The Burning Legion...

The greatest Scourge of all...

A scourge to all life, to all Creation...
A terrible army of pure evil. One of the greatest of all evils that exist in the entire universe.
An evil that threatened many worlds, and destroyed countless more...
And now, it had come to this world...dragged by Ragnarok's vengeance...

That was his retribution all along. The true Terror of Chaos...

But can it be stopped?

Chapter 19/Final Chapter : Forgotten dreams

The original meteor falls forced out the children and digimon to run much farther away than they originally were...but still there was no doubt on the situation now...

Regan couldn't believe his ears and eyes. Of all the terrors, of all evils he had faced, of everything he had gone through...
Of everything his nemesis had unleashed...

He would have never, ever believed Ragnarok's real plan of retribution was the Burning Legion...

An extra-dimensional army of demons that had only one goal in mind : extermination of everything in their path. Power was what they sought. Power was what drew them to worlds, and what they consumed...

Perhaps the greatest of all evils ever to exist...and it had now come to this world...

"W...What is that...What is that...'Burning Legion'?" Kylee asked uncertainly, gazing in horrors at the falling meteors, shivering at the sound of the monstrous roars.

"An evil...That is much more terrifying, much more dangerous...than Ragnarok might ever be..." UltimaRyumon darkly spoke.

"More dangerous than Ragnarok?" Riza spoke, shocked and afraid as well.

UltimaRyumon's eyes seemed to be losing focus...as if he was looking at something very, very far away...

"It isn't simply an evil...It is in fact...An army.

An extra-dimensional army that has only one goal : To set all worlds, all universes...to flame..." the digimon spoke.

"So that means..." Impmon started uncertainly.

"That the Legion seeks to destroy, to kill everything in its way..." Kari finished. But she too looked dreadfully worried, deeply scared.

The Legion...That was so much more than anything they had ever gone through...

Devimon...Myotismon...Apocalymon...The Digimon Kaiser...Arukenimon and Mummymon...MaloMyotismon...Ragnarok...

None of them could compare to the entire Legion...Not even if these evils were all together.

"W-W-What are we gonna do now?!?" Veemon asked, sounding much panicked.

"...I don't know..." Regan responded, very unsure. The two Tamers only looked more scared. Never before they had seen both Regan and Kari so lost and afraid. Not even when they were in the Dark Ocean.
And not only them...but even UltimaRyumon seemed to be potentially afraid of them...

If even the Children of Life and Light feared those evils...What hope did their world have?

New monstrous screams arose...followed by human and digimon ones...

"They've begun their invasion!" UltimaRyumon shouted.

The meteor rain seemed to have intensified, yet focusing itself much more in the middle of the park. But now, the four children and their digimon all saw the sources of the many screams...

Monsters unlike anything they had ever seen were coming out of the holes left out by the meteors. Monsters that then started to go on a rampage...no, not a rampage...

An organized assault. The monsters all acted in a terrifyingly cohesive fashion as they started to disperse into the streets of Phoenix City.

And as the monsters began their assault, the Tamers, Digidestined and digimon were finally able to behold the details of the monsters themselves...

The first that were leading the assaults looked like a wolf or some sort of dog that had been utterly twisted, coming out of a mad god's nightmare. Most of their bodies seemed to be composed of deep red scaled skin, but their feet ended up in huge single black claws. The heads alone of these 'hounds' were so big it seemed to take at least a third of the fiends' whole size. An eyeless head with some sort of brownish 'carapace' covering the upper half of the skull, as seemingly endless rows of teeth could be seen jutting out of the enormous maw while all the stomach and bottom half of the beast was covered by long black mass of hairs, while an even thick mass of dark hairs, almost resembling tentacles, crowned the top of the beast's back. And from the front shoulders were coming out a pair of dark tentacles opening up at their ends like some sort of dark flowers.

And immediately following them were blue skinned humanoids that easily stood 10 feet tall. Although their torso was utterly naked, their legs and feet were covered in red plated armor...with hooves ending at the feet. But while the lower half of these humanoids was normal, it looked a bit thin compared to how much more muscled is the torso and upper halves of these humanoids, especially the arms. While their left arms were bare naked as well, aside from huge plated gloves covering their whole lower arm, their right ones were completely covered in heavy plating. Along with that, three larges metallic 'horns' seemed to came out of the backs of these humanoids. One in the middle, right behind the creature's head, with the other two on the side, closer to the shoulders. The head itself was covered in a helmet ending up in the shape of a long horn.
And these humanoids were also armed with enormous maces or swords of a truly wicked and twisted design.
But from the look in their eyes...one could register a deep and sinister cunning, along with a mad lust for destruction.

The children and the digimon just stood there, seemingly frozen, as those monsters charged in every direction, starting to unleash paths of pure destruction in their wake, leaving nothing untouched.

Just as more also started to head out in the direction of the four children and four digimon themselves...

But as they approached, only one digimon seemed to be starting to react. His right hand, holding his sword tightly, seemed to be shaking oddly. His breath was increasing, and his eyes only became more focus...with murderous hatred...

And with an earth-shattering roar, the dragon digimon charged right into the mass of monsters...but as he did, he glowed in light...and reverted to his cybernetical form of MetalRyumon.

And a monstrous massacre began. The large cybernetic dragon started to wage out his own destruction among the monstrous invaders. With sharpened metallic claws and teeth, he proceeded to cut and shred through anything in his way, while his cannons on his back blazed out in a multi-colored fire of energy blasts raining down upon the beasts.

Yet, even with this unexpected counter-attack, the monsters didn't seem deterred. Several of the horrific hounds rushed and leapt upon MetalRyumon, seeking to claw and bite at him while many of tall humanoid ones sought to slash at his body.
Even with many opponents of himself, MetalRyumon wasn't deterred. He spread his wings, and shook his whole body, sending many of the hounds flying around, crashing among their own.

And MetalRyumon's actions also snapped out the children and the other digimon of their 'trance'.

"Wh-What's MetalRyumon doing?!? He's really gonna fight them all on his own?!?" Impmon said. Even if he was one often itching for a fight, he felt himself very unsure to join a fight of such proportions...

"Fighting back this invasion of course." Another voice added. The children and the digimon turned back to see Krasus standing behind them, although with a very darkened expression on his hooded face. "As all of us should do as well."

"W-What?!? You really want us to fight...these?!?" Kylee asked in shock.

"Demons." Krasus specified. "The Burning Legion is an army comprised of demons of countless types.

Yet, even if it might seem hopeless...the Legion CAN be pushed back. You CAN stop and defeat the Legion. If we act quickly enough, we will be able to avoid considerable damage and losses to this entire world." The wizard added.

Both Regan and Kari, along with Gatomon, seemed to get some understanding of the situation...while Riza and Kylee, along with their digimon, were still rather uncertain.

"I will be honest. There are already reports of casualties, children.
Yes...people are dying as we speak. And if nothing is done...Then this entire world will perish...and the Digital World connected to this world will as well..." Krasus added.

"...Digital World connected to this world?!?" Kylee repeated. "H-Hold on...does that means...But I thought there was-"

"Merely one Digital World connected to countless versions of the Human World?" Krasus interrupted. "No. In truth, each reality you know of, hold a Human and a Digital World connected to each other. And in Kari and Regan's case as well, they do originate from a world that also has its own Human and Digital World counterpart. Although there are other realities, other dimensions, like the Dark Ocean, which may transcend those limits.

But in truth Tamers...neither Regan nor Kari actually came from the Digital World of their reality.

They came...from the True Digital World..."

"The True Digital World?" Riza asked.

"The heart of all realities. One singular Digital World upon which all realities are linked to. And recently, Chosens were summoned to this Digital World to protect it, and Regan and Kari were chosen among them.

Thus...you could say that these protectors of the True Digital World could be called...the Core Chosen..."

"Guys...Is he right?" Kylee asked uncertainly toward the two Digidestined.
"Yes." Regan answered a bit darkly. "The first time we met, I had come from the True Digital World. I know we kinda lied on this at first, but it would probably be less hard to take as granted."
"But seriously...you can't want us to go fight these demons?!? How are we gonna win?!?" Riza said.
"Actually, what you don't know...is that the Burning Legion is that same evil that invaded the True Digital World thousands of years ago." Regan replied.

"H-Hold on." Impmon said. "So you mean, that Lizomon fought them before?!? Back in his time?!?"
"Correct. The Legion indeed invaded the True Digital World...however it appears they are unwilling to concede defeat...and thus are willing to return to take revenge." Krasus said.
"But it's not right world they attacked before!" Kylee said.
"It doesn't look like they care for that..." Gatomon muttered. "One world is as good as any other to them it seems."
"It could be much worse." Krasus added pacing around the children. "If they destroy this reality, they could potentially gain access to the True Digital World...which would be unprepared for a new invasion. This is why a stand must be made here and now!"

Looking toward the seemingly endless numbers of demons, they saw how MetalRyumon kept fighting on. But now as they saw him, covered in greenish grime and other fluids, he still fought as hard as ever...although it seemed that his originally savage acting had been replaced with a grimmer state.

A powerful roar came on, before a humongous humanoid form came charging straight for MetalRyumon. The huge form, while not as tall as the digimon, seemed to be made only of pure greenish flames...and rock that seemed to have been sculpted to resemble more or less a humanoid structure.

"Infernals..." Krasus muttered as he saw the fiery demon near MetalRyumon. The creature released a surprisingly powerful roar as it neared the metal digimon, before delivering a surprisingly powerful punch right into the face of MetalRyumon, causing the digimon to recoil back, and making the children gasp.

However MetalRyumon wasn't deterred. He rushed straight on...before opening his maw wide...and closing it upon the Infernal...and then started spinning on himself at an increased speed...before releasing his hold, and hurling the Infernal in the air...before it fell down...in the middle of other demons, causing out a deadly commotion in its crash.

"Infernal, Fel Guards and Felhounds are not much to handle for MetalRyumon, even if he is not his former self." Krasus commented.
"Fel Guards? Felhounds?" Kari asked. Surprisingly, this showed to the Tamers that even the Digidestined held very little knowledge of the demons themselves.
"Fel Guards are the common soldiers of the Legion, armed with various weapons of great size. Felhounds on the other hand, are the Legion's forerunners, and hunting hounds. And they also are feared mage hunters."
"Mage hunters?" Regan asked. "How?"

Before Krasus could answer, a huge howling sound exploded in the air...as a large form fell upon close to the children and the digimon...

None other than a Felhound...which seemed to be aiming for Krasus. Despite having no eyes, it seemed to have little problems finding its targets.

In a surprising move, Krasus quickly moved out of the hound's way, dodging the beast's flailing tentacles and teeth, before he brought up a hand forward, uttering a few quick words of magical power.

And just as the hound started to charge on him, a powerful and quick fireball erupted from the wizard's open hand, rushing straight at the demon.

Seeing this, Kylee sure thought that Krasus had bested the hound, even if it was supposed to be a 'mage hunter'...but she and the others looked with horror...as the hound suddenly stopped itself, before the end of its tentacles opened wide at the fireball...and actually absorbed the fireball without any sign of difficulties.

Now she realized why these creatures were mage hunters...They actually absorbed the magic without any problem!!!

However, something odd happened. The Felhound started to hesitate a bit...before it went for Krasus again. However, as it made a huge leap...

...it exploded in a fiery blast. Without any indication of warning, the creature just exploded in flames.

"H-How?!?" Regan said in amazement. He managed to somehow recall from Ragnarastrasz's ancient memories that these hounds actually fed on magical energy with dreadful ease, but he never expected that Krasus would have done something to destroy them with such ease.

"While it looked I casted a simple fireball at this hound, it was something much more complex, actually purposely designed to destroy it from the inside. As the hound absorbed the spell's magics, the spell itself became altered, and transformed into something else that used the felhound's own energy against it." Krasus casually explain.

Regan was indeed shocked in amazement. As much as he knew how skilful Krasus was, this definitively showed how the wizard was deeply knowledgeful in his art.

"Look out!" Riza yelled...just as a larger Fel Guard came from behind, sword raised at the cloaked mage...and brought it down upon Krasus.

The children looked away in horror...but no screams or the sound of flesh hitting was heard...However, they did start to hear some grunting...

And looking back...they saw...Krasus actually blocking the large blade by merely holding it with his bare hand!
And shockingly, it seemed that the wizard displayed absolutely no effort in holding the blade, only keeping a serious expression. The demon on the other hand, seemed much more confused...and straining extremely hard...

"It appears you sought much more than you could fight, demon..." Krasus stated. With his hand...he lifted the Felguard in the air, before throwing him back on the ground.

"H-How..." Kylee started, but she stopped as she saw Krasus act again.

He threw his head backward, letting his hood fall down, and raised his arms to his sides, fingers wide open.
But as he did so...Kylee started to notice...that something seemed to be moving beneath Krasus' cloak...

"His...His hands..." Riza said. And looking at them, one could easily see that the wizard's hands were changing. They were becoming sharp, taloned...and crimson red scales were now growing rapidly upon his hands...
It was not all. Just as that new transformation began, the wizard's cloak started to shift...before a long reptilian tail actually pulled itself out of beneath the cloak.

Krasus then fell forward, on all fours, as the change went on...and the children and digimon could actually see that the cloak also seemed to change along with the wizard's body : It actually seemed to be fusing, becoming a part of Krasus' own body. And as it happened, two odd growths started to emerge near Krasus' shoulder blades...before the growths spread out...taking on the shapes...

...of wings...

The cloak changed, becoming red scales upon the wizard's body...And as it happened...Krasus grew...grew...and grew in size...

And he grew until he easily dwarfed everyone around by several meters...as now his form had utterly changed.

Gone were any traces of humanity on the wizard...Instead, what the children saw, was the backside of a gigantic crimson scaled behemoth...

A kind of behemoth they actually were very familiar...

"DRAGON!!!" shouted Riza, Kylee, Impmon and Veemon all at once.

And as the word was uttered, the children saw the long neck of the behemoth stretching in the skies, and saw the dragon's head unleashing a powerful roar, his great wings spreading out.

Despite the beast's size, they could still see the Fel Guard Krasus had thrown away, by looking between the dragon's legs. And they could see the demon clearly was confused...possibly even scared. This certainly wasn't something it had expected...

And the last the children saw of the demon...was to see the maw of the dragon come down upon the unfortunate demon with a squishing sound...before the dragon opened his maw, releasing out a torrent of flames.

"Ssstill as horribly tasting as ever..." the huge behemoth rumbled, letting out a hiss at first.

And then the behemoth turned his enormous body, before he fully faced the children and digimon.

And as they gazed upon him, they could all see this dragon was indeed a Red Dragon...however he stood even bigger than either Ragnarok or Ragnarastrasz.
His golden eyes held an incredibly experienced gaze, and the length of his horns was much longer than those of Ragnarastrasz, along with the fact he displayed a much more impressive crest on his head.

However, the children could also see how the behemoth's horns looked a bit more weathered at their ends, and that despite the fact the dragon still held a glorious and fiery red coloring on his scales, it seemed to be a bit more faded compared to Ragnarastrasz's own scales.

And interestingly enough, the right side of the dragon seemed wounded...in a similar way to the three scars upon the face of Krasus...

"As I said, children. We do have a fighting chance...if we are all willing to fight." The behemoth then said.
"Wh-Wh-What the heck are you?!?" Impmon asked with a whimper.
"Are you...Krasus?!?" Veemon asked, also easily intimidated.

"Actually..." Regan replied, looking extremely calm, and unsurprised by the dragon's appearance(much to the surprise of the Tamers). "I guess we should make a re-introduction."

"Kylee, Riza, Impmon, Veemon...

Meet...

Korialstrasz...The Wiseful One.

Prime Consort of the Red Dragonqueen...and She Who Is Life...Alexstrasza..." Regan said.

The Tamers blinked for a moment...before reacting in utter shock.

"WHAT???" they all yelled.
"Hold on a minute...You...You actually are...THAT Korialstrasz?!? The same Korialstrasz Regan spoke in his story about Ragnarastrasz?!?" Kylee asked.

"This is indeed correct." Korialstrasz answered. "Ragnarastrasz was indeed one of my own children which I had raised proudly, until he died..."
The dragon then looked downward.

"His death did affect me deeply. And in a sense, I would had hoped his life could have gone on better...So, you could say, in a moment of unusual inspiration...I decided to give Ragnarastrasz a new life...in a much more different manner..." the dragon added.
"Hold on, what about Krasus?!?" Riza asked.
"Actually Riza, I am both Krasus and Korialstrasz. Krasus is simply one of my many names, many masks I have used throughout my long existence...This here, what you see before you...Is who I truly am."
"H-Hold on a minute!" Impmon yelled. "Didn't Regan just said that-"
"That my Queen is Alexstrasza?" Korialstrasz interrupted. "This is true. She is indeed my beloved Queen...and the Dragon Aspect I serve faithfully with my heart..."
"...Dragon Aspect...So this means..." Kylee said.
"That those you know as the Aspects...Actually are dragons too." Kari said.

"Hold on, you KNEW about this?!?" Riza asked to Regan and Kari.
"That was a secret he kept from us at first. We believed at first that Krasus and Korialstrasz were two different persons...but he showed the truth to all of us one day..." Regan said, looking seriously toward the ancient dragon.
"We have much more urging concerns to deal with now. We must retaliate against the Legion, a stand MUST be made." The dragon added.

A large clanging sound echoed near them, as MetalRyumon suddenly landed among the others.
"Lord Korialstrasz...a pleasure seeing you in your true shape once more..." MetalRyumon said with a bow.
"How much of the Legion so far?" Korialstrasz asked with some concern.
MetalRyumon's expression grew somewhat troubled. "That is what I find strange. This invasion force seems mostly comprised of Fel Guards, hounds and Infernals. Although I did started to see some of the Doomguard appearing out to lead the inferior troops, I saw none of the Dreadlords or the Eredar..." he explained, although it was clear that the children and the other digimon didn't entirely understood everything.

Although Korialstrasz no doubt had understood clearly. "Odd indeed. Either the Legion seems to believe this world would be easily conquered, or their sorcerous might is clearly waiting in hiding." The dragon spoke.

"...What are we gonna do then?" Kylee asked.

"We will need to rout an offensive of our own." Korialstrasz said.
"What?!? Are you expecting just us to be able to beat them?!?" Riza said.
"Defeat the Legion on your own?" Korialstrasz said. "That would be impossible. No, I merely wish that you would make a stand and slow down the Legion's advance. In the meantime, I will discover more about the extent of the current invading force, as well as rising up additional resistance aid to fight back the Legion.

After all, even as strong as we are, just four children, four digimon, and an elder dragon will not be enough to defeat an invasion of the Burning Legion, even if it has only begun." Korialstrasz said.

"Besides, I would not be asking you such a thing if I didn't know you would be capable enough for it.

In all honesty children, you are all more than capable of doing so." The dragon added.

The children and the digimon looked somewhat uncertain at the dragon's words, however MetalRyumon went on instead.

"If we wouldn't been as capable as Korialstrasz believes us to be, would we have been able to go through everything we've been so far?

Would you have been able to challenge the fears from the Dark Ocean?
Face the threat of the Nightmare of the Emerald Dream?
Face even the wizard Krasus in a single combat?
Face creatures that were clearly alien to anything you had seen before?
Stand against the dreaded and incredibly powerful Parallelmon?
Would you have been able to stand as well against Ragnarok, and everything he threw at you?
Even when it meant to fight Ragnarastrasz, who was considerably dangerous, did you ran away?
And despite knowing how deadly ChaosRyumon is, did any of you ran away from the will to fight him?" MetalRyumon asked.

He fixed them all with his cybernetic eyes deeply.

"No. You did not run. You looked straight at them. You faced them defiantly...and you won." MetalRyumon added. "And this is why even today...

...even against the Legion itself...

WE WILL PREVAIL!!!" he finished, almost roaring at the end.

Those words couldn't have been less efficient than a bomb dropped right on top of them. The children and the digimon all looked at each others, their fears somewhat fading, but slowly replaced by a more growing confidence.

"MetalRyumon and Korialstrasz are right." Regan said, his determination rising once more. "We've been through so much things together, there's just no way we should let all of it go away like that. We're gonna fight back, and win no matter what they throw at us!"

"That's right..." Kari added. "It doesn't matter whenever it was in the True Digital World, with other Digidestined, or in another Human World...or even back in our own Digital World...We've always been able to go through everything that we faced only because we stood together...united, as one..."

"Yeah...We've been through so much, and despite what happened, we always managed to get through no matter what." Riza went on. "We didn't give up back then, and we shouldn't be giving up today either..."

"It feels kinda weird..." Kylee spoke. "To think how things were before you guys came in...It seems so long ago now...But when you guys came in, Regan and Lizomon...You opened to us the doors to an adventure unlike anything we would have ever imagined...And it was more than worth it to go through it. Not just because it might seemingly be cool or action-packed, but it was most of all because of how we changed, how this adventure changed us for the better, as we all evolved in one way or another...as we all changed thanks to ourselves and to the others around us...

It's because we've been all friends together when we started this, that we're gonna end this together as friends, always!!!"

"Yeah!!!" Impmon yelled. "There's no way we're gonna lose to a bunch of creepy demons!"
"We've been through some scary stuff before, but that didn't stop us back then after all!" Veemon added.
"Even if it might have been truly frightening in a way...we knew what we had to do...And so we know we still have more to do." Gatomon added calmly, yet smiling.

"So then..." MetalRyumon asked. "Think we can handle one last big rumble together?"

"You got it!!!" all the others answered back.
"And that is what we wanted to hear." Korialstrasz spoke, unfolding his great wings. "I will go on to rise up the defense against the Legion.

And to all of you, Chosen Children of a foreign world, and Digimon Tamers of this world...I only have this to say :

Good luck to all of you, and may the blessing of the Great Aspects and the other powers of light be upon us all."

And with that, Korialstrasz leapt in the skies, following by beating his wings in the wind, taking off to the skies, although not entirely leaving without shooting out a few bursts of flames at some farther groups of demons around...

"Well then..." MetalRyumon said as he de-digivolved, reverting to Lizomon. "What will be those magic words eh kiddos?"

The four children looked at themselves before looking out at their respective partners, all sharing out a determined expression...before they all pulled out their respective digivices...

"BIO-MERGE, ACTIVATE!!!" were the next words they all shouted at once.

Four lights simultaneously bursted out from where the children and digimon were, before they grew, the Bio-Merges being unleashed...

"Lizomon...
"Gatomon...
"Veemon...
"Impmon...

Bio-Merge to

AtmaRyumon!!!"
OrahAngewomon!!!"
AmaKaisermon!!!"
EosSandhyamon!!!"

All four digimon emerged from their lights, before all staring toward the oncoming demonic army.

"Well then, this is it." EosSandhyamon spoke. "This might really be the biggest battle we'll ever go through."
"But we're gonna go through it together. We started together, we'll end it together." AmaKaisermon replied.
"The Legion isn't invincible, and that's something others have said and proven. We'll show we can fight back against the Legion too." OrahAngewomon added.
"In any case." AtmaRyumon said, looking at the others. "It will truly be an honor to fight alongside all of you in this last battle."
"Aw come on Atma. Don't start out as if some of us might die in this, got it?" EosSandhyamon said. "If we start thinking negative, that sure won't help us. Did MetalRyumon thought negatively 10,000 years ago?"

AtmaRyumon replied with a wide smile. "Oh he sure didn't. And he replied back to those demons with sheer determination too."
"Well then, we're determined not to let these demons get the best of us, ain't that right?" AmaKaisermon said.
"Let's just get into it now, shall we?" OrahAngewomon asked.

With a nod, AtmaRyumon looked back at the approaching demon, before raising his sword...and started charging at them, soon followed by the other three Bio-Merged.

And with a mighty roar, he crashed right into the front lines, bashing several demons in the air simply with his shield.

And soon this dreaded battle was joined with the fate of that world hanging upon it...

---

And in unknown realms beyond that simple world...

The Four watched...

"...Korialstrasz..."
"Have no fear. I am quite certain he will survive through this..."
"Coming from you, is it a prediction?"
"I am not only concerned for him...But for them all..."
"Still sister...there remains a decision to be made here...

Shall we intervene or not?"

---

A demon's head fell off as another went down in two halves before a third more joined them, head crushed by sheer force from the sword's blunt side.

AtmaRyumon stood fiercely at the front lines, slashing away at any of the demons nearing him. Not that he was the only one killing demons.

So did his friends as well. AmaKaisermon also made excellent use of his own sword, bringing it upon many other demons while using his large wings to push and deflect further enemies. OrahAngewomon on the other hand was not as much directly involved in the conflict, however she hovered in the air, bringing her holy might on the demons as her arrows and other holy powers literally incinerated the monstrous fiends.
EosSandhyamon on the other hand, was a lot more up-close than her angelic friend, easily rivalling with the two armoured knights, as she barrelled and spun swiftly around, her claws ripping whatever passed nearby while she often finished up her work with her gun.

"Heh, I sure could keep it up all day! How 'bout you guys?" EosSandhyamon replied as she made a long backward jump to get out of that small part of the battle, rejoining with her friends.
"Don't be too cocky." OrahAngewomon warned. "Those demons are a lot more dangerous than they might look."
A giant gust of wind flowed nearby, before dozens of demons were hurled backward, compliment of AmaKaisermon. "They kinda look more like cannon fodder to be honest. Sure, they're rough...but we've been through worse." He added after folding back his large wings.

AtmaRyumon held his shield tightly, as an Infernal kept banging repeatedly on it, yet every time, neither did the Atma's Protector, nor the arm behind it faltered.
AtmaRyumon exhaled, a strong pure white fire unleashed from his mouth washed over the monstrous beast, forever dousing its green flames at all life from the Infernal ceased to be, the rocks falling apart with nothing holding them together anymore.

"The Legion is much more dangerous than you'd think. For starters, we know they can have billions of demons at their disposal. Hell, surely several thousands of billions." AtmaRyumon said, briefly looking at his friends before focusing on the battle once more. "Here comes another wave!" he warned out.

The other three digimon quickly replied, joining up again on the fight. They continued hacking away at their infernal enemies, who never ceased fighting. The demons did not even seemed to care for the increasing dead among them, and most often just walked and crushed over the remains of their fallen.

They only saw those who had to die in front of them. Those that had to be destroyed.

Yet, AtmaRyumon's words were true. There were already a large force of demons that had entered the world, and perhaps hundreds more were coming each minute that passed.
Not to mention that the Legion was far from being mindless...

More and more of the demonic warriors came for the four Bio-Merged digimon, for the unseen masters of the invasion had clearly identified those beings as a serious threat to their attack. A threat that had to be dealt with.

OrahAngewomon was the first one to notice a change. At first, most of what they fought had been the ground troops of the Fel Guards, with a few felbeasts and Infernals added at times, however she started to notice the increasing numbers of Infernals and Felbeasts that were coming at them...

...not to mention that, when she rose her gaze...she saw several dozens of winged figures coming at them.

Red skinned with cloven hooves as feet, molten armor covering them, long swords or similar weapons in hand, along with long horned and demonical heads, and with fiery wings, there was no mistaking this new type of demon that were coming on the battle.

MetalRyumon had called them by name earlier : Doomguards. Higher ranked warriors compared to the common Fel Guards, but often more cunning and stronger. MetalRyumon had been saying he had seen them leading the Legion's war effort, but that large upcoming number clearly showed them that the real leading figures may not be Doomguards at all...

"Beware! From the sky!" OrahAngewomon shouted.

AtmaRyumon looked a bit up, after having hurled another Infernal back in the midst of the Legion, then cursed when he saw the approaching 'flock' of demons.
"Two-pronged assault. From the earth and skies at once..." he muttered.

"Eos! Ama! Watch out! We've got new enemies coming up from the skies!" he yelled out.

The others quickly nodded to this, before shifting out their strategies. AmaKaisermon quickly took off to the skies before unleashing a strong Tempest Rend at the oncoming demons while EosSandhyamon started gunning down the demons out from the skies, one by one, soon imitated by OrahAngewomon, with the use of her arrows. Unfortunately, after her first kill, the demons started to execute some evading maneuvers, dodging her shots. It was clear they were learning well...

"Darn it, idiots!!!" Lizomon cursed very strongly.
"Something's wrong?" Regan asked.
"They're not fighting properly!" Lizomon yelled out at Regan, within AtmaRyumon.

"Atma's Protector!" AtmaRyumon called out, then from his shield grew out a giant forcefield, much in the shape of his own shield. And with this giant force shield, AtmaRyumon gave out an enormous bash right in the middle of the demon forces, throwing back a large amount all at once, before proceeding to take to the skies, coming up close to the other Bio-Merged.

"Not like this guys!!!" AtmaRyumon then yelled out to the other three.
"Huh?!? What are you talking of?" EosSandhyamon said, right after bringing down a Doomguard with a headshot.
"Don't go out here and there to deal with the demons! That's what they want us to do! To get separated! We have to be coordinated and act strategically!" AtmaRyumon replied.
"Of course..." OrahAngewomon muttered after pulling back her hands from one of her 'Heaven's Charm' attack which burned down several demons before the rest scattered.
"So what should we do then?" AmaKaisermon asked.

There was one thing clear in this in the children's eyes.
If there was one that should be leading their own plans against them, it was Lizomon...or in that case, AtmaRyumon.

Within, the former Guardian smiled, knowing he managed to bring out proper sense back in his fellow friends...and reminding himself of his ancient days...

"Girls, you keep up in the air and bring down those aerial furies. AmaKaisermon, you're with me on the ground!" AtmaRyumon ordered.
"Got it!" AmaKaisermon answered.
"We'll be bringing them down in no time!" EosSandhyamon replied back while OrahAngewomon simply replied with a strong nod.

The two knights went down on the ground once more, bearing their swords into play as the two angels aimed their respective weapons toward the oncoming flying demons.

And on went the battle...

---

"...Regan...Kari...Riza...Kylee...Hold on just more...

Help is on its way..."

---

Regan still had trouble believing his current actions. At how he and his friends stood valiantly against one of the greatest evils there may ever exist.

At how they, merely children and digital beings, were literally the hinges upon which the fates of this world and all those who lived upon it hung on.
At how they so mercilessly killed those monstrosities that sought only their deaths...For the demons were quite a contrast to the Digimon...

When they died, their bodies didn't disappeared like how a digimon's would do. No, they died just like real living beings would.

But there was also more...His life seemed so simple before...Until Krasus/Korialstrasz intervened...and turned his life upside-down into a maelstrom of chaos.

And in many ways he hated the dragon for what he did...Just as in another way he respected the ancient being...

The changes brought many horrors...but, Regan had to admit it...It also brought a certain wonder as well...

Although one couldn't say that what he brought on Kylee and Riza's world with his conflict against Ragnarok surely was a thing of wonder...Although it truly did changed these two Tamers, allowing these two children to make strong bonds with Regan.

Those twists were weighing heavily upon Regan.
But he knew he had to go on.

Sadly, there was no other choices...For Life...

That such evil could even exist truly perturbed Kari. It truly was much more different than the digimon she fought against before...

Oh how these times seemed so far now...so distant...

And how now those she fought with were no longer the same friends...
Friends, and family whom she was even separated...

How things were so different back then...

...and yet...

So little changed...

Still, she would not give in. There were so many reasons as to why she could not give up now...

Her friends for instance...Those she wished to see once more...

But she corrected herself. She wasn't alone in this. Regan too had lost people he cared in this...
And besides...she also had other friends right now she fought with right now...

...

Oh how things are so much alike...even when the time between them seem so far...

It was just insane. Pure insanity. What kind of insane god could have even made a thing like the Burning Legion? Riza couldn't understand why something like those demons could even exist. It was almost too much for him to hold on.

So many things happened to both he and Kylee. They had been through so many things, much often together, only because a stranger child dropped in their lives...and literally transformed their lives unlike anything they could have ever imagined...

Yet...Riza wondered a bit...Would had it been better if Regan had never come?
Would it have been better if none of those chaotic adventures never came to be?

Riza smiled as he stared at the horde of demons facing him.
No. There were no real reasons as to why things should go back to how they were before. Things were better this way...even if it looked grim right now...

...they would get through it...

...Just as they have done so every other times...
All together.

As she continued to fight on, Kylee kept wondering on many things...but especially looking back on things of the past.

It seemed so strange now...her time when Digimon Taming was just a simple game...
How in that time, she would also be dreaming of special adventures, dreaming of those animated characters at how they could do incredible things...

...Until Regan crashed right into their lives, and certainly with quite a bang as well.

And the game was changed into a struggle of life and death...against a behemoth of Death itself...Ragnarok.

Their lives had been so much changed by this adventure unlike anything they would had ever thought possible.

And yet, it didn't truly brought that much fun or wonder...but rather mostly horror and pain...And they all went awfully close to death...
She could never forget Impmon's betrayal when he sought to kill Lizomon, and had critically injured Riza in the process...nor could she forget how dreadful her first encounter with Ragnarok had been...

...how he made her look utterly powerless against his terrifying beast, Chaos.

But they had been able to get through it thanks to her friends, and also thanks to Impmon, who had turned his 'curse' into a blessing at that time.

And later on...they had faced Ragnarok for what he really was : A mad monster that believed itself to be a god. But that god fell to the might of AtmaRyumon...but mostly thanks to the power and strength the two Tamers and their digimon had given to Regan and Lizomon in that dire moment.

Life almost seemed so dull when it was over, when Ragnarok and Regan were no more upon their world. That adventure had so drastically changed them...

...Then Regan came back out of the blue once more, and yet again, plunged them all into a new, yet much more chaotic adventure, as this time, one whom they could have also seen as a legend came alongside Regan : Kari Kamiya.

It's so strange to think how back then, Kari had been reacting with some fear and many uncertainties at the Tamers and their world, just as Regan also brought up considerable hostility...but mostly in regard that he wanted to protect Kari, of that Kylee was certain.

But as things went on, a thing that, quite a while ago, Kylee would only thought possible in dreams, became true, as she and Riza became good friends with Kari, restrengthening their bond with Regan in the process.

It truly allowed all of them to grow such incredible bonds...for children that were of two different worlds.

With despite that friendship...there had also been even more pain, horror, and death once again, by the dark hand of a much more powerful and cunning Ragnarok who truly pushed the children and their digimon to their greatest of limits.

But they were able to prevail...Until now.

Kylee looked back at all those demons, and at the dark sky with its greenish portal that kept spewing more demons upon their world.

She wondered if things might had been better if Regan never came.

Nah...Things would have been boring...

True, things right now were looking grim...but there had been so many wonderful that had also happened. Just when they were so close to what could have been the best of things among themselves, Kylee had no intention of letting down her friends, nor her world.

After all, they had the power of friendship with them.

---

And so the four digimon kept fighting on, pushing the Legion back as best as they could. Although even if so far they looked successful, the Legion would surely overcome them the moment they would begin to hesitate.

AtmaRyumon breathed out a large blast of white flames once more before taking a small breather, but as he sniffed the air, he smelled something odd...

...Something that stirred up old memories in Lizomon.

"N-No...It can't be..." Lizomon muttered.
"What is it?" Regan asked.
"New...and old enemies..." Lizomon replied.

"Fel digimon!!!" AtmaRyumon shouted.

The other three digimon sparked in surprise.

"Huh? What are you talking about Atma?" AmaKaisermon asked.
"We've got new enemies coming up..." AtmaRyumon answered darkly. "The result of the demonic corruption upon our kind...

Fel Digimon..."

Shrieking sounds started coming up from within the ranks of the demons, before new forms suddenly darted up from the ranks, going straight at the digimon defenders.

And it did not took long for AmaKaisermon to recognize those digimons...

Impmon...

But they weren't like the Impmon he knew well of. They looked much more different, their ear appendages grown more as if they were horns instead, along with sharp fangs and teeth coming out of their mouths. Their gloves were pierced at the ends by long claws while their bodies were somewhat thinner, yet they didn't had lost any of their speed or endurance despite that. Although their bodies also had odd faint greenish traces all over them.

But none could deny the eyes. While these green eyes might previously been holding a mischievous glint in them, they now held a more wicked and cunning glow in them.
And AmaKaisermon could also see in them...the desire to kill...

"W-What?!? Impmons?!?" AmaKaisermon said.
"No...Fel Impmons..." AtmaRyumon answered, with clear distaste. "Consider them being corrupted versions of the digimon you know...and even stronger than the normal ones..."

The numerous Impmons all leapt for the two knights, some of them throwing out greenish fireballs at them, but the two digimon were quick to react, running sideways to evade most of them, before AtmaRyumon brought up his shield to block more of them.

"Tempest Rend!"
"Atma Blade!"

And two powerful slashes were unleashed, cutting short of most of the corrupted digimon.

"Orah! Watch out, digimon incoming!" EosSandhyamon warned out. OrahAngewomon looked up, and Kari's eyes widened within the digimon at the sight of the oncoming attackers...

Devimon...Many, many Devimons...But they were not like they should have been...
While they were mostly black, as they should be, its horns were significantly larger, and twisted downward instead of upward. Not to mention that their wings were encased in greenish flames, especially coming out of the shredded parts of the wings. Unlike the original one, these Devimons did not had shoes, revealing out long clawed feet, while their claws on their hands were even more lengthened. And instead of a red glow in their eyes was a greenish one, as green as the flames coming from their wings. Also, that digimon did not bore any brownish bandages on his arms, having considerable greenish burns visible on them instead.

And to think Kari doubted that Devimon could seemed even more influenced by darkness...She just had the living proof that these digimon were even worse than she could ever imagine.

In fact, she started to realize...The Fel Digimon...
Might actually be the ancestors of the present-time virus digimon...
Would it mean that for every of the actual known virus digimon...there was a Fel counterpart too?
Kari dreaded to imagine one of the Mega level viruses as a Fel abomination...Already she could feel out how much stronger from the original digimons these Fel digimon were...

She recalled how Lizomon often spoke of how digimon were much stronger than they are, back in his time. The need for survival had forced the digimon to become war-like in order to face the demons long ago...and so it appears that long after this threat was over, the digimon lost most of that old strength.

It was likely that Lizomon never truly lost his own former strength as an ancient digimon, which often explained while he could easily overpower digimon that often stands on equal level with him...and even defeat digimon of one level above his own...

But then, Lizomon often not 'blamed' that only on his ancient strength, but his strategic skills too. Many times she had seen Lizomon as a rookie form go out for more sensitive areas of a larger Champion digimon, or strike out where the other would have a harder time to retaliate.

Still, it wasn't the time to contemplate. Drawing out her bow, OrahAngewomon shot a light arrow straight into one of the Fel Devimons, striking dead in its chest, causing it to jerk and fall from the skies before it faded, belching out green smoke and data.

And it didn't took long before EosSandhyamon imitated her, unleashing several volleys of bullets at the twisted digimon, bringing them down.

"Well, I got to hand it to them, they sure know how to keep us occupied." EosSandhyamon said, while she kept gunning down more of the corruted digimon.
"But for how long?" Kari thought.

"Get off!" AmaKaisermon yelled as he suddenly opened his wings suddenly, throwing away a large number of Fel Impmons that had climbed up all over him. He then started to look around, getting to strike at any of the oncoming demons.

"Dread Wing!"

A sudden chilling wind picked up before AmaKaisermon felt his limbs stiffen and he found himself behind thrown backward. As soon as he struck the ground, he shook off the numbness and rose up, looking toward what would have struck him...

A digimon whose appearance was very familiar...as one of the more famous antagonists of the Digimon 'anime show'...

Myotismon. But a Myotismon with a greenish tint in his gray skin, but in a strange constrast to the previous monstrous versions of the corrupted Impmons, that Myotismon had a darker shading on his clothes, and clothes, except the fact that he didn't wore gloves, due to some long nails he had. But there was no denying a sinister cunning in those greenish eyes of that Myotismon...no...Fel Myotismon...

"...A Myotismon?" AmaKaisermon spoke, somewhat surprised.
AtmaRyumon glared toward the demonized vampire digimon. "Ama, keep the pressure up on the front. I'll deal with this little undead." He said.
"Huh? But he an Ultimate, shouldn't be much of a threat." AmaKaisermon said.
"No. He's a Fel Digimon. They are much stronger than normal ones. Even a Fel Ultimate could be a threat to you if you're careless. I'm familiar with that kind of digimon, so I know how to deal with them. Just take care of everything else, and I'll handle out this one." AtmaRyumon answered.
"...Alright then." AmaKaisermon said. Riza didn't took long to understand how indeed Lizomon would still have his considerable experience from his time back then.

And just as AmaKaisermon readied to stand off against the other digimon and demons, he gave one glance at the other armoured dragon, charging off at the vampire digimon...

---

And just as EosSandhyamon kept flying back and forth, kicking back against several Fel Devimons before unloading more bullets at them, a long clawed hand stretched out to her....only to get blocked by OrahAngewomon.

"Keep an eye out Eos..." OrahAngewomon spoke direly.
EosSandhyamon looked behind her to see the angel digimon...and see what she had just blocked...

One could have believed that this digimon once was an Angewomon, but whenever this would be true...only LadyDevimon herself would be knowing the answer. This LadyDevimon was dressed in dark clothes much like she would be, only the obvious difference was that all the eyes on her form were all of a demonic green color instead. Not to mention the fact that her wings were half covered in green flames as well. And the lengthened canines from her dark smug did nothing to help that.

No doubt, Fel LadyDevimon this was.

"Eos...You keep on dealing with those Devimons...I'll deal with her..." OrahAngewomon said very darkly.

And with that, the angel digimon rushed straight for the demon one, her hands awash with light.

For a moment, Kylee was hoping that Gatomon(and maybe Kari too) would have gotten out of those habits she had back in those days from her adventures with Tai and the others...
Seems old catfighting habits hardly die...

---

"And so the die is cast..."

---

The battle kept heating up, especially with two leading Fel digimon now directly fighting the four Bio-Merge digimon. AtmaRyumon kept a close distance with the Fel Myotismon, who often threw out dark bats at him, while slashing out with his long claws. AtmaRyumon made a long slash that nearly ripped the vampire's cloak in two as he leapt on the sides to avoid the sword. However, the vampire sneered before he pulled out a long red blooded sword of his own, etched with dark runes, but showing a dark smile at the dragon knight.

Blasts of light and darkness kept flaring up between the Fel LadyDevimon and OranAngewomon as they kept fighting each other, more than often with kicks, punches, and of course...slaps...

And in the midst of this, the Bio-Merge Tamers also kept fighting on the weaker Fel Digimons, bringing everything they had to push back the invaders.

AmaKaisermon took a bit of a breather after having slashed through ten Fel Impmons in a row, before checking on the current situation for everyone : AtmaRyumon locked in an intense swordfight with Fel Myotismon...OrahAngewomon locked in a...catfight...with Fel LadyDevimon...And as for EosSandhyamon, she was gunning down more Fel Devimon just as a large fiery greenish meteor was falling toward he-

Fiery greenish meteor?!?

"Kylee! Watch out, above you!!!" AmaKaisermon yelled out.

EosSandhyamon barely turned her head toward AmaKaisermon, then looking upward...just as the meteor struck her head on, before both digimon and meteor crashed into the ground.

"KYLEE!!!" AmaKaisermon yelled, panicked. Instinctively, he reacted, abandoning his current position before going toward the crash site.

"Ama! What are you doing?!?" AtmaRyumon yelled out, only barely noticing his comarde's unexpected action. "Come back!"

But AmaKaisermon didn't listened. All that mattered to Riza right now was Kylee. He had to get her out of there. He had to put her safe.

At first his heart leapt when he saw EosSandhyamon somewhat crawling out of the crater...but it further sank as he saw a huge form of greenish flames and rocks coming out of the crater right behind her. They had already known how Infernals often made meteoric 'entrances' upon the battlefield...but that one had clearly a target in whatever passed as a mind for that thing...

"Behind you Kylee!" AmaKaisermon shouted.

The Infernal raised a huge fiery fist, just as EosSandhyamon spun on her back, gun raised at the behemoth, before she pulled the trigger, releasing a shot straight at the monster's stony shoulder. The shot sent the Infernal stepping back a little bit, but it caught caught itself up, and readied to strike, and brought down his fist.

With a sudden burst of energy, EosSandhyamon leapt out of the crater, before landing back on her feet, standing further away from the fiery golem.
The Infernal on the other hand simply roared its frustration as it rose his fist, before charging straight at the Bio-Merged digimon. He threw his right fist, which EosSandhyamon skilfully dodged, before he continued with his left one, and repeated his attacks as the digimon kept dodging them.

But AmaKaisermon was quick to notice that EosSandhyamon was not at her best. She seemed under a greater strain than she should have been, obviously due to the considerable damage she had just suffered from the Infernal's original strike.
Quickly, EosSandhyamon brought up her gun once more, although it started glowing before increasing in size, charging up for her Twilight Blaster, and indeed, she yelled out just as the gun shot up a large white and black sphere of energy which exploded upon the large Infernal, sending it recoiling back...

...but the abomination was not defeated yet. This particular one had been purposely strengthened more than usual, just for that purpose...
And it rose up once more, before its two fists raised in the air and slammed them together...before bringing them down into the earth. The enormous shock sent considerable tremors into the ground, completely shaking up EosSandhyamon who unexpected lost her balance.
And the Infernal didn't hesitated next to throw out a large fiery fist right into EosSandhyamon's chest, sending her flying backward, before she crashed into a deserted building, and fell slumped on the ground.

Just as the Infernal was ready to move on to finish her, AmaKaisermon met the demonic being head on which reacted with a rather frustrated roar at the presence of the other digimon in its way. It rose its fist in the air, before bringing it down at AmaKaisermon, with the goal of smashing his head in his chest, but AmaKaisermon quickly brought up his sword in the air, blocking the immense hit with the thin blade, although he felt the considerable might of the Infernal behind the fist's strike.

Without further hesitation, AmaKaisermon spun around, bringing out the Omni Sword which struck deep into the Infernal's side, causing out some green flames to come out of the rocks. The Infernal roared, although it was unknown if it was suffering pain or not. However, it slammed its fists in the ground together again, repeating his previous maneuver.

And AmaKaisermon too lost balance. However, just as the large demon sought to punch the digimon, AmaKaisermon righted himself, and brought his sword up, and as the Infernal neared with his swing, the sword impaled itself right in the rocks that served as chest for the demon. The demon briefly stopped, as new green flames came out of the opening, before he sought to reach out for AmaKaisermon. But as the digimon refused to give up, the Infernal only made the sword inch deeper and deeper into itself.

Until it pierced through its back...and finally the Infernal stilled...before its fire faded, leaving only dull rocks which remained floating in the air for a moment, before they all collapsed on the ground, now lifeless.

AmaKaisermon huffed and let out a long breath. He had never thought that these Infernals could be so tough...but he had managed to beat it...and save Kylee.

"Kylee, you're okay?" AmaKaisermon asked as he turned to face the still slumped down EosSandhyamon. The fallen angel digimon started to react, stirring up, before she started to look at AmaKaisermon, beginning to nod...before her mouth opened up.

"Watch out, behind you!" EosSandhyamon screamed.

And AmaKaisermon quickly spun around, sword extended...only to catch a felbeast in mid-air, ripping it in two as it fell on the ground, gurgling.
"An awfully close one." Riza thought. He remembered well how one Felbeast had at first easily absorbed Krasus' magic, and Riza started to wonder if the Felbeasts also sought digimon power too...

But those thoughts suddenly disappeared as pain engulfed him. He felt as if he was being ripped apart from within...as if he was being drained away.

Drained away?

Riza and Veemon both realized with growing horror that there had not been just one felbeast that charged at them...but several...
And one, or maybe all of them had clamped on AmaKaisermon's back, their black tentacles clamped on the digimon's body as if leeches...
Indeed...Felbeasts also fed on digimon energy as much as magical energy...

AmaKaisermon sought to struggle, attempting to tear off the fiends from him, but they kept themselves firmly in places. They wouldn't be denied their food now...
And all while this was happening, EosSandhyamon watched with pure horror. Kylee wanted to get up, to at least raise her gun and blast down the demons to smithereens, but she was too weakened for even that right now...
And Riza was dying right in front of him...

"Thunderclap!!!"

Massive shockwaves suddenly rippled out all over AmaKaisermon and the felbeasts, unexpectedly sending them flying away from their prey, and bowling all over each other.

The pain finally ceased for Riza and Veemon, and through faded eyes, they watched, just like Kylee and Impmon, a quick and sudden grayish form rushing for the felbeasts before it rose up a large arm, and slammed it down upon several felbeasts at once, crushing them with ease.

But some escaped that attack. And they quickly regrouped, ready to stand against their new adversary.

And as AmaKaisermon's vision cleared, they were finally able to realize what their savior was...

A strong-looking man dressed in a white and dark purple suit very, which wore a very long red scarf around its neck. It's face though was utterly hidden by a gray mask. And his right arm was utterly mechanical. That digimon had quite an interestingly heroic look to it.

And as the felbeasts charged as one upon the new digimon, he swiftly leapt over them, one leg extended as he spun and slammed unto the hounds, dealing more critical blows to the remaining ones. And with his large cybernetic arm, it literally crushed the remaining hounds.

"Looks like this was a timely help, wasn't it?" the digimon asked as it came up to AmaKaisermon, extending its mechanical arm to the other.
"Y-Yeah...thanks..." AmaKaisermon managed to speak, as he rose up, with help from the other.

A heavily deformed body suddenly fell among them, before Riza realized what it had been...The Fel LadyDevimon, utterly burned away by OrahAngewomon's powers of light, just as the angel digimon indeed floated down.

A large white fiery blast warned out AmaKaisermon that AtmaRyumon was done with his own little problem, as he saw him walk toward them, sword covered in demon blood, just as Riza could notice the body of Fel Myotismon...without a head on its shoulders...

"You're okay?" OrahAngewomon asked as she came to EosSandhyamon, and helped her get up.
"Yeah, I'll be fine...although I've been better." EosSandhyamon replied. Then she looked at the newcomer. "And thanks a lot for saving Riza's life."
"That was nothing. We all gotta stand up together in this, right?" the digimon said.
"I wouldn't agree more...Darius..." AtmaRyumon suddenly spoke.
The two Bio-Merged Tamers reacted with some shock. "What?!?"
"He's a Bio-Merge digimon...I can feel that." OrahAngewomon confirmed.
"And I was already well aware of what digimon partner you now had Darius. Monodramon, whose evolutionary path can indeed lead up to the heroic...Justimon..." AtmaRyumon spoke.

Justimon lowered his head slightly. "Man...you already had it figured out, did you Regan?" he said. "Can't believe the old dragon was right."
"Korialstrasz?" OrahAngewomon asked. "What did he do?"
"He's been giving out power to pretty much every digimon in the whole city. Yeah, he made me and Monodramon 'Bio-Merge' as he says. Can't believe how it feels...and how you guys could do that too..."
"Sure is something eh?" EosSandhyamon said.
AtmaRyumon came up to the Bio-Merged Tamers, before putting his hands on one of their shoulders. Breifly, both Kylee and Riza felt a bit of warm before realizing AtmaRyumon had just healed them out a bit.
"It's as much as I can spare." AtmaRyumon said. "But it should let you go a long way still."
"Bah, no worries Regan, we'll be way better than fine now." EosSandhyamon said.
"Easy for you to say...You certainly didn't got hit by those...hounds..." AmaKaisermon said with a wince.
"Darius, why are you here anyway?" OrahAngewomon asked.
"The dragon sent me here to help you." Justimon answered. "Like I said, he's been empowering pretty much all digimon in the whole city to fight back against those demons. He's risen up the whole city to stand against them!"
"So Korialstrasz did it. We were able to give him long enough time so he'd rise up proper resistance against the Legion..." AtmaRyumon said with a bit of a smile, which quickly faded. "But it's not over yet. We're not even sure we'll win yet."
"Yeah, that's kinda why I came up." Justimon said. "Although I actually kinda sped up on the others."
"Others?" OrahAngewomon asked.

"Terra Force!" A huge fireball went flying above their heads before it exploded right in the ranks of the reorganizing demons and fel digimon.
And looking back, the Bio-Merged saw not just one digimon, but two familiar ones coming up...along with some very familiar Tamers with them...

WarGreymon...and Angewomon...
Both ridden by familiar faces indeed...Reynold and Catherine Estar, Regan and Kari's alternate selves of that reality.

"Y-You guys..." AtmaRyumon spoke, somewhat surprised.
"Yeah...us..." Reynold said...sounding troubled...but there was something else about his tone and the way he looked at Atma and Orah...

Then Atma and Orah realized what it was : They knew. They knew who they really were.

"So...you know...don't you?" OrahAngewomon asked.
"Yeah...Well...as far as that big dragon told us..." Reynold said, looking a bit confused. "Being...'other us'..." he added.
"And you really are...Kari Kamiya..." Catherine said, gazing at OrahAngewomon in amazement.
OrahAngewomon approached her 'other self', before bringing down a knee in front of her, approaching their faces from each other.
"But you already knew that...didn't you?" OrahAngewomon asked.
"...Y-Yeah..." Catherine answered, looking a bit shy. "I was kinda thinking out you were the real Kari, from the way you were acting about what I said when we first met..."
"Guess we kinda know ourselves too well...don't we?" OrahAngewomon spoke with a bit of a smile, which made giggle Catherine on a light note, which made the others smile.

But AtmaRyumon's smile faded quickly. "As much as this is heartening to hear, we still have much to do. Did you brought out more word from Korialstrasz? Does he has something else for us?"
"Yes." Justimon said. "He wanted us to replace you here. A few more Tamers and digimon will be coming up here. But in the meantime, he wants the four of you to go stop the invasion at its source."
"Source?" AmaKaisermon asked.
"He wants us to go back to where the portal opened...The park..." OrahAngewomon said.
"The dragon said that whoever is leading those demon monsters and those weird digimon has to be there." Reynold added. "And he said he believed you four could deal with whatever it is."
"Are you guys gonna be okay without us?" EosSandhyamon asked.
"Don't worry too much. We'll be okay." Justimon replied.
"We'll be keeping an eye out." The Wargreymon added.
"And we'll be careful of our partners too." The Angewomon also added.

A large shadow soon passed overhead, causing everyone to look upward to gaze at the massive Korialstrasz bearing down from the skies as he unleashed an inferno upon the demonic forces near them, then he turned around, flying overhead the children and digimon again, and at the same moment, the Four Bio-Merged could feel their strength energized, no doubt the dragon's work.

"Hurry at once, Tamers and Digidestined! We may have little time left!" the dragon roared at them, flying away to assist another flank elsewhere.

"Alright then..." AtmaRyumon spoke. He looked at the other three. "You guys are ready?"
"Ready Regan." OrahAngewomon answered.
"Ready as I'll ever be." AmaKaisermon replied.
"I'm good to go! Let's go kick that demon's ass!" EosSandhyamon added.

And all together, the four took off to the skies, going toward what once was the central park...

"Good luck!" Justimon shouted.
"We're counting on you!" Reynold yelled.
"We're all believing in you Kari! We'll be with you as well!" Catherine shouted as well.

---

"Has a decision been taken?"
"Yes."
"We shall bring forth assistance. I shall deal with this matter myself."
"So shall it be..."

---

And on and on they flew...Soaring above the countless ranks of ground demons.
Fortunately, while they posed no current threat, there were still some demons and Fel Digimon who detached themselves from the ground, taking off to the skies to go after the Bio-Merged.

But most of them were easy to handle, more often gunned or shot down from the skies before they could get to any of the four Bio-Merged.

"Don't get too comfortable!" AtmaRyumon warned out. "I'm sure they'll have something ready for us sooner or later!"

Soon enough indeed, that warning came true, in the form of several Infernals coming down from the skies. Fortunately though, they were quickly avoided, and a few of them were even blasted apart on the way

And before any more assaults could come upon them, the four Bio-Merged sped up, quickly bringing them closer to the now-dead park.

AtmaRyumon was the first to go down, slowly landing on the ground as he carefully eyed the landscape, as the other three followed him.

"This seemed...too easy..." OrahAngewomon commented.
"You thought that too?" AtmaRyumon asked.
"Now that you mention it, it didn't seemed so hard to get here..." AmaKaisermon said.
"So what? Does it mean we're walking in a trap right now?" EosSandhyamon asked.

"Can't say..." AtmaRyumon answered. "But we have to go on...Even if something's not right...

...It all seems far too familiar..." he added.
"Familiar?" OrahAngewomon asked.

Before AtmaRyumon could answer, a green light suddenly sparked before them, before it started to stretch itself and grow.

The four Bio-Merged quickly brought themselves in a battle stance, standing ready to face whatever horror the Legion was going to unleash at them...
They weren't going to give up now...

The light continued to expand, growing about the size of one of the Bio-Merge, before it suddenly faded away, revealing out a silhouette that became more and more visible...

Before them stood a humanoid that, at first glance, looked much like one of the Fel Guards, but at the same time, was not one.

He had a short reptilian tail trailing behind him and was covered in far more ornate armor than a Fel Guard. It was also wearing a black and dark greenish robe over its armor, and lacked the horns that Fel Guards had, although stranger markings were present on the head itself.

And this new demon stared at the digimon with green flaming eyes that revealed much more intelligence and cunning than any demons they had seen so far...
Surely...it had to be the leader.

"No...it can't be..." AtmaRyumon muttered, eyes widening.
The demon's eyes narrowed, before its fanged mouth opened in what seemed to be a grin.
"That voice is different...but remains much the same...It seems you did not forget me, little guardian..." the demon spoke, in a surprisingly smooth voice.
"Lizomon...You know him?!?" OrahAngwomon asked.
"Yes..." AtmaRyumon hissed. "He is Erizonar! The same demon lord that commanded the invasion of the True Digital World over 10,000 years ago!!!"

"What?!?" spoke at once the other three Bio-Merged in shock.
The demon only chuckled at that, slowly crossing his arms over its exposed chest.
"This digital one speaks the truth...

We met, a long time ago..." the demon Erizonar spoke, still smiling, but a certain tone of contempt was easily heard in his voice.

"But...it doesn't make sense..." EosSandhyamon said. "Lizomon beat you! He sacrificed himself back then to blast you!!!"
"Yes...He did destroyed me..." Erizonar replied, the smile all but gone. "Yet somehow, my soul endured...although I was utterly trapped in an endless void, unable to do anything, much less reach out to my lords..."
"Hold on...Would that mean, that Lizomon's last attack back then..." AmaKaisermon spoke.
"...Actually sent both Lizomon and that demon into some limbo?!?" OrahAngewomon finished.
"Doesn't look like you were able to get out of it then." AtmaRyumon spoke out with some contempt. "Yet how were you able to escape that then, if you were powerless?"

"I actually owe my new existence and freedom to a rather...interesting being...
A powerful being that apparently had been in several confrontations with yourself, little digital guardian...You and a little mortal that apparently is the vessel of a great power..." Erizonar replied.

AtmaRyumon almost gaped, realizing the shocking truth. "Ragnarok!!! He somehow found and released you?!?"
"That is apparently the name he often goes by. He appreciate its meaning very well...and I could see why..." the demon answered, the dark smile coming back on his face.

The other three Bio-Merged were as shocked as AtmaRyumon. Ragnarok had actually freed that demon?!?

"Yet...how did you ended up attacking this place...unless you've been plotting with him!!!" AtmaRyumon added up.
"Clever..." Erizonar spoke. "In fact...I have offered my allegiance to him instead of the Legion..."
"You WHAT?!?"
"Yes..." Erizonar added, burning eyes closing. "The Legion had already considered me to be no more since quite long...And this 'Ragnarok'...He is unexpectedly potent. Quite a powerful and cunning creature. He could achieve some great goals indeed...

He offered me not just freedom...but revenge...

Revenge against the one who had imprisoned me so!
This entire army was raised thanks to the efforts of my new master! He brought back most of my own destroyed army back into strength once more!

And this time, little digital guardian...We shall not be stopped.
No...The Ragnarok Legion will succeed..." Erizonar finished, smiling cunningly.

AtmaRyumon had enough. With a roar, he charged straight at the demon warlock.
Green flames erupted from Erizonar's hands before he raised them, as AtmaRyumon swung out his sword.

Sword and flaming hands clashed together, before the digimon and the demon struggled against each other.

And soon after, the other three digimon quickly charged forward, joining up with AtmaRyumon.

As soon as the others neared, Erizonar quickly pulled back from AtmaRyumon, before raising his burning hands straight at the digimon, launching out multiple greenish fireballs toward all four of them.

AtmaRyumon quickly raised his shield, blocking several of the fireballs while the other digimon dodged the remaining ones.

The warlock rose his hands again, before greenish flame pillars erupted around him before they snaked in the skies, then went down straight at each of the digimon. Fortunately, they were quick to avoid this additional attack.

"Our turn! White Flame Wave!" AtmaRyumon yelled before breathing out a blast of white flames toward the demon.
"Celestial Strike!" OrahAngewomon shouted, her wings wide opened and glowing, as blasts of light were unleashed, aimed at the demon.
"Tempest Rend!"
"Twilight Blaster!" yelled out the other two Bio-Merged digimon as they unleashed a cutting wave along with a black and white energy shot aimed at Erizonar.

The demon warlock quickly pulled back before he raised his hands, summoning out a fiery green shield surrounding himself, which quickly took on the oncoming barrage of attacks, leaving Erizonar unscathed, and darkly grinning.

He quickly dismissed his shield before holding out one hand straight toward the digimon, launching out a series of green lightning bolts at them.

The digimon quickly separated to avoid the attacks as best as possible, as Erizonar now kept launching barrages of lightning on and on while all four digimon now spun and moved around him in a macabre ballet.

AtmaRyumon was the first to break the stand again, rushing toward Erizonar before he slashed out with the glowing Atma Blade. However as the sword neared, the demon suddenly vanished in a blaze of green flames, only to reappear at AtmaRyumon's side, one clawed hand stretched out.

AtmaRyumon barely had time to bring out his shield just as Erizonar struck, sending out a powerful flame fist which almost sent the dragon knight flying backward as he stood up to the attack.

A fierce wind however suddenly blew Erizonar back as well, before AmaKaisermon dived in, and swung his sword at the demon, who narrowly brought up yet another shield to block the attack, before he quickly summoned up a dark wind of his own, forcing AmaKaisermon back.

But before he could continue his assault on AmaKaisermon, a golden arrow suddenly struck the demon's back, exploding upon impact, and almost sending the demon to its knees. However he quickly rose up, and glared with angered fiery eyes toward his latest attacker : the angelic OrahAngewomon who obviously looked concerned her attack didn't brought down Erizonar.

And the warlock had to thank its own protective spells for that. He quickly gestured at OrahAngewomon, which replied out by bringing her arms in a defensive posture, as a glowing golden shield appeared around her, blocking whatever attack the warlock had intended for her. In rage, Erizonar quickly made a grasping gesture following a throwing one.

That somewhat made OrahAngewomon confused...until she received a dead burnt tree in the face, thrown from the side by the demon's sorcery.

A wild yell suddenly erupted before volleys of bullets came flying down upon the demon, forcing him to leap back to avoid them as EosSandhyamon came landing down.

Before Erizonar could strike back, EosSandhyamon quickly lashed out at him with her claws, almost reaching out the demon's face, who closely avoided the slash, only to notice that the fallen angel had been charging a blast with her gun, which she fired straight toward the warlock.

The dark blast struck head on, however a brief green fiery flare manifested itself in front of Erizonar, proof he managed to conjure up some sort of weak shield to partly block the blast as he slid further backward, anger visible in his traits.

He held one hand straight toward EosSandhyamon, which quickly sought to shield herself, but wasn't fast enough as an invisible wave suddenly struck her, launching her backward.

That however didn't prevented her from righting herself, as the other three Bio-Merged quickly formed up near her, ready to strike again.

"Foul insects..." Erizonar muttered. "You cannot hope to defeat me!"
And with that he started to mutter up dark words, eyes alight with power.

But the moment he started his attack, AtmaRyumon's eyes widened.

"No...That's..." he started.
"What?" OrahAngewomon asked.
"Just like before!" AtmaRyumon yelled, before he charged toward Erizonar, his shield raised.

"Before?" Kari thought.

Then it dawned on her, barely remembering at the moment that details from Lizomon's old stories...

...how he had lost his entire kind...

"That same attack Erizonar used to single-handedly eradicate all Lizomons and Ryumons that were with Guardian MetalRyumon!!!"

"Shield yourselves!" OrahAngewomon yelled.

And before AtmaRyumon could reach the demon warlock, Erizonar raised his hand.

A withering blast of white and greenish flames were unleashed in all directions around the demon, overwhelming everything in sight...

---

Another demon went down, cut in two by Justimon's Vulcan Sword, before the ground suddenly shook, and he found himself looking toward behind the enemy lines...and saw the enormous flames unleashed...right where the other four were supposed to be...

And he wasn't the only one that had noticed. Both Reynold and Catherine had seen it as well.

"Kari..." Catherine muttered worryingly.

---

Another wave of demon went down, bathed by the flames of the red dragon Korialstrasz as he continued his own work in the defense of that world.
For all the of Legion's power, most of their minions could not withstand the pure might of a dragon, especially not one like Korialstrasz.

Then he felt it, before he looked straight toward the central park of that city, and saw the enormous fount of demonic flames unleashed, washing over the entire park.

And Korialstrasz remained silent as he stared...

Everything was in their hands now...

Theirs...and the others...

---

AtmaRyumon slowly moved away his shield, grunting with effort. The attempt of shielding himself against that attack had taken out a far greater strain than he would have fought possible...And he most likely had to thank Erizonar's cursed foul magic for that.

"Guys?" he asked, only risking one slight glance behind him, unwilling to really let Erizonar slip away from his gaze.

"Still...here..." OrahAngewomon replied. She too appeared strained, but there was no doubt she had held her own against the attack.
"We're not down...yet..." AmaKaisermon added.
"Yeah...Don't count us out...This ain't over." EosSandhyamon said as well.

AtmaRyumon could feel it. They had all been strained in attempting to shield themselves. And unfortunately, AtmaRyumon himself had actually been unable to protect the others with his shield...which only increased Regan's own frustration.

"You shouldn't underestimate us Erizonar. We're far from being like the army I had last time...but we can far better than my former brethren..." AtmaRyumon stated.

"That remains to be seen." Erizonar stated, his arms crossed...and on a far too calm tone.
There was still something else, AtmaRyumon was certain of it. Erizonar couldn't be that calm and confident if he still had something else in mind.

"We'll...end this..." OrahAngewomon started, making one step forward...but then, she hesitated...before partly making a step backward...and fell on the ground, before glowing and separating back into an unconscious Kari and Gatomon, looking battered.

The other Bio-Merged looked at their fallen partner with some shock...before AtmaRyumon saw AmaKaisermon fall on a knee...and collapse as well, before reverting back to Riza and Veemon, unconscious and battered as well.

And EosSandhyamon...AtmaRyumon could see his gritted teeth, straining, as she slowly raised her gun...with a shaking arm, clearly trying to get a shot...

...A shot that never came...as she too collapsed, and reverted back to an unconscious Kylee and Impmon, battered as much as their fallen comrades.

"No...NO!!!" Regan yelled. "Kari! Riza! Kylee! No...You can't..."

"It seems it has come to this yet again, little Digital Warrior..." Erizonar stated calmly. "Once again, whatever allies you had were worthless...but only you could still withstand my might..."

"In the end...
You had only delayed the inevitable, digital monster warrior." Erizonar added.

Lizomon growled. He was angered, more so than he ever was before. This should have never happened...Erizonar should had been dealt with so long ago.

And it was his task, his duty to do it...

"Regan, I'll take it from here." Lizomon said to Regan.
"Wait, what?" Regan asked, confusedly.

AtmaRyumon suddenly glowed...before Regan suddenly found himself on the ground...with MetalRyumon standing right in front of him.

"Lizomon, what are you doing?!?" Regan yelled.
"Finishing what I should have ended so long ago..." MetalRyumon replied, his cold gaze fixed on Erizonar, who now grinned straight at the metallic dragon.

Erizonar chuckled. "Ironic it seems...We are repeating our last confrontation...but this time...the outcome shall be in my favour..."

MetalRyumon roared before he charged at the demon, guns blazing.

For a short moment Regan stood transfixed, before he quickly snapped out, and went straight for his fallen friends.

"Kari...Kari! Guys, come on!" Regan said, grasping Kari gently, yet getting no answer from her.

Regan looked uncertainly at all of them...before he looked down at his right hand.
No...they couldn't be dead. He was certain of that...He would have felt if it was the case...

Gritting his teeth, Regan closed his right hand, before bringing it to his heart, and closed his eyes, seeking to focus his mind...

Then his hand glowed, before a faded red glow suddenly flowed all over the other children and digimon, before Regan fell to the ground, almost collapsing from the effort...
Attempting to simultaneously heal so many people in such a critical condition, using only his own strength as the mean to heal them, took almost too much from Regan.

"We can't just fail...not now..." Regan desperately thought, gasping.

A groan came from Kari, as she started to stir up.
"Kari! Come on..." Regan said.
"Uhhh...Regan?" Kari opened her eyes weakly, straining to get up. "What...What's going on?"
"Just what the hell happened?" Riza said as he also struggled to regain consciousness.

And before Kylee could add up something of her own, a large explosion drew away the attention of the children, as they saw the enormous MetalRyumon slide on the ground, before he righted himself.

And with a loud roar, he unleashed a volley of missiles at the demon warlock, who proceeded to cast a protective spell against them.

Erizonar started to prepare some spell to attack, but suddenly the enormous mass of MetalRyumon went straight charging at him, forcing the demon on the defensive again, as he withheld the metal dragon's large paws using both strength and dark magic to hold on.
But as MetalRyumon kept struggling on, pushing against the warlock, he suddenly opened his mouth, revealing one of his main cannons, which promptly fired straight at the demon, hitting him square, before it allowed MetalRyumon to swat Erizonar away like a fly.

However the demon quickly vanished in a haze of green flames before reappearing upon solid ground before he summoned out several green fireballs, and hurled them upon MetalRyumon.

"That's what's happening right now..." Regan said as he watched his partner take the brunt of the attacks, then retaliate again. "He stopped our Bio-Merge and he went straight up against Erizonar on his own!"

"Ain't he crazy?!?" Impmon said. "How the hell does he think he can stand up to that guy?!?"
"But why would he really want to keep fighting like that?" Veemon asked.

"...I don't think he gave up." Kari said. The others briefly looked at her.
"He still wants to fight, to protect us all...And he's willing to do what's needed for that..."
"What's needed?!?" Regan said, outraged. "Even...even if he might die?!?

We can't let him do that!"

"It's kinda ironic when you think of it..." Gatomon said. "Usually Regan...you're the one that made everyone else worry when you went after Ragnarok...But now...you're the one that is worrying..."

Regan remained silent, troubled. Gatomon was right. Regan was worried for Lizomon. In fact...maybe that's why he was so insisting...

"No...It's not just because he has to do it...I think it's just like me...Revenge..." Regan darkly stated. "Just like me...he doesn't want us to be hurt any longer by Erizonar...just like I never wanted any of you to be hurt by Ragnarok..."
The others remained silent, as the sound of the battle between the metallic dragon and the demon kept going on.

"Still...it doesn't mean he has to do it alone..." Regan added, his fists held tight. "This isn't just about him and Erizonar...This whole world, and probably even more is at stake!

We've got to help him, in any way we can!!!"

"Well said, Child of Life..." a powerful voice suddenly echoed out in the air.

Everyone stopped, even Erizonar and MetalRyumon, as they looked upward, toward where the voice seemed to have been coming from.

And some distance away from the Legion's gate, an emerald green light suddenly flared up to life, before it expanded for a moment, then faded away, revealing out something unlike anyone had possibly imagined...

A dragon.

But this dragon was not red, unlike Korialstrasz and Ragnarastrasz, whom Kylee, Riza and the Digidestined were already familiar with. No, that dragon was of a deep green color...not to mention it actually looked somewhat transparent, as if it was but an illusion, a dream.

Not to mention, that this dragon actually looked much more sleeker and thinner of form compared to either red dragons...which actually led the two Tamers to believe that this dragon actually was female...

But perhaps what truly brought awe to this dragon...was her size.

She was easily twice the size of Korialstrasz, which was already a dragon of considerable proportions. Her wings alone seemed to span for miles. Her gargantuan head however displayed only calm.

And most of all...her eyes were closed.

"...Ysera...The Aspect of Dreams..." Regan muttered, somewhat awed.
"Y-You mean...This is Ysera?" Kylee said, intimidated.
"Her true form...yes..." Kari said, clearly awed as well.
"Hold on...so that means...she's here to save us?!?" Riza said.

"This would indeed be a way of putting it, Riza Ryuzaki." The voice of Ysera spoke once more, as the gigantic behemoth kept hovering in the skies.

There was perhaps no doubt that no one in the city wouldn't have noticed her coming.

"No! You won't interfere!" Erizonar yelled, before he brought up a hand toward Ysera, muttering dark words, before series of greenish and dark lightning bolts were hurled from his hand...

...only to harmlessly pass through Ysera as she suddenly grew more hazy in form, then returned to a more 'solid' state.

"Your vaunted powers mean nothing to me, Legion spawn..." Ysera calmly stated.

A horde of flying Fel digimon suddenly veered for Ysera, however before they coud reach her, she turned her head and closed gaze at them.
They suddenly all stopped...before starting to slaughter each and every of themselves...all trapped in dark daydreams which the Aspect of Dreams had put in their minds. Those Fel Digimon only saw the enemies among themselves...and gladly went to destroy themselves in the process...

"My gosh..." Kylee muttered. "That's the power of an Aspect?"
"She's...like...god-like!" Riza said. "No demons or digimon is gonna be able to beat her now!"
"I'm sure if Ysera really intended to single-handedly destroy every demons and Fel digimon that were here...she would have done so already..." Regan said. "I can somewhat recall that apparently, she held a deep hatred for the Legion...because they killed some of those she cared for most..."
"So then...Why is she just standing there?"

"Because I have come, to bring an end to this nightmare, to bring you hope...but not by myself..." Ysera spoke, before her eyes suddenly opened.

Emerald orbs could be briefly seen before they suddenly flared, and literally projected green beams of light, aimed straight at MetalRyumon.

MetalRyumon was utterly engulfed in the green light...before he was heard screaming.

"MetalRyumon!" Regan yelled. "Are you okay?"

The screaming ceased, along with the light from Ysera, who had her eyes closed again.

"And now...the forgotten has returned..." She spoke. "Arise once more, you who had been forgotten within the darkness of oblivion...

Arise, grand defender of your world...

Arise...

Alpha, Guardian MetalRyumon!!!"

A giant pure golden glow of light flared out, blinding everyone for a moment, before the children and their digimon were finally able to see...and when they looked toward Erizonar and his digimon adversary...

They saw a titan stood against the demon.

A dragon-like digimon who was indeed very reminiscent of MetalRyumon, only he stood on two legs, yet kept himself in a hunched position.

The digimon's horn upon his head were much longer, as were his tail, and not to mention a greater wingspan. And that digimon's armor was much more golden than the original gray color scheme the children were familiar with.

Alpha...the one who was known as...Guardian MetalRyumon. The last of the Ancient Guardians of the True Digital World...and he had now returned to bring an end to this invasion.

"And I thought MetalRyumon was already scary enough..." Riza muttered, looking intimidated at the much larger Guardian version of the original digimon.

The Guardian digimon then raised his head to the skies before he let loose an earth-shattering roar of tremendous proportions.

His back briefly flared with golden lights, before series of large twin cannons appeared upon his back.

He held his head aimed straight to the skies, at the Legion's gateway, before his mouth started to glow...and a beam of pure golden light was suddenly unleashed from his mouth, going straight at the portal...

And when it struck, the gateway was engulfed in a titanic explosion...before nothing of it remained...

Guardian MetalRyumon then opened his large wings, before he slowly started to hover in the skies, before his cannons turned around...and let loose hundreds of small golden projectiles of light, energy trailing behind them like comets, before they all started to scatter throughout the entire city...all of them heading straight for demons and Fel Digimon.

And wherever those lights struck, they utterly ripped through Demons and Fel Digimon alike as if they were nothing. The light projectiles struck as if angry fireflies, literally ripping holes in their victims as they struck.

From their vantage point, Reynold, Catherine, Justimon, Angewomon and Wargreymon could see the demon horde being utterly destroyed by this golden titanic dragon. There was nothing the demons could do to escape the lights.

And flying over the cities, Korialstrasz also watched the dozens of lights that started to unleash a rampage in the cities, utterly destroying the invasion.

He gazed toward the Aspect of Dreams, still calmly hovering in the skies, before he looked toward the revived Guardian Digimon...and frowned.

Guardian MetalRyumon unleashed yet another roar, before his mouth glowed with light again...but this time, he aimed it straight at the ground below him...and fired.

"Watch out!" Regan yelled. And he and his friends all went down, hoping to avoid the oncoming blast.

The beam struck the ground...before it unelashed an enormous golden shockwave which spread throughout the entire city...Yet when it passed through humans and normal digimon...nothing happened.

But when the shockwave struck demons and Fel digimon...they were utterly burned, incinerated to ashes, nothing left of them as the attack utterly disintegrated them.

And everywhere, humans and digimon all looked with awe at this unsuspecting savior.

Regan, Kari, Kylee, Riza, Impmon, Veemon and Gatomon all raised themselves up, looking with some uncertainties as they just realized what Lizomon...or rather Guardian MetalRyumon had just done.

He had utterly, single-handedly wiped out the entire Legion invasion, with but a few attacks.

...all save for one.

Erizonar, covered in a green flaming shield, held a ferocious expression as he gazed at the golden dragon which started to descend, and land on the ground.
The demon then dispelled his shield, before he started to walk toward the Guardian, his expression fierce.

But as he neared...he started to grow in size...becoming a giant as well...until he rivalled Guardian MetalRyumon in size.

Guardian MetalRyumon's glowing golden eyes only glared back at its nemesis, before he unleashed another roar, and charged straight at the demon.

The giant demon met him head on, his hands held forward as the golden titan crashed into him, forcing them both backward as their feet dragged out large trenches in the ground.

Erizonar then pushed back Guardian Metalryumon, who simply righted himself before aiming his cannons toward his enemy, who replied by pointing one hand toward the other.

Golden beams and dark lightning met head on, exploding in a flurry of raw power.

Thunder and roars were unleashed as the two giants continued their struggle, using both ranged and physical blows at each other. Red lines with golden sparks could be seen where the demon had raked the golden dragon with his claws and magic, while golden dots of light from which emerged out green flames marked where the demon's skin had been struck by the attacks of Guardian MetalRyumon.

Guardian MetalRyumon once again slammed his way into his adversary, sending both of them utterly crashing into a nearby building which collapsed when the two titans rammed into it.

"Come on Lizomon...you can do it!" Impmon said.
"Kick that demon's ass!!!" Kylee yelled.
"...Regan...are you okay?" Kari asked. She was looking at Regan, who showed an uncertain expression.
"Is there something wrong Regan?" Riza asked.

"...I can't reach him..." Regan said, worried.
"Reach who?" Kylee asked.
"Lizomon." Regan answered. "Both Kari and I have special links with our digimon. These links have appeared since the first time we Bio-Merged. We don't know how and why it's possible...but it just happened.

And with these links, we can actually reach out to the other's mind, even see what the other would be seeing.
Lizomon could for example, go on scouting, and I would be able to see what he saw, hear what he heard, and speak out to him, even if we're far away...

...But right now...I can't even reach out to him...It's as if there was...no one...As if...he was gone..." Regan finished, concerned.

The others looked uncertainly at the Child of Life. "You're certain of this? You really can't reach out to his mind?" Kari asked.
"No...I just can't. It's as if...it wasn't Lizomon..."

"And it is not." Ysera spoke once more. "The mind of the digimon Lizomon has been submerged, as his ancient memories have been awakened.

Very much alike your own case of yourself, and your dragon self, Child of Life."

"What?!?" Regan said, outraged. "You mean you've revived his memories, and now he could be doing the exact same things he did before, ten thousand years ago?!?"

"H-Hold on..." Kylee said. "What if...the same thing would happen all over again?!?"
"Huh? You mean..." Riza said.
"Well...if right now, Lizomon is Guardian MetalRyumon...and right now, he's fighting Erizonar...that demon he destroyed to save the True Digital World...
What if he's gonna do exactly everything that happened like last time?!?"

"Hold on..." Gatomon said. "That would mean..."

"...He may sacrifice himself again to destroy Erizonar." Kari finished.
"It could be worse..." Regan added, horror growing. "There are stories of how the lands all around the final battle site of Guardian MetalRyumon were utterly scorched and destroyed...which would mean that if the same things are going to happen all over again...

Guardian MetalRyumon might wipe out all of Pheonix City!!!"

"Not to mention...if he somehow survives again...Lizomon's gonna get stuck in limbo probably for thousands of years...and it'll be the same for Erizonar! That cycle will just keeps repeating itself all over again!!!" Gatomon said.

"Oh my gosh..." Kylee muttered, fear gaining her. To say they had been believing Guardian MetalRyumon was going to be their savior...but he could easily be their doom...

"Ysera! You've got to stop this!!!" Regan yelled out to the green Aspect.

"I have done more than enough, Child of Life. The rest is in your hands..." the Aspect simply replied, then remained silent as she kept hovering in the skies.

"You can't be serious!!! What are we gonna do?!?" Riza said, scared. "What can we do anymore?!?"

"...We've got to reach out to him. We've got to get to Lizomon, to snap him out, so he can end this once and for all, in a better way!" Regan said.
"But...even if we do manage to get to him...how will be beat Erizonar? Last time...they were equal in power...and the only way Lizomon was able to beat him...it was by sacrificing himself..."

Silence weighted among the children and digimon, as the two titans kept fighting each other in the background.

Until...another voice spoke up, unexpectedly reaching out in their minds.
But it wasn't Lizomon...nor Ysera.
But a familiar voice...

"Humans and digimon of this world, denizens of this realm, hear me..."

Korialstrasz...

"As you all know, evil has come upon your world, an evil of the likes you have never seen before.

Many among you most likely lost some who were dear to them. Many indeed have fallen to them.

However, hope came to us...We were able to stand, and fight back.

But now...it is not over...

A great protector of the forgotten past has risen anew to defend your realm against this evil.

However, alone...it cannot defeat this evil by itself.
This is why we must all reach out to him! All of us must give him our strength, our spirits, our will to live!

We must reach out to him, to show that he is not alone in this battle! That we all stand beside him!

Reach out to your hearts, humans and digimon...And together...let our common hearts speak for us to the forgotten guardian..."

"Korialstrasz..." Regan muttered, realizing that this wasn't just a message sent to them.

The elder dragon had actually reached out to every human and digimon in the city, with a clear intent in mind.

Much alike when Kylee, Riza, Impmon and Veemon had contributed their strength to AtmaRyumon who faced Ragnarok, Korialstrasz intended all denizens of Phoenix City to contribute their strength to Guardian MetalRyumon.

And Regan realized it could do a lot more than that...

"It's our chance!" Regan said. "The chance to reach to Lizomon! That's Korialstrasz's plan! He probably knows what Ysera did to Guardian MetalRyumon, so he just brought up this plan to save us all!!!"
"Man, he's a genius!" Riza said.
"But will it work?" Kylee asked.
"Only one way to find out..." Kari said.

They all looked at each other, humans and digimon, understanding what the elder dragon sought to do.

Very much like how AtmaRyumon was given the needed power from his friends to defeat Ragnarok...
...Very much like how AtmaRyumon united the strength of all the trapped Tamers within Parallelmon to use it against the digimon...

...This was going to be their final resolve to end this crisis.

The children took out their digivices, and then held them all to their hearts, as their digimon partners also brought up a hand to their own chests, closing their eyes...

At first, nothing happened...

...then, one by one...lights began to form up, appearing out in various parts of the city...
One light for each human or digimon...They all began to appear in increasing numbers...

"And thus...one has remembered to hold upon their dreams..."

"Together..." the voice of Korialstrasz spoke again, the ancient red dragon rising in the skies, now glowing with a grand crimson light of his own. "Let us speak out to the Guardian! Let us tell him we stand with him!!!"

"Come on Lizomon...You ain't gonna be giving up on life that easily eh? You're a great fighter, and fighting's all you've been doing. But living...that's a fight in its own way...And you're really gonna run away from it like a coward?!? That wouldn't be your way Lizomon! That's what I learned of you! So stand up and fight! We'll be with you all the way!!!" Impmon said.

"You've showed us we could become more than we are Lizomon. You've shown we can defy our own past. So, in that spirit, defy your past again! Defy your death again Lizomon!" Veemon said.

"A warrior. That's what you are Lizomon. But you're also a protector. You hold life with great esteem, and hold honor to everything. Despite how you may have often acted Lizomon, you always respected everyone around you, and just as we learned from you, you learnt from us." Gatomon said. "So don't give up now! Even in the worst times, you know we have to keep fighting for what we believe!!!"

"Lizomon, you've opened to me and my friends a world unlike anything we'd ever dream possible. You've showed us what it meant to stand up to your beliefs. You would always do the best for everyone else, and helped them learn and understand their mistakes, so they'd get stronger...

So come on Lizomon...Keep fighting! We'll be with you! The power of our friendship will keep shining on!!!" Kylee said.

"You're a fighter, but you're also a teacher Lizomon. You've taught us how to be brave, to really stand up to our friends, and to stand with them. You've showed us how with friends, how with your heart, you could stand up to anything!!!

So keep fighting Lizomon!!! We'll also fight with you!!!" Riza said.

"You're a warrior of life Lizomon. That's what you have been protecting all along. But, you've also helped protect the Light against darkness too. You've helped us understand each other better, and see that deep within ourselves, our strength can be greater than you would think. As within all of us Lizomon, a Light will always be shining in our hearts.

So Lizomon, please receive our lights, and may their shine the way to your truth and victory!!!" Kari said.

"You're an ancient warrior, made to kill...and I'm a kid, who first thought he was an ordinary kid...but you've turned my life upside-down Lizomon. You've showed up there was much more to me than I would have ever thought possible.

You've been doing a lot more than just fighting Lizomon. You've been changing all of us. I changed for the better thanks to you. Even if it we often seem to argue against each other on trivial matters, you know that the bonds between us are beyond even gods!

But it's not just that Lizomon. You didn't just changed us. We also changed you. We showed you our world, our ways of life. We've been your friends as you walked this new, confusing world. After all, I'm sure you could admit it...That new world, when you first breathed life again...it had to be confusing, wasn't it?

That's why Lizomon...What we started together...We have to end it together!!!

We're your friends Lizomon, now and always!!!" Regan said, then he started to yell at the top of his lungs "Can you hear us Lizomon?!? Can you hear our cries, our hearts, our will to live?!?

Can you see and hear us?!? If so, please answer us!!! We're with you, we'll bear this burden, this sin with you!!!"

Lights all over the city kept surging on...along with lights coming from each of the four children, and their digimon.

And then the elder dragon raised his wings one final time...before all the lights rised up in the skies...uniting with his own red aura...then this grand pure golden light went rocketing straight toward Guardian MetalRyumon, who had been knocked back on the ground.

As the light struck...Alpha let out a tremendous soul-shaking roar...

"...Regan?" the voice of Lizomon spoke. It sounded...different...older, more ancient.
"Lizomon?!? You've heard us!!!" Regan thought back.

Then their surroundings faded to black...leaving only the Child of Life, facing the grand Guardian.

"I've heard it...all of you..." the digimon spoke. He then lowered his head. "I'm sorry...this was my entire fault..."

"There was no way you could know that Erizonar would have survived Lizomon! You did what you thought was the best thing back then!!! But now things changed! You've got to do something else!

And that's why we want to help you!!!" Regan replied back.

"Much in the manner of your own insistence to deal with Ragnarok?" Guardian MetalRyumon asked darkly.
That made Regan pause.

"...Kinda...I'd guess..." Regan finally answered after a moment.

"Humpf...I was made to be the perfect war machine...and it seemed that in the end...I wasn't so perfect after all...But then...is there anything that really is perfect?" the digimon spoke.

"Let us help you Lizomon! That's the least we can do!" Regan replied.

"...There may be a difference compared to our cases Regan...It's true, Erizonar isn't something I expected to be...The same should be said of the coming of Ragnarok. It never was your fault." Guardian MetalRyumon said.

That made Regan somewhat darken.

"But the difference is that I can accept it...But you still don't, even today. You're definitively are a stubborn one Regan...And that's what I've been trying to curb in quite a while..." the Ancient Guardian spoke with a chuckle.

"Ragnarok...it's different...I..created him...I have to deal with this..." Regan said.

"Trust me kiddo, there's still a lot you don't seem to get. But I can tell you that Ragnarok ain't your fault, whatever what you'd think. You're too kind to ever be that monster that he is.

And that's why you deserved to be helped Regan. That's why you must be helped to deal with him, once and for all.

I hope you'll be able to learn that lesson to heart, boy." Guardian MetalRyumon said, smiling.

"Hold on, what are you gonna do?" Regan asked.

"Put an end to this, once and for all. I've started this atrocious cycle...so I'll end it.

Regan...Thanks...

...For everything."

"Lizomon!!!" Regan screamed out, but the Guardian vanished, and Regan unexpectedly found himself aside his friends again.

"You got to him?" Kari asked worryingly.
"Y-Yeah..." Regan said, uncertain. "But...I don't know what he'll do now..."

Guardian MetalRyumon rose up, standing strong once more, and now glowing of a strong aura.

"Erizonar, this obscenity should have never come to pass...I'd say it's time we end this all...

Time to bring an end to this nightmare...and send you back where you belong...in my memories!!!" Guardian MetalRyumon spoke out.

"This will never come to pass!" Erizonar replied, having partly lost some of his composure, however he quickly gestured at the Guardian once more, summoning out dark flames that utterly surrounded the digimon, seeking to utterly consume him.

However the flames were unexpectedly blown away, merely by the digimon's sheer will.

"As I said, we end this now." Guardian MetalRyumon said.

"I am Alpha, the first of all Lizomons...And I am the last of the Ancient Guardians. Thus, I am Guardian Lizomon.

However, I am more! I am Lizomon, partner to the Child of Life. With him I stand as a warrior again, to protect the True Digital World and more! I will be, and always be both Guardian and partner!" he spoke out strongly, opening his wings to their full length.

And then he took off to the skies, glowing out of a mighty light.

Erizonar spoke out strange words...perhaps some sort of alien curse...

At the apex of his flight, Guardian MetalRyumon ceased his ascent...and stopped, before he literally exploded in light.

"Soul of the Guardian!!!" he yelled. And he dove down, exploding with power and energy, in the form of a giant golden comet, which rocketed straight toward Erizonar, far far too fast for the demon to be able to escape.

And as the comet neared, a final curse and dark scream escaped the demon.

"Get down!!!" someone yelled out to Regan and the others, quickly forcing them downward.

The meteor struck.

An overwhelming blast of light began to spread out, to overwhelm everything...

Even with his eyes closed, holding to the ground tightly, Regan could still see the light...as he was overwhelmed by it...

---

"It is done...Another chapter...nearing its completion..."

---

"Uhhhh..." Regan finally started to stir up. His whole body ached, for a reason he couldn't explain himself.

As he finally started to raise his head, and sought to look around, he saw only darkness around him...
...or rather, a darkness with a certain tint of red...from a giant leathery wing...

A series of heavy labored breathing could also be heard as the wing finally removed itself, showing out that Korialstrasz had come up to the Digidestined and Tamers in the end, with the intention of shielding them as best as he could.

"...Korialstrasz?" Regan said, a bit dumbfounded.
"Are you well?" the dragon said, keeping a calm composure, despite whatever strain he could have suffered.
Additional movement to Regan's side caught his gaze, as he saw the others stirring up from unconsciousness as well.

"What...just happened?" Kari muttered, holding her head.
"All I remember was that light...It was so strong..." Kylee said, trying to sit up.
"Kra-Korisas-hem anyway, what happened?" Riza said, fumbling himself in the name of the ancient dragon.

"I suspect you would seek to see for yourself..." Korialstrasz answered as he fully removed his wings from the children and their digimon, before stepping back slightly...

And the eyes of the children and digimon widened.

The park was utterly desolated, covered only in ruins. Several buildings around had also been reduced to rubbles...

...Yet, most of the city, as far as they could see...was intact.

"The Guardian has accomplished his task in the manner he sought to do..." another voice spoke out...quite familiar as well.

The Digidestined, Tamers and digimon rose up, and looked to their left to see a tall, slim figure walking toward them.

Clad in a faint green dress, and almost looking phantomatic, and eyes always closed, Ysera calmly strode toward the humans and digimon.

"You truly are to be commended, children." Ysera spoke. "The same can be said of you, Wiseful One."

"Lady of Dreams..." Korialstrasz replied out with a polite bow of the head.

"So...it's over...all of it?" Kylee said.
"Correct..." Ysera answered. "The threat of the Legion is no more."
"Hold on...what about Lizomon!!!" Regan said, panicked. "He can't be dead!"
"He did what had to be done, child of Life." Ysera said undisturbed.
"You can't be telling that he's..." Kari said, almost horrified.
"He wouldn't dare..." Regan said, his head falling, fists tightening. "You can't dare to say he's dead!!!" Regan screamed.

Ysera remained unfazed by Regan's anger. "You should seek to gaze with more than merely your eyes, child of Life." She said.

That made Regan confused. The Aspect then pointed at her digivice...which was constantly letting out a beeping sound.

"The digivice...does it means..." Regan said, turning around, trying to locate the signal...
Then he ran toward a pile of rubble...which actually stirred when he neared it.

"Could it be?!?" Riza said. "He's alive?"
"Quick, help me!" Regan said, grabbing upon the nearest rock. The others quickly joined him, as they started to help clear the debris...

...until the sight of a small orangish dragon greeted their eyes, looking battered, bruised, burnt in more ways than they could imagine...yet showing out a strong, arrogant smirk.

"Come on Regan...I wouldn't be THAT much of a bastard, would I?" Lizomon said.
"...D...DAMN YOU!!!" Regan cursed out, in a mix of anger and happiness, and actually pulled Lizomon out of the rubbles, before holding him tightly...before almost hitting his partner square in the jaw.

"You damn idiot...don't you ever dare do that again!!!" Regan said, still caught between anger and happiness...along with a few tears at the corners of his eyes.
"Aww...are these tears you've got there Regan?" Lizomon teased out.
"S-Shut up, it's nothing." Regan said, dropping Lizomon on the ground before wiping out his eyes with the sleeve of his cloak.

"I'd say they're happy." Kylee said with a smile.
"Partners are reunited, after a brush with death..." Kari said with a smile of her own, which then faded somewhat. "Ysera..it is all over then...right?" she asked, looking at the Aspect.

"It is." Ysera answered. "I believe it was delayed long enough now, wasn't it?"
"You mean...you guys are leaving...right?" Riza said.
Kari looked sadly at Gatomon, who exchanged a similar look, while Regan and Lizomon also looked at each other with a saddened look.
"I'm afraid so, kid." Lizomon said.

"Sadly as fun as it all was, all good things must come to an end sometimes...Although I wouldn't say it'd really be the end of everything about that..." the dragon digimon added.

"Is it a promise, Agumon-ripoff?" Impmon replied out, tauntingly.
"Consider it to be one indeed, wannabe-pro." Lizomon spoke back with a taunting grin.
Then they both brought up a fist to the other, which then held proudly.

"That is kinda true..." Regan said. "He never got that rematch."
"Well...I guess it'll be next time?" Kylee said.
"Guess so." Regan said.
"Things won't really be the same without you around, Regan." Riza said.
"Heh, and what should I say about this, eh Riza?" Regan said with a smile. "Things won't really be the same either for me!"
The three then hugged each other.

"As much as it's nice to see that friendship you have, I wouldn't really want to feel too left out..." Kari said with a small smile.
"Nah, you're with us too Kari." Kylee said. "It was awesome while it lasted, being with a 'cartoon hero' like you."
"Thanks." Kari said, smiling.
"Well...I guess that in all...you weren't exactly all like we thought you were..." Riza said.
"And I wonder what you could have been thinking of me..." Kari replied with a somewhat teasing smile.
"You know...you never answered that question Kari...

So, who do you like? Davis or Tk?" Kylee said with a wink.

For a moment, Kari blushed, although she somewhat caught herself, still with some red of her cheeks.
"I think I'll decide of who I really like on my own..." she said, slightly looking at Regan with a glance that made him somewhat feel uncertain...and most likely blushing.

A small cough came from the red dragon, who had been patiently waiting. "I believe we should take our leave soon now." Korialstrasz said.

"Right, right, almost done." Regan said. "A few more minutes."

He looked at the Tamers again, and hugged the pair once more. "Take care of yourselves, guys." He said, closing his eyes...and the two Tamers could also see some tears coming out of his eyes.
They briefly returned the hug as well. "And make sure you take care of your girlfriend too!" Kylee said happily.
"Who's my girlfriend?!?" Regan replied outragedly, which made the others laugh, Kari included, although with some bit of blush on her cheeks.

"Make sure to keep Impmon in check." Gatomon said to Veemon.
"Don't worry, I'll be able to deal with that." He said. "It was a pleasure meeting you Gatomon." He said proudly, extending a hand, which the cat digimon took, and shook.

"Keep an eye out on these shorty lovebirds, will ya Impy?" Lizomon spoke out to Impmon, on a somewhat cunning tone, which of course did not helped the two Tamers.
"And you make sure that these two gets together, right?" Impmon said on the same tone.
Lizomon looked at Regan and Kari with a long smile that obviously said more than enough...and more than enough to make the pair uneasy.
"You can be sure of that." He replied to Impmon.

But before any other sort of 'confrontation' could be issued, Korialstrasz once again reminded the Digidestined and their partners of their need to leave. And with somewhat heavy hearts, the children and their partner started to climb upon the dragon's back.

"Hum...Ysera?" Kylee suddenly asked the Aspect, looking a bit uncertain.
"What would it be?" the Aspect replied.
"Back then...the memories of people...I mean...last time Regan was here, people first knew and remembered about what happened...then, they all seemed to have forgot, except us.

You're the one who did that to everyone, right? You changed everyone memories' except ours, right?"

Ysera remained silent for a moment. "Yes...it was my doing." She answered. "It was deemed necessary to be done."

"You're going to do it again, aren't you?" Kylee asked.
"Correct." Ysera stated. "I'm afraid that with all those events, it will be a necessary act to take."

Kylee held her hands down together, looking a bit uncertain. "Could you...do it like last time...And no do anything to our memories?" she asked, a bit hesitantly.
The others looked at her with a bit of concern, especially Riza and their partners.
However, the reason of that request was easily understandable...

"We got to meet great friends, and lived adventures like we'd never dreamed possible. We've cherished some things that I wouldn't want to forget...So please...you can do this, right?" Kylee asked.

The Aspect of Dreams remained silent again, her head slightly tilted as she 'peered' at Kylee.

"I will see to it." She finally answered.

That made Kylee, Riza and their partners relieved, a relief which was also shared by the two Digidestined and their own partners.

"So then...goodbye guys." Riza said.
"...Goodbye indeed..." Kari replied.
"We're gonna meet again, okay?" Kylee asked.
"We'll see to it." Regan replied with a kind smile.

And with that, Ysera started to fade away, as if nothing but an illusion, while Korialstrasz opened his great wings, having ensured that the children and their digimon were safely secured on his back. And with one great beat, he lifted himself in the air, taking off to the skies, before circling the Tamers and their partners one last time, allowing Regan and Kari to wave back at their friends yet another time...

Then the dragon veered higher in the skies, before a flare of blue light coalesced in front of him and took on the shape of a portal, which he head straight in, before it closed upon itself, moments after the dragon went in.

Kylee, Riza, Impmon and Veemon all gazed upward, their eyes still locked upon where their friends had vanished...as a green mist slowly started to gather and spread within all of the city, behind them...

---

Lightning flared in a darkened sky, a sky tainted with blood red colors.
A sky crowning upon endless ruins and devastation...

Countless ruins graced upon that ruined land, ruins, along with many fires aspread throughout them.

Lightning shook the skies again...before something boomed within the clouds...and a dark meteor suddenly tore apart through the skies, crashing down within the ruins...

And from the crater, a dark form pulled itself out. A large humanoid shape clad in scarred armor, bearing draconic wings and head...

"What news, Chaos?" a voice asked...as the figure of a teenager boy waited patiently at the edge of the crater. A boy covered by a scrapped red cloak and marked with blood upon it.

And with a face mimicking the one of Regan Astrasz...aside from red eyes and gray hairs...

"Your will has been done..." ChaosRyumon spoke, bowing to his master. "The bomb was unleashed, the portal opened...

Your revenge, your Legion was unleashed upon them. It will feed upon them, as you desired..."

"I'm afraid not..." Ragnarok stated, seemingly unfazed. "Erizonar has fallen already."

ChaosRyumon looked partly disappointed, but bowed again to his master. "Let me return, and exact vengeance upon these paltry mortals. I will not fail you, master." The dark digimon spoke.

"That won't be needed..." Ragnarok replied, now smiling as he turned and walked away, gesturing at the digimon to follow him.

"The Aspects have intervened in that matter...just as I knew they would..." the dark boy added. "Trying to go back now would be foolishness, Chaos. Ysera and her ilk will still be around.

And even then...it wouldn't matter..." he added, his smile growing.

"How so?" ChaosRyumon asked.

"Let's just say...that Ysera has granted us, a more...delectable revenge upon our little enemies...and a much more sour victory, than what they would have ever thought possible...
Of course...only when Regan and Kari will actually realize all of what the Aspect just did..." Ragnarok answered, still smiling...before he bursted out in considerable laugher as he kept walking.

"So...if we are done with these two Tamers...what now master?" ChaosRyumon asked.
"A new situation has developed elsewhere Chaos. A situation worthy of our attention...

Apparently, there's another little reality that was recently discovered by those little 'Zone Tamers' mongrels...You know, those other little meddlers?" Ragnarok started.
The digimon remained silent, only listening.
"It seems that relations between humans and digimon in that reality aren't exactly very great...in fact, it would appear that the prime overseer of that Digital World, may not be fond of them...And I'd say we could perhaps push him even further on that level..." Ragnarok continued.

"What is that prime overseer?" ChaosRyumon asked.

Ragnarok stopped walking, before looking slightly at his servant, a dark grin present upon his face.

"The so-called 'God of the Digital World'...Yggdrasil...

And apparently...those little Zone Tamers call that that reality...

The Savers Zone..." he answered back, eyes glowing with power.

And ChaosRyumon replied with a large toothy grin of his own...

---

A portal flared to life, in different skies, skies clearly belonging to a Digital World...

And from that portal, came flying through Korialstrasz, with the Digidestined and their partners riding on his back. The dragon then headed out straight toward a nearby forest.

"Ahhh finally...Back in the True Digital World..." Lizomon said, taking on a big smell of the air. "I think I missed that air for a while..."
"Yeah, guess it'll be back to the usual business now..." Regan said.
Korialstrasz remained silent, apparently only focused on flying.
"I wonder how the others were in our absence." Gatomon said.
"Right...Korialstrasz, do you know how everyone else was while we were away?" Kari asked to the ancient dragon.

Yet again, the dragon remained silent.
"Hey, Korialstrasz!!!" Regan yelled out.
The dragon blinked a few times, before his eyes looked toward his passengers.
"No doubt all of them were tremendously worried of your absence, children, but I believe they should have fared well otherwise..." Korialstrasz answered.

Regan frowned. "Korialstrasz...What's wrong?" he asked.
"Nothing considerable..." the dragon replied. "I was merely caught up in my own thoughts..."
"Really?" Regan said, doubtful.

"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeyyyy!!!!" a yell came from earthward, causing the children and digimon to look down, before they started to see some familiar faces.

Regan and Kari smiled as they easily recognized some of them as being their friends here in the True Digital World, waved at them.

"So...what is it then?" Lizomon asked out. "I don't think Regan's trusting up your word on that."
Regan quickly looked again at the dragon's head, who still appeared to be simply flying along.

Korialstrasz however let out a long sigh. "You will no doubt need to know..." he spoke, before veering off, toward an edge of that forest, then proceeded to land.

As soon as he was upon the ground, he allowed the children and digimon to disembark, and as soon as they did so, they stared back at him.

"Tell us." Regan said, growing suspicious while Kari looked concerned. "What is it about?"

Korialstrasz looked aside for a moment...then looked back again at the Digidestined.

"I'm afraid to say that Ysera was not entirely honest." Korialstrasz said.
That made the two Digidestined worried. "What are you talking of Korialstrasz? Honest about what?" Regan asked.

"About preserving their memories..." the dragon darkly added.

Kari, Regan, Lizomon and Gatomon all stood silent, shock visible on their faces.

"What?!? You mean...she would have lied to Kylee?!?" Regan said.
"...Why would she even do that?" Kari asked.
"She had to have a damn good reason, did she?" Lizomon said.
"Seriously, it's not as if she would be thinking we're nothing! There's no reasons why she'd do that to them right?" Gatomon asked.

Korialstrasz took in stride the multiple questions, before he spoke. "There are many reasons as to why she would do such a thing...But also, I do need to remind I am familiar with her...

As such...it wasn't hard for me to realize what she intended to do. If she truly is under the intent of erasing their memories as well, it is most likely due to the presence of the Legion in this attack.
We are familiar with the fact how the Legion does not easily accept defeat, and sought to take revenge upon our world, Azeroth.
And it may have been Ysera's belief that if no traces of the Legion's passing is present upon the world of your friends, then the risks of the Legion's return will be close to none."

"Come on! She can't be thinking that only because the Legion showed up she has to erase their memories! Heck, Erizonar told us he wasn't even with the Burning Legion, but with Ragnarok!" Regan said.

"That I am well aware of Regan." Korialstrasz calmly stated. "And that along with many other reasons is why I believe you are right."

The Digidestined and their digimon remained silent, actually shocked from what the dragon had just said.

"Excuse me?" Lizomon said, giving out an odd glance. "Did you actually said you agreed with Regan on that?"

"You heard me well." Korialstrasz said, his golden eyes burning strongly. "I sincerely believe Ysera would be making a mistake by erasing the memories of your friends, and this is why I intend to speak out to the Aspects on that matter, to reverse that decision before it is applied."

"You're...you're really serious about this?!?" Gatomon said, in shock.
"You're not trying to joke with us, are you Korialstrasz?" Regan said, a bit doubtful.

The ancient dragon let out a long sigh.

"I can perfectly recall the name of every mortals that have worked for me, that acted at my side, or fought with me. No matter what race they were, I would consider them as friends.

And their names, their faces, I cannot forget them. I always recall them in my dreams, recall how many times they passed away, while I lived.
And many of them were my own children Regan...

Trust me when I say...I would consider Kylee and Riza...as trusted friends, as much as you would." Korialstrasz spoke, his tone tremendously deep.

"...You're kidding right?" Regan said. That was one thing he never thought he would hear. Korialstrasz actually considering Riza and Kylee as friends?!?

"...You could say...I've grown fond of them..." the dragon somewhat hesitantly replied. "And that is why I must intervene in their favour. If there is anyone who can convince the Aspects of undoing that decision, it is none other than me."

On that, Regan knew he was right. Alexstrasza's Prime Consort was not only deeply respected(not to mention loved) by the Red Dragonqueen, but he was also highly respected by the other Aspects. Korialstrasz had more than once done many actions that helped the other Aspects, and the entire world of Azeroth at many times. No wonder he's a dragon to respect.

"...Thanks Korialstrasz...Thanks a lot..." Regan said, somewhat heartened, and touched by that unexpected decision from the elder dragon.
"I will return as soon as I am able. Until then, enjoy your reunion with your friends here, Core Chosens." Korialstrasz spoke up before opening his wings and taking off to the skies, and quickly left through another portal of his making.

"Regan!!!" a young voice spoke out behind Regan and Kari. Regan turned back, smiling as he easily recognized the voice, familiar to his ears.
"Narika!" Regan replied back happily, as a young girl about 8 years old, with short brown hair, wearing red shorts and a blue shirt ran up to him, followed up by a Dorumon behind her.
"Where were you gone?" Narika asked as she came up to her brother.
"Well...

...It's gonna be a long story..." Regan hesitantly stated out.

Others quickly started to come, as the reunion finally began...

---

"...and thus, this is why I believe that erasing or altering the memories of these two human and digimon would be unnecessary in this matter." Korialstrasz spoke up, finishing his long series of explanations he had prepared.

A strange emptiness reigned all around him, a unique place which did not truly existed, so to speak.
An ideal place for some special meetings with the Four, aside from the Chamber itself...

After a moment...they started to manifest their presences...bringing themselves into view of the elder red dragon.

"Good amount of reasoning and examples Korialstrasssz..." a long voice spoke, as an immense dragon whose scales seemed to be not just colored in bronze, but his very body and flesh also seemed to be made of glittering sand, as lights kept sparkling and reflecting whenever some reflections occurred in the mystical realm they were in...

The Aspect of Time...Nozdormu. Often named the Timeless One...

"Still...the decision was already made." Another voice replied out, speaking without any traces of emotion in it, sounding tremendously cold, as a large blue dragon manifested itself, magical power sparking up around his form.

Malygos, the Aspect of Magic. The one which was also called the Spellweaver.

"What do you mean?" Korialstrasz asked, somewhat uncertain.

"We mean that we had already executed the decision before you came here, Korialstrasz..." Ysera spoke out as she showed herself in her full green dragon form, easily towering over the red dragon, yet rivalling the other two Aspects in size.

Ysera, the Aspect of Dreams. Often called the Dreamer, for such.

"No...You cannot say that." Korialstrasz replied back.

"Sadly Korialstrasz...it is the truth. Ysera began reforming the memories and events in the minds of the denizens of that world as soon as you, the children and their digimon companion left that world." Another voice spoke. Despite the dark news, that female voice spoke with much kindness and understanding, the voice of a loving mother.

While she was obviously the same size than her fellow Aspects, Korialstrasz's beloved queen always seemed to stand even greater than the others. Her beautiful crimson body clearly had a grand presence of life to it, golden orbs gazing out compassionately to those who were in need.

Alexstrasza, his beloved, his world, his life...The Aspect of Life, the Life-Binder...and also called the Dragonqueen, for in a sense, she was almost considered to be queen of all dragonkind.

"Ysera...Why such a hasty act?" Korialstrasz spoke out, head low.

Ysera let out a long sigh, her form growing hazy for a moment, before returning to a more solid state. "Because Korialstrasz, all those events that had transpired here could not be ignored in any way. The first time, those exceptions were acceptable, but this time, far much more was stirred by the actions of that creature you call Ragnarok...

We could not stand aside and simply ignore all of the possible consequences.
One could say...it was the grim price to pay, for this world's salvation..." she explained.

A grim price...and a truly sour victory for the two Digidestined, who had literally lost their dear friends, in perhaps a more shocking way than death...

"We were willing to observe the actions, and we even requested their aid in some grim matters. They trusted and believed in our greatness and nobility...

...and that is how we repay them?" Korialstrasz grimly stated.

"They helped as much as it was needed." Malygos replied. "But remember we also acted only because of your requests. You called for my aid when you wanted that temporary rift opened to that 'dark world'."

"You were the only one whom Korialstrasz actually went to ask aid from, Malygos. Ysera actually called out to them to aid her, while Alexstrasza came and acted of her own accord on that matter, even if it was to the...uncertainty of her consort..." Nozdormu stated, unperturbed.

"Even so, we all agreed upon acting to aid that world in the end." Malygos said. "Those consequences, no matter how grim they may be, are an acceptable price."

"Still!" Korialstrasz said. He didn't wanted to give up. He had to make them see his point of view, how they did deserved to be spared...

"Would you know of an alternative Korialstrasssz?" Nozdormu suddenly asked. "Another way that could have been done instead?"

Korialstrasz remained silent, a bit uncertain. And all the while, the Aspects stared at him, waiting.

Of course, there might be an alternative...But...

The elder red dragon lowered his head. "...No..." he grimly replied, defeated.

"Then nothing else could be done..." Ysera said. "This matter is thus, concluded...no matter how grim it may be..."

"...I'm sorry Korialstrasz..." Alexstrasza sadly spoke, with a deep sadness.
"Take no blame upon yourself..my love, my life..." Korialstrasz replied back. Taking another breath, he spoke again. "I will return to the children of Life and Light...There is no doubt after all that they will need to be made aware of your final decision..."

"Understood..." Ysera stated. After a moment, she spoke again. "You did what you had to do, Korialstrasz, no matter how hard it was. You did excellent work, remember that..."

"...And still it does not make me proud..." the red dragon grimly thought to himself. "Because I failed them..."

---

"And so that's how we finally managed to beat up the Legion, and kicked back Ragnarok where he belongs." Lizomon said.
Night had fallen upon the True Digital World, and all of the other Core Chosen had gathered up to reunite with those they had thought were lost.
"Man, that's quite a tale..." a boy dressed in black, with a dark sleeveless shirt, short dark brown hairs and brown eyes said. Floating near him was a Patamon.
"It kinda is indeed, Brian..." Kari replied back to the boy.
"But you guys are okay now, right?" a short young girl around Narika's age asked. She sat near the other boy, although she had pale white hairs and wore black shorts with a sleeveless pink shirt, and snoring right at her side was an Impmon.
"Don't worry Ghelsey, we're fine now."
"To say that the Guardian resurfaced..." another one spoke, a digimon though. He looked more or less like an Agumon, however he was wearing a form-fitting gray and dark armor upon his body, with some pink extrusions coming out of the sides of his head. He also had a brown cloak around himself. And right now, that digimon had a look of pure ecstasy upon his face...or maybe way too much ecstasy... "And he defeated his ancient enemy once again!!! Truly the Guardian is unlimited!!!"

Regan and Lizomon only sighed at that.

"This certainly was an interesting series of adventures though..." another boy spoke, looking somewhat older than the others, wearing dark blue pants and vest, with a lighter blue shirt underneath, along with a pink hat which looked virtually identical to Mimi Tachikawa's old hat. "And I suppose it would explain your unusual absence from the first time you disappeared, after that confrontation with Ragnarok?"

"Yeah yeah...that was indeed what first happened to me Takumi. I don't need reminders." Regan stated out, a bit annoyed.

"Tronix and Samuel will be coming up soon, right?" Gatomon asked.
"Don't worry." Brian said. "We called them and they got the good news. They're as happy as we are to see you two back."
The other mentioned two were boys which were also part of their group. Tronix was a boy with dark hairs and clothes and gray eyes who actually had two partners, a Terriermon and a Bearmon. Samuel on the other hand, was a light brown haired boy wearing a short red coat over a green shirt, along with dark green pants. This red eyed boy though had a somewhat unusual digimon, a BlackGuilmon as a partner.

"Regan, Kari. May I speak with you and your partners?" the voice of Krasus suddenly interrupted as the tall gray cloaked figure walked in from behind them.

"Of course!" Regan said, getting up quickly, and hopeful.
However the cloaked dragon mage only gestured to follow him.

"We'll be right back." Lizomon said to the others as the two children had started to go on ahead, and with that he and Gatomon quickly followed on.

"So, what did they said?" Regan asked, somewhat worryingly. "Did you managed to talk some sense to them?"

"They had already taken the decision to do that, and had actually applied it the very moment we left Kylee and Riza's reality..." Krasus darkly spoke.

The children and digimon remained silent, in shock.

"No...you can't say that..." Regan muttered.
"I assure you...I tried to convince them otherwise...but..." the dragon mage lowered his head.
Kari only looked deeply saddened. "So...that means that the Kylee and Riza we knew...are gone?" she dreadfully asked.
"Unfortunately yes. Ysera has most likely erased their memories...Those friends you had...are no more..." Krasus answered.
"Damn it!!!" Regan angrily yelled, then his head dropped, his fists closed tightly. "...I trusted you Krasus...I actually wanted to trust you this time...That you could do it...
But you bastard can't even do it! You couldn't even same them!!!" Regan yelled out at the dragon mage.

"Do you think I appreciate this turn of events as well Regan? I am as much displeased and saddened as you are!" Krasus suddenly spoke, his tone actually much more risen than usual...As he actually sounded...angry... "You have my word I sought to do everything I could to convince the Aspects that this decision was not needed...but I couldn't...
I failed..." the dragon said, his burst of anger quickly fading, as he returned to his 'neutral self'.

Seeing Krasus actually goes out on an emotional fit, even such a short one, was very surprising to Regan, Kari, Lizomon and Gatomon. They had always seen Krasus(or Korialstrasz) easily controlling his emotions, virtually showing no traces of them whenever he acted. But to see him now...

It did made Regan realize a bit...that the dragon wasn't immune to sorrow, no matter how ancient and mighty he was...

"It's just...not fair Krasus..." Regan said, tears coming up in his eyes.
"No...It's not...it's not fair indeed...But we can't go back on it anymore..." Krasus said.

"The only thing we can still do now...is honor their memories, their true memories that we witnessed and lived with them...

...and honor their forgotten dreams..." the dragon mage spoke, looking upward to the starry sky.

The children and their digimon soon imitated him, looking skyward as well, a hand held to their hearts, as they made a silent farewell to their lost friends...

---

"That would be thus the end of this. The actions of Kylee Henke and Riza Ryuzaki, along with their digimon partners, had a tremendous impact upon the Chosen Children of Life and Light, Regan Astrasz and Kari Kamiya.

I also admit...they affected me as well.

They held such strong dreams and will to live, as they truly were determined to stand up to their friends, with undying loyalty.

Truly, they should be remembered as heroes.

Thus, this is why I wrote this, so that they are not truly forgotten, and that others may know of those who gave much to others, often in return for little...and yet they received bountiful rewards...until it was all taken away from them..."

Krasus/Korialstrasz pulled himself back from an odd keyboard on a stone dais he had been typing on. He had returned to his hideout in the True Digital World ever since his conversation with the Children of Life and Light, and been brooding ever since...until he had decided to do that.

For hours he wrote in his notes, of these adventures Regan had gone through with these two Tamers, of everything they had done to help him defeat Ragnarok the first time, and then how they helped him again, along with Kari Kamiya, the second time they were unexpectedly thrown back into the Tamers' reality, by the hand of Ragnarok again.

He felt he had to do that for them. A manner in which to honor their memories. To honor their forgotten dreams.

The dragon mage had often been adding personal comments as well, and he read again what he had finished just now.

It was true. These two Tamers had somehow affected him...despite the fact he didn't spent much time with these children.

He looked to his side, gazing at some orbs that were floating...
...orbs that showed images, actions and events of what the Digidestined and Tamers had done and lived through together.

The dragon mage sighed, knowing his own hand in all of this, how he felt highly responsible of what had happened to these two children.

He went to write again...

"While we may die, our memories live on through those who lived with us. That is a certainty regarding Kylee Henke and Riza Ryuzaki. They will be remembered by those who lived and fought aside them.

It only pains me that no true alternative was never brought...
For I would not have desired their fate to end that way..."

Krasus paused again, pondering once more. He recalled Nozdormu's words, how the Aspect of Time had asked if he knew of an alternative to Ysera's decision...
For a moment, Korialstrasz had been believing of an alternative...
But there were risks to it...And it could have demanded much of the two Tamers...

But now, thinking of it again, would it have been worse than the fate they now suffered?

"...However...

I have no intention of letting the story of Kylee Henke and Riza Ryuzaki end this way..."

The Manifesto of Korialstrasz, stories of the Tamers and Non-Tamers

THE END...

...OR IS IT?

---

Thank you for reading the two fics of Non-Tamer. Before you ask about any next sequel, I will answer to that. Yes, I am making a third fic right now, but no, I will not upload it yet on . It is still in making on DeviantArt. Thus, if you'd like to watch the newer chapters of the third fic, please go on my DeviantArt page (.com) in order to see more of them.

Thanks again for reading and I hoped you liked my works.