Tundra_Wolfmane
U.A.M.
Well, this is the first in a long time I've actually written a story and posted it somewhere. Hopefully, I can keep this up and add new chapters soon. If not, I'm sure there's someone out there who'll kick me to get to it (yes, Griff, I'm looking at you right now).
This is a branch off story from the rps Unholy Crusade (by storymasterb) and then of Devil's Ascent (by Kamotz), though reading through them isn't necessary. This can be a stand alone story and can be understood without having to read all that text. This takes place many many years before the actual beginning of said rps.
Now, just to be on the safe side (and hanging onto habit):
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. However, I do own Fenrir Weissritter, and Griff4815 owns Tiwaz Koenig. Both are our respective characters in the Unholy Crusade Trilogy. The rest of the characters are all co-owned by he and I, excluding the antagonists that will appear later in the story. They're mine.
Links to Chapters and Acts:
Prologue - Act 1: The Beginning of a Long Journey a.k.a. "What Am I Getting Myself Into?"
Prologue - Act 2: The Hermit a.k.a. "Are you crazy!? What am I saying? Of course you're crazy!"
Prologue - Act 3: Of Legends and Crazy Old Geezers a.k.a. "Fascinating? You call me almost getting burned to death fascinating?!"
Chapter I - Act 1: The Trembling Earth a.k.a. "My peaches! My delicious peaches! Heavenly sweet but fiendishly left unconsumed! They need me!"
Chapter I - Act 2: Between Foolishness and Bravery a.k.a. "It's...a pie."
Chapter I - Act 3: Depths of the Earth a.k.a. "How am I supposed to make you look substandard if you keep on making astonishing feats?"
Chapter II - Act 1: Explorer Exploring a.k.a. “So who are you and how did you get stuck with crazy over here?”
Chapter II - Act 2: Feud of the Forest a.k.a. “Are all aged Digimon crazy or am I really that unlucky?"
Chapter II - Act 3: Terror of the Relic a.k.a. "I did nothing! Ask the flying book!"
Side Chapter: Mapping Out The Journey a.k.a. "What is this offending ball of wool!?"
Chapter III - Act 1: A Chilly Reception a.k.a. "Your most sacred duty in life is to eat food?"
Chapter III - Act 2: An Ocean’s Worth Of Trouble a.k.a. "I’d hit them on the head with my trusty hammer."
Chapter III - Act 3: Cold War a.k.a. "Maybe there really is a method to his madness…or maybe he’s just plain insane."
Now, without further ado...
The day was clear and bright. Clouds were scarce, but despite that, it was not at all warm, especially with the gentle breeze blowing. The morning sun shone brightly down upon the giant form that was the Bakhu Mountain. Capped with snow and gradually transforming into the earthy brown and green of the world, it was a wonder to see. The wind, cooled by the snow of the mountain top, traveled down lazily, caressing would be travelers and climbers. It continued down to the base of the mountain where a grassy plain began and flourished. If one listened closely enough, one would be able to hear the soft whispers of the wind in one’s ear, as if they were trying to tell a secret that can only be shared once.
However, not everyone can have the luxury of being able to stand and appreciate the scenery.
“By Buri, how large is this mountain supposed to be!?”
The loud voice of an EmperorGreymon resounded against the mountain wall beside him, echoing and then traveling past him towards the open, grassy field on his other side. With an annoyed look and impatient gait, the imposing dragon man walked down the dirt path that was supposed to take him to the other side of the mountain.
Typical of the Greymon of his species, he wore heavy red breastplate with draconic likeness. His shoulders were adorned with large shoulder pads in the form of dragon heads with a horned snout and shield-like frills. Both hands wore large gauntlets in the shape of a more avian dragon with two horns above the eyes. The gauntlets themselves were wide with a blue base that acted like shields. Further below, he wore more draconic armor, the golden knee armor wide and strong. The final dragon-like feature on his armor was his greaves, which had a silver ring circumventing from the front of his foot to behind his ankle.
He wore the orange helmet of his species, complete with the horn at the snout as well as the steer like horns from the side of his head. Beneath his armor, he had clear blue eyes that relayed the strong and passionate emotions he felt. Setting him apart from others of his species and sitting on the top of his head, over his eyes, however, was a pair of goggles that not only set him apart but also gave him an aura of boldness.
“Just take the shortcut, he says. It won’t take an hour, he says. Next time I see him, I’ll show him what I think of what he says,” he growled as he stomped on, leaving deep footprints on the ground. “That is the last time I am asking directions ever again, winged explorer or not. I bet the bird-brained idiot can’t even tell between north and south, let alone up or down,” he continued to grumble as he trudged on, looking for any sign that the far end of path was going to show some form of civilization. While he wasn’t able to find one, he did see a pond shaded by the mountain’s wall after turning at the corner of the dirt path.
“Might as well rest the legs,” he told himself as he quickened his pace to reach the watering hole.
The EmperorGreymon knelt down beside the pond, putting his hands in them and relishing the coolness of the water. Seeing that the pond was clear and clean, he decided to take a drink of the refreshing water.
After sufficiently quenching his thirst, he sat against the mountain wall, his trusty broadsword propped up beside him. “Gonna need to be quick if those bandits I hear roaming these parts appear,” he told himself as rested his arm on a bent knee. Just to be sure, he took a look at one side of the dirt path, actually hoping to see scale or hide of something he can take his frustration of being lost out on. After a few minutes of silence, he rolled his eyes, put his hands behind his head and laid them against the mountain wall, disappointed at the lack of enemies to bring to justice.
He was beginning to find the sounds of the wind blowing down the mountain peaceful and relaxing. It even helped cool down his slightly tired body, passing through the crevices of his armor. He began to close his eyes, feeling the strain of having to walk for so long with little to eat.
“Maybe,” he started, stifling a yawn. “It won’t be too bad to take a short nap,” he finished his thought as he finally closed his eyes.
Along that very same path, another traveler was walking with what most people would consider a leisurely place. Yet if one were to look at his face, it would’ve been clear that his mind wasn’t as carefree as his gait.
The traveler was a Beowolfmon, complete with the golden dual-bladed sword and the Garurumon helmet. The helmet shone under the heavy sun rays, creating shadows through the eyeholes that displayed serious, dark red eyes that looked like they could literally glare daggers. Behind his head, blonde hair fell, blown by the wind.
His body was adorned by the usual Beowolfmon armor. Three-clawed boots were on his feet along with five-holed armor around his ankles. Adding more support to his legs were dark blue cuisse and leg armor with golden rings. Around his torso, along with light blue suit, was a black leather belt, followed by the light blue breast plate and the spherical shoulder pads.
On each of his arms was the specialized weaponry that made him a versatile fighter. On his right arm was a wolf-paw gauntlet that covered the upper side of his forearm, acting like a small shield, with a black gloved hand hidden underneath it. On his left was the light blue polygonal rocket launcher, giving him the long-ranged capability that made him a formidable fighter.
However, his armor was hidden under a worn out cloak that looked like it had suffered through all kinds of weather. It was the proof of a long and tiresome journey that didn’t look like it was going to end anytime soon.
“Just a little farther,” he muttered to himself, not looking away from the path in front of him. “And then…maybe then,” he trailed off, closing his eyes and stopping for a few seconds.
He then sighed, shaking his head. He didn’t want to raise his hopes up. He wasn’t going to raise his hopes up. Not anymore. Not for it to only be broken down again…and again…and again. Not this time. His other leads hadn’t gotten him any closer to finding what he had been searching for years. This might turn out the same…
…but he still had to try.
The Beowolfmon took a deep breath and exhaled, hoping to breathe out the thoughts in his head that would no doubt bring him a bad mood. He stepped forward once, nodded to himself, and then took another one. He would walk forward no matter what.
Of course, looking forward also meant looking at the ground in front of him, and the ground in front of him had heavy footprints on them…which meant that someone was ahead of him. The wolf warrior frowned. He didn’t want an audience when he went to do what he sought to do. He raised his head and took a deep sniff of the air, relying on the blood of the Garurumon running through his veins.
It wasn’t someone he recognized, that much he expected. He was able to identify the scent of a male Greymon, although he wasn’t able to tell much more other than that. He hoped that whoever it was long gone despite the fresh scent; Greymon he met previously have been both hotheaded and difficult to deal with.
Of course, after a few more meters of walking, the scent only got stronger. The clincher was the faint sound of armor clanging at the corner of the pathway. It wouldn’t have bothered him as much had the sound stopped right about where the turn was.
The Beowolfmon narrowed his eyes. Whoever it was, he was waiting for him at the bend. Well, he would have to show him that he wasn’t that easy to sneak up on.
Back to the resting dragon, he was actually enjoying his relaxing time. He didn’t need to sleep; he only needed to rest his eyes and body and let the sounds of nature do everything for him. Only, the sounds of nature didn’t normally include footsteps.
He began to hear footsteps coming from the corner that he had previously came from. He opened and narrowed his eyes and stood up as silently as he could, grabbing the hilt of his Dragon Soul Sword and standing close to the edge of the corner, sticking against the wall. Judging from the number of footsteps, he deduced that it was a single person.
‘If this guy’s one of those bandits, then maybe I can get him to tell me where their hideout is,’ he thought to himself. ‘Maybe this little detour isn’t so worthless after all,’ he added to himself as he readied a hand to grab whoever would come from the corner. At the sight of something appearing, he quickly reached out his hand to seize the stranger.
“What the?” he said, realizing that what he was holding wasn’t a person but a cloak. And quicker than he could react, another hand came from the corner and grabbed his wrist, pulling him away from the corner. The EmperorGreymon used the momentum of the pull to free himself from the hold and jump away, readying his sword.
He found himself facing a blue-armored man, whose armaments had distinct features that likened him to a Garurumon. He also found that the newcomer also carried a sword with him, albeit a peculiar one that had two parallel golden blades with a single hilt.
“A Beowolfmon, huh?” the EmperorGreymon said as he studied the other warrior. “I always wanted to beat one of you.”
The Beowolfmon narrowed his eyes, but didn’t reply.
“What? Gatomon got your to- woah!”
The dragon wasn’t able to finish his sentence since the Beowolfmon decided that moment to attack. Stepping back to absorb the blow, the EmperorGreymon was barely able to block the double-bladed sword with his own, locking the two sword-wielders into a blade lock He grit his teeth; he didn’t think that the wolf warrior would be that fast.
Digging his feet into the ground, he pushed his blade forward, grinning when he realized that while the Beowolfmon was faster on his feet, he had the advantage when it came to strength. He was rewarded with the Beowolfmon having to step backwards, although he didn’t look like he was worried in the least. Giving another forceful push, the EmperorGreymon couldn’t help but say, “You picked the wrong guy to fight with, buddy.”
“You talk too much,” the Beowolfmon finally said with a deep, calm tone. And then he stepped quickly to the side, sliding their swords as the dragon man began to fall forward due to how much force he put behind his pushing. Watching as the dragon man stumbled forward to keep himself from kissing the ground, he added, “And I am not your buddy.”
Regaining his balance, the dragon man turned with his expression alight with a grin. “So you can talk, mutt. And here I thought you were so scared that you couldn’t speak!”
Without waiting for a reply, he put his hand in front of him, palm facing upwards. “Now, I’ll show you something good!” he announced, his eyes sparking red. “Ignite!”
At his word, a ball of fire suddenly appeared over his hand. The Beowolfmon had to step back in surprise; as far as he knew, no EmperorGreymon could do that. At the very least, no normal EmperorGreymon could. The dragon man grinned.
“Surprised, huh? How about when I do this?” he said, tossing the ball of flame in the air, readying his blade behind him. As the sphere fell downwards, his eyes sparked, and he swung his broadsword to cut right through it.
As the Dragon Soul Sword started to slash downwards, the ball of fire took the form of a gargantuan blade of fire that was heading right towards the Beowolfmon.
The wolf warrior cursed and quickly jumped out of the way, barely escaping as the large fire blade sundered and singed the ground all the way from where he had jumped from to the front of the EmperorGreymon.
The Beowulfmon, seeing that the EmperorGreymon recharging after his attack, dashed towards him. Stopping right in front of him, he thrust his blades right at the dragon man’s chest. Fuelled by adrenaline, the EmperorGreymon quickly raised his shield-like gauntlet, and the blades slid across it before shooting right at the dragon man’s side at the cost of a long scratch across the hand armor.
Of course, he couldn’t exactly stop the rocket launcher that was aimed right at him at point blank. “Cleansing Light!” the Beowolfmon shouted at the top of his lungs as the EmperorGreymon was blown away. The recoil forced the wolf warrior, however, to get knocked backwards as well, although he was able to land on his feet, unlike the EmperorGreymon, who landed on his back.
“Party tricks aren’t going to help you,” the Beowulfmon told the recovering dragon man.
Growling, the EmperorGreymon stood back up and stabbed his weapon into the ground. “Time to rely on the tried and true,” he told himself as he stood at full height.
With a loud yell, he ran towards the wolf warrior, dragging the tip of the Dragon Soul Sword along the ground, creating a deep groove. The Beowolfmon readied his blade to make it easier for him to dodge or deflect. His opponent surprised him, however, when he slashed upwards just a foot earlier than he thought he would. As the EmperorGreymon’s sword swung upwards, the Beowolfmon was given a shower of dust and dirt, forcing him to shield his eyes.
Squinting, he saw that the dragon man had raised the broadsword up above his head, and the wolf warrior jumped to the side, avoiding getting cut into half when the EmperorGreymon cleaved the ground he was just standing on into two.
Rolling into a crouching position, the Beowolfmon his other arm pointed straight at the dragon man. “Cleansing Light!” he yelled out as light gathered briefly at the end before firing straight from his hand launcher towards the EmperorGreymon. Unable to get away in time, the dragon Digimon found himself getting struck by the light missile, getting himself thrown back by the blast into the mountain wall.
The Beowolfmon stood up, waiting for the smoke that his missile created to disperse, when the EmperorGreymon’s voice rang loud and clear. “Dragonfire Crossbow!”
With only that as a short warning, the Beowolfmon was able to bring his weapon up in time to block the blazing beam attack that pierced right through the smoke screen. The force of the beam proved too strong for him to hold off completely, however, and a few seconds later, his blade slipped and the beam blasted his chest, sending him flying and landing on his back.
“Heh, you’re not bad for a lowly bandit,” the EmperorGreymon said as the smoke finally scattered and he walked through.
“Bandit?” the Beowolfmon said, standing up with a raised eyebrow. He lowered his weapon slightly, though still poised to defend himself.
“What? Don’t like that?” the EmperorGreymon asked as he charged, sword brandishing. “How about thief? Marauder? Outlaw? I think mutt suits you better, though!” he said as he sent slashes and stabs at the wolf warrior.
The Beowolfmon narrowed his eyes, evading and parrying each attack with finesse and agility. “I am not a-“
“Heard it before, mutt! You’re not gonna get out of this- what the!?”
The Beowolfmon caught the EmperorGreymon’s sword between the two blades, and though the wolf man staggered slightly when the blade struck the hilt, he stood readily and trapped the Dragon Soul Sword to keep the goggled Greymon from retracting his weapon. With a growl of effort, he turned his weapon to the size and wrenched the broadsword from the dragon man’s grip, quickly flipping it over his shoulder. The blade clanged against his armor before flying over and embedding itself in the ground behind him. And then while the EmperorGreymon was still surprised by his tactic, the Beowolfmon hastily pointed his weapon straight at his neck.
Regaining his senses again, the EmperorGreymon glared at his opponent with a bit of respect in his eyes…although he would never readily admit it. “What, you think I don’t know how to fight without my sword? I’ll tell you right now that my fists are just as-“
“Shut up already,” the Beowolfmon interrupted him, breathing heavily. “Before I change my mind about what I’m going to do,” he added as he took deep breath.
The EmperorGreymon raised his eyebrow and was about to ask what he was talking about when the wolf man suddenly dropped his weapon as it landed between the two swordsmen, harmlessly landing on the grassy ground.
“What are you trying to pull?” the EmperorGreymon asked, eyeing the Beowolfmon suspiciously.
“I’m not a bandit. Or a mutt,” he added when the dragon man opened his mouth, which he suspected was to suggest the offensive title
“How do I know this isn’t a trick?” With folded arms, the gogglehead didn’t let his gaze to stray away.
Rolling his eyes, the Beowolfmon bent down to pick up his weapon – with the EmperorGreymon bracing himself for the trick to finally appear – and then started to walk away from him. Blinking, the dragon man stared at him.
“…That’s it?”
Silence.
“H-hey, hold on a second! GET BACK HERE, MUTT!”
“So, you really aren’t one of those bandits that have been roaming around Mt.Bakhu?” the EmperorGreymon asked once again, his weapon sheathed behind him.
“What do you think?” the Beowolfmon beside him replied, his own weapon sheathed and wearing a cloak that still looked like it could do its job despite its worn out appearance. He didn’t return the EmperorGreymon’s look and only stared at the path in front of him.
“You made it easy to decide since you attacked me out of nowhere,” the EmperorGreymon said with a defensive tone.
“Says the one that hid behind the corner with his weapon drawn,” the Beowolfmon retorted.
“It could easily have been one of those troublemakers!” he replied, narrowing his eyes and challenging the Beowolfmon.
“Why are you following me?” the Beowolfmon asked, deciding not to continue the discussion lest they get into another fight.
“I was heading this way. It’s not my fault you decided to go through here,” the EmperorGreymon said, rolling his eyes. “It’s not like you having something to hide. After all, you’re not a bandit, right?” he taunted.
“Look,” the Beowolfmon started, looking at him with an open mouth, pausing.
“Tiwaz. Tiwaz Koenig. Knight-errant and living nightmare of unlawful curs,” the EmperorGreymon introduced himself with a proud air. He pushed out his chest and walked with his back straight, a large grin behind his helmet.
“Look, Tiwaz, this path leads to a dead end,” he started as his stride got longer, hoping to sound just as dismissing as he felt. “Just turn back now before you waste not only your time but mine.”
“Then why are you going there?” Tiwaz asked curiously, speeding up to keep from getting left behind.
For a few seconds, the Beowolfmon stayed silent. And then with a sigh, he said, “There’s a house that a hermit lives in. I need to speak with him,” he informed the EmperorGreymon.
“About what?”
This time, the Beowolfmon steeled himself. “That’s none of your business.”
“Come on! Maybe it’s something I can help with,” Tiwaz said energetically.
“Definitely n-“
“Great!” Tiwaz cut him off. “It’s decided then! I’ll make sure that we get you to that hermit’s house safely and then bring you to the closest town so that you don’t have to lift a finger!”
“What are you-“
“I saw how much effort it took you to get my sword from my grip. I bet you don’t have a lot of stamina. What’ll you do if you get mobbed by those marauders? Me? I could just sweep ‘em all away with a single swing!”
“Will you list-“
“First thing’s first,” Tiwaz cut him short, walking ahead of him. “What’s your name?” he asked, stopping in front of the wolf man, hands on his hips and with his eyes smiling.
The Beowolfmon stared at him incredulously. And then with a grunt of irritation, he closed his eyes, ducked his head and pressed his fingers against his forehead. When he looked back up at the EmperorGreymon, who was still all smiles, he sighed and shook his head.
“Fenrir Weissritter,” he introduced himself, folding his arms.
“Fenrir, huh?” Tiwaz said. “Well, then, since we’ve got names out of the way, come on then. We’re wasting daylight!” he said, turning away and then walking down the path in earnest.
Fenrir stared at the dragon man disbelievingly. He looked up to the sky with a questioning look. “What did I get myself into?” he asked, getting the feeling that his meeting with the EmperorGreymon was going to lead to all sorts of trouble in his life.
“Hurry up, slow poke! I thought you Garurumon were supposed to be quick on your feet!”
“Don’t make me regret not knocking you out when I had the chance,” Fenrir muttered under his breath at the dragon man who was already many feet ahead of him.
This is a branch off story from the rps Unholy Crusade (by storymasterb) and then of Devil's Ascent (by Kamotz), though reading through them isn't necessary. This can be a stand alone story and can be understood without having to read all that text. This takes place many many years before the actual beginning of said rps.
Now, just to be on the safe side (and hanging onto habit):
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. However, I do own Fenrir Weissritter, and Griff4815 owns Tiwaz Koenig. Both are our respective characters in the Unholy Crusade Trilogy. The rest of the characters are all co-owned by he and I, excluding the antagonists that will appear later in the story. They're mine.
Links to Chapters and Acts:
Prologue - Act 1: The Beginning of a Long Journey a.k.a. "What Am I Getting Myself Into?"
Prologue - Act 2: The Hermit a.k.a. "Are you crazy!? What am I saying? Of course you're crazy!"
Prologue - Act 3: Of Legends and Crazy Old Geezers a.k.a. "Fascinating? You call me almost getting burned to death fascinating?!"
Chapter I - Act 1: The Trembling Earth a.k.a. "My peaches! My delicious peaches! Heavenly sweet but fiendishly left unconsumed! They need me!"
Chapter I - Act 2: Between Foolishness and Bravery a.k.a. "It's...a pie."
Chapter I - Act 3: Depths of the Earth a.k.a. "How am I supposed to make you look substandard if you keep on making astonishing feats?"
Chapter II - Act 1: Explorer Exploring a.k.a. “So who are you and how did you get stuck with crazy over here?”
Chapter II - Act 2: Feud of the Forest a.k.a. “Are all aged Digimon crazy or am I really that unlucky?"
Chapter II - Act 3: Terror of the Relic a.k.a. "I did nothing! Ask the flying book!"
Side Chapter: Mapping Out The Journey a.k.a. "What is this offending ball of wool!?"
Chapter III - Act 1: A Chilly Reception a.k.a. "Your most sacred duty in life is to eat food?"
Chapter III - Act 2: An Ocean’s Worth Of Trouble a.k.a. "I’d hit them on the head with my trusty hammer."
Chapter III - Act 3: Cold War a.k.a. "Maybe there really is a method to his madness…or maybe he’s just plain insane."
Now, without further ado...
-
Before Tiwaz the Valiant, the dauntless salamander, indomitable trailblazer, wyrm of the burning heart, was an impulsive idealist who only wanted to better the world.
Before Fenrir the Vanguard, the stalwart knight, agile master of the twin claymores, paladin of purifying light, there was a wandering swordsman who only wished to keep to himself.
Before Cogwej the Knowledgable, the learned sage, intellectual extraordinaire, scholar of steel and knowledge, there was a no-name hermit whose research lost him a life with others.
Before Pavamana the Adamant, the immovable mountain, hero of the volcanic soul, shifter of earth and ground, there was a blacksmith who knew little outside the walls of his home.
Before the Taranis the Tenacious, the thundering insect, electrifying man for others, wielder of lightning and thunder, there was an explorer who constantly searched for the unknown.
Before Odysseus the Cunning, the hidden strategist, adept of tricks and plans, native of the trees and wood, there was a young ninja who yearned for confidence.
Before Boreas the Loyal, the glacial barrier, guardian of the weak and the strong, warrior of the frozen tundra, there was a barkeeper whose only excitement was through the stories of others.
Before Tethys the Daring, the lovely mermaid, beauty of the seas, maiden of the everlasting ocean, there was a woman that longed for the thrills of adventure.
Before Anemoi the Noble, the bringer of justice, mistress of the skies, princess of unrelenting winds, there was a noblewoman trapped behind social bars.
Before Dämmerung the Elusive, the silent assassin, master of the hidden blade, rogue of the shadows, there was a man who felt restrained by chains of a destiny.
Before The Great Ten, champions of the Ancient Digimon, masters of the ten elements, champions of ancient history, there was a ragtag group who found strength in one another towards their destiny.
This is their story. This is their beginning. This is…
The Gathering of Heroes
Prologue
Act. 1: The Beginning of a Long Journey
Also known as
“What Am I Getting Myself Into?”
Before Tiwaz the Valiant, the dauntless salamander, indomitable trailblazer, wyrm of the burning heart, was an impulsive idealist who only wanted to better the world.
Before Fenrir the Vanguard, the stalwart knight, agile master of the twin claymores, paladin of purifying light, there was a wandering swordsman who only wished to keep to himself.
Before Cogwej the Knowledgable, the learned sage, intellectual extraordinaire, scholar of steel and knowledge, there was a no-name hermit whose research lost him a life with others.
Before Pavamana the Adamant, the immovable mountain, hero of the volcanic soul, shifter of earth and ground, there was a blacksmith who knew little outside the walls of his home.
Before the Taranis the Tenacious, the thundering insect, electrifying man for others, wielder of lightning and thunder, there was an explorer who constantly searched for the unknown.
Before Odysseus the Cunning, the hidden strategist, adept of tricks and plans, native of the trees and wood, there was a young ninja who yearned for confidence.
Before Boreas the Loyal, the glacial barrier, guardian of the weak and the strong, warrior of the frozen tundra, there was a barkeeper whose only excitement was through the stories of others.
Before Tethys the Daring, the lovely mermaid, beauty of the seas, maiden of the everlasting ocean, there was a woman that longed for the thrills of adventure.
Before Anemoi the Noble, the bringer of justice, mistress of the skies, princess of unrelenting winds, there was a noblewoman trapped behind social bars.
Before Dämmerung the Elusive, the silent assassin, master of the hidden blade, rogue of the shadows, there was a man who felt restrained by chains of a destiny.
Before The Great Ten, champions of the Ancient Digimon, masters of the ten elements, champions of ancient history, there was a ragtag group who found strength in one another towards their destiny.
This is their story. This is their beginning. This is…
The Gathering of Heroes
Prologue
Act. 1: The Beginning of a Long Journey
Also known as
“What Am I Getting Myself Into?”
The day was clear and bright. Clouds were scarce, but despite that, it was not at all warm, especially with the gentle breeze blowing. The morning sun shone brightly down upon the giant form that was the Bakhu Mountain. Capped with snow and gradually transforming into the earthy brown and green of the world, it was a wonder to see. The wind, cooled by the snow of the mountain top, traveled down lazily, caressing would be travelers and climbers. It continued down to the base of the mountain where a grassy plain began and flourished. If one listened closely enough, one would be able to hear the soft whispers of the wind in one’s ear, as if they were trying to tell a secret that can only be shared once.
However, not everyone can have the luxury of being able to stand and appreciate the scenery.
“By Buri, how large is this mountain supposed to be!?”
The loud voice of an EmperorGreymon resounded against the mountain wall beside him, echoing and then traveling past him towards the open, grassy field on his other side. With an annoyed look and impatient gait, the imposing dragon man walked down the dirt path that was supposed to take him to the other side of the mountain.
Typical of the Greymon of his species, he wore heavy red breastplate with draconic likeness. His shoulders were adorned with large shoulder pads in the form of dragon heads with a horned snout and shield-like frills. Both hands wore large gauntlets in the shape of a more avian dragon with two horns above the eyes. The gauntlets themselves were wide with a blue base that acted like shields. Further below, he wore more draconic armor, the golden knee armor wide and strong. The final dragon-like feature on his armor was his greaves, which had a silver ring circumventing from the front of his foot to behind his ankle.
He wore the orange helmet of his species, complete with the horn at the snout as well as the steer like horns from the side of his head. Beneath his armor, he had clear blue eyes that relayed the strong and passionate emotions he felt. Setting him apart from others of his species and sitting on the top of his head, over his eyes, however, was a pair of goggles that not only set him apart but also gave him an aura of boldness.
“Just take the shortcut, he says. It won’t take an hour, he says. Next time I see him, I’ll show him what I think of what he says,” he growled as he stomped on, leaving deep footprints on the ground. “That is the last time I am asking directions ever again, winged explorer or not. I bet the bird-brained idiot can’t even tell between north and south, let alone up or down,” he continued to grumble as he trudged on, looking for any sign that the far end of path was going to show some form of civilization. While he wasn’t able to find one, he did see a pond shaded by the mountain’s wall after turning at the corner of the dirt path.
“Might as well rest the legs,” he told himself as he quickened his pace to reach the watering hole.
The EmperorGreymon knelt down beside the pond, putting his hands in them and relishing the coolness of the water. Seeing that the pond was clear and clean, he decided to take a drink of the refreshing water.
After sufficiently quenching his thirst, he sat against the mountain wall, his trusty broadsword propped up beside him. “Gonna need to be quick if those bandits I hear roaming these parts appear,” he told himself as rested his arm on a bent knee. Just to be sure, he took a look at one side of the dirt path, actually hoping to see scale or hide of something he can take his frustration of being lost out on. After a few minutes of silence, he rolled his eyes, put his hands behind his head and laid them against the mountain wall, disappointed at the lack of enemies to bring to justice.
He was beginning to find the sounds of the wind blowing down the mountain peaceful and relaxing. It even helped cool down his slightly tired body, passing through the crevices of his armor. He began to close his eyes, feeling the strain of having to walk for so long with little to eat.
“Maybe,” he started, stifling a yawn. “It won’t be too bad to take a short nap,” he finished his thought as he finally closed his eyes.
-
Along that very same path, another traveler was walking with what most people would consider a leisurely place. Yet if one were to look at his face, it would’ve been clear that his mind wasn’t as carefree as his gait.
The traveler was a Beowolfmon, complete with the golden dual-bladed sword and the Garurumon helmet. The helmet shone under the heavy sun rays, creating shadows through the eyeholes that displayed serious, dark red eyes that looked like they could literally glare daggers. Behind his head, blonde hair fell, blown by the wind.
His body was adorned by the usual Beowolfmon armor. Three-clawed boots were on his feet along with five-holed armor around his ankles. Adding more support to his legs were dark blue cuisse and leg armor with golden rings. Around his torso, along with light blue suit, was a black leather belt, followed by the light blue breast plate and the spherical shoulder pads.
On each of his arms was the specialized weaponry that made him a versatile fighter. On his right arm was a wolf-paw gauntlet that covered the upper side of his forearm, acting like a small shield, with a black gloved hand hidden underneath it. On his left was the light blue polygonal rocket launcher, giving him the long-ranged capability that made him a formidable fighter.
However, his armor was hidden under a worn out cloak that looked like it had suffered through all kinds of weather. It was the proof of a long and tiresome journey that didn’t look like it was going to end anytime soon.
“Just a little farther,” he muttered to himself, not looking away from the path in front of him. “And then…maybe then,” he trailed off, closing his eyes and stopping for a few seconds.
He then sighed, shaking his head. He didn’t want to raise his hopes up. He wasn’t going to raise his hopes up. Not anymore. Not for it to only be broken down again…and again…and again. Not this time. His other leads hadn’t gotten him any closer to finding what he had been searching for years. This might turn out the same…
…but he still had to try.
The Beowolfmon took a deep breath and exhaled, hoping to breathe out the thoughts in his head that would no doubt bring him a bad mood. He stepped forward once, nodded to himself, and then took another one. He would walk forward no matter what.
Of course, looking forward also meant looking at the ground in front of him, and the ground in front of him had heavy footprints on them…which meant that someone was ahead of him. The wolf warrior frowned. He didn’t want an audience when he went to do what he sought to do. He raised his head and took a deep sniff of the air, relying on the blood of the Garurumon running through his veins.
It wasn’t someone he recognized, that much he expected. He was able to identify the scent of a male Greymon, although he wasn’t able to tell much more other than that. He hoped that whoever it was long gone despite the fresh scent; Greymon he met previously have been both hotheaded and difficult to deal with.
Of course, after a few more meters of walking, the scent only got stronger. The clincher was the faint sound of armor clanging at the corner of the pathway. It wouldn’t have bothered him as much had the sound stopped right about where the turn was.
The Beowolfmon narrowed his eyes. Whoever it was, he was waiting for him at the bend. Well, he would have to show him that he wasn’t that easy to sneak up on.
-
Back to the resting dragon, he was actually enjoying his relaxing time. He didn’t need to sleep; he only needed to rest his eyes and body and let the sounds of nature do everything for him. Only, the sounds of nature didn’t normally include footsteps.
He began to hear footsteps coming from the corner that he had previously came from. He opened and narrowed his eyes and stood up as silently as he could, grabbing the hilt of his Dragon Soul Sword and standing close to the edge of the corner, sticking against the wall. Judging from the number of footsteps, he deduced that it was a single person.
‘If this guy’s one of those bandits, then maybe I can get him to tell me where their hideout is,’ he thought to himself. ‘Maybe this little detour isn’t so worthless after all,’ he added to himself as he readied a hand to grab whoever would come from the corner. At the sight of something appearing, he quickly reached out his hand to seize the stranger.
“What the?” he said, realizing that what he was holding wasn’t a person but a cloak. And quicker than he could react, another hand came from the corner and grabbed his wrist, pulling him away from the corner. The EmperorGreymon used the momentum of the pull to free himself from the hold and jump away, readying his sword.
He found himself facing a blue-armored man, whose armaments had distinct features that likened him to a Garurumon. He also found that the newcomer also carried a sword with him, albeit a peculiar one that had two parallel golden blades with a single hilt.
“A Beowolfmon, huh?” the EmperorGreymon said as he studied the other warrior. “I always wanted to beat one of you.”
The Beowolfmon narrowed his eyes, but didn’t reply.
“What? Gatomon got your to- woah!”
The dragon wasn’t able to finish his sentence since the Beowolfmon decided that moment to attack. Stepping back to absorb the blow, the EmperorGreymon was barely able to block the double-bladed sword with his own, locking the two sword-wielders into a blade lock He grit his teeth; he didn’t think that the wolf warrior would be that fast.
Digging his feet into the ground, he pushed his blade forward, grinning when he realized that while the Beowolfmon was faster on his feet, he had the advantage when it came to strength. He was rewarded with the Beowolfmon having to step backwards, although he didn’t look like he was worried in the least. Giving another forceful push, the EmperorGreymon couldn’t help but say, “You picked the wrong guy to fight with, buddy.”
“You talk too much,” the Beowolfmon finally said with a deep, calm tone. And then he stepped quickly to the side, sliding their swords as the dragon man began to fall forward due to how much force he put behind his pushing. Watching as the dragon man stumbled forward to keep himself from kissing the ground, he added, “And I am not your buddy.”
Regaining his balance, the dragon man turned with his expression alight with a grin. “So you can talk, mutt. And here I thought you were so scared that you couldn’t speak!”
Without waiting for a reply, he put his hand in front of him, palm facing upwards. “Now, I’ll show you something good!” he announced, his eyes sparking red. “Ignite!”
At his word, a ball of fire suddenly appeared over his hand. The Beowolfmon had to step back in surprise; as far as he knew, no EmperorGreymon could do that. At the very least, no normal EmperorGreymon could. The dragon man grinned.
“Surprised, huh? How about when I do this?” he said, tossing the ball of flame in the air, readying his blade behind him. As the sphere fell downwards, his eyes sparked, and he swung his broadsword to cut right through it.
As the Dragon Soul Sword started to slash downwards, the ball of fire took the form of a gargantuan blade of fire that was heading right towards the Beowolfmon.
The wolf warrior cursed and quickly jumped out of the way, barely escaping as the large fire blade sundered and singed the ground all the way from where he had jumped from to the front of the EmperorGreymon.
The Beowulfmon, seeing that the EmperorGreymon recharging after his attack, dashed towards him. Stopping right in front of him, he thrust his blades right at the dragon man’s chest. Fuelled by adrenaline, the EmperorGreymon quickly raised his shield-like gauntlet, and the blades slid across it before shooting right at the dragon man’s side at the cost of a long scratch across the hand armor.
Of course, he couldn’t exactly stop the rocket launcher that was aimed right at him at point blank. “Cleansing Light!” the Beowolfmon shouted at the top of his lungs as the EmperorGreymon was blown away. The recoil forced the wolf warrior, however, to get knocked backwards as well, although he was able to land on his feet, unlike the EmperorGreymon, who landed on his back.
“Party tricks aren’t going to help you,” the Beowulfmon told the recovering dragon man.
Growling, the EmperorGreymon stood back up and stabbed his weapon into the ground. “Time to rely on the tried and true,” he told himself as he stood at full height.
With a loud yell, he ran towards the wolf warrior, dragging the tip of the Dragon Soul Sword along the ground, creating a deep groove. The Beowolfmon readied his blade to make it easier for him to dodge or deflect. His opponent surprised him, however, when he slashed upwards just a foot earlier than he thought he would. As the EmperorGreymon’s sword swung upwards, the Beowolfmon was given a shower of dust and dirt, forcing him to shield his eyes.
Squinting, he saw that the dragon man had raised the broadsword up above his head, and the wolf warrior jumped to the side, avoiding getting cut into half when the EmperorGreymon cleaved the ground he was just standing on into two.
Rolling into a crouching position, the Beowolfmon his other arm pointed straight at the dragon man. “Cleansing Light!” he yelled out as light gathered briefly at the end before firing straight from his hand launcher towards the EmperorGreymon. Unable to get away in time, the dragon Digimon found himself getting struck by the light missile, getting himself thrown back by the blast into the mountain wall.
The Beowolfmon stood up, waiting for the smoke that his missile created to disperse, when the EmperorGreymon’s voice rang loud and clear. “Dragonfire Crossbow!”
With only that as a short warning, the Beowolfmon was able to bring his weapon up in time to block the blazing beam attack that pierced right through the smoke screen. The force of the beam proved too strong for him to hold off completely, however, and a few seconds later, his blade slipped and the beam blasted his chest, sending him flying and landing on his back.
“Heh, you’re not bad for a lowly bandit,” the EmperorGreymon said as the smoke finally scattered and he walked through.
“Bandit?” the Beowolfmon said, standing up with a raised eyebrow. He lowered his weapon slightly, though still poised to defend himself.
“What? Don’t like that?” the EmperorGreymon asked as he charged, sword brandishing. “How about thief? Marauder? Outlaw? I think mutt suits you better, though!” he said as he sent slashes and stabs at the wolf warrior.
The Beowolfmon narrowed his eyes, evading and parrying each attack with finesse and agility. “I am not a-“
“Heard it before, mutt! You’re not gonna get out of this- what the!?”
The Beowolfmon caught the EmperorGreymon’s sword between the two blades, and though the wolf man staggered slightly when the blade struck the hilt, he stood readily and trapped the Dragon Soul Sword to keep the goggled Greymon from retracting his weapon. With a growl of effort, he turned his weapon to the size and wrenched the broadsword from the dragon man’s grip, quickly flipping it over his shoulder. The blade clanged against his armor before flying over and embedding itself in the ground behind him. And then while the EmperorGreymon was still surprised by his tactic, the Beowolfmon hastily pointed his weapon straight at his neck.
Regaining his senses again, the EmperorGreymon glared at his opponent with a bit of respect in his eyes…although he would never readily admit it. “What, you think I don’t know how to fight without my sword? I’ll tell you right now that my fists are just as-“
“Shut up already,” the Beowolfmon interrupted him, breathing heavily. “Before I change my mind about what I’m going to do,” he added as he took deep breath.
The EmperorGreymon raised his eyebrow and was about to ask what he was talking about when the wolf man suddenly dropped his weapon as it landed between the two swordsmen, harmlessly landing on the grassy ground.
“What are you trying to pull?” the EmperorGreymon asked, eyeing the Beowolfmon suspiciously.
“I’m not a bandit. Or a mutt,” he added when the dragon man opened his mouth, which he suspected was to suggest the offensive title
“How do I know this isn’t a trick?” With folded arms, the gogglehead didn’t let his gaze to stray away.
Rolling his eyes, the Beowolfmon bent down to pick up his weapon – with the EmperorGreymon bracing himself for the trick to finally appear – and then started to walk away from him. Blinking, the dragon man stared at him.
“…That’s it?”
Silence.
“H-hey, hold on a second! GET BACK HERE, MUTT!”
-
“So, you really aren’t one of those bandits that have been roaming around Mt.Bakhu?” the EmperorGreymon asked once again, his weapon sheathed behind him.
“What do you think?” the Beowolfmon beside him replied, his own weapon sheathed and wearing a cloak that still looked like it could do its job despite its worn out appearance. He didn’t return the EmperorGreymon’s look and only stared at the path in front of him.
“You made it easy to decide since you attacked me out of nowhere,” the EmperorGreymon said with a defensive tone.
“Says the one that hid behind the corner with his weapon drawn,” the Beowolfmon retorted.
“It could easily have been one of those troublemakers!” he replied, narrowing his eyes and challenging the Beowolfmon.
“Why are you following me?” the Beowolfmon asked, deciding not to continue the discussion lest they get into another fight.
“I was heading this way. It’s not my fault you decided to go through here,” the EmperorGreymon said, rolling his eyes. “It’s not like you having something to hide. After all, you’re not a bandit, right?” he taunted.
“Look,” the Beowolfmon started, looking at him with an open mouth, pausing.
“Tiwaz. Tiwaz Koenig. Knight-errant and living nightmare of unlawful curs,” the EmperorGreymon introduced himself with a proud air. He pushed out his chest and walked with his back straight, a large grin behind his helmet.
“Look, Tiwaz, this path leads to a dead end,” he started as his stride got longer, hoping to sound just as dismissing as he felt. “Just turn back now before you waste not only your time but mine.”
“Then why are you going there?” Tiwaz asked curiously, speeding up to keep from getting left behind.
For a few seconds, the Beowolfmon stayed silent. And then with a sigh, he said, “There’s a house that a hermit lives in. I need to speak with him,” he informed the EmperorGreymon.
“About what?”
This time, the Beowolfmon steeled himself. “That’s none of your business.”
“Come on! Maybe it’s something I can help with,” Tiwaz said energetically.
“Definitely n-“
“Great!” Tiwaz cut him off. “It’s decided then! I’ll make sure that we get you to that hermit’s house safely and then bring you to the closest town so that you don’t have to lift a finger!”
“What are you-“
“I saw how much effort it took you to get my sword from my grip. I bet you don’t have a lot of stamina. What’ll you do if you get mobbed by those marauders? Me? I could just sweep ‘em all away with a single swing!”
“Will you list-“
“First thing’s first,” Tiwaz cut him short, walking ahead of him. “What’s your name?” he asked, stopping in front of the wolf man, hands on his hips and with his eyes smiling.
The Beowolfmon stared at him incredulously. And then with a grunt of irritation, he closed his eyes, ducked his head and pressed his fingers against his forehead. When he looked back up at the EmperorGreymon, who was still all smiles, he sighed and shook his head.
“Fenrir Weissritter,” he introduced himself, folding his arms.
“Fenrir, huh?” Tiwaz said. “Well, then, since we’ve got names out of the way, come on then. We’re wasting daylight!” he said, turning away and then walking down the path in earnest.
Fenrir stared at the dragon man disbelievingly. He looked up to the sky with a questioning look. “What did I get myself into?” he asked, getting the feeling that his meeting with the EmperorGreymon was going to lead to all sorts of trouble in his life.
“Hurry up, slow poke! I thought you Garurumon were supposed to be quick on your feet!”
“Don’t make me regret not knocking you out when I had the chance,” Fenrir muttered under his breath at the dragon man who was already many feet ahead of him.
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