James Reeve
Glen Elendra, the Kingdom of Nature
They staggered through smoldering trees and ragged thickets, forcing their way past vines and fallen branches. Glen Elendra was scarred, its beauty marked by the battle waged beneath its canopy. The forest would heal, given time. Not everyone who had fought would.
“Deneb and I managed to secure several groups of tamers and digimon locals in the northwest corner of the city. That’s the largest group. Others are scattered in pockets elsewhere, but I can point them out roughly on a map," Andrea said as they walked.
"That's good," James replied with a smile. But the smile slipped as he took note of Hoshiko's signal on his Digivice, and his look of concern was met by another from Andrea. They'd left Hoshiko at that tree, the tree that lay somewhere behind them in the drenched, burnt forest. Her signal came from ahead of them. Why would she leave those Tamers and their partners? He was reminded of that haunted look in her eyes. She hadn't seemed quite herself, but with the battle he hadn't had time to fully process it. Now that the sound of clashing swords was gone, he remembered it. Was it just separation from Okatsu? Had Hoshiko left those Tamers behind to try and find her partner? The signal seemed to line up with where he'd glimpsed the Guardians fighting through the trees.
The trees thinned out and a clearing opened up. He scanned it, seeing first the welcome sight of Artanis. The RizeGreymon looked battered and weary, but none the worse for wear. The other Guardians stood assembled solemnly with him on the far side of the clearing. Hoshiko was ahead of them, running across the clearing. Before James could call out, though, Andrea broke his supporting grip and limped forward. He followed her path across the grass, already anticipating what his gaze fell upon. Three broken bodies just lying there.
The three Tamers Lamorak had killed.
The sight of them brought a surge of pain from deep inside him. His elation at finding Andrea and Deneb okay, at seeing Artanis and Hoshiko safe evaporated. He remembered seeing them fall in the midst of the battle. Again he wished he'd found them, spoken to them, talked them out of it. Done... something. Anything to avoid their fate being the shattered corpses he now looked at. He knew the forest was large, that even if he had gone their way he might not have got there in time to stop them from attacking Lamorak. But then, perhaps it was his example that had spurred them on. What had Hoshiko said before?
“It’s nothing,” she murmured. “You’re just so…” She let the thought trail off, before seemingly capturing it again. “Heroic.”
Andrea set Deneb down gently as James stopped just behind her. She reached out to touch one of the Tamers, but lurched sideways. James reached out to steady her, but stopped short as she caught herself, running a sleeve across her mouth. He knew what she must be feeling. He'd done this. He remembered kneeling at Matthew's side like this, mask in pieces, grieving and guilty and uncertain. He watched solemnly as Andrea pressed her fingers to the neck of each Tamer in turn, knowing that it was futile. She probably knew it too. But that didn't stop you from hoping. After all, you heard about the miracles, the people who survived such long falls by landing on something soft or by some coincidence. So you checked in the desperate hope that chance or God or something had chosen that person to be one of those miracles. He'd checked Matthew's pulse the way Andrea had just checked their pulses, clinging to that slim chance for as long as he could. He heard a soft sound from her, wondering if she was burying her grief for his sake.
He knew that far too well too.
Andrea's frame tightened, her hands resting on her knees. He saw the clenched fist as he moved up just slightly, closer to her side than her back now.
"I'm sorry, and thank you," she whispered, her voice just loud enough for him to hear. She looked over her shoulder at him. “Deneb and I might not have biomerged to save more lives, if we hadn’t seen them fall.” He remembered watching the Ceresmon rise and the forest itself become a weapon against the Knights and their forces. At the time, he'd thought that Deneb's new power could turn the tide. He of all people should have known better. A few times, he'd seen Tamers and their partners find new strength during a battle against the Knights, only to have their new form defeated with marginally less ease by the Knights. One new evolution, even one with that sort of reach and power, couldn't suddenly overturn the pinnacle of martial skill that the Knights embodied.
"You saved me," he offered softly, weakly. It was a tiny sentiment in the face of the loss before them. But it was true. He couldn't have escaped or fought the SaviorHuckmon. Deneb's power was all that had let him get away from that situation.
“Somebody has to inform their families, if that’s even possible. Back home there’s been an escalation of missing person reports for our age group. Their families need to know.” Families. The word was like a knife to the gut. He knew it was only right that the families of fallen Tamers know what had happened. But it wasn't something often talked about, at least not in his experience. It seemed like Tamers came to Saga wanting to escape the cold dull clutches of Analog, and for many, those clutches included their families. Some with broken families, others whose families hated them. He didn't know anything about Matthew's family besides the odd tidbit from here or there when they'd just chatted away.
It was easy to forget things like that on Saga. How long had it been since he'd gone home? Months, probably. It felt like an age since this crisis had started and ever since, he'd stayed because at any second Tamers might need his help. But even with the Tamers staying in Saga, the Knights' actions were having an impact on Analog.
“But how does one tell the average human in Analog what really happened? I don’t know which is worse; delivering the news of a dead family member or receiving it.” Her eyes betrayed old pain. Kyle, he was sure. Her words dredged up more painful memories, this time from years before he'd so much as glimpsed Saga. Him as a boy, seeing the doctor at his father's hospital bed. Seeing the pained shake of the head and his mother breaking down, clutching him close. His world shattering as he understood the meaning behind what the doctor was saying. It had taken him years to find himself again after that, and even now, he wasn't the same.
"When I was a kid, I lost my dad," he confessed quietly. "I... he was ill. I knew that. But when the doctor told mum and me he was gone..." He let the words trail off. Even years later, it hurt. And she knew that pain too. "I wouldn't want to make anyone else feel that pain. But... finding their families, if we can, and telling them the truth is the right thing to do. Letting them cling to false hope would be crueler."
Before he could say more, shouting from across the clearing shattered the moment like a hammer through a glass pane.
"Oi! You! Lizard Lips. Where the hell is my sword?"
It was Samael.
-
Artanis Dawnflame (RizeGreymon)
Glen Elendra, the Kingdom of Nature
Artanis watched in solemn concern as Hoshiko took Okatsu from Theo. The RizeGreymon moved closer, keeping a respectful distance but wondering what had befallen the Gabumon X. He caught side of a red wound in Okatsu's chest, made less serious by regression but clearly a severe injury, if survivable. His eyes narrowed in concern.
Gawain's weaponry couldn't have inflicted a wound like that. The wound's pattern was thin and long, and Gawain's rapier was a stabbing weapon with a concentrated point. It would have pierced a clean round hole. Not to mention that if Gawain had been in a position to deliver such a blow, he would likely have killed Okatsu outright. One of the Knights from Kaladesh, perhaps?
"Oi! You! Lizard Lips," Samael interrupted. Artanis turned his head to watch the demon saunter in from the forest, heading towards Theo. "Where the hell is my sword? And before you go starting with that 'I don't know' crap, I remember specifically -- probably -- leaving it with you or uh...the…" he snapped his fingers. "The other one -- him, her, whatever -- I gave it to one of you nit-wits when I had to step in and save you from that knight. Remember? And then, just as I'm about to win, I get punched in the head," he pointed to the side of his head.
A movement from Theo caught Artanis' gaze. He saw the BlackWarGreymon reach for something dark at his belt, and recognized the distinct shape of the weapon. It was the blade Samael had swung towards Tessa's throat in the temple what felt like an eternity ago. Why did Theo have...
Samael broke his train of thought even as it hurtled to a disturbing conclusion. "And I'm not saying you two -- or three? I don't remember -- not sayin' you didn't help out. But I pretty much handled that pointy ponce on my own. So," he stopped and took a breath. "I'm not blaming you -- for the record, you were useless -- but I'm willing to admit it's not entirely your fault and I probably shouldn't have trusted you to do something as simple as carry your weight in a fight." Artanis' eyes narrowed. He expected this sort of self-centered arrogance from Samael's ilk, but still, to have the demon act so blissfully ignorant of his stricken comrade in Hoshiko's arms made the RizeGreymon's blood burn with anger. He kept himself controlled. Blind anger did no good.
He saw Theo's grip on Samael's sword tighten and tensed, prepared to intervene. Even with the dark thought seething in his mind, he couldn't be certain. As he watched, Theo's grip loosened and the BlackWarGreymon spoke to Hoshiko.
“Hoshiko. Go to Tessa, she can heal Okatsu for you.” She nodded and walked over to the Wisemon, but Artanis didn't follow her. He was fixated on this confrontation.
"But again -- and I mean this -- I'm willing to forgive you and offer all that warm fluffy bullshit from the bottom of my cold black heart as long as you tell me where the hell you idiots left my sword." Artanis glared Samael's way, then looked back at Theo as the BlackWarGreymon stood. Theo's arm swung and the dark sword spun through the air, slicing into the dirt between the two dark figures. Theo's disgust was plain and only reinforced that dark idea in Artanis' head.
"Exactly where you left it," Theo snapped. "Buried in Okatsu's back."
His suspicion validated, Artanis' gaze whipped back to Samael, a surge of rage burning through his veins. He tempered it with his Akilae discipline, shackling it. Fighting Samael would achieve nothing. Even if the Beelzemon couldn't defeat him with a few blows, he would not sink to the same level. There was no justice to be found in that. Instead, he waited like a statue for Samael to offer some justification or refutation, or for Michael (who knew Samael best) to step in.
-
Hoshiko Yukimura
Glen Elendra, the Kingdom of Nature
Okatsu's wound knitted closed as threads of light stitched through it, Tessa's magic doing its work. The Wisemon finished, the wound reduced to an ugly red scar.
“I’ve done what I can,” she said wearily, and collapsed. Hoshiko made to kneel and make sure she was okay. She had been tuning out the argument behind her, ignoring Samael as best she could even as he spat a tide of jibes at Theo and, by extension, the unconscious Okatsu, but as she knelt at Tessa's side, Theo's words cut through the quiet.
"Where you left it. Buried in Okatsu's back."
Hoshiko froze. Her fingers stopped an inch from Tessa, legs locking. She felt suddenly numb, turning her eyes to the ugly scar on Okatsu's chest. Looking at it reminded her of those spikes of pain dragging through her chest from behind, of feeling what she was sure had been Okatsu's pain and distress tearing through her. She processed Theo's words slowly and painfully. Samael had done this? Was that why Theo had hurried her away without answering her question?
“Oi! Where the hell is Ukatsuzbek? Never heard of it.”
The words sank in, hammering into her as though Samael had punched her. Quick as the numbness and shock had set in, it was replaced, the rare feeling of anger burning up from within her. Hoshiko's body unfroze and she slowly rose, trembling as she turned and glared at the demon. Artanis stood nearby like a sentinel, his eyes fixed on Samael too, both of them looking past Theo.
“Is that all you have to say? That stabbing someone in the back is of no consequence to you?” Theo shook his head. “ I supposed I shouldn’t have expect anything less from demon scum.” Hoshiko's fists slowly clenched, nails biting at her palm.
“Oh no, my feelings. Please stop. Your words cut so deep and true.” The leather-clad biker deadpanned, while rolling his three eyes. "And I didn't stab anyone in the back, I stabbed her through the back. There's a difference. I don't see how that has anything to do with you, but there's definitely a difference."
Hoshiko took a step forward, shaking with passion, fists tightening. She saw herself taking another step and then another and another after that until she reached Samael and could drive her fist right into that smug gloating face again and again, but before she took the second step, she found Artanis' hand blocking her path. The RizeGreymon glanced her way and slowly shook his head. She wanted to yell at him to move aside, at Theo too. This jeering demon was mocking them, mocking Okatsu after he'd left his sword in her back. She opened her mouth to speak, but Theo spoke first.
“Semantics. Once is chance, twice is a coincidence, three is a pattern. I’ve spent twenty years dealing with types like you. I don’t have to guess whether or not you’ll follow through and injured a Guardian again.” He turned to Michael. “Lord Michael, have you nothing to say on the matter? Or does the Holy Host not hold their people accountable for their actions?” She already knew what Michael would do. Make an excuse. Say that Samael was valuable. He'd waved off Samael before, at the temple. When Samael's sword had almost gone into her face and Tessa's throat, all because of a bit of water. Michael had drawn his sword and stopped Samael, and then carried on.
“Oh boo-hoo, you blubbering bore.” Samael butted in, waving flippantly towards her and Okatsu. ”She's gonna be fine-ish in a few.” She pushed against Artanis' hand, ignoring the pain where her nails cut at her palm, wanting nothing more than to hit him over and over, but the RizeGreymon held firm. The logical part of her that at the moment lacked control said that he was doing it to keep her safe from a repeat of that incident in the temple. Her anger didn't care.
The Hand of God sighed in clear frustration. “Samael is--”
“Speaking for himself, thanks.” Samael interrupted bluntly. The Fallen One turned back to address the simmering BlackWarGreymon. “I ain't one of "their people", as you've pointed out twice now. They sent me here for a job. That's what I'm here to do.”Samael lips split into a toothy grin. “Put down these shiny **** heads by any means necessary.” His eyes danced with wild excitement. “I'm the black blade of the Host, I'm the walking grave, the defiler, the lord of riots, the murder-king. Accountable? Jack, the only reason I'm here is to bring accountability to this doomed little quest we've got going on.”
If Artanis would move his hand, she'd show him accountability, Hoshiko's thoughts growled. She strained against the RizeGreymon's hand.
"Stop," Artanis said softly.
"He could have gotten her killed," Hoshiko snarled. "And look at him!" Artanis shook his head, but before he could speak, Theo turned with a hollow look in his eyes. It shook her to the core, not enough to dispel her fury, but enough to stop her struggling against Artanis' grip.
“So that’s what it’s come to…” “A doomed quest... the demon’s right. Fighting the Knights is difficult enough, but achieving victory over them while watching our backs from our own side… it’s impossible.” He let out a short, dark laugh. “If this is the best we have to offer... We don’t stand a chance. We’ve barely survived the previous battles already and we’ve yet to see Sir Galahad and Sir Lancelot on the battlefield.” Theo said grimly. "The few times I’ve faced Sir Lancelot in combat was for training purposes with my squadron. Our only objective was to hold out against him for as long as possible, until we were forced to yield... there’s a reason he does not join the battle very often.” His dark words threatened to douse her rage like the rain had doused the flames in the forest, but the anger still burned hot, fueled by Samael's jeering and the image of that terrible wound in Hoshiko's chest.
“The Knights can’t be stopped. We can’t protect the tamers from them.” Theo whispered hoarsely, “...I can’t protect anyone.” She stared at him now, her struggles against Artanis stopped. “I’m done.” The meaning of the two words sunk in and the passionate fire in her breast was reduced to seething embers by sudden shock and dread. She stared silently at Theo, unable to find words. Artanis seemed to be musing, preparing words perhaps, but as always Samael found his voice first.
“ Again, boo-freakin-hoo. Crying about watching your back -- the hell else are you doing? What, you don't know how to fight? Watch your damn blind spots!” Samael yelled, sneeringly at the depressing dragon man. “Or are you pissed I showed your grumpy ass up? Big man over here, looking to impress his own bosses. Lookin' to carry the torch for someone. Burdened by all those emotions and feelings and this…” The fallen angel threw out a hand flippantly at the old soldier, “... glum and boring disposition."
"Leave if you want. Uh.” Samael muttered, pointing a hand vaguely at Okatsu. “Oshkosh over there was way more helpful. Maybe if you didn't have such a raging hard-on for your old bosses you'd have carried your weight a little more. Don't you worry: when Lancerfrans shows up I'll kill him too.”
The backhanded compliment to Okatsu was tinder for the fire and Hoshiko's eyes narrowed, her loosened fists tightening again. How dare he use Okatsu to get the last word in this argument. But then, she wasn't truly surprised. Nothing was beneath him. He didn't care, didn't give a damn about anything but himself. Why the hell was he even here?
“We're not here to kill the Royal Knights.” Michael insisted.
“Of course not,” Samael said, winking.
“I mean --”
“Done here,” the demon said, walking away with his arms behind his head.
“Samael!” Michael shouted.
“Is not listening! Please leave a message at the beep.” He flipped the Archangel the middle finger. “BEEP!”
Hoshiko watched them squabble and Theo stand with those hollow hopeless eyes. She wanted to yell at the retreating demon, to demand that he come back and account for himself. The urge to just hit him was still burning, her fists still painfully clenched, but Artanis still had that guarding hand preventing her from letting the anger out. The RizeGreymon turned his gaze to Michael, keeping a wary pupil on Hoshiko. She felt a stab of shame. Anger wasn't like her. She was supposed to keep herself in check, guarded and quiet like Okatsu. She could count on one hand the number of times she'd been angry since coming to Saga, and she had never been as angry as she was now. Angry enough that she'd left Okatsu on the ground behind her because she wanted to drive her fists into Samael's face, damn the consequences. Her impotent rage slowly died away and she leaned against Artanis' hand, feeling the weariness finally catching up with her.
Clearly confident that she wasn't going to try and attack Samael, Artanis spoke to Michael. "I cannot speak for our comrades," the RizeGreymon said quietly. "James swore to be a Guardian, as did I, and we shall not break that oath." He cast a disappointed look Theo's way. "But I cannot fight beside one who might, at some demented whim, decide it is to his advantage to put his blade through my back, or worse, James' back. I will fight the Knights to my last breath, but I cannot both fight a Knight and watch that Samael does not repeat this."
What would Okatsu think, Hoshiko wondered. Would she say the same? It was likely. Okatsu had her code of honor, and even that aside, no warrior wanted to fight with an 'ally' they couldn't trust if they could avoid it.
“I should have been with you."
Slowly she turned around and wearily knelt by Okatsu and Tessa. She rested a hand on Okatsu's unconscious form, barely registering as Theo walked past her.
-
James Reeve
Glen Elendra, the Kingdom of Nature
His grief was gone, his confession to Andrea lost.
James glared at Samael, anger blazing in his veins. He listened to the argument, creeping closer to Artanis, but his reunion with his partner was interrupted by the revelation of what had happened to Okatsu. The pieces clicked into places. Samael had back-stabbed Okatsu. Hoshiko had somehow found out that something was wrong and that was why she had abandoned the Tamers in the hiding tree, driven by fear for her partner. The urge to command Artanis to strike was there, so tempting, so obvious, but he could tell even at this distance that Artanis was fighting the same. And he knew what happened if you surrendered to it. The bond between Tamer and partner was poisoned by anger and hatred. Power could be found there, but always at a price.
He'd seen it first-hand in this war. A partner turned into a monster by their Tamer's rage. It hadn't saved them and had only gotten more people hurt.
He drew in deep breaths, keeping his rage in check. He wouldn't achieve anything. That was why Artanis was restraining his own anger, and why he could see the RizeGreymon physically holding Hoshiko back as she tried to stride towards Samael with clenched fists. James prepared to intervene if need be, but his partner held the raging woman tightly. She struggled, but Artanis was far stronger than a human in his evolved form, easily keeping her in place. Watching her, he remembered Nyon struggling against Artanis, Cielstraza and Tahu, recognizing the same wild anger. It was anger fueled by grief and pain, anger he knew too but kept under control.
Hoshiko blazed a while longer as Samael mocked Theo and Okatsu, the demon's flippant jeering stinging James. He hated the impotence of just standing by, but none of them were in a fit shape to fight Samael, and even if they were it wouldn't do any good.
"He could have gotten her killed," he heard Hoshiko snarl. "And look at him!" The raw anger in her voice was disarming. He had grown so used to the quiet, composed Hoshiko that it was startling to see this side of her. Even if he understood it, it was still a shock to behold, quenching his own fury. As he listened to the argument, his attention was drawn away from Hoshiko by a change in Theo's tone from furious and accusatory to defeated and lost. He noticed Hoshiko stop struggling against Artanis, as though Theo's despondent tone had put out the inferno inside her.
“The Knights can’t be stopped. We can’t protect the tamers from them.” Theo whispered hoarsely, “...I can’t protect anyone. I’m done.”
James stared at him in raw disbelief. He didn't know Theo well. Perhaps better than most of the others, he knew about Kyle, after all. But he had never thought Theo the type to just give up. Some did. Some had surrendered to the Knights, or just said their farewells to their partners and gone back to Analog with a vow not to return to a world that had turned against them. He didn't hate them, after all, it was understandable. But Theo had stood up with them in the temple and sworn to fight at Michael's side against the Knights. For a moment, his inner grief whispered out to him, saying the same. Hadn't he failed to protect Matthew, to protect the three Tamers behind him, to protect so many others? Wasn't he tempted to give up? He forced it away, burying it. No. Never.
Samael launched more jeers and taunts before sauntering away, but evidently Theo's depression had cooled hot tempers, for Hoshiko glowered for just a while before finally turning and sinking wearily to her knees at Okatsu's side. Artanis spoke to Michael about Samael, and James nodded his agreement, preparing to walk over and affirm his partner's words. Before he could, however, Theo came towards him, gaze averted from any of the other Guardians. The BlackWarGreymon walked past Hoshiko, who didn't acknowledge him, and strode past James towards Andrea and the fallen Tamers.
The young man followed cautiously.
“Andrea, we’re leaving,” Theo said as he reached her. James stared.
"What?" he heard Andrea reply. He circled around to see both of them clearly.
“I’m not letting you stay to fight,” Theo frowned, “It’s too dangerous.”
“It’s dangerous anywhere the Knights are hunting Tamers,” she insisted.
“Exactly why you should head back to Anal-” James filled in the end of the word. Analog. He knew this argument. He'd had it made to him by the people who gave up. Go back to Analog. Abandon all this danger, go somewhere safe. He didn't begrudge them their choice. But if Theo was going to try and make that choice for her...
“Theo, I am not leaving Deneb!” Andrea said stubbornly. The pink little poromon awoke with a jolt from the shouting, groggily confused.
Theo shook his head, “I understand, but if something happens to you, your mother…” Mother. The word echoed through him as though Theo had struck a gong and let the vibrations echo. He felt pangs of guilt that he hadn't seen her in so long, that she didn't know how he was. That she didn't even know about the Guardians or what he was doing, even if she knew about Saga. It reminded him of what Andrea had said about the missing persons reports.
“Do not bring my family into this, Theo,” she cut him off sternly, her voice tight with hurt and rising in volume. “My mom knows now. About our partners, our adventures, and the threat endangering them and us. She doesn’t like, but she understands.”
“Just because you were my brother’s partner, doesn’t mean you can order me around. I’m staying with the Guardians and seeing this fight through.”
James recovered from his shock as she finished, looking between the two. He felt like he was intruding, like he shouldn't be there at all. This was their matter. He shouldn't interfere. But he was a Guardian too, they were his teammates, or at least Andrea and Deneb were. He moved around to Andrea's side, meeting Theo's gaze. He glimpsed the dead Tamers as he did so and more emotions stirred at the sight. He understood Theo's position. James couldn't pretend he hadn't thought about making the same argument to Alexis and the others sometimes, when he felt especially weak and desperate. He'd thought long about it after Matthew's death, but he knew they wouldn't hear it. They were too loyal to the Tamers, to their partners, to Saga, perhaps even to him. There was that thought again, giving him pause. People dying because of his example.
He pushed his doubt aside.
"I know you want to keep Andrea safe," he said quietly. "I understand that feeling. I've felt the same about my friends." He paused. "But I know if I ever suggested going back to Analog to them, they'd say no in a heartbeat. And who are we to decide for them? If people want to go back and escape this, that's their decision. I understand that feeling too. But I don't feel that way. The others who fought beside me before we formed the Guardians don't feel that way. And I'm guessing you don't feel that way, Andrea." He looked at her, then back at Theo. "I'm fighting because I know there are Tamers here who can't bear to abandon this world, Theo. Artanis and I decided to fight to protect the dream of Digimon and human working together when the Royal Knights started this. And other Tamers and their partners joined us because they wanted to protect that dream too. I could go back to Analog." He held up his Digivice to accentuate the point. "But if I did that, I'd lose Artanis, and I could never forgive myself for giving up without fighting to the end against this. If people wish to fight, if they're old enough and they understand the dangers, like Andrea does, who are we to tell them that they can't fight for what they believe in, Theo?"
-
Artanis Dawnflame (RizeGreymon -> Agumon)
Glen Elendra, the Kingdom of Nature
Artanis looked around, seeing James and Andrea talking to Theo. He hadn't noticed when James had entered the clearing, too distracted by Theo, Samael and Hoshiko, but now he wanted to return to his partner's side. Before he could, however, Henry came in and began to speak. Surprised by the CaptainHookmon's sudden boldness, the RizeGreymon listened.
"And about that. What in the seven seas is wrong with you lot? I don't know if some of this lot even knows how to fight with any skill at all. We've got folks with brains but no brawn to back it up. And vice versa. Some of us are adrift with no clear purpose," he said with a slight glance in Theo's direction, "and some of us don't have a full grasp of our own power. We can't win like this. We will never win like this. And thanks to that one," he pointed a thumb over his shoulder towards Samael's retreating form. "We don't even know if our own teammates will betray us or not. This little crew of ours works about as well as a schooner made of paper. So what are we going to do about it? Cause damn it, I'm prepared to take up this cause as my own but if you sorry lot expect me to throw my life away without even bothering to chart us a proper course then I'll be following the old lizard's example and finding a better port."
Artanis nodded warily. It was evident that his lack of a Mega Level was far from the only problem the Guardians had, and odd as it was for the pirate to address the group, perhaps they needed a captain's guidance. Henry shot critiques in the directions of Michael, Aria, Stein, Tessa and Svarog, before concluding:
"Do the Knights have something that we don't? Can we hope to actually match them? To best them? Because if we can't, if this is a bitter draught of a quest with naught but fool's gold at the end, then tell me now so I can go live the rest of my life in peace. But if we actually have a shot then can we figure out how that's gonna work before we all get each other killed?"
Artanis pondered it, finally surrendering his evolved form. He shrank back to an Agumon, though even in that lessened form he felt weariness creeping over him. This sort of thinking was not his forte. He had not had much experience with the principles of command and leadership, his training in Korshakal focused more around single combat than the logistics of fighting in a team or leading soldiers. Regardless, he tried to puzzle it out, allowing the others to offer their own insights in the meantime.