The Dark Masters

The Dark Masters are four  Mega  level  Digimon  created by  Apocalymon  -  MetalSeadramon ,  Puppetmon ,  Machinedramon  and their leader,  Piedmon  - many years ago. When a  Koromon  and  Parrotmon  were transported to Earth by a dimensional rift, the mysterious group charged with protecting the  DigiWorld  (of which  Gennai  was a part) observed the situation that ensued, and decided upon the eight children who viewed the battle to be the new  DigiDestined. They began to create  Digivices ,  Tags  and  Crests  for them, so they could save the DigiWorld from evil in the future, but the Dark Masters got wind of their plan. In a brutal attack, Piedmon killed all of the group and stole the Crests. Four Earth years later, the Crests were spread out across the DigiWorld - it is not clear how this came to be. Prior to the coming of the DigiDestined, the Dark Masters battled and defeated the  Harmonious Ones, the four guardians o the DigiWorld, sealing them away. The DigiDestined soon arrived, and battled and defeated  Devimon  and  Etemon. In the many years that passed in the DigiWorld during the few days that the kids returned to Earth to stop  Myotismon 's plans for conquest, the Dark Masters emerged again took control of the entire DigiWorld, reforming its digital matter into the massive  Spiral Mountain. The kids returned to the DigiWorld to battle the Dark Masters, but in their first fight with them, they were severely outmatched. They were only saved by  Piximon. The kids then began to climb Spiral Mountain, battling each of the Dark Masters in turn, with help from their old Digimon friends. The Dark Masters were each defeated in turn, and the kids then had to fight Apocalymon himself. The Dark Masters first appeared, obviously enough, in "Enter The Dark Masters."