I'm back!! Teehee. So sorry my dears. College has been a major pain in the bum -sulks-
But here we go with the next chapter!! Enjoy"
Chapter Nine
Kane's horrified gaze left the slowly emerging form of Dranzer, from out of Tarkoz's blade, to the heart-filled scream that filled the barren arena. Nothing could've prepared him for the sight he was to behold as he stared into the room holding Kai hostage.
The teen twisted and turned frantically, spasms of pain wracking his slim body, his lips open in an endless scream of agony, eyes clenched shut. Kai wasn't aware of anything but the burning sensation taking over him, searing his insides and smouldering his flesh, until the pain became so unbearable that not a sound could escape his lips. His fists clenched tightly, desperate to escape the binds that held him captive and ease the pain in any way possible. His surroundings disappeared and he was no longer aware of where he was and what had happened. All he could feel and sense was the excruciating pain that had engulfed his weakened body … as well as something more … something deeper and stronger than he had ever felt before.
His skin felt like it was on fire, his back excruciatingly so as the flesh moved and moulded, changing shape, making way for something … something more. But Kai did not care for what it was as he writhed in pain, convulsions ripping through his body.
Kane looked on helplessly, rooted to where he stood in morbid fascination. Though his heart and mind screamed at him to move and aid Kai, his body refused to do anything of the sort. Cyber Dragoon hovered above him, over come by the same emotions that his master felt, waiting for the command he wished would leave his master's mouth.
Gideon cackled gleefully from where he stood by the computer, a maniac grin plastered over his aging features as he watched everything unfold before his eyes as he managed to hold himself back from doing a victory dance, triumph gleaming in his beady eyes. He rubbed his hands together, eyes glued to Dranzer's newly risen form as the bit-beast shrieked and strained against the invisible barrier that joined her to Tarkoz's blade and the dark smoke that was slowly drifting up the majestic phoenix's form.
Smoky tendrils latched onto her feathers, colouring them a dark black on contact, causing her to screech in pain, thrashing her mighty head. Kane, however, paid no attention to this, his horrified gaze unable to leave Kai's shuddering form, his heart clenching and his throat closing. He longed to rush forward and embrace the teen … to steal away the pain that plagued the others body, but it seemed that some invisible force were holding him back.
Gritting his teeth, Kane almost let a scream escape his lips, as, with a final agonized cry from the petite boy, two huge crimson wings exploded out of the skin of Kai's back; a few feathers floating softly to the ground where they dissolved in to a puddle of blood. Panting heavily, Kai's eyes suddenly snapped open, revealing gold-specked crimson eyes sparked with pain. He turned his eyes to his writhing bit-beast, blood red tears trailing down the smooth skin of his right cheek.
His mouth opened and closed in a breathless whisper, the wings that had emerged from out of his back hanging limp behind him, bathed in a thin layer of blood. Kane finally managed to swallow the thick lump in his throat, as everything suddenly seemed to sink in. Ignoring the fact that he was still engaged in a beybattle, he took a hesitant step forward, anxious and anticipating a violent reaction from any person in the room. But as nothing seemed to change after he took another step, then another, Kane found himself running towards Kai's form, adrenaline pumping through his body; Cyber Dragoon staring after him, confined to where he circled the bey-dish restlessly, until called forth by command.
Gideon looked on with sadistic eyes, enjoying every single second of what he had caused: a cataclysmic eruption of pain and horror, fear and disturbance, a dozen or so emotions rolled into one situation, filling and contaminating the thick air that had formed since Nemesis had started her deathly attack, an attack that still wrecked havoc and pain amongst the majestic phoenix.
Tarkoz, himself, remained motionless where he stood, his dark eyes fixed at the spot that Kane had occupied mere seconds ago, seconds that seemed to have lasted a lifetime in this sealed chamber, with so many things happening in one instant. His arms had lowered at some point, lying listlessly at his side, fingers unfurled and hanging lose. The smoky tendrils that had previously surrounded him, now clung to his body like a second skin, giving him a ghastly and ethereal appearance; a demon risen from the depths of darkness. But as of yet, the teen's bit-beast had yet to take on a solid form, or show it's true self in any shape or form.
None of this concerned Kane though, as he had reached the glass window separating him from Kai, his face pressed up against the cool surface, eyes scanning the body in front of him, anguish welling up within his heart at the sight. Anguish was soon replaced by determination though, as Kai turned broken, yet stunningly captivating eyes towards him, begging him, pleading with him. Kane could not resist, nor would he have been able to resist those eyes as he took a step back and with a harsh cry, called his faithful blade to his side. Cyber Dragoon reacted immediately, whizzing around the bey-dish before using a slanted shard of glass to launch himself into the air, and allowing himself to land at his master's feet in a matter of seconds.
"Cyber Dragoon! Attack!" in a flurry of glinting, deadly edges, Cyber Dragoon propelled itself into the glass, shattering it instantly upon contact, sending shards of deadly crystals.
Gideon gaped wildly, surprise flittering across his features, replacing the previous giddy joy of success. His hands splayed out comically, frozen in his celebratory mid-dance, his eyes wide and unblinking.
Kai's eyes had slipped closed during those few seconds, the teen no longer having the strength to keep them open, exhaustion over taking his body, until he was aware of nothing apart from the pain sparking across his back.
Kane was through the hole in a matter of seconds, ignoring the sharp shards piercing the skin of his legs and hands as he used them to propel himself through. Gripping the chains holding Kai up, Kane's eyes searched for anything that would help him break them, his fingers unconsciously clenching the metal in his bleeding hands. With nothing that could help him in sight, Kane called for Cyber Dragoon once more, and once again, his faithful blade heeded to his command automatically, increasing his speed and rushing towards the short wall between him and his goal, before tipping slightly and spinning vertically up the wall before launching off the tip and slashing through the thick chains.
With a small gasp of surprise, Kai felt himself falling, his wings nothing but useless feathered limbs hanging from his back limply, the skin from where they were protruding throbbing painfully. Strong arms quickly wrapped around his back and stomach gently, and Kai didn't have to open his eyes to know who it was, a soft, grateful smile touching his lips.
Kane couldn't help the single tear that trailed down the side of his cheek as Kai slumped into his embrace, weak and exhausted, the muscles on his back victim to spasms of pain. He lifted one hand to wipe away the red streak of blood down the side of Kai's face but found with deepening sorrow, that he couldn't. The tears had left their permanent mark on the Russian teen, a constant reminder of this occurrence for years to come.
"Kai …" his voice was lost in the scream of outrage from Gideon, who had snapped out of his stupor and was cursing wildly, furious at the fact that everything had changed within a single minute of action.
"Tarkoz! What are you waiting for?! Finish him off!"
Eyes snapping towards where Tarkoz stood, Kane couldn't help the shiver of fear that crept up his spine at the look of pure unadulterated malice that had taken over Tarkoz's dark features. From above him, Dranzer shrieked in terror and fear, the black, swirling mist almost covering her entirely, her majestic form thrashing against some invisible barrier that held her hostage. Tarkoz turned dark, empty eyes towards the scientist, a snarl appearing on his face.
"The process isn't finished yet you old fool! If I start attacking now, both bit-beast and holder will die!"
The words spoken in clear monotone, despite the annoyance emanating from the teen's body, only served to arouse the cold drench of fear within Kane, who tightened his hold on the teen in his arms, feeling the other's body tensing.
"Just do it you ignorant brat!" Gideon hissed, completely ignoring the two teens held in an embrace in the separate room.
Tarkoz merely glared, his cold gaze seemingly effective, as Gideon shut his mouth, lips pursed together in mounting agitation.
"Kane …" his name was spoken so softly that Kane had almost missed it entirely, his attention focused on the exchange between Tarkoz and Gideon.
He gazed down; his blue eyes meeting Kai's barely open ones. Pressing a small kiss to the teen's forehead, Kane answered quietly, "Yeah, Kai?"
"You have to get away from me … it's not … you won't be safe …" Kai's voice had become raspy, his throat affected by the screams of pain that had left his lips a while ago.
Kane's eyes hardened despite the concern lacing those words. "No Kai. There's no way in hell I'm leaving you. I put you in this mess, and I'll be damned if I don't get you out of it. I care about you too much …"
"Kane … go!" Kai wasn't looking at Kane, but rather at his bit-beast, who was still struggling fiercely, her shrieks nothing but pained coos as everything, apart from her head had been covered in the mystifying dark mist. "Once Dranzer's been completely taken over … so will I …"
"What do you mean?" Confusion was pasted across Kane's features, everything that had been going on and everything that was happening now was almost too much for him to take in, his mind not functioning at its best.
Stifling a groan of pain as he became extremely aware of Dranzer's almost total possession by Nemesis, Kai gritted his teeth and forced the words out of his mouth quickly, needing to get everything out before the worst happened. "Gideon … he … he conducted some sort of experiment on Dranzer and Nemesis … he combined them both, by separating Dranzer from my blade … he forced her into Nemesis' blade … and now they are joined together … she's being taken over by Nemesis's dark powers …"
"But I don't understand … what about you? How does that affect you? How does any of this affect you? How did you …" Kai raised a hand weakly and pressed a finger to Kane's lips, effectively silencing the other teen.
"Dranzer … is one of the four legendary bit-beasts … along with Dragoon, Drigger and Draciel … she is connected to me … and because our bond has strengthened over time and we have become stronger … I feel what she feels and I suffer what she suffers …"
Realisation dawned on Kane as Kai spoke, "And because she was taken from your blade, you are forced to face her transformation … and now that Nemesis is possessing her …" Kane felt his eyes widen in horror as the final puzzle slotted into place, "… you'll be possessed as well …"
Kai nodded his head tiredly, resting it against Kane's shoulder, relishing in the last few seconds, he knew he had left, in the older boy's presence. "Please, Kane … you have to leave … you have to defeat Tarkoz … otherwi-"
Kai cut off abruptly, his body convulsing in pain, his previously limp wings flexing slightly, raising themselves off the ground, before slumping back again. Kane cast a desperate look towards where Dranzer was shrieking in pure agony, her form nothing but pitch-black feathers, her honey-coloured eyes darkening until they were nothing but ebony swirls, her beak open in a soundless screech.
"Dranzer … no!" His arms tightened around Kai's slim frame, desperately trying to soothe the teen and calm his erratic movements. "Kai!"
Gideon cackled darkly in the background, everything seeming to fall back in to place just as he had planned. He scurried around the bey-dish and peered into the separate room, his shoes crunching the shards of glass into powdered crystals. "How does it feel, Kane? How does it feel to have everything spin out of your control … again!"
Kane ignored the scientist, whispering words into Kai's ear, trying in vain to comfort the other, just trying to stop this from happening, but of course it was to no avail. "Kai … please, you have to fight this … you're stronger than Nemesis, you can't let him take over you … you can't!"
Kai struggled to breathe, as his lungs seemed to fill with a dark, sticky substance, smothering him from the inside. Everything darkened as his eyes slipped shut and he was overcome with freezing liquid-fire coursing through his veins, sending his nerves into overdrive, pain flooding through his body. Yet, with all of this, he focused his mind forcefully, needing to get through to Kane. He didn't want to hurt the other teen, regardless of whether or not he had full control of his emotions and actions.
"Kane … get away … defeat him …"
Kane watched with growing horror and despair, as the tips of Kai's crimson wings tinged black before spreading like wildfire through the surrounding feathers until, in a matter of seconds, the entire length of Kai's magnificent wings had taken on a hellish black. "Kai …"
With his grip on reality and consciousness rapidly slipping away from him, Kai focused his remaining energy on utter a few final words. "Kane … for me … for … us …"
Gritting his teeth and forcing up the bitter tears that longed to fall, Kane slowly and gently lowered Kai's prone form to the floor, watching as golden-specked crimson eyes flickered shut a final time. "I'll do it for you, Kai. I'll do it all for you."
Stepping back, he took in Kai's appearance, noting the pitch-black wings that were folded haphazardly behind his back, stray black feathers strewn across the bloodied floor. The teen's pallor had taken on a dark, greyish hue, his royal blue and silver hair darkened to a light sheenless grey that made him look like death had touched him. Swallowing back the lump that had formed in his throat, Kane hardened his resolve and looked out of the hole in the wall, glaring directly at Gideon, who gulped at the fierce expression on the blue-haired teen's face, backing away slightly.
Striding away from Kai with resolute determination, Kane jumped the small wall with ease, landing gracefully on the other side and roughly shoving Gideon away from him. The scientist stumbled and fell, hitting his head on the metal floor and groaning in over-exaggerated pain. Calling Cyber Dragoon back to him, Kane caught the blade easily and made his way over to the platform that he had previously occupied, staring at Tarkoz intently, completely collected even when blank, black eyes stared back at him.
The entire room was utterly silent, apart from the occasional moan of pain from Gideon, as the two teenagers stared each other down, neither willing to give in. It was a test of wills, of determination … which would soon become a test of pure strength and control.
With an imperceptible widening of his eyes and clenching of his chiselled jaw, Kane launched his blade and immediately went on the attack. "Cyber Dragoon!!" He grimaced slightly, before yelling the next word: "ATTACK!"
But in his heart, anguish filled him. 'Please … get through this, Kai … you have to ...you just have to …'
