Digimon Gardens of Babylon
- Thread starter Daneel Rush
- Start date
D
LOLRAINE said:
Seiya said:
Also why do you hate on the Olympus 12 digitalstorm?á What did they do to you?
That list physically hurts.
http://wikimon.net/God
The first step was ensuring he could take the fight to Leviamon. He obviously had a terrible disadvantage if he stayed at a distance.
ôADNI.ö
The source is Thelema. The language is Hebrew. The schema is Gematria. The word of the Lord (ôAdonaiö) becomes a source of personal power that rejects evil.
I am my own God, and thus the power of God is mine.
Lucemon hoped Leviamon would not notice and lock this spell, as its effectùphysical enhancement and extra damage against Demon-type Digimonùwas not outwardly obvious.
ôApply æduplicationÆ to further Gematria calculations.ö
Extending his wings to their maximum surface area, Lucemon put his unwanted flight to a halt.
ôAKINAKES.ö
Applying English Gematria to that word leads to the number 426, which duplicated results in 852.
However, the hundreds of duplicates of DinohumonÆs sword were effortlessly swatted out of existence by LeviamonÆs quasi-invisible tails.
ôMaximize hardness and density of resulting materials.ö
ôCauda!ö
ôBrave Shield.ö
There was a booming sound like thunder when the terrible force met the shield reinforced to the max. WarGreymonÆs shield shattered, but Lucemon was allowed to continue his advance. More than anything, he needed to reach Leviamon! For that, a decisive attack capable of restraining such a powerful enemyà!
ôFENRIR SWORD.ö
Two words, adding to 894. Multiplied by two means 1788 blades unleashed thermo-dynamical oblivion upon the space around Leviamon.
ôKyan!ö
The Avatar of Envy should not be allowed to squeak so cutely.
Lucemon landed cautiously on the colossus of ice his attack had just created. All water and air in the vicinity of Katou JuriÆs body had been amalgamated into a gigantic iceberg, but the Demon Man strongly doubted this could defeat the Demon Lord.
ôSilly Takato-kun~ö Juri sing-song voice spoke from some indiscernible direction. ôYou canÆt imprison my great self with just this~ö
Eight oÆclock!
ôRostùare?ö
JuriÆs left hand shot to catch LucemonÆs left elbow before it could smash her right side.
Even with his physical enhancementsùStrength and Offense Plug-Ins plus his Adni spellù, Leviamon was still clearly stronger than him.
ôYouÆre faster than me,ö Leviamon stated, looking clearly surprised. Lucemon raised an eyebrow. ôThat makes me kind of jealous.ö
Lucemon suddenly felt the boost given by the High Speed Plug-In card being sealed away.
ôWhaà?ö
Leviamon giggled at the smack-dab expression on the so-far stoic AdultÆs face.
ôSilly Takato-kun, I already know your tricks~ö
The grip on his left shoulder suddenly became an inescapable prison. Leviamon did not intend to let go.
ôNow IÆm gonna kill you~ö
Lucemon barely managed to duck, and JuriÆs right elbow only caressed the tips of the hairs on the crown of his head.
In spite of his controlled demeanor, nobody ever said Lucemon Magus Mode was incapable of feeling fear. That was exactly what he felt when he witnessed how the mere displacement of air caused by LeviamonÆs elbow attack pushed the ocean water behind him. In a moment, both Digimon were standing on the air, for all water in the vicinity of both Digimon had been blown away.
For a moment, fear of that monstrous strength paralyzed him, and that moment was enough.
ôGuh-!ö
LeviamonÆs left palm struck his chest. In an anime, it would have been one of those blows that would make the protagonist gasp out blood. Lucemon could only choke lamely before he was sent flying diagonally downwards like a living missile, striking the receding wall of water like a bullet shot into a giant block of jelly.
The Demon Lord took a deep breath while turning to face the direction Lucemon disappeared into.
ôàAnima.ö
A scream escaped JuriÆs throat as vile energy gathered in her open mouth and was then released as a gigantic blue beam. Lucemon, even while still spearing his way through the ocean water, reacted fast at the perceived threat.
ôAEGIS.ö
492 copies of DukemonÆs shield interposed themselves in that beamÆs path, and the ensuing explosion further hollowed out the ocean and created a thunderous roar that could be heard throughout Tokyo.
ôK-Kuh!ö
This was unacceptable.
A prolonged battle with Leviamon would only result in his death.
This fight had to be quick and decisive. He had to overwhelm Leviamon, not with superior powerùwhich he did not haveù, but with enough attacks to prevent the Demon Lord from killing him.
No hesitation.
ôAURVANDIL.ö
LeviamonÆs eyes widened and her arms crossed in front of her face to quietly endure the onslaught of 1024 of ValkyrimonÆs golden crossbow bolts.
How convenient, being able to apply English Gematria to non-English words.
ôTheseàpointlessàmosquito bites!ö the Avatar of Envy roared, blowing away the rest of the projectiles simply by spreading her arms. ôDenied!ö
ôAUSSTERBEN.ö
1024 crossbow bolts were replaced by 1488 rapiers.
ôGah!ö Leviamon cried out in an unsettlingly high-pitched tone. ôAnnoying! Denied as well!ö
Even as hundreds of copies of DuftmonÆs weapon bounced off her body, Leviamon brought her right arm down as if attempting to hammer an invisible nail.
ôRostrum!ö
Seawater was pushed aside and Lucemon screamed when the invisible force pinned him to the now-dry ocean floor. It was truly as if the largest of all Digimon had pinned him between its massive jaws.
But, even then, he did not stop.
ôORO SALMON.ö
A double helix, each made of 732 copies of AstamonÆs automatic rifle, created a somewhat aesthetic scene around Leviamon.
Then they opened fire.
ôGyaaaah!ö LeviamonÆs voice could be heard even through the cacophony of automatic fire.
Lucemon took back to the air before the returning waters could swallow him whole.
ôApply ætriplicationÆ to further Gematria calculations.ö
Degradation was not an issue.
For the sake of victory, all personal sacrifices were acceptable.
ôTha-That actually hurt!ö Leviamon complained with JuriÆs voice from within the midst of a cloud of smoke and sea foam. "That power makes me jealous!"
ôULFORCE BLADE.ö
Without hesitation.
The screaming voice of Katou Juri did nothing to stop him.
Not him, and most definitely not his 1872 swords of blue radiance.
ôADNI.ö
The source is Thelema. The language is Hebrew. The schema is Gematria. The word of the Lord (ôAdonaiö) becomes a source of personal power that rejects evil.
I am my own God, and thus the power of God is mine.
Lucemon hoped Leviamon would not notice and lock this spell, as its effectùphysical enhancement and extra damage against Demon-type Digimonùwas not outwardly obvious.
ôApply æduplicationÆ to further Gematria calculations.ö
Extending his wings to their maximum surface area, Lucemon put his unwanted flight to a halt.
ôAKINAKES.ö
Applying English Gematria to that word leads to the number 426, which duplicated results in 852.
However, the hundreds of duplicates of DinohumonÆs sword were effortlessly swatted out of existence by LeviamonÆs quasi-invisible tails.
ôMaximize hardness and density of resulting materials.ö
ôCauda!ö
ôBrave Shield.ö
There was a booming sound like thunder when the terrible force met the shield reinforced to the max. WarGreymonÆs shield shattered, but Lucemon was allowed to continue his advance. More than anything, he needed to reach Leviamon! For that, a decisive attack capable of restraining such a powerful enemyà!
ôFENRIR SWORD.ö
Two words, adding to 894. Multiplied by two means 1788 blades unleashed thermo-dynamical oblivion upon the space around Leviamon.
ôKyan!ö
The Avatar of Envy should not be allowed to squeak so cutely.
Lucemon landed cautiously on the colossus of ice his attack had just created. All water and air in the vicinity of Katou JuriÆs body had been amalgamated into a gigantic iceberg, but the Demon Man strongly doubted this could defeat the Demon Lord.
ôSilly Takato-kun~ö Juri sing-song voice spoke from some indiscernible direction. ôYou canÆt imprison my great self with just this~ö
Eight oÆclock!
ôRostùare?ö
JuriÆs left hand shot to catch LucemonÆs left elbow before it could smash her right side.
Even with his physical enhancementsùStrength and Offense Plug-Ins plus his Adni spellù, Leviamon was still clearly stronger than him.
ôYouÆre faster than me,ö Leviamon stated, looking clearly surprised. Lucemon raised an eyebrow. ôThat makes me kind of jealous.ö
Lucemon suddenly felt the boost given by the High Speed Plug-In card being sealed away.
ôWhaà?ö
Leviamon giggled at the smack-dab expression on the so-far stoic AdultÆs face.
ôSilly Takato-kun, I already know your tricks~ö
The grip on his left shoulder suddenly became an inescapable prison. Leviamon did not intend to let go.
ôNow IÆm gonna kill you~ö
Lucemon barely managed to duck, and JuriÆs right elbow only caressed the tips of the hairs on the crown of his head.
In spite of his controlled demeanor, nobody ever said Lucemon Magus Mode was incapable of feeling fear. That was exactly what he felt when he witnessed how the mere displacement of air caused by LeviamonÆs elbow attack pushed the ocean water behind him. In a moment, both Digimon were standing on the air, for all water in the vicinity of both Digimon had been blown away.
For a moment, fear of that monstrous strength paralyzed him, and that moment was enough.
ôGuh-!ö
LeviamonÆs left palm struck his chest. In an anime, it would have been one of those blows that would make the protagonist gasp out blood. Lucemon could only choke lamely before he was sent flying diagonally downwards like a living missile, striking the receding wall of water like a bullet shot into a giant block of jelly.
The Demon Lord took a deep breath while turning to face the direction Lucemon disappeared into.
ôàAnima.ö
A scream escaped JuriÆs throat as vile energy gathered in her open mouth and was then released as a gigantic blue beam. Lucemon, even while still spearing his way through the ocean water, reacted fast at the perceived threat.
ôAEGIS.ö
492 copies of DukemonÆs shield interposed themselves in that beamÆs path, and the ensuing explosion further hollowed out the ocean and created a thunderous roar that could be heard throughout Tokyo.
ôK-Kuh!ö
This was unacceptable.
A prolonged battle with Leviamon would only result in his death.
This fight had to be quick and decisive. He had to overwhelm Leviamon, not with superior powerùwhich he did not haveù, but with enough attacks to prevent the Demon Lord from killing him.
No hesitation.
ôAURVANDIL.ö
LeviamonÆs eyes widened and her arms crossed in front of her face to quietly endure the onslaught of 1024 of ValkyrimonÆs golden crossbow bolts.
How convenient, being able to apply English Gematria to non-English words.
ôTheseàpointlessàmosquito bites!ö the Avatar of Envy roared, blowing away the rest of the projectiles simply by spreading her arms. ôDenied!ö
ôAUSSTERBEN.ö
1024 crossbow bolts were replaced by 1488 rapiers.
ôGah!ö Leviamon cried out in an unsettlingly high-pitched tone. ôAnnoying! Denied as well!ö
Even as hundreds of copies of DuftmonÆs weapon bounced off her body, Leviamon brought her right arm down as if attempting to hammer an invisible nail.
ôRostrum!ö
Seawater was pushed aside and Lucemon screamed when the invisible force pinned him to the now-dry ocean floor. It was truly as if the largest of all Digimon had pinned him between its massive jaws.
But, even then, he did not stop.
ôORO SALMON.ö
A double helix, each made of 732 copies of AstamonÆs automatic rifle, created a somewhat aesthetic scene around Leviamon.
Then they opened fire.
ôGyaaaah!ö LeviamonÆs voice could be heard even through the cacophony of automatic fire.
Lucemon took back to the air before the returning waters could swallow him whole.
ôApply ætriplicationÆ to further Gematria calculations.ö
Degradation was not an issue.
For the sake of victory, all personal sacrifices were acceptable.
ôTha-That actually hurt!ö Leviamon complained with JuriÆs voice from within the midst of a cloud of smoke and sea foam. "That power makes me jealous!"
ôULFORCE BLADE.ö
Without hesitation.
The screaming voice of Katou Juri did nothing to stop him.
Not him, and most definitely not his 1872 swords of blue radiance.
Interesting snippet.
So Magus Mode can summon any weapon, huh... I'm guessing he's saving the more powerful ones for the finishing blow.
Let's see what other weapons Magus Mode could potentially summon:
Omega Blade in English Gematria Equals: 390, not much in terms of number, but it's powerful, right?
Grey Sword in English Gematria Equals: 804
Garuru Cannon in English Gematria Equals: 882
Omegamon's weapons. Not sure how effective Garuru Cannon would be, but still. Add in the tripling effect and wow.
And worst (best?) or all, Alphamon's weapons:
Seiken Gradalpha in English Gematria Equals: 786, not too bad but then!
Kykyoku Senjin Ouryken in English Gematria Equals: 1794, oh crap... but that's just the Japanese spelling, let's look at the English Translation instead!
Ultimate War Blade King Dragon Sword in English Gematria Equals: 2076
...yeah, but Takato/Magus Mode might not know about Alphamon, so there's that.
Also, I thought UlforceV-dramon's weapon was Ulforce Saber, not Ulforce Blade... not really important, just a nitpick.
So Magus Mode can summon any weapon, huh... I'm guessing he's saving the more powerful ones for the finishing blow.
Let's see what other weapons Magus Mode could potentially summon:
Omega Blade in English Gematria Equals: 390, not much in terms of number, but it's powerful, right?
Grey Sword in English Gematria Equals: 804
Garuru Cannon in English Gematria Equals: 882
Omegamon's weapons. Not sure how effective Garuru Cannon would be, but still. Add in the tripling effect and wow.
And worst (best?) or all, Alphamon's weapons:
Seiken Gradalpha in English Gematria Equals: 786, not too bad but then!
Kykyoku Senjin Ouryken in English Gematria Equals: 1794, oh crap... but that's just the Japanese spelling, let's look at the English Translation instead!
Ultimate War Blade King Dragon Sword in English Gematria Equals: 2076
...yeah, but Takato/Magus Mode might not know about Alphamon, so there's that.
Also, I thought UlforceV-dramon's weapon was Ulforce Saber, not Ulforce Blade... not really important, just a nitpick.
ôI know you are there, Katou Juri,ö Lucemon spoke while swords rained upon Leviamon. ôAnd I know you are better than this.ö
The only response he got was an inhuman growl the former Matsuda Takato would not have believed came from Katou Juri. The sound grew in intensity until it became a feral cry that blew away the sea water and foam created by the hundreds of impacts that pushed Leviamon under the surface.
ôJealous!ö the monster screamed in the voice of a dear friend. ôDonÆt you ever run out of goddamn things to throwù!ö
ôGRAM.ö
ôIyaaaaaah!ö
LeviamonÆs complaint was interrupted by 1002 cavalry lances.
ôDonÆt be stupid,ö Lucemon retorted in a contemptuous tone.
If he ever ran out of existing weapons to conjure, he would just start making them up.
He had never planned to defeat Leviamon with those weapons, in any case. With counted exceptions (ValkyrimonÆs sword, for example), those creations of Thelema had no other property besides ôbeing sharp and pointy.ö It was truly like shooting needles at a, well, colossal reptilian sea horror.
No, he was just trying to create an opening.
ôKatou Juri! I know youÆre still there!ö he called out once more.
ôCauda!ö
Lucemon dodged by submerging himself. The invisible tail swept the air over the seawater with enough force to suddenly render Lucemon dry and airborne once more.
ôImbecile!ö the Demon Lord responded. ôI am Leviamon! Do you really expect a puny human girl to overcome the greù!ö
ôPILE BUNKER.ö
ôYou speak too much,ö Lucemon idly commented as Katou JuriÆs body was pummeled by 2034 copies of LordKnightmonÆs shield-like weapon. ôAnd the one I wish to talk with is Katou Juri.ö
ôShut up!ö the Avatar of Envy retorted; its voice barely noticeable amidst the impact sounds and the splashing sounds of water being disturbed. ôIÆm seriously gonna enjoy absorbing your dataùuwaaaaaaaah!ö
The indifferent warriorÆs Pile Bunker is a mechanical device which creates high-power pressure waves. There was no reason, then, for LucemonÆs imitations not to carry the same functionality.
ôYou really speak too much,ö Lucemon insisted as Leviamon was pummeled 2034 times, again. Not that the Demon Lord could hear him, though.
Two more steps.
ôHaaàhaaàhaaàö
He could hear the beastÆs feminine panting. As the water settled down once more, he could also see the consequences of his efforts.
Not a single drop of blood. Only her clothes were battered. The only reason they had not slipped off was because they were soaked wet and sticking to JuriÆs wet skin.
The original Matsuda Takato would have been severely incapacitated by the unexpected service. As for Lucemonà
ôGARURU CANNON.ö
At this point numbers truly become irrelevant. In case anybody still cares, there were 2646 of them.
Leviamon, for the very first time, experienced something it had believed impossible, given its unreasonable size.
For the first time ever, it felt surrounded.
Many great explosions became a single one of unbelievable size, as Leviamon was engulfed by cannon fire from all directions.
And it was in the middle of that cannon fire that Lucemon stepped in. He wanted an opening, and the best one would not come at any point after the attack. To strike Leviamon while its defenses were completely down, Lucemon would attack while another attack was on course.
Such was the logic of someone who did not knowùcould not acceptùthe concept of failure.
To Lucemon Magus Mode, only ôthe missionö exists, with parameters defined by Matsuda Takato at the moment he came into existence. Lucemon will sacrifice everything, even his ôsourceö, for the sake of fulfilling ôthe mission.ö
Flying faster than he had ever done before, Lucemon weaved through the barrage of frigid shots to reach Katou JuriÆs exposed back. He could have attacked from a much larger distance, but he wanted full certainty of his success. Even as he flew, he had the time and frame of mind to be impressed by LeviamonÆs toughness. How many of the Royal Knights had to work together to defeat this behemoth?
While his ability to use Thelema spells gave Lucemon Magus Mode incredible versatility, he was in the end still a Digimon. Like all Digimon, he had a few unique special techniques.
ô?????? ???????.ö
LucemonÆs Silver Star created a region of super-high-density space around Leviamon and immediately compressed it into a single point; a short-lived micro-black hole that twisted LeviamonÆs impossibly sturdy body and then threatened to rip it apart.
The great Demon Lord let go a blood-chilling scream. Lucemon Magus Mode was ôan existence nigh-equal to a Great Demon Lord.ö His attacks could most definitely harm the Avatars of Sin.
The original Matsuda Takato would have faltered upon hearing such immense agony in such a familiar and dear voice. Lucemon Magus Mode was not the original Matsuda Takato.
ô?????? ???????. ?????? ???????. ?????? ???????.ö
As the very integrity of space-time in LeviamonÆs vicinity was torn apart over and over again, the Demon Lord was too indisposed to even seal away LucemonÆs power.
Upon finishing the merciless barrage, Lucemon heard the mild splash of LeviamonÆs knees striking the sea water. In an instant, Lucemon closed the distance between himself and his opponent and capture Katou JuriÆs face between his hands.
Their eyes met, and Lucemon found fear in LeviamonÆs expression.
Good.
ôShow me your Dream, Katou Juri.ö
And then both Demon Man and Demon Lord were engulfed in the golden radiance of Matsuda TakatoÆs Crest.
The only response he got was an inhuman growl the former Matsuda Takato would not have believed came from Katou Juri. The sound grew in intensity until it became a feral cry that blew away the sea water and foam created by the hundreds of impacts that pushed Leviamon under the surface.
ôJealous!ö the monster screamed in the voice of a dear friend. ôDonÆt you ever run out of goddamn things to throwù!ö
ôGRAM.ö
ôIyaaaaaah!ö
LeviamonÆs complaint was interrupted by 1002 cavalry lances.
ôDonÆt be stupid,ö Lucemon retorted in a contemptuous tone.
If he ever ran out of existing weapons to conjure, he would just start making them up.
He had never planned to defeat Leviamon with those weapons, in any case. With counted exceptions (ValkyrimonÆs sword, for example), those creations of Thelema had no other property besides ôbeing sharp and pointy.ö It was truly like shooting needles at a, well, colossal reptilian sea horror.
No, he was just trying to create an opening.
ôKatou Juri! I know youÆre still there!ö he called out once more.
ôCauda!ö
Lucemon dodged by submerging himself. The invisible tail swept the air over the seawater with enough force to suddenly render Lucemon dry and airborne once more.
ôImbecile!ö the Demon Lord responded. ôI am Leviamon! Do you really expect a puny human girl to overcome the greù!ö
ôPILE BUNKER.ö
ôYou speak too much,ö Lucemon idly commented as Katou JuriÆs body was pummeled by 2034 copies of LordKnightmonÆs shield-like weapon. ôAnd the one I wish to talk with is Katou Juri.ö
ôShut up!ö the Avatar of Envy retorted; its voice barely noticeable amidst the impact sounds and the splashing sounds of water being disturbed. ôIÆm seriously gonna enjoy absorbing your dataùuwaaaaaaaah!ö
The indifferent warriorÆs Pile Bunker is a mechanical device which creates high-power pressure waves. There was no reason, then, for LucemonÆs imitations not to carry the same functionality.
ôYou really speak too much,ö Lucemon insisted as Leviamon was pummeled 2034 times, again. Not that the Demon Lord could hear him, though.
Two more steps.
ôHaaàhaaàhaaàö
He could hear the beastÆs feminine panting. As the water settled down once more, he could also see the consequences of his efforts.
Not a single drop of blood. Only her clothes were battered. The only reason they had not slipped off was because they were soaked wet and sticking to JuriÆs wet skin.
The original Matsuda Takato would have been severely incapacitated by the unexpected service. As for Lucemonà
ôGARURU CANNON.ö
At this point numbers truly become irrelevant. In case anybody still cares, there were 2646 of them.
Leviamon, for the very first time, experienced something it had believed impossible, given its unreasonable size.
For the first time ever, it felt surrounded.
Many great explosions became a single one of unbelievable size, as Leviamon was engulfed by cannon fire from all directions.
And it was in the middle of that cannon fire that Lucemon stepped in. He wanted an opening, and the best one would not come at any point after the attack. To strike Leviamon while its defenses were completely down, Lucemon would attack while another attack was on course.
Such was the logic of someone who did not knowùcould not acceptùthe concept of failure.
To Lucemon Magus Mode, only ôthe missionö exists, with parameters defined by Matsuda Takato at the moment he came into existence. Lucemon will sacrifice everything, even his ôsourceö, for the sake of fulfilling ôthe mission.ö
Flying faster than he had ever done before, Lucemon weaved through the barrage of frigid shots to reach Katou JuriÆs exposed back. He could have attacked from a much larger distance, but he wanted full certainty of his success. Even as he flew, he had the time and frame of mind to be impressed by LeviamonÆs toughness. How many of the Royal Knights had to work together to defeat this behemoth?
While his ability to use Thelema spells gave Lucemon Magus Mode incredible versatility, he was in the end still a Digimon. Like all Digimon, he had a few unique special techniques.
ô?????? ???????.ö
LucemonÆs Silver Star created a region of super-high-density space around Leviamon and immediately compressed it into a single point; a short-lived micro-black hole that twisted LeviamonÆs impossibly sturdy body and then threatened to rip it apart.
The great Demon Lord let go a blood-chilling scream. Lucemon Magus Mode was ôan existence nigh-equal to a Great Demon Lord.ö His attacks could most definitely harm the Avatars of Sin.
The original Matsuda Takato would have faltered upon hearing such immense agony in such a familiar and dear voice. Lucemon Magus Mode was not the original Matsuda Takato.
ô?????? ???????. ?????? ???????. ?????? ???????.ö
As the very integrity of space-time in LeviamonÆs vicinity was torn apart over and over again, the Demon Lord was too indisposed to even seal away LucemonÆs power.
Upon finishing the merciless barrage, Lucemon heard the mild splash of LeviamonÆs knees striking the sea water. In an instant, Lucemon closed the distance between himself and his opponent and capture Katou JuriÆs face between his hands.
Their eyes met, and Lucemon found fear in LeviamonÆs expression.
Good.
ôShow me your Dream, Katou Juri.ö
And then both Demon Man and Demon Lord were engulfed in the golden radiance of Matsuda TakatoÆs Crest.
If TakatoÆs soul was a ôgardenö, then JuriÆs was a ôsavannah.ö It was arid, empty, vast, and colored in shades of ochre, yet it carried a unique majesty and warmth Lucemon would have found inviting if he cared about such things.
Lucemon knew this was merely a construct of the Crest of Dreams, though.
ôI just wantedàto be one of them again.ö
He looked down at the girl seated on the grass, and at the lioness she was petting. The feline looked like the real thing, except for the fact that it placidly rested its head on the girlÆs lap like a puppy.
ôIàmiss Leomon, butàitÆs something more important than that.ö
The hand that did not caress the beastÆs fur held a dead Digivice.
ôItÆs scaryàbut I want to fight with them. I donÆt want to watch their backs every time they go into battle. I want to help. If thereÆs something, anything, I can do to ensure they all come back safe, I want to do it.ö
Juri finally looked up at the winged Digimon.
ôIs that too much asking, Takato-kun?ö
Lucemon did not respond to the misery in the girlÆs face.
ôYouàenvied the Digimon Tamers?ö
ôUnn,ö Juri denied by shaking her head. ôI do envy that they have their partners and I do not. But I do not wish to fight if I donÆt have to.ö
Her grip on her D-Arc tightened.
ôBut, I want to protect them. Envy has nothing to do with this. To be with them, to fight by their side, that is my earnest wish.ö
Her eyes brimmed with sadness as she faced and admitted her impossible dream.
Lucemon shook his head.
ôDo you realize what you are wishing for, Katou Juri? You have seen what is at stake; you know everything the Tamers do not know.ö
ôI know. But I still want to be there for them.ö
ôBecoming a Tamer means becoming a target. Right now you are a æpiece without tactical value to Matsuda TakatoÆ. You are æa burden he has acceptedÆ.ö
Juri flinched at the Demon ManÆs honesty.
ôThenàthen, all the more reason for me to stand by his side!ö
The lioness grunted as her relaxation was disturbed by JuriÆs body and tenseness. The beast looked up and growled at the Adult Digimon looking down on her and her human mistress.
ôTakato-kun is fighting so hard, against the most terrible opponents! He doesnÆt need any more burdens! He needs friends who can help himùö
ôHe needs strong pieces which can match the denizens of the Dark Area,ö Lucemon retorted. ôThings such as æfriendshipÆ are irrelevant.ö
ôYouÆre wrong.ö
Stroking the large catÆs head one last time, Juri stood up to meet LucemonÆs unfeeling stare with defiance. The golden-winged angel, as usual, appeared unfazed.
ôàprove it.ö
Juri smiled. It was a very unusual smile, for her eyes carried a flame not even the original Takato had ever seen in her.
ôGive me the chance to prove it.ö
**********************************************
In the Game Room, Lucemon Magus Mode sighed loudly.
ôàLucemon.ö
The fallen angel across the table only raised an eyebrow, cueing the Adult Digimon to speak further.
ôI will be taking your piece now.ö
The angel in white chuckled darkly.
ôàI figured as much.ö
ôHmmàso even that is within the DreamerÆs powers.ö
Lilithmon hated being the one left in the dark, but she only grumbled to herself.
Lucemon chuckled a bit more before shrugging in dismissal.
ôDo your worst.ö
ôNo.ö
The response of Lucemon Magus Mode elicited a frown from the other Lucemon.
If everything he had seen so far had not suggested otherwise, Lucemon could have sworn there was a hint of a smile on his Adult counterpartÆs face.
ôIt is still too early for that.ö
********************************************
ôALHIM.ö
The source is Thelema; the language is Hebrew; no schema is applied.
The breath of benediction gives life to clay and light to darkness.
In that moment, Leviamon was struck by the most powerful spell of dizziness.
ôWhaùwhat is thisà!?ö
Lucemon returned the Demon LordÆs look of surprise and fright with an unfeeling stare.
ôI will be taking your Crest now.ö
It was the most terrifying thing Leviamon could have listened to.
ôNoàno! No, no, noooo! Get away from mù!ö
It was too late.
It was too late the moment LucemonÆs hand touched Katou JuriÆs skin.
Engulfed by the golden light of Dreams, they could not be seen by the audience which had gathered by the shore.
ôLet us Dream together, Katou Juri,ö Lucemon said within the cocoon of radiance. Leviamon, as much as he tried, could not move an inch anymore. The Demon Lord had become a prisoner of Dreams; of Thelema.
ôNoooooo!!!ö the Avatar of Envy cried out; it was almost sadistic that it was the only thing LucemonÆs spell allowed it to do. ôI canÆt live without my Crest!ö
ôI know.ö
Indeed, the Demon Lords were bound to their Crests of Sin. Without them, they could not exist in their Ultimate forms.
ôBut it does not matter,ö Lucemon continued. ôYour future has already been decided.ö
The golden cocoon of light surrounding them became a white nova that grew until it almost reached the Tokyo marina. Those there had to close their eyes or be rendered blind. Water was pushed away from the two Digimon, creating tall waves that crashed against the concrete barriers at the docks.
ôVIAOV.ö
The spell to assemble something out of its individual components, or separate a complex entity into its components.
He would later use it to reconstruct Renamon from her scattered data which had never been absorbed by Leviamon or anybody else. At the moment, however, it would be used in the opposite direction: to separate Katou Juri from Leviamon and the bomb inside her body, and then destroy the latter two.
ôYour Crest is mine.ö
ôNoooooo!ö the Avatar of Envy cried futilely one last time.
ôNow, disappear.ö
Leviamon departed from the world with a wordless scream and an explosion of the purest, most violent light.
Lucemon knew this was merely a construct of the Crest of Dreams, though.
ôI just wantedàto be one of them again.ö
He looked down at the girl seated on the grass, and at the lioness she was petting. The feline looked like the real thing, except for the fact that it placidly rested its head on the girlÆs lap like a puppy.
ôIàmiss Leomon, butàitÆs something more important than that.ö
The hand that did not caress the beastÆs fur held a dead Digivice.
ôItÆs scaryàbut I want to fight with them. I donÆt want to watch their backs every time they go into battle. I want to help. If thereÆs something, anything, I can do to ensure they all come back safe, I want to do it.ö
Juri finally looked up at the winged Digimon.
ôIs that too much asking, Takato-kun?ö
Lucemon did not respond to the misery in the girlÆs face.
ôYouàenvied the Digimon Tamers?ö
ôUnn,ö Juri denied by shaking her head. ôI do envy that they have their partners and I do not. But I do not wish to fight if I donÆt have to.ö
Her grip on her D-Arc tightened.
ôBut, I want to protect them. Envy has nothing to do with this. To be with them, to fight by their side, that is my earnest wish.ö
Her eyes brimmed with sadness as she faced and admitted her impossible dream.
Lucemon shook his head.
ôDo you realize what you are wishing for, Katou Juri? You have seen what is at stake; you know everything the Tamers do not know.ö
ôI know. But I still want to be there for them.ö
ôBecoming a Tamer means becoming a target. Right now you are a æpiece without tactical value to Matsuda TakatoÆ. You are æa burden he has acceptedÆ.ö
Juri flinched at the Demon ManÆs honesty.
ôThenàthen, all the more reason for me to stand by his side!ö
The lioness grunted as her relaxation was disturbed by JuriÆs body and tenseness. The beast looked up and growled at the Adult Digimon looking down on her and her human mistress.
ôTakato-kun is fighting so hard, against the most terrible opponents! He doesnÆt need any more burdens! He needs friends who can help himùö
ôHe needs strong pieces which can match the denizens of the Dark Area,ö Lucemon retorted. ôThings such as æfriendshipÆ are irrelevant.ö
ôYouÆre wrong.ö
Stroking the large catÆs head one last time, Juri stood up to meet LucemonÆs unfeeling stare with defiance. The golden-winged angel, as usual, appeared unfazed.
ôàprove it.ö
Juri smiled. It was a very unusual smile, for her eyes carried a flame not even the original Takato had ever seen in her.
ôGive me the chance to prove it.ö
**********************************************
In the Game Room, Lucemon Magus Mode sighed loudly.
ôàLucemon.ö
The fallen angel across the table only raised an eyebrow, cueing the Adult Digimon to speak further.
ôI will be taking your piece now.ö
The angel in white chuckled darkly.
ôàI figured as much.ö
ôHmmàso even that is within the DreamerÆs powers.ö
Lilithmon hated being the one left in the dark, but she only grumbled to herself.
Lucemon chuckled a bit more before shrugging in dismissal.
ôDo your worst.ö
ôNo.ö
The response of Lucemon Magus Mode elicited a frown from the other Lucemon.
If everything he had seen so far had not suggested otherwise, Lucemon could have sworn there was a hint of a smile on his Adult counterpartÆs face.
ôIt is still too early for that.ö
********************************************
ôALHIM.ö
The source is Thelema; the language is Hebrew; no schema is applied.
The breath of benediction gives life to clay and light to darkness.
In that moment, Leviamon was struck by the most powerful spell of dizziness.
ôWhaùwhat is thisà!?ö
Lucemon returned the Demon LordÆs look of surprise and fright with an unfeeling stare.
ôI will be taking your Crest now.ö
It was the most terrifying thing Leviamon could have listened to.
ôNoàno! No, no, noooo! Get away from mù!ö
It was too late.
It was too late the moment LucemonÆs hand touched Katou JuriÆs skin.
Engulfed by the golden light of Dreams, they could not be seen by the audience which had gathered by the shore.
ôLet us Dream together, Katou Juri,ö Lucemon said within the cocoon of radiance. Leviamon, as much as he tried, could not move an inch anymore. The Demon Lord had become a prisoner of Dreams; of Thelema.
ôNoooooo!!!ö the Avatar of Envy cried out; it was almost sadistic that it was the only thing LucemonÆs spell allowed it to do. ôI canÆt live without my Crest!ö
ôI know.ö
Indeed, the Demon Lords were bound to their Crests of Sin. Without them, they could not exist in their Ultimate forms.
ôBut it does not matter,ö Lucemon continued. ôYour future has already been decided.ö
The golden cocoon of light surrounding them became a white nova that grew until it almost reached the Tokyo marina. Those there had to close their eyes or be rendered blind. Water was pushed away from the two Digimon, creating tall waves that crashed against the concrete barriers at the docks.
ôVIAOV.ö
The spell to assemble something out of its individual components, or separate a complex entity into its components.
He would later use it to reconstruct Renamon from her scattered data which had never been absorbed by Leviamon or anybody else. At the moment, however, it would be used in the opposite direction: to separate Katou Juri from Leviamon and the bomb inside her body, and then destroy the latter two.
ôYour Crest is mine.ö
ôNoooooo!ö the Avatar of Envy cried futilely one last time.
ôNow, disappear.ö
Leviamon departed from the world with a wordless scream and an explosion of the purest, most violent light.
ôNoàno way, I canÆt believe thisàö Lilithmon muttered in no little fright at the development. Lucemon Magus Mode was encased in a cocoon of golden light, seemingly disconnected from the Game Room around him while he was at work giving shape to Katou JuriÆs dream.
ôAre you afraid, Empress of Darkness?ö
ôYou can bet I am!ö the Avatar of Lust shamelessly admitted. ôIf he can take our Crests so easilyàI mean, he just defeated Leviamon! Leviamon!ö
ôYou need to calm down, Lilithmon,ö Lucemon called out in a slightly impatient tone. ôYouÆre a lot more intelligent than Leviamon. You would be trapped like that so easily.ö
ôWell, I canÆt shrug off thousands of swords and micro-black holes like Leviamon!ö
ôJustàcalm down,ö Lucemon insisted. ôYou have defeated opponents stronger than you before.ö
Whatever it was Lilithmon said afterwards, Lucemon ignored it. His eyes were on the little piece in the shape of the Avatar of Envy. He quietly watched it disintegrate, to be then replaced by an egg-shaped piece about half the size of JuriÆs piece next to it.
Leviamon was truly gone, and the Crest of Envy was now in TakatoÆs possession.
The leader of the Seven Great Demon Lords chortled quietly to himself.
This roundàis my victory.
**************************************
Katou Juri woke up in somebodyÆs arms. The first thing she felt was soreness all over and the discomfort reminded her that, while not directly involved herself, her body had been in the midst of an incredible fight.
She glanced up to find the expressionless face of Lucemon Magus Mode. So similar to Matsuda TakatoÆs, yet so distant. He was carrying her as he flew back to shore at a very sedate pace.
Lucemon was not in a hurry anymore. The game round itself was over with LeviamonÆs defeat and the destruction of the final bomb. What remained were the additional objectives Takato had imposed on the Demon Man Digimon at the moment he transformed.
ôWhoàare you?ö
They had met in that strange yet familiar savannah. She had watched him fight and defeat Leviamon. She knew he came from Takato, or rather, Takato became this Digimon. Howeverà
Lucemon correctly interpreted the intent in JuriÆs question and gave the appropriate answer.
ôI am the æAlternate PathÆ Matsuda Takato has chosen to step into.ö
JuriÆs pupils trembled in wordless sadness.
ôàwhy? Why would Takato-kunà?ö
àdo this to himself?
Once more, Lucemon somehow understood the undertone of JuriÆs inquiry and responded accordingly.
ôBecause a human Matsuda Takato cannot defeat Lucemon.ö
The DigimonÆs golden wings flapped placidly in the clear blue sky. They were beautiful, but Juri could not help but feel apprehensive before thisàÆthingÆ that was not her Takato-kun.
ôIs the Game reallyàreally worth all thisà?ö
A hint of a frown appeared on the DigimonÆs brow.
ôàwould you rather allow Lucemon to succeed, then?ö
ôN-No! Of course not!ö the girl immediately insisted, shaking her head strongly to emphasize this point.
ôDonÆt move so much; you donÆt want to drop your Digivice.ö
ôEh? My Digiù!ö
Katou Juriùno, Leviamonùhad discarded her purse at some point on the way to the marina. She was sure her dead D-Arc had been there. Then again, the Digivice her right hand was pinning against her body was not the Digivice she had always carried with her.
ôThis isàjust likeàö
It was just like Matsuki TakatoÆs: white with a golden ring and buttons. DigiLetters she could not translateùshe probably would have been able to if Leviamon still inhabited her bodyùwere engraved on the ring that circled the deviceÆs screen. The only difference was the strap: blue like the sky above them unlike TakatoÆs deep red.
But even more interesting than the unknown Digivice was the image displayed on the screen.
ôWhat isà?ö
Lucemon did not bother look down at the Digi-Egg.
ôYour partner.ö
ôHuh? Leomon?ö Juri mused; her gaze shifting between Lucemon and the blue egg with scarlet dots.
ôDonÆt be stupid, girl.ö
If she needed further proof of this Digimon not being ôherö Takato-kun, she had just gotten it. Still, she could not help her eyes watering a little at hearing such words in that familiar voice.
ôYour bond with this Digimon is much stronger than the bond you had with Leomon.ö
The girlÆs eyes widened in realization.
ôYou mean, Leviamonà?ö
The shake of LucemonÆs head was almost imperceptible.
ôIt will never evolve to Leviamon. However, you should at least be capable of guiding it to the Perfect level.ö
ôPerfectàö
Juri made an odd face when the knowledge from her card collection and her communion with the Avatar of Envy gave her the answer she sought.
ôDa-Dagomon, huhàö
ôIt is a powerful Digimon. It could prove a valuable asset.ö
ôHaaàahahahaàö
Lucemon did not pay much attention to the girlÆs dejected and half-hearted ôIÆll do my bestàö
They were close to shore.
ôEveryoneÆs thereàö Juri stated. Certainly, the whole group of Tamers stood at the edge of the docks watching their approach. She could not help but notice they had put some distance between themselves and the gap LeviamonÆs Rostrum had literally chomped off the dockÆs edge.
The place whereà
ôOh, Rukià!ö the girl moaned, covering her face with her hands in shame and self-loathing.
Lucemon ignored the girlÆs soft cries and just willed himself to land gently on the reinforced concrete pier where the Tamers stood in wait. He correctly guessed Jenrya had explained everything he saw to the others and wordlessly offered the sobbing Juri to Justimon in front of him.
Lucemon Magus Mode had no interest in the TamersÆ thoughts, nor did he have any reason to exchange words with them. He had things to do, and explaining things to Matsuda TakatoÆs pieces was not one of them. Thus, he ignored the misery on Lee JenryaÆs expression, the looks of poorly concealed fear on HirokazuÆs face, the cautious frown on TerriermonÆs small brow, the undiluted pity in LopmonÆs beady eyes and the way little Shaochung seemed to be mesmerized by his golden wings.
ôYou alright?ö Justimon inquired of the girl now in his arms as he gently lowered her to solid ground.
ôàum. IÆm fine.ö
If they noticed the new Digivice in her hands, they did not voice it. Most likely, they already had enough in their minds to add such a ôsimpleö thing to their list of questions unanswered.
Justimon then stepped forward to address Lucemon.
ôTakato, just whaùö
ôVIAOV.ö
The Tamers were blinded by golden light. An invisible force pushed Justimon back to where Juri stood.
Lucemon Magus Mode had no interest in further conversation.
Had they been able to see through the sun-like radiance, the Tamers would have witnessed how RenamonÆs data, till that point dispersed and diffused in the air all around them, reunited and reorganized itself in the space between them and Lucemon. Starting with the Core and following with the supporting body, the whole process would not take longer than one minute.
***********************************
ôHmmàso you can now reconstruct the TamersÆ partners as well,ö Lucemon noted. ôI guess that makes the number of pieces you have pretty much irrelevant.ö
ôIt is harder that I make it seem,ö Magus Mode admitted; the Crest of Dreams glowed eminently behind his seat, as if proudly announcing its power to all those who could see it. ôIt is something I would rather not have to do often,ö after a moment of consideration, the Demon Man Digimon made an outrageous admission. ôI would not bother with Guardromon, for example.ö
The Avatar of Pride laughed loudly and heartily.
ôAhahahaha! So cruel, so cruel~ö
Magus Mode had no response to that.
ôAre you afraid, Empress of Darkness?ö
ôYou can bet I am!ö the Avatar of Lust shamelessly admitted. ôIf he can take our Crests so easilyàI mean, he just defeated Leviamon! Leviamon!ö
ôYou need to calm down, Lilithmon,ö Lucemon called out in a slightly impatient tone. ôYouÆre a lot more intelligent than Leviamon. You would be trapped like that so easily.ö
ôWell, I canÆt shrug off thousands of swords and micro-black holes like Leviamon!ö
ôJustàcalm down,ö Lucemon insisted. ôYou have defeated opponents stronger than you before.ö
Whatever it was Lilithmon said afterwards, Lucemon ignored it. His eyes were on the little piece in the shape of the Avatar of Envy. He quietly watched it disintegrate, to be then replaced by an egg-shaped piece about half the size of JuriÆs piece next to it.
Leviamon was truly gone, and the Crest of Envy was now in TakatoÆs possession.
The leader of the Seven Great Demon Lords chortled quietly to himself.
This roundàis my victory.
**************************************
Katou Juri woke up in somebodyÆs arms. The first thing she felt was soreness all over and the discomfort reminded her that, while not directly involved herself, her body had been in the midst of an incredible fight.
She glanced up to find the expressionless face of Lucemon Magus Mode. So similar to Matsuda TakatoÆs, yet so distant. He was carrying her as he flew back to shore at a very sedate pace.
Lucemon was not in a hurry anymore. The game round itself was over with LeviamonÆs defeat and the destruction of the final bomb. What remained were the additional objectives Takato had imposed on the Demon Man Digimon at the moment he transformed.
ôWhoàare you?ö
They had met in that strange yet familiar savannah. She had watched him fight and defeat Leviamon. She knew he came from Takato, or rather, Takato became this Digimon. Howeverà
Lucemon correctly interpreted the intent in JuriÆs question and gave the appropriate answer.
ôI am the æAlternate PathÆ Matsuda Takato has chosen to step into.ö
JuriÆs pupils trembled in wordless sadness.
ôàwhy? Why would Takato-kunà?ö
àdo this to himself?
Once more, Lucemon somehow understood the undertone of JuriÆs inquiry and responded accordingly.
ôBecause a human Matsuda Takato cannot defeat Lucemon.ö
The DigimonÆs golden wings flapped placidly in the clear blue sky. They were beautiful, but Juri could not help but feel apprehensive before thisàÆthingÆ that was not her Takato-kun.
ôIs the Game reallyàreally worth all thisà?ö
A hint of a frown appeared on the DigimonÆs brow.
ôàwould you rather allow Lucemon to succeed, then?ö
ôN-No! Of course not!ö the girl immediately insisted, shaking her head strongly to emphasize this point.
ôDonÆt move so much; you donÆt want to drop your Digivice.ö
ôEh? My Digiù!ö
Katou Juriùno, Leviamonùhad discarded her purse at some point on the way to the marina. She was sure her dead D-Arc had been there. Then again, the Digivice her right hand was pinning against her body was not the Digivice she had always carried with her.
ôThis isàjust likeàö
It was just like Matsuki TakatoÆs: white with a golden ring and buttons. DigiLetters she could not translateùshe probably would have been able to if Leviamon still inhabited her bodyùwere engraved on the ring that circled the deviceÆs screen. The only difference was the strap: blue like the sky above them unlike TakatoÆs deep red.
But even more interesting than the unknown Digivice was the image displayed on the screen.
ôWhat isà?ö
Lucemon did not bother look down at the Digi-Egg.
ôYour partner.ö
ôHuh? Leomon?ö Juri mused; her gaze shifting between Lucemon and the blue egg with scarlet dots.
ôDonÆt be stupid, girl.ö
If she needed further proof of this Digimon not being ôherö Takato-kun, she had just gotten it. Still, she could not help her eyes watering a little at hearing such words in that familiar voice.
ôYour bond with this Digimon is much stronger than the bond you had with Leomon.ö
The girlÆs eyes widened in realization.
ôYou mean, Leviamonà?ö
The shake of LucemonÆs head was almost imperceptible.
ôIt will never evolve to Leviamon. However, you should at least be capable of guiding it to the Perfect level.ö
ôPerfectàö
Juri made an odd face when the knowledge from her card collection and her communion with the Avatar of Envy gave her the answer she sought.
ôDa-Dagomon, huhàö
ôIt is a powerful Digimon. It could prove a valuable asset.ö
ôHaaàahahahaàö
Lucemon did not pay much attention to the girlÆs dejected and half-hearted ôIÆll do my bestàö
They were close to shore.
ôEveryoneÆs thereàö Juri stated. Certainly, the whole group of Tamers stood at the edge of the docks watching their approach. She could not help but notice they had put some distance between themselves and the gap LeviamonÆs Rostrum had literally chomped off the dockÆs edge.
The place whereà
ôOh, Rukià!ö the girl moaned, covering her face with her hands in shame and self-loathing.
Lucemon ignored the girlÆs soft cries and just willed himself to land gently on the reinforced concrete pier where the Tamers stood in wait. He correctly guessed Jenrya had explained everything he saw to the others and wordlessly offered the sobbing Juri to Justimon in front of him.
Lucemon Magus Mode had no interest in the TamersÆ thoughts, nor did he have any reason to exchange words with them. He had things to do, and explaining things to Matsuda TakatoÆs pieces was not one of them. Thus, he ignored the misery on Lee JenryaÆs expression, the looks of poorly concealed fear on HirokazuÆs face, the cautious frown on TerriermonÆs small brow, the undiluted pity in LopmonÆs beady eyes and the way little Shaochung seemed to be mesmerized by his golden wings.
ôYou alright?ö Justimon inquired of the girl now in his arms as he gently lowered her to solid ground.
ôàum. IÆm fine.ö
If they noticed the new Digivice in her hands, they did not voice it. Most likely, they already had enough in their minds to add such a ôsimpleö thing to their list of questions unanswered.
Justimon then stepped forward to address Lucemon.
ôTakato, just whaùö
ôVIAOV.ö
The Tamers were blinded by golden light. An invisible force pushed Justimon back to where Juri stood.
Lucemon Magus Mode had no interest in further conversation.
Had they been able to see through the sun-like radiance, the Tamers would have witnessed how RenamonÆs data, till that point dispersed and diffused in the air all around them, reunited and reorganized itself in the space between them and Lucemon. Starting with the Core and following with the supporting body, the whole process would not take longer than one minute.
***********************************
ôHmmàso you can now reconstruct the TamersÆ partners as well,ö Lucemon noted. ôI guess that makes the number of pieces you have pretty much irrelevant.ö
ôIt is harder that I make it seem,ö Magus Mode admitted; the Crest of Dreams glowed eminently behind his seat, as if proudly announcing its power to all those who could see it. ôIt is something I would rather not have to do often,ö after a moment of consideration, the Demon Man Digimon made an outrageous admission. ôI would not bother with Guardromon, for example.ö
The Avatar of Pride laughed loudly and heartily.
ôAhahahaha! So cruel, so cruel~ö
Magus Mode had no response to that.
Well, it's been a wild ride so far, hmm. It's always so intriguing how it bothers me to torture Takato like this, yet I'm still driven to write more of his trials and tribulations. Humans truly shine the brightest when they are swallowed by the deepest darkness. Takato is my "human exemplar." In "Tamers", he's just an ordinary boy who "dreams."
That is enough to create a hero.
Thank you all for reading "Gardens of Babylon."
*******************************************
*******************************************
Creating a new Makino Ruki was never an issue. It was probably the easiest of all ômiraculousö acts he would perform that day.
Under any other circumstance, the degree of familiarity Matsuda Takato had with the entity publicly known as ôMakino Rukiö would be deemed nothing short of disturbing.
Matsuda Takato truly knew ôMakino Rukiö better than anybody else, and all that knowledge was available to Lucemon Magus Mode. From the most esoteric things such as her quirks, likes and dislikes, her tastes in food and clothes and her conditioned reactions to all sorts of unexpected situations, to the most fundamental things like the frequency of her menstrual cycles, her visual acuity, the thickness of her hymen and the distribution of fats throughout of her body.
Matsuda Takato knows Makino Ruki even to the molecular level: not even the chain of billions of DNA base pairs that make her genome is a mystery to him.
No, creating a new Makino Ruki was never a problem at all. She was his most complex, most refined and most detailed Dream; one he had worked on with painstaking dedicationàafter the first one, that is.
The point is, the possibility of failure was basically unconceivable.
No, ôcreatingö Ruki was never the problem.
The problem was making it so that ôMakino Rukiö never died in the first place.
It was truly telling Reality to shove it and allow itself to be overwritten.
People are supposed to die when theyÆre killed, after all.
The amount of Degradation something like this would unleash upon his soul is enormous. Matsuda Takato knew this fairly wellùafter all, he has already done this seven times before. Even worse, Ruki was actually ôeasyö to force upon Reality; it would be much worse if he had to bring back, letÆs say, Katou Juri.
But stating all this is pretty much pointless.
After all, Lucemon Magus Mode does not know hesitation, nor does he fear Degradation.
That is Matsuda TakatoÆs problem, and a punishment he accepted years ago.
So, the Demon Man in the shape of an angel Dreamt.
He Dreamt, and the world was engulfed in the radiance of his Dream.
And when the Dream ended, Lucemon Magus Mode ceased to be.
He was not one to delay matters; his ômissionö had been successfully completed, so there was no reason for him to stay any longer.
Not even to delay the horror Matsuda Takato was about to experience.
Not even for one second.
****************************************
The sky howled in agony and terror. It sounded like the death throes of countless birds mixed with the pained shrills of thousands of children.
Next to Lilithmon, the Avatar of Pride wore a placid smile as they watched the Gardens of Babylon fall apart. Millenniummon was gone somewhere; who were they to fathom the movements of a being that transcends time and space?
ôWhat is the soul, Lilithmon?ö he suddenly asked, but never took his eyes off the depressing scene in front of them. ôWhere is it?ö
The vivid colors of the garden gave way to the dark tones of death. It was as if someone had unleashed a spell of aging throughout the entire place, and the many different flowers that adorned the open roads rapidly died, fell apart and became dust.
Lightning tore through the dark sky, and the very air around them howled as if physically hurt by the electric stream.
ôIf we refer to the soul as æthat which defines our identity and uniquenessÆ, then it is a lot easier for us Digimon.ö Lucemon then placed a hand on his chest. ôWe could say our æsoulÆ is contained within our DigiCore.ö
ôBut, then, whereÆs the human soul?ö he continued the monologue even as the Gardens around them lost their liveliness and became a barren land of ochres and grays.
ôMaybe there is not such a thing as æthe soulÆ,ö Lucemon suggested. ôMaybe this is only a metaphysical construction representing the harmony of TakatoÆs mind and body. We say the Degradation affects the soul, and by consequence the body and the mind, but maybe thereÆs no need for such an intermediary.ö
ôWhatever the case, it does not matter whether a thing such as æthe soulÆ exists or not. It is just a convenient meta-concept. What truly matters is what is happening now.ö
Lilithmon watched the dying land with mixed feelings. She was the Avatar of Lust, and she appreciated beauty as much as she sought decay.
ôAre all the flowers goneà?ö she wondered.
ôNo,ö Lucemon answered. ôThe human æsoulÆ is strong. TakatoÆs æsoulÆ is strong. So far the Degradation had affected far away areas in the Gardens; thatÆs why we could not notice. But today Takato has triggered an unbelievable amount of Degradation. It will not be enough to end him, but both his body and his mind will be permanently scarred by this.ö
LucemonÆs grin widened.
ôToday, a huge step towards my victory has been made.ö
**************************************
ôUhhàughàö
With trembling lips and groggy eyes, Makino Ruki woke up.
She did not know this, but she was the Eighth.
ôRukià!ö a female voice gasped in unrestrained relief. Ruki found the teary smile of Katou Juri.
ôCan you get up?ö a familiar annoying voice spoke behind her. She felt hands trying to push her body to a sitting position.
ôGet your filthy hands off me, Akiyama,ö she spoke in a voice she found uncomfortably weak.
ôGood to see youÆre just fine,ö the Legendary Tamer responded, and Ruki immediately frowned.
Where was Mr. PerfectÆs usual humor? His voice was disturbinglyàflat.
ôJustàwhatà?ö
She remembered.
Sakuyamon was fighting the Zudomon, and thenà
ôRenamon!ö she gasped out, and her eyes sought her partner, but they were blocked by JuriÆs and RyoÆs bodies. ôWhereÆsà!?ö
When she found her, an unbelievable sensation of relief washed through her body. She was laying on the concrete, just like her, and she was unconscious. However, Ruki did not see any external wounds or any discomfort on her face. MarinAngemon was using his healing powers on the fox-like Digimon, and Hirokazu and Guardromon stood by her left side like an unasked for guardian.
ôWhatàhappenedà?ö Ruki inquired. She still did not know the source of that ridiculous power that knocked her and Renamon unconscious. She remembered the first strike that disabled their Ultimate evolution, and the second which sent them flying to shore. She remembered the unbelievable strength and the tremendous pain which had now become little more than an annoying discomfort all over her body.
How was she still alive? Had Renamon protected her with her own body?
ôOh, Ruki, IÆm so sorry!ö Juri gasped out, reaching for the other girlÆs hands and wrapping them in her own. ôI couldnÆtàI couldnÆt stop itàö
Ryo frowned. Juri had also apologized to the other Tamers, but she had not really made clear just what exactly she had done. Then again, the current circumstancesà
But still, they needed to know.
ôJuri,ö he called with unusual bluntness. ôJust what is going on?ö
Juri made a pained expression and dropped her face, unable to face the two most experienced Tamers.
ôIàI donÆt think I can explain everythingàright nowàö
Ryo did not assent. He could accept that answer; it was a promise of an explanation in the near future. Howeverà
ôThen at least tell us what the hellÆs happening to Takato!ö
Takato.
It was truly a magical word which sent RukiÆs brain into high alert.
ôWha-WhatÆs going onùö
And only then she noticed. It was as if she had finally tuned herself to TakatoÆs frequency, and suddenly it became awfully clear in her ears.
Somewhere in the distance, someone was screaming, and the screams were like poison-coated arrows in RukiÆs heart.
ôTakatoà!ö
***************************************
Lee Jenrya had experienced this feeling before. It was a horrible feeling he wished on no one.
Futility.
The unsettling awareness of the fact that, no matter what he did, he could not stop what was going on before his eyes.
Matsuda TakatoÆs screams ceased only long enough for his lungs to catch air.
ôTakatoà!ö Jenrya called the boyÆs name, squeezing his right hand between his own two hands. Takato did not seem to be aware of the gesture.
ôAhàaahhhà.ö
Across from TakatoÆs body, JenryaÆs little sister covered her mouth with her hands as if to stifle her moans. What she could not hide, however, were her tears upon watching the horrifying scene in front of them. Lopmon had placed a tiny paw on TakatoÆs left shoulder, and watched the suffering boy with unbridled worry.
Terriermon stood to his partnerÆs left side, watching the horrible scene with an unusual, quiet solemnity.
Matsuda Takato was a wreck. There was no other, accurate way to describe it.
It was hard to decide what the worst thing was. The screams were disturbing enough, and they were accompanied by TakatoÆs face distorting into horrible masks of unfathomable agony.
No, there was no one thing Jenrya could label as æthe worstÆ. This was a terror that struck in every level.
They were watching TakatoÆs body fall apart.
His skin and clothes had gained a lively yet disturbing red tone. Jenrya knew this meant TakatoÆs capillariesùand maybe even some larger vesselsùhad ruptured all over his body. The white of TakatoÆs eyes had been replaced by scarlet.
Takato was sweating, crying and pissing blood.
His body began to shake in a disturbingly excessive manner, reminding Jenrya of TV depictions of epileptic seizures.
ôWe-We have to hold him!ö He spoke far more loudly than he needed to. ôHeÆs gonna hurt himself even more at this rate!ö
The two similar Digimon nodded and hurried to hold TakatoÆs upper body with their tiny arms. Jenrya had substantial trouble getting a hold of TakatoÆs flailing legs and forcing them to stay on ground level.
His eyes moved to his paralyzed sister. It was not that Terriermon and Lopmon were not strong enough; they were just too small to hold Takato properly.
ôXi?och?ng!ö He called out in the proper Chinese pronunciation; the way he did whenever he scolded the girl.
The sudden call in their fatherÆs native language startled the girl, and she immediately understood her brotherÆs wordless demand.
ôAh, ahàyes!ö
She knew Takato was not looking at them, but she still avoided looking at his face. Those bloody eyes and that expression of inconceivable pain were just too much.
Shiuchon reached for TakatoÆs left shoulder...and the distinct sound of bone breaking struck their ears.
ôAh!ö Lopmon gasped as he jumped backwards and away from Takato. His little eyes watched in horror how TakatoÆs left arm, now detached from the destroyed shoulder, flailed uselessly next to his Tamer.
Takato screamed even louder, and it became more than Shiuchon could handle.
Lee Jenrya sobbed in futility at the sight of his friendÆs and his sisterÆs screams.
ôLee-san!ö
His eyes darted to the boy standing to his left.
Hirokazu was trembling: he was obviously afraidùof the screams, of the unknown, of whatever was making his friend suffer like thatù, but he still tried to make a steeled face, staring down at the half-Japanese boy as if expecting something from him.
ôWhat should I do?ö
Jenrya wished he could afford the boy a smile for his little burst of courage.
ôJustàjust hold him. Gently, but make sure he doesnÆt flail around.ö
****************************************
Pain.
There was only pain.
It was truly pain like nothing he had experienced before, and he believed he was fairly acquainted with pain after the last five years.
But even in this pain, Matsuda Takato was thinking.
He had to; there was no choice.
As long as the Game continued, his brain had to keep working.
But, the painà!
He could feel it, both at a physical and an intellectual level: his body was collapsing. He could not begin to calculate how long it would take for his Crest to heal this amount of damage.
But it was not only his body that was falling apart, was it?
No, his mind would follow.
He had no idea what would happen, as he did not really know just how much damage he would receive. Was it enough to turn him into a vegetable? Or would his personality degrade to the point he would become an emotionless doll?
What about his memories, then? What would he forget, if anythingà?
It did not matter. This damageàit did not matterà! Even if he forgot the Tamers, Guilmon, or that precious person he lost years agoà! It did not matter!
As long as he did not forget that, nothing else mattered!
His salvation and his most secret of secrets: his carefully thought æplanÆ for victory!
As long as he had that, it did not matter what else he lost!
But, stillà
ôTakato!ö
*****************************************
It was almost miraculous, Jenrya thought, how the screams ceased in an instant the moment Makino Ruki called that boyÆs name.
Matsuda Takato had suffered a terrifying ætransformationÆ in front of his eyes, and now Jenrya was afraid to break more bones by holding him by the ankles.
It was as if TakatoÆs body were being eaten from the inside.
Muscles thinned at frightening speed until the body became little more than skin and bone. Except for the absence of an inflated belly, Takato reminded Jenrya of the unsettling images of starving children in Africa.
ôTakato!ö Ruki called again. She had needed JuriÆs and RyoÆs help to make it to her best friendÆs side. She was worried about Renamon as well, but thisàthis sight before her eyes was too horrible to ignore.
TakatoÆs bloodied eyes sought the source of the voice, and his right hand feebly tried to reach it.
ôNeeàchanàö
A strange pain gripped RukiÆs chest. This wasàthe second time she heard Takato say that.
ôTakatoàö she spoke more softly this time, reaching for TakatoÆs hand. ôTakato, an ambulance is coming, soàpleaseà!ö
What did she want to say?
æHold on for a little while?Æ
æStay with us?Æ
æDonÆt die?Æ
The other Tamers exchanged nervous looks amongst themselves. For a reason, they suddenly felt like uninvited guests.
ôIàö Takato gasped, and the girls besides Ruki gasped as well when richly red blood poured out of the gap between his lips. ôI stillàitÆs okayàö
RukiÆs lips trembled. Despite the othersÆ presence, she did nothing about her watering eyes.
TakatoÆs voice had weakened by the word, butàwas heà?
Was he trying to smileà?
ôTakato!ö she called out for the third time, this time little more than a choked gasp. She leaned over the prone boyÆs body, inching her head closer to his mouth so as to better catch his weak voice.
His mouth was pouring blood, yet his tongue looked so paleà
ôIàstillàwinàö
ôWhatàwhat do you mean, Takatoà?ö
ôI stillàcanàwinà!ö
ôOh, Takatoà!ö Juri cried somewhere behind Ruki and buried her face in the nearest chest, which just happened to be RyoÆs. For once, the so-called Legendary Tamer felt awfully uncomfortable.
ôTakato, what do youù?ö
ôTheyàstillàcome whileàgoneàö
ôGone? No!ö Ruki almost shouted on TakatoÆs face. ôYouÆre not going anywhere, Takato!ö
But the boy did not seem to be paying attention to the surroundings anymore. Maybe he was talking to himself by this point.
ôHaveàprotectàevenànotàhereàö
Golden light. The Tamers gasped as a strange arrangement of circles came to be on the concrete under their feet.
LEVEL: 888 SYSTEM: BEATRICE CODE: DREAMS
CAUTION! PARADISE LEVEL 9
ôIAO.ö
The source is Thelema. The language is Greek. No schema was applied.
The knowledge of Thelema was always Matsuda TakatoÆs. However, thanks to his transformation into Magus Mode, now he knew how to use it.
The Tamers felt something emerge from the light and fill them. Whatever it was, it was warm and comforting, like the protecting embrace of a mother and the approving smile of a father.
ôItàstillàAeonàOsirisàbutàshould beàenoughàö
It was the word of the Aeon; the magical formula of a dying God.
A magical word of self-sacrifice: to give away a little bit of you for the sake of others.
Matsuda Takato then closed his eyes for the last time, deaf to the cries of the one he had called æbest friendÆ.
It was not ædeathÆ, but, as he succumbed to his wounds and the world became dark around him, he knew that the one who opened those eyes again would not be æMatsuda TakatoÆ any more.
But, that never really mattered, did ità?
******************************************
Lilithmon stared at the changed scenery in front of them. There were too many feeling swirling in her chest to point out any single one.
ôThis isàthis looks just likeà!ö
She looked at Lucemon, her wide eyes wordlessly begging for answers.
Most of the rows of bushes clad in flowers which once had made TakatoÆs ægardenÆ had now perished. Those that still stood were now gloomy, pitiful things. The once green leaves had become brown, and the spots of color of those flowers that still remained now looked awkward and inappropriate in the new world of shades of brown and gray.
And then there were the columns.
They had arisen from the barren ground, and they were completely unassuming, built in the old Doric order of Greek architecture: faceted columns with plain capitals and no base.
Rows and rows of these columns now filled the garden. Each column stood about three yards from the next, and the rows were separated approximately four yards, about the same as the bush rows had once been.
ôIt is called æDegradationÆ, right?ö Lucemon responded.
The red circles and the emblem of the Crest of Pride shone over his pupils.
ôIt æeats awayÆ at TakatoÆs æsoulÆ. ItÆs like a virus that deletes data from your hard disk. Does that not mean that you could then æwriteÆ something else in that emptied space?ö
The metaphorical light bulb shone in LilithmonÆs head.
ôYou meanàthis isàwhat you were aiming forà?ö
ôButàö Lucemon continued, obviously not caring enough to dispel LilithmonÆs doubts. ôItÆs not working completely as I expected.ö
The small angel looked at the dark sky, and Lilithmon followed his gaze.
Yes, that was by far the most notorious of the changes.
A distant globe of golden light shone upon the gardens like a full moon.
ôTakato created it. I do not know what it is, and that bothers me,ö Lucemon admitted.
The Child Digimon planted his hands on his hips and grinned.
ôBut! That is good!ö
Lilithmon was once again lost.
ôIt means heÆs still fighting,ö Lucemon clarified. ôHe makes me so immensely proud.ö
ôAnyway,ö the angel continued, finally stepping away from the Game Room and into the ruined garden proper. ôIÆll be stepping out of the Game for a while.ö
ôEh? Milord?ö
ôMy opponent is Matsuda Takato, Lilithmon. He will not be able to play for some time, so thereÆs no reason for me to stick around. Also, I have to tighten my leash on Barbamon; it will not do if he seizes this chance to destroy my Game. IÆll leave things here to you, Lilithmon.ö
ôAhàyes, milord, as you wish,ö the Avatar of Lust accepted with a polite bow.
ôYour previous orders still stand,ö Lucemon continued. ôEven if sheÆs now the Eighth, make TakatoÆs doll crack.ö
ôI would do that even without your command, milord.ö
Lucemon exchanged naughty smiles with the voluptuous woman.
ôAnd please donÆt ravage my boy while heÆs unconscious; that would probably kill him.ö
ôWhat would the fun in that be?ö the lusty demoness responded as if answering a childÆs simple question.
Lucemon nodded. ôGood. Also, be careful. The last spell Takato used on the Tamers if probably a ward of some sort.ö
ôMilordàdoesnÆt not what it is?ö Lilithmon asked hesitatingly.
ôThelema belongs to the æAlternate PathÆ. It is not within the scope of my power.ö
He looked back to the golden globe in the sky.
ôThe Game must continue, even if you are absent, Takato-kun. Barbamon will still strike, and the countdown to BelphemonÆs awakening will not stop to wait for you.ö
ôHow much further will you go to stop me, my precious nemesis? If you become Magus Mode one more time and fight like that again, the Degradation will be complete.ö
ôIf the Degradation completely fills your soul, æMatsuda TakatoÆ will disappear, and I will ærewriteÆ you as æLucemonÆ.ö
Two æbodiesÆ, one æidentityÆ. There is no such thing as æidentical soulsÆ. Even if their appearances are the same, no two Renamon are identical.
If their æsoulsÆ are the same, then they can only be the same being.
By creating a ôLucemonö unrestricted to the Dark Area, Lucemon will free himself.
Their æsoulsÆ will be one, and then their bodies, their mindsùtheir dataùwill merge as well.
It could be called æPermanent Matrix EvolutionÆ, but it is clearly more than that.
ôTakato, your æGardenÆ is in ruins now. Babylon has fallen.ö
LucemonÆs face brightened with the loveliest smile, truly fitting of an angel. It radiated hope, pride, desire, affection, and a little bit of longing.
ôLetÆs rebuild it together, ne?ö
The Avatar of Pride licked his upper lip in delicious anticipation.
ôAs one.ö
******************************************
Gardens of Babylon û END
The Game continues in ôRuins of Babylon.ö
That is enough to create a hero.
Thank you all for reading "Gardens of Babylon."
*******************************************
*******************************************
Creating a new Makino Ruki was never an issue. It was probably the easiest of all ômiraculousö acts he would perform that day.
Under any other circumstance, the degree of familiarity Matsuda Takato had with the entity publicly known as ôMakino Rukiö would be deemed nothing short of disturbing.
Matsuda Takato truly knew ôMakino Rukiö better than anybody else, and all that knowledge was available to Lucemon Magus Mode. From the most esoteric things such as her quirks, likes and dislikes, her tastes in food and clothes and her conditioned reactions to all sorts of unexpected situations, to the most fundamental things like the frequency of her menstrual cycles, her visual acuity, the thickness of her hymen and the distribution of fats throughout of her body.
Matsuda Takato knows Makino Ruki even to the molecular level: not even the chain of billions of DNA base pairs that make her genome is a mystery to him.
No, creating a new Makino Ruki was never a problem at all. She was his most complex, most refined and most detailed Dream; one he had worked on with painstaking dedicationàafter the first one, that is.
The point is, the possibility of failure was basically unconceivable.
No, ôcreatingö Ruki was never the problem.
The problem was making it so that ôMakino Rukiö never died in the first place.
It was truly telling Reality to shove it and allow itself to be overwritten.
People are supposed to die when theyÆre killed, after all.
The amount of Degradation something like this would unleash upon his soul is enormous. Matsuda Takato knew this fairly wellùafter all, he has already done this seven times before. Even worse, Ruki was actually ôeasyö to force upon Reality; it would be much worse if he had to bring back, letÆs say, Katou Juri.
But stating all this is pretty much pointless.
After all, Lucemon Magus Mode does not know hesitation, nor does he fear Degradation.
That is Matsuda TakatoÆs problem, and a punishment he accepted years ago.
So, the Demon Man in the shape of an angel Dreamt.
He Dreamt, and the world was engulfed in the radiance of his Dream.
And when the Dream ended, Lucemon Magus Mode ceased to be.
He was not one to delay matters; his ômissionö had been successfully completed, so there was no reason for him to stay any longer.
Not even to delay the horror Matsuda Takato was about to experience.
Not even for one second.
****************************************
The sky howled in agony and terror. It sounded like the death throes of countless birds mixed with the pained shrills of thousands of children.
Next to Lilithmon, the Avatar of Pride wore a placid smile as they watched the Gardens of Babylon fall apart. Millenniummon was gone somewhere; who were they to fathom the movements of a being that transcends time and space?
ôWhat is the soul, Lilithmon?ö he suddenly asked, but never took his eyes off the depressing scene in front of them. ôWhere is it?ö
The vivid colors of the garden gave way to the dark tones of death. It was as if someone had unleashed a spell of aging throughout the entire place, and the many different flowers that adorned the open roads rapidly died, fell apart and became dust.
Lightning tore through the dark sky, and the very air around them howled as if physically hurt by the electric stream.
ôIf we refer to the soul as æthat which defines our identity and uniquenessÆ, then it is a lot easier for us Digimon.ö Lucemon then placed a hand on his chest. ôWe could say our æsoulÆ is contained within our DigiCore.ö
ôBut, then, whereÆs the human soul?ö he continued the monologue even as the Gardens around them lost their liveliness and became a barren land of ochres and grays.
ôMaybe there is not such a thing as æthe soulÆ,ö Lucemon suggested. ôMaybe this is only a metaphysical construction representing the harmony of TakatoÆs mind and body. We say the Degradation affects the soul, and by consequence the body and the mind, but maybe thereÆs no need for such an intermediary.ö
ôWhatever the case, it does not matter whether a thing such as æthe soulÆ exists or not. It is just a convenient meta-concept. What truly matters is what is happening now.ö
Lilithmon watched the dying land with mixed feelings. She was the Avatar of Lust, and she appreciated beauty as much as she sought decay.
ôAre all the flowers goneà?ö she wondered.
ôNo,ö Lucemon answered. ôThe human æsoulÆ is strong. TakatoÆs æsoulÆ is strong. So far the Degradation had affected far away areas in the Gardens; thatÆs why we could not notice. But today Takato has triggered an unbelievable amount of Degradation. It will not be enough to end him, but both his body and his mind will be permanently scarred by this.ö
LucemonÆs grin widened.
ôToday, a huge step towards my victory has been made.ö
**************************************
ôUhhàughàö
With trembling lips and groggy eyes, Makino Ruki woke up.
She did not know this, but she was the Eighth.
ôRukià!ö a female voice gasped in unrestrained relief. Ruki found the teary smile of Katou Juri.
ôCan you get up?ö a familiar annoying voice spoke behind her. She felt hands trying to push her body to a sitting position.
ôGet your filthy hands off me, Akiyama,ö she spoke in a voice she found uncomfortably weak.
ôGood to see youÆre just fine,ö the Legendary Tamer responded, and Ruki immediately frowned.
Where was Mr. PerfectÆs usual humor? His voice was disturbinglyàflat.
ôJustàwhatà?ö
She remembered.
Sakuyamon was fighting the Zudomon, and thenà
ôRenamon!ö she gasped out, and her eyes sought her partner, but they were blocked by JuriÆs and RyoÆs bodies. ôWhereÆsà!?ö
When she found her, an unbelievable sensation of relief washed through her body. She was laying on the concrete, just like her, and she was unconscious. However, Ruki did not see any external wounds or any discomfort on her face. MarinAngemon was using his healing powers on the fox-like Digimon, and Hirokazu and Guardromon stood by her left side like an unasked for guardian.
ôWhatàhappenedà?ö Ruki inquired. She still did not know the source of that ridiculous power that knocked her and Renamon unconscious. She remembered the first strike that disabled their Ultimate evolution, and the second which sent them flying to shore. She remembered the unbelievable strength and the tremendous pain which had now become little more than an annoying discomfort all over her body.
How was she still alive? Had Renamon protected her with her own body?
ôOh, Ruki, IÆm so sorry!ö Juri gasped out, reaching for the other girlÆs hands and wrapping them in her own. ôI couldnÆtàI couldnÆt stop itàö
Ryo frowned. Juri had also apologized to the other Tamers, but she had not really made clear just what exactly she had done. Then again, the current circumstancesà
But still, they needed to know.
ôJuri,ö he called with unusual bluntness. ôJust what is going on?ö
Juri made a pained expression and dropped her face, unable to face the two most experienced Tamers.
ôIàI donÆt think I can explain everythingàright nowàö
Ryo did not assent. He could accept that answer; it was a promise of an explanation in the near future. Howeverà
ôThen at least tell us what the hellÆs happening to Takato!ö
Takato.
It was truly a magical word which sent RukiÆs brain into high alert.
ôWha-WhatÆs going onùö
And only then she noticed. It was as if she had finally tuned herself to TakatoÆs frequency, and suddenly it became awfully clear in her ears.
Somewhere in the distance, someone was screaming, and the screams were like poison-coated arrows in RukiÆs heart.
ôTakatoà!ö
***************************************
Lee Jenrya had experienced this feeling before. It was a horrible feeling he wished on no one.
Futility.
The unsettling awareness of the fact that, no matter what he did, he could not stop what was going on before his eyes.
Matsuda TakatoÆs screams ceased only long enough for his lungs to catch air.
ôTakatoà!ö Jenrya called the boyÆs name, squeezing his right hand between his own two hands. Takato did not seem to be aware of the gesture.
ôAhàaahhhà.ö
Across from TakatoÆs body, JenryaÆs little sister covered her mouth with her hands as if to stifle her moans. What she could not hide, however, were her tears upon watching the horrifying scene in front of them. Lopmon had placed a tiny paw on TakatoÆs left shoulder, and watched the suffering boy with unbridled worry.
Terriermon stood to his partnerÆs left side, watching the horrible scene with an unusual, quiet solemnity.
Matsuda Takato was a wreck. There was no other, accurate way to describe it.
It was hard to decide what the worst thing was. The screams were disturbing enough, and they were accompanied by TakatoÆs face distorting into horrible masks of unfathomable agony.
No, there was no one thing Jenrya could label as æthe worstÆ. This was a terror that struck in every level.
They were watching TakatoÆs body fall apart.
His skin and clothes had gained a lively yet disturbing red tone. Jenrya knew this meant TakatoÆs capillariesùand maybe even some larger vesselsùhad ruptured all over his body. The white of TakatoÆs eyes had been replaced by scarlet.
Takato was sweating, crying and pissing blood.
His body began to shake in a disturbingly excessive manner, reminding Jenrya of TV depictions of epileptic seizures.
ôWe-We have to hold him!ö He spoke far more loudly than he needed to. ôHeÆs gonna hurt himself even more at this rate!ö
The two similar Digimon nodded and hurried to hold TakatoÆs upper body with their tiny arms. Jenrya had substantial trouble getting a hold of TakatoÆs flailing legs and forcing them to stay on ground level.
His eyes moved to his paralyzed sister. It was not that Terriermon and Lopmon were not strong enough; they were just too small to hold Takato properly.
ôXi?och?ng!ö He called out in the proper Chinese pronunciation; the way he did whenever he scolded the girl.
The sudden call in their fatherÆs native language startled the girl, and she immediately understood her brotherÆs wordless demand.
ôAh, ahàyes!ö
She knew Takato was not looking at them, but she still avoided looking at his face. Those bloody eyes and that expression of inconceivable pain were just too much.
Shiuchon reached for TakatoÆs left shoulder...and the distinct sound of bone breaking struck their ears.
ôAh!ö Lopmon gasped as he jumped backwards and away from Takato. His little eyes watched in horror how TakatoÆs left arm, now detached from the destroyed shoulder, flailed uselessly next to his Tamer.
Takato screamed even louder, and it became more than Shiuchon could handle.
Lee Jenrya sobbed in futility at the sight of his friendÆs and his sisterÆs screams.
ôLee-san!ö
His eyes darted to the boy standing to his left.
Hirokazu was trembling: he was obviously afraidùof the screams, of the unknown, of whatever was making his friend suffer like thatù, but he still tried to make a steeled face, staring down at the half-Japanese boy as if expecting something from him.
ôWhat should I do?ö
Jenrya wished he could afford the boy a smile for his little burst of courage.
ôJustàjust hold him. Gently, but make sure he doesnÆt flail around.ö
****************************************
Pain.
There was only pain.
It was truly pain like nothing he had experienced before, and he believed he was fairly acquainted with pain after the last five years.
But even in this pain, Matsuda Takato was thinking.
He had to; there was no choice.
As long as the Game continued, his brain had to keep working.
But, the painà!
He could feel it, both at a physical and an intellectual level: his body was collapsing. He could not begin to calculate how long it would take for his Crest to heal this amount of damage.
But it was not only his body that was falling apart, was it?
No, his mind would follow.
He had no idea what would happen, as he did not really know just how much damage he would receive. Was it enough to turn him into a vegetable? Or would his personality degrade to the point he would become an emotionless doll?
What about his memories, then? What would he forget, if anythingà?
It did not matter. This damageàit did not matterà! Even if he forgot the Tamers, Guilmon, or that precious person he lost years agoà! It did not matter!
As long as he did not forget that, nothing else mattered!
His salvation and his most secret of secrets: his carefully thought æplanÆ for victory!
As long as he had that, it did not matter what else he lost!
But, stillà
ôTakato!ö
*****************************************
It was almost miraculous, Jenrya thought, how the screams ceased in an instant the moment Makino Ruki called that boyÆs name.
Matsuda Takato had suffered a terrifying ætransformationÆ in front of his eyes, and now Jenrya was afraid to break more bones by holding him by the ankles.
It was as if TakatoÆs body were being eaten from the inside.
Muscles thinned at frightening speed until the body became little more than skin and bone. Except for the absence of an inflated belly, Takato reminded Jenrya of the unsettling images of starving children in Africa.
ôTakato!ö Ruki called again. She had needed JuriÆs and RyoÆs help to make it to her best friendÆs side. She was worried about Renamon as well, but thisàthis sight before her eyes was too horrible to ignore.
TakatoÆs bloodied eyes sought the source of the voice, and his right hand feebly tried to reach it.
ôNeeàchanàö
A strange pain gripped RukiÆs chest. This wasàthe second time she heard Takato say that.
ôTakatoàö she spoke more softly this time, reaching for TakatoÆs hand. ôTakato, an ambulance is coming, soàpleaseà!ö
What did she want to say?
æHold on for a little while?Æ
æStay with us?Æ
æDonÆt die?Æ
The other Tamers exchanged nervous looks amongst themselves. For a reason, they suddenly felt like uninvited guests.
ôIàö Takato gasped, and the girls besides Ruki gasped as well when richly red blood poured out of the gap between his lips. ôI stillàitÆs okayàö
RukiÆs lips trembled. Despite the othersÆ presence, she did nothing about her watering eyes.
TakatoÆs voice had weakened by the word, butàwas heà?
Was he trying to smileà?
ôTakato!ö she called out for the third time, this time little more than a choked gasp. She leaned over the prone boyÆs body, inching her head closer to his mouth so as to better catch his weak voice.
His mouth was pouring blood, yet his tongue looked so paleà
ôIàstillàwinàö
ôWhatàwhat do you mean, Takatoà?ö
ôI stillàcanàwinà!ö
ôOh, Takatoà!ö Juri cried somewhere behind Ruki and buried her face in the nearest chest, which just happened to be RyoÆs. For once, the so-called Legendary Tamer felt awfully uncomfortable.
ôTakato, what do youù?ö
ôTheyàstillàcome whileàgoneàö
ôGone? No!ö Ruki almost shouted on TakatoÆs face. ôYouÆre not going anywhere, Takato!ö
But the boy did not seem to be paying attention to the surroundings anymore. Maybe he was talking to himself by this point.
ôHaveàprotectàevenànotàhereàö
Golden light. The Tamers gasped as a strange arrangement of circles came to be on the concrete under their feet.
LEVEL: 888 SYSTEM: BEATRICE CODE: DREAMS
CAUTION! PARADISE LEVEL 9
ôIAO.ö
The source is Thelema. The language is Greek. No schema was applied.
The knowledge of Thelema was always Matsuda TakatoÆs. However, thanks to his transformation into Magus Mode, now he knew how to use it.
The Tamers felt something emerge from the light and fill them. Whatever it was, it was warm and comforting, like the protecting embrace of a mother and the approving smile of a father.
ôItàstillàAeonàOsirisàbutàshould beàenoughàö
It was the word of the Aeon; the magical formula of a dying God.
A magical word of self-sacrifice: to give away a little bit of you for the sake of others.
Matsuda Takato then closed his eyes for the last time, deaf to the cries of the one he had called æbest friendÆ.
It was not ædeathÆ, but, as he succumbed to his wounds and the world became dark around him, he knew that the one who opened those eyes again would not be æMatsuda TakatoÆ any more.
But, that never really mattered, did ità?
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Lilithmon stared at the changed scenery in front of them. There were too many feeling swirling in her chest to point out any single one.
ôThis isàthis looks just likeà!ö
She looked at Lucemon, her wide eyes wordlessly begging for answers.
Most of the rows of bushes clad in flowers which once had made TakatoÆs ægardenÆ had now perished. Those that still stood were now gloomy, pitiful things. The once green leaves had become brown, and the spots of color of those flowers that still remained now looked awkward and inappropriate in the new world of shades of brown and gray.
And then there were the columns.
They had arisen from the barren ground, and they were completely unassuming, built in the old Doric order of Greek architecture: faceted columns with plain capitals and no base.
Rows and rows of these columns now filled the garden. Each column stood about three yards from the next, and the rows were separated approximately four yards, about the same as the bush rows had once been.
ôIt is called æDegradationÆ, right?ö Lucemon responded.
The red circles and the emblem of the Crest of Pride shone over his pupils.
ôIt æeats awayÆ at TakatoÆs æsoulÆ. ItÆs like a virus that deletes data from your hard disk. Does that not mean that you could then æwriteÆ something else in that emptied space?ö
The metaphorical light bulb shone in LilithmonÆs head.
ôYou meanàthis isàwhat you were aiming forà?ö
ôButàö Lucemon continued, obviously not caring enough to dispel LilithmonÆs doubts. ôItÆs not working completely as I expected.ö
The small angel looked at the dark sky, and Lilithmon followed his gaze.
Yes, that was by far the most notorious of the changes.
A distant globe of golden light shone upon the gardens like a full moon.
ôTakato created it. I do not know what it is, and that bothers me,ö Lucemon admitted.
The Child Digimon planted his hands on his hips and grinned.
ôBut! That is good!ö
Lilithmon was once again lost.
ôIt means heÆs still fighting,ö Lucemon clarified. ôHe makes me so immensely proud.ö
ôAnyway,ö the angel continued, finally stepping away from the Game Room and into the ruined garden proper. ôIÆll be stepping out of the Game for a while.ö
ôEh? Milord?ö
ôMy opponent is Matsuda Takato, Lilithmon. He will not be able to play for some time, so thereÆs no reason for me to stick around. Also, I have to tighten my leash on Barbamon; it will not do if he seizes this chance to destroy my Game. IÆll leave things here to you, Lilithmon.ö
ôAhàyes, milord, as you wish,ö the Avatar of Lust accepted with a polite bow.
ôYour previous orders still stand,ö Lucemon continued. ôEven if sheÆs now the Eighth, make TakatoÆs doll crack.ö
ôI would do that even without your command, milord.ö
Lucemon exchanged naughty smiles with the voluptuous woman.
ôAnd please donÆt ravage my boy while heÆs unconscious; that would probably kill him.ö
ôWhat would the fun in that be?ö the lusty demoness responded as if answering a childÆs simple question.
Lucemon nodded. ôGood. Also, be careful. The last spell Takato used on the Tamers if probably a ward of some sort.ö
ôMilordàdoesnÆt not what it is?ö Lilithmon asked hesitatingly.
ôThelema belongs to the æAlternate PathÆ. It is not within the scope of my power.ö
He looked back to the golden globe in the sky.
ôThe Game must continue, even if you are absent, Takato-kun. Barbamon will still strike, and the countdown to BelphemonÆs awakening will not stop to wait for you.ö
ôHow much further will you go to stop me, my precious nemesis? If you become Magus Mode one more time and fight like that again, the Degradation will be complete.ö
ôIf the Degradation completely fills your soul, æMatsuda TakatoÆ will disappear, and I will ærewriteÆ you as æLucemonÆ.ö
Two æbodiesÆ, one æidentityÆ. There is no such thing as æidentical soulsÆ. Even if their appearances are the same, no two Renamon are identical.
If their æsoulsÆ are the same, then they can only be the same being.
By creating a ôLucemonö unrestricted to the Dark Area, Lucemon will free himself.
Their æsoulsÆ will be one, and then their bodies, their mindsùtheir dataùwill merge as well.
It could be called æPermanent Matrix EvolutionÆ, but it is clearly more than that.
ôTakato, your æGardenÆ is in ruins now. Babylon has fallen.ö
LucemonÆs face brightened with the loveliest smile, truly fitting of an angel. It radiated hope, pride, desire, affection, and a little bit of longing.
ôLetÆs rebuild it together, ne?ö
The Avatar of Pride licked his upper lip in delicious anticipation.
ôAs one.ö
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Gardens of Babylon û END
The Game continues in ôRuins of Babylon.ö