"You have got to be kidding me."

Vritramon had only been flying for a few moments since the trio of Warriors left behind Duskmon's abode. Cybelemon was sprinting along on the ground, and they were trying to get as far away as possible before Duskmon inevitably came after them. Their energy was limited, and there wasn't much time left before they would be forced back into their regular forms. They had to make this time count. 

Naturally, the best idea would be to stay focused on the goal at hand, but then the worst possible thing decided to happen. Koji's D-Tector let out a series of beeps, and when he pulled it from his pocket, Koji found that his Beast Spirit, which had been elusive up until then, was nearby. All Vritramon could do was stare. He wanted to scream, curse, and maybe even laugh at how damn perfectly terrible this was, and yet, he couldn't do anything aside from glare down at the D-Tector. 

"Please say that you're fucking with me," Cybelemon groaned from the ground, looking up at Vritramon and Koji over their shoulder. When they saw the bewildered expression on Vritramon's face, they realized that this was no joke, and an aggravated sigh pierced the air. "Oh, shit."

"Looks like we're going to be a bit longer than expected," Vritramon sighed. "I wish we had a way to talk to the others about how this isn't going the way that we were hoping, but I guess that's too damn much to ask for. Let's just go and get the stupid Beast Spirit so that it can't bite us in the ass later."

Koji hadn't said anything since the rescue, and his eyes had been closed up until he pulled his D-Tector out. He had been staring at it ever since, but there was something oddly sobering about seeing him this way. Without the bandanna, he looked far less put together, and stray hairs were flying everywhere around his face. His eyes were dark and haunted, and he looked like a shell of his former self. 

Vritramon dared to look down at Koji out of the corner of his eye, but he could only bring himself to stare for a moment before turning his focus back to the path at hand. He wanted to talk to Koji, to apologize for how stupid he had been before, but he couldn't make the words form. Koji didn't seem to be in the proper condition to speak even if Vritramon knew how to say sorry given the heavy situation, so he tried to ignore the mounting guilt at his core. Vritramon concentrated on the beat of his wings and the dusty ground ahead, waiting for something to come into view on the horizon to signify that they were getting closer to the Beast Spirit. 

Cybelemon didn't seem to notice how bothered Vritramon was, so they simply kept moving. They let out a gasp a few moments later, and Vritramon realized just how distracted he had been. He hadn't even noticed it when a light appeared on the horizon. It looked like the sun creeping its way over the skyline at dawn. Vritramon hadn't been so relieved to see light ever in his life, and he found himself moving faster towards it. He wanted to get the Beast Spirit so that he could finally collapse and let his exhaustion put him to sleep. He wasn't sure of how much longer he'd be able to push himself. 

The sudden cry of a bird overhead made Vritramon flinch, and he forced himself to the ground about ten yards away from the light's origin point. Cybelemon stopped moving as well, and they both searched the skies silently as Vritramon eased Koji to the ground. A bird could be seen circling the overhead air, and it let out a fierce cry before diving down. 

And so, for the second time that day, Vritramon snarled a familiar phrase. "You have got to be kidding me."

~~~~~

Mayumi wasn't sure of how long they had been walking, but she knew for sure that she was tired of it. Obtaining Sheyumon's Spirit had absolutely exhausted her, and she wanted to curl up in a corner and sleep for a week straight at the least. Haroi and Yumiko didn't look much better, and Yumiko's eyes were glued to her D-Tector. Bokomon and Neemon waddled along behind them, both tired as could be even without getting involved in combat. To put it simply, it had been a long day, and all of them desperately needed a break. 

"Izumi, Tomoki, and Junpei are getting closer," Yumiko announced. "They're moving towards us, so I think it's safe to say that we're about to reunite with them. After that, it's just a matter of finding Takuya, Chihiro, and Koji. Then..." 

Yumiko didn't finish the sentence, but she didn't have to. Everyone already knew that their final destination, Rose Morning Star, was getting closer. Cherubimon was getting closer. There were still other Legendary Warriors to deal with, and there was no guarantee that they would succeed, but damn it, they still had to try. 

Yumiko let out a small gasp, and her face broke out into a smile. "They've got another signal with them! I think they succeeded in purifying Aquariamon!" she exclaimed. 

That was more than enough to earn Mayumi's attention, and she fidgeted with her D-Tector before looking at the radar. Sure enough, a cluster of four signals was moving closer, and she grinned in response. Even if she felt like complete shit, at least the rest of the group was doing a good job of accomplishing their given tasks. 

"So... We've just got Lyramon and Duskmon left," Haroi concluded, looking down to the ground. Bokomon and Neemon came up on either side of him, and both of their faces were laced with concern. Yumiko's face had fallen as well, and Mayumi didn't need to ask to know exactly what they were thinking. 

Lyramon and Duskmon were going to be their toughest adversaries yet. The group as a whole had clashed with them on countless occasions, and yet, they hadn't gotten in more than a single hit on Lyramon. They were only able to win because they deliberately held back. They made themselves an easier target for the sake of their own amusement. If they were truly trying, they could have destroyed everyone in the group. 

Then there was Duskmon. He hadn't ever been damaged during battle, and he didn't have the same sense of restraint that had been present in the rest of the Fallen Warriors. In the case of Yumiko, it had been this restraint that allowed for her to be purified in the first place. Duskmon was an emotionless husk of a person, and his humanity had been cast away in favor of power and might that could never be matched. Fighting him was going to be a nightmare. 

Furthermore, neither one of them had ever used their Beast Spirits before. If their Human Spirits were this strong, how powerful would they be when they utilized their Beast forms? All it took was a single action for them both to commit murder without hesitation. Mayumi wondered if it could get worse than that, and then she kicked herself upon realizing that she didn't even want an answer. 

As Mayumi contemplated this, she came to a single conclusion. She was going to need to learn how to control Sheyumon if they wanted to even have a chance against Lyramon and Duskmon. All of the Beast Spirits would be necessary for something like that. Sheyumon had already shown herself to be a pain to control, but Mayumi was going to have to come out on top. Everyone was counting on them, and she couldn't let them down. 

"I think it's time for us to talk," she declared. The words came out with far more ease than she could have ever expected. Mayumi had to admit that this was a new experience for her, as she had only ever opened up emotionally to Haroi. Then again, Yumiko had taken everything from Haroi's side of their shared story with a pleasant smile and caring grace, so it wasn't as if Mayumi had any reasons to doubt her. Yumiko seemed to be kind as could be, and Mayumi was almost happy to be opening up to someone as sweet as her. She loved the rest of the group, but there was just something so genuinely sincere about Yumiko that caught her admiration, and she was alright with explaining the past to her. 

"It's about Sheyumon, isn't it?" Neemon questioned, looking up at Mayumi from his place beside Haroi. She looked down at him for a moment before nodding. Her finger started tapping against the screen of her D-Tector again, and she took an odd amount of comfort in the sound. It gave her something to do, and she was overwhelmingly relieved for that. The buzzing sensation from Sheyumon's awakening had returned, and the exhaustion was gone. She couldn't tell which one she was supposed to prefer, and then she wondered if there even was an answer. 

Mayumi nodded. "Yeah," she answered shortly. "If we want to defeat the Fallen Warriors and Cherubimon, I need to know what I'm doing. I have to be able to control my Beast Spirit, and I think that this is the first step on that journey... So, who's up for story time?"

Much to Mayumi's surprise, the rest of the group responded with brief chuckles at her words. Mayumi smiled as well despite her anxiety, and she watched as they nodded to her. Well, it seemed that it was too late for her to back down. She wasn't used to the idea of opening up to others, but there wasn't exactly anything else for her to do given the circumstances, so the time had come for her to finally talk about the past and mean every word she said. 

Nobody offered a verbal response to Mayumi's question, but she didn't even think that she needed it. She took in a deep breath before starting to talk. "Haroi and I are related only through marriage. My father married his mother, and we've been siblings ever since then. I don't know what I'd do without him... I guess it was our similarities that drew us together in the end."

It was a strange thing to say given how clearly different they were. Mayumi was bouncy and energetic while Haroi was relaxed and organized. They were opposites in every sense of the word, and yet, they got along perfectly. It was the definition of opposites attracting, and Mayumi wouldn't have had it any other way. 

"My family was together when I was born. It was just me, my father, and my mother... My mother didn't exactly like how I turned out, to say the least, but... It's not like it was my fault," Mayumi sighed. "I know realistically that it wasn't my fault. I was only five years old when she left, and it's not like I could have kept her around even if I wanted to, but I still feel awful for it. My father really cared about her, and then her nasty flaws came shining through as soon as I was born."

Mayumi shook her head to dismiss the self-deprecating thoughts that threatened to poison her mind. "What I'm trying to say here is that she left. Well, my parents got a divorce, and I haven't seen her since. She didn't like me much because I was a bit too much for her. That's the simple way of putting it, I suppose... When I was younger, I had a lot of energy. It seemed like I couldn't ever focus, and there were lots of mood swings. My mom hated that, and she wanted me to be normal. She got really frustrated, and it didn't wind up ending well for us, to say the least."

Mayumi realized that she was still tapping at the D-Tector's screen and she let out a gasp before forcing herself to put the device away. She began to fiddle with the edge of her ponytail simply to give her hands something to do. "She got mad when I was younger, and she hit me. As soon as my father found out, he filed for divorce, and he got full custody of me since my mom wanted nothing to do with us anymore. She blamed me for ruining her relationship even as the papers were being signed. Like I said, I haven't seen her since then, and I honestly think that's for the best. I would hate to see her again after how terribly she treated me and my dad."

"That's awful," Yumiko whispered with wide, shocked eyes. "How could she just abandon you like that? You didn't turn out the way that she was hoping, and then she left... I don't understand how anyone would be able to do that to their own child."

Mayumi shrugged. "Honestly, life's better with her gone. If she never left, I wouldn't have wound up with Haroi. I mean, we still would have been friends, but living with him is really helpful. We're complete opposites, but I really do need somebody like him in my life... After our families were blended together, I wound up getting a diagnosis on everything that's been going on. I'm not exactly wired like a 'normal' person, to say the least, and... I guess that's why my mom got mad."

"Still, she was too young to do anything about it," Haroi pointed out. "She was a child when her mother left... The same applied to me with my father. Our parents met through us. We were classmates in fourth grade, and from there, everything just sort of happened. Our parents became closer, and then they got married. We've been together ever since."

"I'm chaos incarnate. If something isn't in my line of sight, it seems like I completely forget it. If I'm not moving somehow, I feel really weird. I always have to be doing something with my hands if I even want to have a chance of focusing. Then there are the mood swings... The world's a big, terrifying place, but Haroi... He makes it all a little easier to deal with," Mayumi admitted. 

"Meanwhile, I'm so shy and afraid of being hurt that I barely do anything. Mayumi dragged me out of my shell when we were kids, and we've been together ever since. I can calm her down when she gets to be particularly rowdy, and she helps me when I'm having a bad day with my general physical weakness. I don't know what we'd do without each other, to be honest," Haroi continued. 

"When Sheyumon took over, I saw a lot of my mother. I wish I could forget her face, honestly... If it wasn't her, it was other people. My teachers thought of me as hopeless for not being like other kids, and I got used to them talking poorly about me. Some have even asked how I can be so close to Haroi and yet be a terrible student when he's great at schoolwork," Mayumi snorted. "I say they can all suck on a lemon, but... It still didn't keep them from coming to mind when Sheyumon reared her head during that fight earlier."

"You deserve better than that," Yumiko said conclusively. "I mean it. You've struggled a lot in the past, but you shouldn't have had to endure so much. I'm hoping that things will get better for you in the future. No matter what, we're going to be here for you, and our support will never fade."

Mayumi smiled over to Yumiko, surprised at how relieved she was to hear that. "Thanks, Yumiko," she murmured. She was used to hearing reassurances from her family, but it was something completely different to hear from someone who was merely a friend. Mayumi knew how reputation could impact a person, and she was fully aware of how cruel kids her age could be, but Yumiko was breathing through all of those previous barriers effortlessly. In a way, it was incredible, and Mayumi had to admit that she admired it. 

Bokomon looked as if he was about to offer a response, but he was cut off when there was a rushing sound from overhead. Mayumi let out a yelp of surprise and instinctively threw her hands down to ensure that her sweater remained wrapped around her body. Yumiko's hands flew to her head, and Haroi watched in surprise at the silhouette of black that had darkened the sky. 

It took a moment for Mayumi to convince herself to look, and when she did, she found nothing out of the ordinary. Mayumi looked over to Haroi and Yumiko, praying that they had managed to catch sight of the strange shadow that she had just seen. Both of them looked just as clueless and fearful as she was though, and Mayumi felt her heart plummet into her feet out of nerves. That was far from being a good sign. 

Another noise snapped Mayumi out of her trance, and she looked up to see a winged figure slowly lowering to the ground. The creature was absolutely massive, and all she could do was stare in sheer terror. She had no idea who or what it was meant to be, but she had the sneaking suspicion that the coming battle wasn't going to be an easy one. The creature practically radiated hostility, and Mayumi reached for her D-Tector once again. Her finger tapped wildly against the screen as she waited for the cue to slam down on the activation button. 

The beast came into full view, and Mayumi took a step back. The creature in question was a large dragon with silver scales that glittered despite the low light of the space. Purple crystals formed a shield around its chest, and matching crystals were wrapped around the top of its wings where they fanned out. The edge of its tail contained more purple crystals. White armor spread across the sides of the dragon, and red patterns wove intricately atop the metal. A plate of red covered its head, and a blue gemstone was poised at the heart of the armor. Matching plates were on the dragon's feet, and its claws were dangerously sharp and blue in color. The beast's eyes were the same bright color as amethysts, but they seemed reflective and somehow falsified. 

Bokomon was furiously flicking through the pages of his book, trying to find an answer for the sudden appearance of the dragon. Mayumi's tapping grew faster, and she wanted nothing more than to become either Kirismon or Sheyumon and run the hell away as quickly as possible. They were all exhausted, and the dragon was huge. 

"Onyxmon," Bokomon suddenly said, prompting everyone to turn his way. He was staring at a page about halfway through his book, and his eyes were wide and terrified. "It appears that this is far from being our first time encountering this creature though..."

Before Mayumi, or anyone else, for that matter, had the chance to respond, Onyxmon let out a low chuckle. "Surprise," they remarked. The silver and purple horns sticking out from behind their head were incredibly prominent all of a sudden, and Mayumi found herself swallowing nervously. Every part of Onyxmon was incredibly sharp and horrifying. 

"Lyramon," Yumiko breathed, her eyes as large as saucers. "Onyxmon is the Beast Spirit of Steel."

Mayumi let out a surprised yelp, and she glanced down to Bokomon for confirmation. He nodded in response, and he looked just as fearful as the rest of them. "They're controlling the Beast Spirit effortlessly," Bokomon remarked. "Look at them. They aren't falling apart at all."

"I know how to take care of these matters," Onyxmon answered, laughing to themselves once again. "You shouldn't have come here to the Digital World, but it matters little. I've been merciful and allowed you to survive up to this point, but all of that ends here. You had best take on your Digimon forms as soon as possible. If not, this battle will be over before it even starts."

"We have to try and fight back," Haroi pointed out, but he didn't even need to say that. Everyone already knew that this was the case, and there was no proper answer to the dilemma at hand. They were too tired from the battle against Lynxmon and the two SkullSatamon when Sheyumon's Spirit was recovered. There was no way that they would be able to mount a sufficient defense against Onyxmon given their current state. 

"Yeah," Mayumi agreed under her breath. She was going to have to try and hold on. Their lives depended on it. She was the first one to act in the seconds that followed, and she pressed down firmly on the activation button of her D-Tector. Two rings of data appeared around her fingers, and she scanned them an instant later. 

When the light faded, Sheyumon had replaced Mayumi, and she was pleased to learn that she was able to control Sheyumon easily this time around. She hadn't expected talking about her past to do so much, and yet, there she was. She glanced over to Yumiko and Haroi, seeing that they were in the process of Spirit Evolving as well. A few moments later, Calanthemon and Cygnusmon appeared, and both of the Beast Spirits took to the skies as soon as they were able. Bokomon and Neemon took this as their cue to retreat, but they were sure to stay close enough to still see what was taking place on the battlefield. 

Onyxmon's eyes were just as empty and hollow as ever, and their expression refused to show even a scrap of weakness, though this should have been expected by then. They watched the three Beast Spirits with something that resembled disappointment and indifference, but they didn't say anything. Instead, they simply took in a large breath, and when they exhaled, purple energy crackled free from their teeth. Sheyumon jumped to the side as Cygnusmon and Calanthemon swept through the skies to avoid the hit. Onyxmon's expression shifted into determined confidence, and Sheyumon knew without a shadow of a doubt that the battle had started. There was no backing down then. It was life or death, and all they could do was hold on tightly to bitter hope until the outcome arrived. 

~~~~~

Cybelemon stared up at the large bird figure that was circling overhead, trying desperately to rationalize who or what it could possibly be. Deep down, they already knew just what they were being faced with, but they didn't want to believe it. 

The bird took another low dive to the ground, and Cybelemon pressed their body into the dust to ensure that they didn't get hit. Vritramon instinctively went to shield Koji, and the air was left thick with dirt as the creature landed nearby. Something about it felt wild and unchained, and all Cybelemon could do was stare. 

The bird was large, and most of its body was a black color. Feathers stuck out from lengthy wings, and the chest section on the creature was covered in mahogany armor. Yellow hair stuck out in a messy tuft on top of its head beneath a helmet of the same mahogany armor as what was on its chest. A matching tail thrashed wildly behind it, and its legs had the same pattern as the rest of its body. The bird's eyes were yellow and incredibly striking, seeming to glare right through every defense that anyone could have tried to create. 

Cybelemon growled as the creature let out yet another shriek, trying desperately to shield themselves from the scream. The noise rattled them to the core, and they were shaking when they got to their feet a moment later. They glanced over to Vritramon and Koji out of the corner of their eye, just to make sure that they were both alright. Then again, 'alright' was used in the loosest possible sense, as Vritramon's eyes were tired yet filled with adrenaline. Koji was still just as exhausted as before, and his ponytail was on the verge of falling out. The bird's wings created a strong enough tempest to knock all of them around effortlessly, leaving them disheveled and unprepared for what was to come. 

"Velgemon," Koji suddenly said, and Cybelemon looked over to him with wide, fearful eyes. Koji was holding onto the upper part of his right arm with his left hand, almost as if he thought he would fall apart if he let go. "That's Velgemon... He's the Beast Spirit of Darkness."

Cybelemon was about to ask how Koji could know something like that, but they shoved aside the question upon realizing that it was the least of their concerns. Besides, the elements of Light and Darkness were tightly connected, so how could they even be surprised? The two clearly shared some kind of connection. Why else would Duskmon have abducted Koji in the first place? Them somehow knowing each other was the only explanation that made sense. 

"You can't be serious," Vritramon muttered, but he knew that Koji's tone offered no room for argument. They were fighting against the Beast Spirit of Darkness, and there was no way for them to disagree or run away. Velgemon was going to catch them no matter what. 

Cybelemon glanced around frantically to try and find something that would keep them safe before the next attack came, but their gaze found nothing. Well, they found nothing aside from the strong light being given off by the Beast Spirit of Light. A gasp left their lips. That was the only option. If they were going to defeat Velgemon, they were going to need something that could beat away his powerful darkness. 

"Go get it," Cybelemon instructed. Koji stared up at them in shock at first, but Cybelemon didn't give him a chance to object. "You heard me. Go and get the damn Beast Spirit already. We're running out of time, and there's no saying when he's going to attack again."

To many, Cybelemon's voice would have sounded cold and uncaring, but anyone who knew them well enough would realize that this was their own way of showing affection. Even when in regular form, Cybelemon was far from being an affectionate person. They didn't even like being touched under most circumstances, and vague statements of defense were as emotionally open as they got a majority of the time unless they knew the other party involved incredibly well. This was the most open display of kindness that Cybelemon had ever shown to Koji, a deliberate show of weakness and care that they regularly reserved for only a select few. Koji was sharp enough to pick up on this, and Cybelemon was sure of it, so they felt safe enough to look away from him to concentrate solely on Velgemon. 

Koji didn't wait for Cybelemon to say anything else. He nodded slowly before taking a step back, and then he was running as far away from the area as possible. He wasn't exactly fast given how exhausted and wounded he was, but it was something, and Cybelemon was more than willing to accept that as a positive given how devastating the situation had the potential to become. 

Unfortunately, Cybelemon and Vritramon were not the only ones aware of Koji's departure, and Velgemon let out yet another unholy screech in response. He took to the skies as soon as he was able to get his body under control, and he attempted to dive towards the ground where Koji was running. Cybelemon snarled in response, and they were immediately running after him to cover for Koji's attempt at escape. 

Luckily, Vritramon took care of it first, and he flew in front of Velgemon before taking firm hold of the other Warrior's beak. He sent the bird flying through the air with as much force as he could manage, though the attack truly wasn't that strong in the grand scheme of things. However, it was enough to act as a distraction to Velgemon, and that was all they could ask for. 

Velgemon's lack of control certainly didn't seem to help in the slightest, and it took him far longer than expected to recover after he was sent sprawling backwards. He managed to correct his wings a moment before he hit the ground, and he sharply turned towards the sky. His gaze was settled only on Koji, but there was still something unfocused and mad about him. His eyes were glowing ominously, as if he could see nothing aside from the bold red of crimson blood that he was intent on shedding. 

Cybelemon stomped one foot against the ground, and a column of earth rose from the dust to slam into Velgemon's right wing. The Warrior of Darkness was once again left disoriented and frustrated, and he exhaled another wicked screech before flapping his wings madly. Feathers were sent flying in every direction, and they were all as sharp as daggers while maintaining the speed of arrows. 

Cybelemon gasped in surprise before creating yet another earthly column. It was enough to cover them from the falling feathers, and they sent another one spiraling through the ground so that it would appear to shield Koji from Velgemon's wrath. Cybelemon was prepared to do the same for Vritramon, but the Warrior of Fire pulled his wings in tight around his body and set himself ablaze, and each feather that made contact with his body was left to sizzle out of existence. The traces of Velgemon's attack that weren't completely destroyed fell ineffectively to the ground, and the fire was extinguished by the excessive dust below. As soon as the flames danced out of existence, the area was left to glow only in the light brought on by the nearby Beast Spirit. 

Velgemon didn't give them much time to retaliate though, instead emitting yet another unholy shriek and diving down towards Cybelemon. His wing sliced through the column that they had constructed, and Cybelemon was sent crashing backwards immediately. Their head slammed into the dirt, and Cybelemon thanked every higher power out there that they had a helmet. Vritramon came flying over in their direction to help them recover, and Cybelemon allowed themselves to be pulled back to their feet by him. They just had to make sure that Koji was able to find his Beast Spirit. That was their only objective aside from surviving, and, in all honesty, Cybelemon couldn't tell which of those two tasks would be more difficult. 

~~~~~

Onyxmon unleashed yet another strike of purple fire, and Calanthemon flew upwards to keep from getting hit. The gem on her armor's head plate began to glow, and vines grew up through the dirt below. They wrapped furiously around Onyxmon in an attempt to restrain the Warrior of Steel, but Calanthemon knew that trick wasn't going to work. It wouldn't have even been successful against Lyramon, and that was before the Beast Spirit's added power was factored into the equation. 

Onyxmon proved Calanthemon's suspicions a moment later, and they flapped their powerful wings to bat away the plants before diving towards the Warrior of Wood. Calanthemon was only able to dodge by the skin of her teeth, and she docked downward at the last minute. Onyxmon wasn't going to let her go so easily, and she was fully aware of such, but she relished in the temporary security. She was alive for a moment, and that was all she could ask for given the dire circumstances. 

A sudden shower of stars came down from above, and Calanthemon looked up to see Cygnusmon's wings flapping madly as crystals of silver light dropped from the feathers. they hit Onyxmon's scales, but none of them were able to do much damage. Onyxmon shrugged them off without even moving, and their attention was drawn away from Calanthemon in the blink of an eye. 

Onyxmon moved away from Calanthemon to concentrate on Cygnusmon. They inhaled before unleashing yet another blast of purple fire. Cygnusmon dodged the attack without much effort, but Onyxmon wasn't finished there. They whirled around, and Calanthemon found herself shocked at how such a large creature was able to move with so much ease. Onyxmon's tail thrashed before striking Cygnusmon in the side, and his wing was hit hard. Cygnusmon let out a pained cry before managing to correct his course of flying. He was still moving towards the ground, but he was able to land with something that resembled grace despite his panic. Calanthemon found herself exhaling in relief before she looked back to Onyxmon. 

Sheyumon wasn't going to allow her previous lack of control to get in her way though, and she closed her eyes as her twelve tails began to glow with white energy. As the shimmering spread throughout her body, it transformed into a purple color, and a series of twelve symbols, markings that Calanthemon recognized as belonging to the Legendary Warriors, flashed among the tanned hair on her tails. 

As soon as the symbols appeared, they were gone, and spiraling attacks flew out from Sheyumon's body. Fire, wind, ice, and every other element known to be used by the Legendary Warriors could be seen in the blast, and it was moving straight towards Onyxmon. They had been distracted by Cygnusmon up to that moment, and they didn't realize that Sheyumon was attacking until too late. Their eyes went wide just before the attack hit, and their left wing was left heavily injured and out of commission. Onyxmon's right wing carried them slowly to the ground, and they hit the dust with a resounding echo before glancing up at Sheyumon in anger. 

Calanthemon had to hide her surprise that Sheyumon was able to get in a strike so easily. She gave a glance over to the Warrior of Energy, and she realized that the attack had been far stronger than any of them could have suspected. Sheyumon somehow seemed slower than before, but it was only by a fraction, meaning it would go unnoticed by all but the most observant of people. 

Unfortunately, Onyxmon was most certainly sharp enough to pick up on Sheyumon's weakness, and their attention was practically locked onto them as soon as they realized that she wasn't as strong as she had been before. They exhaled purple flames, but Sheyumon was easily able to dodge. 

Onyxmon's assault didn't end there. Their eyes began to glow blue, and shockwaves of a purple color were left to travel outwards before slamming into Sheyumon. The Beast Spirit of Energy yelped before bracing herself for impact, digging her claws into the dust. She slid backwards, somehow managing to keep herself from toppling fully. Cygnusmon did the same even if the attack wasn't aimed in his direction. Onxymon's strike had done more than enough collateral damage to leave him surprised as well. 

Calanthemon was the only one to fully escape Onyxmon's wrath, but even so, that was relative, and she still felt weakened after the attack. She suspected that their blow was able to weaken those who were hit by it, and she wouldn't put it out of the realm of possibility. Lyramon's abilities had always been rather strange, ranging from telekinesis to energy blasts to deflection. Onyxmon had even more power than the Human Spirit form, meaning the Risen Warriors were in even more trouble than before. This was likely just another tool at Onyxmon's disposal, one that they had been keeping hidden from the very beginning. After all, it wasn't the Warrior of Steel's power that made them terrifying. It was the way that they manipulated both it and the people around them, always finding a way to be in control. Even when caged, they were dangerous as could be. 

Onyxmon didn't give anyone the chance to recover from their sonic strike. A glow of gold surrounded Cygnusmon's body, and he was suddenly lifted off the ground before being slammed against Sheyumon. Both of them screamed in surprise, but Onyxmon wasn't finished with Cygnusmon quite yet. All they had to do was tilt their head to send him sprawling towards Calanthemon. 

The Warrior of Wood couldn't recover in time, and she was hit in the side just before she slammed into the ground. The dusty ground around her kicked up a giant cloud that obscured her vision. She couldn't feel Cygnusmon beside her anymore, so she suspected that Onyxmon had decided to either let them go or use them for something else. Calanthemon wasn't sure if she wanted to find out the answer to that question or not. 

When the air finally cleared, Calanthemon saw Sheyumon struggling to get to her feet. Cygnusmon was between the Warriors of Wood and Energy, having been slammed into the ground by Onyxmon. He was shaking and couldn't seem to do much more than move his undamaged wing. He was in far worse condition than Calanthemon or Sheyumon, and he was going to get absolutely eviscerated if Onyxmon had the chance to attack him again. 

Calanthemon was moving towards him immediately afterwards, her mind a blurred mess. She knew that they wouldn't be able to win this battle on their own. They needed help, and they needed it as soon as possible. 

Please, Tomoki... Please bring your group here. 

~~~~~

Tomoki had been watching his D-Tector for what felt like an excruciatingly long time. They had been moving for quite a while ever since letting Hinoka into the group, but the walk had been mostly silent. Izumi had attempted to start up conversation on a few occasions, but she never seemed to get far enough to convince anyone to talk for an extended period of time. Tomoki had to admit that he was partially to blame, but he couldn't force himself to talk as long as Hinoka was there. 

Something about her just felt fragile. Perhaps it was because he had seen the way that she behaved while her Beast Spirit was in control, but Tomoki felt as if talking to her was somewhat dangerous. It wasn't as if he expected her to be angry or scream at him, but every action that she made while working as one of Cherubimon's Fallen Warriors seemed to be motivated by fear. Sheer, unbridled terror seemed to constantly live inside of her, and Tomoki was admittedly terrified of accidentally pushing her over the edge without recognizing what would set her off. 

Three signals were clustered together, and those were their targets. Yumiko, Mayumi, and Haroi were in a group just as they said they would be, but they were suspiciously still despite having been planning to go and retrieve a Beast Spirit. Tomoki could have sworn that he saw them moving in his group's direction earlier, and yet, they were staying in the same spot all of a sudden without any explanation. Then again, even if there was a rational way to explain it, he wouldn't have been able to hear it. The D-Tectors didn't allow them to talk to one another over long distances despite how much he wished they would. 

"Something is wrong," Junpei whispered, prompting Tomoki to look up at him. He saw that the Warrior of Thunder was staring at his D-Tector as well, and he seemed to have picked up on the same issue that Tomoki was considering. "The other three aren't moving towards us, and they really should be. Something could have happened to them."

"We're heading their direction anyways, so we can save them if they're in trouble," Izumi pointed out. She was moving a bit faster after she spoke, undoubtedly desperate to head in the direction where their teammates were waiting. Her anticipation spread quickly from there, and Tomoki found himself just as anxious as she was only a fraction of a second later. 

Hinoka was still silent even in the face of this problem, either unsure of what to say or not thinking that she could contribute anything to the situation. Tomoki wished that he knew what the right thing to say was, so in a way, they were in similar positions, albeit because of different subjects. He watched her out of the corner of his eye, trying not to show how nervous and anxious he was by her silence. 

As soon as Izumi started moving towards the signals, the rest of the group followed suit. Hinoka reached for her D-Tector to see where they were headed, but Tomoki suspected that she just wanted something else to focus on aside from the rest of the team. She had barely said a word since her explanation of events drew to a close, and Tomoki suspected that it would likely stay that way for quite some time unless someone was able to drag her out of her shell. Still, there wasn't anything he could do about it then. If another part of their team was in danger, that had to be their priority. This wasn't the time to get distracted. The lives of the others depended on it. 

~~~~~

Cybelemon wasn't sure of how long they had been fighting against Velgemon alongside Vritramon. They could feel themselves growing tense due to the length of the battle though, and Cybelemon wanted nothing more than to end the damn fight. Of course, given how exhausted they and Vritramon already were, the chances of that happening were next to none. They would have to just keep holding on until Koji was able to recover his Beast Spirit. He was their only chance at escape. In a way, it was almost fitting given that said Beast Spirit was the only reason they were in the area to begin with. If not for the presence of the Beast Spirit of Light, the trio likely would have already reunited with the rest of their team. 

Cybelemon found themselves glancing over their shoulder impatiently as they jumped into the air to avoid yet another feather barrage from Velgemon. Koji couldn't have taken that long, right? He was running at full speed towards the Beast Spirit. Even if he was exhausted, chances were that he would have shown himself as his alternate form. That had happened with Izumi before, so Cybelemon didn't think it was so much of a stretch to say it was possible here. They didn't care what the outcome was at that point. They simply wanted the fight to end already. Cybelemon knew how impatient they could be, and it was biting them in the ass given how riled up on their own anticipation they were. 

It was almost as if the universe was reading their mind, as a moment later, a shadow appeared out of the corner of their eye. Cybelemon's head whirled around to see what the source was, and their heart skipped a beat out of anxiety. What if it was an enemy? Had Lyramon shown up again? It wasn't as if the Warrior of Steel was accounted for, so the chances were certainly there for the new arrival to be the Fallen Warrior Cybelemon feared and hated so much. 

However, they soon learned that their worries were unfounded, and they realized that the new arrival was a creature that they had never seen before. A relieved, weary smile broke out on their face in response. Judging by the color scheme of white, gold, and pale blue, the Beast Spirit of Light had arrived, and Koji had managed to recover their target. Cybelemon didn't think that they had never been happier. 

The wolf was mostly white, but blue stripes were notable across his body. Golden spikes were also prominent, and three claws stuck out from each foot. The wolf's body was entirely made up of metal, seeming more like a robot than a beast. There were silver braces on each of his feet as well, and small black wheels were attached to the back of the metal. Pale blue covered the bottom half of the wolf's face, and it extended from his nose downwards towards his chest. 

The wolf's torso had a few notable features between the jagged spikes on his shoulders and chest, but the main thing that Cybelemon noticed was the pair of golden blades sticking out from his back. They were sharp enough to glitter ominously despite the low lighting, and Cybelemon was happy to be on the same team as the Warrior of Light rather than being his enemy. He had been an aggravating adversary before, but this would only make him harder to deal with. 

His head had two golden stripes across his nose, and his ears were pointed sharply. His eyes were bright yellow, and they were locked to Duskmon with incredible ferocity. His body was practically vibrating with a need to move, to attack something, but he was able to control it, albeit just barely. 

"Who are you?" Cybelemon asked. They already knew that he was the Warrior of Light, but they needed a name. Plus, this was a perfect way to gauge just how well Koji was controlling his monstrous side. A true beast wouldn't be able to answer the question no matter how many times it was repeated. 

"Garummon," the Warrior of Light replied. His voice was familiar, and Cybelemon was glad to hear that it was Koji just as she suspected. They let out a sigh of relief as they looked at Garummon as a whole. He was still unstable, but he was trying to keep it together for the sake of the rest of the group. After all, Velgemon had to be their first priority, and the last thing they needed was a Beast Spirit to go out of control. 

"We just need to get him off our backs long enough to escape," Vrtiramon declared, and Cybelemon nodded their agreement. "As soon as he's down, we have to run. There's no way that we're going to be able to defeat him unless we can get the rest of the team here, but we need to find them before that can happen."

Garummon didn't offer a verbal response. The golden blades on his back glowed with silver light, and they sent out twin lasers towards Velgemon a moment later. They clipped the wing of the Warrior of Darkness, and he was sent spiraling towards the ground. As soon as Velgemon was down, he looked over at his injury, and he let out another scream. There was smoke curling away from the burned feathers, and he looked ready to launch himself towards the Risen Warriors at a moment's notice. 

"Should we get out of here now?" Cybelemon questioned, glancing over to Vritramon out of the corner of their eye. They didn't know how much longer Garummon would be able to keep it together. He didn't seem to be in the same situation that Zephyrmon had been the first time, and there was still some sense of control beneath the mass of wild emotions rising in his eyes. Cybelemon was relieved beyond imagination that Garummon was able to control his new form even slightly. If they had to stop the fight to focus on snapping Garummon out of his trance, Velgemon would be able to destroy them, and he wouldn't bother with mercy. Unlike Lyramon, the Warrior of Darkness was not fond of anything that resembled kindness or nobility on the battlefield. 

"Not yet," Vritramon told them. "Just one more hit, and then we'll run." His eyes were on fire with determination, and he appeared to be just as ready to deliver a hit to Velgemon as Garummon was. He hesitated for a moment before launching himself into the fight once again. Garummon and Cybelemon followed suit soon afterwards, and the battle started once again, this time with a new player on the field. 

~~~~~

Blitzmon flew through the air alongside Oceaniamon and Zephyrmon. Kumamon was planted firmly in his arms, hands pressed against Blitzmon's chest as the trio of Warriors rocked themselves forward. Patamon was in Zephyrmon's arms as well, and his ears were pulled in close to ensure that he wasn't blown away by the wind. The world sped by around them, but none of them bothered to give it more than a second glance. There were more important matters that required their attention, after all. 

Izumi had wound up getting too anxious about Yumiko, Haroi, and Mayumi to bother with waiting any longer to reach them. She had Spirit Evolved to Zephyrmon despite her lack of energy from the fight against Ceruleamon. Junpei and Hinoka had followed soon afterwards, carefully selecting the forms of theirs that could fly. Oceaniamon was grasping tightly to her scepter, and she had used the water from her staff to form a pair of magnificent wings that protruded her shoulder blades. Her expression was tense with anxiety, but she didn't let anyone get too close to finding out the truth of what she was thinking. Kumamon was waiting in Blitzmon's arms because he didn't have a form that could go into the sky, so he instead elected to transform into his smallest Digimon body, meaning he was easily able to nest in Blitzmon's grasp as they moved towards their companions. 

Zephyrmon suddenly let out a gasp, and she turned to the rest of the group. "I can hear something," she said softly, her voice thick with intensity. The wings standing up from either side of her hair twitched slightly before she continued. "It's a fight. I can hear all three of them fighting against someone, but I'm not sure of who it is."

Blitzmon was about to propose a possibility as to who the culprit could have been, but he wound up not bothering. The scene of the fight came into view a moment later, and he let out a gasp. A large silver dragon was exhaling a puff of purple smoke. An explosion of Fractal Code appeared at the impact point between the fire and the ground, and Mayumi was left collapsed in it when the dust cleared. 

"Who is that?" Patamon asked, unable to tear his gaze away from the scene of the fight. Blitzmon had much the same question, but he didn't know how to answer it. He hadn't ever seen a Digimon like that, and he honestly hoped that he never encountered a creature like that again. 

"You're here!"

The sudden cry of Bokomon caused Blitzmon to look down, and he dove towards the ground before setting down Kumamon. Both Bokomon and Neemon were at the scene of the fight, just far away to keep from getting hurt but close enough to see what was happening. They were incredibly panicked, and the relief that flooded Bokomon's features as soon as he saw the group was beyond concerning. 

"I see that you have a new friend with you," Neemon commented, looking up at Oceaniamon. The Warrior of Water landed a moment later, and she stared at the ground near her feet to avoid meeting his gaze. Neemon watched her with curiosity despite this, seemingly not catching on to how uncomfortable she was. 

"We succeeded in our mission," Zephyrmon explained as Patamon broke free of her arms to fly towards Bokomon. Patamon sat simply on top of Bokomon's head, curling his wings down around the other Digimon's cheeks. It was far from being an optimal perch given the shape of Bokomon's head, but Patamon didn't seem to care in the slightest, too wrapped up in how happy he was to see Bokomon again to bother acknowledging how much he liked his seat. 

"Good. We did too," Bokomon replied hurriedly. "But then Onyxmon showed up, and we don't know if we're going to be able to defeat them!" He gestured frantically to the silver dragon. When Blitzmon looked up, he saw that Calanthemon was weaving around another blast of fire as Haroi wrapped an arm around Mayumi's shoulders. The two limped away from the scene of the attack a few moments later. 

"Please don't tell me that's who I think it is," Oceaniamon suddenly said, her eyes with ghastly terror. All of the color had faded from her face, and she was left to glance furiously back and forth between Bokomon and Onyxmon with panic written clearly on her face. 

"The Warrior of Steel," Bokomon told them, looking down with a deep frown. "Lyramon finally uncovered their Beast Spirit, and they're using it against us. I don't know what we're supposed to do against them."

"They've always had it," Oceaniamon murmured. "They were just waiting for the perfect time to use it, and... I guess that they finally found the right moment." She looked incredibly guilty all of a sudden, and Blitzmon had the sneaking suspicion that it had everything to do with how Oceaniamon had been complicit in Cherubimon's crimes up until recently. Even if it wasn't her fault, she wasn't going to listen to anyone who tried to convince her of such. 

"We can't let them win," Blitzmon declared firmly. "I'm not going to let this last any longer than it already has." Mayumi and Haroi appeared over his shoulder, and Blitzmon glanced over at them for a moment. Both of them looked as relieved as they were concerned and fearful. That was more than enough to convince him that he had done enough standing around. He was going to finish the fight as soon as possible, and nothing was going to be standing in his way. 

Blitzmon kicked off the ground and flew towards Onyxmon. He was in front of the silver dragon when he was bathed in Fractal Code. "Slide Evolution! Bolgmon!" When he hit the ground once again, he had transformed into the bulky form of Bolgmon. He made impact roughly and harshly, but he didn't feel the pain in the slightest. He was too concentrated on the fight at hand to bother caring. 

Bolgmon raised both of his hands to unleash a barrage of energy attacks, and they slammed into Onyxmon's scales. He didn't do much damage, but he was able to shift his foe's attention away from Calanthemon and towards him. Calanthemon took this as the perfect chance to take a break, and she hit the ground hard before collapsing into heavy breaths. She maintained her Beast Spirit form, but it was clear as could be that this would not remain true for much longer. 

Onyxmon inhaled before unleashing an attack of purple fire, but Bolgmon blocked it by firing another blast from the cannon on top of his head. The strikes canceled one another out, and a large shockwave spread through the area. Bolgmon was left thankful that he was as heavy as he was, because if he hadn't been made of metal, such an attack would have sent him flying. Onyxmon was too massive to be bothered as well, so the two simply stared one another down for a moment longer. 

Onyxmon raised one hand and swiped at him. Bolgmon was hit, causing him to slide backwards as he threw his arms up defensively. Onyxmon's eyes began to glow once again a moment later, and Bolgmon felt as if his body was being torn apart. There was a sonic strike spreading throughout the area rapidly, and Bolgmon couldn't help but writhe uncomfortably under the force of the blow. He would have sworn that he was on fire if he didn't know factually that was untrue. 

Bolgmon didn't let this bother him though. He unleashed another blast from the cannon on top of his head, and the attack hit Onyxmon in the side of the neck. The Warrior of Steel snarled as their head was forcefully tilted to one side. When they looked back towards Bolgmon, their gaze was full of pure rage, proof that they weren't going to be letting him get away with such a transgression so easily. 

Onyxmon's eyes began to glow once again as a purple light surrounded Bolgmon's body. His eyes went wide, shooting open in surprise as he was lifted from the ground. Onyxmon was prepared to send him flying in every direction imaginable, and their eyes narrowed into slits at the thought. Bolgmon was left to struggle under the power of his enemy, wishing desperately that he would suddenly find the strength to break free. 

And then, by some miracle, he did. 

The purple light around Bolgmon began to disappear, replaced instead by yellow. A moment later, Fractal Code appeared around him, and all Bolgmon could do was gasp in surprise. Onyxmon recoiled out of anger from outside the cocoon of Fractal Code, but that was all Bolgmon could see before his vision was filled completely with light. 

He could say for sure that his body was changing shape. He felt more like Blitzmon than before, more humanoid than beast. His helmet was the same as it was when he was Bolgmon despite this, and the cannon on top of his head remained prominent despite the shift. His eyes were as silver as possible, another trace of his power as Bolgmon. A black orb with shafts sticking out of it attached itself to his right shoulder, but his other shoulder contained a purple piece of armor that formed a notable spike at the center. 

His right arm was a blaster similar to what he was used to when he was Bolgmon. His left arm was a piece of armor that matched his form as Blitzmon, and electricity danced around his fist even without any specific direction from his mind. The armor at his chest was purple with a small amount of yellow, and the purple spread down to his waist. From there, the top half of his legs were also purple, and silver stubs stuck up around his knees. Yellow attached itself to the outside of his calves, and silver armor streaked down the front of his lower legs. His shoes were purple with a yellow stripe over the top. Another chunk of yellow covered his feet. 

The final shift from Bolgmon to this new form involved the sudden appearance of wings. He was used to flying as Blitzmon, but he had never been able to take to the skies as Bolgmon due to his bulk. These wings, however, were more than equipped to carry the added weight brought on by his thick armor, and he had no doubt that they would be able to take him anywhere he desired. A golden ring appeared around the top of his cannon at the same time, seemingly just for the sake of decoration. It stuck out boldly against the sea of deep purple. 

"Thundramon!" 

As soon as the Fractal Code faded, the Warrior of Thunder was left to stare at his new form. Onyxmon glared down at him, seeming less confused and more upset. Still, their expression was difficult to read, and Thundramon couldn't quite place what their sudden show of emotion could have meant. Then again, he was focused on more important matters in that moment. 

There were a thousand thoughts spinning through his head, but Thundramon never stopped to give any of them a voice. He instead looked up to Onyxmon. His cannon arm adjusted without any specific directions, and he knew that it was preparing to lash out at the Warrior of Steel before him. His other hand remained alive with electricity, knowing that there was a battle to come and that he was going to find a way to win it. 

Onyxmon didn't give him much more time than that to gather his bearings. They inhaled, and purple fire danced at the back of their throat behind threatening fangs. Thundramon slipped into a combat stance, his silvery eyes narrowing in anticipation. He didn't care what Onyxmon had to throw at him. He was going to find a way to succeed, and there was nothing that they would be able to do about it. 

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This is the last chapter of 2020! Wow, time sure does fly!

This chapter puts us at about the halfway point of the third act (which will last until chapter thirty-nine), and I rather enjoyed working on it. This is the first time since Kirismon and Orionmon showed up in chapter eleven that we've had two evolutions in the same chapter, though it's a far different situation this time. We've got the final Beast Spirit and the first (second if you want to count Ceruleamon as an enemy) Hybrid form making an appearance. This sure was interesting.

Speaking of Thundramon, this gives me the perfect chance to say that I'm redesigning the Hybrid forms of Izumi, Junpei, and Tomoki to relate more directly to their other forms. Takuya, Koji, and Koichi's are fine as it is, but the other three are going to be changed. Thundramon is the first of the three redesigned Hybrid forms, and I rather like the way he turned out. He was easily the hardest one for me to design out of those that I've considered up to now (those being for the elements of Wind, Thunder, Wood, and Water), but I'm happy with how he looks in my head. One day, I'll try to draw him out so that you all can see him in his full glory as well.

On the subject of Koji's Beast Spirit, Garummon sure did take a while to show up! I wanted to change the order of evolution up so that it wasn't so similar to the Human Spirit order since it's pretty similar in the show. Having Koji last was just the ice cream on top of the cake. Given that he's the strongest of the Risen Warriors in Human Spirit form, I think it's fitting that it took him longest to get a power boost. He's on the same level as Junpei as far as being able to control his Beast Spirit. He can sort of keep himself under control, but it's best that he's not pushed too hard so that this balance isn't destroyed.

Hinoka hasn't had a proper introduction to the team quite yet given the circumstances, but I promise you that we will get to her soon enough. Since the team is divided, she can't exactly jump in immediately, and the constant activity isn't helping her case in the slightest. As soon as the issues with Onyxmon and Velgemon are resolved, it'll be her time to shine. 

The final thing to discuss in this chapter is Mayumi's half of the story for her and Haroi's family. I've been doing my best to foreshadow this throughout the book, but this chapter fully explains it. Mayumi has ADHD, and I did a bunch of research to make sure that she was as accurate as possible. Much like with other disorders, there isn't one solid way for a person to behave, but I still did my best to make sure that she was as realistic as possible. 

Speaking of Mayumi and Haroi, I want to say one thing about their story. This has been stated within the chapters themselves, but I still want to solidify them here. They both blame themselves for their other parents leaving, but it isn't their fault in the slightest. In both cases, they were far too young to know what was happening, and even if they had been older, it wouldn't have been their fault because they were hurt and their parents treated them poorly. I know there are some issues with people blaming disabled and disordered people for making others suffer for things they can't control, and I wanted to clarify that in both cases, Mayumi and Haroi are wrong about thinking it's their fault. Yumiko condemns their self-deprecation because they are wrong about blaming themselves. Other people need to stop acting out of line towards them; they do not need to make themselves smaller for the sake of others, and this applies to all disabled and disordered people. 

With all of that said, I believe that I'm finished with this chapter! I'll see you all again in 2021 where we'll get into the remaining 24 chapters of this story! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Feedback is always appreciated, and I hope you have a nice day!

-Digital