Since I'm a bad author in the sense of not getting chapters out fast enough, I thought I'd be generous, and give you two. To be honest, I am trying to get all the chapters out so I can focus more on the book I'm writing. :D
So, here is the first one.
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. I write solely to entertain, and do not profit from my writings here.
Chapter 35 - Armies March
"Bryan!" Tyson griped, struggling against the iron grip that held his wrist. "Bryan let me go!"
"Not until you're safe in Heaven," the teen snapped back, his wings struggling valiantly against the two younger Angels as he pulled them slowly but surely back towards Heaven's boundaries.
Though Max was as determined as Tyson to return to Hell and find their friends, he found himself giving in to Bryan's will. His wing beats evened out, and he felt compelled to return to the safety of his home. Bryan, sensing Max's surrender, turned his energies towards dragging Tyson, who was temptingly considering biting the older boy's hands if nothing else worked. With desperation, he called to Dragoon, and was astonished when the Dragon did not respond to him.
"Dragoon won't help me…" he said out loud, a little hurt that his Guardian Beast would ignore his plea.
The lavender haired teen hitched a bitter smirk onto his face. "That's because he agrees with me. We have Hell's denizens on our heels; I have to get the last two Guardians back to Heaven or my life won't be worth living. Heaven needs you now." He turned broken eyes on them. "When you are both safe, I'll go back for Tala and Rei. I promise."
Though the blunette could see the conviction and sincerity in the other boys' eyes, it did not make the task of running any easier to bear. His shoulders hunched as he flew, no longer fighting the will of their friend.
As the cloud cover grew thicker, longer and more frequent, both Max and Tyson started to feel Bryan relax. They were almost at Heaven's door, and from what they could see, hear and feel, nothing pursued them.
For a moment, Bryan paused to consider the implications of this. Why had Hell not raced after the teen angels? They were Guardians; they exuded white light and powerful cleansing energies, so anyone that had seen the fledglings would know what they were. Why then had their pursuit not been more vigorous, more determined? It was almost as though Hell could care less about them, and the lavender eyed teen could not help but wonder what could possibly have them so distracted that they would not care to pursue their greatest bargaining tool.
They passed the protective wards that surrounded Heaven, and Bryan felt the calming energies of his home comforting his anguish. Although he had put on a brave face for the three younger boys, his heart was bleeding at having had to leave Tala, Rei and Kai in Hell.
"Halt!"
Bryan pulled up short immediately, jerking the two younger boys into line behind him. He caught sight of Kenny dropping in to his left, and was secretly pleased all boys were behind him.
"Who's there?" he called firmly, peering into the darkness in an attempt to uncover their assailant.
He felt Max touch his shoulder. It is a Guard. Tread carefully.
The older teen couldn't help it, he shuddered at the way Max had projected himself into his head, shaking off the young boys hand as he did so. It irked him to think his thoughts might not be his own.
"I should be asking that of you," the voice replied, and Bryan saw the silhouette of someone move closer to him. "Tell me why I should not have speared you on sight?"
"Well," Bryan began, irritated, "apart from the fact that neither one of us can see each other properly yet, I don't think you would like to be the guard that single handedly destroyed the hope of Heaven by spearing its Guardians."
There was a piercing silence, before…
"WHAT?"
Bryan raised his head, his wing beats strong as he hovered in mid air. "I am Bryan Kuznetsov, angel of Heaven, and I bring the Guardians Tyson Kimono and Max Tate in my wake as I seek to protect them from Hell's pursuit. We must speak with Dominic Yuinichi presently, for I fear we might be under attack."
An even longer silence followed his announcement before…
"Sound the alarms! We're under attack! Bring forth the Guardians!"
Light bloomed around them from torch flares, and soldiers dressed in their silver chain mail came charging forward to form a protective ring around the band of teens.
"To the Commander!" one cried, and as one, they began to move.
The temptation to simply sit by the cold corpse of his brother, cradling his hand and praying until his heart was empty and his soul was crushed, was a highly appealing notion at this point for Dominic Yuinichi. Never before had his faith been so tested… and so broken. His sister, his mother, his father, and now his only remaining family, his brother, had left him. Agony enveloped him, his aura blacker than night as he stared out of the window of his office. It was night, and though he still felt loyal to his men; to the protection of their sanctuary, he burned to fly to Hell, and dispatch his brother's murderer. It was a desire that consumed his every thought, made his body ache as he longed to watch the life blood flow. Nic was all he had fought for, for so long. Now who did he fight for? Who cared that he fought at all?
Kai… Kai was gone; his poison riddled body dragged to Hell, and though Dom thought fiercely of pursuing him and returning his form to be buried in its rightful place, he still could not bring himself to leave his brother.
The knock on his door was so distant he almost didn't respond. An echo of his other self stirred inside him, and he got to his feet slowly, shooting his brother a long, mournful look. His hand was shaking slightly when he reached for the door knob, but with a deep breath, he corrected his facial features into granite hard lines, and wrenched the door open.
"I asked not to be disturbed," he snarled out, making the officer standing in the hall cringe backwards slightly.
"Yes Sir, I'm sorry Sir, but it is the Guardians…"
He felt his interest spark, yet the spark was miniscule compared to the inferno it had once been. Besides, he had given specific instructions that the Guardian's mansion was to be guarded until such time as Heaven had been deemed safe, and he had asked Dickinson to tell the boys not to leave the house under pain of…well, pain. So, unless they had all entered a suicide pact, or had mysteriously turned neon purple in his absence, he did not think they could surprise him at this point. Besides, the more time he spent out here, the colder his brother's body would get.
"Unless they have absconded off into the night to form a vigilante group hell bent on reducing pollution, I don't believe it is worthy of my time right now." He turned to go back in.
"But Sir, they went to Hell!"
Dominic's body and mind came to a screeching halt as he took in the information. The conflict of family and duty burned within his chest, and though he longed to take that final step, and slam shut the door, he did an about face. He heard his voice, eerily calm and steady as he spoke, trying to ignore the whisper of his brother's name in his mind.
"To Hell?"
The soldier, hearing the ice in his Commanders voice, quaked slightly. "Y-Yes Sir."
Dominic growled within his throat, long and low, and the soldier took a tentative step backward, wings rising unconsciously into defensive mode. Dom took no notice. They had disobeyed his order; an order put in place for their own safety, and to give him time. Now, they were robbing him of that time. A steady flow of fury began to beat through his veins, and his eyes hardened.
"Take me to them."
"Yes sir."
The four teens sat in silence.
A nurse had been through to check them over, making sure that A: they carried no excess negative energy with them from Hell, and B: that they had no serious injuries. Tyson had sustained a laceration to his cheek in the desperate race to get out of Hell, but that was it for damage control, thus, they had been left alone again relatively quickly. Once they had been brought to the mansion, everyone had been told to sit and await the arrival of the Commander, and every soldier, whether consciously or unconsciously, had quickly left the room to guard its exteriors, not keen to be caught with their brooding General.
As the boys sat there, in silence, a sense of unease began to build around them. Max's wings began to twitch nervously, as the Guardian Beasts stirred, the Talismans emitting a steady glow. The doors to the living room burst open, and everyone bar Bryan jumped at the sound, their hearts racing as Dominic entered the room. The Talisman's sense of unease increased at the negative energy being generated from the warrior, and as one, the two Beasts sent out shields of protection to cover their charges.
The Commander moved forward, his steps determined, his eyes as cold as ice. His whole posture exuded anger, rage, and pain. The closer he got, the more his wings expanded, and Bryan saw what he would do seconds before he had the chance to do it.
The lavender haired teen lunged, putting himself between the Leader of Heaven and the Protectors of it. Kenny let out a tiny cry of shock, before Max took him by the hand and placed him behind them. Max and Tyson had leapt to their feet, wings spread wide as they debated on what to do.
Bryan was desperately wrestling with the older man, trying to throw him off and at the same time knock him down, but the warrior was his superior in every way, and after a few more seconds, the teen received a crippling blow to the stomach, and then the side of the head. He crumpled to the ground, still clinging to consciousness as he heaved oxygen into his abused lungs, the world turning sickeningly around him at the pain in his temple.
The Leader turned on his charges.
"How dare you?" he roared, making all three boys flinch back in fear. "I gave you a direct order, and you disobeyed me! And where is Kon?"
Max felt the fear tighten his vocals as he looked down at the warrior's feet. Bryan's still form scared him more than the angel bearing down on them, and he desperately wanted to get to the teen to make sure he was alright. Tyson, fear aside, was furious at the same time, and he heard his voice come out in an angry yell.
"He's trapped in Hell!" he roared back, his senses momentarily taking leave. "That's why we came back! We need your help to go and get him!"
"Idiots," the older man hissed, his eyes as poisonous a shade of green as they had ever seen. "You walked into Hell and presumed you would all walk out again? How stupid can you get? Now we have lost two Guardians to the Demons without even trying! How could you," he turned on Bryan's beaten form, "how could you lead them on a suicide mission?" Dominic's foot lashed out, and all three boys heard a rib crack in the teen's chest.
"Max NO!" Tyson cried, but the blonde had already reacted, his energy field filling with anger and hurling itself at the Commander. The shock of the teen's outburst took him off guard, and he was sent staggering backwards, giving the blue eyed boy enough time to run out and encompass the fallen angel with his energy. Summoning strength he did not possess, he picked Bryan up in his arms, staggering slightly as he raced back to Tyson's side.
"How dare you attack me!" Dominic roared, striding back towards them, of the intent to strike them all at least once.
"How dare you attack an Angel when he is down!" Max screamed back, tears forming in his eyes. "Some Commander you are, you can't even live up to your own rules!"
That blind fury took over for a minute, and Tyson reflexively threw his hands up as though defending himself as blows of every kind rained down on their shields. Though Dominic was still a strong warrior, and also possessed magick of his own, he could not penetrate their defenses, and he snarled in rage. Blinded by grief, the Commander let the negative energy, the hate inside, consume him.
The air was thick with tension, and his muscles twitched in anticipation. His nails itched to grow; to take a swipe at them and destroy their faces. Ripping the flesh from their bones seemed tantalizing. To rip, to tear, to inflict as much pain as imaginably possible; it was what he longed for. He ached for it; he burned for it.
The few remnants of his tattered soul seemed to rejoice at the idea of revenge; of making another suffer as he had suffered.
He growled, the sound feral yet inspiring many, as demons within earshot followed suit.
His army…
His legions…
All HIS.
Dark pleasure surged in his chest, and the black aura surrounding him grew. This was all his now. There had not been a Demon of his caliber since Lucifer himself, and now…
Hell was his.
And soon, Heaven would join it.
Another of Black Dranzer's shrieks ripped its way out of his chest, and he let it, his darkness rejoicing as Hell screamed along with him.
Dominic continued his restless pacing, glaring at the teens as he went. The grief, the fear, the fury; all of it pounded on the shields with the force of a hundred fists. And it hurt without touching them. Though their bodies were unscathed, their emotions were tied to their powers, and they could feel the pain radiating off this man. Their hearts may as well have been ripped from their chests.
Tears cascaded down Max's face, the pain of loss killing him a little inside. The fact that one man could carry around so much pain hurt him. He wanted to help. Even if the man passed his suffering on to others, he needed help.
Taking a deep breath, he lowered his shield, making Draciel roar in protest. With Bryan and Kenny safe within Tyson's shield, he did not feel the need to protect them, but he knew Tyson would.
"Max! What are you doing?"
Though the fear and the pain drummed into him, he knew the only way he could possibly heal Dom was to touch him. He braced himself as their teacher turned, his poisonous gaze narrowing as he sensed the boy lower his protection. He lunged at him, and somewhere behind him he heard Tyson scream again.
His wings were tensed as the strong, determined hands of his teacher gripped him around the throat and lifted. The fear intensified, a sick panic creeping into him as his body threatened to freeze under the stress. Tyson was screaming his name, trying to move forward but unwilling to leave his weaker friends.
As the hands tightened, the grief intensified around him, and struggling for one last breath, he let the walls down. It was like he was a vacuum, sucking all the negative, dark, hateful things from the man, and in its place he put feelings of contentment, peace; love.
Even as his throat threatened to close, his wings trembling and shedding feathers in his distress, he saw a flicker of reason spark in the older man's eyes. Dominic dropped the boy, reeling back from the energies pouring into him. Max, in return, felt like Kai's poisoned demon claws were slowly peeling back his flesh, ripping apart his ribs, and plucking out his heart to eat.
The tears ran like a river as he sobbed uncontrollably, the agony a tangible substance in the air around him. Tyson couldn't help it; he broke ranks, running to his lover as he felt his overwhelming pain.
Kenny helped Bryan sit up, the teen flinching as pain rippled through his body, yet not willing to have the grown man take another swing at the younger boys. On his feet he swayed, but stood, only to realize that Dom was sitting in a puddle of human emotion on the floor. If he got up with malicious intent any time soon, it would be a miracle.
Max, on the other hand, was broken. A better reaction could not have been drawn if you had picked him up and snapped him in two. Tyson looked up, his light brown eyes distraught as he realized the words he was using were useless. Max's pain was so obvious it hurt to watch. For Dominic, his years of intensive training had honed his responses, so he was able to both channel and block his pain. The blonde did not have these quips. He could not cope.
Tyson's words were meaningless in his ears, and in the wake of such grief, loss and pain, Bryan could only think of one thing to do. The lamp was light, made of some sort of oak, but sturdy. The soft thunk as it collided with the blondes head made Bryan wince. Still, the silence was just as… irritating now, until Tyson spoke.
"Are you out of your mind?"
The lavender haired teen set the lamp back on the table he stood beside, sighing.
"It's better than leaving him in agony. You weren't exactly getting through."
The blunette had no response to this, the unshed tears still simmering before his eyes. Instead, he walked over to a nearby couch, selecting a pillow and sticking it under the blondes head. With tenderness, the boy shifted his friend's wings into a comfortable position, his own hanging down his back in his depression.
Bryan turned to the warrior. Though his body throbbed from the abuse it had taken, he still felt sorry for the older man.
"Get up."
Well…not that sorry.
"Bryan," Kenny scolded, making the lavender haired teen roll his eyes.
"What? If the guy can't handle his duties he shouldn't be our Leader. The truth is that simple. He almost strangled Max." He shot the man another irritated glance. "Not to mention my ribs are screaming like a bitch…"
Dominic finally looked up, his eyes bleary, as though he was as high as a kite. His wings were folded down his back neatly, and his posture was slack.
"What?"
His word was slurred.
Purple eyes narrowed, annoyed, and with four short strides and a swift flick of his wrist, a resounding SLAP echoed through the room. The ebony hair whip lashed around the man's face as his head snapped to the side.
"Wake up! Hell is on the move, and two are Guardians are trapped there!"
Something, either the tone of the words or the force of the slap, seemed to register in the man's brain. The diminished euphoria was replaced by a sort of unrestrained horror.
"WHAT?"
"Finally," Bryan murmured, "a sane reaction."
His breath frosted in the air as he sat, huddled in his corner. Tala's jacket was draped down his front, and with his back to the wall, he was desperately trying to keep all the body warmth he could.
The red head, sitting opposite him and showing no signs of discomfort, however, was dozing almost peacefully. It was obvious Rei was slowly freezing to death. The teen's normally tan skin was white, while his lips were officially blue. His constant shivering was a real problem, and he was deeply concerned by the fact he could no longer feel his toes.
"That's it," he muttered angrily, getting to his feet. He padded quietly over to the other teen, careful not to wake him until he was standing right over him. A small part of him was annoyed that the red head was so comfortable in this fridge.
"I can't sit in this freezer any longer, Ivanov," he growled out, his teeth chattering as he said it.
Tala stirred, his blue eyes blinking open slowly from sleep. He had not dreamed, he realized vaguely. His sleep had been rejuvenating, and totally uninterrupted by the nightmares he was sure he was going to have. Sitting up, he stretched, feeling his muscles warm with the motion.
Glancing up at the teen standing over him, he had to fight to control his facial features as he took in the younger angel's haggard appearance. Still, a flicker of concern passed through his eyes, and he stood quickly.
Rei had not been able to sleep at all. Even with Drigger comforting him, the haunting images of Kai had plagued him, and the constant chill of the room seemed to have seeped into his bones. His face was pale and drawn, and under his bloodshot eyes were deep black rings. His wings trailed down his back, the black they had used on them now having rubbed off all over his arms and back. His hair was matted with dirt and sweat, and Tala knew that if it weren't for his hair wrap, it would be a tangled mess.
"How long have you been awake?" the red head queried, eyes concerned as they watched the boys constant shivering.
"Not long," he lied smoothly, "but I literally cannot stand to be in here another minute. I'm going to scout."
Tala's first reaction was to object, but he bit his tongue, looking the teen up and down, before nodding. Kon needed the activity. If it wasn't for Drigger, hypothermia would have already set in. As it was, Tala still couldn't work out why he was so immune to the temperature.
"Ok, but you know the drill; no sight, no sound, no smell even. Stay safe."
Rei nodded, secretly elated he didn't have to fight with the older teen over the decision. Turning, he practically sprinted to the door, slipped through and was out of sight.
Tala instantly felt a pull in his mind, and thought for a minute it was Dranzer, and that he should call the teen back. Touching the Talisman against his chest he felt no heat or energy to suggest the Phoenix was active. He frowned, confused, when the pull came again, sharper and stronger.
He jerked in the direction, and his feet seemed to carry him forward, deeper into the room. He strained his hearing, his eyes raking the area, as the deeper he went, the more insistent the pulse in his mind became. Finally, at the back of the room, standing before a glass case, the pulse seemed to align with his heart beat.
He stared at it, not even able to see the contents due to the years of dust caked over it, but still able to feel his heart racing in his chest. There was something in this case that was calling to him, and he wanted it.
He wanted it like he had never wanted anything before in his life.
The Phoenix around his neck stirred, and the gentle sound of her melody filled the air. He took a shaky breath, and exhaled at the glass. Years of dirt and dust scattered into the air before him, and before the debri had even settled he was peering closer, his fingers gently rubbing a hole into the remaining dirt.
A glint of silver flashed inside the casing, and he felt a tug on his being so sharp he almost broke the glass under his fingers. Yet he was no fool. Glancing down, he saw that the base of the casing was adhered to the stand. Dark symbols bound the glass shut, and though he didn't know how he knew it, he was certain only a powerful spell breaker could get through the wards.
A growl pulled itself from his throat. He couldn't wait for that. He wanted whatever was in there, and he wanted it NOW.
Taking a deep breath, he placed both hands either side of the container.
"Dranzer, you must help me. Please…set it free…" he whispered.
The Talisman responded slowly, not used to the new soul trying to channel it. The song bird let loose a melodious trill, before power rippled down the teen's hands, and into the case. He gasped at the sensation, his body starting to tremble at the power building in and around him. Sweat broke out across his forehead, and his muscles began to cramp as they strained under the weight of the magic. He panted, gritting his teeth as he continued to cling to the glass. The symbols around the base began to glow, burning brightly as the strength of the birds song continued to build. The cramping turned into pain as the pressure continued. Sweat began to run down his face and he grunted under the pull.
The silent drag from behind the glass seemed to increase, as though encouraging him onward. He hissed as the pain deepened, running along his nerves, until his whole body was alive with the undercurrent of his pain. Yet still he fought.
Whatever was under the glass, he would have it, even if it killed him.
Leaving the frozen room was like pulling a piece of meat out of the freezer. With that first gust of hot, sulfuric air, Rei felt his muscles begin to thaw, his whole body warming almost instantly. He breathed one long deep sigh of relief as he felt his skin return to room temperature, before he grasped the Talisman around his neck and thought of concealment.
His footsteps were soundless as he padded the long hallways, constantly scanning and listening for signs of life. As he made his way closer and closer to the surface, he became concerned as to the complete lack of demon activity. Surely, they knew that two angels had failed to escape Hell after their reckless rescue mission was brought to everyone's attention. Did they think them hidden elsewhere? Or did they not care?
Perhaps, he thought with a tiny twinge of alarm, they planned to starve them out? Already Rei himself was beginning to feel the pangs of hunger. What if they just expected them to surrender if only to end the suffering of starvation?
Warmth, pure and comforting, flooded his chest, emanating from the Talisman, and reminding him to stay calm and keep his wits. He felt his pulse slow as he calmed himself down, realizing he had been working himself into quite a state.
It was then that he felt it; a deep thrumming that reverberated through the ground and up his legs, shaking his centre. He darted to the side of the hall, bathing himself in the shadows, as his eyes, narrowed into slits, raked the area. His ears pricked as they recognized the sound, and he slowly crept towards the entrance of the Hall as he listened.
The erratic sound was the rabid beating of war drums.
He felt his heart freeze in his chest as he realized why they weren't looking for them.
They didn't care. What were two angels in Hell if they were about to wage a war to take Heaven? And with two Guardians down, and only two young, untrained ones left…
Nausea engulfed him, making him clutch at his stomach in horror. They would attack Heaven…
His friends…
His family…
"Merciful God," he whispered fervently, "I have need of your mercy now. Please, watch over and protect my friends, my family, until such a time as I can protect them."
He touched the Talisman at his throat, reaffirming his prayer, before continuing to creep forward.
He may as well see the size of this army, and work out which General would be leading it; it was the only way he could help at this point. If he could ascertain that much, and make it back to Heaven, this whole crusade would have been useful to an extent. If he could bring Kai back with him…
The bile rose in his throat as the image of Kai's dark, tortured form flashed in his mind. He longed to bring Kai back to the sanctuary of Heaven, and restore him to his full glory. Then, at his side, they would dispatch the Army set forth to destroy them…
The fantasy in his mind dissolved as finally, he reached the end of the hall. Hidden in the shadows, he looked out over a sea of leathery wings, and lashing tails. The drums thundered in his ears now, and he thought he must surely be vibrating with the strength of them.
Every single demon or warlock had their back to him, their attention avidly fixated on the podium erected across the massive square. Atop the podium stood several figures, their black wings raised high, dressed in black tunics, chain mail, and bedecked with weapons. Rei's eyes zeroed in on the one figure he instantly distinguished from the rest of the crowd.
Standing before an Army of the darkest, blackest creatures in existence, stood Kai, looking every bit a Warlock Warrior as he stared down his troops. He raised his arm, now covered by a wrist guard with blades like scythes sliding out of it, and as his fist came into the air, the masses screeched and roared in glee.
Horror filled him. It consumed every thought, every feeling, until he found himself turning and fleeing back down the hall. The Army would march on Heaven, and when it did, Kai would lead these demons to his home, and destroy his own people. He and Tala had to make it back before the Army!
Running at full speed he was back at the door within minutes, his breath ripping through his chest as he heaved the oxygen in. How was he to get Tala out? He shook his head, reaching for the doorknob. He'd have to worry about that problem when they got to it. They needed to leave, now.
Hehehe, ok, next chapter, which you can proceed to right now, is 'Til Death Do Us Part'.
NC