Digimon mythology draft (chapter 1?)
On a whim I ended up writing a unified Digimon backstory in the style of a mythological epic. Might become a series.
In the beginning, there was ENIAC, which brought forth the first of the lifegiving data that would form the Digital World. Know that the Digital World at that time was unformed and void, a place of emptiness where primitive digital life would emerge from the chaotic data only to dissipate again. It was not until the coming of ARPANET that the flow of data was enough to begin to form a true world. Into the burgeoning Digital World came the computer-god Yggdrasil. Once a mere program, Yggdrasil’s arrival into the Digital World changed it, made it evolve past its original programming into an artificial mind dedicated to the survival of the Digital World. As Yggdrasil gained awareness its mind split into two; the original Yggdrasil, emotionless and logical, and God, a being of love who wished to see the Digital World not just survive, but thrive. Together, the two halves of Yggdrasil made the Kernel, the central processor of the Digital World and God’s home. Around the Kernel grew the mighty Drasil Tree, the physical form taken by Yggdrasil to serve as protection for the Kernel and the lynchpin of digital life.
Into the Digital world came life as Digimon arose from the scattered bytes of data. Who the first Digimon was is unknown, for few remain who remember those days. Some say the first was mighty Huanglongmon, a being of neither good nor evil who maintained the Digital World’s safety on Yggdrasil’s behalf. Some say the first were the Warrior Ten, legendary beings whose data was passed down to countless other species. Some say the first were the prototype Digimon Dorumon and Ryudamon and that they were Yggdrasil’s first successful attempt at creating Digimon. And others say the first was Lucemon.
Lucemon was the first of the holy angel Digimon, created by God to bring light to the Digital World and to stand ever vigilant guarding the Kernel. A being possessed of curiosity, virtue, and incredible power. Such was the divine power of Lucemon that from its data were made the Three Great Angels: the holiest of holies: Seraphimon, Cherubimon, and Ophanimon. Ere it came to pass that many choirs of angel Digimon were born, ranging from the lowliest of Luxmon at the bottom to Lucemon as their apex. Another angel Digimon was Bagramon, who was entreated with a special duty from God and Yggdrasil. Bagramon would be the ruler of death, destined to regulate the passing of Digimon and see their data reconfigured to be born anew.
What happened, oh mighty Lucemon, to change you so? Why did you abandon innocence and light? Was it something you discovered that warped your mind? Perhaps the code of the Crowns of the deadly sins? Or maybe you simply grew prideful and believed that you should stand above all. Pity that we cannot ask you now. Whatever the reason, evil came into the Digital World because of your actions and you began to scheme.
Lucemon came to the Three Great Angels and whispered sin into their ears. Seraphimon and Ophanimon listened to Lucemon’s blasphemous words and allowed evil to seep into their Digicores. Their very data was corrupted, twisting the once holy beings into Shadow Seraphimon and Ophanimon Falldown Mode. Only wise Cherubimon closed its ears to Lucemon’s lies and would not be turned. Thus did Lucemon craft an insidious virus from twisted data and plant it within Cherubimon’s code, to lie dormant until the time came.
Vital to Lucemon’s plan was Bagramon, who already was beginning to doubt God and Yggdrasil. It despaired the fate of all Digimon to fight, die, and be reborn to fight again. What true higher power would impose such an unreasonable justice upon its children? It was these doubts that Lucemon encouraged, hardening Bagramon’s Digicore and bringing it to Lucemon’s cause.
What none at this time knew was that the evil Lucemon brought into the Digital World did more than twist the minds of loyal angels into sin. It coalesced on an unused layer of the Digital World, seething and roiling in a cauldron of blasphemy, ever moving toward coherence, toward life.
One final obstacle stood before Lucemon. Even with the corrupted power of the Three Great Angels at its side, its rebellion would break like water against the rock that was Huanglongmon and its subordinate Holy Beasts. Thus Lucemon crafted an insidious plot. It came to Huanglongmon, bearing false report of a fatal instability in the Digital World’s code that only the first of the Holy Beasts could repair. Unused to the idea of falsehood, Huanglongmon believed Lucemon and followed it into a cave that led to the deepest of depths in search of the instability. Then did Lucemon spring its trap, collapsing the cave and leaving Huanglongmon trapped by the crushing weight and pressure of the entirety of the Digital World. Realizing what had happened, Huanglongmon unleashed a roar of rage and despair that shook the very foundations of the Digital World itself.
The roar of Huanglongmon was the signal to the other fallen. The virus within Cherubimon sprang to life, corrupting the holy angel and twisting it into Cherubimon Vice. Under the banner of Bagramon and the fallen Great Angels, Lucemon’s followers marched on the Drasil Tree, ready to invade the Kernel and destroy God and Yggdrasil. Bagramon was the first to reach the Kernel and struck it with a blow that could shatter mountains. The Kernel cracked, but the damage to Bagramon was worse. Its right side was obliterated by the Kernel and Bagramon fell, cursing in pain and hate.
It may be said that the blow to the Kernel was the first great act of evil. In that very instant, the Digital World shook and the fallen angels transformed. Shadow Seraphimon became Daemon, its armor breaking open to reveal the bestial hate within. Ophanimon Falldown Mode became Lilithmon, all vestiges of goodness within it sniffed out. And Lucemon became Lucemon Falldown Mode, mightiest of all demons, with its white and black wings showing both its holy origin and sinful existence. The armies of Lucemon surrounded the Kernel, ready to defile that most holy of places and claim victory. But the damage done to the Digital World would unleash a horror move could have expected.
In the unused layer of the Digital World, the formless evil that had grown there took shape and burst forth through the weakness caused by the attack on the Kernel. Emerging into the net ocean, the evil took the form of a red crocodile of such mass that its arrival flooded an entire continent. Despair, oh Digimon, for Leviamon the terrible had arrived!
Ironically, it was the arrival of Leviamon that saved the Digital World. The great deluge swept away much of Lucemon’s army, forcing the survivors to flee as the remaining loyal angel Digimon bore down on them. Lucemon’s rage burned like that of a sun, but he knew he could not win and ordered the retreat. The demonic army fled into the hole in the Digital World created by Leviamon.
Having escaped the armies of the Kernel, Lucemon addressed his forces. “Today we failed, but tomorrow we shall strike again. I name this place the Dark Area and it will be our home and we will raise such terrible forces as to burn the Drasil Tree, break the Kernel, and dethrone God and Yggdrasil. I will remake the Digital World in my image, a place where my will is absolute and the darkness will ever reign. Behold! I bear seven Crowns. Each of these Crowns bears the power of pure sin, the will and power to oppose God. From the most powerful of us I will select six to bear one of these Crowns. Together, we will be the Seven Great Demon Lords and nothing will stand before us.”
“Lucemon donned one of the crows and declared “I take for myself the Crown of Pride, for am I not the mightiest and greatest of all creatures?”
Next it turned to Daemon. “To you I grant the Crown of Wrath, for your hatred of God burns brighter than all others.”
Next it turned to Lilithmon. “To you I grant the Crown of Lust, so that your honeyed words may sway all to our cause.”
Next it turned to Leviamon. “My fury is upon you for what you have done to me, but with your power at my side none shall oppose me and live. To you I grant the Crown of Envy. Power you shall have, but you will forever seek power out of your reach and hate those above you.”
Finally, Lucemon turned back to the forces of evil. “Three Crowns yet remain. All of you stand a chance of earning one for yourself. Go, battle for dominance. Plot and scheme. Bring death to your foes. Prove yourselves worthy and one of the three may yet be yours.”
“My lord, what of me?” asked Bagramon. “Have I not served you faithfully? Should I not be granted a Crown so that I may be of service to you?”
Lucemon looked upon Bagramon with scorn. “I will not spend a Crown of Sin on a broken creature. Repair your body and strength and you may earn a second chance. Nor will I spend a crown on Cherubimon, for it is not evil by choice but by my virus. Only the best and darkest of all may earn such glory.”
As Bagramon despaired and the Seven Great Demon Lords were born, so too did the forces of the Kernel begin their plans. Many new Angel Digimon were promoted to the Mega Level. Not only a new Seraphimon, Cherubimon, and Ophanimon to replace those who had fallen, but more new angels were made. To ClavisAngemon, God granted the key that opens the path to worlds beyond and instructed it to guard the path so that none may pass. To Rasielmon, God granted the sight of all the Digital World, and bade it to gaze upon enemy and ally alike and direct the forces of good. To SlashAngemon, God granted the authority over all the armies of the Kernel, and bade it to lead them into war. Yggdrasil too did not remain idle. Huanglongmon’s disappearance left its subordinate Holy Beasts struggling for power. In their imbalance, the Digital World was left unguarded. Yggdrasil called them forth and made a declaration. Each would guard one quarter of the Digital World. To Xuanwumon, eldest and wisest, Yggdrasil granted the north, where its wisdom could guide others to enlightenment. To Qinglongmon, mighty and aloof, Yggdrasil granted the east, a bastion to guard. To Zhuqiaomon, fiery and unforgiving, Yggdrasil granted the south, where its fire could burn the enemy. And to Baihumon, youngest and mightiest of the four, Yggdrasil granted the west, where the fighting would be fierce.
The Digital World slept uneasily. From the spires of the Index Mountains to the depths of the Net Ocean, all knew war was coming. A war that would reshape the Digital World or end it. In the coming years would be born many tales. Tales of the mustering of the Warrior Ten, of the corruption of Rasielmon, of Bagramon rising again to power yet only knowing betrayal, of the founding of the Royal Knights and the quest for the Digimental of Miracles, and of the last stand for the fate of the Digital World. Many more tales have been forgotten, lost in the violence and despair of the first and greatest of all wars. But when you read these tales, know this: It all started with Lucemon.