Finally we have a longer chapter. This chapter is a turning point for the group. They lose one chance to defeat Tyranterramon, but gain access to a knowledge resource which might help them get ahead of him, in the form of Babamon and Jijimon. They also technically have the power of Bio-Merge, though, as we learn today, that power isn't something to fall back on often.
It is also a turning point because of the implications of the wham line at the very end of the chapter. It solidifies the truth that the rules have changed as of Tyranterramon's appearance, and the resources that the kids took for granted in Book One aren't going to do them any good anymore.
Chapter Eight
Unity Found, Unity Lost
“Your new power is great,” said Jijimon. “You said that Tyranterramon has only absorbed two cores, correct?”
“Yeah,” I answered.
“Good,” said Jijimon. “The Forest, Ocean, Desert, and Mountain Cores all possess the same amount of energy. If Tyranterramon is still the same as he was in ancient times, and he has absorbed two cores so far, he will still be too weak to survive direct hits from each of your three attacks.”
“I still don’t get why we have to battle so close to the Core itself,” said Sarah.
“I already explained,” Jijimon replied. “The power to merge with your Digimon can be easily accessed here, near the Forest Core, as long as you and your Digimon continue to exist as one. But the further from the core that you get, the more difficult Bio-Merge will become, even if all other conditions are correct. Fighting near the core is a risk, but a necessary one.”
“Don’t worry, Sis,” I said. “You felt how powerful we were in those new forms. We’ll take care of Tyranterramon no problem!”
“I still think we should help,” said Jeremy, gesturing to the members of my team who did not have the same power to Bio-Merge.
“The power that radiates from the Forest Core must remain uninterrupted for the Bio-Merge to be at peak power,” said Babamon. “High level Digimon react strangely to the cores’ powers, and the cores react strangely to theirs. We can’t risk one of these random reactions weakening the Bio-Merge Digimon before they can complete their task.”
“I understand the reason behind it,” said Jeremy, “but I still don’t like it.”
I was watching the handheld. Based on what we knew of Tyranterramon, he would be ready to absorb another core at any moment. We only had to wait a few minutes before I saw it: Tyranterramon’s monstrous signal approaching our location on the Digicomp screen, fast.
“Get ready guys,” I said. “He’s coming.”
“Alright guys and gals,” said Jijimon, he and Babamon leading the way into the surrounding woods, “time to take cover and let these three get to work.”
In only a few seconds, everyone else was gone, disappearing into the brush, leaving me, Jen, Sarah, Serpentmon, Coltmon and Ponymon alone to face the oncoming threat. The ground shook, the trees parted, and Tyranterramon stood before us. He was the same, but different. His helm now came complete with a faceplate and three back swept spikes, like those worn by InfernoKnightmon. The studs on the pad on his right shoulder had been replaced by spikes, and spikes had grown from the metal ring that he wore around his right wrist.
“Wow Tyranterramon,” I taunted, “you look different. Is it your hair?”
“Where are the other members of your pathetic little squad, Human? Did you finally realize that they’re useless and cut them loose? Not that I'd call the ones who stuck with you particularly useful.”
“The six of us are more than enough to beat you Tyranterramon.” I looked to Jen and then to Sarah, “Come on, let’s show this guy what we’ve learned.”
I closed my eyes and focused. I felt Serpentmon’s heartbeat synchronize with mine. We merged together, “Serpentmon, Bio-Merge to! Vipramon!”
“Coltmon, Bio-Merge to! Samuraimon!”
“Ponymon, Bio-Merge to! Druidmon!”
Suddenly I was twenty feet tall, wearing black, serpent-patterned armor, standing between the eight-foot-tall Druidmon and the nine-foot-tall Samuraimon. I raised my double-pointed lance, Druidmon raised her staff, and Samuraimon drew his twin katanas.
Tyranterramon’s eyes narrowed, “Interesting ability. But will it be enough to stop me?”
He raised his right fist, charged with a red aura, and bore down on us, but in an instant we were gone, launching ourselves into the air behind Tyranterramon’s head. I expected our sudden burst of speed to confuse Tyranterramon, but he turned instantly to face us, as if he knew where we were going to end up. He raised his weaker left hand, catching the dual tips of my thrusting lance. There was a burst of green energy as I released my attack, but Tyranterramon was able to contain it, and it had no real effect.
“What’s going on?” I demanded. “You aren’t supposed to be this strong!”
“How do you figure?” Tyranterramon asked. “Did you account for the fact that I can amplify the Core energy already stored in my body with each new core that I integrate? Well, I suppose it wouldn’t be you doing the figuring, would it? It would be whatever remains of this region’s guardians, and The Protector never did share my true nature with them. Their calculations would be wrong.”
I kicked off of Tyranterramon’s hand, pulling myself free, and called “Venomous Fang!” I was surrounded by an acid green aura that exploded outward, pushing me away from the foe. I landed a good distance away. Samuraimon and Druidmon back flipped and landed at my side.
“This could be bad,” said Druidmon. “We didn’t expect his power to grow so much. He’s stronger and faster than we are, and his skin seems a lot tougher than before, too. More than it should be.”
“If he’s faster than we are,” Samuraimon said, “then we’ll just have to slow him down, and hit him until his tough skin breaks.” He jumped up, removing his sash, calling, “Samurai Sash!” The length of cloth extended, wrapping Tyranterramon’s right arm and leg extensively. Samuraimon tore a length from the end of the sash, tying it again around his waist, and then tossed the free end of the rest, the portion holding our opponent, at the ground at Tyranterramon’s feet. It embedded itself deep in the earth. Tyranterramon struggled, but he couldn’t pull the sash free.
“My turn,” said “Druidmon. She planted the end of her staff in the ground and called, “Natural Snare!” Glowing green vines sprouted from the ground, ensnaring Tyranterramon’s left arm and leg as well. He couldn’t move, let alone deflect our next attacks.
“Let’s finish it,” I commanded. Druidmon raised her staff and called, “Life Spell!” Tyranterramon was surrounded by a green aura that turned his own energy into damage.
“Twin Katana,” Samuraimon called, swinging his swords rapidly, releasing multiple waves of energy, all of which hit Tyranterramon in the chest.
I raised my lance, aiming it at Tyranterramon’s face, and called “Venomous Fang!” The green aura returned, exploding outward and throwing me into the air. I thrust my lance, releasing a spear-shaped burst of green energy that hit Tyranterramon directly in the face. I fell back to the ground, landing on my feet, and raised my lance again. My lance was surrounded in a green light, and I called, “Vipra Strike!” The green light split off, becoming a massive serpent made of nothing but energy. The snake reached up and engulfed Tyranterramon’s head and chest with poisonous energy that scorched his flesh. Druidmon released her vines, and Samuraimon’s sash dissolved. Tyranterramon fell, unmoving, onto his back, his skin covered with blisters. My serpent exploded, spreading its energy across Tyranterramon in waves.
“Is it over?” Samuraimon asked, stepping up to my side.
I shook my head, “I don’t know.”
But his question was answered momentarily when Tyranterramon rose instantly to his feet. The blistering across his was already beginning to fade.
“That’s not possible,” said Druidmon. “He should be dead!”
“Looks like Jijimon was wrong about our chances,” I replied. “Looks like this battle isn’t over.”
Jeremy
I waited quietly deep in the forest with Mechmon, Kris, TechnoPupmon, Amanda, Chickomon, BlackColtmon, and our Digimon allies, waiting for John, Sarah, Jen, Serpentmon, Ponymon, and Coltmon to return. I was growing impatient. I turned to Jijimon and asked, “Where are they? They should be finished by now.”
“I’m not sure,” said Jijimon. He was sitting with his legs crossed and his eyes closed. “I’m worried as well. I’m trying to connect with the Forest Core and watch the battle as it unfolds.”
I waited for Jijimon to continue. In only a few moments his eyes opened wide and he stood up fast. “They have each scored a direct hit, and yet Tyranterramon stands. His power has grown beyond what I thought was possible.”
He paused, and then his eyes flew open, “I made a grave
mistake! It is true, the Tyrant is more powerful than I predicted, but I failed
to account for the affect that the corrupted core data within him would have on
the Forest Core. His mere presence is destabilizing it, and the Core is
actively weakening your friends. They
might have been stronger than Tyranterramon at the start of the battle, but
they aren’t anymore.”
He sounded genuinely mortified. Babamon put a comforting hand
on his shoulder.
“That’s it,” I said. “I’ve had enough of this. Things can’t get much worse than they are now. I’m going in.” I brandished my Digivice, “Initiate Warp Digivolution!”
Mechmon jumped into the air, “Mechmon, Warp Digivolve to, Decimatormon!” He opened his wings and rocketed toward the hut, and the battle at hand. I ran close behind him. It wasn’t long before we burst into the clearing, just as Tyranterramon was about to strike the final blow against Vipramon. Decimatormon threw himself in the way, deflecting enough of the energy of the attack for both Digimon to survive. Then Decimatormon threw Vipramon out of the way and took aim, firing every weapon in his possession at the foe, to no avail. Tyranterramon punched with enough strength to destroy my Digimon. He barely managed to avoid the attack in time. Tyranterramon struck again, giving Decimatormon no time to avoid his attack. It was only the last second interference of the injured Vipramon that saved him. Both Digimon pulled back, stopping beside an injured Druidmon. An unconscious Jen and Coltmon lay next to her.
“We’re too weak,” said Vipramon. “Something happened to Tyranterramon when he absorbed the last core. He changed form and became more powerful than he should have.”
“That’s it,” I said. “I’ve had enough of this. Things can’t get much worse than they are now. I’m going in.” I brandished my Digivice, “Initiate Warp Digivolution!”
Mechmon jumped into the air, “Mechmon, Warp Digivolve to, Decimatormon!” He opened his wings and rocketed toward the hut, and the battle at hand. I ran close behind him. It wasn’t long before we burst into the clearing, just as Tyranterramon was about to strike the final blow against Vipramon. Decimatormon threw himself in the way, deflecting enough of the energy of the attack for both Digimon to survive. Then Decimatormon threw Vipramon out of the way and took aim, firing every weapon in his possession at the foe, to no avail. Tyranterramon punched with enough strength to destroy my Digimon. He barely managed to avoid the attack in time. Tyranterramon struck again, giving Decimatormon no time to avoid his attack. It was only the last second interference of the injured Vipramon that saved him. Both Digimon pulled back, stopping beside an injured Druidmon. An unconscious Jen and Coltmon lay next to her.
“We’re too weak,” said Vipramon. “Something happened to Tyranterramon when he absorbed the last core. He changed form and became more powerful than he should have.”
“That’s not all,” said Jeremy from below. “I’ll explain
later. Let’s just say things are more complicated than we thought. It isn’t
just that Tyranterramon is stronger.”
“Either way, regardless of his strength,” said Decimatormon, “we have to fight.”
“In that case,” said Vipramon, “we attack together!”
John
I ran alongside the robotic Digimon. We jumped up and fired our killing attacks. Tyranterramon deflected most of the attack energy with his right arm and moved to counter. I swerved right, and Decimatormon swerved left. We circled the foe, but were swiftly intercepted. I was hit by an energy wave fired from Tyranterramon’s fist, tumbled, and blacked out.
I woke back up a moment later. I was human again, Serpentmon just rising at my side. “John!” I heard Amanda cry. I turned. She and the others were emerging from the forest as well. Babamon, Jijimon, Mummymon, and Arukenimon ran ahead, Birdramon soaring above them. Amanda, Kris, and their Digimon stopped to help Jen and now Sarah to their feet. I looked back at the battle overhead as BlackColtmon stepped up to my side. Decimatormon and our various Digimon allies were fighting valiantly, but they didn’t stand a chance.
“You aren’t even worth my time anymore,” said Tyranterramon, ignoring the attacking Digimon completely. He still raised his powerful arms to deflect Decimatormon’s attacks, but the lower level Digimon could no longer hurt him at all.
“Don’t count us out just yet,” said Babamon. She and her husband sprung up the height of a towering tree nearby, and jumped up from the treetop, level with Tyranterramon’s head. Babamon breathed fire, and Jijimon swung his walking stick, releasing an energy wave in Tyranterramon’s direction. Neither attack did Tyranterramon any harm.
Though I couldn’t see Tyranterramon’s mouth, his eyes told me that he was smiling. He looked straight at the two elderly Digimon and said, “I know you! Time has not been kind to you, Oberomon and Rosemon.”
I’d had enough. I stood up, Serpentmon at my side. “Time for the return of Vipramon,” I said. I concentrated, but nothing happened. “Come on John,” said Serpentmon.
“I know,” I said, “It’s not working. Something’s wrong with the Core. I can’t feel a connection to it anymore, and I don’t know how to Bio-Merge without it! We’ll have to fight him the old fashioned way.”
But before I could initiate the Digivolution, Tyranterramon released a burst of energy that pushed the attacking Digimon away, stepped forward, and reached right into the ground, ripping up the Forest Core.
“No,” I said. “Not again!”
But it was too late. Tyranterramon squeezed, and the boulder-sized green crystal shattered. He absorbed the shards into his body, and was surrounded by a cocoon of light, just like before. The sky grew dark, and the ground began to break apart beneath us, the trees in the immediate area dying and beginning to rot.
“We have to go young ones,” said Jijimon, a profound sadness in his voice. Decimatormon de-Digivolved, and everyone, except me, started to run.
When Jen saw that I was standing still she stopped and called back to me, “John, we have to go!”
“No!” I cried, dropping to my knees. “I’m tired Jen. I’m tired of losing, and I’m tired of running!” I made a fist and punched the now bleak and rocky ground, tears of frustration coming to my eyes.
Jen walked back to me and knelt by my side, “John, we don’t have a choice.”
Our little band, now consisting of six humans and twelve Digimon, didn’t stop running until it reached the foot of the nearby mountains, close to where we’d first met Birdramon. While the others set up camp I looked out over the sunset, and the three dead regions. The three regions that I’d let die.
“Based on what we know of Tyranterramon’s absorption process,” Jeremy was saying, “He’ll have to hibernate overnight. We have time to rest.”
“What about finding the Mountain Core?” I asked. “We need to know where Tyranterramon will go next so we can intercept his next advance.”
“We’ll take you to the Mountain Core,” said Jijimon, his wife at his side. “Sleep. We all need it.”
I was about to say something else, to voice another protest, when I heard a ruffling coming from the nearby tree line. The others heard it too. We turned toward the source of the sound just in time to see a group of the frog-like Gekomon and the tadpole-like Otamamon emerge from the forest. They were all seriously injured. One of them was unmistakably the same Gekomon elder who had told us about Tyranterramon’s appearance back home.
Jen and I were closest. We ran to them. I knelt down beside Elder Gekomon and helped him to remain standing as I asked, “Elder, what happened to you?”
“Gekomon village,” the elder replied, looking up at me with sad, tired eyes, “has been destroyed.”
Next Chapter (Coming Soon)
“Either way, regardless of his strength,” said Decimatormon, “we have to fight.”
“In that case,” said Vipramon, “we attack together!”
John
I ran alongside the robotic Digimon. We jumped up and fired our killing attacks. Tyranterramon deflected most of the attack energy with his right arm and moved to counter. I swerved right, and Decimatormon swerved left. We circled the foe, but were swiftly intercepted. I was hit by an energy wave fired from Tyranterramon’s fist, tumbled, and blacked out.
I woke back up a moment later. I was human again, Serpentmon just rising at my side. “John!” I heard Amanda cry. I turned. She and the others were emerging from the forest as well. Babamon, Jijimon, Mummymon, and Arukenimon ran ahead, Birdramon soaring above them. Amanda, Kris, and their Digimon stopped to help Jen and now Sarah to their feet. I looked back at the battle overhead as BlackColtmon stepped up to my side. Decimatormon and our various Digimon allies were fighting valiantly, but they didn’t stand a chance.
“You aren’t even worth my time anymore,” said Tyranterramon, ignoring the attacking Digimon completely. He still raised his powerful arms to deflect Decimatormon’s attacks, but the lower level Digimon could no longer hurt him at all.
“Don’t count us out just yet,” said Babamon. She and her husband sprung up the height of a towering tree nearby, and jumped up from the treetop, level with Tyranterramon’s head. Babamon breathed fire, and Jijimon swung his walking stick, releasing an energy wave in Tyranterramon’s direction. Neither attack did Tyranterramon any harm.
Though I couldn’t see Tyranterramon’s mouth, his eyes told me that he was smiling. He looked straight at the two elderly Digimon and said, “I know you! Time has not been kind to you, Oberomon and Rosemon.”
I’d had enough. I stood up, Serpentmon at my side. “Time for the return of Vipramon,” I said. I concentrated, but nothing happened. “Come on John,” said Serpentmon.
“I know,” I said, “It’s not working. Something’s wrong with the Core. I can’t feel a connection to it anymore, and I don’t know how to Bio-Merge without it! We’ll have to fight him the old fashioned way.”
But before I could initiate the Digivolution, Tyranterramon released a burst of energy that pushed the attacking Digimon away, stepped forward, and reached right into the ground, ripping up the Forest Core.
“No,” I said. “Not again!”
But it was too late. Tyranterramon squeezed, and the boulder-sized green crystal shattered. He absorbed the shards into his body, and was surrounded by a cocoon of light, just like before. The sky grew dark, and the ground began to break apart beneath us, the trees in the immediate area dying and beginning to rot.
“We have to go young ones,” said Jijimon, a profound sadness in his voice. Decimatormon de-Digivolved, and everyone, except me, started to run.
When Jen saw that I was standing still she stopped and called back to me, “John, we have to go!”
“No!” I cried, dropping to my knees. “I’m tired Jen. I’m tired of losing, and I’m tired of running!” I made a fist and punched the now bleak and rocky ground, tears of frustration coming to my eyes.
Jen walked back to me and knelt by my side, “John, we don’t have a choice.”
Our little band, now consisting of six humans and twelve Digimon, didn’t stop running until it reached the foot of the nearby mountains, close to where we’d first met Birdramon. While the others set up camp I looked out over the sunset, and the three dead regions. The three regions that I’d let die.
“Based on what we know of Tyranterramon’s absorption process,” Jeremy was saying, “He’ll have to hibernate overnight. We have time to rest.”
“What about finding the Mountain Core?” I asked. “We need to know where Tyranterramon will go next so we can intercept his next advance.”
“We’ll take you to the Mountain Core,” said Jijimon, his wife at his side. “Sleep. We all need it.”
I was about to say something else, to voice another protest, when I heard a ruffling coming from the nearby tree line. The others heard it too. We turned toward the source of the sound just in time to see a group of the frog-like Gekomon and the tadpole-like Otamamon emerge from the forest. They were all seriously injured. One of them was unmistakably the same Gekomon elder who had told us about Tyranterramon’s appearance back home.
Jen and I were closest. We ran to them. I knelt down beside Elder Gekomon and helped him to remain standing as I asked, “Elder, what happened to you?”
“Gekomon village,” the elder replied, looking up at me with sad, tired eyes, “has been destroyed.”
Next Chapter (Coming Soon)
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