Digimon: Civil War

[Kamotz]

< Goliath Leonhardt (BanchoLeomon) >
- Prahv -

Goliath couldn't have fathomed the kind of power he was witnessing before that moment. He'd felt Arahon's strength firsthand in those flurry of blows he'd been dealt, but Ajax had matched the knight...alone. It was mind-boggling that Ajax was so much further ahead of him. The clash between the two of them sent power ripping out in all directions. The marble bridge beneath his feet -- already dented, chipped, and cracked -- vibrated as a veritable spider-web of cracks formed from the force of their collision. Every fighter on the bridge stopped in his or her tracks, glancing warily at the surface beneath their feet. There was almost a collective sigh as the structure held.

But then a massive explosion erupted from the canyon beneath them and splintered the bridge upwards in a swirl of fire and molten rock. They were all sent flying, even those with wings and means to fly themselves. Goliath tumbled through the sky, catching sight of the others as they flailed their way through the air as well. Ayas, Adirael, Medraut, Emmara, and Ulysses managed to catch themselves in the air while the rest plummeted from the sky into the canyon.

Goliath caught sight of a bright-red Growlmon X falling limply through the air, and realized quickly that Ajax had exhausted so much of his reserves that he'd fallen several evolution stages. An orange figure obscured his vision for a moment, and Goliath felt himself plucked from his fall and stabilized in the orange figure's grasp. A huge MetalGreymon X shot down into the canyon with Goliath in its organic hand.

Surrak? Goliath wondered. He'd never seen Surrak drop an evolution stage either. Nor had he ever seen him show such concern for his comrades as to go out of his way to catch anyone.

Surrak swerved between falling rubble, plucking up Ryia and Ajax while giving some of the others a place to land. Unfortunately Surrak wasn't big enough to hold Jericho, who still outsized him by a wide margin. But he was able to latch onto Jericho with his mechanical arm and flare his thrusters for a few moments to slow and right the massive machine-dinosaur's descent.

The lot of them tumbled to the sandy ground in the canyon floor. They clambered off Surrak's large form and descended quickly through the air. Goliath started to make a quick head-count, but was interrupted as several of the Legion soldiers came chasing down after them. He noticed, thankfully, that the Omnimon was nowhere to be seen, and Arahon -- as a Grademon -- was being heavily supported by the Craniamon and the UlforceVeedramon. The rest of them seemed in varied stages of injury.

But it didn't stop the JaegerDorulumon, the Aldamon, or the Beowulfmon from charging them. Goliath glanced around quickly -- even without Arahon or the Omnimon, they were in no shape to handle the dozen-or-so soldiers they were up against. Ajax was unconscious, Surrak was devolved, and who knew what state the rest of the Realmless were really in. He himself could barely find the strength to stand.

"Wolf Claw!" a howl rang from above and something blue and fast struck the JaegerDorulumon hard. The Legion soldier was sent flying and its charging compatriots stopped suddenly at the intrusion.

A WereGarurumon X stood between the Realmless and the Legion soldiers, and slowly backed closer to Goliath. Jaeger turned to Goliath, breathing heavily. He, too, had been knocked from his stable Mega form.

"We don't have a chance here," he muttered with a growl, glancing back to the Legion soldiers. They were beginning to close ranks -- Arahon was now only supported by the Craniamon. "We'll never make it up this cliff unscathed. The only way out of this is through the --"

"Beach," Goliath guessed, with a glance over his shoulder. "If we can make it. Even if we do, it's a long shot."

"It's the only chance we have," Jaeger insisted. Goliath nodded.

"Get ready to break for it," he snarled over his shoulder to the Realmless. "No one gets left behind." He turned back to Jaeger. "We fire everything we got into the cliff face and the sand in front of them. Cover our escape."

Jaeger flexed his claws and nodded. Behind them, metallic clangs sounded from Surrak and Jericho as they prepared their weaponry. But a sudden burst of power from just behind them caught everyone off guard. The blast of destructive light struck the ground in front of the Legion, and a barrage of lightning bolts split the canyon walls on either side.

"Follow us!" shouted a voice above them. A flurry of wings and feathers, and a D'arcmon dropped down beside them -- it was the same one they had rescued from Ironclad! "Temmet! Frey! Pour it on and meet us there!"

The Anubismon that had fired the blast of light and the Aegiochusmon beside it nodded -- it must have been the same Aegiomon that they'd rescued alongside…

"Andrea, right?" Goliath asked, wracking his brain to try and remember, but his head was pounding.

"Try remembering my name later," Andrea snapped. The UlforceVeedramon broke through Frey's attacks and charged, only to be knocked from the air by Temmet's power.

"Always wanted to do that," Goliath heard Temmet chuckle under his breath.

"Let's move!" Andrea shouted, galvanizing the rest of the Realmless. With Temmet and Frey bringing up the rear, she led the way through the canyon and ushered the group out onto the beach. "Docks!" she shouted again, leading the way back to the docks.

"I don't think we'll manage to escape on a ship," Goliath called, rushing up beside her. He glanced over his shoulder to the sky, where the Parhelion was beginning to turn and follow after them. "They'll sink us before we even board."

"That's the plan!" Andrea shouted, leading the way onto the pier. "Run to the end, and don't stop until I tell you!"

"We are becoming an increasingly easier target," Jaeger growled behind them. Goliath wasn't used to seeing him in this lower form. The lack of machinery was...oddly disconcerting.

"Not if you listen to me," Andrea snapped again. "End of the pier, go!"

The Parhelion had begun to move towards them. Temmet and Frey had given up holding back the Legion soldiers once they cleared the canyon and were moving closer. They all gathered at the furthest point on the longest pier. Goliath growled low and drew his blade.

"I hope you have a plan here," he snarled, glancing up at the Parhelion and the incoming Legion soldiers. "Because this seems beyond stupid."

"Get ready to eat those words, big cat," Andrea shot back. She glanced over her shoulder and Goliath followed her gaze into the bay, where a large wave seemed to be rushing their way.

No. It was something beneath the wave.

"What is--?"

"Hold on to your butts!" Frey shouted gleefully.

A huge shape erupted from the water, dark like the deep ocean, mouth open wide. A Whamon! It flew through the air and arched downwards onto Goliath and the Realmless. It's yawning maw encompassed their entire group (and the pier beneath their feet). The last thing Goliath saw of the Legion soldiers was a look of utter and incomprehensible shock on their faces as the Whamon swallowed them in a single gulp, and carried them into the depths.

\==\=/==/

< Imego Ramaz (Imperialdramon: Fighter Mode) >
- Prahv -

Imego's wings carried him down into the canyon, still surrounded by falling pieces of flaming debris from the series of explosions that had rocked Prahv. In the city above the judges were wailing and scurrying around like chickens without heads. The Legion's soldiers were already chasing after the Realmless and that bastard Ajax. With the way things had turned he was in for a hell of a chewing-out when he returned, empty-handed, to Karrthus. The Dragonlord had promised to nail him to the side of a volcano or some nonsense if he betrayed those idiots. Failure was likely a much worse prospect.

He'd watched the battle between the Legion and the Realmless with great interest; he'd expected as much from most of the fighters from their brief display outside Nastrond, but it was the Legion that interested him most; they hadn't disappointed. In fact he'd been shocked to learn just what kind of power they possessed. The Omnimon woman was startlingly powerful. Imego had lost count of how many times he'd expected her to defeat the Dragonclaw and his pet wolf before they scraped victory by the skin of their teeth.

But it was Ajax and the Alphamon that had staggered him. He'd watched Ajax and the lion beaten down over and over with ravenous glee. But when Ajax revealed that form and fought the Alphamon on even footing it was more than Imego could bear. He couldn't stomach the idea of so many others being so much stronger than him. It was bad enough he had to submit to Karrthus; bad enough that Ajax had defeated him in ankham. But to see this! The Omnimon, the Alphamon, and Ajax all fighting at such monumentally higher levels than he was capable of.

It was infuriating.

He lowered slowly towards the canyon floor, not quite sure what he was looking for and why he was delaying his return to Nastrond. Perhaps, he thought grimly, he meant to take in the carnage and destruction and make clear just how far behind he was. One last motivational sight.

A pile of debris to his left shifted, and a golden arm pulled a silver-armored form from the gravel and ash. The Omnimon, Razia -- if he remembered correctly, fell to her back against the jagged stone, breathing heavily and wincing in agony.

"You fought very well," Imego said, stepping her way. He noticed that despite all her injuries she hadn't reverted to a lower level . She was ungodly strong. "I thought you had them several times over."

The faintest inkling of an idea was beginning to form in Imego's mind.

"I would...have," Razia gasped, trying to rise but failing. "If not for--"

"It's in the past," Imego said, stepping forward eagerly. He knelt by her side. "It wasn't enough. You weren't enough."

"What are you--"

Imego's hand struck out and wrapped itself around Razia's throat. She swung her arms heavily at him, but he stabbed the clawed gauntlets of his other hand into her chest. She tried to scream in pain but his grip on her throat stopped her.

"I admire your power, I truly do," he admitted, feeling the data under his claws crackle and burn. "It'd take me an entire lifetime to achieve such power on my own. And then what? All that power in an old body unable to use it properly?" He sneered. "I think not."

He dug deeper with his claws. Razia thrashed harder, but her strength was ebbing, and draining into Imego. His body crackled with power as she withered under his touch.

"It's nothing personal," Imego said, attempting to appear genuine. But the malicious sneer that cut itself across his face betrayed the sentiment. He continued to draw in the data seeping from Razia's wound. "But I have no intention of remaining at my station, licking Karrthus's feet for the rest of my days. If I am to rise to my rightful place I'll need all the power I can get."

He gave one last twist of his claws.

Razia screamed. Her body began to fracture.

A rush of data burst from her and into Imego. He let out a roar of his own as her Omnimon form faltered and erupted into data particles -- and they, too, swirled into Imego's black armor. Razia's remaining body crumpled to the ground, unconscious, as an Angewomon. Imego stood above her, his face twisted into a grin of malignant ecstasy. His armor flashed between black and white, and with what seemed like a monumental effort, he forced the further change down and held onto the black armor for at least a while longer.

"I'll be taking you with me," he said to the prone and unconscious Razia. He couldn't be sure how long the power he'd taken from her would last. He grabbed Razia by her long hair and hauled her onto his shoulders. Then, spreading his great red wings one last time he took off with a boom and headed back home.

\==\=/==/

< Ajax Vol (Growlmon X) >
- Location Unknown -

Ajax awoke in an overwhelmingly muggy haze. There was an odd, heavy smell in the air and a strange glow that seemed to illuminate the walls of the room he awoke in from everywhere and nowhere at once.

With a groan he rolled to his feet, massaging his head as best he could, and only then realized that he'd dropped several evolution stages. What had happened? He could barely think over the pounding in his head, but he remembered the Alphamon -- Arahon? -- and a roar of rage that emanated from somewhere deep within him. Arahon tried to say something...it might have been a warning because for once he didn't seem smug or confident, but almost concerned for him. But everything had been flashing red and…

Nothing. He didn't remember anything after that. One minute Arahon was shouting at him to...stop -- or something. The next he was here in this damp, musty...room?

"What the hell happened?" He groaned, straightening and glancing around the strange room.

"Eaten by a Whamon," Demo mumumbled, leaning cautiously against the strange fleshy wall. Ajax tried to determine if he was kidding or not, but the BanchoMamemon said nothing.

"If you all wouldn't mind sitting a little bit more still," said a voice that echoed from the room itself.

"Holy damn, he wasn't kidding," Ajax muttered.

"Nope," said a Aegiomon, stepping towards him. The Digimon patted the walls. "Sorry, Moby."

"No worries," said the disembodied voice. "But if you don't mind, would some of you maybe size-down a bit?"

Everyone glanced awkwardly to Jericho and a MetalGreymon X that could only have been Surrak. Surrak gave a growl and a grunt of focus as his Mega form coalesced again in a flash of light.

"What the hell happened?" Ajax asked again, trying to focus on his own Mega form, but finding it increasingly difficult with the pounding in his skull.

"Eaten by a--"

"I heard you the first time," Ajax snapped Demo's way, to which the BanchoMamemon growled and crossed his arms indignantly. "I mean...how'd we get here?"

"We heard you'd be going to Prahv," said the Aegiomon -- Frey, if Ajax remembered right. "Krond and Brigid figured you'd be in trouble with those powdered poof-balls -- no offense," he glanced towards Aayas. "And they want to meet with you."

"And so we are…"

"Bringing you to meet with them!" Frey said cheerfully. He patted the walls again. "All thanks to Moby here."

\==\=/==/

< Imego Ramaz (Imperialdramon: Fighter Mode) >
- Nastrond -

Imego touched down on the burning shores of Nastrond with Razia still slung over his shoulder. She was in worse condition than he thought; he'd need to make sure she was cared for and healthy in case the power he'd drained from her wasn't permanent. As always, Nastrond was encompassed by a veritable wall of fiery smoke. Oh, how Karrthus loved his calderas.

The Dragonlord himself emerged from the smoke and gazed down at Imego with something akin to disgust. At his side his growling sycophants -- Groundramon and Wingdramon eager for scraps -- clambered forward.

"What's this now, bringing back undeserved trophies?" Karrthus mocked to their forced laughter. And Imego felt himself bristle. He fought his rage back under control and gazed up coldly at the fat, overgrown lizard who dared to call himself "Dragonlord."

"Not a trophy, no. Just insurance against Legion interference," Imego said with a shrug, walking past Karrthus and deeper into the caldera. It was as bold an insult as any dragon had shown the "khan" since he rose to power.

"The hell happened there, boy?" Karrthus snapped, wheeling around to face Imego once again. The Dragonlord's fangs were bared, and Imego smirked at his fragile ego.

"Your brilliantly pitiful gamble with the Realmless went belly-up, as expected," Imego said casually and defiantly, staring Karrthus down. "You were used by them and then their plan to use us went sideways. And now they're on the run from the Legion and I'm here to report back on your idiocy!"

"You'd best remember your place, Imego," Karrthus snarled angrily, his long tail thrashing.

"And what is 'my place'? Oh mighty Khan," Imego seethed, his anger boiling over like the lava around them. "Following you into ruin? Watching our people fight over scraps?"

"You want to challenge me, Imego!?" Karrthus howled, and the other dragons chortled with laughter.

Imego grinned widly.

"Accepted!" Imego roared. Light burst from his body, impossibly bright. Hotter than the volcanic flows all around them and blazing with greater intensity. When the light faded, his armor shone brilliant white, and he held a sword in his grip.

"Think I haven't fought your kind before?" Karrthus roared. He swung his lance around, but Imego was faster.

A single stroke of his new sword shattered Karrthus's huge weapon. Imego's cascading power detonated at the heart of the caldera and annihilated Nastrond itself in the following conflagration. It sent the Dragonlord sailing through the air with a howling scream and atomized the other dragons around him. Imego buried his sword in Karrthus's chest and drove him back further, deep into the maelstrom's heart. With a roar of fury, Imego drove Karrthus's wings upon the obsidian spires of the crater's mouth.

"What was it you told me before I left," Imego said with a grim smile, pushing the spires deeper into Karrthus's wings. "That you'd nail me to this volcano by my wings? You're mine now, Karrthus. Hail your new Khan."

...

...

...

End Act 1

 

[TheSequelReturns]

Versa Victa (BelleStarmon)
- Pravh -

Versa's eyes fluttered open against the rushing wind.

The last thing she remembered was a massive explosion of power and energy from somewhere just beneath them. A monstrous display of force the likes of which Versa had never seen. It had hit her like a tidal wave, washing away the rest of the world. But now...

She was falling, she realized. Falling amidst a cloud of rubble and debris that looked suspiciously like the bridge that had been under her moments ago. And she wasn't alone. The speed she was tumbling made it hard to make out what exactly was around her but she caught enough passing glances to tell that the rest of the Realmless were faring about as well as she was. But the bottom of the canyon was getting closer by the second. She had to do something.

Versa tried to stretch out her wings, but her muffler failed to respond. She tried to twist and catch a look at them and exhaled sharply as a stab of pain shot through her side. The wound in her arm was burning something fierce. Damn that angel and her stupid light. No wings. No use of her arm. This wasn't looking good. She tried her best to stretch out and stabilize her fall, doing what she could with her injured arm. After a few tense and painful moments, it started to work and her spinning reduced enough for her to catch sight of a MetalGreymon X (Surrak?) below her carrying several Realmless on his back and lugging Jericho like a ton of bricks.

It would have to do.

She reached out for Surrak, trying desperately to get close enough to grab hold of his tail, when she caught sight of something even more concerning. Aakio. He was a Hisyarumon now, but there was no mistaking his face. The dragon was out cold and falling like complete dead weight. Trails of loose data streamed out from behind him as he fell, trailing from the collection of burns and wounds that he seemed to have across his entire back. And that was when she remembered the sight of his figure, outlined against the explosion, as he took the brunt of the attack for her.

Surrak was even with her now, but facing the other way. Aakio was off to the side, but a little above her. She could reach him.

A choice had to be made here. Grab onto Surrak and hope someone would grab Aki? Or try to catch him herself and pray that her wings worked. Would anyone else even know to grab Aakio? She reached just slightly towards Surrak one more time. Her wings still weren't responding. Time was running out.

Versa clenched her fist and dove for Aakio's falling form. The canyon floor was getting larger by the second. She reached out and missed, and proceeded to curse every curse that came to mind. Work you stupid muffler.

A single end of her muffler trailed off weakly, wrapping itself around Aakio's arm.

Versa retracted some of the curses and pulled herself close enough to grab hold. One end of the muffler meant one wing to work with. She grabbed Aakio with her good arm and then, one wing working at least, tried her best to slow their fall. It worked, sort of. Enough so that when they finally hit the sandy floor of the canyon they merely beat themselves half to death on the sand instead of breaking every bone in their bodies.

A constant pulsing pain was all Versa could feel from her battered form as she struggled to her feet. Aakio was still breathing, so that was progress. No one else seemed to be laying dead on the canyon floor either. She would take it.

By the time the newcomers showed up to save them, Versa's brain was so utterly fried that she didn't even question it. It was time to run. The new guys had a plan to save everyone. That was good enough for her. But she could barely move herself, much less drag Aakio. Especially one-handed.

Jericho was nearby, trying to recover from the shock of his own landing and get moving.

"Hey, Grumpy Gears!" Jericho turned her way, too mentally taxed to react to the nickname. Versa pointed to Aakio. "This guy's on our side, can you carry him?"

Jericho nodded and rushed over, his joints creaking in protest. He lifted the serpentine dragon into his arms with relative ease and turned to run with the rest of the Realmless. Versa turned to follow him and her leg gave out completely spilling her face-first into the sand.

Before she could pull herself up, Jericho had grabbed hold of her as well. "Hold on." he said simply. With Versa in one claw and Aakio in the other, Jericho took off down the path towards the beach, following along with the other Realmless.

The new girl leading the retreat kept shouting to rush to the docks. But Versa couldn't help but notice that there was no boat parked there. No boat, no ship, not even a little raft. Just ocean.

As the group made their way onto the actual pier, and the salt in the air was as noticeable as the waves beneath their feet, Versa's pulse quickened. There was a plan right? She could hear Jericho audibly gulp as something approached from beneath the water's surface. Versa didn't even have time to process what was happening as the Whamon swallowed the entire group and vanished back into the sea.

-+-+-+-+-

Jericho Arcos (RustTyrannomon)
- Inside a flippin' Whamon -

Jericho was almost too nervous to open his eyes. He was fairly certain that his processors had skipped a few cycles when the Whamon erupted from the sea and gobbled the entire group of Realmless like a mid-day snack. But at the very least, they did not seem to be getting digested so things could be worse.

Still, to be trapped on the inside of a Whamon who knows how far beneath the ocean's surface was... not pleasant.

Jericho hunkered down on the disturbingly squishy floor. Panic was starting to set in now. Jericho wasn't claustrophobic. His time in Ironclad saw to that. But the thought of sinking helplessly into the depths... that was distressing.

"If you all wouldn't mind sitting a little bit more still," said a voice that echoed from the room itself.

The Whamon could talk to them while they were inside it. Naturally. Figuring out how that was possible without the Whamon opening its mouth gave Jericho enough of a mental distraction to set his rising panic aside for the moment.

"Apologies, sir Whamon." Jericho offered. He tried to focus on his lower evolution stage. It had been so long since he had digivolved into this form permanently that the thought of regressing felt almost totally alien to him. Still, it was a request from the one responsible for his continued life. He focused and concentrated, trying to find the shift into his Metal Tyrannomon form. Finally, with a flash of light, he regressed.

The organic parts of his body felt alien to him after so long. Immediately, a few sharp points of pain sprung to life and Jericho nearly doubled over. He had forgotten what pain felt like when it was carried by organic nerves instead of damage sensors. And from the feel of things, that part that had broken loose was still loose. Only now, it wasn't a bolt or a module. It was something a little more like a bone or an organ. He fell flat to the floor, trying to will away both the pain of his injuries and the panic of the ocean depths.

The floor might have been soft and... moist? Jericho fought the urge to shiver. But the floor was also warm and he had to admit that if he closed his eyes and imagined he was literally anywhere else it almost felt good.

His eyes fluttered. He was tired. He had serious doubts that he could actually sleep here. But he could close his eyes and relax a bit. As best he could. That was, if the sudden racket to his left would subside.

Ryia was over there, pawing at the wall (was wall the right word when you were in a Whamon?) and making a fuss about trying to get out. Get out of the Whamon and into the deep ocean abyss? The panic was plain as day on her face. Jericho sighed even as she started to argue with the Whamon. Every time Moby talked, Jericho felt a spike of fear. If he accidentally opened his mouth, he could drown them all.

He turned his head towards Ryia as best he could, being flat on the ground. "Calm down. You're making a fool of yourself, Ryia."

"Fool?" she shot back. "Whoever thought of traveling inside another digimon is the fool!"

"You think you're the only one who finds the dark or the depths or-" Jericho paused for a moment. He didn't want to insult their host with a poor choice of words. "-this situation to be distressing? Be still and endure it like a warrior."

Ryia turned to face Jericho, nostrils flaring wildly. "I am Unbowed." she began. Jericho sighed. "We run free across the endless plains as fast as our legs can take us, not scuttling like filth in a sewer." Jericho thought he heard a faint voice of protest at that last remark, but he couldn't be sure. Ryia was breathing much too fast now. Her fear was worse than his own. "But what would a broken-down machine know of it to care?" And it was making her lash out apparently.

"Broken down?" Jericho snorted. "Bah. I'm not the one clawing at the walls like a rat in a cage. But if you're so intent on making a scene, then go on." He gave a dismissive huff and closed his eyes. "Just do it quietly and try not to upset our host. I would like the ocean to remain outside the Whamon."

-+-+-+-+-

Versa Victa (LadyDevimon)
- Moby -

Even having regressed a level to let her wounds heal faster, Versa still didn't know how long it would take for her arm to heal up. Holy light was never a good match for a demon, much less when it scorched her all the way to the bone. What Versa did know is that she would definitely have a scar there. Well, add it to the collection.

Aakio was still unconscious and still a Hisyarumon. His head was resting in her lap, and he was out so solidly that he was barely breathing. But he was alive, and that was what counted.

Sitting here with Aakio was starting to remind her of when they first met. It was about two and a half years ago, by best guess. Before her time in Ironclad. Back then, she had been a naive rebel without a solid cause. And then he had shown up, weather beaten and downtrodden and completely lost in his own musings about law and principle and purpose. For a brief moment, Versa had thought she'd stumbled upon a fellow rebel. Another soul who had simply had enough and decided to do something about it.

But it wasn't so. At that time, Aki had been driven, yes. But his heart was still firmly with his homeland. With the Order. Before long, Versa had had enough of him trying to reason a way for the Order to still be in the right and had asked him to leave it entierly. That hadn't worked out so well. The last time she had seen Aakio, the two had nearly killed each other. She had watched him leave, bloodied and prideful, and had cursed his name for weeks.

Now... She watching him cling to his life and she didn't know what to think. Protecting someone he once walked away from. He was hurt protecting her.

She didn't know how to feel about that.

One of the Bancho, Ulysses Zen, approached. The BanchoStingmon had been notoriously quiet, and he didn't break that streak now. He motioned towards Aakio, as if that was enough to indicate his question.

"He's a friend." Versa said. "He joined our cause when the Legion attacked us earlier. And... I know him. From before Ironclad. We can trust him."

Ulysses nodded, apparently satisfied with that, but motioned towards Aakio again. And then, to her injured arm.

"Ah." Versa let a long breath trail out. To lose was embarrassing enough. To suffer a permanent scar was even worse. To have to regress a stage to let the wound recover was downright humiliating. But she could deal with it. She had dealt with worse.

"My arm is okay." Versa started. "It'll heal, with a little time. Aakio here... I'm not sure. He got hit pretty hard by that blast."

Versa must have looked uncharacteristically worried, because Ulysses reached out and patted her on her shoulder reassuringly. "Hope." he said, as though it was the most important word in the world.

Maybe it was.

Versa offered a smile and Ulysses nodded and took his leave. He was a strange one, but Versa was starting to believe in this little group of theirs. If they could make an escape as insane as this one possible, if they could face down the dragon hordes, the order's crushing weight, and the Legion itself and survive, then maybe, maybe they had a chance at really changing the world. She laughed. Hope indeed.

She gave Aakio a pat on the head. "Its good to have you back, Aki." she said softly. "But you better pull through cause I still have to kick your ass for leaving me."

 

[Solsabre]

Ryia Rohirrim (Sleipmon)

Descent into the Chasm

Her ice shield vaporized moments after the energy shockwave hit. Ryia skidded back several feet as she braced against it until the energy was spent. The detonation, rising from deep within the chasm, was another story.

The Iron Mare plummeted once she was thrown from the former bridge amongst the molten debris. Ryia cursed. Her bulky form, while perfectly suited for solid ground, was painfully awkward for air travel, especially as she kept tumbling head over tail as she dropped.

A massive orange three-toed foot plucked Ryia right out of the air, her head jerking painfully with whiplash. The mare’s good mood disappeared with the marble bridge, “Let me go of me, you over-sized iguana! I can fly well enough on my own, if I damn well chose too.”

Her words lost to the open air, as Surrak maneuvered to pick up the other Realmless. Ryia’s legs scrambled futilely in the air. Dammit, give me solid ground!

As they descended lower to the canyon floor, Ryia worked her way out of Surrak’s grip and dropped. She landed with a heavy thud on the sandy bottom, favoring her middle left leg slightly, but otherwise fine. It wouldn’t slow her down.

However, several Legions soldiers still pursued them. At least, until a regressed Jaeger appeared and intervened. Ryia could just make out what Goliath and Jaeger were hastily discussing as the Realmless were slowly being cornered.

"Get ready to break for it," Goliath snarled over his shoulder to the Realmless. "No one gets left behind."

Ryia raced to the first struggling Realmless she saw: a disoriented Titus leaning heavily on a banged up and dirty Tuwarmon. “Get him up.” She ordered, when she noticed the regressed Saviorhuckmon’s dazed state. Sawyer managed to get Titus seated on the mare’s back. The dragon knight sagged forward, barely able to hold himself up. Sawyer jumped up behind his friend to support him.

“Come on, pal, stay with me here,” Sawyer muttered. The mutant firmly grabbed the base of the Sleipmon’s purple mane and his other arm wrapped the slumped dragon’s waist. Sawyer nodded to Ryia that they were secured.

The mare readied her crossbow alongside Surrak and Jericho, but the canyon walls and floor erupted into explosions and distracting the legionnaires. New Digimon joined them, familiar ones. Ryia smirked. The calvary had arrived.

The mare dashed alongside the group with ease, finally in her element. She put on another boost of speed at Andrea’s rallying cry to move. Occasionally, she grabbed at the arm of a Realmless if they stumbled to upright them and keep them moving. At moments, she turned her upper body around to fire an energy bolt at the feet of the pursuing legionnaires.

The Realmless reached the mouth of the chasm onto open sandy beach, a wooden pier straight ahead. Her six hooves thundered across the planks in a rush, rearing to a stop with the rest of the group. She snorted with agitation, swiftly turning around to face the incoming Legion. She only heard the gasps from the other Realmless before she noticed the looming shadow. She turned her head and the Whamon swallowed them whole.

A Watery Hell

Darkness with a eerie light on the walls, but she could see well enough just how tightly packed in they were. Her passengers slid off her back without her notice.

NO. NO. NO. Not again. Ryia stomped over the front of Moby’s mouth. She wasn’t going to do this.

“Let me out, now.” She demanded, her tone quite strained. Her hands twitched, shifting uneasy on her hooves.

“ Ahh, can’t do that.” Moby said matter-of-factly.

“And. Why. Not?” Ryia dragged each word out. A clenched fist shaking visibly.

“Ma’am, we’re far below the ocean surface.” Moby explained plainly, “even if I could risk it, how’d you stay afloat without boat?”

“I don’t care. I’ll make a damn iceberg if I have too. Now. Let. Me. Out.” Ryia sneered, backing up a step as though to kick her way out.

”Calm down. You're making a fool of yourself, Ryia.” Jericho called out, now laying on the ground as a Metal Tyrannomon.

“Fool? Whoever thought traveling inside another digimon is the fool!" Ryia shifted her attention immediately to the old soldier, legs shifting unsteadily.

Jericho inhaled deeply. "You think you're the only one who finds the dark or the depths or-" he paused for a moment, "this situation to be distressing? Be still and endure it like a warrior."

“I am Unbowed. We run free across the endless plains as fast as our legs can take us, not scuttling like filth in a sewer.” Ryia uttered, flaring her nostrils at him. She ignored Sawyer’s faint protest, her breathing rapidly getting faster. “But what would a broken-down machine know of it to care?”

Jericho only looked increasingly annoyed at her outburst. "Broken down? Bah. I'm not the one clawing at the walls like a rat in a cage. But if you're so intent on making a scene, then go on." The Metal Tyrannomon huffed dismissively "Just do it quietly and try not to upset our host. I would like the ocean to remain outside the Whamon."

Medraut approached the increasingly panicking Ryia, “I know this is uncomfortable for you, but he can't let you out without drowning us. Can you bear it just until we arrive?”

“I am no-” Ryia started to say, but she suddenly staggered sideways, slumping the entire side of her body against Moby's interior., “-why is it so damn hard to breath in here....” she muttered with her eyes half-lidded. She struggled to catch her breath.

“Ryia!” Medraut called urgently as he rushed to her side. He rested a hand on her shoulder and glanced wildly around. “How long until we're there?!”

Adirael slowly moves closer to the pair, looking on curiously but also concerned. A tired Ayas quietly stepped past the Beelzebumon X to assist.

“Peace, Medraut. She can be pulled back from this.” The elder Garudamon stood on Ryia's opposite side, gently supporting her shoulder. “We must get her off her feet and support her upper body. She must be kept comfortable.”

“Keep your hands...” Ryia gasped, straining to speak through her laborious breathing. “...to yourself, beak brain....”

Medraut moved to the mare's other side, mimicking Ayas. “Please let us help you, Ryia.”

Ayas merely sighed, but doesn't wait to Ryia to retort and gently nudges one of her front hooves slightly with his own foot. Off-balanced, the mare sagged in their supportive grip and lowered to the squishy ground with little resistance. “Medraut, help her stay upright."

Goliath, however, was apparently sick of this nonsense and strode over the trio. “Move aside!” The BanchoLeomon shoved Ayas and Medraut out of the way. “Ryia Rohirim!”

He grabbed Ryia to face him and slugged her across the face without warning. “Get on your feet and collect yourself (shaking his hand from the impact with Ryia's red digizoid armor). This display of yours is an insult your herd and all the Unbowed! Maybe your pathetic little herd would understand you in this. But I don't tolerate weakness from the Unbowed. And now you are Realmless so I tolerate it even less. I will give you two options: you either collect your wits and stand, or I will knock you unconscious and keep you that way until we reach solid ground -- upon which I will have this Whamon leave you while we continue on to our destination. And know that if this is your choice you will no longer have the right to call yourself "Unbowed" or "Realmless" or anything other than "useless,"

Ryia staggered backwards a few steps stunned, but her body instinctively caught her. She straighten up immediately, the long-fuse of her temper flaring. “Damn, you!” Ryia yelled, rearing on her hind legs and attempted to knock Goliath over with her front hooves. “Damn you, Goliath! Call my children pathetic again and I'll crush you where you are!"

Goliath easily danced away from reach of her hooves, keeping to a low crouch. “If you have enough wits to fight me then you have enough to get yourself back in line.”

“Damn you...” Ryia nickered angrily, furious with Goliath and more so with herself.

The Whamon swallowing the whole group had surprised her enough to loosen the iron grip she kept on the...ridiculous... no pathetic notion that she was... The Iron Mare shook her head to banish the thought and refused give a name to the hidden scar she carried from her years at Ironclad. And it took Brion's cub to knock some sense into her at that! Saving what dignity she could, Ryia bellowed at anyone in her way. “Move out of my way!”

Ryia stomped to the back of Moby's mouth to prove a point, ignoring the tension in her limbs as she did so. All the while, the mare glared spitefully at the Realmless Leader.

“And that,” Goliath smirked as he quickly glanced at Ryia. “is how you deal with a STUBBORN MULE TOO THICK FOR HER OWN GOOD.” The Realmless Leader was particularly loud on that last part. “That's how you deal with Unbowed, gentlemen. None of this coddling crap.”

“Watch it, Leonhardt!” Ryia hollered back over her shoulder. “Otherwise we'll see just how well a cat can land on his feet after he's been kicked where the sun doesn't shine!”

The mare sneered one last time at the BanchoLeomon and glared at anyone glancing in her direction to leave her alone (as if that would stop anyone). Ryia carefully rubbed where Goliath had slugged her across the cheek. Her armor had done its job, but the impact had still been jarring and unexpected. Ryia glared at Goliath one more time for good measure. She then eased down onto her knees and closed her eyes, happily distracting herself with images of pounding Empire goons into the ground.


Sawyer (Tuwarmon)

Does it smell in here?

The mutant stared gob smack at the unflinching Ryia having a major meltdown and then Goliath's simple solution of punching her back to her senses. The Tuwarmon glanced down with worry at Titus. The Saviorhuck was curled on his side oblivious to the noise, clenching his head tightly in both hands as though in severe pain. Sawyer knelt beside his friend, one hand on a silver-white armored shoulder.

“Come on, Finn, snap out of it.” Sawyer called urgently, shaking Titus with both arms to get his attention. The mutant wasn't sure what was wrong. He'd seen the scorched marks all over the usual pristine armor and a small trail of blood seeping from Titus's right shoulder, but no evidence of trauma to his head.

Sawyer shook Titus harder to get a response. At this point, Sawyer didn't want to find out if Boss Cat would use the same tender method on his best friend as he had on the mare.

Titus Cloudraker (Saviorhuckmon)

Trapped in his own mind

He was burning alive within his own mental landscape. A raw scream of rage had pierced his mind the moment the shockwave exploded outward, coupled with the overwhelming pressure of the building energy until the release. Every instinct of his screamed with warning at the savage (entity?) power that seemed intent on consuming everything in its path. His heightened Jesmon's senses had been seared raw from the experience and he couldn't escape the fiery inferno of his subconscious. Over and over the same moment played out, super-heating his armor and burning him from the inside out.

When he thought he would succumb to the madness, three lights surrounded him, bathing him in their own cool light. His muddled mind couldn't make out the details of the light orbs. Protected from the imaginary inferno, Titus fell with relief, only to have the orbs catch him.

You must wake up, young master. You friend worries.

He was hearing voices. Was he going mad now?

Nonsense, we have always been here. Only you can hear us clearly at last.


Sawyer (Tuwarmon)

He shook Titus hard, desperate to get a reaction from the Saviorhuckmon. Just as Sawyer was about to panic, the dragon man snapped his eyes open and raised himself up on an elbow alarmed. However, Sawyer's relief was short-lived as Titus slumped back down to the squishy surface.

“Finn?” the mutant asked tentatively, helping the silver-white knight to sit up and lean against him.

“I'm fine, Sawyer,” the Saviorhuckmon reassured him, breathing hard. Titus pulled his cape's hood over his head, obscuring his face in deep shadow. Sawyer frowned at the familiar gesture. He knew Titus was prone to headaches after intense fights, but he hadn't see it this bad in a long time. The mutant sighed and propped his elbow and chin on the exhausted dragon's shoulder, “don't give me that crap. His words speaks only truth, remember?”

Sawyer felt his friend exhale in resignation. “I will be fine,” Titus quietly admitted, tilting his head back to rest in the Tuwarmon's supportive embrace. Sawyer accepted the answer, knowing that was all he was going to get. “Headache pretty bad?”

Titus nodded weakly, he muttered with a grimace, “The Jesmon form will take some getting used too.”

“Pal, I wish I knew what was going on with ya, but I know new evolutions aren't supposed to be this difficult,” Sawyer sighed, referring to the persistent migraines Titus experienced years ago when he first became a Saviorhuckmon.

“Me too,” Titus whispered, the dragon knight was slowly nodding off. Sawyer shifted himself around, so that Titus could rest against his back. The Saviorhuckmon's breathing evened out as he dozed. Sawyer looked his shoulder with concern, but another part of him giggled at the prospect of teasing the dragon knight for missing out. After all, it's not everyday a mon gets swallowed up by a whamon out of the blue while fleeing the Legion.



Ayas Animkii (Garudamon)

In the belly of the whamon

Ayas sighed as he witnessed the stand off between Goliath and Ryia simmered down. He'd recognized the behavior Ryia displayed. Many flyers within the Astral Order were prone to dealing with claustrophobia at some point in their lives, but regular meditation helped to calm and contain the irrational fear to varying degrees. Apparently, Goliath had other ideas on how to confront the issue.

Ayas left Ryia's problem in the Realmless Leader's hands (or in this case a clenched fist). He was simply too tired to contemplate the... methods of the Unbowed. He moved away from the ongoing commotion, holding himself upright still with the Attitude of Peace and Serenity. However, his heart sank heavy with the grief of his younger brother. Soon, hopefully, they'd reached their destination, meet with these other Realmless leaders, and then...only then would he allow himself to properly release his anguish and honor his brother's passing in private.

The Unbowed had their ways and Astrals had theirs.

Aayaash settled into a meditative posture, getting ready to fold his wings around himself to rest. But, he suddenly jerked his head up and glanced towards the conversing Versa and BanchoStingmon. The older Garudamon wasn't sure if he heard right, but did just she just refer to the unconscious dragon as Aakio?

The elder bird man stiffly rose and approached the BelleStarmon, kneeling a respectful distance from her. “Excuse me, Versa, but did you just say Aakio? As in Aakio Daisoujou?”

Ayas gestured to the Hisyarumon.

 

[storymasterb]

Adirael Armaros (Beelzemon X)
-Moby-

In his travels across Eon, Adirael had visited many locales. He had scoured the volcanic plains of the Hordes, the verdant forests of the Conclave, the icy shores of the Coalition. But he could not honestly say he had been in the inside of a Whamon's mouth before. Now this was a new experience.

He relaxed against the fleshy wall, undaunted by the eerie glow that suffused the 'room'. His thoughts were in dark places. He gazed at his talons, seeing the angel's blood on their edges. He remembered seeing the opening in Tariel's defense. Remembered the demon within reaching out to crush the life from the Seraphimon's throat. He'd said to Valentina an age ago that he was still a demon, no matter how he seemed. But he had thought that sort of brutal instinct gone, quelled by introspection and meditation. It was the sort of thing the Syndicate's environment seemed to breed in its nobility, a polite mask that hid the savage hunger of a killer. Adirael's family had always been the former more than the latter, well, if you put aside his cousin Amon. But the blood on his claws and the memory of those edges digging into Tariel's throat were a grim reminder. Sometimes in the past he'd wondered who he was, if the demonic instinct was the real Adirael and his cultured mannerisms just a mask for the monster. His study of the Syndicate's religion, empty as it had proven, had convinced him that the monster was just a tiny piece of him, buried long ago. And yet...

He put the grim musings aside. It would do him little good to dwell on it. Right now his body ached and burned where Tariel's blows had struck, and they were headed to a destination he knew nothing of. He had heard mutterings of groups of Realmless before, and he vaguely recalled glimpsing the D'Arcmon at Ironclad. He turned his gaze to the Anubismon who had helped rescue them, scanning the newcomers and just observing thoughtfully.

"We heard you'd be going to Prahv," said the Aegiomon, who was another face Adirael remembered vaguely. "Krond and Brigid figured you'd be in trouble with those powdered poof-balls -- no offense," he glanced towards Aayas. "And they want to meet with you."

"And so we are…" Ajax replied.

"Bringing you to meet with them!" Frey said cheerfully. He patted the walls again. "All thanks to Moby here."

Adirael brought a talon to his chin, pondering the Aegimon's statements. And there was something else. His gaze slipped back to Temmet for a moment, but before he could enter the conversation and ask the questions that were beginning to crowd him, noise from across the room disturbed him. He turned to see Ryia and Jericho engaged in what he might dub 'heated conversation', with Ryia clearly uncomfortable in these tight quarters. That didn't surprise him. The Unbowed, from his limited experience, seemed to greatly enjoy their freedom. Being in a tight, confined, fleshy space like this must have been disturbing. Medraut and Ayas were already attending her, and Adirael pondered the former. There he was with Ryia again. Somehow the Duftmon had developed some kind of attachment, perhaps on Ramirez's ship. His curiosity piqued by this now as well, he took a step closer, ready to help if they needed him.

-

Medraut the Exiled (Duftmon)
-Moby-

Ryia slumped against him and Ayas, the knight straining to hold up her weight with the bird-man's help. He was about to call for Moby to hurry, only to be interrupted by Ayas. “Medraut, help her stay upright." He nodded, heeding the former judge's words, only to be violently shoved aside. Before he could fully react, the sound of a mighty fist crashing against Ryia's armor rang through the Whamon's interior.

It was Goliath.

"Ryia Rohirrim!" he bellowed, shaking his fist. It seemed to Medraut half in pain and half in frustration. “Get on your feet and collect yourself . This display of yours is an insult your herd and all the Unbowed! Maybe your pathetic little herd would understand you in this. But I don't tolerate weakness from the Unbowed. And now you are Realmless so I tolerate it even less. I will give you two options: you either collect your wits and stand, or I will knock you unconscious and keep you that way until we reach solid ground -- upon which I will have this Whamon leave you while we continue on to our destination. And know that if this is your choice you will no longer have the right to call yourself "Unbowed" or "Realmless" or anything other than "useless."

The Duftmon watched in stunned silence as Ryia stirred at the BanchoLeomon's words. She tried to trample him, snarling at the insult to her children, and they squared off before the Sleipmon stomped to the back of the Whamon's maw. Goliath , smirking, glanced at her, then back to Medraut and Ayas.

“And that is how you deal with a STUBBORN MULE TOO THICK FOR HER OWN GOOD. That's how you deal with Unbowed, gentlemen. None of this coddling crap.”

"I see," Medraut murmured. Unlike the strange duels of the dragons, this at least he sort of understood. Tough love was a concept he knew. It wasn't his way of leading, but he had seen it used to great effect by those in the Legion with the aptitude for it. He thought about going over to Ryia anyway, but no. Perhaps it was best to leave her be right now. As he turned his gaze around, it found Adirael. The demon's three eyes met his two, gleaming with thoughts Medraut couldn't read. The Beelzemon X's mind always seemed to be turning and turning when Medraut looked at him, full of thoughts that Adirael didn't voice. He wondered for a moment what the demon had made of that display. He'd probably considered Goliath's actions coddling in their own right, judging by what the Duftmon knew of the Syndicate from which Adirael hailed.

Ayas had walked off by the time Medraut got back to him, drawn to Versa and the BanchoStingmon whose name Medraut hadn't caught yet. There seemed to be private moments happening all around him that he didn't want to intrude on. He looked back to Adirael, and the Beelzemon had already turned to stand with a cluster that included Ajax and an Aegiomon. Past him, Medraut glimpsed the Anubismon who had helped them, stood just by himself. His curiosity aroused, the Duftmon weaved his way around the various conversations and came to stand beside him. Temmet, he was sure he'd heard the D'Arcmon call him.

"Your name is Temmet, isn't it?" he asked, receiving a nod in confirmation.

"Yes," the Anubismon said.

"I am Medraut," he said in turn. He had thoughts of his own turning now, but before he could voice them, Adirael's own beat him to the mark.

-

Adirael Armaros
-Moby-

"I have a question for you," the Beelzemon said, picking out Frey from the conversation. "How did you know we were heading to Pravh? Did Ramirez's lips become overly loose from all the rum he was drinking?" He pondered that, pushing it to the back of a list of thoughts. Assuming Ramirez had spoken of his passengers somewhere, it would likely have taken too long to reach this Krond and Brigid and then for them to organize this rescue. "Or was it one of those we met among the Hordes? Or perhaps, have you been keeping tabs on us since we parted ways at Ironclad?"

 

[TheSequelReturns]

Versa Victa (LadyDevimon) & Aakio Daisoujou (Hisyarumon)
- Moby -

Ayas approached, looking curiously towards the unconscious dragon. “Excuse me, Versa, but did you just say Aakio? As in Aakio Daisoujou?” He gestured to the Hisyarumon.

"Oh? You mean this guy?" Versa flicked one of Aakio's horns. "Yeah, this is Aakio. You a friend of his Jabberjay?"

The Garudamon nodded. "One of my scribes, actually. I hadn't spoken to any of them, since my departure from the Order. " He sighed.

Versa prepared herself for a long conversation. Still, it was a bit of a surprising coincidence. There seemed to be a lot of those around here. "Wait, he works for you? No, actually, I can see that."

"Perhaps, I should have warned Aakio and the others of my plans." Ayas continued, "I had hoped to keep them out of this, but that does not seem the case. How are the two of you acquainted?”

Long conversation indeed. Still, its not like there was anything better to do here in the belly of a Whamon. "Well, that's a bit of a story. I ran into this guy... it must have been close to three years ago. Found him sitting a cave, soaking wet from the rain and looking lost. We traveled together for a time, but when I asked him to turn his back on the Order it didn't end well."

She looked down at Aakio. "He's more stubborn than he lets on." Aakio snorted and Versa squinted her eyes at him suspiciously. Was he faking it? He didn't move again, but Versa wasn't convinced. She looked back up at Ayas with a grin. "So, you have some embarrassing stories about this guy right? Let's hear one."

The elder Animkii settles into a more comfortable position, cross legged. He caught Versa's grin and gazed at the unconscious dragon. “Aakio is a model scribe, dedicated to ensuring the accuracy of documentation. I truly have few complaints."

Ayas slowly exhaled. Versa raised an eyebrow. "That being said, my other scribes, Vireo and Sarika, are quite adept and managed the records of my office well enough on their own. My hiring of Aakio was more at the request of his family two years ago.” Ayas signed. That seemed to be happening a lot lately. However, with a straight expression, he continued. “I probably would have politely turn down the request if not for an unannounced visit to my office. My skilled and dependable scribes were very busy at my desk. So much so, there were screams of exhilaration and the furniture being rearranged.” The elder paused, glancing back down at Aakio again. “Afterwards, I thought perhaps a third scribe would be best to have present while I was away at my tribe's home. If only to maintain the proper decorum expected of a Senior Judge's legal offices.”

Versa's eyes glazed over as he talked on and on without actually getting to the good part. And then, as he finished his tale, Versa snorted and burst out laughing. Aakio's head shot up, the dragon done feigning his unconsciousness. "That's really why you hired me?!" he exclaimed.

Versa started jabbing him in the side of his head with her finger. "I knew it. You were just faking so you could relax on my lap. Typical."

Ayas permitted himself a small chuckle, easing his tense limbs a bit. “I am glad to see you are well, Aakio, given our circumstances.” The Garudamon's expression turned grave, “Are you truly turning aside from the Astral Order? I'm afraid there's no turning back at this point, since you've publicly demonstrated a willingness to aid us in battle.”

Aakio looked completely downtrodden. "Yeah, I suppose so." He looked down at his clawed hands. "These hands once did the will of the Order. But no longer. Its freeing, in a way."

Versa, still giving Aakio a look, elbowed him in the side, ignoring his protest. "Stop trying to act cool." she said. "You panicked and you know it."

Aakio brushed her off. "No, that's not it." Versa looked like she was ready to hear, and subsequently dismiss his reason, but he didn't answer her. Instead, he turned to Ayas and gave a small bow. "Thank you sir, for looking after me. I may not be your scribe any longer, but I look forward to fighting by your side."

Behind him, Versa rolled her eyes.

Ayas returned Aakio's bow with a nod of his own. “Very well, but now we must rest. The opportunities to do so in the future maybe rare.” The Garudamon excused himself, rising stiffly and returning to his previous location.

Aakio dismissed his former boss with a wave, then turned around to see Versa frowning at him. "Sorry, but you started talking about me and honestly I was just curious about what you'd have to say and-"

Versa cut him off. "Don't apologize." She shook her head. "Its fine, I guess I was just hoping that you really had changed."

The dragon tilted his head in confusion. "What do you mean? I left the Order and-"

"You did what you wanted to do, for your own reasons." Versa said. "That's fine. Honestly I can't complain about that." She looked slightly away, off to the side. "But that's not how friends treat each other. You knew I was concerned about you and you faked being injured for longer than you actually were."

"That's not..." Aakio grimaced. "I really was hurt. I still kinda am." he pointed to his back, where his scales were still burned and healing.

"Yeah," Versa placed a hand on her arm, right under the deep wound that was still healing. "So am I."

"I helped you." Aakio offered, sounding defeated, searching for something. "It took me a while, yes. But-"

"You don't know what happened while we were separated." Versa said, her voice uncharacteristically low and measured. "What I had to deal with while you ran back to your cozy little library and your tea breaks and your stuffy lectures about nothing."

"No, I don't." Aakio scratched his temple. "But that's-"

"That's what? Unimportant? Irrelevant? Beside the point?" Versa poked him in the chest with each word. "Don't come back into my life and act like you're the center of it."

Aakio sighed. "Will you let me finish a sentence?"

"No." Versa said, and walked away. Leaving Aakio wondering where exactly he had messed up.

 

[Kamotz]

Act 2: The Broken Blades
​

< Goliath Leonhardt (BanchoLeomon) >
- Location Unknown -

Goliath shook his fist and winced as his knuckles cracked back into place. Stupid, hard-headed Sleipmon. Of course she'd devolve into panic as soon as she realized they were underwater in another digimon's stomach. It wasn't that he could really blame her, but for the beats-god's sake, have some damn respect for herself!

It was only then, after all the commotion had died down, that Goliath realized that they had (again) picked up a straggler. A Hisyarumon woke with a objecting start beside Versa and Ayas. The two of them spoke easily with him, as if they each had a rapport with him, albeit two very different ones.

"So. You two vouch for this one?" he said, pointing bluntly towards the dragon. "Aakio, was it?" He watched the three. Ayas seemed to be calculating some long-winded response. Versa seemed barely-tolerant of his questioning and barely acknowledged him. The dragon in question stared at him wide-eyed and bewildered for a brief moment, his mouth open as if working to gather his wits about him and respond appropriately. That'd be the first thing he'd stamp out of him. It was the most annoying of Ayas's qualities and Goliath didn't want two of them to deal with.

"A dragon, eh? Why is always dragons? Don't I have enough of you causing me grief?" Goliath grumbled, glaring over at Ajax. He smirked as Aakio's mouth snapped shut. "You're everywhere. In the Empire, the Blue, the Legion, the Hordes -- of course. I've even met dragons in the Unbowed. I'm sure some twisted lizard lives somewhere in the Syndicate. And now, apparently, also serving the Order. Are the Conclave the only ones you lot leave alone? Is that where I should go to get some peace and quiet?"

"You wouldn't know what to do with peace and quiet," Ajax shouted from his side of the room, glaring back with a smirk.

"Fair enough," Goliath laughed. He turned back to Aakio. "And you survived fighting the Legion, so you're not completely useless."

 

[Solsabre]

Aayaash Animikki (Garudamon)
Location Unknown

"So. You two vouch for this one?" he said, pointing bluntly towards the dragon. "Aakio, was it?"

The Garudamon elder prepared an affirmation in response to the BanchoLeomon's question. Instead, he merely nodded as Goliath seemed particularly annoyed with him at the moment(which seemed to occur with great frequency).

"A dragon, eh? Why is always dragons? Don't I have enough of you causing me grief?" Goliath grumbled, glaring over at Ajax. He smirked as Aakio's mouth snapped shut. "You're everywhere. In the Empire, the Blue, the Legion, the Hordes -- of course. I've even met dragons in the Unbowed. I'm sure some twisted lizard lives somewhere in the Syndicate. And now, apparently, also serving the Order. Are the Conclave the only ones you lot leave alone? Is that where I should go to get some peace and quiet?"

After Ajax flung his own needling remark at Goliath, Ayas couldn't help adding his own commentary. Perhaps the need share in the levity and stave off his own grief a bit longer, drew out the Garudamon's rare humor. With a straight face, he interjected matter-of-factly, “There has been much debate among the scientific circles within the astral order about whether or not Dramon are the apex species of Eon. The diversity of dragon Digimon are among the highest in number and found in most of the realms.”

“If you do not stop this immediately I will throw you so far down this Whamon's digestive tract that you'll never see the light of day,” the BanchoLeomon threatened, though without any real intent behind his words.

“A very ungracious gesture to our host,” Ayas deadpanned, gesturing to Moby all around them. “An old bird such as myself would to be too tough and gamey for easy digestion and likely give our transport a stomach ache. I doubt any of us would like to experience the results while in route.”

Indeed the resulting smell from the belching would be quite unbearable in the confined space. Especially for those with a keen sense of smell.

Ryia failed to share in the humor. “Over my dead body.” Emphasizing her point by blocking the far back reaches of the Whamon's mouth with her bulky armored body.

______________

Sawyer (Tuwarmon)

Belly of the Whale

The Tuwarmon glanced about the 'room' nervously. Without the dozing Saviorhuckmon's constant company, Sawyer felt out of place with the rest of the Realmless. Heck, he'd settled for a scathing insult from the crazed mare. At least, he was used to that kind of treatment. Better than being ignored and treated like he didn't exist. Like much of his life before meeting Titus.

No, unlike the others, Sawyer hadn't survive this long by giving Emporer Spit N' Shine the birdie. No, he'd cowed and scuttled through sewers beneath the notice of the Emporer's minions. He narrowed his eyes darkly, reminded of the lessons pounded into him by his hanumon mother as a child.

We live in secret, ignored by the Empire, so that we can survive, Daiou, my son. We have no other choice.

Run. Hide. Survive.

Yep, he'd taken his ma's lessons to heart after learning the horrors she'd experience as a child, fleeing her home providence and winding up in Argentum's sewers. So she'd told him to embrace the filth mon heritage of his tuwarmon father, Kaleb. Blend in and pretend. Be the stupid brainless idiot that the Empire expected him, a filth mon, to be.

The facade worked well for a time, until he back-talked two guards patrolling the city. Why did he always let his mouth run? He might have been killed that day, if his father hadn't distracted the two guards to cover Sawyer's escape deep into the sewers. The mutant learned later the guards had taken his father into custody and forced into the conscripted ranks.

Sawyer shook his head hard. He didn't want to recall those days. His guilt for running. His mother's crestfallen despair, when the guards took his father away. Those days following were filled with fear at being discovered. So, his mother made plans to flee the capital, but she never got the chance. A neglected tunnel collapsed, trapping her. Sawyer, a Sukamon then, didn't have the physical strength to dig her out. So, he ran, taking shelter in scrapyards and city dumps throughout the Empire,

Always moving. Always playing the stupid brainless idiot.

Titus hissed quietly, rubbing a hand over his tired and pained eyes. Sawyer glanced over his shoulder worried that he'd disturbed his friend with his grim and anxious thoughts. The mutant forced himself to relax. Sawyer berated himself for the cowardice he couldn't help. The Saviorhuckmon bravely faced opponents stronger than he was and Sawyer couldn't even stand his ground with someone at his level.

Titus never thought less of him though.

Sawyer let his attention wander instead to the other Realmless, eavesdropping on their consersations if he could. He was bored and his friend mostly conked out. Nearest to the pair, the Beelzebumon X was questioning one of their rescuers, the Aegiomon.

"How did you know we were heading to Pravh? Did Ramirez's lips become overly loose from all the rum he was drinking? Or was it one of those we met among the Hordes? Or perhaps, have you been keeping tabs on us since we parted ways at Ironclad?"

The Tuwarmon strained to hear the Aegiomon's reply. He was curious as well. However, a different conversation cut in with excited shouts and laughter.

"Fair enough," Goliath laughed. He turned back to Aakio. "And you survived fighting the Legion, so you're not completely useless."

Sawyer glanced down at his current form with disdain, his previous irritation forgotten. Tuwarmon. The most formidable species of waste system digimon. Now, they were the canon fodder of the Empire. Expendables. A form better equipped to help him fight the Empire and he was a complete klutz with it. A coward and a klutz. He was nothing but useless.

The banter continued for several minutes as even the unflappable Ayas joined in.

“Oh, would ya all just stop your yammering,” Sawyer groaned aloud, not that anyone ever bothered to pay him any attention. “I wanna hear what twinkle-toes there has to say.” He gestured towards the Aegiomon, hoping he hadn't missed anything important.

 

[Kamotz]

< Ajax Vol (Growlmon X) >
- Location Unknown -

"We heard you'd be going to Prahv," said the Aegiomon -- Frey, if Ajax remembered right. "Krond and Brigid figured you'd be in trouble with those powdered poof-balls -- no offense," he glanced towards Aayas. "And they want to meet with you."

"And so we are…"

"Bringing you to meet with them!" Frey said cheerfully. He patted the walls again. "All thanks to Moby here."

Ajax was about to voice his concerns when Adirael took the words right out of his mouth.

"How did you know we were heading to Pravh? Did Ramirez's lips become overly loose from all the rum he was drinking? Or was it one of those we met among the Hordes? Or perhaps, have you been keeping tabs on us since we parted ways at Ironclad?"

He turned to Frey, Temmet, and Andrea expectantly. It was a disconcerting notion, that the other Realmless might be keeping tabs on them.

"Oh, nothing so nefarious-sounding," assured Frey with a wave of his hand.

"It's how our resistance operates," Andrea explained from where she sat, cross-legged a ways off from the larger group. "Each cell of Realmless feeds information back to Krond and Brigid. If there's anything that a cell needs to know for their next mission, Krond and Brigid makes sure they do. This way even if a mission fails we can never give away strategies and locations of the other cells. We've never met them and they've never met us."

"You're putting a lot of trust in this 'Krond and Brigid'," Ajax said to himself, but loud enough for everyone else to hear in the weirdly-echoing belly of the Whamon.

"We do what we need to make sure the resistance survives," Temmet said, half-glaring at Ajax while briefly breaking off his conversation with Medraut. Ajax wondered what his problem was, but before he could raise his growl, a voice echoed out all around them.

"You can get more answers from them in person shortly," boomed Moby, and Ajax could sense the shift in movement as they rose towards the surface.

"You should appreciate how unusual this is," Andrea said, rising from her meditative stance and striding over towards Ajax. "Krond and Brigid are secretive. They have to be. They've never come out into the open to meet with anyone they didn't already trust implicitly."

"Not that you'd know unless they told you specifically," Ajax said warningly.

"Fair," Andrea shrugged. "But reason would they have to lie?"

Ajax could think of a few, but kept his mouth shut as the Whamon lurched to a muffled stop against what he could only assume was the beachhead. Moby's mouth opened wide and sunlight blasted into their confined room. There was a crash of surf echoing through his cavernous maw.

They climbed out, with Ryia shoving her way to the front of the group and trampling over Moby's large tongue despite his protests. Once their eyes had adjusted to the blinding glare of the sun and stinging surf they found themselves on the shore of a small island. It was barely bigger than Moby -- a few square kilometers at most -- and covered in thick vegetation and ringed by shallow beaches.

Goliath's Realmless were silent for a few tense moments.

"This is your base of operations?" Surrak blurted out before anyone could stop him.

"No, of course not," said a gravelly voice. The group turned to the source of the voice, and a Flaremon strode from the thick underbrush beside a Crescemon. "But this island was an easy meeting place. I am Krond."

"Brigid," said the Crescemon with a nod. "We truly appreciate your trust in meeting us here."

"Didn't exactly have much choice," Ajax muttered, still focusing inward in an attempt to regain his Mega form. He wasn't having much luck.

"You're welcome for that, by the way," Andrea snapped. Ajax just scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"I assume you know why we want to speak with you," said the Crescemon. She glanced to Andrea, who nodded.

"We explained how the cells work and that you wanted to speak with them," Andrea clarified.

"Good, then we can skip that part," Krond said brusquely. "And since the longer we're all exposed the more we risk capture, we can skip formality and pomp, too." He turned to face Goliath directly, as did Brigid beside him. "We want you to join us. Officially, and in full capacity."

"You want us to join your rebellion?" Goliath asked with a raised eyebrow.

"And more from you specifically," Brigid said. "We want you to become the face of our struggle."

"Me?" Goliath almost-sputtered.

"You've been on the run so long that you might not know," began Krond. "But you've become something of an urban legend. Your battles and victories against the Empire, your recent forays into the Horde territory...I'm sure even this battle with the Legion will find its way to the ears of your admirers."

"We can calculate and hand out orders for the next seven generations," Brigid said. "But unless we can inspire greater action we'll never become more than a thorn in the Empire's side."

"But you...you can be the spark, that will light the fire that will burn the Empire down," said Krond, his hand clenched into a fist. "They'll follow your example. Rally behind you."

"I'm flattered," Goliath muttered, clearly uncomfortable. Ajax recognized it -- Goliath wasn't great with big displays of public acknowledgment and praise. "But I don't want to be a figurehead. I'm a fighter, and I want my fight."

 

[Solsabre]

Aayaash Amikii
(Garudamon)
Location: Unknown

The Whamon's great maul opened and the outside light blinded Ayas's sharp eyes. Stepping down from Moby's mouth into the cool, shallow waters, the Garudamon elder stumbled gracelessly to his knees. He paused for a moment, allowing his weary limbs and adjusting eyes a change to recover.

A deep voice called out just behind him. "Easy there friend." The MetalTyrannomon, Jericho, offered a claw in his direction. "We are living a young man's life now I'm afraid." he said with a laugh.

Though he hadn't spoken personally with the veteran yet, Ayas easily accepted the former war machine's claw with a grateful nod. “Indeed,” Ayas replied soberly. “Once long ago, I was entrusted with the care of my elders. Now, I find it is difficult to let go of that responsibility at times.”

Jericho chuckled dryly. "Harder still to accept that you are one of the elders now, isn't it?" His gaze drifted to somewhere on the horizon. Perhaps even further. "You have family back in Prahv?"

"Yes, " Ayas remained silent for a long moment, "My wife, my children, and their children...." The elder Garudamon paused as if to say more, but a flash of pain appeared briefly on his face. His usual composure strained from fatigue and grief, but his mental discipline held.

"I'm sorry." Jericho offered. "I didn't mean to distress you, only..." he paused, carefully picking his words. Sorting his thoughts. "What is it like? To have a family? To have someone to look after, and to look after you?"

Aayaash waved off Jericho's concern, always willing to give an answer if he could provide one. “Never a moment of peace,” Ayas deadpanned, then a fond smile crept at the corners of his beak. “Someone to wake up with every morning. Children to teach, comfort, or scold. Sitting at the feet of our elders for their wise words. Grandchildren running under your feet without a care. A sibling...to laugh or...argue with...” The normally well-spoken Garudamon stumbled those last words, rather he continued, “It has been a lonely journey for me since I left.”

The giant bird man met Jericho's gaze, noticing the MetalTyranno scrutinizing and thoughtful expression. Indeed, the dinosaur replied back with a nod, "Thank you, Aayaash. I may not understand, but I can see clearly how much your family means to you. I will do what I can to ensure that you find your way back to them again. Because loneliness is something I am quite familiar with."

Ayas nodded in return, however, he felt the gestured failed to carry his gratitude. He raised a clawed hand to Jericho's arm, "Family can mean more than just common blood. I would offer my own with open wings should you need or desire a place to settle, even if just for a night."

The war veteran nodded his thanks and laughed, a bit of his vigor returning. The MetalTyrannomon basked in the warm sunlight. "As long as I don't have to fly to get there." he said. "You have my thanks." Jericho breathed deeply of the salty sea air and shrugged. "What do you say we leave the negotiations to the others and enjoy the weather? I'd say we've earned a break."

Ayas chuckled as well, stretching out his aching wings. The buildup of tension slipped away marginally. "Agreed. I am a retired judge after all."

 

[Kamotz]

< Goliath Leonhardt (BanchoLeomon) >
- Location Unknown -

Goliath frowned. He understood Brigid and Krond's desire to place him at the forefront of their Rebellion. But he wasn't a figurehead and he wasn't one to wait behind while others fought for him. And it was more than just that -- even as they explained the way their networks functioned -- there was something bothering him.

"We want to build off of what you were already attempting to do with the Hordes," Krond explained. "Our agents within the Conclave report that your actions have resonated with many there, especially after the razing of Setessa. You may not have been able to garner permission for the Hordes to engage the Empire, but you've gotten them that much closer to throwing off the Realmpact's shackles completely."

"The Order is as staunch as ever in their dogmatic adherence to the Realmpact's laws, but their more pragmatic counterparts in the Legion seem to be more wary of the Empire's continued expansion," Brigid continued. "According to our agents, Arahon Ryu himself has expressed public doubt as to the veracity of Empire's claims that you are a danger to all the Realms."

"Arahon?" Ajax snarled, limping forward. He'd regained his Mega form a short moment before. "That bloated, bloviating--"

"Arahon is the Legion's First Sword," Brigid cut across Ajax swiftly. "Second only, perhaps, to their Warleader himself. It's no easy feat, matching him as you did -- and I imagine losing stings -- but Arahon's voice carries weight amongst his peers."

"The point is," Krond snarled. "That with enough support the fancy-wigged wing-beats in the order will have no choice but to allow us to band together and confront the Empire."

"They have every choice not to," Goliath muttered, only half-listening to Krond and Brigid as he continued picking at the nagging feeling at the back of his mind.

"Then we convince them to throw off the Realmpact completely and be truly free," Krond declared.

"No one will do that without a reliable safety net," Goliath said, turning his full attention to the Rebellion leaders. "No one will do any of this without a way to ensure some measure of continued prosperity and stability."

"Then with enough support we will be able to appeal to--"

"No. You won't," Goliath declared emphatically as the nagging feelings started coming into focus. "As long as Rhuell is in power the Realmpact will not allow anyone within its jurisdiction to challenge him."

"That's exaggerated," Brigid scoffed

"Is it?" Goliath said, turning to the group at large. "Isn't this what we've all been suspecting in some way for a while now?" He asked, to no response.

"The Realmpact was chartered and drafted by all the Realms to provide protection under its laws," Brigid explained. "Each Realm has provisions for removing their leader from power. Just because we don't know the specifics doesn't mean we cannot challenge--"

"When we went to the Order Isperia said, specifically, 'Hostilities against the Metal Emperor are prohibited.' She called this a 'later amendment' but didn't specify from when. All hostility against him will be prevented so long as those challenging him fall under the Realmpact's jurisdiction. And if they try anyway he'll be able to invoke that jurisdiction. We've all seen what happens then."

"If I'd known you were this much of a pessimist I'd have reconsidered our offer," Brigid grumbled.

"I've already turned that down," Goliath growled back.

"So what are you suggesting, we just give up?" Krond asked.

"The opposite, in fact," Goliath said. A smirk cut its way across his face. "We need the other Realms to defeat the Empire; but the other Realms cannot act against Rhuell while under the Realmpact, and they're unwilling to break from the Realmpact with nothing left to provide security. That leaves us with only one clear option."

"I don't follow," Krond said.

"It's simple. The only ones capable of standing against Rhuell are those of us on this very island," Goliath pointed to the sand beneath their feet. "If we're going to change this world then he's the first thing that needs to go."

"You're saying--"

"Kill Rhuell," Goliath said. "Before anything else. We kill him and prevent another from taking his place. No Metal Emperor means nothing stopping the other Realms from banding together. It makes changing things that much easier and shows the world that beyond the Realmpact there is justice even for someone as high-and-mighty as the Chromium Rhuell."

 

[Kamotz]

"You think you can just kill Chromium Rhuell?" Krond scoffed. Stunned silence had followed Goliath's decree for a few tense moments before the Flaremon spoke up. "Do you think it's that easy? Or perhaps not something anyone else has ever considered before? Or, and this is just my thought -- it's inconceivably stupid."

"You're afraid, I understand that," Goliath snarled back, and the two beast Digimon bristled at one another. "You've never tried because you never had the power to do so. No one else has ever tried because they lacked your organization and information-gathering. But together...together we can do this."

"The fact that your rebellion is still alive and operating means you're more than capable," Ajax murmured his agreement. "And we've fought off the D-Brigade, the Crack Team, the Justice Corps, Balefire Squadron, and the Eternal Legion's advanced guard."

"So you agree!" Goliath said triumphantly.

"I still think it's a catastrophically bad move," Ajax admitted. "We'd be going deep into the Empire, like we've never done before. We don't know what to expect from Chromium, his forces, his guards...and no one else does either because this has never been attempted before."

"No...but we have agents in place to begin gathering this information," Brigid pointed out.

"You have agents in place within Argentum?" Ajax asked, his voice wavering skeptically.

"The mutant Digimon that are otherwise confined to the sewers," Brigid said with a nod and a quick glance at Sawyer. "They've long been unhappy with the lot the Empire has thrown them and are mostly overlooked. They're able to get places and see things others would have difficulty with. The sewers are the best bet for entering Argentum and getting close to Rhuell."

"Those sewers are a labyrinth," Goliath growled. He'd fled into them when escaping his execution and had spent days lost. He was not eager to return. "Are you seriously suggesting we spend days mucking through them trying to find our way to the Imperial Palace?"

"The mutant Digimon can navigate the sewers rather easily, you'll find," Brigid said impatiently.

"Bah, it's all the same down there," Goliath scoffed.

"Some would say the same thing of a forest or deep jungle," said Brigid. "But I believe you would argue otherwise."

"So you're saying they can get us through? And you trust them?" Goliath's voice rose into a low roar. "If they're so unhappy with their lot in life why don't they just leave like Sawyer?" He gestured to the Garbagemon.

"Not everyone can leave," Ulysses said, his voice quiet. "Not all are free."

"Still don't like it," Goliath grumbled.

"It was your idea!" Ajax said.

"Not the sewers part!"

"Well then how do you propose we do this?" Ajax snapped, wheeling angrily towards the Realmless leader. "Materialize magically in the middle of the throne room with your sword already buried in Rhuell's heart?"

Goliath growled low but said nothing. Was it too much to hope for just their arrival in Argentum to be easy? Or at least stink-free? Something about trudging through the sewers made him immediately regret the idea.

"We can get you into the Metal Empire," Andrea said, speaking up for the first time in a while. "She motioned to her group and Moby, rolling around in the waves. "Moby can smuggle you through the Syndicate waters and then up through the Mercury Sea."

"Can this one manage the journey?" Goliath grunted and nodded at Ryia. "Or are we going to need to sedate her?"

 

[TheSequelReturns]

- Versa Victa (BelleStarmon) -
Location Unknown (Super Secret Secret Island Hideout)


"Kill Rhuell," Goliath said. "Before anything else. We kill him and prevent another from taking his place.”

Their illustrious leader continued, but only two words rang through Versa’s head now. Kill Rhuell. This was it. The real purpose of the Realmless. Kill Rhuell.

Just like that, kill the Metal Emperor.

Somehow, Versa had expected a long, arduous journey at at least one life lesson before they got this far. But no, the endgame seemed to be in sight. Kill Rhuell. The words might as well have been a poem.

Kill Chromium Rhuell. The Metal Emperor falls. And the Realmless win.

Goliath made it sound so damn easy. Was that what being a leader was? Being able to say the impossible in such a way that you made people think they could do it? That people actually went and did it in your name?

Versa was reminded of a conversation with Jericho back in the dragon lands. Kill the Emperor, and something, someone, had to take his place. Who, she wondered, did Goliath have in mind? If the lion man even thought that far ahead.

Well, she wouldn’t be much help in the planning department. Time to find someone to bother until they had to jump back in the Whamon. Anything to get that thought out of her head.

Not too far away was Aakio, who was doing a terrible job of pretending he wasn’t keeping tabs on her. She’d let him suffer a bit longer. He deserved it. You don’t keep a girl waiting for two years, that’s just rude.

But speaking of suffering, Titus was kneeling off to the side looking like he was nursing a hangover. Odd, she didn’t remember refreshments being served inside Moby. Now, she was curious.

She approached Titus from behind, knowing full well his hood probably limited his peripheral vision, and threw and arm over his shoulder. “Hey there buddy, you nursing a concussion or do you have a flask hidden somewhere?”

She laughed softly, her head right behind his ear. “Cause if its a flask I might have to steal a sip.”

Titus stiffened under at her touch, like a timid little animal. It was almost cute. He slid back his hood and turned to look at her, his eyes squinting in the sunlight. He looked positively miserable.

Versa slowly raised her hand and poked him a few times on the cheek. “Relax hot shot. You don’t seem like the binge drinking type to me.” The Bellestarmon leaned forward just a bit, trying to make him as uncomfortable as possible. “So why don’t you tell me what’s got you looking so glum?“

She pulled her finger back and rested it on her chin. “I can keep a secret.”

---


- Aakio Daisoujou (Goldramon) -
Location Unknown


Aakio wasn’t sure what was worse, the fact that he suddenly realized he was part of a group that was completely serious about waltzing into the Metal Empire and assassinating their ruler, or that Versa was currently hanging off of Titus’s shoulder.

He released a long, resigned sigh. All he wanted was a simple life, free of needless complications. Why then did it feel like his life was getting exponentially more complicated with each passing moment?

But that was par the course for his time spent with Versa Victa. Every time he thought he knew what to expect from her, she did something totally out of left field. If anything, it was Versa who probably knew him inside and out.

He squinted at her, holding onto that other dragon’s arm, and wondered if she was even angry with him or if this whole thing was just another game for her.

Who could say?

Well he wasn’t going to get anywhere sitting her and moping about it. But if Versa didn’t want to talk to him right now, then he couldn’t go to the source either. He needed info. Something to help him understand her better. Even as the thought crossed his mind, Aakio’s eyes landed on Adirael. Another demon from the Syndicate? Seemed as good a place to start as any.

Aakio approached the Beelezemon cautiously. Not that he was nervous or anything, just… he didn’t want to cause any offense. The last thing he needed was two demons who were annoyed with him.

“Excuse me.” Aakio started, trying to get Adirael’s attention. “I don’t mean to intrude,” he began, before realizing that this was hardly the time or place to be engaging in Astral Order formalities.

The Goldramon cleared his throat. “Sorry, old habit. If you don’t mind, could you help me understand a few things? I’m new to the team and I can’t help but feel like I’ve joined at a crucial moment.”

As though to underscore the point, he nodded his head towards where Goliath and the others were currently having a heated debate about secret sewer passages and the assassination of an emperor.

“I’ve been stuck in the Order for my entire life, so I don’t know much about the outside world. I was wondering If you could tell me about the Realmless and perhaps about the Unhallowed Syndicate as well. In return, I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have of me, if that’s agreeable.”

He had to fight with all his will to not bow deeply. You can take a dragon out of the Order, but taking the Order out of the dragon would take some time. Instead, he settled for a respectful nod.

 

[Solsabre]

Titus Cloudraker
(Saviorhuckmon)
Location Unknown

The voyage to the island had not been kind to Titus, too many voices echoed in the small space. The damp musty smell lingered heavily around him, filling his lungs. The constant shifting of the Realmless’s transport made him feel like he would fall over, even though he sat close to the floor. He couldn’t understand what was happening that made him feel so ill. Only the hypnotic dance of three fiery orbs circling around him in a dream kept the nausea at bay and allowed him to rest somewhat . They spoke, he imagined, but it was only as muffled whispers. The surreal dream was unnerving, but still reassuring.

Fortunately, Sawyer woke him up shortly there after and cheekily told the Saviorhuckmon they were ‘land ho’. Discovering they had been riding within a Whamon had been jarring, but explained much. Struggling to his feet, the silver-white dragon leaned against Sawyer, still a Tuwarmon form, as they exited the Whamon and onto shore. Titus muttered a quiet word of thanks to his mutant friend, before crouching low on a knee among the sparse grasses of the sandy beach.

Titus turned his hood-covered head away from the brief flash of light that was Sawyer returning to his normal pink squishy self. His head still pounded somewhat from the battle, but the fresh air, if still sharp with a salty bite, helped to clear the fog. With his eyes hidden, the dragon knight closed them and merely listened with great interest to the conversation between Goliath and these ‘Rebel’ leaders.

The cool sea breeze ruffled his cloak. Bits of sands danced lightly across his silver-white scales. The damp scent that clung to the Realmless wafted away to be replaced with a salty brine. The various voices of the Realmless carried over him. More awake now, Titus could process each sensation, one at a time, to understand where they came from. One of Rheagos’s early lessons to him as a young huckmon: Do not rely strongly on a singular sense. By itself, it can be fooled. Rather understand your environment in different ways and you’ll be less easily deceived.

“Kill Rhuell.” He glanced up at Goliath’s declaration. Suddenly distracted, he completely missed the sneaking figure behind him.

An arm suddenly wrapped itself around his shoulders.“Hey there buddy, you nursing a concussion or do you have a flask hidden somewhere?”

Titus stiffened under the contact. Only Sawyer ever invaded his personal space like that, but it was someone else. Versa.

Hmm, perhaps, you should review your teacher’s lessons again, young master. The young dragon resisted the urge to suddenly look around. Versa hung on his right side, but the other voice he could not pinpoint a source.

Versa laughed softly, her head right behind his ear. “Cause if its a flask I might have to steal a sip.”

I don’t drink. Titus thought dumbly to himself in response.

Whhyyy mmeee?? A pitiful whisper whined in a small corner of his mind. Why him indeed, his own thoughts echoed. The young dragon shook his head, that voice was different from the first. The headache was getting worse again. Versa wasn’t helping his situation.

A drip of sweat ran down his neck, feeling her shapely body leaning into his own slender form. He was trapped with no way to tastefully retreat. The dragon man gulped, his hood was his only defense to safeguard his eyes from misconduct. However, it was impolite to not make eye contact. Reluctantly, he slid back his hood and turned to look at her, his eyes squinting in the sunlight. He was sure he looked miserable. “I’m afraid you’ll have to be disappointed then.”

Titus straighten his back, still tense and rigid. Versa slowly raised her hand and poked him a few times on the cheek. “Relax hot shot. You don’t seem like the binge drinking type to me.” The Bellestarmon leaned forward just a bit. Titus tried not to cringe at the invasion of space, she had to be doing this on purpose.“So why don’t you tell me what’s got you looking so glum?“

She pulled her finger back and rested it on her chin. “I can keep a secret.”

The silver-white dragon stared at the Bellestarmon warily, trying desperately to relax. His traitorous body was betraying his discomfort. Titus considered lying, the truth would only be stranger. However…

His word speaks only truth! A cheeky whisper reminded him. Titus resisted the urge to snarl inwardly, feeling like he was spiralling into a world of madness. He had to be going mad, if he was arguing with whispering voices in his head!

The dragon knight was generally very honest and open with his words. But of all the fire-blasted things he had to be truthful about. And somehow Versa’s expectant expression convened that he wouldn’t be able to pull the wool over her eyes with anything other than the truth. However, strange it was.

Titus sighed. He wasn’t getting out of this one. With great reluctance, the dragon man attempted to explain. “The final explosion at Prahv...no...the one before that...in the air..” Titus stammered, holding a clawed hand to his head, trying to remember. His memories were extremely muddled at that point. “That one...I suspect left my senses overstimulated. Like everything is too bright or too loud.”

Rage. Rage had bled through the sky, lashing out from the epicenter. He’d seen, known, the power’s true nature. The explosion of power had blown the Realmless back, but the Rage had torn into his mind like a red-hot blade and devastated his mental barriers. He’d lost his Jesmon form immediately afterwards, withering with unseen pain. The discomfort he dealt with now was mild compared to then. Titus stared at Ajax for a long moment.

He didn’t mention this though. What he was about to say sounded crazy enough. “I've also been experiencing several auditory hallucinations.”

The whispers stirred with unease at his denial.


****

Sawyer
(Garagemon)
Location Unknown

Light engulfed Sawyer, shrinking in size. The Garbagemon glanced over his shoulder, worried over the state of his long-time friend. But the Saviorhuckmon had waved him, wanting some a few moments to himself. Reluctantly, the mutant scooted closer where the other Realmless had gathered. A noisy rumble puttered alongside him, causing Sawyer to double-take and stare. His garbage cart. He hadn’t seen that scrapheap of a go-cart since before the battle at Prahv.

“Where in Rhuell’s latrine have you been?” Sawyer scolded at the inanimate object. The garbage cart merely released a cloud of exhaust in the mutant’s face in response.

Sawyer hacked and sputtered to clean the fumes from his lungs. “Good for nothing tin can,” he muttered, taking a seat on the garbage can’s lid. Settled, Sawyer paid closer attention to the verbal ball going on between Goliath and the rebel leaders for the last several minutes. The mutant picked a hell of a time to start listening.

"Kill Rhuell," Goliath said. "Before anything else. We kill him and prevent another from taking his place.

Wait, what! Sawyer looked at Goliath in disbelief. Is he really serious?!

"You think you can just kill Chromium Rhuell?" Krond scoffed. Stunned silence had followed Goliath's decree for a few tense moments before the Flaremon spoke up. "Do you think it's that easy? Or perhaps not something anyone else has ever considered before? Or, and this is just my thought -- it's inconceivably stupid."

Kill Rhuell. The words struck an odd cord with the Garbagemon. Up until now, it had never really occurred to Sawyer that they would eventually have to face the Metal Emperor himself, much less so soon. They would have to go to Argentum to do that. His palms trembled as panic threaten to sent in. But.. to be finally free of the Emperor....

"You're afraid, I understand that," Goliath snarled back, and the two beast Digimon bristled at one another. "You've never tried because you never had the power to do so. No one else has ever tried because they lacked your organization and information-gathering. But together...together we can do this."

Sawyer slipped off his can to stand on his short, stubby legs. He scooted closer to the front of the Realmless, where he could be more easily seen. An impulsive thought drove the mutant forward with a boldness he didn’t know he had. His eyes flicked quickly between Goliath, Ajax, and the rebel leaders, Krond and Brigit.

"The fact that your rebellion is still alive and operating means you're more than capable," Ajax murmured his agreement. "And we've fought off the D-Brigade, the Crack Team, the Justice Corps, Balefire Squadron, and the Eternal Legion's advanced guard."

"So you agree!" Goliath said triumphantly.

"I still think it's a catastrophically bad move," Ajax admitted. "We'd be going deep into the Empire, like we've never done before. We don't know what to expect from Chromium, his forces, his guards...and no one else does either because this has never been attempted before."

"No...but we have agents in place to begin gathering this information," Brigid pointed out.

"You have agents in place within Argentum?" Ajax asked, his voice wavering skeptically.

Sawyer cocked an eye at Brigit, skeptical as well. The Empire had extremely tight security and patrol grid around the capital. Unless she was referring to...

"The mutant Digimon that are otherwise confined to the sewers," Brigid said with a nod and a quick glance at Sawyer.

The Garbagemon nearly jumped out at his slimy pink skin at her acknowledgement of him.

"They've long been unhappy with the lot the Empire has thrown them and are mostly overlooked. They're able to get places and see things others would have difficulty with. The sewers are the best bet for entering Argentum and getting close to Rhuell."

“Eh, the Numemon and Sukamon could probably care less being filth digimon,” Sawyer muttered to himself, ignoring the fact that he was Garbagemon and generally in the same category. “Though there are more than just us mutant digimon down there in the underground slum towns.” He thought bitterly of his Hanumon mother, Ori, who had been born under open skies rather than in the tunnels. Forced from her home providence, she’d sought hidden sanctuary among the mutants.

"Those sewers are a labyrinth," Goliath growled. "Are you seriously suggesting we spend days mucking through them trying to find our way to the Imperial Palace?"

Sawyer rolled his eyes, “Just take the stormwater tunnels, they’re usually drier if it hasn’t rained for a while.” However, the leaders continued speaking as though they didn’t hear him. Of course, what else did he expect?

"The mutant Digimon can navigate the sewers rather easily, you'll find," Brigid said impatiently.

"Bah, it's all the same down there," Goliath scoffed.

“It’s really not that hard,” Sawyer spoke up,irritated at the Realmless leader’s abrupt dismissal, “Not if you know what the glyphes marking each intersection mean…”

"Some would say the same thing of a forest or deep jungle," said Brigid, continuing on despite Sawyer’s attempts to be heard. "But I believe you would argue otherwise."

"So you're saying they can get us through? And you trust them?" Goliath's voice rose into a low roar. "If they're so unhappy with their lot in life why don't they just leave like Sawyer?" He gestured to the Garbagemon.

"Not everyone can leave," Ulysses said, his voice quiet. "Not all are free."

Sawyer grinded his teeth. What the hell did any of them know! Where would the mutants go if they could? The Empire had done a smash up job of seizing direct control of the few provinces that had once welcomed mutant and waste filth digimon into their borders. The other Realms weren’t much better.

"Still don't like it," Goliath grumbled.

"It was your idea!" Ajax said.

"Not the sewers part!"

Realization dawned on Sawyer when he saw what looked like disgust on the BanchoLeomon’s face, when he rejected taking the route through the sewers. Was that why the Realmless leader was suddenly being difficult after proposing the plan to kill Rhuell? Sawyer’s clenched fist shook, not from his fear of facing the Emperor, but from frustration.

Sawyer had been afraid his whole life. He still was. Run. Hide. Survive. There had been no other option for him. But now, did he dare hope? Did he dare cling to a desperate hope to finally be free of the Emperor? To stop being afraid? To stop hiding or running? To actually do something about it? On a desperate hope that was a deadly gamble?

Yes, yes he did.

*********

"Can this one manage the journey?" Goliath grunted and nodded at Ryia. "Or are we going to need to sedate her?"

The Sleipmon shifted her iron-clad legs, her body tense and ready for battle. “Rhuell owes me a blood debt,” Ryia replied fiercely to Goliath and the other Rebel Leaders, “and nothing-

“The fragging mule will deal it!” Sawyer blurted, practically shout at this point. The mutant now stood among the respected leaders. The Sleipmon stared gobsmacked at the mutant’s outburst. “If I can work up the courage to go back to Argentum, then she can manage a few dark, tight spaces.”

“And quit talking as though I’m not here, dang it!” Sawyer exclaimed, glancing between Krond, Brigit, and Goliath. His legs shook, as he struggled to speak up for himself. “If you want to know about Argentum’s sewers, why not ask the resident sewer rat that’s right here.” The mutant pointed a thumb at himself. “It’s been a few years, but those sewer routes don’t change overnight.”

He was starting to ramble, but it was like a dam had let loose. He was so tired of being useless and constantly ignored. He was tired of keeping secrets. “I’m willing to go back and I’m the biggest scaredy cat here.”

Sawyer nearly lost his nerve at that moment, wanting to go hid behind Titus. However, an unexpected nod of encouragement from Ryia kept him rooted there. The Garbagemon looked at Goliath, Ulysses, and the Realmless, desperately wanting to relieve himself of his burden. A secret he’d never told anyone, not even Titus. “I didn’t leave the Empire. I ran. I ran because I couldn’t hide there anymore as a mutant. I’ve done nothing but run. I didn’t have anywhere else in the Empire to hide and the other Realms aren’t much better. Who wants a stinky, slimy, obnoxious filth monster for a neighbor?”

“Titus, you’re the best that’s ever happened to me.” the Garbagemon said with a weak smile to the silver-white dragon. The Saviorhuckmon lowered his head, humbled.

“I couldn’t be anything, but a mutant I couldn’t be more than just the filth monster, Sawyer, eater of garbage and ****,” Sawyer stammered, forcing himself to bring the truth to light. “Not when there was an execution order on my head, because of the last name I happened to be born with. The Emperor doesn’t like any loose ends connected to mutant or refugee sympathizers. ”

“I don’t want to run anymore.” Sawyer stated, raw emotion plain to see. “I want my name back.”

The short mutant jabbed a stubby finger in Goliath’s direction, “So, if you got the balls to say ‘Let’s kill Rhuell’ and then have the audacity to complain on how you get it done...well. Get. In. Line.” Sawyer thrusted a thumb to his backside. “Stink goes away, but it’s not every lifetime that someone like me gets a chance to witness an emperor fall.”

“I…” Sawyer paused, summoning up the courage for his next words, sheer desperate hope driving him at this point. He looked around at all those present. Sawyer met the Realmless leader’s eyes and gulped, “...Daiou Wukong, am done hiding.”

Back in Setessa, Goliath asked who would take up arms with him to fight the Empire.

Sawyer, now, gave his answer.

************

Ryia Rohirrim
Sleipmon
Location Unknown


Ryia’s blood cooled rather quickly, when the muta-Sawyer butted in. Her equine head nodded encouragingly as Sawyer seemed to stumble in his words and newfound courage. The mare had been wondering if the little squirt would ever show any backbone. She’d been giving him a hard time for a reason. The Sleipmon slipped a slight smile.

She liked it, when one of her brood surprised her. Even, the loud-mouthed ones. Now, to wait and see if he could back up those words with action.

The older mare frowned. She’d still need to keep a close eye on Sawyer. The Garbagemon could still freeze up at the worst moment. The pair had gotten separated in their last battle, but a rare opportunity for the mutant to face an opponent closer to his level. Not a bad experience for the runt to fight his own battle for a change, even if he spent most of the time running. No, as best as the mare could, Ryia had kept track of Sawyer’s predicament. Many of her ‘missed’ shots at the UlforceVeedramon, Balion, had been deliberate, and aimed to intercept the Tyilinmon instead.

However, the thought of dark tunnels and the ride in the whamon set her on edge. Ryia grimaced inwardly, tail flicking restlessly. Quit acting like a nervous filly, Ryia! You are the Iron Mare! No point in letting the squi-Sawyer show you up! You're better than this!

No, if Sawyer went into the underworld of Argentum, than so would she. Even, if she had to shot herself in the heinnie with her own arrow.

 

[storymasterb]

Adirael Armaros (Beelzemon X)
Location Unknown

Adirael merely watched, letting the conversation play out and absorbing the spoken words. That was his way among them, it seemed. Watch and listen. He glanced down at his claws. He had cleaned them of Tariel's blood on the voyage, but he still remembered their edges biting into the angel's flesh. The killer within trying to crush the life from the Seraphimon's throat.

His wings twitched and he glanced to the side to see the Goldramon who had joined them at Praav. The dragon rambled out his words, probably a habit born of time in the Astral Order with all its bureaucracy and formality.

Once he had finished, Adirael considered.

"So you want to know about us," he mused. "And about the Syndicate. That's straightforward enough." And it could distract him from brooding about his apparent killer instinct, he reflected with the slightest internal smirk. "We Realmless are Digimon who for whatever reason exist outside the structure of the Realms. Perhaps we were cast out, perhaps we left of our own accord. Perhaps we were disillusioned." He clenched a clawed fist out of Aakio's view. "But as a result, we can resist the Empire where others can't, unbound by the Realmpact. That's the gist of it, from what I've gathered." He paused, taking in the holy dragon more fully with two eyes, leaving a third to watch the conversation about assassinating Rhuell. What an undertaking. He'd never in his wildest dreams imagined taking part in such a mission.

"As for the Syndicate..." They loomed in his memory, his family. Mother and father resplendent in dark finery. Bezaliel following in his footsteps like a white shadow. And Amon, his cousin, fangs ever bloodstained, sneering about the weak. "The Syndicate was my home, but I think you probably knew that." He smiled. "Imagine your Order. All its finery and ceremony, but turned to faith rather than law. Cathedrals adorned in marble and gold, priests dressed in the finest robes. Worshipers bowed in supplication to the idols of deities." He paused, his lips twitching downward now. "It sounds so resplendent putting it that way, doesn't it? So fine. But all a sham in truth. The only thing the Syndicate worships is greed. For wealth, for power, for influence, for blood, it matters not. Those whose hunger is greatest see themselves rise atop the broken bodies of those who failed. And for those who do not rise, for the masses, there is only one option." His frown grew more pronounced. "Pay. Pay in gold. Pay in blood. Pay with your servitude. But pay you must."

He regarded the other Digimon with that frown on his face. "Did you wonder what led me away from the Syndicate? That is my answer. The Syndicate is only golden in flesh. Beneath, it's rotten to the core, the faith it preaches hollow and used to mask their greed. I could stomach it no longer."

After a moment, he forced his frown back to a hazy smile. It wouldn't do to glare at the Goldramon like this. "What about you? I don't believe I caught your name, sorry."

-

Medraut the Exiled
Location Unknown

Medraut listened from his post at Ryia's side. The Duftmon took in the back and forth, weighing the conversation. Assassinating Chromium Rhuell? It sounded absurd. This wasn't at all anything he'd thought of until Goliath had raised it. He glanced at Ryia, seeing how she reacted to Sawyer's outburst, which brought a smile to the Duftmon's lips. He hadn't paid too much attention to Sawyer before, for the Garbagemon had faded into the background. But it seemed to be exactly that that he now rebelled against.

But even so, he felt uneasy. Killing the Metal Emperor had never been a part of his own plan. He wondered if it had crossed any other minds here.

The Duftmon took a step forward. He had been considering it in his head as Goliath and Krond spoke. Infiltrating through the sewers seemed sound enough as long as Sawyer could indeed guide them to Rhuell via them. There would be sentries, he expected, but did the Metal Empire really expect such a bold assault on their capital? When their supremacy already seemed assured and the Realmpact meant no other Realm could challenge them, he doubted it. The element of surprise was always a strong tactical edge. But it wasn't so much the questions of the attack on Rhuell that troubled him. He could plan and advise on that to his heart's content. He had witnessed enough pain and suffering to justify it, perhaps.

"And what of afterward?" he asked, giving voice to the troubling thoughts as he challenged Goliath and Krond. "Let us say that we slay Rhuell and convince the other Realms to cast off the Realmpact. What would you then do to the Metal Empire? How would you fill the void left by his death?" He looked at Sawyer. "As we have seen, the Empire's citizens are far from complicit in its atrocities, some more so than others. How would you see the innocent separated from the guilty and justice dealt out as it should be?" He looked between the BanchoLeomon and the Apollomon. "By all means, if slaying Chromium Rhuell is the grand gesture we require, then so be it. But do we leave the Metal Empire's innocents vulnerable to retribution from those within the other Realms who suffered as those in our ranks suffered at their hands?"

 

[Griff4815]

Jasper Diamondmantle the Imperious (BanchoGolemon)
Location Unknown - Secret Island

As Goliath and Ajax debated strategy with Krond and Brigid, Jasper stood nearby. He was close enough to appear like he was part of the conversation, but he had more important things to think about.

While he knew that he was basically, pretty much, in-all-but-name, the leader of their little band of resistance fighters, he preferred to... delegate. He let Goliath be in charge of the boring, political, strategic conversations. Jasper was more of an 'action-oriented' leader.

That said, he started to zone out as they started arguing back and forth about boring, complicated things that he chose not to understand, like the finer points of the Realmpact. Instead, he started commanding his Falling Stones rock minions to start washing and polishing his smooth, stony body. He was just glad to be out of that Whamon's stomach. He didn't want to go around smelling like fish any longer than he had to.

He folded his arms and nodded along to Goliath's words.

"Kill Rhuell," Goliath finally said.

And, for the first time since arriving, Jasper suddenly started listening.

"Haha! Now we're talking!" Jasper boomed, taking a step forwards and clapping Goliath on the back. "I've been waiting all this time to knock that rusted 'Emperor's' block off! That's the first good idea you've had in awhile, Goliath! Good job!"

He then soured when Goliath started complaining about having to go through the sewers to do so.

"So we have to go through sewers! Big deal! Is this is our best chance to kill that rusty pile of junk, then we damn well have to take it! I never thought I'd see the day where the great Goliath was scared of sewers and mutant Digimon!" He swept his arm out dramatically and pointed at Sawyer. "The smelly one knows his way around, apparently! Let him guide us!"

Jasper then turned to Medraut, who spoke up with some pragmatic concerns about what would happen after Rhuell was killed.

"Bah, who cares about that? We'll figure it out as we go along. We always do!" Jasper extended his hand and allowed one of his Falling Stars to start polishing his bicep. "And if you need somebody to step up as the replacement Emperor, look no further than right here!"

"So, let's stop humming and hawing and trying to think of reasons not to kill Rhuell, and let's charge through those sewers and stop him once and for all!" the BanchoGolemon declared, his voice louder than all.

Demo looked up at the golem blankly, half-surprised that a Digimon so obsessed with his appearance would be so willing to brave the Argentum sewers. "...You do know what sewers are, don't you, Jasper?"

"...No. Remind me again."

 

[TheSequelReturns]

- Versa Victa (BelleStarmon) -
Location Unknown (Super Secret Secret Island Hideout)

Versa was laughing on the inside. Titus looked so uncomfortable, so out of sorts, that it was dreadfully funny. Oh, she had definitely picked a good target. If this didn't make Aakio squirm then...

No, forget that stuffy dragon. This was fun in its own right. Titus needed something to pull him out of whatever funk he was in.

Titus sighed. “The final explosion at Prahv...no...the one before that...in the air..” he stammered. He had a hand on his head like he was trying to reach in there and pull out the words he needed. “That one...I suspect left my senses overstimulated. Like everything is too bright or too loud.”

"Overstimulated, you say?" Versa said with just the right amount of coyness. As fun as it was to poke fun at the poor man, this was also kind of fascinating. Whatever powers he had at his disposal, it was something Versa had no knowledge of. And she was deathly curious.

But then, Titus did something very interesting. He turned and stared silently at Ajax. Versa followed his gaze, not complaining about a chance to study the powerhouse of a man. Ajax had been the real MVP of their last fight, hands down. That battle between him and that insanely strong Alphamon had been unlike anything Versa had ever seen. And Titus apparently felt the same way. But there was something more here. Was Titus blaming Ajax's display of power, that huge explosion that destroyed the bridge, for his current ailment?

Versa made a mental note to speak to Ajax next. She'd just have to come up with a better approach than the fawning fan-girl tactic. Somehow, she didn't think he'd go for that.

“I've also been experiencing several auditory hallucinations.” Titus added, nonchalantly.

The BelleStarmon raised an eyebrow. "Don't tell me you're going crazy on us." She flicked the side of his head. "I need that cute little head of yours in one piece." She smiled at him, then stepped back, giving the dragon some space, and turned her attention back to the discussion. If there was a plan to take down Rhuell, she didn't want to miss out on any of it.

-+-+-+-


- Aakio Daisoujou (Goldramon) -
Location Unknown

"So you want to know about us," Adirael mused. "And about the Syndicate. That's straightforward enough." He proceeded to explain the Realmless situation with an efficiency of words that impressed Aakio. Though that was probably the Order's influence on him. He had sat through longer explanations of the current weather conditions.

All in all though, it seemed like it was more or less what he had surmised. The Realmless had, by virtue of losing their heartfelt attachment their home Realm, loop-holed themselves out of the Realmpact's nonviolence mandate. But from his ending statement it seemed like the demon wasn't fully clear on the matter either. Perhaps it was something that simply was? Unbound by such banal specificity as definition or prerequisite conditions.

Aakio couldn't help but notice when two of Adirael's eyes focused on him while a third looked off towards the group. Trying to imagine what that field of vision might look like was making Aakio dizzy. He elected to ignore it and focus on the Beelzemon's answer.

"As for the Syndicate..." he trailed off for a moment before continuing. His explanation was so different from Versa's that for a moment he wondered if they were even talking about the same place.

Versa had told him of the ruling class, lording over the poor retches in the slums below. Left to wallow in their own hopelessness. Adirael spoke of riches, finery, grandiose spectacle and huddles masses in reverence. But then, it all connected. Versa had spoken of the underbelly. Adirael was speaking of the facade. But there in the middle was the truth of it. A corrupt, greed infested society built on the payments of living capital. And as Adirael drove that point home, a deep seated frown had overtaken his face. That wasn't the scowl of someone who had merely turned away from their home. That belonged to someone who despised it to its foundations.

Adirael turned to face Aakio, still frowning. "Did you wonder what led me away from the Syndicate? That is my answer. The Syndicate is only golden in flesh. Beneath, it's rotten to the core, the faith it preaches hollow and used to mask their greed. I could stomach it no longer."

Aakio nodded. "I understand the sentiment. Thank you for the lesson."

The Beelzemon's frown faded, replaced with a smile. "What about you? I don't believe I caught your name, sorry."

Mentally, Aakio facepalmed at his own forgetfulness. "Oh, apologies. I seem to have left some of my manners back in the Order." He cleared his throat. "I am Aakio Daisoujou, scribe, or... former scribe under Aayaash Amikii." He motioned towards the beach where the Garudamon in question sat with Jericho. The Goldramon tapped two of his claws together for a moment, collecting his thoughts. He had learned a lot from that brief on the Syndicate. It would be polite to follow suit.

"As for myself," Aakio started, "I also lost respect for my Realm. Though, that much is probably obvious. A few years ago, I had a run in with another who claimed to be a Realmless." He nodded towards Versa. "She told me stories about the Metal Empire, about what they were doing to the world. But, to my shame, I would not believe her fully. I still respected the Order then. Still believed in the system as it stood to do what was best for everyone. So I left and went back home. I truly believed that I could get to the bottom of everything and explain away the troubles of the world if I only understood the law."

The Goldramon shook his head sadly. "I was a fool. The law is broken. Ineffectual. The Order and all its judges, all its scribes, all its orators, stand about spewing hot air all day. Willing to spend hours negotiating precisely where to plant a new tree but refusing to hear of the Metal Empire's warpath through the forests. Its all such pointless bluster. Nonsense. Nothing ever gets done and nothing ever really changes. Realizing that was... hard. But it was at that moment that I knew I had to do something." He laughed softly to himself. "If you all hadn't have shown up when you did, I might have done something truly stupid in my desperation. I was trying to build a case to call for a legal injunction against the Supreme Judge."

He scratched the back of his head. "I think that amounts to the Order's equivalent of high treason if my injunction failed, so I may very well owe you all a debt of gratitude. In any case, thank you for taking the time to speak with me."

 

[Kamotz]

< Surrak Dragonclaw (WarGreymon X) >
- Location Unknown -

He was ready. Goliath had set forth on a course of action that could end only with his claws buried in Chromium Rhuell's chest. It was the most concrete plan they'd ever come up with, and far from being discouraging, Surrak found it elating. The travel, the journeying, the pleading and begging -- he had so little patience for it. They'd been moving as if this were a long and drawn-out war.

But wars were messy and impersonal. Warring over ideals and policies. Fighting became muddled. Lose somewhere to win somewhere else? Just win. One fight at a time; and not for ideals and grand speeches, but for the singular driving fire that blazed within.

Titus rose shakely to his full height, “I’m in agreement with Medraut. How can we be sure we’re not leaving a void for one of the more warlike Realms to fill? Would the dragons be simply satisfied with defeating the Empire’s strongest elite? Would the Unbowed respect the the peaceful homes of the Conclave or liberated mutants from the Empire’s sewars?" The dragon knight glanced at Goliath and Ajax apologetically. “Make no mistake, though, I will be at the forefront of this mission should we do so,” Titus knelt down beside Sawyer, placing a reassuring hand on the mutant’s shoulder. “I simply wish to know that we are planning head proactively, versus making this up as we go reactively.”

"I don't care about the 'after,'" Goliath said. And Surrak's heart raced at those words. "I don't care about succession. I don't care about liberation. The 'after' is for much smarter Digimon than any of us. But they'll never get the chance to determine those things if we do not act and take these measures. Fight against injustice. Without question. Without hesitation. Now. After. Forever."

Surrak rolled his eyes. There were those grand ideals he found so dull and boring. But he could, at least, get on board with Goliath's most recent conviction to take this fight to the highest source.

“I’m with the boss man.” Versa said. “Rhuell has to go down, period. But Medraut has a point. How do we take out the Emperor without putting the whole system into chaos? Simple really. We produce an heir to the throne. Give all those unwashed masses in the Sewers a champion to rally behind. Nothing chafes an emperor’s britches quite like organised civil unrest. And maybe, just maybe, it can distract Rhuell enough so he won’t see us coming until it's too late.”

She shrugged and started cleaning her nails with one of her knives. “Just a suggestion. But after what happened in Prahv? I really doubt we can waltz into the Metal Emperor’s bedchambers unnoticed no matter how sneaky we get. His eyes have be on something other than the knife we plan to slip between his ribs.”

"She's right," Goliath said. "We'll need as many eyes diverted from us as possible. Chromium will be tough enough without having to deal with anyone else."

"We can handle that," said Brigid. "We'll need time to alert out cells and get them into position, but they'll be able to distract the Imperial Guard long enough for you to make it into Argentum's core."

"Once you breach the palace walls, however, you'll be on your own," Krond declared. "We can't guarantee how long Rhuell's forces will stay occupied."

“Disrupt the electrical grid,” Sawyer piped up to Brigid and Krond, his voice a pitch higher from nerves. He pulled away from Titus's grip. “The city's chalk full of tech that requires power. Even just blips or brown outs would be enough to mess with the Capital's security and communication. But the city's back-up generators would need to be shut down first to accomplished that. Any sewer rat can tell you where they're located at.”

Sawyer caught a questioning glance from Titus, “No empire citizen will rise up in open challenge as long as Emperor Shiny-butt sits on his royal loo. He has made examples of noble families before and absorbed the lands they governed directly into Empire control. The only thing my family, the Wukongs, ever did was to allow mutants and refugees to settle in their lands. The Emporer won't permit anyone enough time to garner support from the citizens openly.”

"Then you'd need more time than we're currently planning for to accomplish Versa's plan," said Brigid. "That's...weeks? At minimum?"

"Why are we in a hurry?" Jaeger asked, his voice cold and mechanical as always. Surrak found it infuriating. But beneath it all, this time, he sensed something troubling: worry.

"You don't know?" Krond scoffed. "Support for your little band is eroding by the hour."

"Support?" Goliath sputtered. "Since when?"

"You really have no idea," Krond rolled his eyes. "Despite all your...stumbles, the world has started to become aware of the outlaw, 'Codename: Bancho.'"

"Me?" Goliath sputtered.

"You've garnered quite a following," Brigid said. "A fighter for justice. Defeated Bolas. Fought Ral Zarek to a standstill. I'm sure even your exploits against the Legion's First Sword will reach the people eventually. Not a single life lost in the fray. Rather impressive."

"We avoid killing when necessary," Goliath explained, with a pointed glare at Surrak and Ajax. Surrak just scoffed and shook his head at his fellow dragon.

"Let's use this reputation then," Emmara said, before mumbling, "Although I don't see why he's 'Codename: Bancho' and we're mulched wood."

"Except his reputation is starting to sour," Brigid said. "You see, if not for the fight against the Legion -- and our own digging -- none of us would have known about your vow to avoid killing."

"What do you mean?" Goliath demanded. And here it was again. More pontificating. Who really cared about support or reputation? It was all secondary to their objective: defeat Rhuell. Kill him. The rest would fall into place after that. Surrak didn't understand why they were so obsessive over these meaningless things.

"Very few of your previous foes from the Empire are still alive," Krond said. "Ironclad is in ruins. Prisoners and guards alike were slaughtered."

"Sabboth," Brigid said. "We know he's been tracking you since your last battle with him. It's why we used Moby and his unconventional traveling methods to meet with you. We believe Sabboth and the D-Brigade are killing anyone he comes across that you've spared. Word among the people is that when Sabboth slaughtered your first team something within you broke. And that you've become an anarchist. And want to burn the world to the ground."

"That's ludacris."

"There's video evidence of you slaughtering Imperial soldiers," Brigid countered. "I imagine it's doctored, but it's very convincing. Even we had our doubts." She gestured to herself and Krond.

"Still do," Krond growled. Brigid shot him a pointed glare and he crossed his arms in a huff.

"Meeting with you has assuaged them," she explained. "But we were under tremendous pressure from our cell leaders to not meet. They felt it was too great a risk if the rumors about you were true."

"Then what's the problem? You can tell them they were wrong," Goliath muttered.

"The problem isn't them," Jaeger said, and Surrak sensed Jaeger was understanding the situation better than he ever would. It was a pointless skill. "If we want to overthrow Rhuell's rule that way," he motioned to Versa, "then we'll need more support than just their rebel network. Public opinion."

"Like the goop-mon said, no one will stand up as long as Rhuell sits on the throne," Surrak growled, stepping into the fray. "You can deal with your rebellions and uprisings when we're done. For now?" He cracked his neck and slammed his fist into his palm. "We kill him. Don't back down now. This is the most I've ever liked any of you."

 

[storymasterb]

Adirael Armaros (Beelzemon X)
Location Unknown

"Oh, apologies. I seem to have left some of my manners back in the Order." The Goldramon cleared his throat. "I am Aakio Daisoujou, scribe, or... former scribe under Aayaash Amikii." He motioned towards the beach where the Garudamon in question sat with Jericho. The dragon tapped his claws together, leaving silence for a moment.

"As for myself," he finally said, "I also lost respect for my Realm. Though, that much is probably obvious. A few years ago, I had a run in with another who claimed to be a Realmless." He nodded towards Versa. "She told me stories about the Metal Empire, about what they were doing to the world. But, to my shame, I would not believe her fully. I still respected the Order then. Still believed in the system as it stood to do what was best for everyone. So I left and went back home. I truly believed that I could get to the bottom of everything and explain away the troubles of the world if I only understood the law."

The Goldramon shook his head sadly. "I was a fool. The law is broken. Ineffectual. The Order and all its judges, all its scribes, all its orators, stand about spewing hot air all day. Willing to spend hours negotiating precisely where to plant a new tree but refusing to hear of the Metal Empire's warpath through the forests. Its all such pointless bluster. Nonsense. Nothing ever gets done and nothing ever really changes. Realizing that was... hard. But it was at that moment that I knew I had to do something." He laughed softly. "If you all hadn't have shown up when you did, I might have done something truly stupid in my desperation. I was trying to build a case to call for a legal injunction against the Supreme Judge." Adirael gave a solemn nod.

He scratched the back of his head. "I think that amounts to the Order's equivalent of high treason if my injunction failed, so I may very well owe you all a debt of gratitude. In any case, thank you for taking the time to speak with me."

"We're comrades in arms now," Adirael answered. "It's the very least I could do." The Beelzemon smiled, another of his eyes turning to the main discussion as Medraut stepped up and added his voice. "And truth be told, your story reminds me of myself back then. Trying to fight within the rules of the world. Discontent but still stuck within the accepted order." He chuckled as though at his own foolishness. "But you can't fight by their rules, can you? The Realmpact is too absolute." He gave Aakio his full attention. "I could have debated scripture and doctrine with the priests for an eternity and not made so much as a dent in their hollow faith." He frowned. "Better to look beyond what I knew for something I could truly believe in."

"Whatever that may be."

He gestured at where Medraut stood and where Goliath had made his declaration. "Killing Chromium Rhuell," he offered to the Goldramon. "I imagine you didn't quite expect such an undertaking so quickly." He began to walk over to Medraut, inviting Aakio to follow.

-

Medraut the Exiled (Duftmon)
Location Unknown

He had spoken and now he listened as they all said their own pieces. That was how he always tried to do things, back then. Even when he had been in command, he let everyone else offer their insight, in case they found something he had missed or knew something he didn't. He still felt uneasy about the whole undertaking. This was not how he had ever imagined things going. His vision had always been of Chromium Rhuell being passed through a court of law, naive as some might call that. He caught Adirael eyeing the conversation and wondered if the Beelzemon thought so.

"Like the goop-mon said, no one will stand up as long as Rhuell sits on the throne," Surrak growled, stepping into the fray. "You can deal with your rebellions and uprisings when we're done. For now?" He cracked his neck and slammed his fist into his palm. "We kill him. Don't back down now. This is the most I've ever liked any of you."

Medraut glanced at him. Was the WarGreymon right? Kill Rhuell and let the consequences be whatever they were? He didn't like that thought. He had never wanted to set the Empire ablaze, only to excise the rot of injustice from it like cutting out a cancer.

"Don't back down now," he murmured to himself. They were right, perhaps. It had always been a distant dream, hadn't it?

"So we kill Chromium Rhuell, say," Adirael said, having walked up while Medraut looked at Surrak. "We succeed in this venture. Be the spark that lights the fire that burns the Metal Empire. But is this a suicide mission, or do we have a plan to escape once the deed is done?" He looked at Medraut with all three eyes. "Did you consider that?"

 

[TheSequelReturns]

- Versa Victa (BelleStarmon) -
Location Unknown (Super Secret Island Hideout)

"Escape the same way we got in," Goliath said to Adirael, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "In the chaos of the diversion we slip right back into the sewer and get out."

Like thieves in the night. Versa mused to herself. This was getting exciting.

"I see," Adirael answered. "Leaving that exact chaos in our wake, we vanish like ghosts and let the void in the Empire's throne speak for itself."

Goliath nodded. "We don't need a puppet ruler," he said. "We shouldn't decide who is best to lead them so long as they are a just ruler." He was quiet for a moment, then steeled himself. "The same should go for any Realm that tries to take advantage of another. Any transgression against the freedom and the peace of this world, we will avenge one-hundred fold."

"I agree," Adirael said with a smile. "So we should be the new Realmpact, then?"

The new Realmpact? She liked where Adirael's head was at. Versa laughed with glee. "We're really going to do it aren't we? Not just break the system, but remake it."

Aakio's brow creased with concern. "If the Realmpact goes, something has to fill the void."

"Of course," Versa said, still grinning. "Why shouldn't that something be us? Who else can we trust not to take advantage of the crisis? Who else would even care about equality or justice?" She waved her hand dismissively, but let the question hang.

“Careful,” Ajax warned. “We’re treading into dangerous territory.”

“I’m not saying get rid of the entire Realmpact,” Goliath said. “But we find what causes this injustice, and we cut it out like a cancer. Once we’re done then those with a stake can decide what happens next.”

"The Realmpact is-" Versa started, but she bit her lip and stopped. Couldn't they see it? The Realmpact wasn't the solution to their problems.

"Goliath has the right approach." Aakio said. "The less damage we cause, intentionally or otherwise, the better. We are not going to dethrone the Emperor just to take his place."

Versa took a moment to glare at him. Figure's the scribe of the Order would think their salvation lay in amending a cosmic rulebook. But then, support came from a rather unexpected place.

"...We aren't?" Jaspar asked incredulously. "And why not? How can we be sure that the next person will be any better than the current tyrant? How can we decide who's just? Aren't most of the ones in the Metal Empire complicit? I'm with Versa! At least if one of us takes over, we could be sure we can trust them."

There, was that so hard to admit? Versa smiled at Jaspar before turning back to the discussion at hand.

“One of you — one of us — is going to rule the Metal Empire?” Goliath asked incredulously. “An empire, with all its infighting, all its history of abuses. We have the knowledge to set that on its right course? Us?”

“We need to be surgeons,” Jaeger explained, his voice even-keeled. “A surgeon does not treat a systemic infection. They cut away disease, but treating the underlying malady requires time, patience, and foresight. A healer. And we are not healers.”

"It is who the citizens trust, not who we trust, that will set the Empire down the right path, " Titus said staunchly, "If we were to try and assume lordship over the Empire without gaining the trust of it citizens, than we would appear no better than conquerors." "We are simply giving them the opportunity to finally choose for themselves."

Versa rolled her eyes. "You have too much faith in the masses." she said. "Let's say we give them their chance. Give them their vote. Let democracy set the course of the Empire. What if they elect another Chromium? Do we kill him too? Do we keep on playing assassination bingo until they elect someone we approve of? Why not cut the middle man entirely?

"How would you rule the Empire, Versa? Or any of us for that matter." Ayas finally stepped forward.

Versa resisted the urge to sigh.

Ayas continued, "How would you ensure the safety of its citizens? Rebuild it's economy after it crashes? How will we afford to rebuild infrastructure likely destroyed in our fight or acts of sabotage to hinder our efforts? Raise the taxes? The Metal Empire is currently the largest of the Realms, how could we maintain order without support of the remaining military, assuming we did have that? Do we know the Empire's raw resources and know how to use those resources properly? Can we appease the other Realms demanding compensation for loss of lands, resources, and lives without leaving the Empire's citizens in complete ruin?"

A pause. Versa wondered if it was for dramatic effect.

"I could go on," Ayas said, shaking his head in utter disbelief, "But we do not have the knowledge, nor ability to rule a Realm."

"But we can kill the guy currently running it, right?" Versa said. "No issues with that Jabberjay? Just declare ourselves judge, jury, and executioner, create the world's biggest power vacuum, and let the chaos sort itself out while our self-righteous butts ride off into the sunset?" She rolled her eyes. "Please. Spare us the Order-speak. I don't care if the plan is to put Moby in charge of the Empire and have the place run entirely via fortune telling. But we need a plan or else we may wind up creating a bigger monster than the one we slay."

Jaspar spoke up again, "As a natural leader of a band of Digimon, I know first hand that a leader needs to rule with an iron fist. That's the only thing those robots understand. It's naturally ingrained in their society to buckle to whoever's in charge. If we kill Chromium, they'll just turn to somebody familiar. If we want to truly change the Metal Empire, it isn't simply cutting off the head that will treat the body. Chromium has generals, advisors - people who helped him come to power. It's the whole D-Brigade and the bureaucracy!" Jaspar explained, punching his palm with his rocky fist.. "We'll have to kill more than just one before a new head grows back. We had better be prepared for that."

Oh? Full on revolution? Versa smirked. Jaspar was speaking her language.

"If it comes to it, Jasper, then that's what we'll do," Goliath said, his voice firm. "The meaning of freedom is that no one can tell you how to live your life and run your Realm. That's exactly why all of us are here. Because ever since Rhuell took power the Empire has continued to overstep its bounds and infringe upon the freedom of other Realms. If the Empire wants to elect another tyrant to lord over themselves that's their decision. If any Realm wants to let a tyrant take power -- Karrthus, Trostani, my idiot brother, those demons, the Warleader, whoever leads the Blue -- and rule over themselves with tyranny, that's their choice. I'm not interested in fighting another realm's civil war. But the moment they step beyond their borders and involve the rest of the world in their tyranny, that is where I draw the line."

Versa frowned, but said nothing else. There wasn't much mere words could do to convince someone like Goliath. It seemed to her to be such a simple, obvious truth. What good did it do to uphold the Realmpact's borders, if each individual realm was ruled by its own iron fist? The Metal Empire had overstepped its bounds, yes. But what of the ones who ruled the Syndicate? Who kept the millstones of suffering well lubricated. What of that disgrace of a Judge in the Order? The one who was perfectly content to let the Metal Empire slaughter innocents so long as the forms were properly submitted and notarized.

There was more at stake here than mere borders. But all she could was shake her head. They didn't see it now. Maybe they would soon.

Aakio had a hand on his chin, thinking. "So, you're not suggesting we replace the Realmpact but actually become it. Or, a physical representation of it at least. Enforcers, set to make sure no realm steps outside its bounds." He nodded. "Its a good sentiment, but I feel as though that's precisely what the Realmpact already does. Once we close the loophole that's letting the Metal Empire run amok, won't our group become redundant?"

Versa turned back towards Aakio. That was something she had been considering as well.

"Are you sure?" Goliath asked pointedly. "The Realmpact was supposed to prevent this from happening, and yet here we are. If we become...redundant , I'm fine with that. But I don't trust some ten-thousand year-old coding to do what it's already failed at. That is my line in the sand."

That seemed to satisfy Aakio, as willing to follow an anthourity figure as he was. But Versa would never let herself become "redundant". And if the day came when she found herself set against anyone in this group, well... she'd do what she had to do.

 

[Solsabre]

Titus Cloudraker
Saviorhackmon
A very lonely and very boring island


Titus pardoned himself from the heated discussion. The headache was getting worse again to the point he couldn’t concentrate. The whispers had faded to faint mumbles as the minutes passed, but felt like an incessant buzzing at the back of his mind. The dragon knight needed to get back into top form for the next fight. An inkling of idea formed, Titus jumped on the notion. He didn’t have anything to lose but try.

The dragon knight allowed himself to drop to his knees in the shallow salty waves. The cold shock of the water revitalized him somewhat. Titus immediately recalled the process and how it felt from the two previous occasions. However, this time, he called forth the evolution without need of the words to help direct the change. A quick flash of light, a Jesmon appeared kneeling in the shallow waters instead.

The Jesmon knelt there for several long minutes, sorting himself out. Titus slowed his breathing. The source of his current headache wasn’t from an external sources, rather it was something else. The dragon knight focused inward, entering a meditative state to block out the surrounding environment, so he could listen to his own thoughts. Rheagos’s early training for Titus incorporated the same amount of mental discipline, if not more, with the physical training.

The world dropped out from around him. The Jesmon allowed himself to drift, until a plain of raw scorched earth constructed itself around him. Steamy vents distorted the air, leaving an intolerable heaviness even for the dragon that Titus was. The blazing sun added its raging heat. Titus gazed around, panting hard. His golden eyes drawn to the only feature in the unending wasteland, an elevated patch of bedrock. Hovering over the bedrock though…

A pulsating sphere of energy with rotating rings of digimoji around it. The silver-white dragon’s heart beat in sync with the swirling energies

The Jesmon suddenly found himself standing next to the pulsating orb. How he covered the distance he didn’t know. The normal laws of physics didn’t seem to apply here. He reached out a clawed hand towards it, completely mesmerized.

I would not recommend that, young master.

Titus yanked his arm back in surprised, turning around to the source of the ‘voice’. An orange fiery orb with elongated spears for arms bobbled in the air. A faint ‘R’ was visible above it’s eyes.

“Rheagos?” Titus muttered in confusion. It sounded similar to his mentor.

Maybe. Maybe not. A different, higher’ voice’ piped up teasingly.

“Then who..” Titus demanded. He’d ‘heard’ a voice before he awoke next to Sawyer, but had dismissed it.

Are we? Why we’re your own personal helpers!

Por, stop finishing his thoughts and confusing him. These are unusual circumstances as it is. Somehow the feeling of long-suffering resignation carried over from the fire-orange orb. Titus stepped back as a sunny-yellow fire orb popped into existence over his shoulder. A capital ‘P’ rested on this one’s forehead.

Ahh, Rene! You’re no fun! Por whined. The bright yellow appeared to be pouting.

“So, I wasn’t imagining you,” Titus muttered in amazement, “I thought I was losing my mind.”

You have always heard us, young master. Rene explained. Instinct, a gut feeling, intuition. We have simply advanced in our form and capabilities as you have evolved to your final form. As a Jesmon, you can finally hear and understand us.

“I see that,” Titus said, “but I still don’t understand what you really are.”

“Por is correct. We are your geists. Or more accurately, advanced constructs adapted to aid you in filtering and processing the increased sensory load and data input a Jesmon posse…

“Like back in Prahv?” Titus cutted in bitterly, remembering the burning pain afflicted to his mind.

That will not happen again. Rene swore. The dragon knight stepped back, taken off guard. Rene floated directly in front of him with complete seriousness. We are a part of you. An extension of you. We grow as you grow and stumble as you stumble. However, we will learn faster together, but you are still our center. You must be able to hear us and call us to you for us to aid you as we should.

“I feel like I’m stumbling through one of Rheagos’s training courses with a blindfold again,” Titus sighed, rubbing his horned head.

An appropriate comparison. Rene bobbed in agreement. You are still new to your Jesmon form and our connection with you was incomplete. Your existing mental barriers simply couldn’t coop with the increased sensory load, much less the unusual phenomena of that battle.

“Is that all it was?” Titus said more so to himself. Rene simply nodded in understanding of Titus’s confusion. Something else occurred to the Jesmon, “Rene, why do you mind me so much of him?”

My personality algorithms are based on an aspect of your life that is familiar to you. Rheagos was important to you and you trusted his guidance. Rene hovered closed to Titus’s face. I will do what I can to give you that same guidance based on your memories of him. You possess more knowledge then you realize, young one. I will simply help you find that clarity.

And what does that make me? Chopped liver? Por grumbled, tired of being completely ignored.

“I don’t have to guess who you take after,” Titus chuckled, patting the sunny yellow geist. “Between you and Sawyer, I’m never going to get a moment of peace.”

Nope. Por smirked. A jolt of energy jumped from Por to Titus’s claw. The dragon knight pulled his clawed hand away from the yellow geist startled, but he hadn’t felt any pain.

Titus. Rene drifted through the open air. The orange geist extended a bladed appendage outward in offering. Warily, the Jesmon accepted the appendage in his own. A similar jolt of energy and coded was exchanged between Jesmon and geist. Now our connection is complete. Por and I will ensure that there will not be a repeat of Prahv. We will help you in anyway we can in the battles to come as our current form permits.

“Thank you, both of you.” It felt odd thanking himself (technically), but he had difficulty seeing the geists that way. His golden eyes drifted back to the wasteland’s only feature. “Is that what I think it is?” Titus asked, referring to the pulsating orb glowing above the solitary bedrock.

Yes. But you are not ready to use it. Neither are we. Rene answered cryptically.

***************


Titus opened his golden eyes. The Jesmon rose awkwardly, his joints stiff from kneeling in the cold water, to his bladed legs. The dragon knight glanced about his surroundings with relief. Rene was right. The headache was gone. The previous hypersensitivity of his ‘normal’ senses toned to more nominal levels.

His golden eyes still squinted painfully in the full glare of the sun. The silver-white dragon pulled his cloak’s hood over his face in old habit. Perhaps, it wasn’t a perfect situation, but he could live with this.

Titus released his mega form, no longer able to hear the voices of his geists….


***************


Antho, why did you not speak up? Rene turned upon the silent smoldering red geist immediately. The yellow geist, Por, hovered behind Rene nervously.

The red glowing geist growled deeply with rebuke. Why bother? He wouldn’t hear me. The whelp loathes me.

That is not tru-

I AM his Fury! Antho bellowed, his body flaring with fire. Yet, does he acknowledge me? No, even in the heat of battle, he is slow to let his blood boil with Fire. He is too afraid of sharing the same fate as his uncle Cadmus to take the plunge into Fire!

Titus will call for you, when he is ready. Rene said, trying to placate the furious Antho. Just be prepared for when he does.

Antho butted his face into Rene’s. Then for all our sakes, he better do so soon.