Awake and Alive

Chapter 14: Tainted Courage Summons Skullgreymon

"Betrayer!"

"You bitch!"

"You left us in the darkness!"

"You abandoned us when you needed you!"

"Coward!"

"Die!"

Eosmon gasped as another spear pierced her leg, choking back the bile that burned her throat. Her body was covered in scars from head to toe, some still bleeding and other too shallow but still burned. Tears had stopped coming long ago and left behind was a never-ending feeling of guilt and self-loathing. Her Aether tattoo shone against her sweat-slicked skin and a few strands of her bangs stuck to her forehead. Her normally vibrant, glowing golden eyes were dull like the color of straw, the ring of crimson fading to an almost pinkish hue.

A rough hand snagged in her hair, yanking her head back without mercy. She was too tired to even register the pain and all that came out was a soft, feeble "ah".

"Fooling us to believing that the Legendary Warriors were our heroes and guardian so that you could soak up your moment of glory."

"N–No,"

"Don't lie to me!!"

Eosmon, this time, did scream as the hand wrenched her head to the left. Her head rolled against her shoulder and she noted that the hand had pulled her so hard that a few strands of her pink hair littered the black floor beside her.

"The other Warriors disappeared and all that was left was you. You were too weak to protect the Celestial Digimon and look what happened! They died for your pitiful sake. And then you disappeared and the Digital World plunged into darkness!"

"I–I –!"

"Shut up! You abandoned us, leaving us in the darkness! Why do you think we are like this?! We were consumed and left with no hope! All... Because... Of... You..."

"N–No..." Eosmon huffed, struggling against the black cables snagged around her wrists, ignoring the blood that pooled beneath her arms. "I did everything to protect the Digital World! I sealed away the Legendary Warriors in order to protect them from the darkness and to keep the darkness from taking their powers!"

"Liar!"

"I never meant to hurt anyone!"

"Liar!"

"Please!"

"No one wants to hear a bitch cry anymore."

Eosmon flinched as she eyed the spear, the blade aimed in a direct path to her heart.

It shot forward...

"NO!"

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"NO!"

Rikka shot up up at the screams, eyes impossibly wide and breathing labored to the point where struggled to take in a single breath. Her hands tensed at her sides and she felt too exposed, too vulnerable.

"Milady?"

She could feel a gentle touch on her thigh, but regardless she still still flinched and her leg jerked as she pulled it closer to herself. She looked down and saw teary pink eyes. Needing something to keep her anchored, Rikka pulled Lunamon and hid away her face, and tears that were to soon follow.

An arm wrapped around the backs of her shoulders and drew her into a familiar arm that she practically sagged against. "Rikka, what's wrong?"

She took in one more shuddering breath before looking up, bracing herself against the sea of worried faces. Looking back down at Lunamon, she stroked the rabbit Digimon's cheek before answering, "I... had a nightmare..."