Difference between revisions of "Another Time, Another Village (Golden)"

Latest revision as of 15:53, 17 September 2015

     The raid brought back memories, as so many recent events did. There was another village, a different would-be conquerer.

     The sun beat down on the small coastal village, adding to the heat of the burning shacks and buildings. Signs of violence in the form of spent traps and weapons used in ambush, blasted earth here and there. Broken cages and crude war machines lie strewn about. An unconscious digimon might be sprawled in the ruin or dirt. The sound of sniffling and crying comes from the packed dirt of the village center, a blue and white winged dragon digimon tying up the wounds of others despite his own injuries, surrounded by the other survivors.
     A cry came from a small raptorish digimon, pointing towards a tall black and winged figure with eyes glowing red. Sensing more trouble was coming, the Aero-Veedramon urged the older survivors to flee into the hills, he'd do what he could to buy time.
     As Goroubei landed in the devimon's path, the tall dark digimon sneered. "I see you're the one who caused me all thise grief." The long fingers of his hand gestured to the ruined cages and ballista.
     The Aero-Veedramon grinned toothly, menacingly. "Can't take all the credit, the villagers helped. The name's Goroubei."
     The devimon regarded the defiant digimon with cold red eyes. "Why do you fight? The villagers are already slaves to Yggdrasil, so why fight a small shuffle in management?"
     Goroubei tilts his horned head at the other digimon. "Yggdrasil takes, sure, but it also gives. Its agents keep the peace in return for what we give. What /you/ offer is pain and misery." A taloned hand points accusingly.
     The devimon waves a hand in a gesture of annoyance. "Enough banter, to business!"
     It is an ugly fight with no grace or finesse, the two tearing at each other tooth and nail, eventually taking to the skies. But then the dragon's wings are shredded to rags, his grip on the devimon broken with a blow to the wrist. And he falls onto the smouldering remains of a hut, badly burned before he can get out of it. He lay there on the ground, breathing and waiting for the final blow to land.
     The devimon landed, breath ragged. He snarled at the fallen defender, almost laughing. "You've failed, and your reward will be hearing their screams before I end you." And the devimon turns towards where the survivors fled. Something twists and breaks in Goroubei, and he surges to his feet, barely able to see through the pain. He leaps onto the devimon's back with a blood-curdling roar and digs talons into the other's face and pulls, tearing through it as the devimon's own scream joins the dragon's roar. The devimon violently rips Goroubei off his back, the dragon's talons tearing through more flesh, flinging him to the ground with a crack.
     There's a moment where they stare murderously at each other, battered and tired. There's the sound of the fires, the silence of the survivors in the distance watching with their breath held. Goroubei moved first, struggling to get to his feet. But his legs wouldn't work, his clawed hands gripping the dirt for purchase as a cruel smile spread over the dark-hearted digimon's ruined face. He needed to get up, to stop the creature of darkness in front of him. It was the only thing in the world that mattered to him at the moment. Deep within his digicore, something broke, and he felt a surge of strength flow through him as light gently consumed his form.
     The devimon screamed in rage and frustration as he realized what was happening. "NO! NO NO NO NO NO!" An armored dragonman rose from where the blue dragon had been, now burdened with the form of a hero. Futile fury moved the devimon and a rain of blows struck Goroubei's great shield, the crest upon it glowing a warm orange. When the digimon's fury had been spent, he collapsed his knees.
     "Go on then. End it." The dark creature said weakly.
     With no joy and perhaps a trace of sadness, Goroubei obliged.
(Music: Jacob and the Angel)