Thanks to unaisa memon, Drazillia and cutetyhil for reviewing the previous chapter.
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Chapter Twenty: Settle the Score
Another loss, but what a quick exit it was. Knocked out of the tournament just after the first official round thanks to the new elimination layout. Once again the White Tigers were out of the running. She was starting to wonder why they had even bothered competing if they had just been set up to lose.
"Mariah, don't feel bad about it. None of us were aware of what we would be up against," Kevin said, doing his best to console his upset friend. Their battle for a place in the semis had been ended by the Bai Hu Clan their rivals for centuries. Tao had told them the Bai Hu Clan had no longer existed so it was certainly a surprise to see them on participating in the tournament with their prehistoric bitbeasts.
What hurt the most was seeing Mystel on their team and watching how easily they made short work of the White Tiger bitbeasts. He fit perfectly in with them and it made her wonder just how little she really knew him. Perhaps that's what Brooklyn had been warning her about. Perhaps it was wise to heed his words and take his advice. But curiosity led her to finding more answers. She needed to know the entire truth.
"It doesn't feel right, Kevin," Mariah replied, lifting her gaze up from her battered blade. The attack ring was unrepairable. Destroyed with a single bone-crushing bite from the prehistoric hyena type-creature. It belonged to the female, Dohna. The bitbeast was known as 'Pachycrocuta' and what a menace it was. Lightning fast and a jaw grip so powerful, it could shatter the metal of any advanced beyblade.
Master Li, the leader of the ragtag team, had also showcased his skills, but hadn't revealed his bitbeast. Mystel had been the last to blade and her unfortunate brother hadn't stood a chance. "But what can we do, Mariah? You saw how quickly they destroyed our blades."
"There has to be something we can do!"
"You're thinking about Mystel, aren't you? This has nothing to do with the others."
She released a sigh. "I don't understand why he would ally with them."
"Talk to him, Mariah. You're never going to learn the truth by standing around here and doing nothing. The semis don't start until later tonight so you have heaps of time to reach out to him. Maybe you convince him to drop out. If he really cared about you, he'd do the right thing," Kevin explained.
It was odd hearing such words from Kevin. For years they had been giving him lectures on how to behave like a mature adult yet he was the one now giving advice. Drawing in a deep breath, she exhaled, trying to calm down her nerves. "You're right. But what about Lee?"
Lee had locked himself up in the room, and he hadn't come out since their loss yesterday. They had ended up in a room at one of the nearby hotels. "…If anyone can help Lee, it'll be Rei. I'll talk with Rei after the match – he doesn't need to be distracted now. You go and deal with Mystel and figure out just what's going on here. You should take Gary with you for backup in case things turn sour. I don't trust those bladers."
And neither did she. What were their intentions? Why had they revealed themselves now? Why had Mystel joined them? So many questions yet she lacked answers. She heaved a sigh. "I'll take Gary with me. You talk to Rei after the match with the Demolition Boys. I'll be back before the match begins."
"I wish you all the best, Mariah."
An odd thing to say, but she pushed it aside and walked down the hallway, heading towards the entrance. People were piling in early. The queue was so long there were people lining up on the streets. The biggest match of the decade was the headline being splashed on papers and television news programmes. The Avengers battling against the Demolition Boys for a spot in the finals. The winner would then play off against the Bai Hu Clan or the Horsemen.
Now where would Mystel be? Most likely he was within range of the stadium sticking close with his new teammates. What did his former teammates think of the ditch? She dug a hand into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Selecting Mystel's number she sent him a quick text telling her to meet him in the training facility nearby.
She hoped he'd come along. They hadn't traded a single word since Brooklyn had interfered. She was well overdue for an explanation of the sudden loss in communication. Perhaps there was still a chance she could reach out him if there was any part of him that still cared. "Gary," she said, walking towards the café where her friend was busy eating a garden salad. Tapping him on the shoulder, she added, "We're going out. I want you to come with me."
"But what about my salad?"
"You can take it with you. Come on, I need you."
He stood up and cradled his plastic bowl of salad. "Where are we going?"
"We're going to settle a score with the Bai Hu Clan. Lee's locked in the room and Kevin's going to talk with Rei. That leaves you and I to sort this mess out. My blade is broken, and I can't get it fixed until tomorrow. If worse comes to worse, I'll need you to battle."
Gary nods. "Okay."
She smiled. "Good. Let's go."
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"…Welcome back ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, to the semi finals of the World Beyblade Tournament of 2016!" DJ Jazzman announced as the replays of the quarters played on the screens capturing the best moments. "If you're just joining us now let me briefly recap the action of the quarters over in Australia!"
Max turned to the big black screen to watch the highlights reel. His battle against Enrique was the first to be played. Only the most exciting parts of the battle were shown in a highly edited clip.
"In Sydney, quarter finalists of Block A battled it out. We had the tournament favourites the Avengers up against the Majestics! Max took out the first match against Enrique in a gruelling display whilst Tyson fell to Robert's mighty Griffolyon! Fortunately for the Avengers Rei was able to pull off a last minute sunbeam attack to knock Johnny's blade out of the dish allowing his team to advance!"
The screen changed to show the highlights of the second day. Max watched as Michael's Trygle and Bryan's Falborg battled it out. The clash of the birds of prey. Trygle had the upper strength being more powerful up front, but Falborg's agility and superior speed gave Bryan the win in the end allowing the Demolition Boys to advance.
"On the second day we were treated to a showdown between the ice-cold Demolition Boys and the always enthusiastic All-Stars! Fans were treated to another thrilling round of professional blading starting with Eddy and Steven! Round one resulted in a draw. Tala was up next and he bladed against Rick and showed tremendous power to knock Rock Bison out of the dish to claim the second win. Bryan defeated Michael in an epic clash of avians to steal a last minute victory and thus the Demolition Boys advanced!"
"You feeling all right, Max?" Tyson said.
Max nodded, drawing in a deep breath. "I'm fine. We know how the Demolition Boys blade. We've got this. We've beaten them before… and there are no type advantages against us this time," he said, drawing reference to the Dranzer vs Seaborg battle. "What about you? How you feeling?"
"Better than ever."
He smiled. "That's great."
"In Melbourne, fans were treated to the quarter finalists of Block B! The Horsemen made short work of the Saint Shields claiming three straight wins over Ozuma, Mariam and Dunga! On the second day the other new competitors, the Bai Hu Clan, clashed with the White Tigers and engaged in tribal warfare! Fans were surprised to see former Bega blader Mystel join their ranks, and he proved to be just as competitive as always defeating Lee to take out the win!"
The screen changed once more. The Avengers vs Demolition Boys. Previous matches between the two were played serving to remind fans just how brutal their past encounters were. Max hadn't bladed in the Russian tournament. Now was his chance to step up and prove that he too could defeat the Russians.
"These two teams have a long history of battles and I just know you're all in for a treat when they clash in the stadium today! These two teams first met in the World Championships in Russia where Tyson claimed victory over Tala to claim the trophy! Tyson and his teammates then met with the Tala's team again last year with both of them under new names. Now, the original teams have reunited! Max will battle Spencer, Tyson will take on Bryan and then former tag-team partners, Kai and Tala will finish off the match."
One more time the screen changed to showcase the Block B semi finalist contenders.
"Tomorrow we'll witness the two new powerhouse teams the Horsemen and the Bai Hu Clan fight in what is bound to be an equally fascinating match! So, sit back and enjoy and try not to blink often or you'll miss out on all action!"
Kai rolled his eyes and removed his earplugs. "At least, he's finished. I wonder how much they pay this goon each match?"
"Come on Kai, get into the spirit of the tournament," Tyson said cheerfully.
"I'll get into the spirit once we've won."
He retreated to the bench and sat down. Kenny and Hilary were both back in the room developing a new blade for Rei choosing to sacrifice this match to give Rei more practice time. "You'll do great, Max. Show these Demolition Boys whose boss around here." He joined Kai on the bench. Max walked up to the dish.
The new dishes were twice the size of the quarter finalist ones. They were half the size of a football field allowing bladers a fair amount of room. Two columns with handrails stood on the opposite ends overlooking the dish. The handrails were a late minute addition added as a safety precaution to prevent bladers from falling over. Somehow, Max didn't think they were going to do much.
"Let's get on with it then!" He pressed a button beneath the hand rails. Moments later, the floor opened up to showcase the first dish. About eighty percent was water whilst the remainder of the terrain was tiny islands. "This is the Bay of Islands dish! There is limited land space for the bladers so they'll have to claim an island and defend it otherwise be knocked into the ocean for an instant knock out! Everyone, give it up for your challengers, Max and Spencer!"
Max prepared his launcher. "Here goes nothing, Draciel. I know we can win this if we work together."
"Three… two… one… LET IT RIP!"
The bladers released. Both blades landed on the middle island which was the biggest of them all. One forty small islands in one dish. Whoever designed this certainly did a fine job. "Draciel! Defence Curl!"
"Seaborg! Attack! Use Tidal Wave!" Spencer raised a hand into the air, curling his fingers into a fist, as he summoned his bitbeast. Seaborg emerged from the pillar of white light, immediately seeking refuge in the water.
"Stay steady, Draciel! Hold your ground!" Draciel bent his legs slightly, planting his feet firmly into the earth. He pulled in his head closer to the shell and crossed his stubby arms over his chest. Seaborg surfaced, spraying a fountain of water from his blowhole. The whale lifted his tail then slapped the water with it with enough force to create a quake.
Max grabbed onto the rails to steady himself as his column moved backwards and forwards. It was like being on a boat and rocking to the waves from side to side. Thank Draciel he wasn't prone to bouts of seasickness. A large wave of at least ten feet rose up, moving towards the island at an alarming speed. Moving towards the direction Max was also standing in.
With a deafening roar, the wave crashed down over Draciel. The impact caused Max's column to collapse. Rock crumbling rapidly beneath him, Max could do nothing but fall down with the rubble. He grunted as he made impact, face and chest taking the brunt of the blow. Water crashed down over him then picked him up, pulling him into the dish as it receded. His body ached. His clothes were soaked. But his spirit had not been broken. Climbing to his feet, Max looked up Spencer, and tightened his jaw. "It's going to take more than a wave than to bring me down! Draciel! Attack now!"
Draciel craned his neck back and roared at his opponent then lowered his head and charged. Seaborg, still submerged, was rammed just below the throat. He crashed back into the water taking Draciel with him. The whale smacked at the water with his tail, trying to create small waves to push Draciel off, but the tortoise dug his claws in deep into the blubber.
Spencer smiled. "You've fallen for my trap! Seaborg, activate special attack!" Max spotted a red glow coming from Seaborg's green crystal gem on the end of his nose. Something was happening. Something Max hadn't witnessed yet. The water in dish started to rotate clockwise. Slowly at first, but its power intensified with each second passing. Parts of the islands started to become undone as they were sucked into the vortex.
A whirlpool. Played right into the hands of Spencer, but there was still a chance to get out of this. Where was his power coming from? Why hadn't Spencer shown it last year when it mattered? "Max! You have to get out of there!" Rei called out. Max glanced over his shoulder. Both Kai and Rei were on their feet.
Right. But how was he was supposed to break free of the vortex? Unless… the power seemed to be coming from the gem. If he could just direct Draciel to damage it… then maybe the vortex would stop? He had to move fast. The vortex was pulling him in too. He dropped onto the ground realizing he had a better chance of slowing his movement down if he applied his full body weight. He dug his hands and feet into the sand.
"You should give up, Max! You know you're no match for Seaborg's power! He is the King of the Sea! The sea obeys me!"
"I will not give up! I will never give up!" Slowly, he felt himself dragged across the sand, as he continued to near the centre of the vortex. A few trees fell over and joined the debris being sucked in. "Draciel! Special attack!" he screamed. The gears in Max's blade triggered. He noted with satisfaction how the confident gleam in Spencer's eyes faded. Now there was doubt. Perfect. "Gravity Control!" Turn Spencer's power against him. That was the plan. It worked against Kai once. It almost worked against Tyson. Maybe he'd get a third time lucky.
The water began to rotate in the reverse direction. It didn't stop Max from being sucked in, but at least the power was now in his hands. With the rotation now working in his favour, Draciel was able to drain energy from Seaborg to replenish his own. The whale released a wounded cry as Draciel swiped at the gemstone shattering it.
The vortex ended abruptly. Taking in deep heavy breaths, Max picked himself up, one hand resting on his right leg for support. Every breath stung. Though he had endured the physical assault of the waves, it had taken most of his energy. His knees buckled, unable to support his weight longer, giving way to the ground. The previous battle against Enrique only three days ago and the fatigue associated with it had finally caught up.
"Max!"
"…You did well, Draciel," Max managed to force out. "We almost had it too." He shut his eyes just as Draciel stopped spinning. There was a few seconds pause then the crowd exploded into raucous applause.
"…And Spencer's Seaborg has claimed the first round victory! It almost looked like Seaborg was going to end up being as a beached whale but the physical toll was too much for Max and Draciel!"
He felt a presence besides him. "You did great, Max. You almost had him too," said Tyson. Max felt himself lifted up from the ground. Tyson flung his arm around his neck. "Come on, I'll lead you back to the bench. The doctors are on their way to assess you."
Max was too tired to talk back. Once he reached the bench, he flopped down, exhausted. Moments later, a team of two doctors approached with a stretcher. "We'll take it from here, Tyson." Together, the two males lifted Max onto the stretcher before carrying him way for further checks. As he was carried off, Max curled his fingers around his Draciel blade, a smile spreading across his face.
They might have lost the battle, but Draciel had made him proud.
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A blade sailed past her head, narrowly avoiding making contact. It flew into the nearby tree and remained embedded in it. Exhaling sharply, she looked in the direction of which the blade had come from. Standing a few metres away was a woman with long black hair. Dohna. "Mariah, right? Did you come here to have a rematch? Oh wait. Your blade is totally trashed. What about your big friend there? Perhaps he'd like to have a fight?"
Gary growled, and raised his blade, ready to launch. Mariah placed a hand on his arm and forced it down. "Don't fall for the bait. Let me handle this." Gary lowered his arm, but his steely gaze remained. "I'm not here for you. I want to talk to Mystel. Alone."
The woman snorted. "A lover's spat? Oh joy, they're fun to watch." She glanced over her shoulder. "Mystel! There's someone here who wants to speak with you." A few moments later the blond appeared. "I can tell her to leave if you want."
Mystel locked eyes with her. "No. She can stay. I want to hear what she has to say."
"You need me to hang around?"
"I'll be fine, Dohna. You can leave. I'll see you at the tournament in a few hours."
The female pouted, as if disappointed. She placed a hand on his shoulder, leaned in close whispering something into his ear. He frowned then she pulled back, a smile on her face. "I'll see you later then." She winked at Mariah then walked off. Gary, realizing this was a private moment, moved to the side giving them both some space.
"Mariah… why'd you come?" Mystel started. He sounded tired. Unhappy even.
"Because I want answers. I haven't heard from you in weeks."
"I've been busy."
"Busy dealing with your new friends."
His jaw tightened. "Mariah, you shouldn't even be here. Go back to your team."
"And do what? Your team knocked us out, Mystel. So what happened? Did you pull a Kai-move and ditch Bega to join up with another powerful team?" she demanded, her voice raising an octave. Remain calm, she told herself. Be rational. You're the level-headed one in the family.
"I didn't abandon Bega."
"You sure about that? Because I see you standing here before me competing in the tournament without the rest of your former teammates. If that doesn't sound like abandonment then I don't know what does." He visibly cringed. Good. Her words were having an impact. Make him squirm a little. See how he liked being the one to suffer. "So why did you leave? Or did they realize you were a traitor and kick you out?"
"I didn't betray anyone, Mariah."
"Right. I find that hard to believe."
He sighed. "You have questions… ask away."
"The Bai Hu Clan. Why are they here? What's your connection to them?"
He raked a hand through his hair and avoided meeting her eyes. Guilt probably. "There are many things you don't know about me, Mariah… and I just… ask that you hear me out."
"Start talking."
"I was abandoned by my parents at a young age. They didn't have the finances to raise me properly so they left me behind in the woods. I suppose they hoped I'd perish there in the wilderness and no one would ever know. Master Li found me and brought me to their home. I was inducted into their way of life and became part of the tribe," he explained as he moved in a little closer. Now he was just an arm's length away. "They taught me how to blade. Everything I know now can be credited to them."
No wonder he was sometimes labelled as the mysterious Mystel. She really didn't know much about him at all. "You could've told me earlier."
"I never wanted you to know, Mariah. If you did… you'd turn your back on me in a heartbeat. I've done things I'm not proud of, and if I could take it all back, I would, but you can't turn back time. You can only go forward." He still refused to meet her eyes. What could possibly be so terrible he was hesitant in telling her?
"You're a friend, Mystel. You can trust me."
"If you knew the truth you wouldn't." He turned his head to the right and gazed up at the tournament stadium. "I never wanted to hurt you Mariah. I never wanted to be held responsible for being the cause of your team's elimination but I didn't have a choice in the matter. Once you join with them you never leave."
"You make it sound like a cult. Everyone has a choice."
"Everything you know about me is a lie, Mariah. I didn't join up with Bega out of the blue – I knew exactly what I was doing." He looked at her now and she could see the conflict in his eyes. Torn. Guilt. Even fear. "I was raised as a blader of the Bai Hu Clan and we practiced day and night perfecting the infamous 360 attack I'm known for. It wasn't to become the best blader to win some title… We trained for war. To take out opposing clans. Like yours."
To train for war… take out opposition… those precise moves… perfect accuracy… "That's why you were there at the White Tiger Hills… You weren't there to help me, were you? You were spying on us." She felt as though she had been slapped in the face. All these past few months of spending quality time together… All just a like. He had been using her. Most likely he had been feeding information back to his people and that's why they had come. Come to what? Collect?
He took a step towards her. She took one back. "…Mariah…"
"Stay back," she replied almost with a snarl. He stopped, his hands raised in a defensive manner. "How dare you? You came into our lives pretending to be a friend but all this time you were a foe!" She pointed at herself. "I trusted you! I was willing to turn my back on my tradition to be with you, but I can see now that's all just a big mistake."
She didn't cry. Tears would come later when no one could see her. "Mariah… I…"
"Are you trying to explain yourself because there's absolutely nothing you can say that is ever going to make this right! You came into my homeland to spy on us, Mystel. How the hell do you justify that? You're worse than Kai. At least he never tried to be a friend. But you – did you ever care for me at all or were you simply playing mind games with me?"
He looked down at the ground. What a fool she had been to think that he ever cared. Never trust a man who hid his true face behind a mask for they had something to hide. How could she have been so blind? Lee had seen it. He had warned her against Mystel yet she had happily let him in blind to his fake charm. "Of course I do. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here right now talking to you. I hated Brooklyn for what he did to you in regards to trying to drive us apart."
"You're missing the point entirely, Mystel. You kept truths from me!"
"To protect you!" he retorted.
"To protect me from what? From the real you?" She scoffed. "I'm not some damsel in distress."
"Do you see now why I didn't want you to know? Because I knew this was going to happen. Asking questions," he retorted, frustrated.
"And why should I not? You want me to remain blind so you can continue to manipulate me?"
Mystel looked ready to argue back, but stopped himself short. Instead, he sighed. "I don't want to fight, Mariah. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner, but I wanted to avoid this – this conflict we're having now." He paused, rubbing the back of his neck before carrying on. "But you now know. We can move forwards from this."
"We can't ever go back to the way things were," she replied. How could she trust him knowing that he was only in the village to spy on her people? How could she even reconsider letting him back into her circle with the knowledge she had now? A manipulator. A liar. And above all, a coward who hid behind a mask. "My brother was right to distrust you."
A muscle jerked in his jaw. "…Mariah… please…"
She held a hand up. "I don't want to hear it anymore. You've said what needs to be said." Seems like her grandfather knew best after all. Pairing her with Rei from birth was the right thing to do. Arranged relationships was for the best of the tribe. At least Rei had no secrets – she knew everything about him. They could have an honest relationship. Unlike one with Mystel which was built on lies.
"I guess it's over then," Mystel started after a few moments pause. He looked at her with an expression that made her heart ache. Hurt. Rejection. Shattered. It was almost tempting to say, 'okay – maybe we could still make this work' but forgiving him would be a sign of weakness. Sometimes, the right decisions were the ones that hurt the most. "I just want you to know that you were the reason I left the Bai Hu Clan. I wanted for this to work so badly that I kept the truth so you wouldn't leave. So you wouldn't hate me for what I've done. I loved you, Mariah, and I still do, regardless of what you think of me now."
She bit down on her lower lip and turned away, unable to meet his gaze. No one else, aside from her brother and grandfather, had ever told her that. Not even Rei, her crush for years, had ever been able to say it out aloud. Maybe it was a last ditch attempt to reach out to her so he could keep her close. But no. She wasn't weak. She wasn't some gullible girl who was going to forgive someone just because they knew the right cards to play. "Just go, Mystel. You've got a battle to focus on." Motioning for Gary to follow, she turned her back, kept her head low and walked away without sparing a glance back, a single tear running down her cheek.
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Max had lost. All the pressure to win now fell on his shoulders once again. A draw wouldn't help. That would just end in a sudden death match if Kai won his match. He had to win and he knew he had to win big. "You can do this, Tyson. Just focus on the match and nothing else. You can beat Bryan."
"I know, Kai. Don't worry."
Kai retreated to the bench.
"Current reigning world champion Tyson will now face off against Bryan of the Demolition Boys! Tyson will be desperate to keep his final hopes alive by winning this match so you can expect this one to be intense! These bladers will be tested in the Christchurch dish!" He pressed a button. Once again the floor opened up revealing the next dish. A replica of the city stood before him. The cathedral was there amongst other tall buildings and structures. He could even see the town hall.
To make things even more difficult there were moving motor vehicles on the streets moving. The ones on the left lane headed towards him, whilst the cars in the right lane moved in Bryan's direction. The crowd gave their approval with a Mexican wave. "Well Dragoon, we've been in a similar dish before," he noted, recalling the dish he had bladed in against Steven. "Let's show the world why we're number one."
As if to give his approval, Dragoon glowed. Smiling, Tyson placed his blade on his launcher then inserted the ripcord. Rei had beaten Bryan once before, but had suffered terribly as a result. Would Bryan resort back to his old tricks that made him one of the most feared names in history of the game? He'd soon find out.
"Oh, and one last thing. Every couple of minutes you will experience a violent tremor! Are you able to use that to your advantage or will you slip through the cracks? With that in mind, let's get started! Three… two… one… LET IT RIP!"
A dish that had its own man made earthquake. How lifelike. Now he had two things to worry about. Avoiding the cars and withstanding the earthquake damage. He released his Dragoon a second later after Bryan. The blades both landed on the same lane and the chase began immediately. Dragoon weaved in and out of the cars, knowing one direct collision could throw him out of the dish. Bryan did the same.
"I was hoping to face Rei again since he and I have a score to settle, but you'll do just fine, Tyson. How kind of you to step in his place and take the beating I'm about to unleash upon you! Falborg! Razor Wind!" His falcon emerged moments later, hovering in the sky. The bird flapped his wings creating a vicious biting wind within seconds. Tyson could feel the wind lashing against his skin, biting at the flesh as if he was being on the receiving end of a hooked whip.
"I can understand what you had to endure now, Rei…" Tyson murmured as he formed an 'X' with his arms to provide some barrier from the wind. His eyes stung. His skin felt like it was on fire. His clothing was slowly being ripped apart. There was even blood on his bare arms. "So you wanna play dirty, do you Bryan? Some things never change. Dragoon!"
His dragon gave a triumphant roar as he emerged from the blade. Like Tyson, Dragoon held his claws before his face to protect himself from the full fury of the wind. Planting his feet into the ground, Tyson leaned into the wind, his jaw clenched. "No hard feelings or anything, but I came here to win, and I'll do that my way! Falborg!"
The avian flew in circles whipping up the wind speed to another level. Tyson was helpless as the wind lifted him up off the ground and flung him across the arena right into a wall. With a pained grunt, Tyson smacked the wall then flopped down, his body aching. He planted both his hands on the ground then pushed himself up. Dusting his clothes of dirt, he looked at Bryan and said, "You're going to have to do better than that to bring me down."
Bryan flexed his muscles. "I'm just getting warmed up, Tyson."
Tyson growled. "Dragoon! Galaxy Turbo Twister!" he screamed. His infamous twister move erupted from the centre of the bitchip. Cars nearby were flung aside into nearby buildings. Windows shattered. Foundations crumbled. "Bring him down, Dragoon!"
As strong as Falborg was, the avian was unable to escape from the rampaging funnel. Bryan's blade was pulled into the funnel. Round in round his blade went until Dragoon threw him aside right into the cathedral. The building imploded. Rocks crashed down Falborg trapping the blade beneath the rubble.
"Bryan's Falborg is trapped beneath the rock! Will he able to escape or is it game over for Bryan?"
Bryan snickered. "Not a bad move, Tyson, but don't you get sick of using the same old attack over and over again? In my time off, I learned some new moves. You get to be the first person to experience my Falborg's wrath! Falborg, Wings of Razors!" Within a split second, the rocks pinning his blade down were sliced in half. The remaining pieces were flung aside as Falborg spread his wings and took to the air once more. The falcon gained altitude then hovered in place. "Now use Dive Bomb!"
His avian pinned his wings back then dropped, hurtling towards the ground at a speed so fast, Tyson could only see a blur of grey. Dragoon, unable to escape in time, was hit directly on top, the impact powerful enough to push him deep into the ground. Any thought of escaping faded from his mind as the ground began to vibrate. The randomly generated earthquake. The falcon released his talons and pulled back.
Rocks piled on Dragoon, his bitbeast roaring as the dragon was burrowed beneath. The quake caused Tyson to lose his balance and he stumbled over his own feet. Falling to his knees, he gritted his teeth as the buildings around him swayed from side to side. Several of them collapsed creating several shockwaves. Each one knocked the wind out of Tyson.
When the ground settled, Tyson climbed to his feet once more. Bryan was still standing behind the safety of his hand rail and wearing a confident smirk. Drawing in a deep breath, Tyson observed his surroundings, searching for a new strategy. Dragoon was still burrowed beneath, but the dragon was still clearly in the fight as the growls could still be heard.
Bryan's right, Tyson thought. I only really have one attack that everyone knows. Falborg is a wind spirit too so I have no real advantage, but there must be something else I can do… More power. That was the answer. Wind is the strongest force on earth, and with more power I can take my attacks to the next level. Falborg might be strong, but there's only one true master of the wind. It would take a lot of power to sustain a tornado of that level but he could see no other option.
"Okay Dragoon, let's kick it up a notch! Full power now!" As if on command, Dragoon activated his twister again, using it to blow the rocks holding him down in the same fashion as Bryan. A funnel emerged for a second time. This time it was twice the size of his usual one. Slowly, all the cars in the arena rose up in the air, sucked into the swirling mass of air within the funnel. Buildings that had been weakened already easily fell apart.
"Falborg!"
"Only one of us can progress to the finals and it's going to be me! This isn't just about defending my title! There's far more at stake here than you could possibly ever imagine! And that is why I must win! Dragoon! Final attack!" he screamed. The howling wind destroyed everything in its path. Cars went flying. Buildings cracked under the pressure. "Now!"
The louder Tyson screamed, the stronger the wind became. His yells and shouts were drowned out by the wind and the collapsing of buildings. He continued yelling at the top of his lungs, mustering up all the power he could to sustain the twister. The stronger the tornado became, the larger it grew. There was nothing now that could withstand this destructive force.
He felt some sympathy for Falborg. The tornado consumed it and gave the poor avian a pummelling he'd never forget. He dropped down to one knee, feeling his strength rapidly wane. Never had he had to sustain such a ferocious windstorm before. Only through sheer determination was he able to hold himself together and keep going.
"…Oh shit."
Tyson dropped and pressed his belly flat on the ground, narrowly avoiding a flying piece of the cathedral roof. He hardly had the energy to stand up, let alone kneel on his knees. Dragoon gave one final roar then returned to his blade just as the windstorm died down. The stadium was a sight of catastrophe. It was almost as if a bomb had hit the place. Buildings all destroyed. Pieces of car scattered all around the stadium. There was also a massive tear in the ceiling.
DJ Jazzman helped himself to his feet. He was on the opposite side of the dish, having been blown across. The man raced over to what little remained of the dish then brought the microphone to his mouth. "Unbelievable! Tyson's twister attack has totally destroyed the dish and blown Bryan and his blade back to his team bench!"
Indeed he had. The burly Russian blader was lying unconscious on the floor before a shaken Tala and Spencer. As for his blade, it lay in hundreds of little pieces across the stadium floor, completely destroyed. The bitchip was the only part that had survived. "…We did it Dragoon. We won," Tyson weakly said, drawing in deep breaths. His blade returned to his hand.
"…Tyson." A hand extended towards him. Kai. Tyson grabbed it and allowed Kai to pull him up to his feet. "Well played. Welcome back." Kai then gestured at the surrounding damage. Only then did Tyson realize one of the stands had to be evacuated. The fans didn't seem to care. They all thought it was part of the show and loved being so close to the action. "Nice job on taking out half the stadium too."
Tyson cracked a grin. "Finish it with a bang, Kai."
"You know it."
Tyson drew in a few more deep breaths then spoke again. "You're up against Tala. I've fought him before, but you know him on a deeper level. Don't let him play mind games with you." The same advice his friends had given him over the years. Keep a cool head and play the game. Words could always come later.
"Tala's going down. I won't let him get the best of me."
Kai didn't say another word as he wandered over to the dish. Tyson walked back to the bench and sat down, relieved at a chance to rest for a little. Every muscle ached. The price of victory. So that's how Rei had felt when he had battled Bryan all those years ago. Some of the doctors came rushing over to check on him, but Tyson shooed them away. "Honest, I'm fine."
Just a little tired and a bit sore. Some of the gashes on his arms were still bleeding, but they'd clot soon. In a few days they'd be gone and he'd be as good as new.
"…And now we have the final match of Block A semi-finalists, Kai and Tala! Whoever wins this match will go on to compete in the finals! Will Kai prove too strong for his former tag-team partner? Or will Tala pull off a last minute victory? Don't blink or you'll miss out on all the action!"
Tyson gripped his knees with both hands. "You can do it, Kai. I know you can. Show them what Dranzer can do."
.
It hadn't taken much effort to find their former teammate. He was at the local blading park just across the road from the beystadium looking down at the dish before him. In a few short hours, he'd be expected to blade against one of the Horsemen. Fans from all around the globe had paid large amounts of money just to witness it. Brooklyn, however, was not one of those crazy fans. He had other plans.
Garland and Ming Ming accompanied him. He had planned in visiting Mystel on his own, but his teammates insisted on coming too. "Surely, there has to be some other way to solve this peacefully," Ming Ming said. "Does it really have to come down to a battle?"
"It's the only way, Ming Ming. He'll thank us in the long run," Brooklyn replied, crossing the road. Thankfully, there was no one else around. Everyone was busy watching the game inside the venue or watching it from the bars or their homes. Perfect time to settle the score without a crowd to watch. "Besides, he's asking for it."
"Can't you just talk about it?"
He would've laughed if the situation wasn't so serious. "We settle things with a beybattle, not with words, Ming Ming. Maybe you girls do these things differently, but this is the best possible resolution. You agree don't you, Garland?" He looked to the kick boxer for support.
With a shrug of his shoulders, Garland nodded. "Sorry Ming Ming, but Brooklyn is right. We put him out of the tournament and then together we put an end to the Bai Hu Clan."
"This sounds like a recipe for disaster…" she murmured.
"We're not going to hurt him," Brooklyn assured, then with a slight smirk, he added, "Okay, maybe just a little, but don't say he doesn't deserve to be roughed up a little. Let's not forget he joined up with another team without informing us." He was also going to be battling against one of the Horsemen. He hadn't forgotten the words in his vision - War, Famine, Pestilence and Death, the four faces of the Horsemen of biblical origin. Battling them had one result – a loss. He was doing Mystel favour by forcing him out of the tournament.
"Did you get ditched?" Brooklyn called out as he approached the blond.
Mystel looked up then frowned, noticing who they were. "Brooklyn. Ming Ming, and Garland. I'm not even going to ask where you got the funds from, but rather why have you come?"
Brooklyn pulled out his blade and launcher. The ripcord was already inserted. "I think we should have a match. Let's see how sharp you really are."
"I'm not going to battle you."
"Too afraid to take me on?" Brooklyn challenged.
Mystel narrowed his eyes. "I'm not a coward, Brooklyn."
"I don't take no for an answer. You should know that." He released his blade directly in front of Mystel's path, preventing him from going anywhere. "I'm not leaving until you fight back." Garland and Ming Ming stayed back a few metres. "So what's it going to be?"
"You're an ass, you know that right?" Mystel replied, reaching down into a pocket to pull out his blade and launcher. He put the blade in place then inserted the ripcord. Gripping the launcher firmly, he jerked his other hand back, sending his blade forwards at a speeding pace. Poseidon landed directly on top of Zeus.
With Zeus, Poseidon was no serious threat. Mystel could hold his own for the first few minutes of the battle, but Zeus always won in the end. But without Zeus? They were more or less on the same playing field. "Maybe, but I'm less of an ass than you. I never abandoned ship." This was the real test. To see if he could blade without Zeus and remain vision-free. Surely, Zeus wouldn't be able to reach him without being in the blade?
Zeus managed to throw Poseidon off then rammed into the side, pushing the blade to the opposite side of the dish. Poseidon pulled free when he neared the rim, circled around and attacked again. "I notice Zeus is missing from your blade. Is that an insult to me?" Poseidon pulled back a second time then charged forward once again, slamming into the side. Aggressive. More aggressive than usual. A reflection of the state of mind of the blader.
"I wanted to keep the playing field equal," Brooklyn replied. "No fun if it's so terribly one-sided."
That would get a rise out of him. Get him all riled up so the real fun could begin. Mystel sent his blade skywards by using the slope of the dish as support. The infamous 360 attack of the Bai Hu Clan. Plunge of death for those who didn't know how to counter or avoid it. His blade crashed back down releasing streams of water, spraying liquid in all directions.
"Poseidon, attack!" Encased in a barrier of water, Poseidon crashed down on Zeus with such force it actually made the ground shake. Brooklyn looked on. There was nothing he could do to counter that special attack. Without Zeus, he was just as vulnerable as any bitbeast-less blader. Still, his blade was endurable and powerful without its usual inhabitant.
Much to his surprise, Poseidon jumped off then pushed Zeus to the dish's edge. The slippery surface did little to throw Mystel's blade off course, but Zeus wasn't designed for that. Okay. So perhaps he had overestimated his bitbeast-less blade and underestimated Mystel's own power. No wonder the Bai Hu Clan were so eager to claim him back.
"I'm not going to fight you without Zeus, Brooklyn. If you really want to test me, it should be with your bitbeast."
Zeus's bitchip was sitting in his right pocket. He wasn't so keen to use him again after recent episodes, but Mystel had a fair point – not using Zeus was an insult. He may as well be carrying a white sign above his head reading, 'I think you're weak so I'm not using my bitbeast'. Digging a hand into his pocket, he reached for Zeus, his fingers brushing up against the bitchip. It was warm. Odd.
"Fine. You want a real battle?" He pulled the bitchip out and walked over to pick up his blade. He placed the bitchip back on then returned to his previous position and reloaded his launcher. Mystel recalled his and prepared to launch again. "Then you'll have it. Don't come crying to me when you lose." Stomach muscles tightening, Brooklyn drew in a deep breath then released his blade. How would Zeus react this time?
"You look nervous."
"I saw Mariah walk by earlier. She didn't look happy. She found out, didn't she?"
Mystel released his blade as Brooklyn did the same. The blades collided creating sparks. "What happened with Mariah has nothing to do with you." Poseidon pulled back, knowing a head on clash with Zeus wasn't wise. Play to your strengths, and for Mystel that was being unpredictable. Much like his moods really. "Need I remind you that you were the one that originally pushed her away?"
"For your own good. Zeus, counter attack!" Zeus sped across the dish in hot pursuit of his rival, but Mystel's blade narrowly avoided the charge by making a sharp turn to the right. One thing he hated about blading against Mystel – his moves were so erratic, it was irritating. When you thought he was going to go right, he'd go left. There was no other blader he knew that could make the sharp turns Mystel could. Well, there was the Bai Hu Clan of course, but no other famous blader could. Not even the mighty Hiwatari could pull off a turn like that.
"Now Poseidon! Rise!" His bitchip glowed. A burst of white light exploded from the centre. When the light faded, his marine sea creature type bitbeast appeared, wielding the golden trident in his right hand.
"Two can play that game. Zeus! Arise!"
A surge of relief poured through him as he watched his bitchip light up. At least he was listening, but for how long? Never had he felt this nervous using his blade. Who had ever heard of a blader being afraid of their own bitbeast? It was unheard of! He raised his right hand in the air and prepared to bring it down when he felt a sharp pain to the right temple. Clenching his jaw, he ignored the pain, and tried to focus on the match ahead.
Poseidon charged up the slope to gain height then flipped in the air before plummeting to the ground. Again, his blade landed directly on top and began to spin in the opposite direction to use Zeus's power against him. As soon as the reverse rotation started, the streams of water sprayed out from the blade. Purple flames soon joined the fray mixing in with the water as Zeus finally decided to show himself.
Pain, immeasurable pain, imploded in his mind. Like a migraine, but a thousand times worse. Overcome with pain, Brooklyn slumped to the ground, once again finding himself on his knees. This was worse than the previous time. Much worse. It was like the insides of his body were tearing themselves apart whilst being set alight on fire. An agonized scream tore through his throat. His scream only seemed to empower Zeus. Zeus's flames, usually coloured purple, were as black as the night.
"Brooklyn!" Someone screamed his name, but he couldn't make out whom. The only thing he could clearly hear was his own tortured scream filling the air. "You have to stop at once!"
Stop. Yes. But how? Zeus had a mind of its own. It was like he possessed by a force far greater than himself. Was it the Leviathan taking control? His thoughts were broken by the taste of blood in his mouth. Bringing a hand to his mouth, he ran a finger across his lower lip then pulled it away. Covered in blood. Nose bleed.
"Garland, do something!"
Feel the wrath of the Leviathan. No one defies me.
"Mystel!"
A sudden weariness gripped him. Then, there was coldness. It was as if he was standing in a pool of freezing water, and he was drowning, being slowly pulled beneath the surface. Soon, his head went under. He tried to break free of the invisible limbs holding him down, but try as he might, he could not. With oxygen failing to reach his lungs, he weakened fast, his mind beginning to spin, his brain starved of vital air.
You are no brother of mine.
Then… relief. He found himself able to breathe again. Gasping for air, he glanced up from the bloodied patch of grass beneath, and found Zeus had retreated into his blade. All that was left was a blackened dish as a result of the flames scorching the metal. Mystel was laying on the ground several metres away, Poseidon lying just a few inches before his face.
"What…the hell happened?" the blond said, struggling to his feet, a low groan escaping his throat moments afterwards. He reached out and grabbed his blade. As he picked it up, the pieces crumbled. The only piece remaining intact was the bitchip. His jaw dropped. "…You destroyed my blade…"
Brooklyn remained on the grass. He wished he knew too, but right now he was just happy to be alive. "Damn it Brooklyn, why'd you take the risk?" Garland said, dropping down beside him. There was annoyance, but also concern. "After what had happened last time, I thought you would've learned your lesson."
"I had to take the risk…" he said in between breathes. "…I'm not losing a teammate to the Leviathan."
"What Leviathan?" Garland demanded.
Mystel frowned. "…That's what they're searching for."
Ming Ming looked from Brooklyn to Mystel to Brooklyn again. "Can someone please tell me what is going on? Leviathan? Searching for what? Who is they?"
Forcing himself to sit upright, Brooklyn looked at his companions. His head was throbbing but at least he was breathing. His nose was still bleeding though. Pinching his nose, he leaned forward slightly to encourage the clotting process. "…We need to talk to Tyson. What I know could save their lives." He struggled to his feet. He almost fell over but Garland was there to support him.
"You really should be resting, Brooklyn."
He shook his head. "No. This can't wait." The Leviathan bitbeast was reaching out to him through Zeus. The bitbeast had mentioned previously Zeus was part of three bitbeasts responsible for breaking the three seals that binded him. But brother? Perhaps he had mistakenly assumed Poseidon was one of the bitbeasts responsible for locking him then pulled back when he realized it wasn't.
The four sacred bitbeasts. Surely, they had to be related directly to the Leviathan. Four horsemen heads of the Leviathan. Four sacred spirits. At some point they must've gone to war and the Leviathan had lost. Was history repeating itself again? He brought a hand to his right temple and rubbed it. The pieces were starting to fall together now and it had taken a match against Mystel for the connections to be made.
He looked at Mystel. The blond was still examining his blade. Well, the little that remained of it. "Your tournament is over, Mystel. Time to look to the future now." A future that involved a gathering of the best bladers. If his theory was correct, they were all in great danger.
Mystel glanced up. "You wanted this to happen, didn't you?"
"We might've gone a little overboard but we got the result we wanted," Brooklyn answered. "If we hadn't intervened, you would've lost in the tournament. I just saved you from a humiliating defeat."
He put the broken pieces of his blade back in his pocket. "…The Bai Hu Clan are still a problem. Even if they get eliminated, they're not going to stop harassing me. When they find out I can't blade for them tomorrow…" He looked away towards the horizon. After a few moments paused, he looked back, his expression forlorn. "They don't take rejection well and I can't currently defend myself."
"You can stay here with us," Ming Ming said.
Mystel shook his head. "And have you fight my battles? No."
"Then what then? You're just going to run? You said it yourself – they're not ever going to stop," Ming Ming pointed out. "And your blade needs repairing. What kind of friends would we be if we let you go alone? We've been through too much together just to let it fall apart."
The blond looked utterly confused. He was probably half-expecting them to tell him to scram and never return. "I think you're finally starting to realize what it means to be part of a true team," Garland said, smiling. "All of us actually. If there's one thing this whole ordeal has taught us it's the value of teamwork and friendship. It's brought us together as one."
He had a point. Before this, they had been a group of misfits forced to tolerate each other for the sake of it. Even Brooklyn had learned a thing or two though he'd never admit that out aloud. "Don't get all corny on me, Garland. You're starting to sound like Tyson."
"Let's save the discussion for later. Can we just go inside? I'm freezing," Ming Ming said, arms wrapped around herself.
"You heard the lady. Let's go inside."
.
Although he had been part of the Demolition Boys team twice, he had never actually bladed against Tala before. Bryan and Spencer were always the punching bags whilst Tala watched on the sidelines and judged. Every decision had to be accurate. Tala knew his moves just as well as Kai knew Tala's. They were evenly matched in terms of experience and skill. Raw power might be a different story, but Tala was no weakling. Kai knew his former partner had been withholding his true power during last year's tournament. Besides, in the end, it all came down to determination and willpower. Power could only take you so far.
"..The final dish is called the Sky Tower! Bladers can use the tower to launch aerial attacks from above or to escape the traffic below!" DJ explained as the final dish was revealed. It was similar to the previous dish only with the addition of the tower. Also, the roads were currently empty but the timer on the tower suggested there was a countdown. Bladers, are you ready?"
"Kai, I've been waiting for this," Tala said.
"And so have I, Tala," Kai replied calmly. "Maybe when you lose you'll finally understand that I'm a better blader than you."
Tala growled. "You think you're tough, Kai. But I know you better than anyone else here does. I know you better than you know yourself." He raised his launcher and prepared to pull the trigger. Tala's original gun launcher. The lazy blader's way of getting maximum power in the launch. "You've always thought yourself superior to me, but it's always been the other way around. I'm a better man than you Kai. I'm going to prove it."
Holding back a hiss, Kai prepared his blade. So it was a grudge match. Anyone unfamiliar with their history would think otherwise. There were people in the crowd holding 'Kai and Tala 4ever' signs. What on earth were these people thinking? He and Tala weren't friends. "You've always resented me ever since I arrived at the Abbey. You couldn't stand no longer being the golden child."
"I had good reason! I knew you weren't to be trusted the moment you set foot in the training dish!"
"Three…two…one… LET IT RIP!"
Tala fired his launcher as Kai jerked back his ripcord, sending his blade forwards into the fray. Wolborg charged immediately for Dranzer. Dranzer evaded the blow then moved to the opposite base of the tower. "All you wanted was Black Dranzer. You didn't care about the rest of us."
"I had no reason to care about the lot of you," Kai snarled back. Tala's bitbeast lunged for Dranzer's tail but the phoenix kicked her legs out to force the wolf back. "I wasn't there to make friends! I was there to learn and become the best blader I could be!"
"Is that that drives you, Kai? Wanting to attain perfection you'll never reach?"
He uttered a deep growl. "You're such a hypocrite, Tala. You wanted to be the best just as much as I did. That's why you despised me. Because I was stronger and I will show you why! Dranzer!" His phoenix gained height then swooped down, raking her talons forwards to claw at the wolf's eyes. Wolborg ducked then jumped up, gnashing his jaws at Dranzer's tail hoping to grab hold. Dranzer twisted out of the way just missing the canine's teeth by a mere inch.
Tala gave a dry laugh. "You're so full of yourself, Kai. Everything always has to be about you in the end, but you're wrong. When we were first inducted into the Abbey, we made a promise we'd always be there for each other. Always and forever. Do you remember those words?" Wolborg lunged at Dranzer, and managed to tackle the avian to the ground. The canine lunged with his jaws and clamped them around the phoenix's neck. Dranzer raked her talons, digging her claws deep, forcing Wolborg to release his grip.
Kai remembered. He had only been five years old at the time. Tala had been placed in his training group. He was the only one who had even bothered to talk to him. Everyone else just saw Kai as competition. "That was a long time ago, Tala. We were just children back then without any understanding of the world around us. Do you really believe a promise a child made would stand the length of time?"
Wolborg bared his teeth and lunged again. Dranzer fought back with her talons, doing her best to strike the canine in the eyes to blind him temporarily. "We both swore an oath, Kai. You chose not to respect that by running away. Guess who suffered the most when you fled? We did. Spencer. Bryan. Ian. Myself."
"And how was that my fault?" Kai countered. Dranzer pulled free of Wolborg and flew to the top of the tower. Tala's blade chased Dranzer up the side determined not to let Dranzer pull away too far ahead. "Dranzer, counter-attack!" The blades slammed into each other. A fierce battle for domination began as each blade tried to push the other back.
"You abandoned us, Kai!" Tala seethed, throwing an accusatory glare at him. "You left us behind in the Abbey to suffer while you escaped! We were supposed to be brothers, but in the end you only serve yourself! You have no understanding of what it means to be loyal!" Wolborg howled. Razor sharp snowflakes whipped around him as the windstorm intensified. One of the snowflakes brushed up against his arm immediately cutting into the skin. Flesh parted, and crimson red blood poured out. "I've said it before, but you're just like Voltaire. You're even worse than Voltaire. At least Voltaire remained loyal to his people."
Hot anger poured through his body. Like Voltaire? "I am nothing like him!" he hissed.
"You're every bit the same monster as your grandfather and you know that I am right!" The two bitbeasts tackled each other and rolled across the stadium dish's floor. "Wolborg, use Ice Storm!" Wolborg pulled back, sat down on his haunches and howled. His eyes glowed white. A mysterious spirit of a woman reflected in the canine's eyes as vicious blizzard whipped up around them.
Within seconds, the entire dish was encased in ice. Wolborg's power wasn't just limited to the dish – the entire stadium floor was covered in ice too. "If you have jumpers here, you might want to put them on now because this battle just got cold!" DJ announced.
Fortunately, Kai was adapted to fighting in these conditions. Joining the Blitzkrieg Boys last year had paid off after all. Those long months training in the wildest of environments had been useful. Still, his blade wasn't quite as good as skirting across the ice as Wolborg was. "Dranzer, use Blazing Gig Tempest!" Dranzer raced up the tower a second time determined to get to the peak. Once she reached the top, the phoenix spread her wings and unleashed razor sharp feathers.
"Dodge it, Wolborg!" Wolborg skirted across the ice, moving from side to side to avoid being struck.
Kai held back an irritated growl. He couldn't use his fire attacks right now. He had to have a sturdy position at the tower peak to even consider taking the risk otherwise Dranzer would be washed away by the water and her flames would be doused. "Voltaire's blood might run through my veins, but that's where the similarities end! I left Balkov Abbey to get away from him! If I could've taken you all with me, I would've, but I was in no condition to do that!"
"Is that how you justify it? If you really cared you would've come back to help us! I know the truth, Kai! Black Dranzer scarred you and you couldn't handle it so you ran like a coward! You were never one of us! I know you used me last year to get to the top!" Wolborg charged forward. As he ran, icicles protruded up. He ran around the dish creating a barricade of some kind.
Tala was obviously setting up for a special attack. Kai knew he had to act fast and end this battle before Tala was able to make it that far. He threw a hand upwards, sending Dranzer up high into the sky. He then brought his hand and Dranzer followed nailing Wolborg hard from above. The collision created a crack in the ice.
"I am no coward, Tala!"
"Then why do you keep running?!"
Kai held his tongue. He wasn't running away from anything; he was running towards his goal – to be the greatest blader to ever play the game. That goal had changed slightly now. Losing to Tyson again had taught him that. Now it was simply to be a legend of the game. "You're wrong, Tala. I'm not running away. I'm running forwards whilst you cling onto the past. You're the coward afraid to move on."
Tala gritted his teeth. Clenching a fist, he held it up before him. "Wolborg, activate special attack! Freezing Pulse!" The temperature in the stadium plummeted to single digits. Wolborg emitted a mournful chilling howl as all the fallen snowflakes rose up. Kai ordered Dranzer to pull back. This was a move he knew nothing about. Tala had never mentioned it nor had he caught him practicing a new move. "You have your fancy moves, I have mine. Maybe if you had stuck around a little longer, you would've learned something."
"Pull back Dranzer!"
"Now Wolborg, Polar Beam!" All the snowflakes merged into one creating a spear of some kind. A layer of ice encased the spear and hovered above Wolborg ready to be thrown. Before Dranzer could react, the spear was thrown at surprising speed, firing much like a canon. Dranzer was struck hard in the chest, throwing Dranzer aside roughly like a rag doll. The avian skidded across the ice and into the icicle wall. The impact was so great Kai staggered backwards.
Seems like Tala does have some power after all, Kai thought grimly. Dranzer was hammered into the wall again. Tala was holding nothing back. He wasn't giving Dranzer a chance to break free. "You think you've won this but you're sadly mistaken. Dranzer, reverse spin!" If there was one skill Kai had over Tyson it was his ability to force his blade to rotate in the opposite direction. The gears in the blade clicked then reversed, allowing Dranzer to absorb Wolborg's energy to use as his own.
Dranzer pushed Wolborg back. "Wolborg, use Ice Storm!"
"Dranzer, fly!"
The chase began. Dranzer sped towards the tower followed closely by Wolborg snapping at her tail feathers. More icicles protruded upwards from the floor as snowflakes and snowballs pelted the surface. The vicious winds lashed at his skin, cutting deep into the flesh. Kai clamped his jaw shut, trying to ignore the stinging as Dranzer continued to climb the tower. It all came down to this.
Snowballs pelted Dranzer's back. Each successful strike pulled Dranzer back down a few inches, but his phoenix continued to climb. Sheer determination kept his bitbeast going. "Wolborg!" Tala called out throwing a fist into the air, calling upon more power.
Kai called out in pain and dropped to his knees. Tala's snowstorm had whited out the entire stadium. He could barely make out his own arm let alone the dish itself. He growled again, wincing from the pain, as snow and ice lashed his skin. A battle not just against Wolborg but the elements as well. "Dranzer! Fire Tempest!" Forcing himself to his feet, Kai summoned all the power he could muster to give Dranzer more energy.
Fireballs plummeted to the ground cracking the ice. Water burst up from the cracks, spilling out onto the dish and stadium, seeping into the soles of his shoes. Flames were sucked into the vortex of the blizzard mixing in with the ice and snow. Fireballs flung in various directions. More ice cracked as the flames intensified as the blizzard weakened. "No! Wolborg!"
Water was rapidly rising. He could feel it up to his ankles now. "Dranzer, finish it!" An aura of flames radiated from the phoenix's body. Dranzer cawed, pulled her wings back then dove, spiralling towards Wolborg. The stadium shook as both fire and ice collided. He squeezed his eyes shut upon impact. Explosion. He couldn't see it because of the blinding light but he certainly felt it as he was thrown back a couple of metres into the rising water.
Slowly, he climbed back to his feet to observe the aftermath. Immediately, he looked to the tower. Relief poured through him. Dranzer was still at the top. Unfortunately, for Tala, Wolborg was in the water. "What happened in the past is history, Tala," Kai said, in between deep breaths. "Just like your team." He held out his hand to recall Dranzer as the crowd erupted into applause. Without waiting for Tala to reply, he turned his back and headed back to the bench. Tyson threw a fist into the air.
"Way to show him, Kai!"
Kai nodded. "It was nothing." Not entirely true. His blade had taken a severe beating there. Most likely there were a few serious internal injuries to his blade that would need immediate attention. It wasn't just his blade that had sustained injuries – fortunately, his scarf was covering it. "I'm going to check up on Max. You head back to the room and check up on the latest news regarding Rei's blade. I'll be with you shortly."
Tyson frowned, but then nodded. "Sure thing, Kai."
He probably suspected something was wrong, but Tyson knew better than to argue with him. The blader retreated towards their room whilst Kai walked in the opposite direction, taking a different hallway. When he knew there was no one else around, he leaned into the nearby wall, and moved his scarf over his shoulder. A shard of ice protruded from just beneath his left ribcage.
Gritting his teeth, he placed his hand over it and slowly pulled it out. A hiss of pain escaped his throat, but he continued to pull it out, ignoring the blood splashing over his hand. Eventually, he yanked it out then dropped it on the floor. Covering his wound with his hand, he slowly stumbled down the hallway, each step harder than the last.
"Kai?"
He saw blond hair. Max. He cracked a smile. He had recovered well as expected.
"Kai!"
Before he could speak, his knees gave way and he toppled over onto the ground, Max's voice screaming in the background.