Digimon Empire Chapter 3

Digimon Empire

Chapter 3

Michael tried peering through the grating in the ceiling but couldn't see anything outside of frantic shuffling of feet and occasional glimpses of the moon. A large red glow streaked by and he thought it may have been a fireball. The Digimon with the sharp glowing eyes and rumbling low voice was now standing by him. He recognized the Digimon but couldn't quite place who it was. A small dragon, its neck slightly longer than that of an Agumon, and less bulky than a Guilmon. His scales were black like obsidian and his veins in between each scale glowed a soft red, the same soft glow as were in his eyes. His snout was pointed and not snubbed, all in all he had a rather majestic look despite walking on two legs.

"We can't break out of here. You will need to hide, hopefully they don't check well." Michael looked around as he said this but decided there was no place to hide in the exposed cell. Hours crept by and the two stood there staring through the opening seeing increasing numbers of fireballs and streaks of light. All at once there was a rush of Guardmon entering the dungeon. The Digimon shoved Michael in the corner and slammed him down to the floor. Then turned quickly and stood directly in front of him shielding him from view. The Guardmon that entered opened the cell and filed in.

"Cairomon step aside. We have been ordered to move the 'humon' out of the city before the rebels take him. It is evident they're attacking this boldly on account of his presence. We need to keep them here." They moved forward as a solid group and went to take Michael. Cairomon growled,

"He will not leave here without me."

"Step aside prisoner or be punished." The Guardmon at the front drew his standard sword and menacingly aimed it toward Cairomon. Cairomon didn't back down until Michael grabbed him by the arm while standing.

"No. It's fine I'll go with you." Walking around Cairomon Michael found himself seized and dragged from the cell. The Guardmon locking the door securely before marching Michael further into the dungeon below the long house of the city rather than upstairs and out. When they reached the cell on the furthest point of the dungeon one of the Guardmon stepped in and lifted the bunk on the floor revealing a staircase leading on. All at once the group was enveloped in pitch black darkness. It was thick, like sludge or burnt motor oil. His mind raced, he couldn't think of a single Digimon, attack, or element they'd created that attacked or moved like this. He heard the Guardmon falling to the floor around him. He could still feel the heat from their torches but he could see no light. There was grunting, sounds of slams and metal clanging, and death. There was no mistaking that sound. Michael reached out blindly he tried working his way down to hall back towards the cell he'd shared with Cairomon. His legs grew heavy, as though the shadows themselves were pulling back on his ankles. The touch was oddly familiar though he couldn't place where or how that was possible.

Then Michael stumbled, freed all at once and in the light where he could see again. The shadow was actively tearing apart the Guardmon and he ran from it. As he reached the cell that Cairomon was still in he frantically searched for a key but to no avail.

"Either leave me here or go face the shadow and retrieve a key from one of the Guardmon that fell." Michael looked and saw the shadow retreating into the secret passage at the end of the hall. As he made his way toward them he was taken aback by the gruesome scene. There was blood and gore splattered everywhere. This was not coded in, this was another evolution the Digital world had taken. He retrieved a set of keys and one of the swords from a fallen Guardmon, carefully removing the sword and sheath from the belt hold. He'd started to walk away to head back but realized that the Guardmon was roughly the same size as he was. He quickly gathered up some loose armor from the fray and tried putting it on. The greaves were a little large, the boots a little small, and the chestplate fit on a funny angle. Overall though the Guardmon's armor replaced his makeshift leafy clothing. Satisfied that this outfit offered better cover and protection and that it was situated on him well he headed back down the hall. Not without a glance back to the cell where the shadow dwelled. One day he'd have to come back to confront the entity. Shaking the thought he moved more quickly until he reached the cell and unlocked it. Cairomon stepped out and looked at the scene down the hall and then looked at the stairs leading up.

"Which path do you want to take, I smell death in both." Cairomon's nose flared. Michael simply shook his head.

"We're going up. I need to see what's happening above ground and after whatever that thing was just tore through those Guardmon I'm not going that way." With that the duo moved upwards and as they came out from the dungeon they bore witness to Guardmon fighting Guardmon actively in the room in the long house. The Guardmon that were the captors, like those who perished below, were all wearing silver armor. They were fighting Guardmon who were adorned in Gold armor, a bright bronze shining brilliantly as though just polished despite the obvious signs of battle and destruction around.

"We have no allies here," Cairomon whispered in a low growl, "Lets get free from the city and then we'll focus on where to go." As they reached the door a Gold Guardmon rushed through, in one swift movement Cairomon jumped back and Michael thrust the sword he'd liberated from the Guardmon in the dungeon forward deep into the Gold Guardmon. The Guardmon shook, rattled, and slid off the end of the sword in a heap. Cairomon looked visibly impressed but refrained from speaking as they hurried from the city. Just outside the door there was another gold Guardmon whom Cairomon dispatched. It was as though it hadn't even seen him approaching as Cairomon tore into it. Michael explained that due to their helmets they had enhanced line of sight vision but terrible peripheral vision. Meaning so long as they stayed out of direct site of the Guardmon fighting everywhere they could easily dispatch them. It simply took being smart and moving efficiently. They set off from the long house in a straight shot for the gate and encountered nearly no resistance. As they reached the city gate however they stopped. MetalBattlemon was squared off with an AxeBattlemon, a digivolved form of Battlemon. AxeBattlemon wielded a massive two-handed axe, he was less heavily armored as his opponent and pre-digivolved forms. Sporting this flexible leather armor, his head was most greatly exposed revealing his goblin like features. Sharp teeth, pointed ears, and a green complexion. AxeBattlemon was a menacing foe to behold. MetalBattlemon had his sword molded from his right arm armor and a shield had formed in his left hand. The two crossed weapons and the ground shook in concussion. Cairomon and Michael slowly backed away and made their way down a bloodied alley. Guardmon may not have good peripherals but those two ultimate level Digimon definitely did and that was one battle better left avoided.

"We're going to need to find another way out of the city," Cairomon said in a hushed tone, "There is no way we're getting past them." A gurgled cough came from behind a damage crate and a strained voice quietly echoed out.

"Th-there is... another way-ay out." Michael moved over to see a severely injured Guardmon, "Go, to, Go, to, the western wal-al, There is a small-al, hole under the wall. Squeeze through and leave." Michael looked at the Guardmon as Cairomon already started moving to the west wall pausing only to wait for him. Michael closed the Guardmon's eyes and lifted his sword, thrusting it into the chest cavity of the terminally injured Digimon. Cairomon turned his head quickly,

"You are strange to end him."

"He was suffering," Michael replied, "I was sorry for him to suffer and there was nothing to be done to save him. I let his death come quicker." Cairomon nodded and as he turned back to walk again a shadow fell over the alley.

"Just as I'll let your death come quicker." The booming voice of AxeBattlemon echoed, his bloodied axe twirling in hand. Their escape just became much harder.