Digimon Inheritance: A Heroic Lion's Turbulent Times (Finished)

Winning Vote:

[] Yes

===

The sense of elation in your chest gradually leaks away leaving you with only the deep pain left by your former opponent. Gnaw's presence by your side manages to help keep back the fear you'd normally be feeling currently, and the Blackgabumon stays there stroking your fur until Gramps and Flamemon arrive. Your best friend is the first to arrive, rushing over with all speed once the Goblimon have been fully secured. He seems horrified by your injury, and quickly kneels down to try and talk with you.

"Verge! What happened?!"

You open your mouth to reply, only to close it again as Gnaw lets out a growl.

"He got hurt Hero" Gnaw scoffs before spitting at the ground at Flamemons feet. "Wouldn't have happened if you'd been there to help" The Blackgabumon steps away from you and shoots another glare towards the younger digimon. "You were too busy chasing justice to even notice"

"I-the villains...Verge" Tears well up in Flamemons eyes as he looks at your wound, he tries to say something else but all that comes out of his throat is a strangled gargle. He slumps down, tears his gaze away from you and then sprints off.

"Flamemon W-wait!"

"Heh, serves him right"

You raise a paw to try and get the rookies attention, but it's too late. He vanishes from sight a few moments later, heading vaguely in the direction towards where you know the village to be. Gramps hops down in front of you you a moment later, distracting you from Flamemon flight.

"Hold still" The scarred Elecmon commands, his front paws moving to firmly grip either side of your injury. Despite his command you flinch, but with surprising strength the small rookie holds you in place. He examines the wound for several seconds before giving a sigh of relief and letting go. "Hrm, not a serious injury. Nothing Sorcerymon can't heal even if the greedy bastard's going to charge me for it. You'll survive" The red digimon frowns at you, then glances back towards the direction Flamemon had ran off. "He'll be fine." Gramps reassures you before shooting a sideways glare towards the grinning Blackgabumon at your side. Gnaw shrugs, but it would be impossible not to notice the smirk on his face.

"G-gramps. I-I almost"

"You didn't" The Elecmon smiles up at you. "You pulled back, it takes a stern core to do that" Gramps gives a nod of approval. "I'm proud of you"

Pr-proud of me?

A smile finds its way to your mouth, though only for a brief moment, then you remember how Flamemon ran off and the feeling warps into a sad dread.

Gramps gives you a single pat on the head, then reaches over to grab your bag by it's strap.

"I'll be borrowing this"

"Ah-alright." You reply, lowering your head to let him grab the grey bag from your neck.

Over the next few minutes the villages caretaker proceeds to rob the two dozen Goblimon be they unconscious, cowering or too wounded to move. Then one by one he gets close, wakes them up then

While he's doing this, Gnaw drags you towards the large bin in which the Goblimon had been dumping their sacks, then after making sure you're comfortably leaned up against the side leaps up and over the edge.

"The heck?!" Gnaws muffled shout comes out a few moments later. "Stupid things almost empty!"

That particular fact is more than a little confusing considering the constant stream of bags that the Goblimon has been throwing into it. If they'd spent the last few days doing that, then the container should have been right full. You examine dirt by the bottom of the container and find a number of recent scuff marks.

S-someone moved this here. Recently too.... B-but who?

Just judging by the size alone and the weight of the cargo you doubt any number of Goblimon could have moved it once filled. Which meant that something else had taken the previous container. That realization sends a shiver rolling down your spine.

Gramps joins Gnaw inside the container a few moments later and by the sound of it, is grabbing sacks and putting them in your bag. A quick word on his part has Gnaw helping as well, and soon after the pair leap back over, setting down beside you. The next few moments see Gramps gathering Fu and Gnaw before leading everyone down to inspect the mineshaft the Goblimon had been working on.

Auger is strangely tense as the party examines the tunnel, at times angrily glaring at the pockets of empty rock where minuscule amounts of crystal are littered on the uneven ground. When he starts muttering darkly, you decide to take a few steps to the side and keep your distance from the angry Armadillomon. It soon becomes clear that the Goblimon had managed to clear out a great deal of wealth from the area, though judging by the bits of green uncovered here and there you'd say that there's still plenty left to be taken.

Without Flamemon there to provide light the rest of the group finds it little harder to navigate the tunnel, as the only light source prove to be a few torches that the Goblimon had set up. Though it's not much of a problem for you.

Near the very end of the tunnel, you find something frightening. A large, three fingered, metal arm that's been partially excavated from the rock. Once you've worked up the nerve to go near the inanimate object, it quickly proves to be made out of a similar material to that leg you'd found earlier with Auger.

Gramps doesn't know what it is either, but after he manages to melt off one of the fingers with an attack, he says that it must belong to a champion level digimon of some sort, though he no idea what exact species said digimon could be. Fu asks him why they'd be here buried in solid rock, but Gramps doesn't have an answer.

Shortly thereafter your group exits the tunnel and begins head back to the village. Gnaw for one reason or another decides to spend this time walking beside you at the back of the group. He's silent for the better part of an hour, but when you're in the final stretch of journey back he begins to quietly speak.

"Verge. Can we talk?"

"Umm, sure Gnaw. Ah-what do you w-want to talk about."

"I wanted to... Well I'm sorry about Flamemon. I used you to hurt him." Gnaws somber tone shifts to more of a growl. "I need to be stronger, strong enough to protect the village. But that stupid, hero keeps trying to stop me." Gnaw spits at the ground in anger, "The stupid Goblimon might find us, and he's too soft for what has to happen."

You don't know how to reply to that. A part of you wants to tell Gnaw that he's wrong, that Flamemon and his heroics would save the day but.... a larger part of you is scared of what Gnaw might do if you tell him that. Thankfully he takes your silence in stride and keeps speaking.

"Gramps mentioned a town west of here, under the protection of some stupid thing he called The Blessed Host. Didn't seem to like them very much, but I think they might know something about what's happening." The reptile digimon raises a first and clenches it. "Once I get strong enough, I'm going to find out where the Goblimon came from, and I'm going to tear it apart"

"Oh-ah. Alright"

"Mwahahaha" Gnaw laughs, his mood seeming to have improved somewhat, "Thanks Verge. It feels good to just.... talk sometimes"

When you get to the village a few minutes later, Gramps rushes over to the storehouse with your bag. A minute or so later he returns the grey satchel to you, along with something he calls "A bonus for good work" (+1050 bits)

Then he calls Sorcerymon over to heal you and then Gramps gets down to the evening Training. Flamemon joins in but, he does his best to stay as far away from you as possible.

=== Choose One:

[] Strength Focus
[] Fortitude Focus
[] Endurance Focus
[] Agility Focus

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Authors Note: A good portion of this update was written on mobile for reasons, sorry if it's not the best quality, and well for it being so late.