Episode Five: The Call

Aroma, Euryale, and Roatha appeared to have had sudden and fatal heart attacks, leaving Taiyo to try and drag Euryale's corpse as they traverse the uneven and battle scarred ground, the sky getting darker as they go despite being early to mid afternoon at best.

Leomon: "It is quite likely you all may be able to succeed where we have failed. That is why the Chosen Children are summoned."

Taiyo: "Renamon said the Leomon species are usually great heroes."

Leomon: "That is not entirely inaccurate. The Leomon species is known for its heroes, but there are some things we cannot defeat on our own."

Renamon: "Is it true you are the last of your kind?"

Leomon: "Yes. After my predecessor Regulumon fell in battle years ago battling Callismon, my Digitama was created and then I would be born."

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Shademon does away with another Failure of Infinity.

Eve!Shademon: "Should the Priest have its way, your dream may come true. But you will not be spared."

From the beach, the sounds of battle can be heard.

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Nefertimon bumps into the statue of a tiger as she backs away from the rabbit, an image of a cerulean dragon flashing through her mind.

Nefertimon: "Let's go."

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Pegasusmon takes flight, Azuma on his back as Failures of Infinity begin to crawl from the town, towards the water to free themselves of the spirals that bind them.

Hitomi and Nefertimon appear on the beach, Pegasusmon attacking as the things draw nearer to Hitomi who climbs atop Nefertimon who takes flight.

<I didn't say I want them dead.>

*Eve looks for a path down to the beach*

They come to the ruins of a town, protruding from the ground is a mangled railroad track that looks like something picked it up and twisted it into an unrepairable state.

Leomon: "I'm afraid this is where we must part. If you continue north through the wasteland, you will find the castle. Farewell, Chosen Children and good luck."

Leomon makes his through the ruins, jumping over the wreckage. Renamon watches as he leaves, a disappointed look on her face.

Taiyo: "What's wrong, Renamon?"

Renamon: "There was so much I wished to ask him."

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There is no visible path. What she can see however is the yellow eyes of the creatures as they approach, Shademon slaying those with a flick of its tail.

Eve!Shademon: "There is no difference. Some get what they want, others do not."

It looks towards the edge of the cliff at a pair of Failures that managed to avoid its absentminded slaughter and watches as they drop off the cliff into the black waters below.

Eve!Shademon: "They're a lot like the lemmings of your world as they're described. Hurling themselves to their demise in pursuit of a non-existant dream."

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The two watch as the creatures crawl to the ocean in droves, blanketing the grey sands in black.

Beneath the ocean, the things swim as gracelessly and uncoordinated as they walk to the oceans floors to a grey city of alien geometeric construction. They swim through the entrance to the waiting jaws of their God to curb its hunger after a long sleep.

*Euryale puts an arm around the fox.*

E"That's a shame. Sometimes, you've just gotta speak up."

Terriermon:<Eve, maybe I could fly with that digimental you found.>

*Eve's too busy watching the shadow lemmings to respond*

Renamon tenses up. [no]Euryale still bearing Taiyo's love stench probably doesn't help.[/no]

Renamon: "Yes, of course."

Taiyo: "I'm sure you'll meet again."

Renamon: "That is a possibility. Although members of the Leomon species tend to have short lifespans. It's only through intensive training regiments and battle that they manage to Digivolve at.a higher rate than others."

Taiyo: "So if we do meet him again, he could look different?"

Renamon: "Yes."

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Eve!Shademon: "That would be wise so long as the spires still stand."

The Failures of Infinity resume plunging off the cliff barring Shademon's intervention, their numbers seeming to dwindle more from the mob going over the cliff rather than Shademon's attacks.

A number of them are destroyed as Pegasusmon and Nefertimon fly overhead. Shademon looks up at the two although it speaks to no one in particular.

Eve!Shademon: "I envy those who are allowed to dwell freely in the world above."

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Within a laboratory in Factorial Town, Ebemon continues working on its current project as Zarek enters.

Zarek: "How goes the repair job?"

Ebemon: "I had an easier time rebuilding the Digimental of Miracles. Who'd have thought rebuilding an evolution battery would be more complicated than repairing a stalion?"

Zarek: "Well, try not to lose this one like you did the last."

Ebemon: "I'm not a fighter. If the Piedmon wants the Digimental, he can very well have it. My tricks are nothing but child's play compared to the Dark Clowns and dying would only set this project behind even further. Not sure why he'd want the Digimental. If anything he'd have wanted the DigiMemory. He already possess one."

Zarek: "I don't know. But I want this complete. The Chosen Children are already on Server and they only have LadyDevimon left before Millenniummon sics the Dark Masters on them."

Eve:<Why can't you? You shouldn't be stuck down here.>

*Terriermon waves at the digimon*
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Kylie:<That's sad....>

Renamon: "We should continue on."

Renamon pulls herself away from Euryale and continues on heading north.

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Eve!Shademon: "My existance is dwarfed only by GranDracmon's who is as old as the World of Darkness. When AncientSphinxmon was young, I was ancient. From the beginning, I have existed only in darkness even on the world above, living only in the shadows, never to feel the light directly upon me."

As it speaks, it ignores the Failures of Infinity even as they pass within striking distance until the cease and the only signs of life on the cliffside and the beach below is the four Digimon and three humans.

Eve!Shademon: "They've fulfilled the purpose of their mockery existance. Replenishing their Gods strength. It won't be long before it rises."

E"Do we even have a plan?"

Cameron:<I thought it was our usual plan: hit it until it dies.>
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Eve:<That doesn't seem very fair.>

*Terriermon continues trying to get Azuma and Hitomi's attention*

Taiyo: "What about that ally Leomon was talking about? If Leomon is really strong and couldn't do anything about it what do we do?"

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Eve!Shademon: "Such is life."

The two land on either side of Eve, either not noticing Shademon or not paying any attention to it.

Lunamon:<He's only a champion.>
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*Eve turns around to face them*

<Fancy seeing you two here.>

E"Well, he didn't really give us any other options. Just kind of ditched us after saying, 'LadyDevimon is that-a-way.'"

Taiyo: "We know there are other things to worry about. Maybe more so."

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Shademon disappears into the shadows of an obelisk.

Azuma: "You being here is a bigger surprise."

<Apparently I was so curious what was ion with you two that "someone" brought me here.>

E"I guess we could try to sneak in, or something."

Taiyo: "But LadyDevimon knows we're here already."

The wasteland grows more desolate, shallow craters scattered about, some still smoldering while spent ammunition shells litter the ground.

It begins snowing, the snowflakes black, leaving a greasy residue behind on those that they land on.

Taiyo: "Ew, what's with this snow?"

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Azuma: "Raising further questions that likely won't be answered here."

*Euryale sniffs it, to see if she can figure it out. Aroma just looks around.*

A"I think it might be mixed with gunpowder."

*Eve crosses her arms*

<Whatever.>
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Cameron:<Looks like there was a pretty big fight.>

And it just got bigger as a trio of Tsuchidarumon emerge from the ground, parts of their bodies featuring large protrusions like they have tumors on their bodies and an Assaultmon staggers about.

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Azuma: "You preach about being a team and when the time comes to actually be a team, you make no effort to take part."

Pegasusmon takes flight.

Azuma: "Perhaps your curiosity can get you out of this on your own."

*Eve is about to scream something back when Terriermon grabs her arm*

Terriermon:<Please, we'll have a better chance of survival if we work together.>
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Kylie:<There's something wrong with those digimon...>

*Lunamon and Biyomon get into a fighting stance*

E"Uh...are you alright?"

A"Oh dear."

The Assaultmon staggers a bit before raising its chain gun, the barrels rotating as it lets loose a volley of bullets. Meanwhile, the Tsuchidarumon stumble about grunting.

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Azuma looks at her confused as he has no idea what she saw or heard, but in reality Pegasusmon never took flight and Azuma never said anything catty.

Azuma: "Yeah...More so in an even more unfamiliar place."

The three find themselves on the beach despite no attempts being made at moving from the cliff.

Everyone dies because no one has any way to block a fucking machine gun. Seriously.

Terriermon:<Well this is weird.>
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*Everyone runs out of the way, then Lunamon and Biyomon digivolve and retaliate with Tear Arrow and Black Saber respectively*