’s hand edged towards the hilt of the Paladin blade. His finger touched the pommel.
A sneer crossed Paul’s face.
“Time to put an end to the line of the Paladin. Now, forever, and always.”
Those words, a cruel echo of the promise Davis had made to Kari, galvanised the young man into action. As the Black Katana swept downwards, his hand clenched around the handle of the Paladin-sword, and he swept it up in front of him, deflecting Paul’s strike.
The clang of metal on metal sounded on the rooftop, as Davis leapt to his feet. It started to rain, making the floor, now open to the elements, slippery under them. It ran over Davis’s bare chest, but he didn’t notice it. His eyes were fixed on Paul Miyomoto.
“Not today, Paul. It’s time to end this.”
Paul blinked.
“It’s just you, Daisuke. They cant digivolve. There is no-one here to help you.”
Davis shrugged.
“Then maybe we should remedy that situation.”
He flipped backwards, over to the other side of the table, and Lightening flashed in the sky, as he brought the golden sword down onto the crystal, shattering it under the blow.
=============================================================
Liam pulled the rifle’s trigger, sending a spray of bullets into the first Shadowmon that rushed out of the corridor at them. The rounds riddled its body, stopping its momentum, making it jerk in the air as it collapsed.
But it was immediately replaced by two more, and the firing pin of Liam’s rifle clicked on empty as he put them down, using up the last of the rounds in his magazine.
All around him, the Weapons of the NIDF troops spoke in a cacophony of sound, deafening him, shredding the bodies of the Shadowmon. They couldn’t keep this up for long. More of the creatures were flooding into the room, surrounding their little semi-circle. The last of the Digidestined were getting out, moving onto the green land outside. Liam could hear the crash of thunder as the rain started.
One of the Shadowmon ran at Nick Pallet as he was changing his magazine. The foul creature swung its sword at the Londoner, who dropped his rifle, and snatched up his shield. The sword blow knocked him backwards, and off balance, but he was alive as he swung his own blade, digging it deep into the Shadowmon’s neck, sending the head spinning away, as the body dropped in front of him.
That was it.
“Get their weapons!” Liam yelled.
The rest of the NIDF force gave him a brief look, before snatching up the swords and shields of the fallen beasts.
“Lock you’re shields together, and move backwards towards the door!” Liam ordered.
He took a sword blow on his newly acquired shield, and drove his sword up into the Shadowmon’s guts. Tetsuo McKane, standing next to him, locked the edge of his shield over Liam’s, part of a wall formed by the NIDF men.
They started edging backwards, moving out of the door.
A scream came from Liam’s left, as one of the Shadowmon’s blows found its mark. The wall became a little Narrower, and Liam could only watch as the body of a sandy-haired trooper was dragged into the crowd of black bodies. Another scream came, and then silence. They made it out of the door.
Suddenly they found themselves with huge open spaces at the ends of their lines. Liam glanced over his shoulder.
The Digidestined, all of them now reunited with their Digimon companions stood in the distance, ready for battle.
The last of the NIDF warriors pulled the doors closed, and jammed his useless rifle through the locking slots, buying them a couple of minutes until the horde broke the door down.
With nothing else to do, they turned and ran for the Digidestined.
Tai looked round at his fellow captives. Jun stood at his side, ready for action, her pistol clutched in her hand.
“We’ll have to fight.” He said quietly.
“I know. I’ve done a lot of that these past few days.” She replied.
Tai looked around him. Matt and Sora stood a little bit away, hand in hand, their Digimon in front of them, TK and Tasha stood beside them, looking at each other intensely. Everyone was here.
Kari Kamiya stood beside her brother, and looked at the top of the tower.
‘Please be safe, Davis. We’ve fought to hard. We cant stop now.’
A tear crept into her eye, as she readied herself for combat.
“He’ll be okay, Kari.” Said Gatomon.
“I hope you’re right. I don’t want to lose him.” She replied.
“I think that you two couldn’t lose each other if you tried.” Her companion replied.
“All right everybody!” shouted Tai. “Let’s kick some Shadowmon ass!”
All of the Digidestined took out their D3’s. Tai looked down at Agumon.
“You ready?” he asked.
The little dinosaur-Digimon nodded. Tai raised his D3 in front of him, and pressed the activation stud.
Nothing.
He looked around, seeing the same confused look on the other’s that he was sure was on his own face.
“Something’s wrong!”
“It isn’t working!”
As the NIDF troops reached them, the Shadowmon finally broke through the doors, and poured onto the plain. They moved at speed, rushing forward, a horde of darkness intent on killing.
They were closing in on the Digidestined, when a huge torrent of light flew from the top of the tower. The rampaging beasts halted at the sight of it, as twelve brighter specks of light flew through the shining haze. The twelve points flew to several D3’s in the crowd.
Tai’s.
Kari’s.
Matt’s.
Sora’s.
All over the crowd, the light flooded into D3’s. Agumon looked up at Tai.
The brown-headed man raised his D3 again. He pressed the stud.
Agumon’s form glowed, grew.
WarGreymon looked at the Shadowmon hoard.
“Our turn.”
He unleashed a barrage of missiles from his chest plate, and the battle started anew, as the rest of the Digidestined activated their own D3’s.
=============================================================
“What have you done?”
Paul’s face was shocked as he looked at the shattered remains of the crystal. Davis lifted the golden Katana up.
“It’s over Paul. You’ve lost. Give up now.”
Paul looked up at him.
“Over? It’s only just begun.”
The black sheen crept across his eyes once more. Covering them completely. He charged at Davis. The young Paladin sidestepped, knocking Paul to the ground. The would be ruler looked up at his nephew. Then he called out in the hissing language of the Shadowmon.
“Viramon! Destroy them!”
Davis leapt back as Viramon’s Claws raked the ground where he had been standing. Veemon was knocked into the air by the huge creatures other arm, spinning away from them.
Davis leapt back out of the remains of the domed room, onto open ground. He reached up for his D3, the small device hanging from the chain around his neck. Then he stopped.
He could feel a pulse, running through the hilt of the paladin sword. Gennai’s words came back to him.
‘As Ichiro fought against the dragon-lords, His Digimon fought overhead.’
He gripped his D3.
=============================================================
Down on the plains beneath, the battle was Evenly spread. Everyone was scattered over the field, and even the Digidestined had picked up the weapons of their fallen enemies and were fighting alongside their Digimon.
TK swung the sword at the neck of the Shadowmon, feeling it bite. He turned away as the creature fell, and looked around him. He was the only one who had trained with Davis, as a swordsman. While he didn’t have the Paladin’s power, he had some of the skill. Another of the creatures ran towards him, and as he sidestepped, he cut out on his left, slicing into the creature’s stomach. He stabbed down once, and the Shadowmon’s neck.
He had cleared a circle around himself, free of enemies. He glanced around, at the raging battle. He saw them.
Tasha and Kari were side by side, being pressed back against the walls of the tower, surrounded by Shadowmon. A fresh wave of anger flooded through TK, and he ran towards them.
Cody, looking to his side as the blonde man ran past, finished off the Shadowmon at his feet, and joined his friend, running towards the enemy. They were swiftly joined by Tai, and Ken.
They crashed into the Shadowmon like a thunderbolt, slashing, stabbing. Reaching out for the two girls. By the time they were finished, the Shadowmon lay dead beneath them, and they were at their sides.
Kari looked up at them. There were tears in her eyes.
“She’s…”
Tasha lay there, pale, motionless. There was blood on her shirt. TK sank to his knees beside her, and put his arms under her shoulders.
“Tasha?” his voice was small, croaky.
He put his ear against her lips.
She was breathing, just. He pressed his hand against her chest, pressing down on the wound, staunching the flow. The battle still raged around them, but he didn’t care. He leant down, and gently pressed his lips against hers.
Kari was leaning against Tai, sobbing. Her brother hugged her close, as Cody stood beside them, ready for action, but still glancing nervously at the blonde girl.
“She stepped in front of me, when one of them stabbed… she did it to save me, Tai.”
She spoke between the sobs, then she looked up, and her expression was furious.
“Everyone seems to be doing that. Davis, Tasha…”
she pulled her sword out of the ground where it had been stuck, and looked up.
“No-one else is going to be hurt because of me.”
“You can’t stop other people, Kari.”
She didn’t respond, instead she suddenly pushed him to the side, and swung her sword upwards.
The blade caught the oncoming Shadowmon under the chin, snapping its head back. It’s blood sprayed into the air, as Kari lowered her blade again.
TK, his lips still pressed against Tasha’s, felt her move under him. He whispered quietly.
“Come back to me.”
Her D3 started to glow. The light enveloped her body, and then…
She coughed. And her eyes fluttered open.
“TK?”
“I’m here. I’ll always be here.”
He hugged her close, as she threw her arms around him.
=============================================================
Veemon fell through the air, and as he hit the ground, his hands and feet scrabbled for purchase on the slippery ground. He started to go over the edge as he saw Davis reach for his D3. A glow surrounded the young fighter, as he pressed the activation stud.
Veemon felt a new power surge through him, as he started to fall off the edge of the tower.
=============================================================
Liam, Pallet, and McKane stood side by side as they fought. Various different Digimon swooped above them, raining fire down on the ground. Angemon, his white wings bright against the gloom, visible even in the pouring rain, swung his huge staff. It raked through a group of the Shadowmon, scattering them in different directions. Shattering their black bodies. A disembodied arm flew over Liam’s head as they pressed forward against the enemy.
A young Digidestined ran past them, yelling in Russian. His cries were silenced as a Shadowmon slashed a clawed hand upwards against his throat.
Liam cursed. They were losing too many men. They had to…
McKane suddenly screamed out in agony beside him. The Englishman writhed in pain as his friends turned.
The top half of a sword stuck out of McKane’s chest, and the Shadowmon that bore it slammed his shield against Liam and Pallet, throwing them backwards. They sprawled in the mud, as the Creature lifted McKane up on the blade.
Tetsuo McKane looked into Liam’s eyes, as the Irishman stood, and readied himself to charge. He moved his arm towards his belt. Every movement was agony. He had to work fast or his friends would die too. Liam stopped as recognition grew in his face.
“Tet! No!”
McKane flipped the pin out of the grenade in his hand, and twisted on the blade, ignoring the pain. He shoved the sphere against the creature.
“Choke on this you motherf…”
The grenade exploded between them.
Liam turned and saw Mimi. He started running as a Shadowmon rushed at the young girl, but more of the creatures barred his way. Liam didn’t slow, but used his weight to slam through the wall, cutting left and right as he went.
He saw Mimi turn, watched as she was slammed to the ground. This one was a regenerate. It wasn’t armed. Liam rushed at it as it raised its clawed fist. He cut out, hard, slashing the blade into the creature’s neck. Its head fell to the ground beside its body.
Mimi was unconscious, as he lifted her, like a mother lifting a child.
He looked up, and saw a blue speck falling from the top of the tower. As he watched, it started to glow.
=============================================================
Davis leapt back again as Viramon slammed his fist into the ground. He couldn’t keep this up for much longer. Where was Paul?
The young Paladin spotted his uncle as the older man ran up a ramp that led to the top of the transmission towers. Viramon barred the way, and Davis was forced back again as Viramon unleashed a blast of energy at him.
The blast was heading straight for him, and as he slipped on the wet ground, he realised the truth. There was nowhere to run.
He closed his eyes.
“Kari… I’m sorry.”
There was a rush of wind, but no impact.
He opened his eyes.
A towering figure stood in front of him, clothed in golden armour, with a shield of energy clasped on one arm. As Davis stood, the shield seemed to fold back into a compartment in the figures hand. Viramon snarled.
“Edenamon!”
Edenamon nodded at his name, and stood to one side.
“Davis, go stop Paul. I’ll deal with him.”
Davis nodded at his Digimon companion, and ran for the gantry ramp.
The two huge Digimon circled each other.
“You don’t know how long I’ve waited for this.” Viramon snarled at his opponent.
Edenamon’s face split in a grin.
“The wait’s over. Bring it on.”
Viramon charged at him, fists extended.
=============================================================
Davis ran after Paul, surging up the ramp, and up onto the tower. On the gantry that ran between them, Paul stood waiting, Weapon in hand.
Destiny calling.
An ending, or a beginning Davis didn’t know which. But he went forward all the same.
The black sheen still covered Paul’s eyes, and the bearded mouth was twisted in a sneer.
“You are good, Paladin. But are you good enough?”
Davis raised his own sword.
“Let’s find out. Your move, uncle Paul.”
Paul laughed, a hollow, mocking sound.
“You still believe he exists, don’t you?”
He lunged forward, swinging his black Katana in a savage blow, that raised sparks from Davis’s own sword.
“Fool! He is gone! Only darkness rules in his soul now!”
Davis kicked at him, knocking him backwards. He swung the golden sword in an uppercut, Which Paul parried near to the ground. The older man whipped round. Moving his blade in a smooth backhand cut.
Davis wove a wall of steel in front of himself, blocking Paul’s attacks, but launching none of his own.
Finally, he saw an opening, a small hole in Paul’s defence. He stabbed forward, driving at the gap. Paul, his hands barely seeming to move, stopped the blow, and kicked Davis hard on the kneecap.
Davis fell forward, stumbling. Instead of trying to maintain his balance, he allowed himself to fall, turning his tumble into a role at the last second. He twisted around, and slashed a backhand, cutting a slash in the material of Paul’s shirt. The older man lurched backwards, clumsily. He slashed his katana at Davis, But the Paladin moved beneath the blow, caught it with the edge of his blade, and with a mighty heave, ripped Paul’s Katana out of his hands and sent it sailing over the railing, spinning into the darkness below.
=============================================================
Edenamon dodged Viramon’s wild attack, spinning quickly out of the way. The huge black Digimon charged past him, spreading his wings as he ran off of the tower, taking to the sky. Edenamon soared after him, grabbing the monster, and hurling him around, back towards the tower. Viramon crashed into the side of the huge structure, shaking it to the core. He dropped under Edenamon, and raked his claws upwards, slashing at the armoured Digimon.
Edenamon felt the black claws score into his armour, and flinched backwards as they dug into his skin. Viramon, sensing the damage he had done, flipped onto his head in mid-air, and kicked with both feet up at Edenamon. The huge golden Digimon span away, falling towards the ground. Viramon roared his triumph and dived after him.
WarGreymon saw Edenamon fall, spinning out of control, and soared up towards Viramon. MetalGarurumon, soaring alongside his friend, looked sideways at his huge companion.
“On three…”
WarGreymon nodded.
“THREE!” they shouted in unison.
Both unleashed a surge of energy, straight at Viramon. The blasts slammed into the huge black beast, knocking him backwards. Viramon twisted, and raised his hands.
“DEMON METEOR!”
A huge black Ball of energy surged at the two Digimon. They had too much momentum to avoid it.
Fast as light, Edenamon flew in front of the two. The ball of energy erupted against his chest plate, exploding with a monumental blast.
=============================================================
“It seems that you have beaten me.” Paul said.
Davis levelled the blade of his sword at the bearded man’s throat. He couldn’t even feel the rain on his skin; so great was the surge of adrenaline that ran through him.
“It seems I have.”
Paul shook his head. The black film still covered his eyes, like liquid darkness.
“What do you want of me?”
“What happened to my father?”
The question was quiet, the blade never once wavering from Paul’s neck. But despite the metal pressing lightly against his skin, the bearded man laughed.
“Your father? What do you think? I killed him.”
The dark globes looked up at Davis’s eyes.
“He died like a coward, begging for mercy. After we went through the digiport, that tore apart our jet, killing all the passengers, only the cockpit remained. All he wanted to do was get back to you, his family.
But I could see the opportunity for so much in this land. We both knew the legend of the Paladin, but he had the power over the light crests. He was the one who had been chosen.
So I picked up the flashlight from the emergency compartment, and smashed it over his skull. It didn’t kill him, not straight away. I let him live long enough to BEG me to let him live. But I kept hitting him, slamming the Flashlight onto his head again…and again… and again…”
“ENOUGH!”
Davis’s yell cut through the sound of the thunder that erupted overhead. Lightening slashed out of the sky, slamming into the tower beneath them, crumbling the stone of the roof. The weather seemed to have found a focus for its anger. Tears were pouring down Davis’s face, mingling with the rain. He drew back his sword, and the lightening flashed again as he readied himself for the killing blow.
‘You stand on the edge of the knife. One path leads to the goals you desire, the other leads to ruin.’
He stopped, hearing Ichiro’s voice in his head. Was it really only a week ago? It seemed like it had been so long. He felt the rain, seemingly for the first time.
Davis shivered; he was cold, wet, and miserable. He wanted to see all his friends. He wanted to see Kari.
He looked up at the blade in his hands. So far, he had only killed when it was necessary. He couldn’t kill an unarmed man.
“What are you waiting for? Kill me!”
Davis lowered the sword. Reaching behind him, he slid it gently into its scabbard.
“There’s been enough killing. I’ve already beaten you.”
Paul suddenly collapsed to the floor, clutching his head. Davis’s words seemed to cut through the darkness shrouding his blade like a knife, driving to the very core of his being.
The black sheen crawled back from his eyes. And he looked up.
“Davis?”
The Paladin nodded. And Paul looked back down to the ground, as lightening continued to strike into the tower, crumbling it, demolishing it.
“I did… all of this?”
“You couldn’t help it.” Davis replied.
He knelt down and gripped his uncle’s arm.
“Come with me. Let’s leave this place.”
Paul shook his head.
“No. I can still feel it, Davis. The Darkness. I can only hold it back for a while. I’m too dangerous to live.”
He stood, beside his nephew.
“Besides, my hands are too stained to give me any chance of deserving life. Everyone I’ve killed was innocent, from my brother to that Russian boy. I’m all that’s holding this tower together. My mind is the basis for it’s entire structure. If I go, it’ll fall, on all the people beneath it. They’re running Davis. They’re all scared.”
He turned to look at him, and there were tears in his eyes.
“They need you. They need the Paladin. You are here to protect, always remember that. I never learned the lessons well enough. The power does not make the man, the man makes the power.”
Another bolt of lightening flew from the sky, and they leapt back as it crashed through the gantry between them. Paul smiled sadly at his nephew from the other side of the gap.
“Go. Be their protector.”
“Paul…”
“GO! I can’t hold the tower together for much longer!”
Paul gripped the railings on either side of himself, steadying his body. He looked up at his nephew again.
“There are more dangerous things than me out there, Davis. Always be ready.”
Davis looked at him one last time, nodded, and turned, running down the ramp, heading for the roof elevator. Paul whispered a final farewell, under his breath.
“Your father would be proud of you.”
He focused his mind, driving back the darkness, as a bolt of lightening slammed into The gantry behind him, severing the floor away, leaving him hanging over the precipice below, the hole that now led right down to the bottom of the tower, hundreds of feet.
He looked up, as another bolt of lightening flashed in the clouds, making the journey towards him. He smiled, grimly.
“End of the line.”
The lightening slammed into the transmission masts, snapping the gantry rails. Paul Miyomoto closed his eyes as he started his final journey.
=============================================================
The Ball of energy dissipated against Edenamon’s chest armour, and the shockwave threw WarGreymon and MetalGarurumon back. The levelled themselves off, and turned back to their friend, fully expecting to see his destroyed form. Their eyes widened at the sight they beheld.
Edenamon’s form was surrounded by a bright glow, permeating his body. And as he charged at Viramon, his body seemed to melt into the distance, battering the black Digimon back, away from the crumbling tower.
Angewoman and Angemon, the twin Digimon of Light and hope, Flew up beside their friends. Angewoman was the first to speak.
“Is that… Veemon?”
WarGreymon nodded.
“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s help him!”
Edenamon was kicked back again, And Viramon, his face snarling, growled at the light Digimon.
“Where are your friends now? Where are your companions?”
“Where we always are!”
Angemon, WarGreymon, Angewoman, and MetalGarurumon lined up on either side of Edenamon.
“Right here.” Angewoman finished.
Edenamon didn’t look at them.
“This is my fight. You don’t have to get involved.” He said
“You’d think that you would have learned by now…”
Stingmon said as he joined the line.
“…That we’re all a team.”
Aquilamon settled at the other end.
“None of us have to fight alone.” Angewoman finished.
Viramon looked from Face to face.
“Are you going to fight, or talk all day?” he snarled.
Edenamon’s eyes narrowed. He held out his gauntleted hands.
“Help me. Focus your power through me.”
Angewoman placed her palm in his, and felt an electric current run through her body. All of the Digimon in the battle line linked hands.
The glow that surrounded Edenamon’s body intensified, focusing into his hands. He smiled.
“Get back, all of you. This is gonna be big.”
The other Digimon backed off, and Edenamon brought his hands together. He shouted out two words.
“REDEMPTIONS… EYE!”
A beam of pure white light blasted out from his outstretched hands, slamming into Viramon. The other Digimon turned away at the dazzling brightness. Finally, the light dimmed, and they turned back.
Viramon was gone. Nothing was left, no trace that he had ever existed. They flew back next to their friend, but he seemed to be listening. Edenamon said one word.
“Davis.”
The great Digimon turned and flew full pelt at the tower, smashing through its side.
=============================================================
Davis ran down the stairs, moving through the tower as fast as he could, racing against time to reach the bottom. He had encountered some of the Shadowmon on the way down, but they had posed little resistance. Nothing was going to stop him getting out now.
He ran across a crumbling floor, as it started to disintegrate under him. He didn’t make it to the other side. The floor vanished from under him, falling away, and he fell with it. He made a desperate grab for the edge of the platform, but to no avail.
He fell downwards, picking up speed.
A crashing sound alerted him to the impact of something big against the side of the tower. Edenamon, his huge hand outstretched, smashed into the huge cylinder, and dived after his human companion. His hand wrapped around Davis’s leg as they dived for the bottom, pulling the Paladin into his grip. They reached the bottom as the tower crashed around them.
=============================================================
Kari, TK, Tai, and Tasha watched in horror as the tower fell.
=============================================================