A/N: Um… There's been no reviews for the previous chapter, so… I'm having a crisis of faith here. I have a lot of stuff planned up, so this'll be a long story, but I don't see any point in finishing this if there's no one reading this, so… Are there any readers out there? Please, tell me if this story is worth continuing! Is there anyone wanting to read this until the end?
Well, anyway, here comes chapter seven.
CHAPTER 7: All about the family Hiwatari
Ray didn't remember ever running as fast as he was running down the stairs of the hospital, until he finally emerged. All the while he was dialing numbers, at least for tenth time trying to reach Mr. Dickinson. Again, it was the answering-machine he was talking to.
" Where are you? We have and emergency here!" he growled, then hang up. "Damnit! Where the heck is he!".
" We don't have time to wait for him", Alissa announced.
Ray frowned, running after the girl in the hospital's parking-lot. " How are we going to get there on time without transportation?".
Alissa grinned. " Because we already have a transportation". She pointed at her scooter, then put on her helmet. As soon as she reached her bike, she pulled out a blue spare-helmet, throwing it to Ray who caught a nice catch. " Put it on. We don't have all day", she ordered while sitting and starting the bike.
Ray did as he'd been told, then jumped behind the girl and (blushing madly in the covers of his helmet) wrapped his hands around her waist. Not wasting a second, the bike speeded off and away.
Meanwhile the match between the Hiwatari-siblings had started. The others couldn't help but gasp as they watched the opponents attack each other viciously, like they'd never seen bladers attack before. It was impossible to believe that the two were related.
" DRANZER!" Kai called his bit-beast, eyes burning.
" GALEIDON!" Nadja summoned hers, eyes dark with concentration. She gave her brother a quick look and grinned coldly. You're going down, brother.
" Oh man…", Tyson (who was sitting as far away from Dara as possible) sighed worriedly. " Not another mysterious bit-beast…".
" I've seen Galeidon fight", Dara suddenly spoke, for a first time since her secret was revealed. " I was his opponent".
" How did it turn out?" Max asked quietly. At the moment his worry for Kai was greater than the distrust towards Dara.
Dara showed five huge, deep scars on her arm. " He gave me these. My blade was completely trashed, and Zeba almost destroyed".
The others gasped. What kind of a bit-beast could do damage like that!
" Oh man…", Kenny whispered as the beast finally emerged.
Galeidon was… magnificent. It was a bear, possibly the largest bit-beast they'd ever seen. It had a thick, silvery-colored fur, and a biggest set of claws and teeth ever witnessed. And when it roared, the sound nearly exploded their ears.
" This is seriously not good", Tyson predicted darkly.
The others nodded in agreement.
Kai didn't have time to listen to his friends or admire his sister's bit-beast, for the bear was already storming his way.
" Galeidon, PAW-CRUSH!" Nadja commanded.
" Dranzer, SPIRAL SURVIVOR!" Kai called out.
With roars that made the bladers' ears ring painfully, the beasts collided. The energy-field the encounter caused threw both fighters onto the floor.
Kai's lungs emptied as he hit the floor roughly, and he coughed, desperately trying to catch his breath. He had to admit that Nadja had grown impressively strong under Voltaire's training. Worry soon replaced wonder and admiration as he remembered Dranzer, and he shot his gaze first to his blade (which, to his great relief, was still spinning strongly), then Dranzer (who was fighting valiantly against Galeidon's crushing power).
He got back to his feet, gritting his teeth. " Dranzer, FIRE ARROW!" he roared over the beasts' deafening sounds.
" Galeidon, FIGHT HIM! AUREOLE BLAZE!" Nadja hollered, clutching her hands into tight fists.
As the beasts collided again, Kai locked his attention to his sister, who was also up. " Nadja, listen to me! Like I told you before, Tala isn't dead! All the pain you've been through, it's grandfather's fault, not mine!".
Nadja glared daggers at him. " I am not listening to you unless you win".
" Grandfather was the one who had mom and dad killed!". He hated hurting his sister this way, but he had no other choice. " And he was also responsible for Ivan's death!".
/ Two boys, both at the age of eleven, ran through the dark hallways of the Abbey, panting and exhausted for the long run. The boy ahead graphed tightly on the other's hand, pulling his worn out companion with him.
" Come on, Ivan! We have to run, before he finds us!" Kai hissed in Russian in a quiet yet ordering tone.
Ivan brushed some of his frost-blue bangs off his face and nodded, visibly gritting his teeth to find the strength to carry on. His eyes, other chocolate-brown, other bright-green, showed a terrible amount of fear and fatigue.
Neither knew for how long they'd been running as they reached a small, secret tunnel, covered with some sort of a metallic-net. Pushing the last of their strength into extreme, they managed to force the net open just enough for one of them to lurk in.
" You first", Ivan demanded, eyes telling that there was no arguing about it.
Kai nodded and reluctantly, unwilling to leave a friend behind, crawled in. As he was almost there, they both heard the approaching set of steps. Exchanging a terrified glance, they both figured that the men would be there in a matter of seconds.
" Hurry!" Ivan hissed.
And just as Kai slipped in, the men were there. Through the net, Kai looked on with terrified eyes as Boris, who was leading the group, stepped before Ivan and slapped the boy so hard that Ivan almost fell.
" Where's Kai?" Boris demanded. " Tell us, and you'll suffer less".
" I'm never telling you", Ivan snarled.
Giving a loud growl, Boris hit the boy once more, this time even harder, making Ivan fall down onto the hard floor. As soon as Ivan was down, Boris took out his gun and aimed it at the boy's head. In his hiding-place, Kai's teary eyes widened as he helplessly realized what was about to happen.
" These are the Abbey rules, Ivan", Boris announced as Ivan turned his head and glared at the man, eyes burning with hatred. " Traitor's punishment is death". With that, Boris fired the gun, and Ivan fell to the floor, limp as a puppet who'd had its strings cut.
After looking at the dead boy in disgust for a moment and growling at the blood staining his shoes, Boris turned towards the men behind him. " Find that brat. Voltaire needs him". He looked at Ivan again, wrinkling his nose. " And clean up this mess".
" Yes, sir", one of the men said. /
Nadja had tears of pain and anger in her eyes. " I won't believe you!".
" Voltaire ordered Boris to execute Ivan for helping me escape", Kai continued, ignoring Nadja's protest. " It doesn't matter whether as you believe me or not. Nothing can change the truth".
Tears escaped Nadja's eyes, he could see that the girl was shivering uncontrollably. For a while the girl seemed like she was about to crush under the weight of what she'd just heard, but in a matter of seconds she'd collected herself fully. " Galeidon, CRUSH HIM!" she ordered trough clenched teeth.
" Dranzer, ATTACK!" Kai yelled his own command, and watched as the blades (and beasts) stormed towards each other. Tough he was more exhausted than he ever remembered being after a bey-battle, he refused to give up. This time, he couldn't lose, not with his sister's soul at stake.
Max gasped, blue eyes widening. " Oh crap…".
And with that the blades crushed against each other, causing a blinding flash of light and a blow that made the entire building shutter.
" Anyone here?" Ray questioned as he opened the door of the team's hotel room. Receiving no reply, he gulped. " Damnit!".
" Do you have any idea of where they could be?" Alissa inquired, sounding worried.
Shaking his head in reply, Ray stepped further into the room and noticed that something must've happened. The lounge-room seemed like there'd been a fight going on, and the metal-pipe was shining in the light of moon. They could see several droplets of blood.
" Seems like Nadja found them before us", Alissa whispered, eyes slightly widened.
Ray didn't find words to reply. Suddenly he saw something on the floor, glittering in the dim light. With a slight frown he stepped forward and crouched, taking the object into his hand. It was a silvery, oval-shaped pendant that had a ruby-stone decorating it. His eyes widened as he remembered who he'd seen wearing it.
Kai…All of a sudden, he had an idea, and his golden eyes flashed as he clutched the pendant into tight fist. " I know where they are".
As it was finally possible to see something, the four teenagers who'd been watching the match quickly looked to see what had happened. Kai, who'd been struck down onto the floor by the blow, was slowly getting back to his feet, eyes flashing. Nadja was already up, glaring at her brother. The group quickly looked at the blades, and relieved sighs escaped as they discovered that Dranzer, tough it was severely damaged, was still spinning. Galeidon, conversely, was lying lifelessly on the ground, trashed.
Nadja growled as she picked up her blade. She had never lost a battle before, no matter how strong her opponent had been. What the heck had gone wrong!
" Now listen to me, Nadja, and listen to me carefully". Kai's tone was hoarse and commanding, unlike anyone had ever heard before. As Nadja's furious eyes met his, he begun. " When our parents met, mom was a young doctor in the Abbey and dad one of Voltaire's guinea pigs. Against all odds they fell in love. Unfortunately Boris – who was deeply attracted to mom – found out, and they had to escape to spare their lives. And so they lived from thereon, travelling around the world, avoiding Voltaire. One day I was born. That only increased Voltaire's hunger. He knew that dad wouldn't help him achieve his maniac dreams, but a grandson could be just what he needed. And so he came up with a plan to get his hands on me". Kai's eyes were filled with pain, it was almost unbearable to live again those memories. " So, when I was seven and it was your sixth birthday, he found us and attacked. You were sleeping upstairs, so you couldn't know what was going on, but I was right there, watching it happen before my eyes. Watching Voltaire murdering our parents". Kai squeezed his eyes tightly shut to ease the pain, but it only grew as the images he'd so hard tried to forget pushed back. A single tear rolled to his cheek, but he wiped it away angrily and snapped his eyes open. They were filled with hatred and deep anguish. " Voltaire took me and made me train with Black Dranzer. His dream was to turn me into a perfect soldier that would make the entire world bow down before him. I couldn't fight him, no matter how desperately I wanted to – not when he had you as a blackmail-tool". Kai's eyes darkened. " That's why he took you too, that's why he didn't get rid of you: he needed you to make sure that I'd obey. And for a longest time I did. But then… I found something mom gave me when I was six. Dranzer". All of a sudden Kai's eyes became almost soft. " Do you remember, Nadja? It was a Hiwatari-tradition. When we became six-years old, we were given our bit-beasts. You were given Galeidon the day they…". Kai shuttered slightly, and the tenderness was gone from his eyes. " Voltaire had done great job with hiding Dranzer from me, but the day I found her was the day my fight against him begun. After that he used you ruthlessly against me: made you hate me, made you fight me. But that only made me fight harder, for I knew that it was the only way to save you from him. To save you from going through all the things that have been done to me…". He trailed off and sighed, seeming sad. " Eventually Voltaire decided that I was too dangerous to be kept in the Abbey. He had my memories erased, but now I remember the most. (He gave Dara a swift, disappointed glare.) I remember who are on my side". He closed his eyes for a moment. " Voltaire has hurt so many people, Nadja. He isn't our grandfather. He's a monster".
Shivering even more than before, Nadja squinted her eyes. " Why should I believe you? Those people died because of you! I have no reason to believe you!".
" How about believing in me?" came a familiar voice.
Turning their heads in disbelief, they saw Tala standing by the door of the training-hall, arms crossed over his chest. Tough Tala was still slightly paler than usual, his blue eyes were burning.
Nadja gasped, eyes wide, unable to believe her eyes. " No… It can't be… You… died…".
Tala smirked. " You really should know me better than that".
As the others stared in disbelief, Nadja lost control over herself completely when she rushed towards the redhead and, unaware of his injuries, threw herself into his arms, burying her face into his chest. Shuttering slightly from pain, Tala smiled faintly and wrapped his arms around the girl, holding her tenderly. After a long moment, Tala gently pushed the girl away from him to look at her. His eyes were stern as he spoke quietly in Russian. " Listen to me, Nadja. Kai isn't responsible to any of the suffering around you, to the pain in your heart. For as long as I've known him he's been trying to protect you and save you from that hell. He loves you, Nadja. Trust me".
" How very sweet, Tala. I am almost sorry to interrupt this", came a cold, emotionless voice. Turning their heads, they saw Voltaire Hiwatari standing at the doorway with Boris and about ten other men, all in arms. With an ice-cold smile, he looked at Nadja and Dara. " Thank you girls for your marvelous job".
Staring into her grandfather's ice-cold, soulless eyes, Nadja finally had to face the truth. The man before her wasn't a grandfather to love. She was looking at a murderer. The thought made rage she'd never thought existed boil in her veins, and only Tala's tight grip kept her from attacking on the man. " How could you!" she screamed, tears flooding without her knowing it. " You killed them all! Mom, dad, Ivan… HOW COULD YOU!".
Voltaire seemed amused as he looked at her. " Silly, childish girl", he commented. He then walked towards Kai, a chilling smile on his lips. " Now I finally found you, grandson. I must confess that it has been quite a task to track you down, but it only proves that I have trained you well".
" Don't you dare touch him!". Everyone stared in surprise as Dara suddenly jumped ahead and stood before Kai to protect him from Voltaire, her eyes flaming. " You've hurt him enough, Voltaire. Let him be".
Voltaire made a sound that resembled a laughter. " And what are you going to do to stop me?". He punched the girl with all his strength, and snorted as she fell, almost blacking out. " Pathetic".
As Voltaire was about to kick the girl, everyone surprised once again when Kai threw himself above her, shielding her. His eyes seemed almost ruby-red as he glared at Voltaire. " I've taken enough from you, you bastard. I am not watching you hurting her".
Voltaire lifted his eyebrow as he looked at Kai taking still dazed Dara into his arms and holding her tightly. " My, my, my… Is this how weak I taught you to be?".
" Don't give me that 'love is for the weak'-bullshit. I'm too old to believe in it", Kai growled in Russian.
That made Voltaire lose his temper completely. He kicked Kai hard in the face, but despite the blood that oozed from his nose Kai didn't utter a sound. Instead the boy glared at him and, letting by then pretty much fully recovered Dara gently slide from his arms, got up with his hands clenched into tight fists. Without a slightest hint of fear, he met his grandfather's gaze. " After all the pain you've brought me, a lousy kick like that doesn't make any difference".
As a response, Voltaire punched Kai harder than he'd ever punched anyone before, making Kai's head jerk sideways and his friends gasp. " Do not mess around with me, grandson, unless you want me to hurt those pitiable amateurs next", the man hissed, referring to the shocked group that helplessly watched the scenario.
The burning in Kai's eyes told that Voltaire had made a big mistake and, unable to hold himself back any longer, he punched his grandfather with all his might. " Leave my friends out of this", he snarled dangerously.
Voltaire growled, then seemed almost amused. " 'Friends', you say? I never thought you would be such a naïve fool. They would hardly accept you if they'd know everything about you and your pretty little past, grandson. If only they'd know all the things you've done, what you really are…". The man's eyes flashed. " Now… I did not wish to be forced into this, but now that you are giving me no other choice…". He pulled out his gun, eyes dark, and aimed at gasping Dara, his soulless eyes on his grandson, who was shivering from rage. " Remember Kai, this is one more death that lies on your shoulders". He suddenly shifted the gun, taking a new target, and fired.
Both Ray and Alissa, who'd also arrived to the training-hall, jumped as they heard the gunshot. Eyes wide, they looked at each other.
" What the heck was that!" Alissa whispered.
Ray gulped, guessing the answer. " Voltaire".
They were just about to sprint forward when both froze. Cold metal, a gun, no doubt, was pressed against both of their heads.
" Well hello", the man aiming at Ray greeted.
" We thought that there was someone missing from our party", the one behind Alissa stated.
TBC?
A/N: So here was another chapter. Once again: please, tell me if this is worth continuing or not!
