Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ The Shadow War ❯ Chapter 6
[ 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: 07.31.2005 | Pages: 12 | Words: 3.9K | Visits: 249 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: Digimon Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Adventure / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 07.31.2005 | Pages: 12 | Words: 3.9K | Visits: 249 | Status: Completed
Chapter 6:
********
Davis ran hard up the stairs to the walls, and looked out onto the plain. Below him, the field was covered in the crawling forms of the Shadowmon, howling up at the gates walls that kept them from the inhabitants of coast town.
“Oh my god…”
“If you’re praying, throw in a couple from me.”
The young paladin looked over his shoulder at Tai. Kari’s brother was staring down at the meadow.
“How can there be this many? Why haven’t we seen this many before?”
“The tunnels. They must have been in the tunnels.”
And indeed, as he looked out over the field, Davis could see gaping entrances in the hillside, through which more of the foul creatures were pushing. He looked down at the front ranks of the Shadowmon again. And noticed that they were holding something.
“EVERYONE DOWN!!!”
The people on the walls dropped, as the volley of arrows clattered against the masonry. The troopers popped back up, firing as they went. Shadowmon dropped, but always there were more to fill their places. Liam yelled at his men.
“Stop shooting! We don’t have the ammo!”
Reluctantly, the men ceased fire. Davis turned to Liam.
“Get someone on the mounted guns! The Shadowmon come with a hundred feet, open fire.”
Liam nodded, and set about organizing the town’s defences. Davis went back down the stairs, to find Cody waiting for him, a flustered look on his face. The 17-year old had been running.
“What’s wrong?”
“We’ve got people requesting to come through the Digiport. Soldiers.”
Davis glanced back at the walls. This was where he should be. then he sighed, and rubbed his eyes.
“Okay, take me to them.”
======================================================================== ============
Liam glanced over the wall again, looking down at the Shadowmon in the field. He shook his head.
“Liam?”
He glanced round at Mimi. For a moment, he was surprised to see her there. But then he shrugged.
“I hate being pinned down.”
“It’s the only way though, right? If we stay in here, the Shadowmon can’t get at us.”
The big Irishman was silent.
“…Can they?”
Liam stared down at the field, and didn’t look up at her as he spoke.
“Mimi, in my experience, if an army that size wants to get into a city, it’s only a matter of time before they do.”
He sighed.
“Those Shadowmon have an almost infinite supply of reinforcements. We’ve got approximately one hundred and fifty people to defend this town. The only edge we’ve got is technology and imagination.”
“Imagination?”
“You heard me. The Shadowmon don’t have the imagination to come up with the structured battle plans we come up with. That’s why they attack in swarms, trying to overwhelm us.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“Structured battle plans are no bloody use when you’re skulking behind walls.”
Palmon skipped gently up onto the wall, and sat there.
“You might not want to be there, Palmon.”
“What? They aren’t even… WHOA!!!”
The little plant Digimon toppled back off the wall, landing on the floor beneath as a volley of arrows flew over the trooper’s heads to rattle against the buildings behind them. Liam tried to continue, but he was overcome with a fit of laughter. Mimi glared at him.
“I’m sorry. It wasn’t that funny.”
“Can anyone join this party, or is it invitation only?”
Mimi’s face lit up, and Liam suppressed a frown. Michael was making his way up the steps to the battlements. The blonde-headed young man put his arm around Mimi’s waist.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
Palmon muttered under her breath.
“Oh, get a room.”
Liam, being the only one close enough to hear, grinned. Mimi caught the look, and the big Irishman coughed self-consciously.
“So, what brings you here, Michael?”
The blonde man shrugged.
“I came to see what everyone’s been talking about in the town.”
Liam stood back from the battlement.
“Well, there they are. Take a good look.”
Michael stepped up to the wall, and looked down at the undulating black shapes on the field. Liam watched the younger mans face drop, his jaw falling as he looked out on the army beneath them.
“Jesus…”
Much as he tried, the Irishman couldn’t suppress a slight feeling of satisfaction at the American boy’s fear and shock.
“How the hell are we supposed to beat that many? With so few of us?”
Liam shrugged.
“We’ll find a way. There’s gotta be something, plus, we’ve got the paladin on our side.”
======================================================================== ============
Davis stood at the Digiport, and waited as the first soldiers came through, just four of them. He took on a calm face.
“Can I help you?”
“Yes, sir. Are you Daisuke Motomiya?”
“I am.”
“Sergeant Danny Mills, 22 SAS, sir. We’ve been assigned to help you.”
Davis was momentarily taken aback.
“To help us?”
“The British government has decided to help you. Unfortunately, the American senate is so tied up by certain opposition…” Davis grimaced. “That any of their soldiers that could be sent are on standby.”
Davis grinned slightly.
“Figures. How many of you are there?”
Mills was momentarily silent. Davis spoke again.
“Sergeant, if we’re gonna be fighting alongside each other, we’re gonna have to learn to communicate. How many soldiers are you bringing with you?”
“…Twenty men, sir.”
The young paladin smiled grimly. He’d figured as much.
“They’re much welcome, all the same. What weapons are they carrying?”
“All of us are carrying Rifles, with attached grenade launchers, sidearms, and rocket launchers. We also carry a full compliment of grenade types.”
“Okay. As soon as your men get through, head down to the town armoury, and get a sword and shield each.”
The sergeant fixed him with a look.
”Mr Motomiya…”
“Sergeant, there is a huge army of Shadowmon on the field outside these walls, and you only have so much ammunition. If you wanna survive, you’re gonna have to play by our rules.”
The SAS man glared at him for a moment. Then he smiled.
“Well, now we know where we stand, I’ll start bringing the men through.”
======================================================================== ============
Someone had obviously been throwing his or her diplomatic weight around. The twenty SAS soldiers were armed to the teeth, and within the hour, another soldier stepped through, to be greeted by Davis.
The German GSG-9 had arrived. German special forces, also armed to the teeth, another thirty men.
Davis grinned. It wasn’t much, but he was now in command of over two hundred men.
“You look happy.”
He turned, to find Kari standing there. She had that slight grin on her face. The one that you weren’t quite sure would finish up as a frown of a smile.
“I’m just starting to have a little hope.”
She laughed gently.
“Hope… it’s a funny thing.”
He took the two steps towards her, and hugged her close.
“Kari, what’s wrong?”
“I don’t know.”
She looked up at him.
“I can’t shake off the feeling that I’m losing you, Davis. I feel like… you’re dying in front of me, a piece at a time.”
He looked at her in shock. Then he nodded.
“This is about that dream, isn’t it?”
“It was more than a dream, Davis. It was a message.”
“From who?”
“From whoever it is that’s commanding the Shadowmon. I got this feeling off of them… like they were the exact opposite of what you are. All your courage, all your honesty. It was just a corruption of everything that you stand for.”
She broke from his grip, and sat down on the low stone wall behind her. he knelt down in front of her.
“Kari, I swear that you will never lose me. I made a promise, remember? Now, forever, and always.”
He placed his hand over hers.
“Kari… I’ve been meaning to ask you something…”
She looked up into his eyes, and saw that he was struggling for words. She gave him a puzzled look.
“What, Davis?”
“Kari… will you…”
“Davis!”
He looked up in annoyance. Jun was standing there. Before he could snap at her, he saw the look on her face.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s someone here to speak to you…”
“More soldiers?”
“No. They’re outside on the meadow.”
He felt Kari grip his arm hard.
“Davis… It’s them!”
He looked at her, and the thought rushed across his mind. Then he lowered his eyes and turned back to Jun.
“Let’s go.”
“I’m coming too.” Said Kari.
He saw the look of determination on her face, and decided that if he valued his life he’d better do as she said.
======================================================================== ============
Matt, who was taking his shift on the walls, looked down at the cloaked figure on the field. From within the recesses of the hood, whoever it was called up to him.
“Where is Motomiya? I want the Paladin, not his Lackeys.”
Matt felt his eyes narrow.
“Davis is on his way, until then, you can talk to me.”
“In that case: I demand the total surrender of coast town. If you all lay down your arms, and walk away, then none of you will be harmed.”
Sora called down from next to her boyfriend.
“As if we’d believe someone who allies themselves with the Shadowmon.”
Matt grinned at her.
“Thanks, honey.”
“You’re welcome.”
The cloaked figure didn’t move, but Yamato Ishida and Sora Takenouchi could feel the malignant gaze from inside that hood. The person on the meadow turned to the Shadowmon.
“Prepare to attack!”
“Hold it!”
There were excited whispers from the crowd as Davis stepped onto the battlements. In the car on the way to the walls, he had put on his body armour, and at his sides were the two holstered Berettas that he had carried against Paul the previous year. The cloaked figure turned, and bowed slightly.
“Paladin Motomiya. It is indeed an honour to meet you.”
Davis returned the gesture.
“It seems that you know a lot about me, but I know very little about you. Will you at least give us your name?”
“I will not.”
“Then we have nothing to say to each other. I will have no dealings with an enemy to cowardly to show their own face.”
Beside him, Veemon spoke quietly to Gatomon.
“Ah, he’s as diplomatic as usual, it would seem.”
The cat-Digimon laughed. Kari grinned at them both. Davis ignored them entirely. He seemed to be locked in a battle of wills against the person on the field. The figure nodded slightly.
“As you wish, Paladin.”
It reached up to its hood, and pushed it away, to reveal long, raven-black hair. Davis drew in a slight breath of surprise.
“My name is Taythe, Paladin.” The girl said. “And I have come for what is mine.”
“And what do you believe is yours, Taythe?”
The woman on the plain shrugged.
“The digital world. And the real one too.”
Davis laughed.
“Yeah, right. Why don’t you ask for our souls and lives whilst you’re at it?”
Taythe’s eyes narrowed.
“I’ll have those soon enough anyway.”
She gestured, and two Shadowmon stepped forward, to stand just behind her soldiers. The malformed creatures dwarfed her physically.
“I demand that you hand over coast town to me. If you do, then all of your people may go free, excepting yourself. You are too much of a threat to me. But only if you lay down your arms now, and leave the city and its supplies to me.”
Davis stood back slightly from the battlement, and looked along the wall, left and right at his soldiers and people.
“Well? If anyone wants to leave, speak their minds.”
There was no reply. Silence reigned along the wall. Then, abruptly, there was the communal sound of rifles being cocked. Davis smiled his thanks at his people, and turned back to Taythe.
“You have your answer.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she looked, to Davis, like a spoiled child when her parents say no.
“Then you will die. You will all die. I will take your souls…” she started to yell.
Daisuke Motomiya’s hands whipped up, and his twin Berettas spoke twice.
Taythe just stood there, and smirked.
“You missed, Paladin.”
Davis just grinned slightly.
“Not quite.”
Taythe turned, and the two Shadowmon that had been standing behind her slumped to the ground. She looked back at the town, an expression of surprise on her face. The Paladin fixed her with a level gaze.
“If you want this town, Taythe, you’re welcome to try and take it.”
He stepped down from the wall, and as he walked back down the stairs, the people standing on the battlements started to cheer their resistance.
But they were all looking out at the field. None of them saw the look of fatigue that swept across Davis’s face like a cloud. No-one except Kari.
“Davis… c’mon.”
“No… I’ve got stuff to do.”
“It can wait.”
“No, it can’t!”
She grabbed hold of his arm.
“For chrissakes, Davis, will you listen to me for one goddamn minute? What happens to the city if you’re too tired to fight? What then?”
He glared at her. Then he deflated.
“Fine, I’ll just head for my apartment.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“Kari, I don’t need…”
“To make sure you don’t do something dumb.”
======================================================================== ============
Davis, like most of the people who spent the majority of their time in the digital world, had procured himself and apartment in one of the buildings. It wasn’t much different from his one in the real world. It just was slightly less messy. Kari glanced around.
“Honestly Davis, do TRY and create this much mess?”
He glared at her, and slumped down on the comfy chair. She went over to the sofa, and after clearing a pile of reports and magazine off it, sat down herself. She looked across at him, but the young paladin seemed to be staring into the distance. His face seemed thin and drawn. She decided to go for the honest approach.
“You look like shit, Davis.”
“Thankyou, Kari, I needed that boost to my ego right about now.”
His eyes were closed. She moved over to his chair, and sat on the floor beside him, her head on his lap. He spoke again.
“I’m scared, Kari.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t know if I can do this. All I want to do is have a quiet life – friends, family, football…”
She grinned.
“But ever since I became the Paladin, everyone has expected so much more of me. And I don’t know if I can match their expectations.”
She looked up at him.
“Davis, I’ve known you for a long time. I think you can do anything you set your mind to.”
She gripped his hand.
“You’re the strongest person I know, Davis. You’re the most honourable, the kindest…”
she knelt up, so that her face was level with his, and his eyes opened to look into hers.
“And I love you. More than anything in this world, or any other. I don’t ever want to be anywhere but at your side, fighting, or whatever. Just being with you makes me feel like I can work miracles.”
He smiled, that gentle smile that she loved so much.
“I love you to, Kari. More than I can say.”
“…Then don’t say anything. Everything will be okay, I know it.”
As Night threw her shadowy veil across the digital world, two figures held each other close, each drawing strength from the others soul. Each trying to delay the next day, although it must surely arrive.
======================================================================== ============
Taythe sat amidst her Shadowmon warriors, awaiting the dawn of the next day.
“Mistress.”
She glanced up at the Shadowmon that towered over her. it spoke in it’s own hissing tongue, and she replied in kind
“Yes? What is it?”
“There is a human here from the town. He says he wishes to speak to you.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she looked back at the fire.
“Bring him to me.”
She didn’t look away from the flames as the Shadowmon hustled the figure towards her, and forced him onto his knees. She didn’t even look up as she spoke.
“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t kill you.”
“Because I can give you the town.”
“Of course. But why do you want to?”
The figure was silent, until a Shadowmon hit him roughly around the back of the head.
“Answer her!”
“Because I have no desire to see needless bloodshed, and that is all I can see for the future if we fight. I don’t want to see my friends die.”
Inwardly, Taythe was fighting the urge to laugh.
“And so you offer us what we can already achieve?”
“I offer you the way to achieve it with the minimum of violence.”
“And what do you want in return?”
“Your solemn promise that you will not allow any of the Digidestined to be harmed. The soldiers will fight you, and they are your meat, but I want the Digidestined to be spared.”
“And the Paladin?”
“You’ve already made clear your intentions in that area.”
“So, the Digidestined for the city? Is that your offer?”
“It is, my Lady.”
“… I see no problems in this. What is your plan?”
“There are underground tunnels, of which I’m sure you already know, that lead into Coast Town.”
“Yes, but as I already know, they are sealed from the outside.”
“But I know the codes to unlock them. If your Shadowmon can distract the soldiers and the Paladin long enough, I will let you into the city from the tunnels.”
“Then we are agreed. May I know your name?”
The figure stood, and looked down at her.
“Michael. My name is Michael.”
********
Davis ran hard up the stairs to the walls, and looked out onto the plain. Below him, the field was covered in the crawling forms of the Shadowmon, howling up at the gates walls that kept them from the inhabitants of coast town.
“Oh my god…”
“If you’re praying, throw in a couple from me.”
The young paladin looked over his shoulder at Tai. Kari’s brother was staring down at the meadow.
“How can there be this many? Why haven’t we seen this many before?”
“The tunnels. They must have been in the tunnels.”
And indeed, as he looked out over the field, Davis could see gaping entrances in the hillside, through which more of the foul creatures were pushing. He looked down at the front ranks of the Shadowmon again. And noticed that they were holding something.
“EVERYONE DOWN!!!”
The people on the walls dropped, as the volley of arrows clattered against the masonry. The troopers popped back up, firing as they went. Shadowmon dropped, but always there were more to fill their places. Liam yelled at his men.
“Stop shooting! We don’t have the ammo!”
Reluctantly, the men ceased fire. Davis turned to Liam.
“Get someone on the mounted guns! The Shadowmon come with a hundred feet, open fire.”
Liam nodded, and set about organizing the town’s defences. Davis went back down the stairs, to find Cody waiting for him, a flustered look on his face. The 17-year old had been running.
“What’s wrong?”
“We’ve got people requesting to come through the Digiport. Soldiers.”
Davis glanced back at the walls. This was where he should be. then he sighed, and rubbed his eyes.
“Okay, take me to them.”
======================================================================== ============
Liam glanced over the wall again, looking down at the Shadowmon in the field. He shook his head.
“Liam?”
He glanced round at Mimi. For a moment, he was surprised to see her there. But then he shrugged.
“I hate being pinned down.”
“It’s the only way though, right? If we stay in here, the Shadowmon can’t get at us.”
The big Irishman was silent.
“…Can they?”
Liam stared down at the field, and didn’t look up at her as he spoke.
“Mimi, in my experience, if an army that size wants to get into a city, it’s only a matter of time before they do.”
He sighed.
“Those Shadowmon have an almost infinite supply of reinforcements. We’ve got approximately one hundred and fifty people to defend this town. The only edge we’ve got is technology and imagination.”
“Imagination?”
“You heard me. The Shadowmon don’t have the imagination to come up with the structured battle plans we come up with. That’s why they attack in swarms, trying to overwhelm us.”
“So what’s the problem?”
“Structured battle plans are no bloody use when you’re skulking behind walls.”
Palmon skipped gently up onto the wall, and sat there.
“You might not want to be there, Palmon.”
“What? They aren’t even… WHOA!!!”
The little plant Digimon toppled back off the wall, landing on the floor beneath as a volley of arrows flew over the trooper’s heads to rattle against the buildings behind them. Liam tried to continue, but he was overcome with a fit of laughter. Mimi glared at him.
“I’m sorry. It wasn’t that funny.”
“Can anyone join this party, or is it invitation only?”
Mimi’s face lit up, and Liam suppressed a frown. Michael was making his way up the steps to the battlements. The blonde-headed young man put his arm around Mimi’s waist.
“Hey.”
“Hey.”
Palmon muttered under her breath.
“Oh, get a room.”
Liam, being the only one close enough to hear, grinned. Mimi caught the look, and the big Irishman coughed self-consciously.
“So, what brings you here, Michael?”
The blonde man shrugged.
“I came to see what everyone’s been talking about in the town.”
Liam stood back from the battlement.
“Well, there they are. Take a good look.”
Michael stepped up to the wall, and looked down at the undulating black shapes on the field. Liam watched the younger mans face drop, his jaw falling as he looked out on the army beneath them.
“Jesus…”
Much as he tried, the Irishman couldn’t suppress a slight feeling of satisfaction at the American boy’s fear and shock.
“How the hell are we supposed to beat that many? With so few of us?”
Liam shrugged.
“We’ll find a way. There’s gotta be something, plus, we’ve got the paladin on our side.”
======================================================================== ============
Davis stood at the Digiport, and waited as the first soldiers came through, just four of them. He took on a calm face.
“Can I help you?”
“Yes, sir. Are you Daisuke Motomiya?”
“I am.”
“Sergeant Danny Mills, 22 SAS, sir. We’ve been assigned to help you.”
Davis was momentarily taken aback.
“To help us?”
“The British government has decided to help you. Unfortunately, the American senate is so tied up by certain opposition…” Davis grimaced. “That any of their soldiers that could be sent are on standby.”
Davis grinned slightly.
“Figures. How many of you are there?”
Mills was momentarily silent. Davis spoke again.
“Sergeant, if we’re gonna be fighting alongside each other, we’re gonna have to learn to communicate. How many soldiers are you bringing with you?”
“…Twenty men, sir.”
The young paladin smiled grimly. He’d figured as much.
“They’re much welcome, all the same. What weapons are they carrying?”
“All of us are carrying Rifles, with attached grenade launchers, sidearms, and rocket launchers. We also carry a full compliment of grenade types.”
“Okay. As soon as your men get through, head down to the town armoury, and get a sword and shield each.”
The sergeant fixed him with a look.
”Mr Motomiya…”
“Sergeant, there is a huge army of Shadowmon on the field outside these walls, and you only have so much ammunition. If you wanna survive, you’re gonna have to play by our rules.”
The SAS man glared at him for a moment. Then he smiled.
“Well, now we know where we stand, I’ll start bringing the men through.”
======================================================================== ============
Someone had obviously been throwing his or her diplomatic weight around. The twenty SAS soldiers were armed to the teeth, and within the hour, another soldier stepped through, to be greeted by Davis.
The German GSG-9 had arrived. German special forces, also armed to the teeth, another thirty men.
Davis grinned. It wasn’t much, but he was now in command of over two hundred men.
“You look happy.”
He turned, to find Kari standing there. She had that slight grin on her face. The one that you weren’t quite sure would finish up as a frown of a smile.
“I’m just starting to have a little hope.”
She laughed gently.
“Hope… it’s a funny thing.”
He took the two steps towards her, and hugged her close.
“Kari, what’s wrong?”
“I don’t know.”
She looked up at him.
“I can’t shake off the feeling that I’m losing you, Davis. I feel like… you’re dying in front of me, a piece at a time.”
He looked at her in shock. Then he nodded.
“This is about that dream, isn’t it?”
“It was more than a dream, Davis. It was a message.”
“From who?”
“From whoever it is that’s commanding the Shadowmon. I got this feeling off of them… like they were the exact opposite of what you are. All your courage, all your honesty. It was just a corruption of everything that you stand for.”
She broke from his grip, and sat down on the low stone wall behind her. he knelt down in front of her.
“Kari, I swear that you will never lose me. I made a promise, remember? Now, forever, and always.”
He placed his hand over hers.
“Kari… I’ve been meaning to ask you something…”
She looked up into his eyes, and saw that he was struggling for words. She gave him a puzzled look.
“What, Davis?”
“Kari… will you…”
“Davis!”
He looked up in annoyance. Jun was standing there. Before he could snap at her, he saw the look on her face.
“What’s wrong?”
“There’s someone here to speak to you…”
“More soldiers?”
“No. They’re outside on the meadow.”
He felt Kari grip his arm hard.
“Davis… It’s them!”
He looked at her, and the thought rushed across his mind. Then he lowered his eyes and turned back to Jun.
“Let’s go.”
“I’m coming too.” Said Kari.
He saw the look of determination on her face, and decided that if he valued his life he’d better do as she said.
======================================================================== ============
Matt, who was taking his shift on the walls, looked down at the cloaked figure on the field. From within the recesses of the hood, whoever it was called up to him.
“Where is Motomiya? I want the Paladin, not his Lackeys.”
Matt felt his eyes narrow.
“Davis is on his way, until then, you can talk to me.”
“In that case: I demand the total surrender of coast town. If you all lay down your arms, and walk away, then none of you will be harmed.”
Sora called down from next to her boyfriend.
“As if we’d believe someone who allies themselves with the Shadowmon.”
Matt grinned at her.
“Thanks, honey.”
“You’re welcome.”
The cloaked figure didn’t move, but Yamato Ishida and Sora Takenouchi could feel the malignant gaze from inside that hood. The person on the meadow turned to the Shadowmon.
“Prepare to attack!”
“Hold it!”
There were excited whispers from the crowd as Davis stepped onto the battlements. In the car on the way to the walls, he had put on his body armour, and at his sides were the two holstered Berettas that he had carried against Paul the previous year. The cloaked figure turned, and bowed slightly.
“Paladin Motomiya. It is indeed an honour to meet you.”
Davis returned the gesture.
“It seems that you know a lot about me, but I know very little about you. Will you at least give us your name?”
“I will not.”
“Then we have nothing to say to each other. I will have no dealings with an enemy to cowardly to show their own face.”
Beside him, Veemon spoke quietly to Gatomon.
“Ah, he’s as diplomatic as usual, it would seem.”
The cat-Digimon laughed. Kari grinned at them both. Davis ignored them entirely. He seemed to be locked in a battle of wills against the person on the field. The figure nodded slightly.
“As you wish, Paladin.”
It reached up to its hood, and pushed it away, to reveal long, raven-black hair. Davis drew in a slight breath of surprise.
“My name is Taythe, Paladin.” The girl said. “And I have come for what is mine.”
“And what do you believe is yours, Taythe?”
The woman on the plain shrugged.
“The digital world. And the real one too.”
Davis laughed.
“Yeah, right. Why don’t you ask for our souls and lives whilst you’re at it?”
Taythe’s eyes narrowed.
“I’ll have those soon enough anyway.”
She gestured, and two Shadowmon stepped forward, to stand just behind her soldiers. The malformed creatures dwarfed her physically.
“I demand that you hand over coast town to me. If you do, then all of your people may go free, excepting yourself. You are too much of a threat to me. But only if you lay down your arms now, and leave the city and its supplies to me.”
Davis stood back slightly from the battlement, and looked along the wall, left and right at his soldiers and people.
“Well? If anyone wants to leave, speak their minds.”
There was no reply. Silence reigned along the wall. Then, abruptly, there was the communal sound of rifles being cocked. Davis smiled his thanks at his people, and turned back to Taythe.
“You have your answer.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she looked, to Davis, like a spoiled child when her parents say no.
“Then you will die. You will all die. I will take your souls…” she started to yell.
Daisuke Motomiya’s hands whipped up, and his twin Berettas spoke twice.
Taythe just stood there, and smirked.
“You missed, Paladin.”
Davis just grinned slightly.
“Not quite.”
Taythe turned, and the two Shadowmon that had been standing behind her slumped to the ground. She looked back at the town, an expression of surprise on her face. The Paladin fixed her with a level gaze.
“If you want this town, Taythe, you’re welcome to try and take it.”
He stepped down from the wall, and as he walked back down the stairs, the people standing on the battlements started to cheer their resistance.
But they were all looking out at the field. None of them saw the look of fatigue that swept across Davis’s face like a cloud. No-one except Kari.
“Davis… c’mon.”
“No… I’ve got stuff to do.”
“It can wait.”
“No, it can’t!”
She grabbed hold of his arm.
“For chrissakes, Davis, will you listen to me for one goddamn minute? What happens to the city if you’re too tired to fight? What then?”
He glared at her. Then he deflated.
“Fine, I’ll just head for my apartment.”
“I’ll come with you.”
“Kari, I don’t need…”
“To make sure you don’t do something dumb.”
======================================================================== ============
Davis, like most of the people who spent the majority of their time in the digital world, had procured himself and apartment in one of the buildings. It wasn’t much different from his one in the real world. It just was slightly less messy. Kari glanced around.
“Honestly Davis, do TRY and create this much mess?”
He glared at her, and slumped down on the comfy chair. She went over to the sofa, and after clearing a pile of reports and magazine off it, sat down herself. She looked across at him, but the young paladin seemed to be staring into the distance. His face seemed thin and drawn. She decided to go for the honest approach.
“You look like shit, Davis.”
“Thankyou, Kari, I needed that boost to my ego right about now.”
His eyes were closed. She moved over to his chair, and sat on the floor beside him, her head on his lap. He spoke again.
“I’m scared, Kari.”
“Why?”
“Because I don’t know if I can do this. All I want to do is have a quiet life – friends, family, football…”
She grinned.
“But ever since I became the Paladin, everyone has expected so much more of me. And I don’t know if I can match their expectations.”
She looked up at him.
“Davis, I’ve known you for a long time. I think you can do anything you set your mind to.”
She gripped his hand.
“You’re the strongest person I know, Davis. You’re the most honourable, the kindest…”
she knelt up, so that her face was level with his, and his eyes opened to look into hers.
“And I love you. More than anything in this world, or any other. I don’t ever want to be anywhere but at your side, fighting, or whatever. Just being with you makes me feel like I can work miracles.”
He smiled, that gentle smile that she loved so much.
“I love you to, Kari. More than I can say.”
“…Then don’t say anything. Everything will be okay, I know it.”
As Night threw her shadowy veil across the digital world, two figures held each other close, each drawing strength from the others soul. Each trying to delay the next day, although it must surely arrive.
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Taythe sat amidst her Shadowmon warriors, awaiting the dawn of the next day.
“Mistress.”
She glanced up at the Shadowmon that towered over her. it spoke in it’s own hissing tongue, and she replied in kind
“Yes? What is it?”
“There is a human here from the town. He says he wishes to speak to you.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she looked back at the fire.
“Bring him to me.”
She didn’t look away from the flames as the Shadowmon hustled the figure towards her, and forced him onto his knees. She didn’t even look up as she spoke.
“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t kill you.”
“Because I can give you the town.”
“Of course. But why do you want to?”
The figure was silent, until a Shadowmon hit him roughly around the back of the head.
“Answer her!”
“Because I have no desire to see needless bloodshed, and that is all I can see for the future if we fight. I don’t want to see my friends die.”
Inwardly, Taythe was fighting the urge to laugh.
“And so you offer us what we can already achieve?”
“I offer you the way to achieve it with the minimum of violence.”
“And what do you want in return?”
“Your solemn promise that you will not allow any of the Digidestined to be harmed. The soldiers will fight you, and they are your meat, but I want the Digidestined to be spared.”
“And the Paladin?”
“You’ve already made clear your intentions in that area.”
“So, the Digidestined for the city? Is that your offer?”
“It is, my Lady.”
“… I see no problems in this. What is your plan?”
“There are underground tunnels, of which I’m sure you already know, that lead into Coast Town.”
“Yes, but as I already know, they are sealed from the outside.”
“But I know the codes to unlock them. If your Shadowmon can distract the soldiers and the Paladin long enough, I will let you into the city from the tunnels.”
“Then we are agreed. May I know your name?”
The figure stood, and looked down at her.
“Michael. My name is Michael.”