Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Digital Awakenings ❯ Desert Battle ( Chapter 9 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Chapter 9--Desert Battle

The sun beat down upon the desert, giving no mercy to the band of travellers. As they approached
their destination, it seemed to grow hotter, with the winds blowing sand into their faces. Reile
covered her face, while Noriko whimpered.

"When are we going to get there?" Aera complained.

"Soon," replied one of their Salamandramon guides. There was one at the front, with Kou, forging
the path, while the other three stood around them in positions such as to protect the Order
members while at the same time fencing them in.

"Be careful when we reach the Tower," Kou advised in a neutral voice. "Efreetimon is a Mega
Digimon--not something to be trifled with, at least not at our current power level. Be
respectful, and if it comes to battle, do not be afraid to flee."

"I won't run away," promised Ryushi, somewhat defiantly. Nobody responded.

A couple minutes later, a tall structure became visible across the desert. Reile noted that the
heat had became only more repressive by now, and she was sweating buckets. As they neared, it
took shape--a large red tower, a giant cobra poking it's head out of the desert. Reile reached
for her Digivice, sensing conflict.

They finally reached the tower, and for some reason it seemed hotter in the monolith's shade.
The Salamandramon lay down their arms, on one knee and with their eyes closed. "Oh great
Efreetimon. These outsiders have come, and request a wish from you. Great genie of fire,
arise!"

Smoke filled the air, and the tower glowed with energy. A creature emerged from it--a Digimon,
presumably. The smoke cleared, and Efreetimon loomed before all of them. He was humanoid, but
about twice the size of your average person, and he was just a cloud from the waist down. His
skin was dark red, and flames circled around him.

"WHAT DO YOU WISH OF ME?" he boomed, causing all of the Order members but Kou to jump.

"I wish for the key that you have," their leader said evenly.

The Mega Digimon laughed deeply. "I APOLOGIZE, BUT THAT WAS GIVEN TO ME IN EXCHANGE FOR A WISH.
IT IS PART OF MY PERSONAL TREASURE NOW, AND TREASURE IT I DO. EVEN YOUR STATUS AS A
DIGIDESTINED CANNOT PERSUADE ME TO PART WITH IT."

The other Order members turned and whispered about. Kou was one of the DigiDestined? Well, it
would explain a bit, but there was definitely no reason why he shouldn't have a Digimon...

Ignoring them, their cloaked leader paused for a minute and said "By itself, the item is more or
less useless--in fact, the signal waves it broadcasts could even be used to track you down.
Having something like this is dangerous if you don't know how to use it, and you're hardly the
most powerful Digimon out there."

"IS THAT A THREAT?" Efreetimon asked with a sneer, his body bloating so as to be intimidating.

"No," Kou answered icily. "I merely ask you to consider that you are only the baron-esque lord
of this small desert, not the entire--"

"INSOLENCE!" cried Efreetimon. "BURNING WISH!"

"Hit the dirt!" Kou commanded, and the eight Order members made a scramble for the ground, each
in a different direction. A burning star of energy struck, creating a bright explosion but not
really harming any of it's targets.

"Strike!" he commanded angrily, and his disciples held up their Digivices. "He may be powerful,
but he's not invincible!"

"Hawkmon digivolve to...Aquilamon!"

"SnowAgumon digivolve to...Mojyamon!"

"ToyAgumon digivolve to...Clockmon!"

Kou was also changing, in a way that both fascinated and repulsed Reile. The wind swirled around
him, and his few human features vanished into the shadow of his cloak.
"run program//kou.rookie," said a voice, cold and mechanical.

The Salamandramon seemed to have fled quite quickly, so the Order's Digimon launched their
attacks valiantly. "Puppy Howling!"

"Blast Rings!"

"Rain of Pollen!"

"Bone Boomerang!"

"Time Buster!"

"Rainbow Beam!"

The six attacks, all of varying strengths, arced towards Efreetimon, who allowed them to hit him
harmlessly. "IMPUDENT FOOLS! BURNING WISH!" The fiery attack was spread out in a ring arcing
outwards, covering more ground and creating a wall of fire that all of the Order members
scrambled again to avoid.

This new Kou grabbed the Digivices at Reile and Toby's sides, startling the former. "run
program//force.digivolution"

Instantly, Illuomon and Patamon's forms burst into light, causing Reile to cover her eyes. She
was confused as to what was going on, but it looked like they were about to digivolve.

"Illuomon digivolve to... Oasimon!" The purple lion-like Digimon was Illuomon's standard
digivolution, but it didn't stop Reile from looking over the new form, fascinated.

However, the other glowing Digimon's size was fluctuating wildly, and a bit dangerously.
"Aaagh!" cried Patamon. Toby, previously fairly reserved, rushed to his partner's side.
"It...hurts..." A second later and Patamon burst into data.

"50% success rate," Kou remarked. "suggest/joint.attack on efreeti.mon"

"What the hell?" a teary Toby demanded.

"Everyone, attack the same spot on his body!" Miyako ordered, the only one who seemed fully on
top of the situation. "Go!"

"Blast Rings!" Energy rings shot from Aquilamon's horns, bent inwards and overlapping with each
other.

"Bone Boomerang!" Mojyamon threw his bone weapon in the path of the blast wings.

"Time Buster!" Clockmon threw another blue energy orb at Efreetimon.

"Rain of Pollen!" Floramon, the last Rookie left, shot a spray of yellow pollen powder out.

"Constrict!" The newly-evolved Oasimon's tentacles stretched up to smack Oasimon in the chest.

Surprisingly, the one to finish up the attack was Kou. The robed figure extended an insect-like
hand from his cloak, which crackled with purple electricity. With a mighty leap, he jumped up to
the spot where the five attacks had just hit. "execute attack//thunder claw" He slammed his
hand into the centre of Efreetimon's chest, the thunder seeming to actually do some damage to the
Mega.

Efreetimon's eyes lit up, and they were pure red. "DIE, FOOLS! BURNING WISH! BURNING WISH!
BURNING WISH!" One of the attacks was aimed at the ground, the other two at Kou.

Kou evaded the first attack, but was grazed by the second ring of flame, causing him to spiral a
bit to the side and clutch his left arm. On the ground, all of the Order members, though
confused, made a run for it, but on the way Ryan tripped over a rock in the sand.

"Bro!" Yelled Ryushi, running towards his younger brother at full speed.

"Don't--" Ryan began, but was silenced when Ryushi reached him and pulled the black-haired boy
into a bear hug.

"Mojyamon!" Ryushi commanded, and the arctic Digimon appeared beside him. Not needing any further
instruction, it grabbed Ryan out of Ryushi's arms and tossed him over its shoulder, near where
Aera was crouching--a second before the wave of flame reached them, incinerating Ryushi and
Mojyamon.

"RYUSHIIII!" cried out Ryan, anguished.

In the air, Kou was aware of the drama on the ground, but paid it little mind. He knew, though,
that he needed to defeat Efreetimon quickly, before there were any more casualties among the
Order. "run program//kou.champion"

A pillar of purple light enveloped Kou, and his form changed once again. This time, six
insect-like wings burst from his back, and two claw-like appendages slithered forward from his
sleeves. His cloak blew in the wind intimidatingly.

Efreetimon's crimson eyes narrowed. "YOU INSOLENT FOOL! YOU THINK THAT OUR WORLD IS JUST A
PLAYTHING! DIE! BURNING WISH!"

"increase variable:=speed" Kou muttered, then suddenly snapped to the side, dodging the fireball.
He flew at Efreetimon like a bullet, thunder breaking through the air. " execute attack//ball
lightning."

Kou held out his claw-hands, and the purple electricity quickly gathered between them. In no
time, it had formed a crackling orb of lightning. Kou held it over his head and threw it
directly at Efreetimon.

The sphere struck the large genie monster and impacted into his chest. Efreetimon let out a
startled shout as the purple thunder blast wounded him, and was followed up by a wing hit.

"INSOLENCE!" Efreetimon repeated as he clapped his hands together swiftly, catching Kou in his
grasps. An angry scream let out as Efreetimon crushed the order leader with his flaming palms.

"Kou!" yelled Miyako, rushing forward.

"Easy," steadied Aquilamon. "He's the only one who can do this. The rest of us are all out of t
heir league."

A purple light burst from under Efreetimon's hands. The genie Mega let out an anguished cry as
purple electricity coursed over his body powerfully. The light grew brighter as Efreetimon
twitched and spasmed. His digital body swirled and pulsed, looking itself highly unstable.

Finally, with a cry, the Mega Digimon burst apart into thousands of pixels, which drifted away
into the atmosphere. A much smaller form fell from the sky smoking. Kou hit the ground with a
thump, greatly wounded from the battle.

"Kou!" cried Miyako, rushing to the fallen warrior's side. He seemed to have reverted back to
his regular form, because his singed arms were in human form. This was the first time Reile
had seen Kou uncloaked--most of the robe was burnt. He was a man in his mid-thirties, with red
hair and a hint of a beard. His eyes seemed dull, as if without any emotion behind them.

Kou cracked a smile. "Sorry Miyako...seems like I overdid it on that one...and after I told you
not to underestimate him... Sorry, but I think I'm going to die now."

"Koushiro," Miyako sobbed, as the other Order members stood around, confused. "Don't say
that... you can't die..."

"There's a chance I'll be reborn..." Kou said. "In any case, you're chapter leader, okay?
Things are dangerous now...stay safe..." With that, the coding holding Kou's body together
released, and the pixels blew away in the wind, leaving only a sobbing purple-haired girl.

To Be Continued...

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Author's Notes:

There, *now* he's dead.

I've decided to work on my stories in spurts instead of as a queue, because I find it's easier to
get "into" a story I've worked on recently. So, you may see more of this story over the next
month or so, and then nothing for a while.