Digimon: A New Legacy of DigiDestined

by ShadowBolt96

Chapter 10: Logging into Server...

When Whamon pulled up to the shore of the Server continent, Scootaloo was the first to disembark.

“Wahoo!” she cheered as she slid down Whamon, landing on the shore. “We finally made it!”

Guilmon landed on the shore, taking in the trees, the plains, and the distant mountains. “We’re on the Server continent,” he said, a smile stretching from ear to ear. “I’m actually off of File Island!”

“That we are big guy!” Veemon came up behind them, Babs Seed in tow.

“I...I always dreamed about leaving the village and exploring the island. But now...I get to explore the Digital World with my new best friends. This is the greatest thing ever!”

Scootaloo chuckled as Guilmon danced in place. “Yeah! Not gonna lie, I’m getting pretty excited too.”

Looking back, she watched Apple Bloom and Armadillomon slide down to join them.

“Oh, sweet solid ground,” Armadillomon dug his paws into the dirt. “How I missed you.”

“You and me both!” Palmon rushed off to a grassy area nearby.

Sweetie Belle trotted up to Palmon, who stood up straight, looking relaxed as she shifted her feet deeper into the soil. She then extended the tendrils from her fingertips into the ground, spreading them in the dirt around her, as if she were planting herself.

“Uh, Palmon...what are you doing?”

“Give me a moment,” Palmon closed her eyes before shaking a little. “Just getting a drink of water.”

Sweetie Belle looked down to see a series of small bulges traveling up Palmon’s vines.

“Wait, are you…” Sweetie Belle trailed off.

“Ahhh…that’s the stuff,” Palmon finished up with a shiver, retracting her tendrils. She opened her eyes to see Sweetie Belle staring at her. “What?”

“Oh, uh...sorry,” Sweetie Belle rubbed the back of her head. “I didn’t mean to stare. I guess I just forgot you were a plant Digimon for a moment there.”

“Hey, could somepony help me with this?” Rumble called out, gesturing to the tarp shelter that had protected them during their journey.

“I got this side!” Apple Bloom trotted over to the pipes to untie them. “Rumble, do you think you could fly over ta the other side and get the ropes there?”

“On it,” Rumble nodded, flying over to the opposite side of Whamon.

“Thanks again for lettin’ us put this up Mr. Whamon,” Apple Bloom said as she began untying the various knots.

“No trouble at all,” Whamon bellowed. “But may I ask why you turned down my offer to ride inside my mouth? I assured you all that it was perfectly safe, and spacious enough to fit all of you.”

Apple Bloom bit her lip. “We appreciate that. But I don’t think any of us liked the idea of sittin’ in someone else’s mouth. Especially with one of us havin’ a bad case of seasickness.”

“Fair enough.”

Untying the last of the rope, Rumble carried the tarp down to Apple Bloom, who folded it up and stored it in her Digivice’s inventory.

“That everything?” Apple Bloom asked.

Everyone checked their Digivices while Rumble checked along the top of Whamon.

“I think we’re a go!” Scootaloo nodded.

“Well Whamon,” Apple Bloom said. “Any advice before we head out?”

“Hmm…” Whamon thought about that for a moment before answering. “I won’t sugarcoat it for all of you, the road ahead will be difficult. The Digimon here are stronger than the ones on File Island. But if you stick together, trust in one another, and watch each other’s backs, then you’ll be able to make it through any challenge that bars your way.”

Everyone looked to each other and nodded.

“Got it!” Rumble said.

“Well then, I suppose there's nothing left to do but wish you all the best of luck. Farewell!”

“Goodbye Whamon,” Sweetie Belle waved as he swam into the surf. “Thanks for the ride!”

A chorus of farewells joined her as Whamon began to dive. With a wave of his tail and a long, deep pitched whistle, Whamon vanished into the deep blue waters.

“So...now what?” Rumble asked.

A series of beeps made everypony look down at their Digivices. On the screens, a familiar sigil appeared: an opening eye inside a diamond.

“Anahita?” Sweetie Belle asked.

All the Digivices switched to their map functions, where it showed that they were all on the coastline on the southeastern side of the continent. A marker appeared further inland on the map.

“Does she want us to go there? Is that the village she mentioned last week?” Sweetie Belle turned off her map, but Anahita’s sigil was gone.

“I guess so…” Apple Bloom studied the marker on her map. “Looks like the terrain starts to get real uneven ‘round there. From the looks of this, the town is practically kissin’ a mountain.”

Diamond Tiara blanched. “Um...maybe this isn’t a good idea. We don’t exactly have the best track record when it comes to mountains around here.”

“Well we don’t exactly have much else to go on,” Scootaloo shrugged. “I mean, yeah you have a point. But we got some tough Digimon on our side this time. What’s the worst that could—”

“Do not finish that sentence!” Sweetie Belle shouted.

Scootaloo chuckled. “Thanks Sweetie Belle.”

“Alright, how about we get goin’ before Scootaloo accidently dooms us all?” Babs Seed suggested.

“Good idea,” Scootaloo nodded. “Alright, let’s do this thing!”

A couple hours of walking led them through a vast forest, which soon made way for various hills and small mountains. Anahita’s marker guided them to one of the larger mountains, where the village was supposed to be. The DigiDestined found the village, but it was not next to the mountain like Apple Bloom had guessed. To everyone’s fascination, the village was built inside of the mountain, sheltered within the cliffs.

It looked as if the village was first constructed under the shelter of the largest cliff. But later, as the village expanded, dwellings began to appear carved within the mountain face. As they climbed up a stone stairway leading into the village, Rumble could’ve sworn that he saw small flames dancing in the windows, and even moving along the streets. He shook his head, dismissing this as a trick played by the daylight.

As they entered the village, the sounds of distant chatter filled the air. All around them, various Digimon filled the streets, mainly In-Training and Rookie level, judging from their sizes. But many of the village occupants appeared to resemble giant walking candles. Rumble managed to catch one in his analyzer.

Name: Candlemon

Level: Rookie

Attribute: Data

Attacks:

“Any ideas on how we find the Digimon in charge of this place?” Silver Spoon asked.

“Well, there’s the obvious method. Observe…” Scootaloo said, walking to a nearby Candlemon with Guilmon. “Excuse me, can I ask you something?”

The Candlemon looked up, his reflecting curiosity and joy for a moment, before quickly shifting to horror. Before Scootaloo could get another word out, the Candlemon hopped away in a panic.

“Masterfully done Scootaloo,” Silver Spoon shook her head.

“What...what did I do?” Scootaloo looked back to her friends, but only got shrugs in return.

As they continued walking through the village, it seemed to get quieter. Villagers would give them guarded looks or flee in a panic. Digimon peering through windows would quickly duck for cover when the ponies made eye contact with them.

“Am I the only one thinkin’ we might not be welcome here?” Apple Bloom said, watching a Candlemon usher some In-Training Digimon inside before slamming the door shut.

“Yeah, I’m getting some nasty vibes from this place…” Sweetie Belle shivered.

“Moumantai everyone,” Terriermon chirped. “I heard Candlemon can be notorious recluses, but they’re not dangerous.”

“HALT!”

A trio of Candlemon rushed around a nearby building, cutting them off from the front. Not a second after, several more hopped out from nearby alleys to surround them. All of them were armed with cutlasses, which gleamed in the light cast by their flames.

Everypony stood frozen while the Digimon got ready for a fight. Guilmon bared his teeth in a growl, which only made the Candlemon move closer, their flames growing bigger.

“Take it easy Guilmon,” Scootaloo whispered.

“You, strangers!” one of the Candlemon shouted. “What business do you have here?”

“Do you always greet visitors like this?” Veemon chuckled.

“Not helpin’ V!” Babs Seed hissed.

Before anyone else could respond, Rumble confidently walked towards the lead Candlemon and put his hooves up. “Take us to your leader,” he smiled.

The Candlemon looked to one another while Rumble looked over his shoulder. Behind him, everyone else looked to him like they were unsure whether to laugh, groan, or bury their face in a foreleg. “What?” he shrugged. “I’ve always wanted to say that.”

The Candlemon marched the DigiDestined through the village, cutlasses drawn. Any attempts to start a conversation with them were shut down with a glare. While they seemed to be cautious around most of her friends, Scootaloo couldn’t help but notice that they seemed to be more focused on her and Guilmon.

They soon reached the center of the village. The house that stood in front of them appeared no different than the other sandstone buildings around it. And yet, it still aired a sense of authority and wisdom. One of the Candlemon warriors entered the house, soon returning with another in tow.

The Candlemon that emerged from the house seemed to be older than the others. He had a large white mustache made of the wax that the rest of his body was made of. It also carried a large match like a staff.

“What seems to be the problem here?” the elder Candlemon said. He glanced over the ponies in front of him, intrigued until his gaze met Guilmon.

“We found them entering the village sir. And they brought this one with them,” a Candlemon warrior replied, prodding Guilmon with his cutlass. “A Marked One!”

The other Candlemon grumbled angrily.

“Now hold on everyone,” Apple Bloom put her hooves up. “We didn’t come lookin’ for trouble. We’re DigiDestined, and we came ta—”

A few chuckles spread condescendingly through the Candlemon. “Yeah, and I’m one of the Harmonious Ones,” one of them chuckled. He turned to the elder. “Sir, this is a bad omen. First, one of our most important artifacts gets stolen. And now a Marked One walks into our home with these...strange creatures claiming to be DigiDestined!”

“Hmm…” the elder Candlemon nodded. “Yes, this bodes ill. Put the Marked One in a cell, and keep a close eye on the others. I’ll consult the Oracle.”

“Wait, you mean Guilmon?” Scootaloo panicked. “Hold on, he’s a friend. He didn’t do anything wrong!”

“Come on now,” the Candlemon made to grab Guilmon.

Scootaloo shoved the Candlemon away, making them draw their cutlasses. “Stop! We are DigiDestined, and he’s my partner!”

“Please, a Digimon as dangerous as that? A partner to a DigiDestined? Yggdrasil would never allow it!”

Despite the protests from everyone else, the Candlemon continued their attempts to herd them away.

This is bad! Scootaloo thought as she stood in front of Guilmon. Why don’t they believe us? Can’t they see our Digivices? How else are we supposed to prove— Scootaloo’s eyes widened. “Wait a minute!” she weaved through the Candlemon warriors and looked to the elder. “The extinguished torch burns brightly once more.”

The elder gasped. “Stop!” he commanded. The warriors complied, releasing Guilmon, but keeping their cutlasses drawn. He hopped down to Scootaloo. “What did you say?”

Scootaloo gulped. “T-the extinguished torch burns brightly once more.”

The elder Candlemon looked from her to Guilmon, and then over to the rest of her friends. He stared at them all for a few moments before closing his eyes, a small smile hidden beneath his mustache. “So, she was telling the truth. After hundreds of years…” he muttered. He waved a hand to the warriors. “Run along now, I’ll handle this.”

Reluctantly, the Candlemon made their way down the streets. “I apologize for the...rather rough introduction. So, where did you hear those words?”

“Someone named Anahita told us to come find you. She told us to say that,” Scootaloo replied.

“Anahita…” he nodded. “If she told you the words, then that means that she must see it too. The stars were right, dark days are ahead.”

“You know her?” Apple Bloom asked.

“Not personally. She’s an old friend and ally to our people. She usually communicates through a messenger, trading books or requesting my appraisal of an artifact. And sometimes she just sends letters or the occasional batch of baked goods.

“You see, as leader of Candlelight Village, it is my sacred duty to protect my people. To that end, I consult the stars and the Oracle to warn me of any threats. One of my most recent readings was...very troubling. I reached out to Anahita, and she told me that Mephistomon and NeoDevimon are putting plans into motion. She told me that you would come, and gave me that passphrase. An old proverb said by our ancestors no less.”

“Wait, if she told you we were comin’, then why use a passphrase in the first place?” Babs Seed asked.

“Yeah, she’s beginning to sound a little paranoid,” Diamond Tiara added.

“Yes, well she has every right to be. Mephistomon has been hunting her for quite some time. There’s a reason why she only communicates to me by proxy.”

Scootaloo looked to everyone else. Was there a reason why she hadn’t spoken to them since they landed on Server?

“So, Anahita sent us here because you had something for us?” Apple Bloom asked.

Candlemon sighed. “Yes, well...I’m afraid there’s been a slight complication.”

“Figures,” Rumble rolled his eyes.

“As you just heard, one of our most valuable artifacts was stolen just yesterday,” Candlemon hopped towards his house, gesturing for everyone to follow him. “A sealed box that has been passed down from elder to elder since our village was first founded. We were to protect it, keep it hidden until the day the Chosen Children come to claim it.”

“Chosen Children?” Sweetie Belle asked.

“That’s what some Digimon call the DigiDestined,” Candlemon clarified. “Anyway, very few outside of the village knew about the treasure and even less knew that it was hidden here. But last night...members from a rival tribe came here, stormed the place and stole the box.”

Candlemon led the DigiDestined into the house, which emulated the touchdown site of a small tornado. Furniture was overturned, tapestries were torn down, and pottery was shattered. In one corner of the room, a carpet had been haphazardly thrown to the side, revealing a small empty square hole in the floor.

“They were in and out in less than a minute, which means they somehow knew where it was beforehand,” Candlemon lamented. “I don’t think they needed to destroy the place, they just wanted to prove a point.”

“Who did you say did this?” Bearmon asked. “Some rival tribe?”

“Yes, a tribe of Goblimon. We’re in the midst of a rather...uneasy truce. Needless to say, many among my people are outraged by this incident, and want to go to war against them.” Candlemon put a hand to his waxy mustache. “The thing is, I led a diplomatic envoy to the village early this morning. The Goblimon claim that they knew nothing of this attack.”

“You think they were lyin’?” Apple Bloom asked.

“I don’t know, their words seemed sincere. Regardless, I can’t risk letting too many warriors go after the raiding party. Tensions are already high enough here as it is, but if this really is the first step in a much larger assault…”

“You need our help to defend the village?” Veemon offered, cracking his knuckles. “We got experience with that.”

“I appreciate the offer, but no. I need you to help us retrieve the box. We believe they went further inland after the heist, to the west of the village. And I suspect that they may have set up camp somewhere in that direction. Maybe you can find them, or at least pick up a trail. When you find the box, bring it back here so that I can unseal it.”

“Ugh!” Sweetie Belle groaned. “Why can’t things ever be easy?”

“Because then it wouldn’t be any fun,” Scootaloo chuckled.

After hours of searching through dense forests and mountainous terrain, it was safe to say that nopony was having any fun. For Rumble, he wasn’t sure which was worse, the long unguided hike, or...

“What are we even looking for?” Diamond Tiara groaned.

“Footprints, campfire soot, anythin’ that might give us a clue,” Apple Bloom said.

“Couldn’t some of those Candlemon have helped us out though? You’d think they want to help get their so-called ‘priceless artifact’ back.”

“I reckon they’d be none too keen on helpin’ us, period.”

“Yeah I mean, what was that all about?” Scootaloo asked, sounding miffed. “Is it just me, or did they seem a little angry around Guilmon?”

“I didn’t do anything though…” Guilmon slouched. “Why are they so mean to me?”

Scootaloo sighed. “I don’t know buddy, I don’t know.”

“What did they call him?” Silver Spoon asked. “A Marked One? What is that supposed to mean?”

Sweetie Belle looked to Guilmon. “He has those black markings all over his body. And when he digivolved to Growlmon he seemed to have more of them. Maybe that has something to do with it.”

“And what’s the deal with Anahita and her whole cloak and dagger routine?” Diamond Tiara asked.

“Candlemon said that she’s afraid of Mephistomon finding her. Does this mean that she’s fought him before?”

“I’m starting to wonder how old she is,” Scootaloo thought aloud. “I mean, Candlemon said they went through a lot of trouble to keep this box a secret, and that it was passed down from elder to elder. How did she know they had it? And what the hay is even in it that’s so important?”

“Why can’t someone just give us some straight answers for once?” Babs Seed asked.

“Why can’t you all quit gabbing off and help look for clues!” Rumble growled.

Everypony jumped at Rumble’s outburst.

Rumble took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, but like you’ve said, this box is supposed to be important. And for most of the afternoon, I just keep hearing you girls going on about answers we don’t have yet. Meanwhile, we’ve been wandering around these stupid woods, and we haven’t seen anything!”

“I think I see something,” Veemon pointed up towards the treeline.

Rumble looked up and saw a very thin grey wisp trailing up into the distant sky. He flew up to the top of the treeline to get a better look, sitting down on a sturdy branch. “Is that from a campfire?” he asked himself.

“Hold on, let me take a look,” Bearmon called out. Rumble watched as he grabbed onto the tree trunk and shimmied his way up to his branch in mere moments.

“Wow, that was fast,” Rumble smiled as Bearmon made his way to him.

“Thanks,” Bearmon turned towards the thin smoke. His nostrils flared as he smelled the air. “Yeah, smells like someone’s cooking something over there.”

“Might be worth checking out…” Rumble helped Bearmon down, then led the team towards the unintended beacon.

It didn’t take long to reach the source of the smoke, an ancient crumbling ruin of a small fortress. Keeping low, the DigiDestined snuck towards the inner workings of the fort, where three small Digimon sat around a smoldering campfire. They were green with red mohawks, each one hunched over and wearing a leather vest and ragged shorts. All of them had a large club somewhere near them. Their overall appearance made the ponies draw up resemblances to the goblins they had heard about in fairy tales and bedtime stories past.

A quick analysis on Apple Bloom’s Digivice confirmed their suspicions as to the identity of the suspicious individuals.

Name: Goblimon

Level: Rookie

Attribute: Virus

Attacks:

“What are we even doing out here?” one of the Goblimon pulled a stick of roasted meat from the fire. “We got that precious box, why don’t we take it to the chief? He’ll reward us for sure.”

“Because the chief didn’t order this!” another one growled. “If we just waltz in with proof that we went behind his back, he’ll make examples out of all of us. We have to handle this all careful-like.”

“Why can’t we just open this stupid thing!” the third Goblimon pulled out a small ornate box, covered in runes. He growled as he tried to pry it open with his claws. When that didn’t work, he tried to bite at the hinges. And finally, much to everypony’s horror, he tried to smash open the box with his club. But despite the force he put into the attacks, not a dent was made. Frustrated, he tossed the box aside and stewed by the fire.

Two more Goblimon walked in from behind a column. “Nothing on the south side,” one of them muttered before sitting down at the fire. He turned to his partner. “Hey, what’s your problem? You’ve been quiet all day.”

The Goblimon in question looked over his shoulder for a moment. “It’s about the boss,” he whispered. “Doesn’t he seem a little...off to you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean he barely says anything, and he has that vacant look in his eyes. And ever since we got back from the raid, he’s been getting worse. I mean, he never was that bright to begin with, but it’s almost as though what little processing power he has has been slowly...” he trailed off as the rest of his companions blanched. “What?”

For a while, his only answer was the stares and shivers from his companions. But then, he heard heavy breathing and smelled something putrid.

From their hiding place, the DigiDestined watched as the offending Goblimon was smacked with a giant bone covered in spines. He was sent flying into a nearby column, where he shattered into raw data instantly.

The four remaining Goblimon stood shivering as they stared up at the giant green Digimon that annihilated their comrade without batting an eyelash. He looked like a giant green ogre with long, unkempt white hair, pointed ears, two large horns, and small spikes jutting from its shoulders. It stood breathing heavily, its mouth wide open, showing its sharp teeth and fang-like tusks. A black leather bracer adorned its right arm, red bandages were wrapped around its left arm and right leg, and several black belts around its left leg.

Sweetie Belle quietly pulled out her analyzer as the large Digimon twirled its mace, which on closer inspection, was a large femur bone with spikes on the end.

Name: Ogremon

Level: Champion

Attribute: Virus

Attacks:

“H-hey boss,” one of the Goblimon stuttered. “We got a plan for the loot?”

“We’re leaving,” Ogremon grumbled. “Bring the box.”

“Look at his eyes,” Veemon whispered.

Ogremon’s eyes were a glowing red, with dark veins spreading outward; the tell-tale mark of the Black Shadow Virus.

“So, I guess Mephistomon is behind this,” Babs Seed whispered. As the Goblimon began to smother the campfire and grab the box, she turned to everyone else. “What are we gonna do?”

Scootaloo opened her mouth to say something, but then a small gust of wind blew past them, towards the camp.

Ogremon stopped in his tracks, holding up a massive hand. “Wait...” he said. His tusks twitched as he sniffed the air. He quickly turned towards the crumbling wall the DigiDestined were hiding behind and raised his other hand, clenching it into a fist as dark energy quickly gathered around it. “PUMMEL WHACK!” he shouted as he launched the energy towards the wall.

“Incoming!” Rumble shouted, diving out of the way.

The blast made contact, shattering the wall into pieces. Although everyone managed to get out of the way, the resulting shockwave sent many of them flying back, and tumbling across the ground.

“Well well well,” one of the Goblimon picked up his club. “Looks like we got a colorful collection of eavesdroppers here.”

Babs dusted herself off, looking up at the four Goblimon approaching them. Behind the Goblimon, Ogremon pointed his mace at the DigiDestined. “Get them!” he growled.

The Goblimon charged towards the DigiDestined with a battle cry.

“I got this one,” Terriermon leaped forward, ears spread. “TERRIER TORNADO!” Terriermon spun around and around, creating a small green tornado and scattering the Goblimon squad.

One of them managed to land on his feet, off to the side of Terriermon. With a growl, he picked up his club and charged him, hoping to catch him off guard.

Guilmon, however, was not off his guard. “ROCK BREAKER!” he shouted, his claws glowing with energy. Moving with lightning speed, he reached the Goblimon attacker and smashed his club to pieces before he could reach Terriermon.

The Goblimon looked at his broken stub of a club before looking to Guilmon sheepishly. Before he could say anything though, Guilmon whipped him with his tail, sending him skipping across the ground.

As the fight began to unfold, one of the Goblimon snuck over to the box.

“Hey genius!” the Goblimon turned around in time to get punched in the face by a blue blur, knocking the box out of his hands.

“I don’t think that belongs to you,” Veemon cracked his knuckles.

Meanwhile, while Veemon had his opponent occupied, Rumble and Bearmon crept over to the box. Right when it was within arm’s reach however, a large shadow was cast over both of them. They looked up to see Ogremon lumbering towards them.

With the box gripped firmly in his paws, Bearmon rolled to the side as Ogremon’s mace came crashing into the earth. While Rumble managed to fly back, the resulting shockwave still sent him tumbling back into a pillar, bouncing off to land next to Bearmon.

Rumble shook his head clear, looking up to see most of the other Digimon occupied with the Goblimon, while Ogremon lumbered his way towards Bearmon and himself. He looked to Bearmon with a smirk.

“I think someone needs to knock this guy down a peg,” Rumble said. “What do you think Bearmon?”

Bearmon glanced at Ogremon before nodding to Rumble. “Here, hold this,” he said, dropping the box into Rumble’s hooves. He then stood up, tightened the belts on his paws, and charged.

Bearmon digivolve to…

Grizzlymon!

“Hey!” Grizzlymon taunted. “CRESCENT DAWN!” he slashed Ogremon with his massive claws, knocking him down.

But Ogremon rolled through the blow, quickly recovering and standing back up. “BONE CUDGEL!” Ogremon swung his club, only to be blocked by Grizzlymon, who was up on his hind legs.

Grizzlymon countered with another blow to Ogremon’s face, sending him stumbling backward.

Ogremon growled at Grizzlymon, taking another swing at him. Grizzlymon once again blocked this attack. However, the moment he caught the club, Ogremon quickly began gathering dark energy into his other hand. “PUMMEL WHACK!” Ogremon launched the energy from his fist, hitting Grizzlymon in the stomach and sending him sprawling onto his back.

Grizzlymon tried to pick himself up, only to be met with another Bone Cudgel attack, this time directly to his head.

Rumble watched the fight from a distance, clutching the box tightly in his forelegs. “Come on Grizzlymon, get up!” he whispered.

Meanwhile, Veemon had spent his fight dancing circles around the Goblimon. Goblimon tried to hit him with his club, which Veemon expertly dodged.

“Aw, what’s the matter?” Veemon taunted. “Getting tired?”

Goblimon growled, conjuring a fireball in his empty hand. “GOBLIN STRIKE!” Goblimon threw the fireball at Veemon.

Veemon rolled out of the way, letting the fireball sail past him. He smirked and charged at Goblimon. “VEE HEADBUTT!” His headbutt knocked him back into a pillar. When Goblimon landed back onto the ground, he made one final groan before being reduced to data, which Veemon triumphantly absorbed.

As the Digi-Core flew off, Veemon turned to the center of the ruins, where Ogremon and Grizzlymon were fighting. He watched as Grizzlymon struggled to stand up, shaken, beaten, and dazed.

“BONE CUDGEL!” Ogremon slammed Grizzlymon with his club, sending him flying into a pile of rubble. He then slammed his club into the ground, rooting it in place. “STRONG MAUL!” With a loud and terrifying war cry, he charged to Grizzlymon and pummeled him with his massive fists. After several heavy blows, he picked him up with both arms and threw him into a small tower, demolishing it.

“Grizzlymon!” Veemon cried. “Hang in there buddy, I’m comin’!”

Veemon looked around, frantically looking for something that could give some leverage against the massive Digimon. The sound of shifting rubble made Veemon look back to see Grizzlymon shamble out of the remains of the tower before collapsing. He glitched for a moment before glowing as he reverted back to Bearmon.

Oh that ain’t good! Veemon thought as Ogremon walked to Bearmon, stopping to pick up his club. Come on Veemon, think think think!

Finally, his eyes rested on something. It wasn’t much, but it was going to have to do.

Babs Seed watched the battle with the rest of the ponies. While the rest of the Digimon had their hands full fighting the Goblimon, Ogremon was twirling his club as he slowly walked to the unconscious Bearmon.

She glanced at Rumble, who was whispering under his breath while holding onto the box for dear life. “Come on Bearmon, get out of there!”

Ogremon stood over Bearmon, his open mouth etched in a maniacal grin.

Bearmon opened his eyes, too tired to move as Ogremon raised his club. Before he could deliver the final blow though, something hit him in the head. He paused, watching a large rock bounce off his shoulder before landing on the ground.

“Hey, ugly!” Ogremon turned to see Veemon with another rock, and a cocky grin on his face.

“Is that a bone you have there or are you just happy to...see…” As Ogremon marched towards Veemon, all his bravado seemed to vaporize the closer he got. Now, with Ogremon standing not three feet away from him, he could only think about how easy it would be for him to turn him into a crushed blueberry.

“I am so scared right now, I can’t even finish my stupid joke,” Veemon thought aloud, dropping the rock he had.

Ogremon snorted, then batted away Veemon like he was a gnat. He skipped across the ground, landing near the spectating ponies.

As Veemon picked himself up, Babs Seed poked her head around the corner. “What was your plan, V?”

Veemon slowly got up. Once the stars in his vision finally vanished, he was able to see Ogremon steadily making his way towards them. Just behind Ogremon, he could see Bearmon struggling to pick himself up out of the rubble.

Veemon glanced behind him, seeing Babs starting to shake as Ogremon drew closer. Next to her, Rumble starred at the struggling Bearmon. It was a bad situation overall.

Veemon smirked. He had once heard an old saying back at Primary Village: a true fighter is at their strongest when they are backed into a corner. As Babs Seed’s Digivice began to glow, and a strange power flowed through him, Veemon couldn’t think of a more appropriate phrase to describe this situation.

Veemon digivolve to…

Veedramon!

Veedramon growled, the muscles on his new arms and legs rippling. Both of his large hands sorted sharp claws. His skin now alternated between a light blue and white, with a V-shaped pattern forming on his chest. His head was now longer, and the horn on his nose had grown much larger, mimicking that of a rhinoceros, and two more horns had grown out the back of his head.

“Incredible,” Hawkmon breathed. “A Veedramon!”

Diamond Tiara looked to Hawkmon, noting that the last of the Goblimon had finally been defeated. “Yeah, what about it? Isn’t that supposed to be his Champion form?”

“So it would seem. But I heard that Veedramon could only be found on the Folder continent. I’d never thought I’d see one in combat.”

“Do you think he’ll be able to beat that big green freak?”

Hawkmon looked from Veedramon to a now smiling Babs Seed. Hawkmon looked back to Diamond Tiara with a smile. “I think it’s safe to say, Ogremon doesn’t stand a chance.”

Lowering into a fighting stance, Veedramon roared before charging Ogremon. “HAMMER PUNCH!” Veedramon flew into Ogremon, wailing on him with a series of powerful punches.

Once Ogremon was stunned, Veedramon leaped back, snorting steam out of his nostrils as he leaned his head back. “V-NOVA BLAST!” He opened his mouth, a bright blue beam of energy flying like a lance. Ogremon barely had time to look up before it struck him in the chest. He glitched for a moment before shattering into data, which flowed into Veedramon. Soon, there was nothing left but a single Digi-Core wrapped in the Black Shadow Virus, which dissipated as it flew off.

Veedramon lifted his head back with a victorious roar before reverting back to Veemon.

“That was awesome V!” Babs Seed galloped to Veemon, who was on his hands and knees, exhausted.

Veemon tried to get a word of thanks out, but could only manage short breaths and pants. So he simply turned to Babs with a smile and a thumbs up.

“Bearmon!” Rumble zoomed past Babs, rushing to Bearmon’s side. “Bearmon, are you okay buddy?”

“Ow...ow ow,” Bearmon moaned. “I’ve had better days.”

Apple Bloom trotted over to the ornate box they came here for. “Well, whaddya say we head back and see what the fuss is all about?”

Mephistomon stared at the screen before him, replaying Ogremon’s fight, which was recorded by a Gizumon perched on a tree limb overlooking the battlefield.

“Interesting,” he mused. “It seems that the latest strain slightly diminishes intelligence in the host, yet leaves their combat experience and understanding of tactics intact.”

“So, they become nothing more than emotionless, stupid puppets?”

Mephistomon turned to see a tall, slender Digimon with massive red bat wings. His long arms reached all the way down to his legs, with sharp golden claws at the end. A large golden mask covered his face, marked with six eyes and two long horns.

“That’s all I need them to be NeoDevimon,” Mephistomon turned back to the screen. “As long as they can follow orders without question, they can speak in grunts for all I care.”

“Following orders is all well and good. But can they follow orders successfully?”

Mephistomon clenched his fists. “Unfortunately, that is a matter of the subject’s competence, not the Black Shadow Virus.”

“Well, your ‘subject’ just allowed a dangerous asset to fall into the hands of our enemies! Or hooves, as it would seem.”

“Well, what do you suggest we do?”

“Can the Gizumon take them out?”

“Not as long as they’re together and with their partners.”

NeoDevimon turned away. “Then we must move quickly. If they have the Tags, then they’re going to look for the Crests next.”

“What about the lead you were chasing, some old portal?”

“Yes, I’ve found Myotismon’s old castle here on Server, but it’s mostly a pile of rubble now. One of the Gizumon did confirm that the place is abandoned though.”

“I’ll send some of my garrison to assist with the excavation.”

“Very good,” NeoDevimon nodded. “In the meantime, I have a little scheme that may interest you. Our colorful little friends are lost in a new land. Soon they’ll be looking for relics that haven’t been seen for centuries. They’ll be looking for Digimon who can help them. But instead, they’ll find themselves forced to avoid the public eye.”

Mephistomon raised an eyebrow. “I’m listening…”

As they marched back into Candlelight Village, the ponies thought they'd be given a heroes welcome, like back in Primary Village. But as they got closer to the elder Candlemon’s hut, they continued to be greeted with jaded looks and whispers.

The first and only one to greet them with a smile was the elder Candlemon. “Welcome back! I see that your mission was a success.”

Apple Bloom showed the box to the elder Candlemon. Behind her, Veemon casually stretched. “Yeah well, that’s what we do,” Veemon looked at his claws, seemingly bored. “Ain’t no biggie.”

Babs Seed jabbed Veemon. “No biggie? Your first idea to attack Ogremon was to throw a rock at him. A ROCK, Veemon! What did you think that was gonna do?”

“Hey, I had to think fast out there! And it worked, didn’t it? I got him to focus on me instead of Bearmon.”

Bearmon looked down, fiddling with his belts.

“And did you forget how I wasted him after digivolving to Veedramon?” Veemon continued.

“Veemon,” Babs sighed. “Ya can’t just go rushing into things without thinkin’. I’m glad everything worked out, but could you try to be a little more careful?”

Veemon rolled his eyes. “Fine…”

Candlemon coughed. “So...you found the Goblimon then? Were they taking the box back to their village?”

“I dunno…” Apple Bloom looked back to the box. “It sounded like they were tryin’ to impress someone.”

“Yeah,” Silver Spoon nodded. “We heard them say that their chiefs didn’t order the raid. Maybe they thought that stealing something valuable from your tribe would impress them?

“That’s a fair assessment…” Candlemon stroked his mustache.

Candlemon glanced at the onlooking villagers and motioned for the DigiDestined to come inside. “Come now, bring the box over here,” he gestured to a spot on the floor. Closing his eyes, he brought his giant match over to the flame on his head, lighting it. Muttering a prayer, he lowered the match onto the box, where several glyphs glowed on the surface. The flame swirled around the box, turning blue and green as it flowed into several hidden locks. With a series of pops and clicks, the box opened, and the flames vanished.

Inside were several small necklaces. Each one was made from a simple white string, but the golden pendants that hung from each one piqued the curiosity of the little ponies. They were almost hexagonal, save for the longer end which hung from the string. Along the two bottom edges were six notches. In the center of each pendant was a clear glass panel.

“What are these?” Diamond Tiara asked.

“These—” Candlemon reached into the box and picked up the seven necklaces. “—are Tags. These belonged to a group of DigiDestined from long ago.” He began handing them to each of the ponies.

Silver Spoon looked over the Tag in her hoof. “So...what’s so important about these things? Do they do anything?”

Candlemon hopped over to a small pile of books, digging one out and rifling through its musty pages. “Long ago, the DigiDestined used these Tags to channel the powers of seven different Crests.” He brought over the book and pointed to a page showing seven different symbols.

He began pointing to the various symbols from left to right. “These Crests represented Hope, Courage, Friendship, Knowledge, Love, Reliability, and Sincerity.”

“They sound almost like the Elements of Harmony,” Sweetie Belle observed. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo nodded.

“Oh, you mean the magic necklaces you told us about?” Terriermon asked. “The ones that shoot friendship lasers?”

Scootaloo groaned while some of the other Digimon giggled.

“So, where are the Crests?” Apple Bloom asked.

“After the DigiDestined had vanquished Apocalymon, they used them to repair the defenses of the Digital World,” Hawkmon piped in.

Candlemon smiled. “You certainly know your history.”

“I know enough to remember that the Crests were destroyed during that process,” Hawkmon crossed his arms. “They don’t exist anymore.”

“Incorrect. Artifacts with that kind of power cannot be destroyed, their power merely transforms. When the DigiDestined used them to repair the Digital World’s defenses, the Crests merely became a part of those defenses. Think of it like patching up a worn blanket.

“However, recently the stars have grown dim, the balance has shifted. I believe that Mephistomon has found a way to...reverse engineer these patches, for lack of a better term.”

“Anahita did say that they had managed to weaken the Digital World’s defenses…” Silver Spoon looked down thoughtfully.

Candlemon nodded. “Yes, and as a result of this, these seven Crests have manifested in the Digital World once again.”

“Let me guess,” Scootaloo smiled. “We need to go find these Crests?”

“What are they supposed to do though?” Diamond Tiara asked.

“Once awakened, the Crests will allow your Digimon partners to Digivolve even further, to the Ultimate stage.”

Every Digimon in the room perked up when they heard this.

“What do ya mean ‘awakened’?” Babs asked.

“All in due time,” Candlemon said, much to Babs’ annoyance. “But I wish you the best of luck in finding the Crests.”

“Um, excuse me,” Diamond Tiara put a hoof up. “It is getting pretty late, do you have someplace we could spend the night? Or do you maybe have some clues as to where the Crests are?”

Candlemon sighed. “I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I cannot offer any further aid.”

“Oh, well that’s alright,” Apple Bloom smiled. “Maybe you could tell us where we can buy some supplies. We have some money—”

“No, I mean that you’ll need to leave Candlelight Village. Now.”

A shocked silence fell over the room.

“I...I don’t understand. Did we do somethin’ wrong?”

Candlemon hopped over to an overturned armoire, trying to clean up the mess left by the Goblimon raiding party.

“It’s because of Guilmon, isn’t it?” Scootaloo scowled. Candlemon stopped dead in his tracks, prompting her to press further. “Why? Why do you all hate him so much?! He’s never left File Island before; but the moment he walks into the village, you all treat him like a criminal. Why?!”

Candlemon continued to stare at the armoire.

Scootaloo turned to Guilmon, who stared back at her with his ears drooping. “Come on, let’s get out of here,” she seethed.

“It’s the mark…”

Scootaloo stopped just a step away from the entrance. “What do you mean? What mark do you keep freaking out over?”

Candlemon sighed, hopping over to Guilmon and gently poking his chest with his staff. “This mark,” he said. “The mark of the Digital Hazard.”

Silver Spoon looked at the mark on Guilmon’s chest. After a few moments of study, her eyes slowly widened. “Of course, how did I not see it?”

“What?” Scootaloo looked from the mark to Silver Spoon.

“His mark, it looks kind of like a hazard sign. You know, the ones you see on some containers in the doctor’s office?”

Scootaloo stared at the mark, starting to see the resemblance. “Okay, so...what’s the big deal?”

“The big deal is that any Digimon who bears that mark is very dangerous,” Candlemon said. “It is said that a terrible power sleeps within them. Should that awaken, they could single-handedly bring about the destruction of the Digital World.”

Guilmon starred at Candlemon in stunned silence, feeling the gaze of everyone else in the room. “But...I don’t wanna destroy the Digital World,” he whimpered.

“Whether or not you want to has nothing to do with it. The fact is that you have a dangerous power within you. In the past, our people have sought to contain or destroy Digimon who bear this mark.” Candlemon looked to Scootaloo. “I’ve already bent the rules quite a bit, allowing your partner into our village, into my very home. But I’m afraid that I can offer no further aid.”

Scootaloo looked from Candlemon, to Guilmon and the rest of her friends. Her expression twisted between anger and sadness. Eventually, she turned back toward the door.

“Scootaloo?” Sweetie Belle reached out.

“You heard him, they want us gone,” Scootaloo spat, refusing to turn around. “So let’s just get out of their wicks already!”

Guilmon sadly followed Scootaloo as she stormed out of the village.

Apple Bloom turned to Candlemon as everyone began to leave. “Thanks for the Tags Candlemon,” she whispered before joining her friends.

Candlemon gave a sad smile. “You’re welcome. May the spirits guide you on your journey.”

Sweetie Belle gazed down at the forest below them, taking a sip of water from her canteen. After hiking through the woods, they had found a suitable spot to set up camp under a large tree on a hilltop.

“Nice view, isn’t it?” Palmon said.

“Yeah,” Sweetie Belle smiled. She turned to the campsite where Apple Bloom and Scootaloo had finished putting together the campfire.

“Alright, looks like we’re all set,” Scootaloo turned to Guilmon. “You’re up!”

“Okie dokie,” Guilmon leaned back. “PYRO—”

“Wait a minute!” Apple Bloom put a hoof up.

“What’s wrong?” Scootaloo asked.

“Nothin’, I just wanna try lightin’ it myself first.”

“Oh...okay,” Guilmon nodded glumly.

Apple Bloom took a stick, placed one end near the tinder, and began rubbing it with her hooves, making it twist back and forth quickly.

Scootaloo looked up to Guilmon. “Hey, you okay?”

“Yeah...just thinking.”

“You thinking about what happened back at the village?”

Guilmon sighed. “What if he’s right? You know how I can get when I fight. What if I lose control? What if—”

“Stop!” Scootaloo said firmly. “Stop worrying about what might happen. You said it yourself, you don’t want to destroy the world, and I know you don’t wanna hurt any of us. I trust you.”

Guilmon smiled. “Oh, Scootaloo…”

“Hurk!” Scootaloo squeaked as she was scooped up into a tight hug.

“You’re the best!”

“Yeah, thanks Guilmon. But, could you please let me breathe a little?” Scootaloo begged. Her eyes bulging out of her head.

Apple Bloom chuckled before giving another attempt at starting the fire.

On the other side of the camp, Bearmon fiddled with the belts wrapped around his paws. A tap on the shoulder jolted him out of his stupor.

“What’s wrong Bearmon?” Veemon asked.

“Nothing,” Bearmon says half-heartedly.

Veemon sighs. “I’ve known you long enough to know when somethin’s wrong, and somethin’s wrong. Now what’s wrong?!”

Bearmon avoided making eye contact. “I don’t know. I guess I’m just a little upset about my fight with Ogremon.”

“What, that big green bozo? You just got shaken up a little, that’s all. I was there to back you up, and we all got out alright.”

“Exactly, you had to step in and save me. Just like always.”

Veemon leaned back a bit. “I don’t follow…”

Bearmon shook his head. “Back in Primary Village, you always had to stick up for me. I was just a weak little...you know.”

Veemon nodded, knowing that mentioning Pagumon’s nickname for Bearmon made things...unpleasant.

“And even after I digivolved, you still had to step in and rescue me: poor helpless little Bearmon. It feels like nothing’s changed.”

Veemon stayed silent for a few moments before chuckling. “Bearmon, I think you’re forgetting something else that happened in Primary Village. Did you already forget how many Digimon you saved during the Gazimon attack? Or how you helped rescue the Digimon at Mt. Panorama, including me?

“So you got beaten down a little, it happens. You fall down, you dust yourself off and get back up.”

“Easy for you to say,” Bearmon muttered. “You were always a fighter.”

Veemon rolled his eyes, lightly smacking Bearmon upside the head. “So are you! I’ve seen how hard you can punch, you can be just as good a fighter too.”

Bearmon looked up at Veemon. “You really think so?”

“Yeah,” Veemon nodded. “In fact, how about we do some training every now and again? Do some sparing when we have a little downtime.”

Bearmon opened his mouth but was shut down by Veemon. “And no excuses this time. Like I’ve said, I’ve seen you fight. So you can’t cop out with that whole ‘I’m not a fighter like you’ schtick like when we were In-Training.”

Bearmon looked back down on his paws for a moment. “All right,” he smiled. “Yeah, I think I’ll give it a shot. When do we start?”

Veemon returned the smile as Bearmon stood up. “Well, we could start right now. But just warning you, don’t expect me to go too easy on you. You ready?”

“Yeah, I’m ready. So, how do we star—” a punch to the face sent Bearmon flying onto his back.

Veemon hissed. “I thought you said you were ready.” He shook his head with a chuckle as he helped Bearmon back up. “Let’s try that again.”

Mephistomon stood at the edge of the forest, the shadows sheltering him from the moonlight. A short distance away, he could see a mountain that harbored a small town within the cliffs. A soft orange glow emanated from the buildings.

“So...that’s Candlelight Village, eh?” Mephistomon mused. He turned towards Tsukaimon, who hovered in front of a small squad of Digimon under the influence of his Black Shadow Virus. “Stay here until the lights of the village dim. After that, meet me in the village center.”

“Yes my lord,” Tsukaimon bowed.

Mephistomon turned to the mountain, spread his wings, and took flight. Making no attempt to stay stealthy, he flew towards the village. Landing with a slide, he knocked down a couple of small buildings before coming to a stop. He stood towering over the shocked villagers, his wings spread open in a display of dominance.

“Good evening,” he smiled.

While many of the Candlemon ran to the safety of their houses in terror, Mephistomon strolled through the streets, heading to the village center. There, he found the elder Candlemon standing outside of his house.

“Demon. Whatever it is you seek, you won’t find it here,” the elder Candlemon said, remaining stoic. He banged his match staff into the stone beneath him. A moment later, several armed Candlemon warriors swarmed out from behind several buildings, surrounding Mephistomon with their cutlasses drawn. “Leave this place!”

Mephistomon glanced around, looking slightly amused. “I know,” he smiled. “I know that the DigiDestined already took my prize. And I also know that you aren’t about to tell me where they went.”

Confusion passed over the elder Candlemon’s face for a moment. “Then what are you doing here?”

Mephistomon grinned. “I’m here to paint a picture.” Mephistomon clasped his hands together as his eyes began to glow purple. “BLACK SABBATH!”

“Stop him!” the elder Candlemon commanded.

“LAVA LOOGIE!” the Candlemon shouted in unison. Small fireballs were launched from the flames atop their heads. Mephistomon batted them aside with his wings, never faltering in his concentration.

“Solpeth de bien, solpeth Iviahe teloch,” Mephistomon sang. The air began to grow cold, and the Candlemon warriors felt faint. The flames on their heads began to grow dim.

“Solpeth de bien, solpeth Iviahe teloch!” Mephistomon continued to sing, his voice echoing throughout the village. The Candlemon warriors fell to the ground, their flames extinguished before they shattered into raw data.

“Solpeth de bien, solpeth Iviahe teloch!” The entire village soon became the sight of a grim light show. Slowly the orange glow emitted by the flames of the Candlemon villagers gave way to shadows. As the shadows spread like spilled ink across a page, millions of blue shards rose into the air, swirling into Mephistomon, followed by dozens of DigiCores as they soared into the stars.

Soon, only a single, weak light remained: the elder Candlemon. He fell forward, struggling to breathe. He looked up at Mephistomon, whose expression was still that of prayer. “The extinguished torch has been lit…” he gasped. “It has been passed on to a new generation...may the light it casts...banish the shadows from the Digital World!”

Mephistomon chuckled darkly as he absorbed the data of the elder Candlemon. “You old fool. The shadows can never be truly vanquished.” He watched his DigiCore leave the cliffs. “Every light is outnumbered by the shadows they cast. As long as there is light, there will always be shadows, biding their time until the light is finally snuffed out.”

A series of footsteps snapped him out of his reflection. Tsukaimon emerged from the darkness, leading the other Digimon to Mephistomon. “So...are we ready to start?”

Mephistomon nodded. “Have fun.”

Tsukaimon beamed with excitement. Turning to the squad of Digimon, he said, “Alright everyone, let’s give this place a makeover!”

Tsukaimon led the squad to a small patch of houses, where they wasted no time in demolishing them. While they were busy doing that, Tsukaimon hovered over to another house.

“FRIENDLY FIRE!” he puffed up as he took a deep breath, then exhaled, launching a small fireball at the house. He laughed as the fire caught the thatched roof of the house. He darted over to another house, eager to start more fires.

Mephistomon turned to the house of the former elder of Candlelight Village. If NeoDevimon plays his part right, the entire continent will be scrambling to extinguish this so-called torch. For now, however…

Mephistomon raised his hand towards the house. “DARK CLOUD!” A cloud of darkness flew from his hand, enveloping the house. Everything it touched quickly decayed. In a matter of minutes, the house collapsed. Soon after, nothing would remain of it but dust.