Duat Diaries

Disclaimer: Digimon does not belong to me. This fic is set in Lord Archive’s Diaries Universe and is written with permission.

Chapter Seven

Withered Leaves

The city of Burner burned brightly through the night, a beacon of acrid light that could be seen for leagues. Nothing within its massive walls was spared, unless it could hide, not just well, but better than fire could reach and birds’ eyes could see. Few escaped that were not seen on the nightly sands, illuminated by the flames.

Scaling a rise, her feet sinking slightly in the loose sand, Nephthys found it remarkable that their group had made it out. Looking back she stifled a yawn; she crossed her arms briefly to ward off the chill. If she wasn't careful she'd slid right back down again.

Already there was a change in the air; it was just a tad less cold than moments before. A brighter line was emerging on the horizon, a new light to accompany the demise of the city. Though it had offered no sanctuary to her, or her friends, it had not deserved such a fate.

Up ahead, already having crested the rise, Eboni gave a small cry. Reaching the top of the dune herself Nephthys saw the other girl several metres below. A slight breeze came from behind, carrying with it the smell of burning. Sand, like a vapour, twirled down the slope. Ahmose and Sethos went down after Eboni, half walking and half-sliding.

Walking, all through the night, after all they’d already gone through at the palace. And before, the flight from the one small place they called home. It was too much, just too much exhaustion. Fear and adrenaline was all that kept them going. Eboni slipped. How much more would they slip before a fatal mistake was made? She sighed.

“Only time never gets tired of running, we are not so fortunate. How are you holding up?”

Nephthys almost jumped. She had forgotten Hesire was there on the rise with her. “I’m fine, just tired.”

“We need rest,” Hesire said. They stood alone on the dune. “But we’re too close to the city. They’ll find us if we do.”

Being found was one of her worries, but it wasn’t the foremost on her list, as it seemed it was to Hesire and the others. Every dune meant one more dune between them and being found out. They were all looking back, and that was a mistake. Nephthys looked ahead, but every dune revealed another. Every rocky outcropping revealed more of the same. There was no shelter, and when the dawn came they’d be cooked. The desert was a foe greater than what lay behind them, and it was waking up.

Eboni swore. She was always taught not to, to be a good girl. Lying on her back in the sand, the burns on her arms irritated by the grit, it was impossible to care about that. Her family could never have imagined this – it was absurd and it was real.

Ahmose and Sethos came to a stop at either of her sides. “Are you hurt?” The older boy asked.

“No.”

“Sure, bite his head off,” Sethos remarked.

She snapped. Eboni had come close to it before, but always she pushed back on fully exploding. This time, she just couldn't take it. “Can it!”

“Take it easy you two, we’re in this together,” Ahmose said.

“It itches, it itches so much,” Eboni said. She looked at both her arms, and even in the low light of the fading night they were so red to her eyes. So much fire, so much heat, she had to consider herself lucky to only suffer this much. Her skin would heal, that much she had to believe.

“You can’t scratch it.” Ahmose took her left hand in his, and slowly, gingerly, wiped some of the sand away. Not just for her, but for himself as well. Part of his pants were ripped up, the pieces of cloth wrapped around his hands.

“I know. I’m sorry.” Extracting herself she stood up, wobbly as the sands shifted. Eboni could take her own wounds, but his were because of her. Back there, she had been foolish, and he was paying the worst of it.

“Please stop saying that. You did what you thought was right, we both did.”

“For all the good it did,” Sethos said. “You both got hurt and that panicked little digimon you freed from burning fled right into another death trap.”

Sethos was too callous. For a moment Eboni looked at him like he was as strange as the people and the world they were in. But then she really didn’t know where he came from and, he did have a point. Not that she would acknowledge that. “And what was I supposed to do, leave the poor thing to die? They are not all monsters, they deserve our compassion.”

“When they show it to me, I’ll show it to them. But right now, we can’t risk ourselves for them. Our partners are the only ones on our side,” Sethos said.

Why are you like that? Eboni wanted to scream at him. He was just as kid; they were all just kids, it wasn’t right for any of them to be like that. Instead she bit it back, they were all just tired, surely that was all there was to it. “We can’t keep going like this, we need to rest.”

“We need to drink too,” Sethos said.

“It’s not safe here,” Ahmose pinched his eyes shut.

“And we don’t have anything to drink,” Hesire remarked, as he and Nephthys joined them at the bottom. “We should keep moving.”

Sethos grinned. “We can always drink our own pee if we need to.”

“Eww,” Eboni exclaimed.

“No, we can’t rely on that,” Nephthys said, soft-spoken and unexpected. On the quiet run from the city she had been by far the most silent. “Have you ever tried peeing when you’re dehydrated? It’s not that easy. Not that good for you either, drinking it raw.”

“And you know this from personal experience?”

“Sethos!” Eboni said. “That’s completely inappropriate.”

Nephthys’ cheeks got rosier. There was no way she was going to tell anyone that, not even her parents knew. Much to her surprise she actually said, “Yes, I do.”

Now she had everyone’s attention. Eboni was the first to react. “What?”

“I got lost once, in the desert.” Nephthys shuffled her feet. “For days, I had to survive on my own. An old man in the village I lived in, a former soldier, once told me how to safely drink my own pee. He had learned it from some Berbers. I could only do it once; there was just so little water.”

“Wow, I’m impressed,” Sethos said. The boy was looking at her like he’d never seen her before. Maybe he hadn’t, she hadn’t told them much about herself. Come to think of it, none of them had really spoken much of who they were just days before.

“You adapt quickly in the desert, or you die,” Nephthys said. She had taken the soldier's words to heart. Others had called her survival miraculous, but to her it wasn't that big of a deal. What else could she have done but keep herself alive as best as she could?

“And you adapted. What do you think we should do then?” Hesire asked. She gulped, suddenly not so sure speaking up was wise. They were all looking at her now. “We are at your mercy.”

“I’m not drinking my own pee,” Eboni shook her head empathically.

“You can have mine,” Sethos said with a grin.

Nephthys smiled weakly, confronted with a bit more attention than she liked. “We may not need to, if we just – “

“Guys, guys!” An excited mewling interrupted Nephthys, and she quickly closed her mouth. Leormon didn’t sound concerned, as such, but as their forward scout – their only scout, their other partners moving along side so nothing could sneak up – she was bound to have seen something of interest. Nephthys supposed what she had to say could wait. At the very least it spared her from saying anything more embarrassing.

Eboni bent down, petting her partner’s back. “What is it Leormon?”

“I found an oasis, not far. And the river, I’ve seen it, just a couple hours walking from here.”

“An oasis, water, shelter, rest,” Ahmose said. Putting his fingers to his lips he gave a brief, sharp, whistle, their sign for their partners to come back. “It’s exactly what we need.”

The oasis lay in the crook of a large rock, easily as tall as the walls of Overlook, jutting out of the sands at an angle, like a blunted tooth. It was the lushest sight of the Digital World yet – outside the palace garden before it got burned to a cinder – but even so it was a weak, if stubborn, existence.

Hidden in the shade of stone and in its own rocky bed, was a pool of water, a basin surrounded by red ferns and grasses. To the outside were palms, with leaves of dried purple. From the looks of things the oasis had been waning, perhaps for years, until this final bastion around the basin was all that remained.

The dark sky had become light; though the oppressive heat had yet to arrive it wasn’t far off. There was a sweetness to the air, faint, enticing, but somehow also rotten, coming from the odd coloured plants.

“Something smells wrong,” Alraumon said hesitantly, mirroring Nephthys’ thoughts.

“Surprised you can smell anything,” V-mon said. Swat, Leormon’s paw came down on his head quick. She scowled, and so did he. Then he shrugged and grinned. Leormon took a step toward him. “Wow, I’m sorry. Sheesh, no sense of humour.”

“Water, I wonder how it’ll taste,” Eboni said, smiling at each of them in turn. “You think those plants will be edible?”

Nephthys, aware of her own parched throat as a distraction on their march, became more aware of it now. A small rumbling in her stomach, reminding her the last time she had eaten was before the strike against Leomon – their mission a failure as far as she was concerned. Trying to save the city, just to see it burn in the end.

She wanted that water, just as much as her friends did. They all moved toward it, the salvation the oasis promised was just too much to ignore. The others were moving faster, slipping in sand, but not falling.

Eboni was going as far as moving even ahead of their partners, a sight that left a nasty feeling in Nephthys. Back home oases were likely homes of scorpions and things living in the desert. She also couldn’t ignore her partner, even her own nose was slightly upset by the smell underneath the alluring scent.

Impulsively she grabbed Hesire’s arm, before he could run off with the others. “Don’t run.”

“What’s wrong?” Hesire asked, immediately wary. She didn’t need to answer, as all their friends, passing through leaves, suddenly all collapsed. The group was cut down to just three in moments, just her, Alraumon and Hesire.

Alraumon groaned and Nephthys couldn’t blame her. “What do we do now?”

“How did you know?” Hesire asked.

“I'm not sure, something felt off,” Nephthys said, and Alraumon nodded her own confirmation. “And, oases are usually not abandoned. They’re too valuable to be, for local life.”

Hesire nodded. “I’ve never thought much about that.” He admitted. Perhaps he regretted that now, but, seeing him standing in contemplation – almost completely at ease – she doubted it. He didn't appear, in any way, surprised by what happened. She really admired his confidence.

“We need that water, and we need those rushing fools.” Had she not stopped him, he’d have rushed in right along with them. “Right, no other choice available. You two, stay here, I’ll try getting them out. Watch what happens, if I fall, learn why and do something.”

“Wait.”

“We’re all counting on you,” Hesire said, taking a deep breath. He ran, leaves rustling, to the nearest body. It was V-mon and he quickly grabbed the blue lizard under the arms, dragging him away from the others and back to the border of plant and sand.

He looked like he was going to make it, when he stumbled. Hesire dropped V-mon, shouting with a slur, before he fell. “It’s pollen.”

Nephthys swallowed hard, but her mouth was dry, out of lack of water or fear, she didn’t know. With a last look at Hesire – he was close, perhaps she could get to him – she turned and ran.

When Nephthys thought herself far enough away she dropped to the sand on the other side of a dune, turned, and crawled so she could just look over the top. Already the sand beneath her was getting warm. Later in the day it would be scalding hot, so she wouldn’t be able to lie on it like this. Alraumon lay at her side, looking at her imploringly. She gestured for the girl to be quiet.

Together they waited, unable to quite see their friends, but knowing approximately where they were. From the largest clutter of plants, near the water’s edge, something moved. The intermittent presence of wind could not explain it. Then she appeared, leaving her haunt furtively. Even from such a distance Nephthys could tell she was pretty. Once she might’ve even been beautiful, but the way she moved, skulking about, couldn’t hide that there was something rotten about her. Just like the faint smell beneath the lure.

Vines snaked out, grabbing the bodies, dragging them to her clump of plants. She looked about but found nothing else. Satisfied she returned to her dwelling with her company.

“Now what are we going to do?” Alraumon asked. Nephthys wished she had an answer.

There were two wagons, part of a caravan or the whole of it, stashed as much out of sight as possible between the sandy dunes. Nephthys and Alraumon approached it warily, only having discovered it by accident while staking out the land surrounding the oasis, in the hope of finding something, anything, to help them out. It was day by now, and that wasn’t good. She was starting to get sweaty, and would be in a lot of trouble when she stopped. Collecting her courage she went for the wagons. Nobody abandoned something so valuable.

“Nephthys, perhaps we shouldn’t,” Alraumon said.

“Like Hesire said, there’s no other choice available to us. We're the last ones left; they are all counting on us this time.”

The wagons were well-stocked, but even with that an oasis was hard to resist. Why drain your own coffers when nature provided an alternative for you? The same thing that happened to her friends would have happened to them. Question was, did they have someone like her around, still free?

“Listen, Alraumon, we might not be alone here.” Nephthys kneeled at Alraumon’s side. There were dunes on either side of the two wagons, a narrow stretch of flat between them. She had become so suspicious of late, looking for possible hiding places and the like. From one of those dunes she could look at both the oasis and the wagons. If there was someone there, he’d no doubt have seen them bumble into the oasis, much like his own compatriots would’ve done.

“I’m coming up,” she called out. “I want to talk to you. Perhaps, perhaps we can help each other.”

Nephthys half expected to find no one, with her hopes of help remaining a flighty fancy. An armoured digimon, mostly red, like a cross between a man and a dragonfly, regarded her solemnly. He wasn’t much taller than she was.

“Hi,” Nephthys said. “I’m Nephthys, this is Alraumon.”

The digimon seemed off put, and then gave a brief laugh and shrug. “Indeed, where are my manners? I’m Flybeemon, fifth trade leader of the Hive.”

“The Hive?”

He waved the comment away. “That’s unimportant right now.”

“I-I suppose you’re right.”

Flybeemon cocked his head in the direction of the oasis. “Did you see what took them?”

”A woman,” Nephthys answered. She hadn’t seen more than a glimpse and she didn’t know digimon that well, but there was no mistaking she was a woman, and beautifully so.

“A Lilymon,” Alraumon supplied.

“Exactly. Now I’m not saying I wouldn’t welcome help, but against a Perfection level digimon what can you do?” Flybeemon set off, walking back to his wagons. With a quick look at each other Nephthys and Alraumon followed. “You should leave while you are strong enough; your friends are as good as lost.”

Nephthys scowled. “Then, why haven’t you left? Because you can’t move the wagons?” At her tone Alraumon whimpered, and she was a little surprised at her own temerity. But her friends were back there, soon to be plant food.

Flybeemon turned. “That’s not a fair accusation, the wagons are irrelevant, but I’m responsible for my people. Take my advice, or not; in the meantime you are free to my camp and its little shade. Let it not be said we travellers can’t be hospitable.”

“Have you tried rescuing your friends?” Nephthys asked.

“Yes, like your other friend did. I went in fast, but when I landed to collect their bodies I felt drowsy. I was barely fast enough to get out, and only because that Lilymon didn’t follow me out of the oasis was I able to stay free. Odd thing, that, I don’t think she can fly anymore. Little good that knowledge has done me up to now. I can fly over it, through it, but not land to make a difference.”

Nephthys looked at the digimon imploringly. “We can help each other.”

The trader sighed. “I don’t even know if my crew is still alive. It’s been almost a day now.”

“We know it’s pollen that incapacitates digimon going in,” Nephthys said.

“So do I,” Flybeemon answered. “I also know it’s thinner along the edges and it doesn’t spread very high. But it’s there where it counts.”

“Yes, but it has a weakness.” Nephthys didn’t know digimon that well, but she knew her own partner. “Alraumon?”

“I believe the pollen won’t affect me,” Alraumon said.

“You believe?” Flybeemon sounded sceptic, but interested as well.

Alraumon fidgeted under the scrutiny. “We’re from the same plant family, basically.”

“How much family?” Flybeemon asked.

Alraumon looked away, then back at the armoured trader. “Distant cousins?”

“Hm...”

Alraumon squirmed, edging her way closer to the plants. Keeping herself as low to the ground as possible, for as long as possible. The sand was hot, but she hardly felt it, feeling a deep wanting to dig in deep and hide. This plan was horrible, and worse, it was Nephthys’ plan.

Because it was Nephthys who wanted her to do it, she kept crawling closer. But what if she did fail, as she had so many times before? How much help had she truly been so far? She had failed so much in Burner, only able to do little things. This is wrong, she thought, I shouldn’t be here. Nephthys deserved better.

That thought led nowhere, without her Nephthys would be all alone. Replaced by someone like Leomon, or Woodmon. Stronger than her, but wrong, so very wrong. There wasn’t anyone she’d entrust Nephthys with, Alraumon realized. “I’m all there is for her, I have to be strong for her.” She whispered, and then clamped her mouth shut.

If she didn’t do this right, she wouldn’t be able to come back.

“You think we can count on her to do what’s needed?”

Nephthys looked to her right to look him in the eyes.

“She’s hardly brave, is she,” Flybeemon clarified.

“Braver than she thinks,” Nephthys said right away. Her eyes turned determined as she looked back over the dune to the oasis.

“You sound so sure of that.”

Nephthys smiled, briefly. She felt as tense as Alraumon was bound to feel, though her partner had it worse. With the pollen she had to go in alone. Almost she went for her digivice, but did not want Flybeemon to see it. The little device had an odd effect on some digimon. “Yes, I am. You don’t know what we’ve been through.”

He hesitated a moment before speaking. “No, I don’t.”

“I think she’s close enough,” Nephthys said. Flybeemon hesitated again, looking at her oddly. “What?”

“Nothing,” he said, taking to the air. He rose quickly, becoming just a small speck in moments. Nephthys only watched him for a moment before turning her attention back on her own partner.

Alraumon was near the edge of the oasis now, waiting for her moment. It came when Flybeemon, as a red blur, flew down to the tight bundling of plants and trees.

He reached it in moments and he was going back up almost immediately, only nearing the ground by a metre or two before changing his trajectory. No wind, but the leaves were blowing furiously. A wail of pain and suffering, of loss, gave Nephthys goose bumps. It wasn’t the cry of a predator, though it was of something so completely lost it was very near an animal.

Lilymon emerged from her home, the mass of plants cluttered inside the oasis’ borders. She came in a twirl that lacked grace, and more besides. With some admiration Alraumon had spoken about what she knew about Lilymon. As rare as plant-like digimon were in the deserts of Database the fairy that grew from them was rarer still. There were cacti out there, the hardest of plants. But few ever, according to Alraumon, became gentle creatures like Lilymon.

Flybeemon confirmed it, as well as calling them keepers of the scattered oases. Not all of the desert havens had Lilymon, but no Lilymon were found outside of them. This Lilymon had not survived the harshness of the desert, her colouring now devoid of vibrancy. The leaves that were her fairy wings were brown and hanging limp. The normally pinkish blooms were yellowed and withered.

“The poor thing, no wonder you can’t fly.” Her heart went out for the fairy, as much as her mind thought this a fortunate happenstance.

Lilymon spun several times, casting out brown vines and dirty pink spores. A low cloud of pollen was visible, hanging just above the ground. Brought up from the sand, blown off the leaves, the oasis was saturated by the stuff.

“Leave!” Lilymon shouted.

The vicious vine whipped higher, Flybeemon banked hard. He came down from another angle, stopping and streaking in another direction when Lilymon raised a hand, releasing more pollen. Hovering above the looming rock overlooking the oasis he waited, holding her attention. But she didn’t move away from the bushes with the bodies, making it impossible for Alraumon to move in.

Flybeemon realized this all to well, as Nephthys did, for he went into another dive, straight for Lilymon. A long vine untangled from her wrist, lashing out with like a whip. Thunder sparkled around Flybeemon and he cut it – barrelling on.

“Thief!” Lilymon cried, and Nephthys realized she misheard her before.

“Fly Spark,” Flybeemon called out. Electricity coursed along his stinger and his claws. He hit Lilymon in the cheek, then another charged claw under the chin, slapping her head up. Lilymon shrieked, but the dragonfly didn’t let up. Thorns, vicious and sharp, grew from the fairy’s body and she decked him.

Nephthys gasped as he hit the sand, and the cloud of pollen. Despite the whiff of it he rose and backed off. But his flight was wobbly and not as fast as before.

Lilymon pursued on foot, kicking up flowers ahead. She was pumped; if Nephthys had been closer she was sure she’d see it in Lilymon’s eyes.

For Alraumon this must’ve been both a wonderful and a dreadful moment. Her partner started running, disappearing in between the plants. It now depended on Flybeemon’s ability to keep Lilymon busy.

Alraumon reached the hub of the oasis without incident, sprinkled with pollen – but feeling none the lesser for it. Maybe it’d be different if Lilymon sprayed her head-on, she had failed to tell Nephthys about that, but these bits were too old to have any effect.

What use was there in worrying her partner even more? Alraumon wanted to think that as brave, but she had her doubts. If she were brave, she wouldn’t be squeaking every time a flash of thunder sounded, or a wail from Lilymon. She couldn’t see them, but they were closer than she liked.

Within the hub she found them, the bodies of her friends and Flybeemon’s crew. She was surprised at what she saw, and for a few moments she just stood watching; until another spark resounded and she resumed her own task. Leormon was closest, lying on a bed of fallen leaves, placed there with much care.

How odd, odder still why a Lilymon would take travellers captive. As a beautiful flower she wouldn’t need such a thing as nourishment. Water and sun would do – even in a place with too much sun and little water.

Dragging Leormon by her hind paws she expected to be caught in a moment’s notice, but wasn’t. They reached the edge and then Nephthys was there. “Well done, Alraumon. I’ll take her from here. Hurry, get someone else.”

She didn’t want to go back in, but she did, as Nephthys dragged Leormon further out to safety. Again she reached the hub without trouble, noticing a sudden lull in the sounds of fighting. “You won’t steal my children!”

“Alraumon!” Nephthys screamed and instantly regretted it. Vines were wrapped tight around her partner, lifting her up and swinging her around. Lilymon’s head however swivelled in her direction and the digimon lying at her feet.

“My baby!” Lilymon screamed. Alraumon was instantly released and seemingly forgotten as Lilymon began to stalk in her direction, her mouth set in anger. With a splash Alraumon landed in the pool, forgotten already by the one who threw her.

Flybeemon crashed into Lilymon after the fairy had taken a few steps in Nephthys' direction. “No, focus on me.”

Hissing at him Lilymon grew new thorns. When Flybeemon tried to uppercut her she blocked him, grabbing his arm. Even a wilted digimon of her level was a match for him. His tail came up, Lilymon twisting to avoid being stung in the abdomen. The stinger made a cut up her leg, eliciting a pained hiss. Sparks danced around his one free fist, but she grabbed it just as easily.

Nephthys looked around for anything that could help, but Leormon was still out cold. She couldn’t run away without her.

“You’re next, thief,” Lilymon said. There was murder there in those inhuman eyes, but Nephthys was surprised by how little fear she had of her. This digimon female was no monster, like Leomon, but a victim – to be pitied, but not feared.

Hanging on to her resolve, putting the thought that fear or no this Lilymon was unpredictable and dangerous, she stepped past Leormon. The cat’s breathing was stable and hopefully she’d be able to shake the effects of the spores off quickly.

She traced her digivice with a finger. It always felt the same, slightly cool as if unaffected by the day to day heat. Now there was something there, a feeling of warmth she got from being with Alraumon. “You poor thing, you think killing us will make things better for you?”

“What?”

Lilymon seemed taken aback, and so did Flybeemon. “What are you doing? Get out of here!”

“Shut up,” Lilymon screamed and threw Flybeemon to the ground. A necklace of flowers formed in her hands and she wrapped it around the dragonfly’s neck while he was momentarily dazed. Nephthys frowned at seeing the fight drain out of his body.

“Flybeemon, are you all right?”

At her voice he angled his head at her. A twitch in his eyes showed he realized what was happening, yet he was unable to fight against it.

“Forget about him, worry about yourself.” Anger and uncertainty showed in Lilymon’s voice, unaccustomed to having her victim just walk up to her. She hoped she showed herself calm enough.

“Why would you do that?”

Lilymon’s face twisted again. There was barely a lid on all that rage. “You take my children away and dare ask that!”

“I’m sorry, your children are gone.” Nephthys gestured behind her. “You’re Lilymon, that is Leormon, a cat, not a plant. We just came here and you abducted them. You remember?”

“What? No?”

Uncertainty now. “Yes, just look. Think about it. We meant you no harm; we just needed shelter and water.”

A stubborn set came into Lilymon’s bearing. “Shelter and water, that’s what they said, before taking everything. Why did you come back, why take my children again?”

“Oh no,” Nephthys whispered. With her hands close together, forming a flower bulb, Lilymon levelled it dead centre. Her digivice felt warm in her hands watching particles of light gather though a narrow opening in the bulb.

“Run,” Flybeemon said, unable to do more than look on. Restrained by the necklace he could only see between her and Lilymon.

Something broke the water all the way back in the oasis, big and green, a cactus.

“Flower ah!” Lilymon screamed when hundreds upon hundreds of needles sank into her back. The bulb opened and discharged, but her aim was thrown and the beam of energy cut a trench in the sand – only metres away from Nephthys. She coughed in the cloud of sand.

Alraumon's voice was still recognizable, but she sounded older. Instead of the diminutive plant a great cactus stood in the pool, drops of water cascading down over prickly green skin. “Stay away from my Nephthys!”

“I’m sorry,” Nephthys mouthed to Lilymon. Out loud, she had only one thing to say. “Grab our friends!”

Nothing Nephthys had come to know, observing the crazed fairy, set her off faster than threatening to take more away from her. Togemon ran for the hub, able to grab a whole lot with her giant gloves, though the mitts did seem rather clumsy. Lilymon raced to intercept and Nephthys sprinted forward.

“Mach Jab,” Togemon called out. Lilymon jumped over the punches lightly, imposing herself at the last minute between Togemon and the hub. The fairy's luminescent black eyes widened as she realized Togemon was holding no one.

Lilymon wavered on the verge of attacking. “Who are you? I – are you, my child?”

“No, I’m sorry,” Togemon said.

“Everyone is always sorry.” It was only a brief moment of lucidity, but it was enough to stall Togemon. Lilymon kicked up in the air, spraying Togemon’s face with flowers. The heel of her boot kicked her between the eyes. “What good does that do me?!”

To that Nephthys did not have an answer. She crouched at Flybeemon’s side, glad the fighting had scattered the pollen. The dragonfly looked at her dully. Quickly she broke the necklace, and night turned to day as awareness filled his eyes and he took a deep steadying breath.

“That was awful,” he said.

Togemon gave a gurgle, and they both looked over to see her covered in spores and flowers. She wasn’t going down, but couldn’t breathe either. A new large bulb was forming from Lilymon’s hands.

“She’s going to shoot again,” Flybeemon said.

Nephthys’ eyes widened. “Stop her!”

He wavered, and she thought he finally had enough. Her promises of an easy solution had fallen flat. But he didn’t. Thunder crackling he rushed Lilymon before she could fire, but Lilymon saw him coming and let the bulb fall apart. Flybeemon started to curse, but couldn’t change his trajectory as she went into a spin. Her kick resounded loudly and Flybeemon went down again, biting dust. She jumped on him, hands wringing his neck.

Lilymon snarled. “Now, die alread–oof.”

Togemon punched her off Flybeemon, sprawling Lilymon to the sand next to him. The fairy started to rise, but Togemon gave her no chance to, slamming her down and down with successive punches. She didn’t let up. Nephthys cringed with every blow, but she couldn’t find the words to tell her partner to stop. She wanted to, oh how she wanted to. Nobody should have to die, but Lilymon would never let them go.

Flybeemon sat up, his expression unreadable. She tried telling herself it was a mercy, to end this life of stealing travellers as substitutes for her own children. It was too hard to believe right now, and then Lilymon was dead.

“I did it, I actually did it,” Togemon said. Her form blurred as she reverted. “I can protect you Nephthys, you see. I can.”

“Yes, you can.” She even managed a smile. Lilymon was dead, her children were dead, everyone was always dead. “I told you, didn’t I? I have faith in you.”

It took some time for the others to waken. They were groggy for a while longer after that. The hub offered shelter, and the pond water, so they could be given the chance to wake peacefully at their own time.

Flybeemon was checking on his crew, two grey armoured rhinoceroses – beasts of burden for the wagons –, a caterpillar called Kunemon and a bee-like digimon called Honey Beemon. They were none the worse for wear.

“The plant shows what is in the seed.” A voice said close to her ear. Nephthys looked down into a weary, but smiling, face. “I knew trusting you was the right thing.”

“Thanks, Hesire.”

“Next time we’ll listen when you say not to rush,” Eboni said. Nephthys smiled, the first genuine smile since Lilymon was killed. She didn’t believe Eboni wouldn’t rush for a moment. The others were nodding or speaking consent. They were still lying, having been exposed to a lot of pollen.

“Can I speak to you? Alone?” Flybeemon said. She nodded and followed him.

“So who died and made you leader?” V-mon asked, halting them in their tracks.

Flybeemon answered. “You almost did, if it wasn’t for her.”

“Oh, right.”

Flybeemon started without preamble when they had gone far enough away for anyone listening in. “I didn’t want to say this before now, but I know who you are. Or, at least something of who you are. You were chased by guards in Burner. It was then I felt trouble was brewing and took my crew out of there. Good thing, considering the conflagration.”

“We didn’t burn the city,” she said.

“I believe you, and I won’t turn you in. Without your help I’d still be in a big mess. But the thing is, I’d offer to let you come with us. Safety in numbers and all that. We are going home and need to cross the river. For that we need to cross the bridge down south, the only way with wagons, and it’s guarded. You’ll never get through.”

“It’s all right. I understand.”

He looked even guiltier at her easy acquiescence. “You wouldn’t want to go south anyway. Go north, there’s a way to cross the river there that is not guarded. There are some rocks in the river bed there you could use. Kind of a smuggler’s track, or bandits.”

Nephthys smiled, making Flybeemon turn his head away. He really didn’t have to feel so put out about not helping them further. He had already done more than enough to earn her heartfelt gratitude.

“Thank you,” she said. Thank you for showing this world isn’t filled with the despairing and the despicable.