Old Ones Return (VII)

Lyra:<I asked him to help Azuma and Hitomi learn to biomerge. This is on me.>

*Kylie, Cameron, and their partners look at each other, then back to Drasil*

Th"Wha--I do not think this is a good idea."

Drasil<What is the problem? You were all too ready for my aid just over an hour ago.>
===========================
*MagnaAngemon actually cannot tell whether or not he has reached bottom. He just feels to be wading through molasses. Next they hear some of the mean things that Salamon has said to people, including fighting with Viximon. They also hear very low, very loud growling, which seems to come from various places around & above them in rapid succession.*

Angewomon flies down to catch up with MagnaAngemon.

Hitomi: "You don't have to carry so many burdens on your own. I'm here to bear that weight with you."

Azuma: "I've done so much to others already. I don't want you to bear that pain."

Hitomi: "I can take any pain as long as I'm with you."

*Lyra shoves her hands into her pockets*

Lyra:<If I hadn't been so stupid, DemiDevimon wouldn't have died. For that...I can't ever express how sorry I am. I'm not going to let anyone else die because we were too weak to stop it.>

*Taken aback, Thiera frowns & stares at her feet.*

Th"...But what if they are killed by whatever King Drasil is having them do?"

Drasil<Then it is what they deserve for being dead weight.>
============================
*The lightning flashes again, several times, this time showing Hitomi standing back as Azuma insisted on attacking the Bio-Hybrids, as Euryale fought Myotismon & was badly beaten, as Taiyo grieved over her, & as Thiera ran crying away from Azuma. Then, something strikes Angewomon's left side, shredding 2 of her wings. In a flash, something else, or perhaps the same thing, strikes MagnaAngemon's left side, also shredding a wing.*

Lyra:<I...I didn't mean to...you know...>

The two Digimon stand back to back, their partners between them.

Angewomon: "We get it, you're an idiot. That doesn't change why you're here and why you did what you did, good and bad."

MagnaAngemon: "I don't always agree with your decisions, but you always did what you believed is best for saving the Digital World, making this whole thing retarded for protecting others. I'll stand by you as I always have."

*In a flash, both humans & Digimon biomerge to their respective Mega forms, the voices berating them squealing & seeming to retreat. This also marks the only time that King Drasil's training has ever helped the Tamers. The process briefly illuminates Ogudomon, who had tried to destroy another of MagnaAngemon's wings, but recoils with a screech when his giant leg claw hits SlashAngemon's bladed wings, cutting it up. The screech turns into an oscillating roar of various pitches, as it blasts them with a shockwave from its mouth. As they are blown deeper into the void, the light from their transformation fades, rendering Ogudomon invisible once more.*
=========================
Bancho<King Drasil, was it not?>

Drasil<It was.>

Bancho<I sincerely hope you know what you are doing.>

Drasil<I am all-seeing.>

Bancho<But not all-knowing?>

Drasil<...I know that if they are to have any hope in the upcoming war, they will need to achieve Mega form.>

Kylie:<...W-what exactly is going on down there?>

The two take flight, Magnadramon attacking with Apocalypse, sending energy bolts crashing down below.

*The shockwave catches their wings & they end up kind of floundering around. In the light from Magnadramon's attack, she can see that it just kind of keeps going until it fizzles out--there is nothing below her. Above them, they can hear Ogudomon inhaling to make another scream & its claws scrabbling as it changes positions.*
==========================
Drasil<As I said, my Royal Knights & I have been traveling the Digital World, banishing evil. That pit contains a great mass of malicious data, shattered & collected as the trash it is. Only pure Digimon of enormous power would be able to fight off the collected sin & break through the barrier. Anything else would drown in its own darkness, being swallowed & assimilated.>

*Kylie's eyes widen and she looks sidelong at Lyra, who looks away*

Lunamon:<They'll be fine! Right?>

SlashAngemon turns in Ogudomon's direction and charges with Heaven's Ripper while Magnadramon let's out a Fire Tornado.

*The fire tornado reveals that they are aiming in completely the wrong direction because, as I said like 400 times, they can only see Ogudomon when there's light, & it moves around a lot making it hard to detect by sound. Ogudomon adjusts his aim & blasts SlashAngemon with its scream.*
==============================
Drasil<If you knew that, you would not have sought me out, now would you?>

Lyra:<...I didn't think there would be a chance they could die.>

Tracking it by sound would be a lot easier, but would make the endeavor less retarded. SlashAngemon crosses its swords to block, Magnadramon spitting a Fire Tornado while SlashAngemon attacks with Holy Espada while the place is illuminated.

Drasil<Death is always a possibility.>
===========================
*Can't really block a shockwave with swords, so SlashAngemon's armor is pretty much falling apart by the end of this. Fortunately, Ogudamon had not move, so it is struck with both attacks & falls into the abyss, shrieking & sobbing as it is burnt up.*

The two begin to ascend, back the way they came.

*Eventually, they find the thing they ran into before: A thick, sealed black metal door, mostly adorned with symbol resembling a tree.*

*Lyra just stares at her feet in shame*

Magnadramon spits Hermit Fog and its corrosiveness at the door.

*The door dissolves, but there is no need to go through it--once the light shines through, they simply find themselves in a crater formed from the ground that King Drasil sealed up suddenly collapsing into a sinkhole. He looks over.*

Drasil<So, you have survived after all. Most excellent. Perhaps now you will appreciate that the great King Drasil took the time to train you.>

*Kylie and Lunamon run over, both looking very excited*

Kylie:<Oh, we're so glad you're alright! And you finally biomerged!>

*Lyra scuffs the ground with one of her feet*

The two ignore Drasil because fuck that guy.

Drasil<Have it your way. I have more important things to do than bicker with ingrates.>

*He walks back to the Digimon he was healing earlier. Thiera just nods vaguely at them & returns to walking through the burnt-out egg fields, examining the dirt for some reason.*
--------------------------------
*Eventually Tsune gets bored of staring at that little drama from the direction of the river & turns to Taiyo.*

Ts"So...we're supposed to attack Kurata's fort later today. Do you think we can beat him? He must have some kind of evil plan ready, or something.>