A New World [MPC 33 - TITE]

"G.... graugh!"

A shining light pierced the darkened sky. As events had led to the penultimate, as all hope had seemed to be lost, and when the end seemed to be at hand, Lucemon's ferocious, draconic visage roared out. Disappearing like a phantom, the black sphere it clutched fell to the ground, shattering against the hardened wasteland of the earth. The golden insect, all that was left of the world's harbinger of death, writhed as a fierce, black spear pierced its heart. And above, in a flash of light, Iko and Luke appeared, the squirrel collapsed on the ground in front as Luke fell back, gasping for breath.

"Hehe... you fools..." Sputtering and coughing, Lucemon's gaze settled right on the human's. "You may have spared yourselves... but what good is it? Without me...

... There will be... no new world."

In that moment, the form would collapse, a heavy wind scattering the dark lord's data across the landscape. There were no more trees to shield from it, a harsh, hot, biting wind tearing over the Digital Plane. And just off the throes of battle, Luke slowly gathered himself to his feet, carrying the exhausted Kinezumon on his arms. The squirrel looked up, and muttered: "We... we won."

Yes... they had won. That terror, that had been plaguing the world for the better half of a year, had finally passed on. But there was no elation in Luke's own expression, as he examined the landscape. Was the area around him really Network Planes? Not a single blade of grass graced the ground, and the previous gentle, rolling hills were now nothing more than rocky crags of scorched earth. Out in the distance, Terminus City lacked any of the city's past charm, a few billows of smoke carrying up from the town. Those belonged to campfires from the city's sparse survivors, that much was evident.

But...

"Yes. We won." Luke's response was dry, as he took another look around him. Isaac and Elliot were there, struggling but alive, unbelievable assets against this terror. A few more remained scattered around. But a great many, today and in the month preceding, fell in their attempts to bring this monster down.

And Lucemon's words burned in the back of Luke's mind.

---

Barely a day after the incident, the true damage of the world began to set in. Portals and gates out of the Digital World had been rendered entirely inoperable, and there was no sense of justice remaining in the streets. Desperate Digimon pillaged and stole from each-other for the basic means of survival. Paper money was used as kindling, the only true value being in food and water. And the strong lorded over the weak, several mobs taking hold, fighting for territory and supplies in this lawless landscape.

This was the new Terminus City.

Having regained his champion form, Iko closed the shutters on the view to the outside, a deep sigh in his voice. In a better time, or perhaps if their opportunity had come sooner, both he and his tamer would have been lauded as a hero. And even beyond that, there would have been boisterous celebrations, calls to come together in the future, and above all, a great deal of hope! But... but this world, as it was, could no longer support such hope. Despair and desperation ruled the streets... he had to wonder just how many would die in this aftermath.

"Iko. Isn't it about time that we did something about this?" Iko's ear twitched as his tamer spoke up, sparing a glance over his shoulder. But, instead of respond, he merely fell back onto a mattress, barely acknowledging the question.

Luke blinked. This was unlike him! "Hey! Hey, dolt, listen to me!" Iko didn't respond, as Luke carried on: "What is this? Didn't you work in Whitewater to improve it on a whim? Didn't you want to make this world a better place? Wasn't it your idea to go after Lucemon on his day of transcendence?" Luke's desperate, rising voice was only granted with a simple response: Iko turning over, to face away from his tamer.

"This isn't you. Iko... you've always had a plan! If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't even have this world-"

"And what kind of world is this?!"

Iko snapped, and sat up, staring down his tamer, a ferocious look in his eyes. "What's left, Luke? What the hell do you think I can do, create the land of fruit and honey from scratch? Appeal to the people through desperation of hunger and thirst? Tell me, Luke, what the **** should I do?!"

"I... Iko..."

"Hmph."

The wolf stood up, and snapped open the door. "Stay here. I don't want to see you end up in the Goblimon gang while I'm out."

"Hey, wait! Don't-"

The door slammed shut, a dreadful silence filling the room once more.

---

It didn't take long for Iko to finds his way back to the battlefield. He had to get away from it all, and back to the source. Here, after the fight, the reality of this world had finally set in for him.

Taking a knee, Iko's hand brushed over the wasteland floor, wincing as a sharp crag cut through his paw. Looking at the resulting cut, the wolf clenched his hand into a fist, and looked around in all directions. It was obvious, this land was barren, but there was so much more to it. The Trailmon tracks that used to run to Whitewater were torn to shreds. The sounds, of familiar insects and the Trailmon's whistle, no longer graced Iko's ears with the familiar sense of modernity. The air tasted dry, like this world was nothing more than a rock floating through a formless abyss. And above? Oh, above, the cloud cover had finally managed to break. Even mid-day, the sky kept a blood-orange color, the Digital Sun piercing hotly at the land below. And at this sight, Iko fell to his knees, a cackle filling his chest.

He laughed. He laughed long and hard, tears streaming from his face, the Ankomon beating his bleeding fist against the rock hard earth below. There was nothing left in this world! There would be no more plots for its destruction, no more bids to try and claim it. And there would be no more Lucemon, or anyone who would even try and end this pathetic rock. No, this Digital World had become the end itself, a purgatory for which there was nothing left.

"Ha... ha ha..." As his voice ran dry, Iko shielded his eyes from the piercing sun, and moved to take shelter under a plateau. Silence fell through the land once more, Iko taking one last look around...

... And below, he spotted something at his left foot. There, improbable as anything else, was a single Digital Flower, bright blue in color, struggling in its barren soil. Was it a new sprout, or something that had just managed to squeak through this world's end? The wolf blinked... and at that sight, stood up, facing the city. Luke's words rang through his ears, the wolf giving a smirk.

"Bring law to this lawless world, huh? Well... I guess I can give it a try."