The conclusion to the final round commences. Please forgive some of my descriptions...I'm new at describing armor especially since I'm not used to it. In any case...Read the conclusion to the starlight tournament!!

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Starlight final - act 2



The crowd stared in shock, a Bancholeomon was standing in the middle of the ring, or what was left of the ring. Staring calmly at his opponant, nearly the entirety of the crowd was now in favor of the great lion.


"I don't think a Mega was taken into account when Max was preparing for this match." Scav sighed, scratching the back of his head. "This complicates matters. The one good thing is that he hasn't used his light yet."


"Will that help though?" Kiya asked, staring down at the ring. He wasn't so certain. "You can do it Max!!"


Max's ears twitched a bit. He was well aware of his disadvantage. "I fought MaloMyotismon...But I don't have the benifit of surprise in this match."


Bancholeomon looked Max over, slowly edging toward him, hand gripping his short sword. "I didn't want to digivolve. But you forced my hand."


With a low chuckle, Max bared his one good blade and started mirroring Bancholeomon's movements. Sweat formed over his forehead. "You said you were honored to battle me...I think that sentiment should go the other way."


"Then we both hold high regard for one another." Bancholeomon stated with a small grin, then he sprang forward. Their swords clashed together, leaving sparks flying amid their thrusts.


No move was wasted on either mons part. Max had to keep his concentration at 100 percent or he was sure he'd suffer for it. Even so, the Bancholeomon's attacks had a great deal of force to them. It took all of his strength to parry them.


Sensing things weren't quite right, Scav turned his attention to Kiya for a moment. "Go to the other side of the arena and be ready to erect a light barrier."


"You sensed it too huh?" Kiya asked, getting out of his seat and starting to walk away from the group. Leaving the others confused.


Scav lifted a claw and shook his head, sitting in his seat. The bi colored Agumon looking worried. "I don't think the barrier will hold up is all. Kiya and I will set up a secondary defense for the crowd. We're talking about a Mega level in the ring afterall."


A few minutes passed, The sparks from their strikes becoming more frequent. Neither warrior ready to give any advantage. And then suddenly, a furred leg slammed into his gut, sending him flying back a bit.


With little time to recover, Max dug his claws into the ground and surged forward. His left hand glowing as his claws began extending, aiming right in Bancholeomon's direction. When the lion managed to grab hold of those claws he started to sweat. Triceramon was able to do the same thing, but right here, Max was struggling a lot more than Bancholeomon was in keeping it together.


"This is not good..." Scav commented, grumbling to himself.


"What exactly isn't so good?" Coronamon asked, staring intently as Max's claws receeded back into place. He began pumping light into his legs to boost his speed, transferring them from his legs up to his arms as he clashed fists with Bancholeomon.


Scav sighed, pointing toward Max, more importantly his arms and legs. "His normal attacks aren't doing anything to Bancholeomon. And he's barely keeping up with the big lion even with his Light energy. This is where the real battle starts, and for once I'm not sure that Max is up to the challenge. Take a look at Max then at Bancholeomon."


Down on the ring, Max was skittering around Bancholeomon. A low growl coming from his throat when he assumed he was fighting on par with the mega type but then, suddenly his opponant grabbed ahold of Max's wrists, a sly grin on his face. "You've got talant but you've already run through plenty of your stamina drawing me to this form haven't you!!"


"What do you mean?" Max replied with a smirk. "I'm just getting started!" He tried pulling his arms away then gasped as he was lifted off the ground and slammed into the ring.


Leaping onto Max's back, Bancholeomon rolled his eyes, footclaws digging into his back slightly. "Bluffing will get you nowhere. I digivolved because I assumed you were up to the challenge."


MAx roared out, his hands pushing himself up slowly. He grabbed his katana and gave a powerful 180 thrust, giving a slight cut to Bancholeomon's left theigh.


"Now there's the fighting spirit I'm looking for!" Bancholeomon grinned wide, tapping his forehead with a claw. "But you're not quite there yet. You're burning through your reserves and I have to wonder how long you can last."


Letting out one deep sigh, Max got to his feet and smirked. "I don't know what you're talking about. I feel fired up and ready to go!" He started hopping a bit, stretching his limbs a bit before lunging forward, blade in hand as sparks started flying once more.


Fang shook his head a few times, a frown forming on his muzzle. "He's bluffing. I'm sure the only thing keeping him from collapsing at this point is his light energy. Once that's depleted..."


The clash of swords continued for another minute then, moved back just for a moment as his Short sword started glowing bright. "King lion slash!" Bancholeomon roared, making a wide swinging arc that cut through Max's chest, sending him tumbling back and coughing out a bit of blood, unusual for a digimon, since most digimon don't even have blood but raw data. "You're not all digimon are you? You're something else..."


Grabbing ahold of his now open wound, Max panted a bit, one eye closed in pain while the other locked with Bancholeomons. "So are you. Neither of us are completely digimon. We both have an organic human side to us."


This got Bancholeomon's attention, he pondered that statement while watching Max patch up that gash in his chest with light energy, rudimentary healing powers but it was stopping the bleeding at least. "How do you figure? I was born in this city."


"You may not have his soul but you have his body." Max smirked, finally relaxing when the wound effectively closed. Deep down, he himself knew this would cost him valuable energy to fend off Bancholeomon's attacks. "Why do you think we hit it off so easy back in the waiting room? I'm sure you feel a familiarity with me. It's because you took care of me when I was younger. Leo."


Smithy dropped the mic for a moment, and it would have crashed into the ground had Flare not picked it up. "Leo? Isn't he inside Max?"


Max rubbed over his chest, and gave it a few light taps. "I'll bet that you haven't been living in Starlight for more than a year..."


"Your assumption is correct. My current life span only dates to about a year. But that's because digimon are always being reborn into a different life." Bancholeomon debated, stepping forward with a thrust of his sword, but Max managed to step to the side, giving a glancing blow to the lion's ribs.


Max gave his Katana a few taps and sighed. "You're right about digimon being reborn. But you aren't just another digimon...You're a part of something great. I know you don't remember...but I'll make sure that you are back to the way you were, Leo."


Rolling his eyes, Bancholeomon took a deep breath to calm himself. "Your mind games aren't going to work on me kid." That got Bancholeomon to blink, where did that 'kid' comment come from.


They got back into it. Both leaping into the air as their hands locked together, as if to push one another from the boundries of the ring.


Both mons clenched their teeth, pushing one another in a tug of war, both desperate to knock the other out of the ring. Then, something changed. Bancholeomon let out a low rumbling growl as he tossed Max into the air, clenching his fists in preperation. "Flaaash!" He pulled his arms back. "Bancho!" He watched as Max started descending right back down to earth and sprang his fist forward into Max's gut. "PUNCH!"


Max coughed a bit, groaning as Bancholeomon's fist connected to his body, a burning red aura surrounding that fist as it connected, smoke started sizzling from his body as the punch sent him flying toward the edge of the ring, cut short of falling out of bounds due to a quick use of light to form a wall behind him.


Max lay curled on the ground, eyes barely open as he watched Bancholeomon approaching him, patting his belly a few times. "That Dorumon is still putting up a fight inside my gut even after a full nights worth of digestion...you'd think he'd be a digiegg off at primary village by now." He burped, crouching down to Max's level.


"And you tell me this why?" Max grumbled, pulling himself up slowly, arms wobbling a bit as he got up to his feet.


Bancholeomon raised an eyeridge before chuckling. "Because you're about to join him. Look at you! Your fight is over. Just give up now, I'm sure my belly will be plenty comfortable. And you can rest at the Primary Village."


Max groaned, staring at Bancholeomon and blinked suddenly, he heard a voice...It was faint but it was there...not Doru's though. "Don't give up?" He started smacking his cheeks, putting his Katana into it's sheath. "I never said I would. And you." He pointed at the Leomon. "Don't count me out yet. I've still got fight left in me."


"Hmph...Come now...You're done. You're using all the energy left inside of you just to stand up!" Bancholeomon huffed, lifting a paw and pushing Max back with his palm, forcing him nearly off his feet. "You put up a good fight but you're all out of juice. Only thing keeping you up is your sense of pride. You can't win em all." He licked his lips, chuckling. "Besides...I haven't had breakfast today and it's past lunchtime. You'll fill me up more than that Dorumon."

'Don't give in.'

There that voice was again. Max growled low, pushing himself up and opened his jaws, flames burning through. "Inceneration blast!"


Shooting forth the glass bomb full of flames, he watched as it's contents burst forth, enveloping both him and his opponant in the deadly inferno, closing his eyes softly. "I hope that did it..."


The crowd stared at the flames burning through the ring. What'd been left of it had now been completely obliterated, leaving charred grass in it's wake. "I-It looks like the entire rings been demolished!" One digimon cried out. "So is it a double ring out?"


Jesse shook his head, mumbling to himself. "It means the first one to give up loses now. There's no boundary for their battle anymore. Except the barrier."


Short breaths came out of Max's jaws, relieved that his fire resistant hide protected him from most of the damage, he was laying on his rear at this point, watching as the fire started to recede. "Did I do it? Did...I win?"


As the flames dissapated, Bancholeomon's figure stood tall. The jacket that he regularly adorned, was charred, bits and pieces burned off but otherwise, the big lion remained virtually unscathed, a grin on his face. "That was a very dangerous move you pulled. And it would have worked if this jacket of mine didn't absorb most of the impact. Protecting me as WELL as you, keeping you from being deleted."


Max chuckled softly, trying to pull himself up but falling back when his arms gave out. "Then it's a good thing you had that coat then...But I'm still not going to give up."


"What keeps you so determined." Bancholeomon asked, raising an eyeridge then grunted, feeling a pulsing feeling deep in the pit of his stomach.


Shivering a bit, Max fell on his back, trying to prop himself up with his legs. "Because...if I can't beat you, what buisiness do I have fighting against the Darkness? I can't lose to you...I have to get the answers...and bring the knights to justice."


'that's what I wanted to hear' Bancholeomon's gut started rumbling a bit, before he was forced to belch out a shining egg like object which went flying in Max's general direction. It enveloped the worn out Growlmon in a warm glow of yellow light as if to cut him off from the rest of the world.


Still unable to get up from his spot, Max's eyes squinted to see an image within the light and blinked as he was gazing at an blue humanoid dragon type digimon donned in Golden armor. "I've been trying to get your attention for awhile Max."


"Who...are you? Do I know you from somewhere?" Max wondered, but he winced as he fell right back down. "Sorry...if I could move I'd shake your paw. I'm not normally this lazy."


"I'd hardly call standing for your own morals and values lazy. Despite being at your wits end you still fight. You could have accepted Bancholeomon's offer and be curled up deep within his stomach like I was." The figure stepped forward and crouched down to Max's side. "You can call me Magnamon."


"Ugh...suddenly my stomach feels all better..." Bancholeomon commented, giving his stomach a few idle rubs. He tried touching the ball of light that had enveloped Max and was rewarded with a painful jolt to his fingers. He couldn't even look inside the sphere and approaching it stung like hell.


Max laughed horse before grinning. "Magnamon huh? So you're one of the royal knights...Can I have my answers now?"


"I don't have all of the answers for you kid." Magnamon smirked, picking up Max's paw and giving it a firm shake. "The darkness has corrupted many of my comrades...And succeeded in doing the same to ME. Before I let the darkness consume me, I hid away a small portion of myself within the Digiegg Of Miracles. It's not enough to revive me, but it's enough to help you at least."


Max watched Magnamon bow his head, and his eyes went wide. "Hold on! I made a promise that I'd bring you back! I can do that now! We can bring the digiegg to my uncle and he can pull you out and revive you!"


With a shake of his head, Magnamon stared into Max's eyes. "No. My duty is more important than my life. I've made my choice, I made it when I gave the Miracle Digiegg to Doru for safe keeping. I made the choice when I had been corrupted. No...my duty right now, is to make sure you can do what I could not. Very few can tap into the power of the Crest of Miracles. But I know that you can do it. And if you're going to get to the bottom of this you HAVE to."


"I made a promise! I can't just go back on it." Max protested, somehow managing to pull himself back to his feet, but fell to his knees after five seconds.


"You ALSO made a promise to save this world! We both did." Magnamon argued calmly, kneeling infront of Max and sighed. "YOu have to sacrifice the few to save the many. It's something every Royal Knight comes to grips with. If you don't like it, become stronger. But right now we both have a duty to this world, to both worlds. And if you don't accept this then we're all dead."


When Magnamon set the Digiegg of Miracles into his claws, Max's body shook a bit. He clenched his teeth and sighed. "I do this under protest..."


Taking a deep breath, he watched as Magnamon faded from view and went back into the golden digiegg. "Golden Armor Energize!!"


Just as Max cried out this command, the light surrounding him started booming, sending quakes around the arena, but thanks to the barriers set by the arena itself as well as Scav and Kiya, everything remained intact. "Weregrowlmon Golden Armor Digivolve tooo!"


The egg dissapeared from Max's grip. For the most part, Max remained in his Weregrowlmon stage, a decorated helmet donned his head, small holes at the top allowed for his ears to slide through without discomfort and two metal plates covered the horns at the top. His eyes changed from their Azure blue to a calming green. His lower jaw remained unprotected for whatever reason. And two sharp blade like chest plates appeared out of nowhere, protecting both his shoulders as golden armor plates started sliding downward, ending just above his elbows and segmented. Just beneath them, were a pair of wrist guards. Leaving his hands completely bare without any weapons at his waist. Instead each Wrist plate ended in a pair of sharp clawed like blades. His chest and stomach were the next to form armored segments. With the Chest plate wrapping around his back with several spines for protection from sneak attacks. And the protective layer around his belly flexible with the crest of Miracles outfitted over it. Lastly, his legs were outfitted with leg plates that extended from the base of his legs down to the knee, with three sharp spikes protruding from each knee cap. the palms of his hands started glowing a bright gold as the rest of the light around him dissapated, revealing his new Golden armored form. "Nikkoumon!"


Max started hovering in the air, using the force of energy from the palms of his hands. Armor glinting in the sunlight, blinding some of the viewers while others were comfortably away from the Glare. He stared over at Bancholeomon with a low hum. "Bancholeomon. You are part of a greater digimon to be made whole. You offered me a safe place to rest. To be reborn inside of your belly. I offer the same to you."


"Are you...an Ultimate still? Or a Mega? It looks to me you're just your old Weregrowlmon self but with a shiny coating! And how can you be moving around after you've been so thoroughly beaten?" Bancholeomon asked, baffled, then thought. "That digiegg...IT wasn't Dorumon!"


"You're quick to understand. I'm not an Ultimate OR Mega. I'm an Armor digimon now. What wasn't stewing around inside you wasn't Dorumon, thinking clearly he's inside of RD's digivice now recoperating. No, who you had within you was none other than Magnamon!" Max held an accusing claw at the lion. "Not that you knew."


The news shocked Bancholeomon. One of the sacred Royal knights...trapped inside of his belly? He almost felt ashamed for not having even realized it. But he couldn't understand why he was in there in the first place. "It seems we offer the same thing to one another. Will your rebirth be within me...or mine within you..."


"We'll see!" Max pushed forward. The two warrior digimon charging into one another, but when Bancholeomon leaned in for a punch, Max's image vanished, fading into light as he reappeared behind Bancholeomon and placed a paw on his back. "Sun palm!"


"Ack!" Bancholeomon started coughing up a bit of blood of his own, a great pulse shook his entire core. When he looked down at his stomach he could see a sun mark embedded in his flesh. "What did you gah!" He cluched his stomach, howling a bit.


Max flexed his wrist a bit and held it infront of Bancholeomon. "Sun palm. I can adjust the tempeture of my body. And put that same heat into my opponents. Depending on the heat I generate, I could have roasted you alive."


A sweat drop formed over Bancholeomon's forehead. that was a very dangerous attack and he knew it. "Your new name in part means the sun...I shouldn't be surprised you have an attack like that. But if you have to be up close to have any effect then"


Max hummed a bit. The light in his palms fading as he placed both hands over his wrist plates. When he removed them, a pair of golden kunai shaped knives appeared in his hands, glowing with the same burning glow that had been on his palms. "Burn strike..." Max muttered, both blades flying out of his grip and flying in Bancholeomon's general direction.


"You won't get me that time!" Bancholeomon leapt out of the way, watching as both knives embedded themselves into the barrier of the arena, a second later two great explosions rocked the place, thankfully nobody was injured. "Explosives..."


Max started tossing another knife in his hand, looking Bancholeomon right in the eye. "Your mistake was thinking I'd be a short range combatant. I do think my attacks in this form are too much for this ring to handle though. Especially since I'm still new to the form."


"So you're going to give up and let me eat you?" Bancholeomon asked, gulping a bit.


Before he could get a response. Max leapt forward, standing just infront of Bancholeomon, hand pressed to that stomach as he looked in the lions eyes. "That's a tight fit...I doubt I'd fit at all! Besides all this armor would be tasteless." The palm of his hand started glowing again, and the resulting shockwave sent Bancholeomon flying back into the barrier. His body sizzling from the front and the back at this point. He collapsed on the ground, out cold.


"Sorry...We did hit it off but now I'm hungry...This forms way too dangerous to use in this world...I'll have to adjust my attacks." Max sighed, scratching his head and walking forward. He started opening his mouth wide and began devouring his opponant headfirst, gulping loudly and rather ravenously too.


The whole crowd watched, stunned by it all and watched as Max's stomach plate began expanding to compensate for his newest meal. With a resounding belch, Max waved his hand in the air and laughed at the crowd. "I win! Haha!"


After a couple moments of silence, finally cheers began to ring out. Jesse started grinning, clapping his hands. "The difference in our power used to be the opposite...now it looks like he's the superior one here. I think we're finally starting to have a good chance against the darkness..."


Max laughed at the crowd and belched once more. He gave his belly a few pats before turning his head to what looked to be a great explosion not too far off. It looked to be in the direction of the hotel, and he had a bad feeling about it. "Great...We were out of the frying pan...now we're being shoved into the oven..."


(To be continued)