The temperature was blistering within the United Kingdom range. Compared to other parts of the world, it was a sporadic shift compared to yesterday, when the temperature was below freezing. Luke's family manor was under the humid night sky. Even without a sun, the air was thick and foul.
At the family table, Augustine and Claire had empty wine glasses that were stained with dried wine residue. Neither one was moved due to recent events, and no one could blame them. If anything, even with the after-dinner wine, they couldn't settle themselves knowing what was happening.
"Dear…?" Claire's voice broke the awkward silence between the pair.
"Yes Claire, what is it?" Augustine's response was low and cold. Nevertheless, Claire was innocent and kept moving forward.
"I'm worried, about our baby boy." Her fist balled tighter towards her chest to ease the stress in her heart. It didn't help. "He's been off fighting Riaan for weeks on other worlds that aren't ours. Was it really such a good decision to let him and his friends do this?"
"Claire…" Augustine held a long pause. He took a short breath of air-conditioned oxygen and breathed out. He continued on a calmer sentiment. "I understand how you feel. We've seen the footage. Everyone has. Our son is doing his very best to fend for everyone out there. Besides, I think we've seen enough of him to know he's all grown up. He can make his own decisions."
Claire glanced down in guilt. "I know…" She sighed heavily. "My baby boy's all grown up."
He smirked. He couldn't agree more with what she said about their son.
The doors to the private room opened unexpectedly, bringing Augustine and Claire's attention to their invader. They saw at the entrance, Cale was there with a television remote.
"Cale? What is it?" Augustine questioned, standing up.
"It's that young reporter giving us the details on the war. She's on the air again." He moved off to the side, showing the television on across the hall. "Come look."
Claire and Augustine gave sharp looks at one another. The air in their sleepless home was becoming colder.
…
The video was seen not just as Luke's family estate, but along every news channel that was online or offline. Using Mira's server at the Battle Brawler HQ, everyone across the world witnessed the turmoil of the nighttime destruction Neathia was undertaking.
"This is your reporter Julie here, and this is getting crazy out of here! We have ourselves a historic showdown where Dan and the other Battle Brawlers are going to tackle the Hades Pillars that are working for Riaan. Right, we're having a large amount of support coming from Dan's friends as they pave a way for the others to get to the Empyrean and stop this craziness!"
The screen showed the camera's point of view of the many explosions and battles taking place. They showed flamed from Snapzoid and ectoplasmic shockwave blown through by Drago's Dragon Tornado attack. The sparks of Verias and Glotronoid were seen in the distance, right near where winds and green explosions tore apart by something large. It was spontaneous with everyone viewing a different angle of the showdown taking place in the white snow of Neathia.
Mira, Runo, and Alice were watching from the lab in the HQ. Unlike the United Kingdom, Bakugan City was taking a much more drastic shift, where it was below freezing. People were indoors as debris layered most of the streets. One arena was completely collapsed in a fissure just yesterday.
Runo gasped in worry. "Dan!" The screen showed Dan and Marucho in a close-up as they faced off against Amina and her dazzling dress. 'Wow, she cleans up nice.'
"It doesn't look as disastrous as yesterday it seems." Mira observed. "They don't have their soldiers deployed, just their head subordinates." At this revelation, Mira put a finger to her chin. 'Wait, why would he do such a thing? I heard he went on full-scale attacks on Vestal and Gundalia. Why only the initial attack on Neathia then? Is he trying to draw the Brawlers out for something?'
"Are you seeing them anywhere, Alice?" Hydranoid asked.
Alice shook her head worriedly. "…no, I'm not seeing them anywhere where they're showing it."
Runo and Mira turned their attention towards their worried accomplice. "Something wrong, Alice?" the former asked.
Alice held a clenched fist to her chest, her heart racing at the destruction onscreen. "It's Luke, and Luka. I'm not seeing them anywhere."
Runo raised a brow at her claim, turning towards Mira. "Is she talking about one of those other guys?"
"Yes. The ones we saw on screen before." The comment made them remember the earlier broadcast yesterday. The upper angle back then was a great view of Abis and Brontes battling the giant mechanical monster. Her Vestal technology kept dialogues of the power levels after being so high.
Runo looked back at the screen, seeing no sign of them. "Well they're not there now."
Alice watched the battles intently. She could barely make out the darkness erupting in the far back a mile away. She knew from the visage of a razor blade moth that Esther was fighting. That managed to alleviate her. But it sunk lo when she didn't see the other two she worried about. 'I sure hope they'll make it out okay?'
Aranaut skillfully backflipped through the air, dodging a laserbeam that exploded in his place. High in the air, he adjusted and held his arms out.
"Princess!"
As snow exploded and flowed over her, Fabia held her ground and held up an ability. "Now, Aranaut! Ability activate, Spiral Glowdown!"
"Just what I was thinking!" He straightened his back and angled his feet to face Lockanoid and his Battlegear. His body spun like a drill as a glowing yellow energy spiral looped around him as he descended onto him. "Lights out for you!"
The Lockanoid's red eye glowed brightly. It skillfully aimed its harpoon gear up at Aranaut and waited for the right moment. When he was close enough, the exhaust from the harpoon shot out from behind the blockades at the end of the weapon, allowing the pressure to shoot the harpoon with an energy rope streaming behind it up at Aranaut.
"Lookout, Queen Fabia!" Linus warned. "Rubanoid, hurry!"
"With pleasure!" The ruby dragon held firm as his Destrakon Gear heads hissed and unleashed several red energy beams directly at Lockanoid.
With its hands free, they aimed for Rubanoid's interception and unleashed a straight beam that met the several thinner beams in the middle, creating an explosion that rattled the ground. The ground trembled as the smoke traveled towards the Bakugan below. They were too preoccupied with the cover to see several projectile volleys like machine gun bullets ripping holes through the smoke and blasting them.
Rubanoid, Boulderon, and Wolfurio screamed as not even their BakuNano and Battlegear were holding down the assault. Wolfurio held up his shield, but that didn't stop the barrage from coming.
Aranaut continued his way down, meeting the harpoon in the center. The result was him getting swept up in a powerful explosion as it detonated upon impact. The sky was filled with a smoke cloud that bolstered those on the ground.
"Aranaut!" Fabia cried out.
Aranaut screamed as he fell head-first from the smoke cloud. He smashed into the snow, which thankfully cushioned his fall. As he got up, the harpoon on Lockanoid was pulled back by the energy thread back into its barrel. Lockanoid gurgled as its right arm aimed for all four and unleashed another relentless volley.
Once again, everyone was caught under fire as the relentless barrage held them back. It was so bad that even Rubanoid's multiple heads on his Battlegear were getting picked off. One head was blown off after the other, unable to keep up.
"Are you serious?!"
"Keep fighting! We have to push back, no matter the cost!" Linus shouted.
"Aranaut, get ready!" Fabia tapped into her Bakumeter, securing coordinates that ended with a bright yellow emanating from the screen.
"Ready, Battle Crusher!"
She seized the mechanical weapon and threw it at Aranaut. "Battlegear, boost!" She chucked it towards her Bakugan, creating a flashing light within the melee projected. As projectiles were unleashed, they struck metal that deflected them into clumps of snow, melting the snow from their energy.
Aranaut stood tall with his peers, his shoulder cannon projected as a long metal belt with electricity in between each joint connected to loop around him. He balled his fists and held guard against the barrage.
"Battlegear ability, activate!" Fabia shouted. "Battle Crusher Duke!" Aranaut aimed his shoulder cannon directly into the line of fire and took position. Once he was set, the yellow energy charged up to full power, letting him launch a bright yellow beam with all his might.
Lockanoid countered using his Lansor's harpoon. The exhausts unleashed steam and smoke and unleashed the weapon in a streaming fashion. It bolted into the middle, meeting Aranaut's attack head-on.
An immeasurable explosion brightened up the atmosphere between everyone once again; Fabia especially had to cover up from the bright waves emanating. But Lockanoid wasn't letting up as volleys of his cannon-like hands and chest fired relentlessly, breaking through the barrage.
"Is anything getting through to this guy?!" Paige shouted. She was brought to a knee to avoid a volley projectile that exploded far behind her.
"We have to endure just a little longer!" Rafe shouted. "We have to! The others are counting on us to help them! Our people need us and the Brawlers now more than ever!"
Fabia covered within the line of fire. She agreed full-heartedly with Rafe's claim. She wanted to help, yet they had an obstacle that had to be dealt with, and fast. As the line of fire had no end to it, the queen's green eyes pierced plea. 'Please Dan, Brawlers, don't let us down.'
The land shook at the wake of something slamming into the ground with thunderous force. The impact was so intense that it ran on for miles like an echo. With this being in Neathian Canyons, it was a given that anyone could feel their spines shudder. The impact came from a smokestack in a crater, where something groaned and laid in there. Fly Beetle slowly stirred, albeit tiredly with Shuji on his buttocks, wiping away the dirt on his lips.
"C'mon, is that all you got?" Coredem retracted his blasters on his Rock Hammer, making a click sound. Unlike the battered insectoid trying to get a knee beneath him, the armed giant wasn't deterred by anything. In fact, he looked far from tired. "I thought you guys wanted to get tougher. Where's that solid spirit you had before?"
Fly Beetle slammed a hand on the ground, making a loud thud as he slowly found his feet beneath him. He and Shuji gradually regained ground as they turned back towards Coredem.
"Don't count us out…just yet, pal." Shuji labored.
"We're just getting started ourselves." Fly Beetle retorted. He lowered his horn to signal his comeback. "C'mon."
Coredem gave them a pause. He clenched one of his fists and drove it into the ground, creating a break in the earth. The magnitude split the earth into large stones that were in freefall long enough for him to strike. "Sling Exia!" He punched the rocks with his full might, sending them falling onto Fly Beetle.
Instinctively, Shuji swiped his arm. "Fly Beetle!"
The giant bug let out a large shriek as he lowered his horn, which started glowing. Unleashing Horn Blitzer, he unwieldy his wing shields and barreled dead ahead. His impact of the horn to the rocks split them to pieces, leaving them to fall at his feet. He continued ahead until he finally barreled into Coredem. The impact f his horn was so immense an airwave expelled from the blow. However, that was all he got before Coredem aimed his shoulder cannons directly at him.
Shuji gnashed his teeth together again and did quick thinking. "Ability activate, Thorax Defense!"
Just as the Beo-Blaster launched intense orange beams, Fly Beetle was shifted back into the earth with a hardened exoskeleton. He was able to retain his footing, but his body was slowly losing ground from the force of the attack. But he wasn't quitting. Digging his heels into the ground, the insectoid nearly ripped the earth beneath as he leaned deeper into the beam, screaming as he endured its barreling force.
The beam soon exerted, leaving the momentum to finally settle. Fly Beetle kneeled as his energy carapace was in a cracked state, but thankfully he was still in this. Although it left him very much winded.
"Not bad." Coredem praised. "You're holding up good now."
Shuji smirked maliciously. "Like we said…WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED! HOLD YOUR GROUND, FLY BEETLE!"
Fly Beetle let out a violent cry as he charged after Coredem once more. The Rock Hammer Beo-Blaster launched again, but Fly Beetle took it, despite the energy carapace getting cracks again. He wavered back, but like better, he dug his heels into the attack and slowly pushed through with his fist reeled back.
'We've gotta stand our ground…and toughen up.' Shuji and Fly Beetle thought. 'Don't get pushed down…no matter what!'
An axe blade swung down where Shuji stood. The man had no choice but to dodge Zion's wrath as it cleaved into the ground. He shot a look back to see him preparing knives for a follow-up. Finding little room to take cover amongst the humid and charred ground, Shuji looked down at the axe blade and attempted to lift it.
"Faster, boy!" Zion raged as he fired his knives at him.
With all his gusto, Shuji gritted his teeth and managed to pick up the weapon and mustered it like a bat. He tried out as the heavy metal easily batted the knives away, but the momentum was too great and he fell to a knee, whereas the axe carved into the ground nearby. He swiveled back up with a pained grunt.
"Damnit, that thing's heavy…" He wiped dirt off his face using the back of his fist.
Zion scoffed at Shuji's efforts, but was appealed in his own way. "Hmph, not bad, shield…" He whipped out a Gate Card. "But it seems you are much too fragile!" He whipped the Gate Card out, sending it in a bright red shockwave through the ground beneath. "Here I thought you were going to stand your ground."
Shuji found proper footing and glared his brown eyes up at the bloodthirsty foe. 'This guy's really getting under my skin. He really knows how to provoke people into a fight he knows they can't win.' He slowly arose to his feet and clutched his fists tight. 'But we're not that stupid. We don't have weapons, but we're not just gonna let him have his way. Gotta derail him head-on then.'
Zion and Shuji held up their respective Bakugan. Both shot menacing glares at each other before launching into battle. "Bakugan, brawl!"
In a dark flare, a wave of flames washed over the atmosphere as Snapzoid revealed himself for bloody combat, hissing territorially. Whereas the earth crusted beneath a stick-like lib that was Stag Fly Beetle, rising up to battle.
Snapzoid: 700 Stag Fly Beetle: 700
"Enough beating around the bush, it's time we get down to business." Shuji snarled.
"You said it, Shuji." Fly Beetle flexed his wing shields, unfolding his four yellow wings with a gust of air brewing.
Zion darkly glared at his foe. His claim intriguing him into battle. "Then perhaps you should start right now." He initiated the instant an opening followed. "Ability activate, Eel Shockdown!" Snapzoid's tendrils uncurled and he discharged red static through them. He lashed them after Fly Beetle, who dug his heels deep for impact as his power declined to 300.
"Shuji!"
Nodding in understanding, Shuji vigorously punched forward with his Bakumeter igniting an ability. "Ability, activate! Horn Blitzer!" The insectoid snarled as his horn's axe-like end glowed bright orange and lengthened to sharpened energy blades. He lowered his horn and charged in like a bulldozer, using his wings to jettison his course.
Snapzoid: 700 Stag Fly Beetle: 300 (+400 +400) = 1100
The tendrils drew closer in to snake around, but he lashed his horn and violently pushed them away. The force made airwaves stop time for a split second, where Fly Beetle used the frozen air to jettison faster through the break.
'So he's turned to being a sword now.' The weaponized killer elated himself as he wanted to see Fly Beetle break from this dynamic. He reached out casually for an ability showing. "Ability, activate! Double Fang Buster!" Snapzoid's maw closed for an instant as his energy conducted into his tongue and body into the jugular. A red energy bubbled inside until it was finally unleashed in a blistering beam of bright red energy, with the tongue unleashing a pressurized stream through it that gave it a sense of gravity for more piercing damage.
Even as Fly Beetle's power returned to 700, while Snapzoid's went up to 1100, he met the attack with vital momentum. The beam struck his horn, splitting into several smaller destructive beams that went around him. He anchored himself to the ground to hold on, yet he found Snapzoid's power to be keeping him from moving forward
Zion looked far from impressed. "Hmph, what a lousy sword you make."
Fly Beetle grunted as he was feeling his knees lose traction. The ground was already weakened from the earlier attack, so he had to get back in there. 'Not yet, not yet…'
'Don't get pushed down…no matter what!'
Remembering the training, Fly Beetle harnessed himself and pushed deeper with his horn. "Not…yet, you don't…" He balled his claws as the traction was running short. "Shuji!"
"I hear ya." He raised his Bakumeter high. "Fusion Ability, activate! Grand Booster!"
Fly Beetle's body ignited in an orange-brown aura, which conducted into his glowing horn. The energy caused not only his power to spike back up to 1100, but it made the blade almost double in size. This made Zion raise a brow.
"Straight through…now!"
Fly Beetle spread his wings again. "Just what I had in MIND!" With another break in the attack, he shot through the midst of it, clean down the center. He bolted straight down towards Snapzoid, his horn lowered. "HRAH~!" With a horrendous jab of his horn, airwaves expelled everywhere, completely breaking apart the red beam's energy. Shuji and Zion watched as Fly Beetle's horn struck the underside of the maw, slowly levering Snapzoid until the beetle got enough momentum and gave one more thrust to push him back, making a ditch with dirt obscuring Zion.
The warman swiped at the dust, making it dissipate around him. "Ability, activate! Vex Crunch!" The dust around Snapzoid was blown away to reveal the eel with his jawline widening again to show his sharp teeth and snakehead inside gathering crackling energy and shot it across the earth at Fly Beetle.
Snapzoid: 1100 (+300) = 1400 Stag Fly Beetle: 1100 (-300) = 800
The beam drew closer, but Shuji was on the far end with two abilities already lined up. "Okay…let's bury them!"
Fly Beetle crouched as he waited for attack to draw closer.
"Double ability, activate! Giga Horn Buster!" He charged up crackling orange-brown energy into the center of his horn. "Plus, Seismic Repeater!" At the same time, similar energy surged and hummed in the midsection legs, specifically into the blades.
Snapzoid: 1400 (-300 -300) = 800 Stag Fly Beetle: 800 (+300) = 1100
As the discharge drew closer, Fly Beetle waited until the time was right. He plunged his thin scissor legs in first, releasing a bright orange-brown shockwave that met the attack in the middle. The two were at a standstill until a bright flare expelled everywhere. The earth trembled as neither moved from the attack, yet the smoke and dust instantly tore apart as Fly Beetle's streaking beam from his horn found a way through and blindsided an eruptive blast that swallowed Snapzoid. The Bakugan released a menacing cry as smoke erupted skywards in a frenzy.
The air shuddered around Shuji and Fly Beetle as they glared ahead into the dust. They could see Zion with his arms folded with a straight face giving them chills still. For a moment, they could've sworn they saw his eyes blink with a searing red.
Shuji furrowed his brow as the menace stepped forward. "Not bad. Sturdy you are. However…" He threw a polearm without warning. Shuji quickly ducked and got to his hands and knees to avoid the piercing blow. He looked back briefly to see it was a few feet away. "You aren't a solid wall."
He slowly got up, giving Zion a snarl back.
"Gate Card, open! Hate Gate!" The card beneath glowed, giving a menacing aura away from the smoke that vanished. Slowly regaining power, Snapzoid snarled as a bright red aura gave its position away with a staggering shot.
Snapzoid: 800 (+700) = 1500 Stag Fly Beetle: 1100
Snapzoid snarled in bloodthirst as Zion gave Shuji a discerning leer. "Now then…you've savored whatever hope you've had before to withstand my flames. Now, use that again, and withstand them further. Show me…" He lifted his Bakumeter slowly, indicating an ability. "Or I'll melt you through this time."
The temperature started rising again as humidity burned away. Shuji looked down at his feet to feel the vibrations of the ground break apart dust that flickered around Snapzoid. The Bakugan generated a bright purple core that extended chords around the body. Slowly, steam turned to embers that fluctuated at an alarming rate.
"Ability activate…Supernova-X!"
Raising his head high, Snapzoid expelled a gurgling howl through the atmosphere, unleashing heated shockwave in a roaring pillar of flames that bolted skywards. The explosion of broiling flames erupted outwards to incinerate Fly Beetle.
Snapzoid: 1500 (+2100) = 3600 Stag Fly Beetle: 1100
"Heads up this time!" Shuji got a heel back, his coat flapping at the heat coming their way. 'This time, we'll kill two birds with one stone.' He held up his Bakumeter in readiness. "You ready?!"
"As I'll ever be!" Fly Beetle braced himself as the blast wave drew closer.
Zion leered at their movements through the roaring blaze.
"Alright, let's go!" Their shouts were in complete unison. "Triple ability, activate!"
"Sunder Sonic, plus Pincer Phalanx, and Fusion Ability, Grand Booster!" Fly Beetle's body lurched as a bright Subterra aura flared around him. It compacted so much pressure as his accents around his body glowed bright orange. Energy conducted from the body into the mandibles, where the tips crackled with compressed energy.
The shockwave drew closer, and Shuji raised his head. "Light it up!"
Several blinks from Fly Beetle was all it took. The ground split apart s the Gate Card shattered upon the harsh shockwaves emanated from his wings. They vibrated at a rapid pace and raced along a searing, pressurized energy blast as a brown aura surrounded it. The pulses discharged large shockwaves that met the towering blaze in the middle, resulting in large-scale eruptions of brown and magma-like waves that trembled the sky,
Snapzoid: 3600 (-700 -400 -500) = 2000 Stag Fly Beetle: 1100 (+400 +500 +400) = 2400
The impact roared n a violent rage, Shuji and Zion snarling at one another as their footing was nearly blown away. Neither one knew how to back down from this challenge as the force of the combined wake o their Bakugan made it impossible to move forward.
The roaring blaze that was the howling Snapzoid showed no mercy as Fly Beetle's body exerted more gusts and prominent beams. He and Shuji screamed out mightily as they gave it a far larger push with all their might, nearly doubling the size of their attack with the orange aura around the beam expanding into the shockwaves. They caused a thick, earth-like layer of wind that tore through the pillar of fire. Impulse waves split the earth to fragments beneath and flames dissipated from seismic shockwaves running into Snapzoid. A large wake of dust and orange energy swirled around the feel that trapped its flames, smoldering them away until the Bakugan was no longer able to produce them.
As the wake dissipated, a clenched fist went straight through the energy, breaking it all to pieces as a serious punch to Snapzoid sent hi flying past Zion. The impact made airwaves that nearly tripped the soldier.
Fly Beetle landed besides Shuji, the latter crossing his arms and leering at Zion. The warman looked back with a straight face.
"Who's a pushover again?" Shuji scorned.
Zion adverted his enemy's commentary towards his Bakugan. As the dust cleared away, he saw his Snapzoid arise, though the embers and searing blaze around his body was lifting. The wear the Bakugan had was showing as his power dropped all the way back towards 700.
'After expending the energy of Supernova-X, Snapzoid returns to base level. On top of that, he won't be able to attack for a while until it's charged up.' For a moment, Zion was actually impressed. 'Hmph, didn't peg for someone other than those two with blades to cross me as intrigued.'
He turned towards Shuji, giving a mild snort. "For someone with no weapons, you're a very musing battler, aren't you?"
"I'll take that as the compliment of the hour." Shuji retorted.
"Indeed. However, my reservations still stand with Milord. So now…" He tapped into his Bakumeter, creating a code that turned into red material. His Bakumeter directed red tracks that pointed towards Snapzoid. "We finish this."
Shuji and Fly Beetle glared daggers again.
"Bakugan Mobile Assault Vehicle, launch!" Zion launched the device like a cannon along the tracks. It catapulted towards Snapzoid and glowed a bright light that absorbed the Bakugan inside. Shuji and Fly Beetle watched in slight awe as they saw Snapzoid's body arise in the very large, eight-clawed terror that was its floating UFO: Torracrawler. Snapzoid unleashed large-scale howl as the chords beneath the underside connected to the eight large spike claws that moved the monstrosity.
Shuji and Fly Beetle felt the shockwaves emanated from the creature's roar alone. Its bellows shook their spines as they glared in defense. 'So that's their Mobile Assault Vehicle.'
Snapzoid: 700 (+200) = 900 Stag Fly Beetle: 2400
The monstrous weapon floated high in the air, leaving Fly Beetle to glare up with uncertainty. "You ready to concede to your reality?" Zion threatened, his axe wielded in his left hand. It was normally better with the right, but with the brace around the shoulder where Luke struck before, it wouldn't do.
Shuji narrowed his eyes. "Bring it."
Zion scoffed, twirling the axe in his grip. "So be it." He held up his Bakumeter, showing an Ability Card that seemed more mechanized. "Ability, activate! Siphon Lock!"
Snapzoid snarled as it discharged its electricity through the large chords connecting to the eight appendages. The ends had magma-like tips searing and loosened for a moment before plunging into the earth. Fiery shockwaves brimming with electrical impulses ran through the area, rushing into Fly Beetle as he crossed his arms, taking the full blast. Shuji yelped as he backpedaled from this immense force.
Snapzoid: 900 (+2700) = 3600 Stag Fly Beetle: 2400 (-500) = 1900
The shockwaves tore up the ground below, making it impossible to get solid footing. Shuji covered using his forearms, but the debris was stinging his skin like bee stingers. He gnashed his teeth as he found it hard to keep traction.
'Gotta…hold out!' Stomping into the earth, he tried fastening his hold. "Ability, activate! Thorax Defense!"
Fly Beetle's body toughened once again, stiffening joints and creating an energy carapace around his body. It boosted his power by 300, bringing him back up to 2200.
Zion's eyes narrowed. "Weak shield."
The shockwaves ran their course through and pushed Fly Beetle back. Try as he might, even with his stick-like arms crossed, he was feeling the impulses denting his energy carapace around his body. He slid back inch by inch, making dirt trails in the ground that was deeply loosened from before.
'His power is greater than our defenses!' Fly Beetle's thoughts were cut off with a random claw sling into his gut, causing him to shatter the energy around there. "GAAAHH!"
"HANG IN THERE!" Shuji shouted. His eyes widened when he picked up on something coming his way. Just in the nick of time, he saw an axe blade heading his way. He managed to catch the blade between his hands, using hold to hold the flat ends as the blade was inches from his face.
In a standstill, Zion held the axe by its polearm, trying to cleave Shuji's head open. "It's futile, boy. The sword will always overwhelm the shield. There is no defense that can prevent even the piercing blow of reality."
Shuji was using all his muscle power he had to keep himself from slipping. One inch given up, and his nose line would split.
"It's over!"
The shockwaves bulldozed into Fly Beetle as he screamed. The claws continuously blasted him as Shuji was trying to keep from falling over to submission. The two felt the world slow down drastically as claws and bloodthirsty eyes leered them down.
With the world nearly at a standstill around them, the two had found their thoughts running backwards.
"Nice try!" Just the moment before impact, Coredem seized Fly Beetle's horn, pinning him in place below the superior Bakugan. Shuji was left lost for words. He could only watch as his Bakugan's energy carapace was being absorbed by Coredem's energy lines around hi body. He gripped tighter, until finally Fly Beetle's defense was broken and drawn into Coredem's core for extra power.
Shuji gasped frantically.
"HRAH!" Unleashing his Rock Hammer Battle Element, Coredem's wrecking ball crashed into Fly Beetle's face, creating a blast wave that pushed even Shuji onto his stomach. He laid on the ground as rock and debris settled, showing Fly Beetle sprawled along the earth, half-buried with his horn sticking out.
The Rock Hammer mace and anchor receded back to where they came from and Coredem looked down at his peers. "C'mon, is that the best you got?"
"Damn…it…" Shuji gnashed his teeth violently, but he couldn't bring himself to stand. He could only sit up as Fly Beetle weakly dug himself out and slumped over in defeat.
A collective silence fell over the atmosphere. It was an awkward silence to say the least. Coredem half-expected them to continue with their attack, but they weren't doing anything. They just seemed lost and contemplative.
"What's the matter? You done?" Coredem wondered.
They were both stone silent. Their faces showed deep pondering at the revelation of their prominent defenses worked against them. It discouraged them to say the least.
"To defeat your foes as a Subterra, you must first learn to hold your ground. That is the essence of our kind."
Gorem's words of wisdom echoed through Shuji as he bit his lower lip in discouragement. "Stand our ground, huh? Guess even that ain't cutting it this time."
Fly Beetle balled his fists and slammed them into the ground. He was tired, frustrated, and his head was still winded from Coredem's earlier attack. He couldn't fight back now if he wanted to.
Having a sense of what was going on, Coredem stopped any of his own advances and walked towards them. He looked down at Shuji and Fly Beetle with a calmer disposition. "Something the matter?"
Shuji furrowed his brow. "Nothing. Just needed a minute."
"Looks like you need more than a minute if you guys look broken like that. Look, I know regret when I see it. You guys have it welled up inside. I promise to help make you guys stronger, so let it out if you really want it."
Shuji and Fly Beetle shot looks of ware at each other. They weren't certain if to take it or not, but something inside of them was making them feel down and out. They heard the eruptions of the others around. Atmos in the sky trying to fend against Hawktor's gunfire, to Jelldon unleashing plasma fireballs to intercept the attacks launched by Rubanoid.
Looking all around, everyone was fighting hard, yet these two were already down and unable to stand…just like against Armagedoid. They broke so easily against him that it didn't matter. That regret caused a large frustration that just couldn't be voiced so easily. Shuji looked down, closing his eyes tight.
SMASH!
He punched the ground in frustration. "I really am pathetic, aren't I?" He paused, allowing the shock of his own punch to shiver up to his shoulder. "I couldn't be there when the others needed me. We tried to shield them but…it wasn't enough. We were supposed to be tough because we were Subterra, but…damn, we really cracked, didn't we?"
Coredem looked at them in silence. To some extent, he was getting where this came from. Seeing even Fly Beetle down, the plate man lowered his guard for once to empathize.
"So you failed like I have, huh?"
They stopped sulking and looked at him.
"Believe it or not, I let everyone down, too. Me and my partner Jake did. At one point we decided to take down the enemy ourselves and paid a big price for it. And because of that, we were too weak to fight back until it was too late. Even now, that pain that I felt when I failed to hold my own still weighs on me to this day." He looked down at his fist, seeing it clenched hard at his frustrations. "I've let my comrades come save me, but in the end we could only save ourselves, and Jake and I nearly had Dan and Drago pay the price for it. That fact alone makes me wish I could go back in time and make that regret disappear."
Shuji and Fly Beetle stared in awe at this Bakugan's story. It was like them, almost picture perfect, yet it held weight that they couldn't suppress.
"Just because I have Battlegear and you don't, doesn't make you weak, pal. What makes you weak…is that breaking spirit you have going right now. How are you supposed to protect your friends and those closest if you waver like Jake and I did? Don't let that regret weigh you down. You wanna make it into something you can use? Then just don't fall over again. Get back up and fight."
Shuji and Fly Beetle were dead silent at his encouraging words. Shuji looked down at himself to think about what Coredem was saying. He was right. He was right on the mark. He was having his fears of his regret hold him back, and he was just sulking about it. The others who depended on him – the ones who risked everything to come get him, to beside him – they were his everything now.
He thought about Esther for a moment. When he looked over, he saw Atchibee and Wolfurio going t it with darkness blazing everywhere against shields. Even then, within those negative colors, he could see her blue eyes piercing a cold confrontation. She was fighting just as hard using her failure. So why shouldn't they?
"So. Are you gonna stand?"
Coredem's question came in the answer of Shuji slowly balling his fists, holding back a lump. He wiped his isted eyes and stood up once more with a brave. 'I'll do it. We won't fall again…not while I got a job and pals on the line with me.'
"Gngh…I'm a Subterra Bakugan…" Fly Beetle strained to get up. "The earth…and our wills to stand…" He stomped harshly. "…is what will push us back up!"
"Then show me what you're afraid of, and make it your wall!" Coredem launched his Rock Hammer once more, the wrecking ball and anchor launching as Fly Beetle refused to budge as they drew closer.
Zion growled as he pushed down harder. "Give. Up!"
Shuji held the blade between his hands and gritted his teeth so hard that iron could bend. He could feel an adrenaline rush stemming from the thoughts of the others. His mind flashed images of those who perished in Thermosphere, the looks of their faces when they were consequently killed started to drive fear that made his body move forward.
Fly Beetle thought about what Coredem said, time still slow as the pincers drew closer.
"So. Are you gonna stand?"
Those words caused the two to slowly rise up. The already broken defense around Fly Beetle's energy carapace started channeling his will into the exoskeleton beneath. His body was starting to harden as Shuji was beginning to find leverage. 'Harder. Harder!' Fly Beetle's stick limbs started solidifying. 'More!' His chest area edged out with tough breaks in the structure to make it look more buff. 'Stronger!'
In the face of the two monsters ahead of them, neither Shuji nor Fly Beetle's eyes softened. In fact, they hardened like rocks. 'COME ON~!'
"Hm?!" Zion could feel a movement pushing him back. Shuji was slowly levering himself back up, his face full of resolution. He pushed harder, but Shuji was surprisingly strong.
'Become walls! Walls that…CAN'T BREAK!'
At the same time, the claws attacks Fly Beetle as Zion finally was pushed back. Shuji shoved Zion away as the magma-like ends shattered to pieces. The stupefied look Zion had as he sustained the recoil was as shocking as him seeing what happened to Fly Beetle.
Fly Beetle's body was creaking as his exoskeleton armor was gone. Instead, it had sharp edges that made him look tougher, stronger even. It was all over the body, including his big eyes to make him look more deformed and monstrous.
"You wanna say that our shield is weak again? Just try!" Shuji snarled. "Ability…Carapace Riot!"
Fly Beetle snarled as the shockwaves refused to budge him. His hardened body was creaking, yet nothing was done. He was like a statue that took Zion by surprise. His power bolted all the way back up towards 2700.
"An increased shield?"
'This ability not only ups Fly Beetle's power level big time, but for a short time…nothing can touch him! Now…' At the same time, Shuji and Fly Beetle made a bolting dash towards Zion and the Torracrawler. "HERE WE GO~!"
For once, Zion could be seen flinching. He pulled out a knife as that same arm showed an ability. "Ability, activate! Spartan-X!"
The bright purple core and chords enveloped Snapzoid inside the Torracrawler. Having finally recharged from the earlier effects of Supernova-X, the Bakugan's body shrouded in fire, which enflamed the rest of the Torracrawler. The mechanical legs conducted the flames and remade the tips that went furiously jabbing at Stag Fly Beetle. Its power shot up towards 4500, unleashing condensed flaming attacks that hit Fly Beetle repeatedly. Even with a power level almost half as low, he wasn't fazed in the slightest.
'Everyone's fighting their damnest right now to stop Hades Pillars and Riaan. They…no, we need to stay strong and protect each other! No more doubts! Overwhelm him!'
Zion went to stab Shuji in the shoulder, but he caught the wrist with his bare hand. The two were in a heated deadlock, much like their Bakugan. "You…can never understand the ways of the blade!" Zion hissed.
Shuji struggled back. "Then see you struggle this! Triple ability, activate!"
Zion's eyes widened. 'Another triple?'
"Subterra Gravity!" Fly Beetle completely ignored the barrage of piercing flames bombarding him and used his four appendages to swat them away. With the opening, he raised one arm and summoned a gravity field that dropped the Torracrawler onto himself. The UFO lost its pull and sundered towards the earth with a thunderous wake.
As the dust settled, Snapzoid was still inside his casing, the flames ablaze that fueled the monstrosity. Something moved beneath that pried open the burning metal. The eel looked dead in the eye of the monstrously hardened Fly Beetle, whose carapace was on fire, but wasn't fazed at all.
"Plus, Pincer Phalanx! And Fusion Ability, Grand Booster!"
Zion was at a loss for Shuji holding back his wrist for an instant that he didn't realize the man's fist was brought back. With the brace on his right arm, he didn't get to reach for his axe blade in time. While a bright orange aura erupted like wildfire around Fly Beetle as his hardened pincers flickered before swallowing up everything within the vicinity.
The Torracrawler exploded to shambles at the wake of the impact, swallowing everything in fire that was overruled by earth. Shuji's fist collided so hard with Zion's face that the man fell onto his back, the same time the eruption swirled skywards to create discarded embers that rained down everywhere.
Snapzoid: 4500 (-500) = 4000 Stag Fly Beetle: 2700 (+500 +500 +400) = 4100
Zion staggered back up, but he found his footing only after stumbling. He heard the sound of something falling found his Snapzoid smashing into the ground, reverting to ball form and rolling towards his feet.
Zion: 80%
He was completely stunned with what he witnessed. The man was so in astonishment that he barely realized something dripped from his nose. His hand had a blood stain on it, making him realize what happened. "That boy, he…"
Shuji cracked his knuckles as the ground behind trembled. Fly Beetle, in an overbearing monstrous form and Subterra aura, snarled as he glared down Zion.
"We're just getting started, pal." The insectoid snarled.
"Heh, guess we'll see how well a shield can do when it can used as a weapon against your face, huh?" Shuji backlashed.
Zion unknowingly wiped his nose. He looked at his gauntlet and realized there was blood still trickling down from Shuji's punch. His eyes were dilated and in shock. For a moment, he looked shocked and disoriented at what happened. It soon bubbled to disbelief as he shot his gaze at Shuji. He looked more mad than ever. But instead of saying something, he slowly gripped his axe that was laying on the ground meetsr away from him.
Slowly, he looked back at Shuji, his face showing the most insane bloodlust and flame-fueled stare that could melt a person from the inside. "It would seem…that I have misjudged you." He pulled out a knife along with his axe. "You are indeed worthy to be cut down by my blade…but first, allow me to disembowel your shameless fists!"
Buz Hornix hissed loudly, to which Atmos responded with a battle-ready caw of his own. Airwaves spiraled around them as the earlier attacks Atmos unleashed were deflected around them. The wind shift between Galilea and Jase as both held firm oppositions against each other, especially now that Cyberg was equipped to Buz Hornix.
Jase prodded his glasses in silence. Neither he nor Atmos were obligated to say anything.
"So, Jase Mercury…" Galilea started. "You were smart enough to outmaneuver even the likes of Lucia and Magnus, even without their Mobile Assaults at the time. However, I must ask you, how do you intend to fend now knowing we have a mechanized arsenal at the ready?"
From the corner of his eyes, Jase seemed to be moved. Rather than be baited by her words alone, he chose to wing it. He reached out, commanding Atmos to fly straight down to attack.
Galilea narrowed her eyes at the lackluster response. "I expected a verbal answer, if you don't mind. Ability, activate! Durandel Cannon!" Buz Hornix hissed as her Cyberg's spikes along the sides charged up electrified green energy. When it was all set, the robotic domain unleashed compressed beams of green energy that fired at Atmos.
Buz Hornix: 1500 (+400) = 1900 Gale Atmos: 2000 (-400) = 1600
The blistering beams fired in repeated fashion, nearly striking Atmos. The falcon twirled and applied acrobatic pivots as he flew through the cold, thick air, missing the thin laserbeams with grace.
Buz Hornix discharged the beams to an even higher elevation, pushing Atmos to outspeed their wake as he ascended to where he could overlook the incoming green beams. His wings spread as he readied a counter.
"Ability activate, Omni Storm!" Atmos screeched out as the tailwind he had around him assisted in breaking apart the green breams through one harsh shockwave of green wind. It spread far and wide, making Galilea cover up as bits of rock around her blew away.
Buz Hornix: 1900 Gale Atmos: 1600 (+400 +100) = 2100
The whirlwinds whipped around in mad cyclones around the atmosphere. Galilea was doing her best to hold on, but she wasn't seeing Jase hindered at all by this effort. She mustered herself back to position and unleashed an ability.
"Foolish mistake! Ability activate, Psyonic Bide!"
The flat ends of the Mobile Assault Vehicles shined Atmos' reflection, as well as the whirlwinds. The gales blown at her were suddenly repulsed with great force, beaming up and spiraled around the falcon. He was shot even higher than before by his own attack, dropping his power significantly to 1100.
"A reflection shield." Jase deduced.
"Yes. As long as this ability is active, all of your abilities will be reflected back at you. So as long as I have Cyberg, none of your attacks will further harm my Bakugan."
The wind around Atmos kept him from getting around. Thanks to his propeller joints, he managed to reduce the drag and glided along his whirlwinds and circled around. He found a break in the draft and saw Buz Hornix with a purple core already fading into her body.
'She's using that one now…'
Jase spoke of nothing.
Galilea refused to take chances. She whipped her arm up and unleashed the rapid follow-up. "Now! Ability, activate! Judgement-X!"
Buz Hornix snarled her wings beat at an alarming rate. Once the chords fading around the body, the entire structure throbbed. She let out one more hiss as her wings unleashed a hypersonic green tunnel, much like a lock-on. The funnel spread far up, ripping the winds apart to trap Atmos inside. Within, the falcon was blinded and couldn't see forward. Green, crackling aura worked its way up the tornado until it reached him, paralyzing him completely from movement. With the opponent restrained, the hornet was charging up a green, dark green, and black mass that caused the air to sink around her.
"Now…disappear!"
At the command, Buz Hornix cried out as she unleashed the mass in a horrendous beam that bolted through the crackling tunnel. The beam closed in on Atmos as its bright wake illuminated his face.
In Jase's case, he stared up at the green light beam towards his companion. Even as the air shook, his eyes didn't budge.
Green beams dissipated in the wake of Hawktor's whirlwinds. They left a clear opening, where the gunners fired repeatedly into Atmos. Using his wings to shield, he was gunned down as Jase on for dear life.
Hawktor eased his attack, realizing what he did may have been overkill. "Whoops, sorry about that."
Atmos fell, but he pivoted and upright himself back into a climb. Though from the looks of it, his wings and feathers were ruffled bad. He was exhausted, not to mention out of options. He and Jase have tried practically everything, and yet had feeble results.
'This Bakugan…it nullifies our abilities and attacks with its own after.' Jase observed with a callous disposition. 'He has a number of abilities that also nullify and attack at the same time. Which makes attacks harder to touch him.'
"You guys are taking big hits, are you sure you're alright?" Hawktor tilted his head.
'…though I suppose he's more straightforward.' Jase cleared his throat. "We're just fine, thank you."
Hawktor crossed his arms and idled himself within the atmosphere. "Man, you guys sure know how to take some heavy hits, that's for sure. Still, gotta be a lot more versatile it you wanna get back at me."
"We understand." Atmos lowered his head.
"I don't wanna be like some kind of third wheel in what you have going on either, but…" He turned towards the others, seeing them battle off their skills to the fullest. "Exactly what's motivating you guys to fight? You wanna save the universe as badly like Dan and Drago?"
A silence loomed over them as Jase and Atmos didn't know what to say. Rather, they knew what their motives were, but it was better through actions, as per experience would best suit them.
From the corner of Jase's eye, he looked at the people who were down beneath him. They were all people who were at one point beneath. People who didn't know much of a way until he pointed it out. Now they've grown just as much. They've pulled him out of his drowning slump at one point. He was more than just obligated – ne compelled – to beside them.
He faced Hawktor, who tilted his head at Jase's mused grin. "Oh such details scattered in the winds, you can say."
The dark beam closed its gap further at lightning speed. Jase calmly looked up, his eyes locking with Atmos' just before his glasses refracted light.
"Right then…go!" He held his arm out to his side, activating a green ability.
The beam was mere seconds away, reflecting Atmos' eyes.
"Ability, activate…Storm Valkyrie!" In the blink of an eye, the wake of the hypersonic tunnel distorted around Atmos, spreading far out and eradicating the green beam heading right for him in a raging green, pressurized cyclone.
Galilea's shock was more than evident. "What-?!" She was forced to cover up as the high winds spun in a circular fashion like a shield. The wall-like winds burrowed through the domain of Buz Hornix' attack and swallowed her and her Cyberg in the wake. The insectoid hissed as it had nowhere to go.
"I believe you have heard the saying…to every rose there are its thorns." Jase's recital echoed in the winds, his eyes still unclear through the whirlwinds. "Well then, suppose you can say that I have thorns of displeasure."
Atmos flapped in the high altitude as the pillar of winds surrounded him, with the drafts circulating in spontaneous fashion around him. It was mere impossible to get to him through the drafts now. Galilea looked at her Bakumeter to realize what happened.
Buz Hornix: 2600 (-700 -300 -100) = 1500 Gale Atmos: 400 (+700 +500 +300 +100) = 2000
'He nullified all of my abilities in one blow.' She shot a look at Atmos' glowing green aura surrounding his body. 'Not just that, but it looks like a defensive air wall that can't make attacks go through. But I thought we ran an analysis through all their abilities thus far. Were they holding out…no, that can't be it. They must've used this time to learn for themselves.'
She looked at Jase, who seemed far from impressed as he stood on the other side. Her patience – as thin as it already was – was getting tested.
"Well played, Mercury. But let's see how you and your little shield withstand this." She held up her arm, summoning an ability. "Ability, activate!" The card glistened with a dark purple core. "Cell Force-X!"
Buz Hornix manifested several chords around her body, fading into and charged up energy. The cells in her abdomen ignited as a vicious humming was heard. Once the humming was charged up, Galilea directed up towards the wind wall, expelling the blast of extreme cellular energy at Atmos.
However, the attack didn't hit anywhere near where Atmos was. He drifted along, expelling a caw as the attack dissipated into the tornado wall, much to Galilea's horror.
"My apologies…but as long as this ability is active, any and all abilities that are within contact of the wind pressure is negated." Jase explained. "That includes your Psyonic Bide."
"You…!"
His light refracted off the glasses to show his dead serious disposition. 'Better end this before she catches on.' He lifted his arm high. "Ability, activate! Boreas Arrow!" Atmos released a loud caw and reeled his beak back as the cyclone's wind pressure circulated into the throat. His entire body pulsed with a green aura that concentrated into the beads. Once ready, he unleashed his attack in devastation wind pressure and bright green beams that bolstered after Buz Hornix.
Galilea realized the opening with widened eyes. 'He shifted towards another ability. This is my chance!' She reached out to attack. "Ability, activate! Psyonic Bide!" Buz Hornix hissed as she remained stationary. The attack had struck its mark on the flat front of the Cyberg, where it flashed various shades before unleashing that pulsing beam back at Atmos.
As the attack drew closer, Atmos remained unworried as Jase held up the same ability again. "Now then…Storm Valkyrie!"
Atmos shrieked out as he generated the same pressurized cyclone that shielded him. The windstorm repulsed and eradicated his own attack, continuing on towards Buz Hornix and her machine to completely stop her from moving anywhere.
Buz Hornix: 1500 (-300 -100) = 1100 Gale Atmos: 2000 (+300 +100) = 2400
The windstorm violently repulsed Galilea, causing her to almost lose her foothold. She couldn't believe it. All her attacks were to reflect, but they get washed out; reduced to thin air. She needed to find a comeback, and quick.
"Ability, activate! Hive Wall!" Buz Hornix created hexagonal green energy that piled onto each other to help shield her. Her power rose up by 400, putting her back at 1500. 'When he attacks next, that's when I make my move. I have to hold out until then!'
The windstorm receded. Instead it collected once more around Atmos. He cawed as the winds gathered towards the beak again, this time creating an open funnel for energy to shoot out.
"Now then, Atmos…" He shot his arm out. "Ability, activate! Draft Cannon!" Atmos brought his beak back, readying his strongest ability.
'If I use Psyonic Bide again, he'll just nullify it. I need to get power!' She reached out once more. "Ability, activate! Queen Needle!" Buz Hornix hissed as she charged at Atmos with her massive stinger on the bottom glowing green.
Buz Hornix: 1500 (+400) = 1900 Gale Atmos: 2400 (+600 +100) = 3100
Buz Hornix drew closer, just as Atmos unleashed a menacing cry of air pressure backed by the Tailwind. The intense green beam was like a cannon that closed in on Buz Hornix faster than the eye could see.
Time slowed down for Galilea to process. 'That attack was just to get closer. Now…' She activated another ability. "Ability, activate! Cell Force-X!" Once more, chords expended themselves across the insect's body, pulsing energy towards the center of the abdomen. There, it gathered into an intense cellular blaze that roared it way towards the center.
The two attacks met in the center, creating a violent draw as wind and Ventus energy pulsed everywhere with magenta lining all about. The cyclone caused a small maelstrom that shook not just the air, but the ground where both stood. Galilea was holding her own as Jase stared blankly.
Buz Hornix: 1900 (+1600) = 3500 Gale Atmos: 3100
The draw was starting to push both back, but Galilea was refusing to give up. She was certain if with just one more push, she could get the job done. She won't go down easily…not after all the hard work she's put through.
Jase, however, hummed with a straight face. "Fusion Ability, activate!"
Galilea's eyes flashed wide in shock.
"Gale Meteor!"
Atmos continued unleashing his attack, but his body was enflamed in a bright green aura that coated across his body. The falcon spread the wings far, causing him to look much bigger as the night sky dazzled in the colors of his attack. He unleashed a shrieking cry as his glorious frame went flying in a crisp bath towards Buz Hornix, spinning constantly like a twirling phoenix.
Buz Hornix: 3500 (-300 -100) = 3100 Gale Atmos: 3100 (+300 +100) = 3500
The rotating phoenix howled as its pressurized air cannon collected over it body, turning it into an unstoppable tornado drill of green flames that Buz Hornix was unable to overpower. Even before the Cyberg could deflect, the impact as split-second, glimmering across the sky until the shockwave shot skywards. The impact's range leveled the ground.
Galilea screamed as she was pushed onto her back without a fight. She thudded hard, whereas the winds blew her Buz Hornix and Cyberg back towards the ground, where they reverted to ball form in the process. She watched in horror at her defense completely nulled.
Galilea: 20%
The winds soon receded, revealing the green flames around Atmos. They took over his form with a bright green aura around him. His power was so high, but he did not waver. He shrilled his battle cry with valiance, much like with Jase's drive.
"Well, suppose that went better expected." He chimed. "But if we can…let's dial down the noise a bit, shall we?"
Galilea stood up, grabbing her Bakugan to face Jase again. However, her business-like composure was completely broken. "You…were able to gather that much power…and your Bakugan sustained it…?" She shot a look at Atmos again, who cawed high before reverting to ball form. He fluttered down into Jase's hand, yet he gave her a serious frown.
"I believe this calls for a perspective." Jase paused. "To really win over someone, you should really understand them better."
His words struck an unnerving chord. Her thoughts ran back towards Killian. "You…!"
Verias brought down his axe as hard as he could in swift motion. The blade missed its mark, however, when Glotronoid slid back and stood a good distance away from the ape.
'Pretty light on its feet.' Shawn frowned.
The battle dragging itself out too long, Magnus looked down at the ground before he reached down to activate. "Gate Card, open! Enemy Down!" The card glowed beneath everyone, unleashing the effects in an eerie light that trembled beneath Verias. The ape dropped to a knee as he lost a fraction of his power in an instant.
Glotronoid: 900 Prime Verias: 900 (-300) = 600
With his opponent on a knee, Magnus knew he had to take the shot now. 'This is it. This fool's going down.' He reached out to give the order. "Now! Ability, activate! Hazard Earth-X!"
Glotronoid let out a vile shriek as a pulse ran through the ground. Bright purple cores and chords strum across the body, releasing a magnitude that caused the snow to crack and distort beneath the magenta glow his body gave off. and went charging across the field of snow towards Verias. Its strides were long and its body was barreling with just as much momentum. Throbbing pulses continued climbing until they were finally reaching Verias, making him kneel for good measure.
Glotronoid: 900 (+800) = 1700 Prime Verias: 600 (-300) = 300
"Verias!" Shawn voiced.
As if understanding, the ape raised his axe again. "Got it."
They waited until Glotronoid was within range. When it finally was in midair to come down with a sharp claw, the opportunity showed itself.
A glimmer was shown in Shawn's eye. 'Now!' He activated an ability in a flash. "Ability, activate! Mangekyo Blade!" Verias' blade glowed a golden, crisp light that radiated a thick layer around the rest of his blade. In a blinding fury, the Gate Card, as well as the midair Glotronoid, were promptly passed by Verias as he posed behind. The card shattered to pieces, while a gash of light appeared on Glotronoid.
Magnus looked on with shock at the bewildering speed displayed. 'So quick!'
The light quickly swallowed up Glotronoid as he fell onto his stomach. The impact was harsh enough to put him down in one hit while the card beneath vanished to reveal snow flattened the fall.
Glotronoid: 1700 Prime Verias: 300 (+300) = 600
Magnus looked on with shock on his face. He wasn't this fast nor strong the last time they quarreled. Regardless, he had to keep his grip firm on the battle. "Not bad…for nobody with dem street smarts." He teased.
"Don't worry, I've got plenty of that." Shawn held up his Bakumeter, showing two abilities layering one another. "It's not nice to hit someone while they're down, but since you started this…we'll make an exception."
Glotronoid staggered back up, unaware that with its abilities immobilized, it wouldn't be able to attack. Verias approached from behind, readying himself to unleash his wake. "Shawn!"
Shawn nodded. "Got it…" He raised his counterattack high. "Double ability, activate! Kingdom Gladiator, plus Fusion Ability, Sheer Valkyrie!"
The gems around Verias' body gave off a prominent shine that glistened across his battle armor. The golden blade he wielded had the same shine, which was lengthened by the ends to sharp, curbed sabers from the pressurized light it gave off. He expelled a violently loud roar that shrilled through the atmosphere.
Glotronoid: 1700 (-500 -300) = 900 Prime Verias: 600 (+500) = 1100
With his Bakugan unable to act fluently as usual in order to counter, Magnus had to act fast. He tapped his Bakumeter in rapid speed as Verias vanished in the blink of an eye.
Glotronoid didn't get the chance to realize it. In a split second, the light from the blade shimmered from above, grabbing his attention. He only had enough time to look up to see Verias' axe blade sundering with a menacing wake. The impact was so brutal upon contact that the snow cleaved into pieces. It all gleamed and exploded into wakes that Shawn and Magnus covered up from. The shockwaves of Verias' assault spread thin, but they didn't permeate the air as violently as it should. Something absorbed the majority of the impact.
From the cloud of snow and light, a white blur flipped through the air and landed in front of Shawn. Verias arose the face the white cloud with a vigilant leer. Even he wasn't that dumb to know what he hit should've taken some damage. Yet his axe had a very thin dent along its side from hitting something too hard.
"Shawn…"
The battler said nothing, instead seeing something large and mechanical rising from the ground with a sharp end towards it. Its shadow pierced the ground below, something that made his spine straighten. "…I thought that'd be too easy."
The mechanical Vilance arose slowly, revealing Glotronoid within its cockpit weaponizing it. It aimed its strong front at Verias, where not even a scratch was prone on it.
Glotronoid: 900 (+200) = 1100 Prime Verias: 1100
"Now that was a close one." Magnus scoffed. "You ain't letting up this round, pal. I respect that."
Shawn frowned.
"But you know that ain't be saving yo skin. In the end, you got that stick you sway around…but we've got the power. Don't mess with my gang." He held up his Bakumeter, readying the mechanized ability. "Ability activate…Deep Sonic!"
The Vilance' protrusion on the front slowly opened into three sections. Glotronoid pulled a switch inside that generated energy that crackled into a compressed point along the end. Once all charged up, an intense, brown laserbeam that tore up the landscape beneath getting close to Verias.
Glotronoid: 1100 (+400) = 1500 Prime Verias: 1100 (-400) = 700
The beam nearly split the air clean open until it was close enough to Verias. Learning from last time what happened when he tried using an ability and plundered, the ape used acrobatics to jump and dodge the laserbeam, which exploded in the vast distance behind. In midair, he was in freefall and flipped several times before coming down on the snow again. He looked up in time to see the Vilance taking aim and unleashed another piercing blast, one this time he stood ground of.
'Let's try this.' Shawn braced for an ability to counter. "Ability, activate! Primera Pressure!"
Verias' power spiked back up as the hair on his body bristled with a Haos aura. His entire body line crackled with energy as he snarled and popped veins. He growled ferally until he flexed his entire body. His power bolted back up towards 1100 as he crossed his arms and took the assault. The pauldrons on the firearms took a good brunt of the attack, whereas the snow helped anchor him through the wake of it all. He grunted as the beam contained concentrated firepower he was having trouble withstand.
Magnus scoffed. "Stand your ground. I like that…Mal Impact!"
The Vilance opened its three ends wider, expelling more energy that created a magnitude. The increased power sped across the battlefield to overwhelm the weaker beam and caught up to Verias, erupting shockwaves everywhere that Shawn blocked. He held firm to the ground as he and Verias were fighting back as hard as they could, despite the odds.
Glotronoid: 1500 (+200) = 1700 Prime Verias: 1100 (-200) = 900
Brown energy swallowed up a straight line all the way out towards the open. In the stone-cold center of this wake, Verias anchored his feet into the snow and snarled. He and Shawn were feeling their feet give way beneath, but they had to persevere.
Both of them let out a loud, menacing shout as they held firm within the growing wake of the attack. As the beam's pressure was becoming too great to handle, a light from the beam made their cries go hoarse as they were brought into remembrance.
The wrecking ball smashed into the ground, exploding soil and deposits everywhere throughout the one area. Shawn and Verias were pushed on their backs, the latter's body taking some serious dirt. The Slingpike returned to Boulderon's side as the dust settled.
"C'mon, what the heck was that?!" Paige's irate was so loud that it could put Shuji's teased outbursts to shame.
'Damn, she's as loud as Shuji.' He slowly stammered back up with his partner. 'But she's just as stubborn.'
Verias slouched back up, meeting eyes with Boulderon briefly before realizing the Slingpike was heading back towards him. Instincts taking over, he guarded using his weapon, but the impact was so powerful that the staff blew out of Verias' hand, whereas he sundered onto his back for the umpteenth time. His axe went cleaving into the ground right beside him.
"You guys sure are lightweights. Thought you'd know how to hold a candle to those guys and their weapons." Paige boasted. "Are you guys even serious about all this?"
"C'mon, Paige. You know they're serious." Boulderon pointed out.
"Oh yeah? Well I don't see results!"
Shawn and Verias stood back up once again. This time, they were going to stay up, at least that's what they told themselves the past few times ago. Their opponent's weapon was so damn powerful, and it wasn't even part of the natural anatomy like his was. They mentally cursed themselves for their lack of foreground. If they wanted to break through their defenses, they had to get to the next level.
Shawn wiped his mouth with his sleeve, a labored gasp escaping. "Sorry, we were shot there."
Paige scoffed at his attempt at an excuse. "Please, you think we're in the mood for an apology."
Shawn meekly grinned. "Not really."
"Heh, well I can tell you something, you're not your friend. That's for sure." She shot a look far beyond their reach, aiming specifically at Abis and Brontes repelling and double teaming Akwimos with no effort at this point. "You told me those guys beat down that creep that took us down. And I believe it. How come he's holding a candle, where you can't?"
Shawn frowned. 'Damn, she's harder than Jase at her points…' He slowly straightened his legs, as did Verias. He started chuckled towards himself, something that threw Paige off.
"What's so funny, pal?"
"Maybe we knocked their screws loose on that last hit." Boulderon suggested.
"Sorry, we were just thinking about something. Guess you wouldn't believe it either if I told you. You see, out of everyone here, Luke was probably the one who didn't know how to hold a candle in the beginning."
Paige snorted. "Heh, you're right about that. I wouldn't believe it until I saw it." She raised a brow. "So you're saying that guy was the weakest of you bunch?"
"That's a harsh way of putting it…" Shawn adorned an empathetic expression. "Well, it's kind of a long story…but that idiot that happens to be my best friend turned out he could change. So did everybody. I was his friend since we could barely walk…and now, he's someone who I genuinely wanna follow."
The sound of an axe cleaved into the ground. "Anyone can change…even us." Verias' tone was damp and groggy, but it was serious and dark with a defending tone. "Same goes for the others too. Jelldon wasn't the battling kind of Bakugan. But he found a reason to fight. As did we."
Paige brought up a smirk. "Oh yeah? Well you talk big, but that toothpick you carry seems to be rather dull, don't you think?" Her eyes sharpened heavily. "So go on, just prove that you're as tough as anyone else here!"
Shawn poised with his rapier. "Whatever the lady wants…Verias!"
Verias unleashed a loud howl as he tightened his grip on his axe. The ape's shrieking cry bellowed out around the other Bakugan, who stopped for a moment to realize their own bodies had glows on them.
"Huh?" Fly Beetle's arm glowed at his shock.
"Hm? What's this? Verias?" Atmos peered down from above at the source of this yellow light.
Jelldon and Atchibee slowed down as their bodies had light surround them. They didn't feel any power swell, but their lights left them momentarily stunned.
Abis glowed brightly, as did Brontes. "This light…"
Luke gasped in realization. "Yellow light…Shawn…?" He looked over his shoulder with Luka for a moment, who was also caught off guard by this.
The six gleams of light drifted from the owners towards Verias. His grip on his already glowing axe got stronger. The lights all streamed around and into his axe, causing its length to sharpen with broader, thicker light.
Paige and Boulderon gasped at the sight, before they were met with a roaring visage and a blade of light tearing through the ground their way. Everything for them turned white…
The roaring laserbeam erupted across the terrain. Its brazen impact had a glimmer of light in it before something with sound of a shimmer in it echoed loud enough to derail the wake.
"Hm?" Magnus saw a glowing light within the orange beam expanding. For some reason, he got a bad feeling about this. "What the heel is-?!"
SHING!
A vertical glimmer skyrocketed between the orange laserbeam before second later, a very sharp shockwave of light sliced clean through it. The earth trembled as Verias was on a knee with his axe in his right arm, the end in a long, wavy blade made of pure light as the Vilance's attack was cut to pieces.
Time slowed down as shock was seen behind Magnus' face. He looked like he was about to flip at the sheer look of precision and dominance Shawn had. If anything, even his rapier looked sharper.
Glotronoid: 1700 (-800) = 900 Prime Verias: 900 (+300) = 1200
Magnus looked down at his Bakumeter, realizing the gap that was turned away from him. "What? How in the hell did this little…!"
"Ability…Light Primus!" Shawn's shout of the ability that Verias wielded was loud and clear. They showed no concern. Only confidence as they stood tall, their respective weapons out.
'This ability gives more strength to Verias for each ally I would have…but this is just fine. This will be more than enough to get us rolling in the right direction.'
Verias let out a loud roar as he swung the staff into the ground, creating a crescent shockwave of condensed light that blazed towards Glotronoid and the Vilance. The light beamed through the structure, dissipating behind the device. Slowly, the light cleaved into the massive weapon, causing its internal structure to erupt and produce static and smoke that went through the cracks of the three prodded ends.
"The hell? I thought the Deep Sonic made Haos, Pyrus, and Aquos abilities ineffective?! Where's this coming from?!" Magnus' eyes widened beneath his visors as an epiphany came to mind. 'Wait, hold on. It's gotta be that one move he used before this. It must push through my defenses then.'
Shawn was lifted onto Verias' shoulder. The ape spread his heels and dug his heels into the ground. For a moment they pictured Boulderon instead of Glotronoid. 'Now!' Verias bolted off the ground and streamed in a roaring spritz of light slicing through the side after their foe.
'Gotta put the breaks on these crazy bastards, and quick!' Magnus unleashed another ability. "Ability, activate! Prominence-X!"
A bright purple core shined on Glotronoid's core. Another throbbing shockwave ran through the air, one that was strong enough to rebuff the light around Verias' frame, but he still latched on as an intense magenta aura flared around Glotronoid.
His brass knuckles were vibrating harshly, but the ape gnashed his sharp teeth and refused to let go as space started breaking. "Not on our watch!"
"Ability activate, Brass Sheria!"
Verias thrust deeper into the bright purple core, causing it to literally shatter at his strength. Magnus was in shock at the action and watched the leaking magenta energy curve and stream directly into Verias. The air roared like thunder as several flashes around them were the result of the positive and negative energies both distributed. The power poured deeper up and around Verias, being drawn into the gems around his body to give them a vibrant shine.
Glotronoid: 900 Prime Verias: 1200 (+2800) = 4000
Verias' body shrouded in a broad Haos aura that crackled lightning everywhere. His entire body felt like it was on fire. But nevertheless, he chose to persevere through it. The energy circulated into static-like helixes that crackled into his right fist, where his blade was and traveled towards the broad light tip. It looked like a literal lightning blade.
"Ability activate, Deep Sonic!"
The Vilance below nudged, causing Verias to lose balance and force him to jump off before he could slip up. He shot into the air, where the Vilance crackled energy still charged inside and unleashed broad laserbeams that combined into a large one heading his way, putting Glotronoid's power at 1300, yet dropping Verias to 3600.
Verias grunted and swung his axe down in a vertical slash. He cleaved the skywards blast in half, letting it zoom in either direction in the shape of a Y. It soon let up, where he kneeled on the ground and dropped his axe for a moment. He had to catch his breath for just a second. A crackling, intense rupture caught both their attentions that felt sour.
"Huh?"
Shawn glared ahead. "They sure work fast, don't they?"
Ahead if them, the Vilance was surrounded in an intense magenta aura, with its glowing source being Glotronoid in front. The land shuddered to extremes and crackled magenta and dark brown flares as they could hear the lizard's shrilled cries echo.
Magnus was far behind, his arm up to show his re-activated Prominence-X. "As Zion would say, we still got some fire to burn!"
Shawn took a moment to look at his Bakumeter to find the power level significantly spiking again.
Glotronoid: 1300 (+2800) = 4100 Prime Verias: 3600
Glotronoid let loose a loud shriek that blistered through the atmosphere. It was so menacing and loud that it was ne impossible for anyone within the area to not feel a tremor beneath them. Shawn and Verias clearly weren't fazed from the ground ready to give in.
"Shawn…I'm ready." Verias clutched his fist.
"Yeah, same here." Shawn paused, while the ape moved his staff towards his left grip. His fist balled the condensed energy from Brass Sheria and started channeling it. 'Remember what Paige and Boulderon taught you. Focus the energy you have, stand your ground. Then…use it to increase the part where you wanna break.'
Verias' fist glowed a sheer light with spiraling lightning and golden sparkles. The roaring energy illuminated his side as his snarls literally steamed from his mouth. "GRRRRRR…!"
Shawn didn't hold anything back as he held his fencer forward. "Time to unleash our stored power, too! Fusion Ability, activate! Vibrant Kingdom Fist!"
Verias' produced one more loud roar as lightning and light swirled into his right fist. It held so much pressure that snow was swirling at his feet to reveal solid ground.
Glotronoid: 4100 Prime Verias: 3600 (+500) = 4100
"Nice try, fool! But that ain't gonna cut it!" Magnus yelled.
"It ain't gonna cut it, smart guy!" Shawn shouted. "It's gonna…" The broad light and Verias flickered before he pressed on. "Shatter it!"
At the extent of the sentence, a lightning bolt zipped across the ground and closed the gap in less than a second. The bolt revealed Verias as he was at the foot of the large Vilance, which held an enormous pressure forcefield from the power Glotronoid produce. With time nearly at another standstill, the visual of Boulderon's broad frame came to mind. His eyes glinted bright yellow and he let loose a terrifying shriek as his spiraling fist plunged dead ahead into the Vilance.
With the pressure his body gave off, the energy, quite literally, shattered like glass around the Vilance. His condensed pressure shot deep into the prods, completely shattering them like glass and reducing the rest of the monstrosity to shrapnel around Glotronoid. The force pried the entire weapon to pieces and blew them over Magnus, who was beyond stupefied for words to describe.
With the Vilance destroyed, Glotronoid's power was drained away. He lost the 200 Gs the Vilance gave him, which brought him down to 3900. Verias' fist continued into his path collided with his chest. The magenta glow on Glotronoid broke apart as he shot outwards, exploding in a shockwave that had Magnus at shock.
Magnus: 60%
Glotronoid's ball form fell from the smoke cloud, yet the shrapnel of the Vilance remained intact around the battlefield. Magnus was completely stupefied. "How in the hell-?!"
FWIP!
With a strong swipe of his rapier, Shawn swiped across Magnus' visor. The cut nearly got into his eyes, causing him to scream and backpedal. Verias landed behind and braced himself as the Subterra Hades Pillars stumbled around.
Taking a hand off his face, he looked down at the broken metal and plastic. It was reinforced too. How did Shawn's flimsy swipe break that? He could understand how it got to Galilea's Bakumeter, but this was something else.
"What's the matter? You wanted to see what game we brought, right?"
Shawn's question rattled Magnus, but the dreadlocks he had pricked with his nerves crawling. He had to regain himself. His now visible brown eyes seared into Shawn, who braced himself for his rising hate.
"Oh…you just crossed a line, little man."
The atmosphere was tense as Lucia and Maggie faced the other down. The heat from their glared were so intense that it could instantly burn chills into someone's spine. "If you really insist on pressing on, then get on with it. But we warned, I will be promptly prepared." Lucia scoffed.
Maggie balled her fists. "She's strong, Jelldon."
"Yeah, she is."
Her brow furrowed. "But now it seems we'll have to start thinking on our feet a little more. You ready?"
"Yeah…wait, I don't have feet."
Maggie blinked awkwardly. "It's just an Earth expression. Don't stress about it. Okay then…" She held up a Gate Card between her fingertips. "Gate Card…set!" The card went flying across the field between them, dissipating in a red shockwave across the snow. "Bakugan, brawl!"
In a searing red glow, Glow Jelldon's body flared with several shades on the gel sac on his front.
Lucia stood motionless and closed her eyes. She concentrated on the next few moves to be played in her head. First, she saw tendrils and a shield, which lead on to the ground becoming misty with green winds, eradicating a strong light. She opened her eyes slowly with a fixed disposition.
Maggie tensed up. 'She must have seen the future already.'
"Bakugan, brawl!" She threw the black, magenta, and white sphere across the ground. "Bakugan. Stand! Rise, Haos Lumitroid!"
In a broad light, the cyclopean scorpion arose with a vile hiss. Like Jelldon, it squared off just as viciously.
Lumitroid: 700 Glow Jelldon: 700
Maggie took off with the initiative. "Ability, activate! Tendril Trap!" Jelldon spawned all his tentacles and shot them across the snow around Lumitroid. They laced around the limbs, the tail, and around the hardened eye. The Bakugan felt no pain, but its ability to move was immobilized.
'This will block her from using her Lens-X for a while.'
Having already predicted the attack, Lucia sought a solution around it. "Ability, activate. Radiant Sting!" Lumitroid raised his laced tail with a glowing stinger ready to pierce Jelldon's tendrils. One sting would all it'd take to render him useless.
For his sake, Maggie instigated an ability. "Quick, Jelldon! Ability activate, Petroleum Shield!"
Just as Lumitroid's stinger was about to touch down on the nearest tendril, the downward end was intercepted by a forcefield made of quick red liquid that reduced the drag long enough for Jelldon to pull back.
With the stinger still exposed, Jelldon lashed one tentacles around the tail's base and kept the stinger at bay as he socked Lumitroid in the face with a serious jab. The blow caused it to shriek and veer away in agony. But Jelldon didn't let up. He howled as he swung one more tendril around and smacked his side so hard that it nearly caused him to floor.
Snow and cold air receded past Lucia as she nonchalantly observed the battle. When her hair was going wild, she gingerly held it in place until the winds died down. Her fixation turned serious for a moment.
Lumitroid staggered back up, the air shifting around them for a more crude tone settling in. "Head up." Maggie warned.
Jelldon braced himself as his sixth senses were crawling.
Lucia raised her arm, her eyes glimmering as a sinister magenta glow came from the ability she played. "Ability, activate! Solar-X!"
A bright purple core burned onto Lumitroid's eye. It faded into its systems, throbbing veins around the widened lens that pumped liquid brimming with power. It violently hissed again before producing another harsh light from its eye. A searing magenta gleamed throughout the area, rushing at Jelldon and causing his skin to steam; the shield acted like it wasn't even there.
"Gnnnngh…!" Jelldon's body stung with the paralyzing magenta light. He couldn't move, but what was worse, he couldn't out up a proper defense against his attacker now.
Lumitroid: 700 Glow Jelldon: 700 (-200) = 500
Maggie covered up from the paralyzing light that made it impossible to see through. Even with one eye open and a sleeve covering her, it was so bright it was petrifying.
Lucia didn't show any remorse in her actions. She watched complacently through her prominent gleaming attack as her opponent was drawn into a corner. But she knew there was something to be dealt with below. But, despite that, she was ready and willing to handle it to the best of her abilities.
Maggie grunted, but she was going to power through this. She had to. She worked too hard to let everything all like this.
"Same here. Rubanoid and I would be honored to gain experience if you are looking for it as well."
Linus' words rung inside her head to prompt her to get motivated. She wasn't the only one who thought about that either.
"Pathetic! That was only a warm up!"
Jelldon growled as he remembered Rubanoid's cold words. He wasn't even trying. What the hell would he say if he saw him like this? This wasn't going to settle, not in the slightest.
'We're just getting started, I know.' Maggie reached down towards the ground. "Gate Card, open! Ventus Battle Audience!"
The Gate Card shined below, which caused the radiant glow Lumitroid produced to slowly deteriorate back to a stable glow. The steam and sizzling around Jelldon receded back to normal soon after, while Lucia observed knowing this would happen.
A green fog blanketed the battlefield, causing the ground to disappear while the battlezone felt light and rafted. Jelldon's skin tone changed to Ventus, which matched the attribute selected. His entire body floated over the ground, a fountain of air suspending him for free reign.
Lumitroid: 700 (-500) = 200 Glow Jelldon: 500 (+200) = 700
'That'll rid of her ability's effects this time.' Maggie glared daggers. She knew this wouldn't be enough to hold her down for long.
As drafts picked up from below, Lucia stood on the brink of the field of fog and green clouds and stared out blankly. She closed her eyes and concentrated on her psychic powers once more. Gradually, visions were coming around. She could see her Lumitroid surfing around in its Acceleton, with a light gradually spreading across the field and washing away the green on Jelldon. Once the information was gathered, she assessed it and reached for her Bakumeter.
Tapping into the buttons, the screen showed several yellow materials gathering to manifest her device needed. "Ready, Acceleton." The Mobile Assault Vehicle became tangible and she hooked her fist down and took aim. Her Bakumeter created a bright yellow railway that aimed for Lumitroid and launched.
"Mobile Assault Vehicle, launch!"
The Acceleton shot onto Lumitroid again, creating a bright flash that illuminated the sea of air beneath. Maggie and Jelldon glared readily as the large mechanical speed demon arose. The platform lifted Lumitroid off the ground and aimed its pincer cannons at Jelldon with a vile hiss.
Lumitroid: 200 (+200) = 400 Glow Jelldon: 700
"It's her Mobile Assault vehicle again." Maggie grimaced, with Jelldon bracing himself.
Calmly, Lucia raised her ability to strike. "Now then, to proceed. Ability activate…" The cannons and hexagonal accents along the rim gathered magenta energy. "Gear Saber!" The Acceleton immediately launched the onslaught once more across the atmosphere. It soared in dozens of broad lights skywards towards Jelldon.
Lumitroid: 400 (+600) = 1000 Glow Jelldon: 700
The light streams split through the air towards Jelldon. Maggie opted two abilities overlapping one another. "Double ability, activate! Hover Beam, plus Diagonal Relation of Ventus and Haos!"
Jelldon's body flared a bright green aura as he floated a little higher. His disk-like center spin to keep his mobility stable and his tentacles down below pointed to a single spot. A green energy beam charged up, and, with the attributed gain with it, gave it a greater mass as it traveled down, meeting the barrage of magenta beams that ran and exploded throughput the sky like fireworks.
Lumitroid: 1000 (-300) = 700 Glow Jelldon: 700 (+300) = 1000
The blast waves produced winds that broke down towards Lumitroid and Lucia. Bits of the clouds beneath brushed away at them as they were the ones to deal with the backlash. Maggie stood on the other end with steady footing as Jelldon lowered himself to the ground.
"They're on the ropes. We've gotta push through, Jelldon." She prompted.
"I hear you!" He swayed his tentacles to prepare his next attack.
Lucia spread her legs apart, the loud clattering making the snow churn beneath. "As confident as you are, there must be something that you are forgetting." Her fixation hardened. "Are you perhaps forgetting Accelton's Gear Saber's secondary effect?"
Maggie stopped in her tracks with a gasp.
"It seems like you have. Then allow me to debrief you." She pulled out another ability set. "You see, Gear Saber not only increases Lumitroid's power level, but it also enables him to freely attack regardless of another's discretion. To put it simply…" The ability started activating. "Your Tendril Trap cannot stop me now. Ability, activate! Lens-X!"
A bright purple core illuminated in front of Lumitroid's eye, which faded quickly to produce a large sum of light and ions brightening around. They congregated, slowly creating another large lens that shined as brightly as the sun itself.
Lumitroid: 700 (+500) = 1200 Glow Jelldon: 1000
Maggie gnashed her teeth as Jelldon got defensive. He brought his tendrils up in defense of what might happen next.
"You've become so reliant on your other attributes as of late that you've grown awfully attached to them, don't you believe? Perhaps we should rid this hassle of an asset that you have first." She lifted another ability up. "Ability activate, Ghost Light!"
Lumitroid hissed as its eye produced a strong wave of light out through the area. The floating lens in front of it absorbed the light, intensifying it to where the entire layer of clouds beneath Jelldon was too bright for even him to bear. The light vaporized all the clouds, and the card shattered to reveal it nullified.
Jelldon recoiled from his much his eyes stung, making him nearly miss the realization of his skin turning back to its usual Pyrus colors. "Huh? My attribute change…!"
Lumitroid: 1200 (+500 +600) = 2300 Glow Jelldon: 1000 (-300) = 700
Maggie's eyes were stunned at the actions Lucia took to nullify their chances. It left her in deep shock. 'She found a way to cancel my ability, Gate Card, and gain power all in just two moves!'
Lucia whipped her arm out. "As I have said before, the fate you have tried to fight will never fall in your way. He is too great that even you cannot fathom his direction…now, go!"
Lumitroid hissed wildly as it obeyed the command. It unleashed a relentless volley of attacks that pulsed to no end. The ground and snow exploded as the eruptive wake of its Acceleton finally caught up to Jelldon, whose shield was unable to keep up with the penetrable offense. He screamed mightily as the barrage continuously bombarded him, while Maggie was blown onto her back.
The wake of the eruption spilled over throughout the area, cracking up smoke and light from below that refused to let up. With Jelldon unable to change his attribute and his defenses unable to push through, he was left completely open as his and Maggie's minds were drawing blanks in the crossfire.
Everything was starting to go white as the pain dulled around their side. Their consciousness was leaving, but something from their memories managed to leave them bemused for just a few moments longer.
The Trailer was nice and quiet for the evening. Luke and Shawn were comfortably sleeping their beds, whereas Shuji was rolling around some in his. Jase looked like he was dead from his hands resting on his chest. But rest assured, he was only dead from the neck up.
At this time, Maggie was still unable to sleep. If anything, she was so excited that she couldn't sleep. As Esther slid onto her other shoulder, her eyes heard Maggie's everlasting shifts and looked up at her. "Maggie?"
"Huh? Oh, hey Esther. You awake so soon?"
Esther sighed as she sat up. "I am now…" She contently paused to realize the time. Looking over at the clock, it was well past midnight. "What's someone like you up past midnight? It shouldn't be good for your health. We have to help the best we can tomorrow."
"I know, I know. It's just…" Maggie couldn't help a cheeky smirk showing. "Today was so awesome. We kicked Rogue Zero's butt to the curb this time around. That Keegan didn't have a prayer against me and Jelldon!"
Jelldon chuckled. "D'oh, stop you~! Teehee!"
Esther grinned at their meek exchange. "I bet. I admit, it would've been for a close call had not been for Atchibee's new powers." She looked down at her closed Bakugan in her palm. "We owe it to Hydranoid for showing us a new way."
"Yeah, and Diablo and Angelo are awesome." She stopped her musings and looked down at her bed. "Hey, Esther…?"
"Yes, Maggie?"
"I've been thinking about something for a little while. It's a little confusing to me, but…have you ever thought about your kind of attribute and what it stands for?"
This inquiry brought her into a moment's pause. It wasn't anything she wasn't aware of really. In truth, she did think that. That's what the point of the training was to her and the others, to help them hone their skills as battlers with their respective attributes. While she did understand Maggie had a question, that didn't stop her from reaching the point. "This has to do with Diablo and Angelo, doesn't it?"
Maggie looked down guiltily. "It might. I mean, Jelldon is now able to undergo attribute changes on his own now. It's really cool to see him do that trick. I'm just curious how Angelo and Diablo do it is all. Accessing power that's not just your own sounds pretty awesome and surprising, you know?"
"Maggie…"
The Pyrus girl shook her head nonchalantly. "Nah, maybe I'm just overthinking things. It's been a long day. We should get some sleep." She tucked herself into her bedspread.
Esther paused as she took in the sentiment. It was true that what Maggie sad did have a point towards it. She never thought too deeply about it because she didn't have to set it as a priority. Maybe it was because Jelldon trained with Diablo and Angelo that he got an attributed influence. She had to sympathize with the dilemma Maggie now has with her new responsibility.
She took a moment and looked over towards the fold-in bed off towards the wall. Alice was on her side sleeping soundly still. She paused a for a moment before she chose to lie down as well.
"Maggie…if it means anything…I don't think worrying about it will do any good."
"…"
"I'm not sure if you noticed, but Jase told me Luke shakes in his bed while he's asleep sometimes. He obviously has been anchored by these past burdens and having so many people suffer." She realized she was digressing. "What I'm trying to say is, because you have a responsibility, don't let it overcome who you re or what you wanna be. I'm sure you were just an infant at the time, but in Wardington, I remember seeing the battle of Drago and Naga. He was able to use all 6 attributes and bared a responsibility. I'm sure in time, if you pace yourself and just keep looking forward, you and Jelldon can become the greatest duo to come through in a pinch."
Maggie looked down at her sheets in wonder. What Esther sad drilled into her and Jelldon. Obviously they wouldn't remember, but the recollection of everything up to this point did in fact make sense. If they focused so much on their own problems now, it'd worry everyone else. It was okay if it came naturally, in a way.
"…hm. Okay, I gotcha…" She turned on her side, seeing Esther had already fallen asleep with Atchibee in her palm. She looked down at Jelldon and held him tightly in her grip as she started sleeping. "Night Esther. Night Jelldon."
"Goodnight, Maggie." The jellyfish chimed.
She passed one more look at Esther and Alice, before deciding to close her eyes. Her racing mind started to calm down then and there. 'Yeah, it'll be fun…just gotta keep looking forward.'
The barrage didn't let up, and Lucia was staring at it with a complacent leer. She turned around from the crossfire and began walking away from the battle. She was silent as she took in her supposed victory for her beloved master. She got within a couple paces away before she stopped in her tracks with eyes shut.
Something was off. She could feel it. It wasn't just the energy shift in the atmosphere, but something that she was starting to see. In a spritz in her mind, a flash of elemental attacks, ranging from winds, to tidal waves, leading up to showering light and flames engulfed her mind. She shot a dark glance over her shoulder and look at the huge smokestack that obscured where Jelldon was supposed to be. 'A very troublesome bunch, aren't they?'
Within the smoke, a pair red glints faded from six eyes. Jelldon's silhouette was seen inside and still kicking. "…is that all you've got?"
On Maggie's Bakumeter, an ability card was shown to be glowing, only instead of red it had a multitude of colors around it. "Just because you took way an asset of ours, doesn't make us weak. In fact, that's precisely what makes us stronger."
Lucia turned her head and body around to look at Maggie with a grim shadow covering her face.
"The less that we have than you, the more we can gain. You guys take so much from everyone that they're left with nothing. I know that feeling, too." An image of Maggie mother, Rebecca, appeared in her head. "But because of that, I took solace and gained more than you can imagine because of that!"
"Hmph. And exactly what influence does your petty story have to do with ascertaining empathy?"
"I don't know what the deal is with you guys and what you've been through, but we've gained so much from what you took from us. That includes Esther. And the lives you've stole. Now…what we have now, is more than you could ever have! Jelldon!"
The smoke dissipated, revealing Jelldon's tentacles swaying around. They were all glistening various auras of attributes while his main gel sac on his front shined various rainbow shades that glistened to his other gel sacs around his body.
Lucia watched from the other side with a diligent glare. She wasn't liking this, even for someone as eloquent as her. 'This power. Is she really…?'
"Now, let's go! Ability, activate!" Maggie lifted her Bakumeter high, which had various attribute colors shining. "Elemental Kraken!"
Jelldon let out a loud scream as his long six arms all waved high into the air. The gel sacs in each arm glowed a various shade, one color for each arm. The jellyfish lashed them all, causing the energy to enlarge the tentacles to almost three times their size and wave after Lumitroid and Acceleton. With a vile shriek into the sky, he simultaneously lashed each colorful whip into the machine and Lumitroid, buffering the combined force to nearly rocking over.
Lumitroid hissed as the Acceleton was nearly thrown off by this surprise attack. The tentacles continued slithering around Jelldon, his main gel sac a rainbow gleam still.
Lumitroid: 2300 Glow Jelldon: 700 (+600) = 1300
'Her power level increased by a large margin from one ability, much like what Acceleton does.' She saw the wavy motions of the fighter at work. 'However, it's still not enough. Those flashes I saw, this is no ordinary ability she just unleashed.'
'Thanks Linus and Rubanoid, for pushing us through to this level. Now to show them what we have.' Maggie whipped up her Bakumeter, casting another ability. "Ability, activate!" The ability, unlike the others, shined green. "Cyclone Barter!"
Lucia's eyes narrowed.
Jelldon screeched out as he whipped his glowing green tendril through the air. He whirled it around, creating a large green whirlwind that spread rapidly around him and Lumitroid. The energy Lumitroid had was drawn into the cyclone, as was Jelldon's. The atmosphere raged and whirled the two powers around until they streamed into the opposite Bakugan. All of a sudden, the power Lumitroid had was now Jelldon's which ignited his body in a bright red aura.
Lumitroid: 2300 (-1000) = 1300 Glow Jelldon: 1300 (+1000) = 2300
The winds circulated over Lucia's head, but that did little to alleviate her mild surprise. 'She used a Ventus ability without having to change her attribute. I see…' She looked towards the it her side, seeing the wind blew across Maggie's face, shifting her hair back and forth. 'This child is truly persistent.'
Lifting her Bakumeter again, she charged up another ability. "Ability, activate! Gear Saber!" Lumitroid hissed as the Bakugan took aim through its massive yellow lens, which was still having enough power for two shots. The hexagons and pincer cannons blasted into the windstorm, tearing it apart and shooting it directly at Jelldon.
Lumitroid: 1300 (+1800) = 3100 Glow Jelldon: 2300
"Heads up, Jelldon!"
"Ready when you are, Maggie."
The enlarged laserbeams barreled closer at disastrous rates. They closed in so fast that it one could say it rivaled Drago's speed.
"Ability, activate! Desert Spirit!" Jelldon vanished in the blink of an eye, cloaking himself into the snowy surroundings. The magenta beams bolted clean through where he was originally and continued its way into the distance. T erupted in several blinks outwards before sending shockwave of magenta ions into the atmosphere.
Ignoring the trebling earth because of the power, Lucia realized what happened. "Now it's Subterra…"
Lumitroid: 3100 (-200) = 2900 Glow Jelldon: 2300 (+200) = 2500
Lumitroid scouted the area by using the Acceleton's functions. A small lock-on screen appeared on the front, and the vehicle slowly started shifting about. It detected Jelldon by using biometric readings, where radar was bouncing all over.
BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP!
Lucia narrowed her eyes as she saw that beneath Lumitroid, water was starting to spiral. The Acceleton picked up on it at the last second before Jelldon's biometrics were read, but it was too late.
"Ability, activate!" Maggie shouted, holding up an Aquos ability. "Lake Dragoon!"
Water gushed spontaneously in rapid succession. The fluids spiraled like a whirlpool beneath Lumitroid that the Acceleton was unable to keep balance off. The wavy cyclone raged left and right, wobbling from the small cyclone within the whirlpool that sucked it up and trapped it. The waves spiraled around, extracting that power deep into the waves to fade into the water.
Lumitroid: 2900 (-1450) = 1450 Glow Jelldon: 2500 (+1450) = 3950
The waves continued rushing to no end. They swayed against the Bakugan and blocked its field of vision. The impact of the whirlpool's trapping didn't do much but only cause it to irate. The insectoid shrieked loudly, its cyclopean eye peering at the prison before it.
Lucia got deathly serious. 'I have to gather more power.' "Ability, activate! Gear Saber!"
Whirlpool continued spiraling in havoc, unable to yield until a flashing magenta light severed into several beams that spilled throughout the water. Second later, laserbeams exploded everywhere, including one massive one from the lens in front. It traveled across the outer whirlpool in front, splicing it around haphazardly until sprays gushed out of control. Its power shot up to 3250 as the Acceleton's omnidirectional beams punctured holes in the whirling water, but all it did was make it harder to see and for the lock-on radar to get a visual.
For a split second, a break in the waves allowed Lucia and Maggie a visual of each other. Their eyes locked intensely as they could see the opposition in the other's eyes. It was clear at this point Maggie wasn't going to listen. Rather, she thought she was right. Lucia was another story. She had to be right. There was no other explanation to it. She was hand-picked by Riaan himself, someone who gave her life meaning. Her powers could actually help someone for a change. She wasn't going to allow some pest of a human being!
The light of the Lens-X faded as the lasers finally receded. Waves severed to reveal a bright light that illuminated over the faded water. The frozen droplets glimmered between them as Lumitroid's cyclopean eye upon looking up, seeing Jelldon facing him while in midair with all his lower tentacles glowing intensely.
"Ability, activate! Spiral Lantern!"
Jelldon reacted to the Haos ability s his power bolted to an even higher extent, pushing gradually towards 4350. His entire body screamed as it felt as hot as a radiant rainbow sun. He flushed it all out in raining tentacles basked in lights in a spiraling fashion down onto Lumitroid.
Lucia wasn't having it. "Saw that coming! Ability, activate! Flash Fade!"
Lumitroid's bright eye shined an ominous light. The spiraling tentacles spun closer down, but alas they all faded and retreated away, leaving open room and shockwaves to disperse between them.
Once more, Jelldon was still in midair, but this time he had a fireball ready as the light faded. Lumitroid took aim with its Acceleton and the lock-on screen pinpointed on his weak spot.
"ABILITY, ACTIVATE!" both roared with all their might.
"Gear Saber!" Lumitroid's pincer cannons and rim took aim and fired intense laserbeams that blazed after Jelldon.
"Bolting Sun!" Jelldon screamed as he slammed down his main tendrils, unleashing the fireball as a Pyrus aura fluctuated around him.
The two attacks met in the center, where a bolstering plasma ball was crackling lightning in the wake of dozens of laserbeams refusing to let up. Snow melted from the heat within the area as rocks defied gravity. Air pressure was spontaneously expanding between the attacks that refused to give away from each other.
Lumitroid: 3250 (+600) = 3850 Glow Jelldon: 3650 (+500) = 4150
The two forces caused sparks in the air that repulsed anything that could get close. Maggie slid back as rocks passed her, but she covered up for the smaller wakes of them. Lucia was the same way, although she seemed a lot more calm. They both held on as long as their Bakugan were pushing.
"HRRRAAAAHHHH!"
Maggie and Jelldon violently cried out as the flares around Jelldon suddenly exploded. They surged down towards his fireball, erupting intense wakes that caused it to explode in midflight. An eruptive wake obscured the atmosphere before the break tore open, revealing the plasmatic fireball barreling through and meeting Lumitroid's shrunken eye. Everything went white before an explosion swallowed the Bakugan and mechanism. The wake if the attack completely plumed skywards, but some waves were powerful enough to slide Lucia across the ground.
As she gnashed her teeth together the fortuneteller was being extremely diligent with keeping her eyes on the prize. As she was leaning forward, another flash appeared inside her head. One that showed a sword, and it being bathed in red as dawn approached.
'This vision, this is…!'
The shockwaves finally settled in and dissipated. They allowed smoke to simmer before dissipating to revel Lumitroid's ball form rolling to Lucia.
Lucia: 40%
Jelldon slammed into the ground via his tentacles and let out a snarl. He seemed elated with the multiple glowing tentacles waving around threateningly.
"Did you wanna keep talking about how high and mighty this 'fate' really is that it dictates your life that much?" Maggie questioned. "Because if you are, save it."
"…" Lucia didn't say anything. In fact, something about the way she looked with a small, humble smile creeped her and Jelldon out. She quietly kneeled down and gracefully picked up her Bakugan.
Maggie furrowed her brow. The way she didn't offer any retort was giving her a nervous vibe. 'Something weird's going on about this beauty queen. It's like she's gone cold all of a sudden…wait a minute.' An epiphany brought her to light. 'Wait, did she see something that restored her confidence again?'
Lucia chuckled.
"You find something amusing at a time like this?"
Lucia cleared her throat. "Pardon my deception. No, why, it's ironically the exact opposite in fact."
Maggie raised a brow higher. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I assure you. It's nothing to trifle over. Don't worry about it, it doesn't involve the consequences of this battle…" She trailed off, the tone of the atmosphere was starting to settle to an ominous grim. There was an uneasy dread growing along Maggie's spine as Lucia's aura was giving her goosebumps. "However, I won't lie when I say it concerns the likes of your colleagues. You've all proven yourselves to be strong, very much so. Yet I see the light, the light that shall take one of you away."
"What is she saying, Maggie…?" Jelldon worried.
"I don't know. But…I've got a bad feeling about this." She balled her fists, swallowing a lump.
Lucia closed her eyes. "Allow me to interpret what I mean by that claim. You're well aware that I am able to see into the future, yes? Just now, I relapsed on a scene. One that I think you should be prepared for."
Now Maggie was the one who was dead silent.
A loud, brisky wind howled as snow swayed around them. The roaring winds of cold dread immediately chilled any hot tempers within a mile radius. And the words Lucia said at that instant were far colder than absolute zero.
"At the brink of dawn, someone's blood will stain the pure white snow…"
There was a stone-cold dread in the air. Silence. Remorse. All the feelings needed to make anyone's skin crawl was what Luke and Luka felt when they faced off against Riaan. It was a complete stalemate frozen in winter wonderland. The pressure was so intense that it was hard to move. Even Riaan was careful not to make the first step without knowing repercussions against his foes.
The dreadful silence eventually came to its end. The cold night air was broken by Luka.
"Riaan…figures you'd be the one behind all this. I should've known."
"You have my regards on that part." The otherworldly man rebuffed. "However, I am not all there is to blame for this farce."
"Farce?"
"Yes. You see, Lucia predicted this whole outcome accordingly. She showed me that the Battle Brawlers would send Shun to 'knab' me. If it were amongst your particular group of peers, I would've gone and taken more precaution to prevent that."
Luke furrowed his brow. "So you did this just to make a point?"
"Yes, precisely so. I know full well that you and your peers are extreme adverse to our way of handling matters. However, the regards to the Battle Brawlers, it's as the saying goes: Even old dogs can learn new tricks."
Luka scoffed at his quaint mannerisms. "Tch, should've figured they'd be over their heads."
Riaan frowned. "Yes, I most certainly agree. I was hoping for more of a challenge, but Shun was…unprepared. How uncouth of a ninja he must be."
Luke drew his sword in a defensive stance. "Hey, don't make fun of them like that!"
Rian shot his old protégé a grim glare. "Hmph, as if I'd be like Zion and Cyrus. My actions are beyond the point of reprehensive, and I have killed thousands, perhaps millions, of your individual races by now, but even a refined warrior should always be prepared. This will just serve as a warning to the Brawlers to take this seriously."
"Ohoohoohoo! Man, someone has standards." Brontes chimed.
Riaan huffed at the claim. "You may just be right. Not just anyone can make it this far without the intent to stay true to their ambition towards the end. However, I am willing to make an exception. Luka…" He turned towards him. "You were trying to ensure everyone survives. And Luke." He turned towards the other. "Your passion drives from making the most on living what little life you may have if you don't survive. The two of you were so opposite that it's synergistic. And yet, the original's ambition was abandoned because the rookie upstaged him. I admire that kind of influence. But…it also disappoints me how much change can derail one from their intent. When you have a plan, you stick with it until the end. You can't call yourself trustworthy or faithful otherwise."
"Look, we may be sorry about how things didn't work out between you and Code Eve." Luke leered. "But we're not apologizing for anything else."
"I see." Riaan sighed. "As expected. You've really grown, Luke. Very much, but, it's still not far enough. As we speak, Hades Pillars is making havoc amongst your friends. After the experience last time, I would worry very much if you will even be able to find their bodies in the aftermath."
"You sure put a lot of confidence in your subordinates, don't you?" Luka sarcastically asked.
"Yes, reasonably so. They are my pillars of the ruler of Hell himself. Call him Hades, but Riaan has a better fit, don't you think?"
"I've heard enough!" Luke crouched with his blade. "No more beating around the bush!"
"Hmph, what do you know. I was just thinking the same thing." Luka got ready to charge in for a strike.
Riaan saw the determined looks in their eyes. He knew well it was time. "Very well then." He pulled out his blade. "But, just because you were able to best Zion, doesn't mean that I am no less than him."
"Hey, Luke." Abis warned.
"Yeah, I know. We hold our blades for another cause. Let's show him!"
Luka smirked at his claim. 'So he remembers…' Scoffing, he ultimately lunged ahead, crying out as he and Luke took on Riaan, who stood his ground at the oncoming swordfight to be.
Far away from the scuffles happening in the distance, Gunz was dragging Shun over his shoulder. He's been lagging behind for some time now, but he was absolutely positive the others were round somewhere.
"This should be the right way I think." He looked around, noticing no one coming for them. The only signs of enemies were the various explosions and attacks that he could make out under the night sky. "The others have gotta be close by somewhere."
"Gunz, do you feel that?" Reptak voiced concern.
"Yeah pal, I do. It's giving me chills." He looked over his shoulder, pausing for a minute to gaze at Shun's unconscious face. He seemed to be fighting against his consciousness. "Shun, what did we do this time…?"
"Don't…go back…don't…get near those…monsters…"
Amina held up a Gate Card between two fingers, a sinister chuckling emitting from her as she glared down Dan and Marucho.
"Man, I sure hope the others found Shun by now/" Dan dreaded. "This is taking forever."
"Focus, Dan." Drago chided.
"Yeah, Drago's right. We're not out of the woods yet with this girl yet!" Marucho declared confidently.
"Yeah, I know." Dan balled his fists and shot Amina a glare. "Yo, you gonna battle or just stand there?!"
If Amina could yawn, she would've. But she was so full of energy under the night sky. Even if it was a little on the chilly side, she was wearing a bunch of accessories that complimented her. "Oh dear, seems that the trash is rather noisy. It's starting to grate my beautiful ears."
"You lousy…!"
She scoffed arrogantly again. "Gate Card, set." She bluntly dropped the card to her side, making it exert a blue shockwave that ran though the ground. "Now then…!" She lightly tossed her Nastix in, making a blue, crackling aura exert as the huge beast gurgled upon being unleashed in full form.
"Alright Drago, you ready?"
"I'm ready, Dan. Let's go!" Drago closed his ball form, allowing Dan to seize him.
"Alright, here we go! Bakugan, brawl! Baku Sky Raider, jump! Kick it, Pyrus Fusion Dragonoid!" Jumping into the air with ball form still on, Drago manifested in a whirling tornado of fire that swerved about until he funneled up and about around Nastix. The flames quickly diffused, unleashed Drago high above with a draconic roar.
"Sit tight, Dan! Now it's our turn!" Marucho threw Radizen in. "Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand! Let's go, Aquos Radizen!"
In an aquatic cyclone that spread across the ground, Radizen spun into battle, releasing a loud caw that screeched ears a mile away. "Who's ready for seconds, because we're serving up some knuckle sandwiches all around!"
Nastix: 700 Drago: 1200
Radizen: 1000
Taking the first move, Amina's lipstick curved into a seductive smirk as she whimsically brought up an ability. "Ability, activate! Hyper Gush!" Nastix gurgled as his shoulder bulbs began churning and glowing. They surged energy into the maw, where an intense, glossy, ectoplasmic volume rushed out like a tsunami and pushed through after Drago and Radizen.
This time, with fists up, the two Bakugan were ready.
"Ability, activate!" Marucho shouted first. "Matter Shield!"
Radizen moved in front of Drago with hands to his side. "Jokes on you, tough guy!" He crossed his arms and dug in his heels to the snow. A blue energy shield emanated with translucence like water to protect him and Drago. The massive rush of gurgling ectoplasm was rushing through the area, yet it did nothing against Radizen's shield as it all rushed around.
"Good thinking, Radizen!" Drago yelled behind.
"Heh, what do you expect? Never underestimate the incredible might of Aquos!" he confidently barked back.
Amina scoffed at the retort given.
"And now, it's our turn to lay some hurt!" Dan declared. "Drago, you ready?"
"Just say the word!" He took off from the ground and got directly above Radizen. With the swarming gush still coming from Nastix, Drago had a clear shot to take as he spread his wings.
"Ability, activate! Dragon Overcannon!" Drago opened his maw wide and charged up a glossy, fiery orb in his mouth. It was soon ready, and he launched an intense stream of energy fire that expanded and ran over the gush towards Nastix.
Nastix: 700 (-500) = 200 Drago: 1200
Radizen: 1000
The roaring energy blaze bisected the wake of Nastix' attack as it drastically closed in. It was only a matter of time before it could reach him. However, unlike what Dan and Marucho expected, Amina wasn't stupid. She knew what to do, and it was proven when she pulled out an ability through her Bakumeter. A forbidden one.
"Ability, activate…"
The blaze soon made impact with Nastix, erupting him in an explosion of fire that bloomed skywards. The shockwaves of the attack rippled outwards, but they didn't reach Drago nor Radizen. They glared on as they invested in the wake of the attack dissipating.
Dan did his signature flick with his thumb. "You like that?!"
The explosion settled, but something felt strange. A rather tingling sensation crackled throughout the atmosphere, even as far as making the remnants of smoke fog up with magenta. This sent a chill down everyone's body.
Drago perked his head up at a pair of glowing blue eyes piercing him down. A shockwave of air rushed out all of a sudden, buffering Drago and Radizen. Dan and Marucho were forced to their knees to keep themselves from being blown back by this superb force.
Nastix: 200 (+1500) = 1700 Drago: 1200
Radizen: 1000
Dan gasped as he read the power differences. "Wait, hold on! How did his power get up that fast?!"
Behind Nastix' glowing blue gaze, the shockwaves only brushed Amina as she took the commentary in stride. "Alien-X." She finished.
Drago looked down as he could see the throbbing veins Nastix had. Just the sight of seeing those throbbing liquids pulse through the veins across the mucus body was enough to make his skin crawl with no signs of envy. Regardless, he knew he couldn't take this lying down.
"Ability, activate!" Dan shouted. "Dragon NR Gear!"
Drago's body produced a swirling dark cloud overhead, gathering red ions and electricity from it that gathered into his center body. As he flexed, his body was surrounded in an energy sphere that crackled with red lightning and exploded in all directions. The shockwaves went out, blasting Nastix with full force.
Nastix: 1700 (+500) = 2200 Drago: 1200 (+500) = 1700
Radizen: 1000
"Hm, child's play."
Amina's scoff was backed up by her Nastix producing a large mass of a familiar shockwave that was blue. The two waves rushed across the earth into each other, meeting centerfield. The earth trembled as snow was reduced to earth, and airwaves were pushing back against Drago. Even as he covered up, he yelled as the shockwaves Nastix produced were like an unstoppable wall.
"Drago!" Dan yelled.
The shockwaves rushed about, crackling blue lightning before simultaneously breaking. The final pulse even buffered Radizen, who was behind his shield. Drago was pushed back farther skywards to keep out of range.
Dan gasped. He looked back down at Amina to realize what happened. "How in the heck did she get the same power as Drago? Could it be that it's that forbidden card she just used?"
Amina put a hand to her hip, sassily smirking down her prey.
"Hey! You gonna tell us what just happened? Or re we gonna have to trash it out of you?" He got no answer from her. "Hey, we're talking to you!"
Amina chose to not answer. She whipped out her Bakumeter and tapped into it. She put in several coordinates until the screen gave way to icons.
"Ready, Prozar."
She seized the mechanized weapon and threw it into battle. "Battlegear, boost!" She latched it onto Nastix, creating the huge radioactive cannon yet again. Nastix' power enhanced once more, bringing him to 2300.
Radizen jerked back shocked. "Wha-?!"
"Not that thing again!" Marucho shouted.
"Heads up!" Dan readied himself.
With a collective and somewhat passionate smile, Amina lifted her arm to ready her ability.
Battlegear ability, activate! Prozar Nuclear!" The fluids from his bulbs on the shoulder started pumping, causing the already gurgling Nastix to snarl and lowly roar. The substances inside gurgled the containers before they finally opened, releasing shockwaves of glossy radioactive energy after Radizen and Drago.
"Oh no, not again!" Radizen screamed.
The beaming blast waves finally reached him and Drago, swallowing them in an atomic wake that exploded out towards Dan and Marucho. Those two especially were blown off their feet as the radioactive wake pushed the shield Radizen was making to smithereens. This left him open for him to be sent flying with Drago in hectic manner as the pulses reverberated across the ground.
Amina laughed arrogantly through the mayhem of her attack. Seeing the blast waves knock the trash down left her more than happy for the night.
Nastix: 2300 (+400) = 2700 Drago: 1700 (-400) = 1300
Radizen: 1000 (-400) = 600
The shockwaves soon receded, but Dan and Marucho were already on the floor. They grunted painfully, whereas Radizen and Drago screamed mightily as they sundered into the ground with painful thuds. Eruptions of dust and snow blew the humans further away, causing them to cry out in agony.
"D-Drago…!" Dan grunted through the pain. He started crawling towards him. "Buddy…are…you good…!"
Drago winced at the extreme pain he was feeling. "I…I'm okay…"
Amina uproariously laughed at the sight. The others were so out of it they couldn't even hear her jeering for them. "Well isn't this just rich! I mean I know I'm rich already, but this is just the icing on my sweet cake!" She jolted into another victorious laughter. "Our prestige wants us to worry about you, when all you do is crawl like the trashy insect you are!" She took a moment's worth to pause and recollect herself. She tossed an unkempt lock back over her shoulder. "Okay, but just to be sure…"
She started tapping into her Bakumeter, creating another sequence while Drago and Radizen were getting back to their feet, albeit shakily. The radioactive wake left their minds with more than a haze to work through.
"Radizen, are you hurt?" Marucho worried.
The Aquos Bakugan rubbed his sore head. "Uggh…my head. What day is it…?" He shook his head repeatedly to snap out of his funk. "Alright, now I'm just mad!"
"That makes both of us!" Drago roared.
"Make that three!" Dan snarled. "You ready guys? Because one way or another, this chick and these Pillars gonna crumble like-!" A blue shine got their attention, cutting Dan off from what he was about to say. "What the-?!"
The others turned around to see was surprised Dan. Marucho's eyes widened, whereas Drago and Radizen looked shocked at the light overshadowing Amina from behind. It looked like a pillar of blue with magenta crackling plasma circulating around the hemisphere in the center. They were left completely speechless.
"What now?!" Dan screamed.
Amina offered no words. Instead she whipped her arm forward, dissipating the plasmatic energy throughout the atmosphere. The air crackled towards Drago and Radizen, who covered up for a moment before looking at the large chemical pool walking on several legs. In the center was Nastix, who gurgled defensively.
Nastix: 2700 (+200) = 2900 Drago: 1300
Radizen: 1000
Radizen veered away out of shock. "Woah there, what the heck is that thing supposed to be?!"
"It looks like a slime bath." Drago pointed out.
Amina sighed splendidly to herself. "Oh I do love myself a nice bath to soak in. Allow yourselves the honor to meet the Mobile Assault Vehicle of my beloved Nastic – Phastrix!"
Dan growled and balled his fists so tight they were shaking. Drago's fists were no different as they could feel the negative energy pour out from around them. It made their skin crawl even more.
"Well this just a whole lot creepier. We're facing a factory or something?" Radizen scoffed.
"Watch it, that's a Mobile Assault Vehicle! They're really dangerous!" Marucho warned in a pleading tone.
Dan stepped forward, his fist up in the air. "If you think this will keep us from getting to our friend, you're dreaming! You guys and your lousy weapons have no idea what lengths we're going through to keep everyone safe, ya hear?"
Rather than look challenged, the elation on Amina seemed to have heightened. "Safe, you say?" She chuckled as she ran her fingers through her fur-lined coat. "Well, isn't this just ironic. Lucia is always scolding me because of my ignorance. But you…perhaps you're even dumber than you think."
"What's that?" Dan snarled.
Amina shrugged. "I'm just speaking facts. Everyone gets hurt, don't they? One way or another, whether it's body or feelings. Honestly, you so-called Brawlers take way too much responsibility that I think you really should be enlightened by our lord."
"Yeah? Well we can ease that pain by taking you guys down! Let's go, Drago!"
Drago ascended back into the air. "I'm on it, Dan!"
"Yeah, Dan's right! As long as we work together, humans and Bakugan can always prevail! No fancy equipment or some twisted power's gonna change that!" Marucho declared.
Radizen pumped his fist. "Oh yeah!"
Amina closed her eye. She should've known trash isn't supposed to talk. Good thing she herself was ignorant of the inferior. She chose to take it out in the form of her snapping her fingers. The Phastrix started gurgling and the conductors along the top started crackling.
"Suppose we'll have to prove my point the hard way then. Learning is never fun…especially when those beneath receive the harder lessons."
Darkness literally swelled in a solemn area. Purple lightning could be seen crackling within the atmosphere within the debris field. Some of the already decayed debris had started getting swept up by the shrieking winds as two Bakugan shrieked and screeched at each other.
Raptorix raised its head and let out a bloody scowl. In return, Atchibee bared her blades to defend herself.
Esther and Cyrus were in their own respective deadlock. They didn't have to belittle each other right now when the answer was obvious actions speak louder than words.
The first strike went to Cyrus as he reached out. "Ability, activate! Violent Razor!" Raptorix' claws bared as the tail and wings sharpened to cutthroat levels. He blistered after Atchibee with intent to slash.
Raptorix: 1000 Dusk Atchibee: 900 (-400) = 500
Atchibee scowled as she used her blades and spiraled. She deflected a slash, but more razor edging was coming her way. She hooked her scythes down on the sharp wings to keep the distance brief. Yet Raptorix didn't let up. Cyrus and the Bakugan's grizzly glares gathered attention as the right arm pulled back to prepare a piercing gut glow.
Atchibee braced herself and spread her moth-like wings with a screech of warning.
"Ability, activate! Dusk Tornado!" Esther shouted.
Raptorix slashed, but Atchibee's wings unleashed a black tornado at point-blank range. It whipped around, even swallowing up the gash Raptorix' attack made in the air pressure. There was a momentary struggle before the behemoth was repulsed and swept into the center of the tornado.
Raptorix: 1000 (-200) = 800 Dusk Atchibee: 500 (+400 +200) = 1100
The tornado whirled around in spontaneous fashion in the center of the battlefield. The darkness around them was seemingly swirling in an opposite direction due to the air currents and pressure to balance both out. Yet, even with air hard to breathe, what mattered were the locked eyes of Esther and Cyrus as their faces showed a dreadful, cold, killer intent.
"Ability, activate! Accel Tornado!"
The dark whirlwind towering in front of Atchibee was spinning at an incredible rate. It swept up an atmospheric pressure until it picked up too much speed. It condensed into a pressurized dark cutting wave that was manipulated by Raptorix. The Bakugan aimed his entire body like a drill at Atchibee and prepared himself.
Cyrus darkly smirked as he reached out in front of him. Raptorix went shooting with the blackened slash spirals following him towards Atchibee.
Raptorix: 800 (+400) = 1200 Dusk Atchibee: 1100 (-400) = 700
The spiraling tornado had a gleaming eye that flickered like a flame. It scowled like thunder striking as it came down on Atchibee like a wall. Esther frowned as she silently brought up an ability to counter.
The tornado made impact, drilling pitch-black and negative colors everywhere in pressurized accelerated fashion. The slash wave grazed across the snow, turning it ash-black before more waves reduced it to vapor, allowing drenches in the ground to show.
Cyrus said nothing. He could already see what was going on. He looked unamused as she saw a crystal shatter within the tornado.
The spiraling wake of the attack was completely blocked off by the weight of Atchibee's Chrysalis Shield move. Though the barrier did end up getting siphoned a few good layers, the attack it sustained kept Atchibee unharmed.
Raptorix: 1200 (-400) = 800 Dusk Atchibee: 700 (+400 +300) = 1400
"Atchibee…show them."
Esther's words gave Atchibee the signal to slowly spread her wings. "Yes, Esther. As you wish." Truthfully, even she knew what to do next. In spite of shuddering air, she was completely still as she gathered the momentum around her. She had to channel her inner Darkus energy.
Cyrus slowly brought his arm back and slung it forward. "Ability, activate…Dusk Plight!"
The tornado kept spinning until the drafts finally broke. In the blink of an eye, a ghastly, translucent image of Raptorix fell through the shield, pouncing for Atchibee. It drained away 500, dropping her at 900.
Esther and Atchibee remained still; the former's eyes transfixed on their respective opponents.
Time drastically slowed down again for them to take in what their opponent was doing. Being so close, it was borderline intimidating. They were striking fear…like a phantom. Cyrus' smirk was just proof. However, this was the time show that even they can outscare a ghost.
As time returned to normal, Esther let them have it. "Fallen for bait."
Cyrus raised a brow.
"Double ability, activate! Phonic Liseran, plus Fusion Ability, Vermilion Raid!"
Just as Raptorix was about to faze through Atchibee, the moth was shrouded within a blanket of darkness. The being went through, only to be met with a blind blanket. All around, even as a ghastly image, the Bakugan was unable to detect Atchibee.
"I see…" Cyrus looked up. "If that's the case…"
From above, several red gleams glistened before they unleashed two huge, negative lasers of light that made Raptorix visible. Barely looking up in time, the Bakugan was hammered with an intense blast wave of dark light and phonic laserbeams coming from two ominous eyes in the night sky.
Cyrus didn't have the need to cover up, even as his cape glared like a ghost. Esther withstood her ground as the darkness spilled the energy everywhere.
Slowly, Atchibee's maw opened in the pitch-black. "Now…you will feel the sting…" The negative flames glistened with pressure. "Of a true Darkus Bakugan's might!" She spewed an insidious negative, glossy flame that beamed straight between her lasers, expanding down onto Raptorix.
Raptorix: 800 (-400) = 400 Dusk Atchibee: 900 (+400 +400) = 1300
The light of the attack came down on the enemy. Cyrus' stare was bleak, and he still had his trademark grin on his face. He watched as his Bakugan was swallowed in an intense wake of explosions that billowed upwards. The combusted energy was like a cosmic cloud of negative sparkles that dazzled beneath Atchibee, and for Esther to watch passionately.
The wake of the attack settled, making its few strands of dark flares flutter like a faint wind between Cyrus and Esther. The leader of Hades Pillars was shrouded so much that he almost looked invisible.
"A true Darkus, you say…?"
His words were low, but they held a weight at made Esther feel something off about his composure.
The man started chuckling towards himself. It was admittedly quiet for someone whose demeanor was so intimidating. "A true Darkus…my, dear Esther. It would appear that your faith in your 're-caging' has made you less common sense. What a pity. Truly shameful."
BA-DUMP!
Corruptive heartbeat pulsed through the area. A sickening wake swelled as the pitch-black around them enclosed them from the outside world.
"You will learn first-hand…of the true terror of what Darkus is really all about." He raised his arm higher, a foul, negative steam rising off of it. "Ability activate, Diablo-X!"
As the embers of Atchibee's attack flourished, Raptorix was hunched over, yet his body was barely visible. It was engulfed in a broad expansion of veins that throbbed inconsistently. The atmosphere started quaking until a pause froze time around it. A second later, the eyes of Raptorix dulled as he slowly raised his head.
"KRAAWWWWWH!"
A bloody shriek of terror shot a monstrous pillar of raw negative energy skywards, breaking into the sky. Airspace trembled as Atchibee was swallowed by the attack, her visual unable to escape as the pulses tore apart the darkness around as it reached hundreds of feet in less than a few seconds.
Raptorix: 400 (+1500) = 1900 Dusk Atchibee:1300
Esther used a forearm to keep herself from being flung about haphazardly. Cyrus was along the opposite end, glaring down Esther with glowing eyes, shrunken pupils, and the most devious of all smirks possible.
The raging pillar of black and purple repulsed anything that would have a funny idea of getting too close to the area. Gravity was in turmoil as rocks defied the ground and whirled around them to certify the area. Debris mounds were picked up and scattered behind the wake of this corruptive force.
"Perhaps…I should personally enlighten you myself!" Cyrus scowled. "Your attempts at this courageous façade is nothing more than a mask to hide your fear. You will never overcome it unless you discard it!"
Esther's eyes showed anything but a formal good mood. She sighed low. "Whoever said I was afraid…Atchibee!"
The pulsing pillar shuddered, with large, bug-like eyes piercing red.
"Ability, activate! Wormhole!" The dark pillar flowed everlastingly, even as something seemed distorting inside its center. The disruptive wake began altering the space of it until the dark matter was being pulled towards something like a vacuum.
Cyrus looked with subtle hints of surprise as he watched all the negative energy being absorbed by Atchibee's attack. He watched the moth snarl as a dark purple aura flared up around her. The remnants of the void pillar faded away, leaving bits of it to fade into two dark vortexes around her wings.
Raptorix: 1900 (-1500) = 400 Dusk Atchibee: 1300 (+1500) = 2800
Atchibee raised her head high and emitted an empowering shriek of terror.
"Your opinion and my own are very much different." Esther pointed out. "For someone who has power, you use it to strike fear into others, to belittle them into nothing. But has it not occurred if they did the same to you? How would you feel?"
Cyrus' glare was shown to be more serious than intended. The amusement on his face was gone, replaced by a look of seriousness. His eyes shut as, for someone so calm, turned away.
"Hmph…and why should those who express fear have respects?" He opened his eyes. "You must completely destroy fear in order to embrace your true self. When you dwell in darkness all your life, when you see light, will you show fear to leave everything behind? You must never allow such hollow emotions to control what you need in order to get ahead."
Esther saw an ability brought up.
"Emotions are like fire…you must extinguish them to embrace and kill the fears that the darkness brings you. Now…" The air's foggy, negative energy began stirring. "To get my point across…and to extinguish your sense of feeling."
Esther narrowed her glare.
"Ability, activate! Alpha-X!" A bright purple core erupted on Raptorix, the chords lacing around and restraining the Bakugan. The raptor-bird remained frozen as his body started sucking in negative energy like ropes. The streamed into thin layers into the body, where they supercharged the cells. The thin limbs suddenly erupted to large, bulky muscles and veins, which throbbed with large doses of energy from the battle.
Purple lightning flashed across the dark skies, crashing into the trembling earth below. A gale picked up as Esther and Atchibee looked up, watching the chaos energy swirl over their opponent's head.
Raptorix' shriek echoed in a bloodcurdling tone. His power shot all the way up towards 3200 in an instant.
Cyrus was unmoved by the wake of the force he was applying. A bolt of purple lightning landed a few feet away, but he didn't even flinch. "I understand that I hate to repeat myself…but it's never easy to provide a point without first undergoing basics…Diablo-X!"
The lightning storm of dark purple blackened as a dark shroud enveloped Raptorix. In a split second, the Bakugan's throbbing body expelled another dark pillar, this one compacting far more intensity to completely depress the earth beneath. Its cries were hollowed out by the ominous shockwaves that were being released at an alarming rate.
Raptorix: 3200 (+1500) = 4700 Dusk Atchibee: 2800
A cyclone of darkness whirled around in front of Esther and Atchibee. Neither made subtle movements as they stared blankly into the space.
"I thought I had entrusted everything to you and had nothing for myself. You all risked so much to make me remember that the pain I felt, it's what will push me ahead." She looked at him sincerely. "Luke, you've truly grown. Don't ever second guess that."
Her advice to Luke before rattled her mindset. She was meekly smirking at her own ideals reflecting on her. In no way was she ever going to second guess herself again. Not this time around anyways.
As dark winds howled, her hair shifted calmly as her attention adverted back towards the battle. "Atchibee…take it all in."
"Yes, Esther." Resolute on her partner's mind, she straightened her wings.
"Cyrus…perhaps you find no means to having emotions, but it's okay to be afraid. It's what may keep people from achieving what they desire, but it's also what gives birth to something just as great as fear. Courage."
"…"
"Your intent to disrupt the balance with destroying your fears and terrorizing others is what makes you a monster. But I will not allow myself to be caged. We will fight…!" She whipped up her Bakumeter, showing an ability. "We shall decide our own way to deal with fear."
Cyrus narrowed his eyes. "…then drown in black." He whipped his arm out, giving the command for Raptorix to expel the energy and sent it in a large-scale explosion. It swept towards Atchibee and Esther, both ready to embrace the darkness, and make it a strength.
Very calmly, Esther reached out, as if her hand went limp and her disposition darkened to show deathly seriousness. "Ability activate…Silent Plexus."
Atchibee's eyes glowed purple and she emitted a loud shriek. She crossed her scythes in front of her, which started blocking the attack wave heading her way. A cosmic scale storm rampaged around her, swirling like a dark helix that shielded her from the blow outwards.
Cyrus narrowed his eyes at Atchibee's dark silhouette inside her negative scale dust. "What might this be…?"
Atchibee hissed as a dark aura flared around her body. The scythes were the same menacing shade as the cosmic helix around her spun and drew in negative energy into the blades. With them still crossed, they were making a large X that grew larger with the more dust that latched onto the shockwaves and sucked into her body.
Raptorix: 4700 Dusk Atchibee: 2800 (+1500 +400) = 4700
"Silent Plexus…it draws in the same level of power that my opponent has, with more force to it." Esther explained. "As different as we are in ideals, and the ways of our battling styles…" she narrowed her eyes. "This is as equal on grounds as you will be to me."
Her cold statement did nothing but make Cyrus' glare darken. He reached out. "You know nothing of the true essence that one's darkness carries!"
"And you know nothing of hope!"
Both unleashed loud cries that showed their serious, cold demeanors, like a black-hearted queen against a grizzly, faceless demon rom the pits of Hell. Their Bakugan cried out in unison as they unleashed their attacks at the same time. The enhanced strength of Raptorix expelled after Atchibee as she uncrossed her blades, bringing them sweeping through the eruptive energy and blazed into Raptorix. The two attacks zeroed in on each other, closing in at Mach speed until ultimately, it came to be a white blur.
A harsh, large-scale explosion of pitch-black, indigo, and purple rampaged everywhere within a large radius. Pillars beamed skywards as the attacks flickered into ripples blooming. The area expanded further, making a large cloud of black as far as the eye could see.
Julie looked far out as she saw the huge explosion of pitch-black. Her gasp spelled utter shock at the sight. "OH MY GOSH!"
Taking a moment, the others ceased their battles and saw the dark cloud spiraling out of control. They created a large wake until a rogue ripple of black went over them.
"Esther…" Shawn murmured.
Zion snorted at the sight above. "Hmph…Lord Cyrus has just gotten serious then it seems."
Lucia smirked.
The shockwaves and the trembling earth receded, but up on the cliff, Julie was pointing at the area of the explosion while looking at her viewers. "Did you all just see that?! That was a big explosion just now! I wonder who that could be?!"
Back with Esther and Cyrus, both combatants were a safe distance from each other as the haze brightened a little. They seemed otherwise fine, but their resolute glares were as cold as steel, and sharp as knives.
From the shockwaves, Raptorix and Atchibee reverted to ball form, both dropping towards their owner's feet from that stalemate.
Cyrus: 50% Esther: 50%
Cyrus bent down and picked up his Bakugan. "Admittedly…not a bad effort."
Esther picked up Atchibee and glared daggers. "We'll use our darkness, and make it a light that will outdo yours."
"I implore you to try. But the greatest of people aren't built on those who just preach. And the future has no place for those who are weak. Time ever flows, and so does the chaos and light that fight on."
"A balance that you and Riaan are destroying."
"To create something new, one must destroy. Or in our lord's case, to change…so by all means, try to change us, but I assure you…you won't like what you will really see."
Blades clashed as sparks flared in all directions. Luke and Luka pushed as hard as they could, yet Riaan stood his ground using his one hand to grip his blade. He didn't seem at all deterred as their shouts and added adrenaline gave them an extra boost, yet he brushed them off and sent them sliding back along the ground. Both rebounded and lunged back at him; Luke on the right, and Luka on the left. They closed the gap in an instant, but Riaan pivoted in his foothold and deflected their shots around him. With both in freefall, they looked up to see a blade coming down for Luka.
"Luka!" Luke shifted in front, bunting the shot of the metallically enforced blade. The impact nearly jut his blade into his face, but he held firm.
Seeing his opening, Luka used Luke's shoulder as a foothold and jumped into the air. He slashed at Riaan, but he parried it in time to keep Luka's assault at a standstill in midair. This gave Luke the chance to go for an underside slash. He closed the gap but was still outmaneuvered when Riaan pivoted and turned, sending Luka overhead and him following through. They ended up behind him and got back to their feet. Once again, they both charged at him with brazen blades, unleashing blows that were easily parried by him.
They past him after so many swipes, gliding across the ground and turning around. They saw that Riaan turned to face them, his face stone cold with resolution. He observed his foes panting for a short breath needed, but he saw no need for petty.
"I believe that is enough foreshadowing, gentlemen." His tone hinted the next event. "I believe we are all set then?"
Gathering his posture, Luke shot glares, Luka soon following.
Riaan: 100% Luke: 100%
Luka: 100%
Immediately, Luka went for the Gate Card. "Dreck! Listen, I'll make the first move. We'll follow through, and then we'll coordinate an attack with what he throws as a counter."
Luke nodded. "Got it." He was all for it. He remembered all too well how defensive and versatile Armagedoid was. It was impossible to get to him. This time they at least had an idea of what to do.
Riaan raised his head in challenge. "Well then, we're waiting."
Luka pulled up a Gate Card and shot it out. "Gate Card, set!" He watched the card let out a yellow shockwave across the ground. He looked down at Brontes, possibly for the last time. "It's time. Don't hold anything back, Brontes."
"It will be my pleasure." Brontes swooned. "Let's give this guy and his pet the axe."
Gripping his Bakugan, Luka shot a harsh glare forward and threw him in. "Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand! Let's go…Haos Alto Brontes!"
In a broad yellow light, the clown slowly arose and stood tall, his huge smile on his face as he cackled.
"Abis, it's our turn now." Luke voiced to his Bakugan. "Are you ready?"
"You bet…" He closed. "Let's take him on together!"
Luke's grip tightened on him. "You're on." With his left hand, he threw him in. "Bakugan, brawl! Aquos Frill Abis Omega, stand!"
In a deep blue light, a swirling helix of water spiraled in a single point. The waves dissipated, revealing Frill Abis Omega with his large wavy frills expanded to intimidate any enemies he may be facing. He screeched so loud that airwaves shuddered.
Riaan observed the two Bakugan, his frown dead serious. "I see. Abis Omega and Brontes. Two unlikely Bakugan to intercede in my path. However impressed as I am with these odds, I'm afraid the bell tolls. Armagedoid!"
By his side, the black, purple, and magenta Bakugan opened. "Yes, Master."
"Are you familiar with these two Bakugan from before?"
"Yes, I am."
"I believe we have a score to finish with them. Are you ready?"
"It will be my pleasure." He closed his ball form, allowing for Riaan to grab him.
Seizing the moment, Riaan shot a look at everyone ahead and held his right arm out. "Very well then. Let us act! Bakugan…brawl!" He threw Armagedoid in. "Bakugan, stand!"
When Armagedoid popped open, a dark pulse spread over the field before the earth started trembling. A magenta flare shot into the air, creating a violent roar that echoed in Luke and Luka's ears. Their teeth gnashed together as they tried holding on.
"Rise…Darkus Armagedoid!"
Riaan lifted his arm up, which the large magenta flare extended a large pitch-black claw that cleaved into the snow. The flare slowly diminished as the maelstrom of darkness surrounding the base brought up a prism. The prism glinted, suddenly expelling another rippling pulse as the wings slowly unfolded with magenta lightning repulsing the flares. Armagedoid's body slowly unfolded, his two feet touching base as his tail swung around. His purple neck rotated skywards and he expelled a groundbreaking cry that pulsed dark airwaves inti the atmosphere. It echoes beyond the flat snowlands they were battling in, reverberating into the area where everyone else was.
The thundering roars caused everyone to tense up. Abis bared his teeth as his frills fluctuated. Brontes spread his feet in readiness. Luke and Luka readied themselves as their skins crawled.
"It's him." Luke growled.
Luka gave the Bakugan a serious stare. "Armagedoid."
Armagedoid: 1500 Frill Abis Omega: 700
Alto Brontes: 700
"The stage is now set. It's time for the show to get underway." Riaan voiced poetically.
Armagedoid snarled at his enemies. "We meet again, Frill Abis Omega. Alto Brontes."
"Apparently too soon." Abis retorted.
Brontes cackled some. "My goodness, you seem well. But as pleasant as this has been, we really should stop you." He got into a fighting stance. "I hope you're ready to die!"
Armagedoid unleashed another bloodcurdling roar, trembling the earth beneath them. His astonishing wake was creating airwaves to completely disappear.
"Live your life to the fullest then. Show me your courage and strength!" Riaan held his blade out. "This future…"
"This path we take…" Luke and Luka roared.
"SHALL BE OURS TO CREATE!"
Armagedoid, Abis, and Brontes let out battlecries across the battlefield, echoing across the waning night sky. In the distance, the few signs of color changes in the sky were evident.
Dawn was upon them.
This chapter was so big, that I realized that it was becoming too much for just the Hades Pillars battles alone. So now, I'm going to have to split it into 2 chapters. I got Luke's group's developments out of the way at least. Now that just leaves Luke and Luka to battle Riaan. It'll take a little longer, but I hope you guys were still enthused enough with the insane power levels everyone got to!
So sadly, I have some news to tell you guys. It doesn't relate to the story, but I thought I'd tell ya. So unfortunately, my family has gotten sad because our dog passed away. He was diagnosed with liver cancer, and he only had a few weeks after that. And earlier this week, Sunday, was the day that he ultimately left us. So if the beginning of this chapter or if any part of this felt shaky, I have my reasons. But I still hope that this wrapped up rather well, despite this aching feeling. I'll work through it, but this will motivate me to portray my feelings for next chapter's intense fight against Armagedoid!
So as always, reviews are appreciated, and thanks for reading another chapter of my epic Bakugan fanfic! Keep going strong you guys!
