Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ The Children Of Fate ❯ 16 ( Chapter 17 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: moose_of_doom 
Anime/Manga: Digimon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.01.2005 | Pages: 10 | Words: 3.7K | Visits: 241 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Digimon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 08.01.2005 | Pages: 10 | Words: 3.7K | Visits: 241 | Status: Completed
Chapter 16:
*********
Rifle bullets punched through the still morning air as the troopers stormed the breach they had blasted in the back of the Fortress. Liam slammed a fresh magazine into his G36K, and sighted through the built-in scope at the cluster of enemy guards who held out against the ferocious onslaught. He barely thought as he pulled the trigger, sending leaden death towards the man. He didn’t need to see the bullet enter the guards head, and in all honesty, he didn’t want to. He was already switching to a fresh target by the time the bullet arrived at the guard’s head, causing a spout of greyish vapour to erupt from his skull.
“Tango down!” Nick said from next to him, more out of habit than anything else. Somehow it felt wrong to not speak when you were doing work like this.
Michael watched the pair with a kind of morbid fascination. Liam and Nick had fallen into a kind of rhythm, shoot, call, move, shoot. They were a pair of professionals, working in unison.
And then he didn’t have time to think, as a round chipped at the stone beside his head. He pulled up his own sub-machinegun, a lighter weapon than the soldiers carried, and fired the three-round burs that the weapon’s safety setting permitted of him. Through the sights, he saw the guard fall to the ground, twitching as the life ebbed out of him. He ducked back behind the rock, where Jun, Willis and Dartha waited with the Guardians.
“Nice shot.” Jun complimented him.
Michael felt a surge of horror well up inside him. He had just shot another human being. Shooting a Shadowmon, fine, he could deal with that, but that guard had been someone’s husband, father, brother.
“Would you rather it was you?” Jun said.
“I guess not.”
“Then you did the right thing. It’s a necessary evil, Michael. Don’t get worked up about it.”
He gritted his teeth, and nodded.
“Dartha! Get your arse movin’!” Liam shouted over the noise of the battle. For some reason, his voice sounded more Irish than it ever had in Michael’s memory.
“He always starts talking pure Belfast when he’s scared.” Jun explained.
“Liam? Scared?”
“Michael, people are shooting at him, and trying to kill him. Of course he’s scared!”
The blonde man felt a sudden surge of relief. If Liam could be scared in a situation like this, then it was okay for him to be as well. He leaned round the rock, and fired another short burst into the batch of guards.
“Any feckin’ time now, Tetsato!”
The Guardians leapt to their feet, and began sprinting down the avenue between the rocks that was suddenly free of bullets.
Michael sprinted after them, his SMG cold in his hands.
=============================================================
“This cant be happening!”
“Nevetheless, it is.” The Shadowmon replied.
Derron calmed himself.
“My apologies of my outburst. Its an emotion thing.”
The Shadowmon growled its understanding, and also managed to convey a fair sense of distaste with the guttural sound.
“What are we dealing with?”
“my guess is that the paladin has arrived.” Derron replied.
“Then we shall kill him.”
“I rather doubt that.”
“Then we shall kill his companions. They shall not be allowed to get to the Digidestined.”
“You do that.” Derron said casually.
As the creature turned away, he headed to his office. Reaching up behind the desk, he took down the plain broadsword that hung there, and strapped it around his waist. Then, almost without thinking, he picked up TK’s sheathed Katana, that he had been unable to move from his desk. Carefully avoiding the hilt, he tied it onto his belt, next to the broadsword. he toggled the transmit button on the radio he kept on his desk.
“Guard commander?”
“Yes sir?” the metallically distorted voice replied.
“Bring the Digidestined up to the arena. Brook no arguments from Wentela – this is a direct order, and I have no time for the witches annoying bullshit.”
“Yes sir.”
Then Gennai’s opposite turned and walked out of the door.
=============================================================
“Careful, Miss Taythe. We don’t want you catching a rifle round now, do we?”
It was amazing, Taythe thought, that out of all the people in the fortress, there were only two who treated her like a human being. One was Hikari Kamiya, who even now was being escorted to the natural arena that was in the secondary bowl of the dead volcano that the citadel sat on. The bowl was at the centre of the fortresses structure, and its high, domed ceiling was there for more than aesthetic value.. The second was this bluff, quiet man who was peering over the edge of the castle, hastily dodging the bullets that flew across the battlements.
“Who are they, Darren?” she asked him.
“I reckon, miss, that they’re the remainder of the digital world defence force. If that’s true, then we’ve got a problem. Even if there’s only about thirty of them out there, and that’s all I’ve seen, they can make a serious dent in our defences. Especially if its Liam Dillon commanding them.”
“This Dillon guy… is he as good as you think he is?”
“Better. He’s a professional soldier, just like me. I served with him for a while, and he’s better at this down and dirty stuff than anyone else in the business. If it’s a protracted, tactical war you’re looking at, I’m your man – but if it’s a dirty scrap in a back alley somewhere, or guerrilla combat in harsh terrain, then there’s no one like Liam for you.” he grinned. “Maybe you hired the wrong man.”
“But… you like him?”
“What, Liam? Yeah. He’s a mate.”
“So… how can you fight him if you have an attachment?”
“Like I said, me and Liam are professionals. Unlike those things…” he gave a distasteful nod towards the Shadowmon. “We don’t really care for killing. Its just part of the job we’re doing. Liam’s a friend, but you hired me to defend this place, so that’s what I’ll do.”
“What do you think he’ll do, Darren?”
“If I know Liam – And I do – he’ll do everything he can to keep the death toll down.”
“That’s a weakness.”
Darren fixed her with a level look.
“Don’t ever think that, Miss. If anything, it’s the opposite. There are two people in this world who think that killing is a good thing – politicians and psychopaths. If you’re going to say things like that, then you’re going to make me decide which one you are.”
“I don’t even know what a politician IS.”
He laughed.
“That’s a good thing for you.”
A voice came up from the attackers.
“Evenin’, up there!”
Darren turned back.
“That’s Liam for you. he’s going to try and negotiate, now that he’s got us on the ropes.”
The soldier stood, holding his rifle above his head.
=============================================================
“Ever get the feeling you’ve been somewhere before?” Tai joked.
“Now that you mention it, this place does seem disturbingly familiar.” Matt replied.
“Quiet back there!” Wentela snapped.
“Oops.” TK grinned.
They were being hustled into a high, domed area. As Tai had mentioned, the place had a very large sense of Deja vu.
“Seems someone’s been ripping off Paul’s ideas.”
“Or something along those lines.”
The arena was strangely reminiscent of its roman namesake. The huge bowl of the crater spread out for a good two hundred yards in either direction. The Digidestined who had already been shepherded in were widely dispersed across the bowl, negating any plans at communication. It was as they were ushered into their space at Gunpoint that Kari rejoined them.
“How’s little miss sunshine now?” Tasha asked.
“Oh, she’s pretty much the same.”
Matt watched the young woman. There was something else there, that Kari wasn’t mentioning. She caught his eye, and gave a minute shake of his head. He grinned slightly.
“Stop being analytical.” Sora accused.
“Who, me?”
“Yes, you. You keep doing that ‘I’m the cool outsider’ look.”
“I know. But its part of what you find so loveable, right?”
He grinned at her, and squeezed her hand. on the other side of her, Mimi cocked an eyebrow. The girl was getting more and more expressive by the day.
“What?”
Kari, in the meantime, had been staring thoughtfully at the ground, trying to make sense of her exchange with Taythe less than a half-hour earlier. The girl was lonely, there was no doubt about it – but there was something else as well. Something indescribably sad. Something familiar.
“You’re woolgathering.” Ken said.
“I know Ken, its just that I…” she stopped, and turned slowly in her space. “…KEN?!? YOLEI?!?”
“The two and only.” Her purple-haired friend replied.
“What are you guys doing here?”
“I doubt they had a choice, Kari.” Tai said Wryly. He was looking down into the centre of the crater. “Is it me, or does that pile of black rock look familiar?”
“It’s the Oridian.” Ken replied. “We heard the guards talking about it on the way up.”
“I thought so.” Tai sighed.
All that they had tried to do so far had been so much wasted effort. All of the Digimon’s sabotage efforts, everything. The oridian ore had all been carted up here as soon as they had mined it, and now it was all ready and waiting for the final show.
“Where are the Digimon?”
=============================================================
“Is that you, Old buddy?” Darren called from the roof of the citadel.
“Darren? Darren Olde? Never thought I’d see you around here, mate!”
The defender laughed.
“We all have our moments. What can I do for you?”
“Well, me old friend, it seems to me that we’ve got a bit of a barney going on here.”
“That’s a fair description. What do you propose we do about it?”
“well, its very simple, mate. You’ve got a lot of our friends locked up in there, and I’m a’talkin’ civilians, not soldiers. If you release them, we’ll back off, and leave your fortress relatively intact.”
Taythe stood up at that point.
“You will not breach this fortress, Dillon! The Digidestined are mine.”
Darren let his head fall into his hands, as Liam replied.
“Girl dear, we’ve ALREADY breached your fortress. All we’re doin’ now is givin’ you the opportunity to prevent us doin’ something more permanent. Darren, will you stop her from buttin’ in please?”
Despite the jovial tone of Liam’s words, Darren could hear the edge of steel behind the comments. He shivered as the word ‘permanent’ ran through his head. Taythe stared at the Irishman in disbelief. For the first time ever in her life, she had been disregarded. It wasn’t a pleasant experience.
“Can you go inside, miss?” Darren said.
“I will not.”
The defender shrugged at his attacker.
“I tried. I don’t think we can agree to your terms, I’m afraid, Liam.”
“That’s okay, me old mate. I prefer doing it this way. GO!”
At Liam’s shout, cries of anguish began to rise up from the Shadowmon in the courtyard. As the defenders on the wall turned, they saw a group of men butchering the foul creatures with double ended katana sword-staffs. Even as they turned, the rest of Liam’s troopers ran into the fray, hacking with swords, and shooting with rifles. All to quickly, the Shadowmon were decimated. There hadn’t been many of them in the courtyard in the first place, and their mindless savagery was no match for the discipline of the Digital world troopers.
The guards on the walls were a different matter, however. Whilst the guards whom Darren had posted to the mines were green troops, the men on the fortress bastions were seasoned veterans, fully capable of holding their own in a firefight. Even as the last Shadowmon was neatly gutted buy a trooper’s broadsword, Darren called out to his men.
“Cover them! Suppression fire only!”
a few of the rifles on the bastion rang out, and the troopers and guardians in the courtyard stopped.
“Drop your weapons!” Darren called.
Liam grinned up at his friend.
“And if we don’t?”
“Then I’ll be forced to shoot.”
Liam glanced around.
“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I don’t really feel the need to indulge in mortality today.”
He tossed his rifle to the ground.
“The sword as well.”
“Oh no you don’t. The swords stay with us. Rifles we can lose, but…”
“Okay. Keep the swords. But keep your hands in plain sight at all times.”
“Sure, and would you like to teach me how to tie my shoelaces as well?”
“Why don’t you just shoot them?” Taythe demanded.
“Because they’ve surrendered.”
“So?”
Liam laughed at the exchange.
“IT seems you’ve got your hands full, me old friend.”
“You to, mate. Who’re the civilians?”
“The last of the Digidestined, and a coupla other important folk.”
“Well, that’s nice to know. I suppose we’d better take you to the arena.”
=============================================================
Kari’s breath caught in her throat as the troopers and Guardians were escorted into the arena. Derron Motomiya was waiting for them.
“Ah, the infamous Liam Dillon. Ex-terrorist, mercenary soldier, and expert trooper for hire.”
“Fame proceeds me, I see.”
Derron moved on, until he came to the Master.
“Tetsato Dartha. It’s been a long time.”
“I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure.” He thought for a second. “I use the word pleasure in its broadest possible sense, of course.”
“I believe you knew my ultimate grandfather, Taneka Motomiya.”
“I did indeed. It’s a pity his descendants aren’t more like him.”
Even at the distance away, Kari could practically see Derron’s eyes narrowing. The leader of the Shadowmon moved on.
“And the last of the Digidestined. Please go and join your friends.”
Willis and Michael looked at each other, and walked over to the arena steps. Kari looked over at Mimi, and saw that the pink-haired woman was staring, her eyes fixed on Michael. He grinned.
“Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated I’m afraid.” He said loudly. “Seems Wentela can’t do ANYTHING right.”
Laughter struck up around the arena, and Wentela started towards him. Derron just glared at her, and she stopped, staring malevolently. The man turned back to Liam.
“But where is the Paladin? Don’t tell me he hasn’t come to this party.”
Liam patted down his pockets.
“Now, I know I’ve got him here somewhere. Nick, you got him?”
“No, boss. I thought Danny had him!”
“Danny?”
“I gave him the Haeder, I swear!”
The three of them turned to look at the big German.
“What? I don’t have him.” Haeder replied in his accented voice.
Liam turned back to Derron, looking embarrassed.
“Eh, sorry. Musta left him in my other combat suit.”
By this point the Digidestined were laughing uncontrollably. It felt good. They’d had very little to laugh about over the past few weeks.
‘Gatomon, where are you?’ Kari sent out.
‘We’re near the entrance to the arena. We’ll bust in when we can, but I don’t think we can digivolve.’
Kari looked at Willis.
“Can Terriermon digivolve?”
“I don’t think so. There’s some kinda interference. Probably from the Oridian.”
“Oh. Great. Any other good news?”
“well… Odaiba won the local cup.”
Tai turned, his eyes sparkling with interest.
“That IS good news…”
Kari rolled her eyes.
“Oh, please.”
Mimi and Michael were staring at each other. Michael was the first one to break the silence.
“Mimi… I…”
“its okay.”
“no, it isn’t. I’m sorry, Mimi. I’m sorry for everything.”
“Its in the past, Michael. Just… hold me.”
And they embraced. Mimi finally glanced down into the arena. She hadn’t really been paying attention to what had taken place a few seconds ago. Now she saw the familiar shoulder length hair, the sly grin, the confident stance. She broke away from Michael.
The blonde man followed her gaze. His eyes dropped.
“He’s the one who saved me, Mimi. He found me outside the entrance to the Forge. He kept me alive.”
She grinned slightly.
“He’s good at doing things like that.”
Michael chose not to pursue the matter. There would be other times.
Back on the Arena floor, Liam grinned defiantly at Derron. The man was getting distinctly annoyed.
“MR Dillon, I don’t have time for this. Where is the Paladin? Is he too cowardly to come and face us?”
Liam laughed out loud, a rich laugh, full of whisky and good humour.
“Jeysus, I know you’re a male Motomiya, but are ya all this dumb? Can’t ya even recognise a distraction when you see it?”
And the second explosion of the day ripped through the citadel.
=============================================================
The main entrance to the fortress of the dragon lords was covered by a huge metal door, feet wide, an metres high.
However, it wasn’t that thick. The explosion tore it apart like paper, sending shards of shrapnel flying into the Shadowmon inside.
Daisuke Motomiya and Flamedramon stood side by side in the door.
“Sorry we’re late.” The paladin said. “Traffic was a BITCH.”
=============================================================
*********
Rifle bullets punched through the still morning air as the troopers stormed the breach they had blasted in the back of the Fortress. Liam slammed a fresh magazine into his G36K, and sighted through the built-in scope at the cluster of enemy guards who held out against the ferocious onslaught. He barely thought as he pulled the trigger, sending leaden death towards the man. He didn’t need to see the bullet enter the guards head, and in all honesty, he didn’t want to. He was already switching to a fresh target by the time the bullet arrived at the guard’s head, causing a spout of greyish vapour to erupt from his skull.
“Tango down!” Nick said from next to him, more out of habit than anything else. Somehow it felt wrong to not speak when you were doing work like this.
Michael watched the pair with a kind of morbid fascination. Liam and Nick had fallen into a kind of rhythm, shoot, call, move, shoot. They were a pair of professionals, working in unison.
And then he didn’t have time to think, as a round chipped at the stone beside his head. He pulled up his own sub-machinegun, a lighter weapon than the soldiers carried, and fired the three-round burs that the weapon’s safety setting permitted of him. Through the sights, he saw the guard fall to the ground, twitching as the life ebbed out of him. He ducked back behind the rock, where Jun, Willis and Dartha waited with the Guardians.
“Nice shot.” Jun complimented him.
Michael felt a surge of horror well up inside him. He had just shot another human being. Shooting a Shadowmon, fine, he could deal with that, but that guard had been someone’s husband, father, brother.
“Would you rather it was you?” Jun said.
“I guess not.”
“Then you did the right thing. It’s a necessary evil, Michael. Don’t get worked up about it.”
He gritted his teeth, and nodded.
“Dartha! Get your arse movin’!” Liam shouted over the noise of the battle. For some reason, his voice sounded more Irish than it ever had in Michael’s memory.
“He always starts talking pure Belfast when he’s scared.” Jun explained.
“Liam? Scared?”
“Michael, people are shooting at him, and trying to kill him. Of course he’s scared!”
The blonde man felt a sudden surge of relief. If Liam could be scared in a situation like this, then it was okay for him to be as well. He leaned round the rock, and fired another short burst into the batch of guards.
“Any feckin’ time now, Tetsato!”
The Guardians leapt to their feet, and began sprinting down the avenue between the rocks that was suddenly free of bullets.
Michael sprinted after them, his SMG cold in his hands.
=============================================================
“This cant be happening!”
“Nevetheless, it is.” The Shadowmon replied.
Derron calmed himself.
“My apologies of my outburst. Its an emotion thing.”
The Shadowmon growled its understanding, and also managed to convey a fair sense of distaste with the guttural sound.
“What are we dealing with?”
“my guess is that the paladin has arrived.” Derron replied.
“Then we shall kill him.”
“I rather doubt that.”
“Then we shall kill his companions. They shall not be allowed to get to the Digidestined.”
“You do that.” Derron said casually.
As the creature turned away, he headed to his office. Reaching up behind the desk, he took down the plain broadsword that hung there, and strapped it around his waist. Then, almost without thinking, he picked up TK’s sheathed Katana, that he had been unable to move from his desk. Carefully avoiding the hilt, he tied it onto his belt, next to the broadsword. he toggled the transmit button on the radio he kept on his desk.
“Guard commander?”
“Yes sir?” the metallically distorted voice replied.
“Bring the Digidestined up to the arena. Brook no arguments from Wentela – this is a direct order, and I have no time for the witches annoying bullshit.”
“Yes sir.”
Then Gennai’s opposite turned and walked out of the door.
=============================================================
“Careful, Miss Taythe. We don’t want you catching a rifle round now, do we?”
It was amazing, Taythe thought, that out of all the people in the fortress, there were only two who treated her like a human being. One was Hikari Kamiya, who even now was being escorted to the natural arena that was in the secondary bowl of the dead volcano that the citadel sat on. The bowl was at the centre of the fortresses structure, and its high, domed ceiling was there for more than aesthetic value.. The second was this bluff, quiet man who was peering over the edge of the castle, hastily dodging the bullets that flew across the battlements.
“Who are they, Darren?” she asked him.
“I reckon, miss, that they’re the remainder of the digital world defence force. If that’s true, then we’ve got a problem. Even if there’s only about thirty of them out there, and that’s all I’ve seen, they can make a serious dent in our defences. Especially if its Liam Dillon commanding them.”
“This Dillon guy… is he as good as you think he is?”
“Better. He’s a professional soldier, just like me. I served with him for a while, and he’s better at this down and dirty stuff than anyone else in the business. If it’s a protracted, tactical war you’re looking at, I’m your man – but if it’s a dirty scrap in a back alley somewhere, or guerrilla combat in harsh terrain, then there’s no one like Liam for you.” he grinned. “Maybe you hired the wrong man.”
“But… you like him?”
“What, Liam? Yeah. He’s a mate.”
“So… how can you fight him if you have an attachment?”
“Like I said, me and Liam are professionals. Unlike those things…” he gave a distasteful nod towards the Shadowmon. “We don’t really care for killing. Its just part of the job we’re doing. Liam’s a friend, but you hired me to defend this place, so that’s what I’ll do.”
“What do you think he’ll do, Darren?”
“If I know Liam – And I do – he’ll do everything he can to keep the death toll down.”
“That’s a weakness.”
Darren fixed her with a level look.
“Don’t ever think that, Miss. If anything, it’s the opposite. There are two people in this world who think that killing is a good thing – politicians and psychopaths. If you’re going to say things like that, then you’re going to make me decide which one you are.”
“I don’t even know what a politician IS.”
He laughed.
“That’s a good thing for you.”
A voice came up from the attackers.
“Evenin’, up there!”
Darren turned back.
“That’s Liam for you. he’s going to try and negotiate, now that he’s got us on the ropes.”
The soldier stood, holding his rifle above his head.
=============================================================
“Ever get the feeling you’ve been somewhere before?” Tai joked.
“Now that you mention it, this place does seem disturbingly familiar.” Matt replied.
“Quiet back there!” Wentela snapped.
“Oops.” TK grinned.
They were being hustled into a high, domed area. As Tai had mentioned, the place had a very large sense of Deja vu.
“Seems someone’s been ripping off Paul’s ideas.”
“Or something along those lines.”
The arena was strangely reminiscent of its roman namesake. The huge bowl of the crater spread out for a good two hundred yards in either direction. The Digidestined who had already been shepherded in were widely dispersed across the bowl, negating any plans at communication. It was as they were ushered into their space at Gunpoint that Kari rejoined them.
“How’s little miss sunshine now?” Tasha asked.
“Oh, she’s pretty much the same.”
Matt watched the young woman. There was something else there, that Kari wasn’t mentioning. She caught his eye, and gave a minute shake of his head. He grinned slightly.
“Stop being analytical.” Sora accused.
“Who, me?”
“Yes, you. You keep doing that ‘I’m the cool outsider’ look.”
“I know. But its part of what you find so loveable, right?”
He grinned at her, and squeezed her hand. on the other side of her, Mimi cocked an eyebrow. The girl was getting more and more expressive by the day.
“What?”
Kari, in the meantime, had been staring thoughtfully at the ground, trying to make sense of her exchange with Taythe less than a half-hour earlier. The girl was lonely, there was no doubt about it – but there was something else as well. Something indescribably sad. Something familiar.
“You’re woolgathering.” Ken said.
“I know Ken, its just that I…” she stopped, and turned slowly in her space. “…KEN?!? YOLEI?!?”
“The two and only.” Her purple-haired friend replied.
“What are you guys doing here?”
“I doubt they had a choice, Kari.” Tai said Wryly. He was looking down into the centre of the crater. “Is it me, or does that pile of black rock look familiar?”
“It’s the Oridian.” Ken replied. “We heard the guards talking about it on the way up.”
“I thought so.” Tai sighed.
All that they had tried to do so far had been so much wasted effort. All of the Digimon’s sabotage efforts, everything. The oridian ore had all been carted up here as soon as they had mined it, and now it was all ready and waiting for the final show.
“Where are the Digimon?”
=============================================================
“Is that you, Old buddy?” Darren called from the roof of the citadel.
“Darren? Darren Olde? Never thought I’d see you around here, mate!”
The defender laughed.
“We all have our moments. What can I do for you?”
“Well, me old friend, it seems to me that we’ve got a bit of a barney going on here.”
“That’s a fair description. What do you propose we do about it?”
“well, its very simple, mate. You’ve got a lot of our friends locked up in there, and I’m a’talkin’ civilians, not soldiers. If you release them, we’ll back off, and leave your fortress relatively intact.”
Taythe stood up at that point.
“You will not breach this fortress, Dillon! The Digidestined are mine.”
Darren let his head fall into his hands, as Liam replied.
“Girl dear, we’ve ALREADY breached your fortress. All we’re doin’ now is givin’ you the opportunity to prevent us doin’ something more permanent. Darren, will you stop her from buttin’ in please?”
Despite the jovial tone of Liam’s words, Darren could hear the edge of steel behind the comments. He shivered as the word ‘permanent’ ran through his head. Taythe stared at the Irishman in disbelief. For the first time ever in her life, she had been disregarded. It wasn’t a pleasant experience.
“Can you go inside, miss?” Darren said.
“I will not.”
The defender shrugged at his attacker.
“I tried. I don’t think we can agree to your terms, I’m afraid, Liam.”
“That’s okay, me old mate. I prefer doing it this way. GO!”
At Liam’s shout, cries of anguish began to rise up from the Shadowmon in the courtyard. As the defenders on the wall turned, they saw a group of men butchering the foul creatures with double ended katana sword-staffs. Even as they turned, the rest of Liam’s troopers ran into the fray, hacking with swords, and shooting with rifles. All to quickly, the Shadowmon were decimated. There hadn’t been many of them in the courtyard in the first place, and their mindless savagery was no match for the discipline of the Digital world troopers.
The guards on the walls were a different matter, however. Whilst the guards whom Darren had posted to the mines were green troops, the men on the fortress bastions were seasoned veterans, fully capable of holding their own in a firefight. Even as the last Shadowmon was neatly gutted buy a trooper’s broadsword, Darren called out to his men.
“Cover them! Suppression fire only!”
a few of the rifles on the bastion rang out, and the troopers and guardians in the courtyard stopped.
“Drop your weapons!” Darren called.
Liam grinned up at his friend.
“And if we don’t?”
“Then I’ll be forced to shoot.”
Liam glanced around.
“I don’t know about the rest of you, but I don’t really feel the need to indulge in mortality today.”
He tossed his rifle to the ground.
“The sword as well.”
“Oh no you don’t. The swords stay with us. Rifles we can lose, but…”
“Okay. Keep the swords. But keep your hands in plain sight at all times.”
“Sure, and would you like to teach me how to tie my shoelaces as well?”
“Why don’t you just shoot them?” Taythe demanded.
“Because they’ve surrendered.”
“So?”
Liam laughed at the exchange.
“IT seems you’ve got your hands full, me old friend.”
“You to, mate. Who’re the civilians?”
“The last of the Digidestined, and a coupla other important folk.”
“Well, that’s nice to know. I suppose we’d better take you to the arena.”
=============================================================
Kari’s breath caught in her throat as the troopers and Guardians were escorted into the arena. Derron Motomiya was waiting for them.
“Ah, the infamous Liam Dillon. Ex-terrorist, mercenary soldier, and expert trooper for hire.”
“Fame proceeds me, I see.”
Derron moved on, until he came to the Master.
“Tetsato Dartha. It’s been a long time.”
“I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure.” He thought for a second. “I use the word pleasure in its broadest possible sense, of course.”
“I believe you knew my ultimate grandfather, Taneka Motomiya.”
“I did indeed. It’s a pity his descendants aren’t more like him.”
Even at the distance away, Kari could practically see Derron’s eyes narrowing. The leader of the Shadowmon moved on.
“And the last of the Digidestined. Please go and join your friends.”
Willis and Michael looked at each other, and walked over to the arena steps. Kari looked over at Mimi, and saw that the pink-haired woman was staring, her eyes fixed on Michael. He grinned.
“Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated I’m afraid.” He said loudly. “Seems Wentela can’t do ANYTHING right.”
Laughter struck up around the arena, and Wentela started towards him. Derron just glared at her, and she stopped, staring malevolently. The man turned back to Liam.
“But where is the Paladin? Don’t tell me he hasn’t come to this party.”
Liam patted down his pockets.
“Now, I know I’ve got him here somewhere. Nick, you got him?”
“No, boss. I thought Danny had him!”
“Danny?”
“I gave him the Haeder, I swear!”
The three of them turned to look at the big German.
“What? I don’t have him.” Haeder replied in his accented voice.
Liam turned back to Derron, looking embarrassed.
“Eh, sorry. Musta left him in my other combat suit.”
By this point the Digidestined were laughing uncontrollably. It felt good. They’d had very little to laugh about over the past few weeks.
‘Gatomon, where are you?’ Kari sent out.
‘We’re near the entrance to the arena. We’ll bust in when we can, but I don’t think we can digivolve.’
Kari looked at Willis.
“Can Terriermon digivolve?”
“I don’t think so. There’s some kinda interference. Probably from the Oridian.”
“Oh. Great. Any other good news?”
“well… Odaiba won the local cup.”
Tai turned, his eyes sparkling with interest.
“That IS good news…”
Kari rolled her eyes.
“Oh, please.”
Mimi and Michael were staring at each other. Michael was the first one to break the silence.
“Mimi… I…”
“its okay.”
“no, it isn’t. I’m sorry, Mimi. I’m sorry for everything.”
“Its in the past, Michael. Just… hold me.”
And they embraced. Mimi finally glanced down into the arena. She hadn’t really been paying attention to what had taken place a few seconds ago. Now she saw the familiar shoulder length hair, the sly grin, the confident stance. She broke away from Michael.
The blonde man followed her gaze. His eyes dropped.
“He’s the one who saved me, Mimi. He found me outside the entrance to the Forge. He kept me alive.”
She grinned slightly.
“He’s good at doing things like that.”
Michael chose not to pursue the matter. There would be other times.
Back on the Arena floor, Liam grinned defiantly at Derron. The man was getting distinctly annoyed.
“MR Dillon, I don’t have time for this. Where is the Paladin? Is he too cowardly to come and face us?”
Liam laughed out loud, a rich laugh, full of whisky and good humour.
“Jeysus, I know you’re a male Motomiya, but are ya all this dumb? Can’t ya even recognise a distraction when you see it?”
And the second explosion of the day ripped through the citadel.
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The main entrance to the fortress of the dragon lords was covered by a huge metal door, feet wide, an metres high.
However, it wasn’t that thick. The explosion tore it apart like paper, sending shards of shrapnel flying into the Shadowmon inside.
Daisuke Motomiya and Flamedramon stood side by side in the door.
“Sorry we’re late.” The paladin said. “Traffic was a BITCH.”
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