Authors Notes: Alright I got no idea what Specula is, but most Iv heard is that it's a boy so that's what Ill keep it as. Unless I get enough threats on my life that it needs to be changed. Enjoy.

Battle of Rivals

   "Finally I got it!" O'Connell shouted cheerfully finally getting an image of the battle up. His emotions changed quickly.

   "Oh my God." Kruger said, so soft no one heard him. "They. Lost." Kruger couldn't believe the image he was looking at. Few Zoids still stood, but mostly it was the Zoids of Prozen's armies that still walked and fought.

   Fiona scanned the image hoping to see Van's Blade Liger still fighting, and finally she did. The Lighting Saiex was there as well, and she watched as Moonbay gave a sigh of relief.

   Van watched the very familiar white Zoid charge onto the battlefield, easily taking down the numerous enemy Zoids. "Raven?" Van was stunned to his him helping, and even more stunned to see him in the Fury.

   "What the Hell is Raven doing?" Irvine asked, watching Raven easily take down any opponent.

   Tom stared at the Fury, his anger had soared now. "Prozen, you told me Raven would help us." Tom had said that to himself, not even thinking about lashing out at Prozen.

   Raven smiled as the Zoids slowly fell, each of them finding Raven far to superior, and the Fury with an unmatchable power.

   "I don't know if this helps are situation any." Karl said, shooting his last few rounds of ammo.

   Thomas bit his lip as he watched the Fury make quick work of the enemy. "With Raven, there is something." Thomas rammed a Hellcat that was ready to make a jump at the Iron Kong.

   "Thanks." Karl said smiling.

   "Should we take Raven out?" Irvine asked helping Van destroy a few Guysacks.

   Van stopped and watched Raven and his Zoid. "No, right now he's helping us. Keep an eye on him though."

   Irvine nodded.

   Raven kept destroying any Zoid that even came near him, let alone made an attack. Finally though he found the Zoid he wanted, the black GenoBreaker Drake had given him. "Lets see how well he uses a Zoid like that Shadow." Raven smiled, and charged the GenoBreaker.

   Jim smiled, getting his Zoid ready to fire a charged particle cannon. "Fool, that's all you are kid, a lucky fool."

   Raven laughed. "We'll see about that." Raven watched as the particle beam came rushing towards him. "Now Shadow!" The Fury jumped in the air, far above the path of the particle cannon.

   Jim smiled. "Maybe you do got some skills kid." He watched the fury landed and made a quick dash at him. The GenoBreaker slid out of the way and grabbed the Fury by the tail with its massive pincers.

   Raven turned his head and looked back, trying to bite the GenoBreaker with its powerful jaws. But he couldn't reach, and the tremendous impact from the GenoBreaker's cannon shots. "Shadow! Do something!" Raven yelled, trying to break free from the Zoids powerful grip.

   Van looked back at Raven and the GenoBreaker. He saw Raven needed help, and was hesitating to do it but knew he didn't have much of a choice. "Lets go Zeke."

   "Where are you going?" Irvine asked, watching Van head off to the GenoBreaker and Berserk Fury.

   "Help Raven." Van said with a low voice, shaking his head in disbelief at that thought.

   Jim looked over at saw the Blade Liger coming towards him. "What the Hell is he doing?" He shook his head, and opened fire.

   Van drew up the shield and stood still, letting the shots bounce of it. When they stopped firing he charged it again, swerving left and right to dodge any new fire that came up.

   "Damnit will you hold still." Jim took aim again, finally getting him in his sights. But before he could fire the shot, he felt a sudden release of energy as the Berserk Fury finally escaped his grasp. "Damnit!" He yelled, trying to shoot the Fury.

   The Fury danced around, waiting for the perfect chance to take the Zoid out but watched as Van came up from behind the GenoBreaker, pulling out its blades. "Maybe you should pay more attention to the entire battlefield, then you would actually be a decent pilot."

   Jim looked behind him and watched as the blade quickly cut through the lower half of his Zoid.

   Van landed and turned around quickly, watching the Zoid split into two pieces. "Good work Zeke." Van said, looking at the Fury.

   Prozen looked out in horror as his army lay wasted, either burning on the desert sand or dying away within the city itself. "How did I lose." Prozen said furiously. The sun was starting to rise, and what few remains his army had ran off, fearing for their lives.

   "Alright men!" Valen shouted. "Lets storm the city!"

   Van jumped out of his cockpit and stretched. The battle had lasted well over 5 hours, and he was exhausted and sore but had never been so happy in his life. He would smile and shout, jump around like a little kid but he was extremely sore.

   Irvine walked up besides him, smiling. "Not bad I guess. We won, and were alive."

   Van smiled. "Yea. Lost a lot of people though." He listened to some gunfire coming in from the city. Valen had taken the troops on foot now, invading the city and palace. "Hard to believe any of this." Van felt as a few raindrops began to fall on his body.

   "Yea, but its over. All over." Irvine put his hand on Van's shoulder. "Lets get out of here."

   Van smiled. "Like that idea." Van turned around, the rain starting to come down much harder now, melding Van's hair against his scalp and neck. Van couldn't wait to get away from battles for a bit.

   "Van!" Raven yelled.

   Van turned and looked up at the Fury. "What is it Raven!" Van yelled back.

   "Now we finish what we started."

   Van gritted his teeth, tired and exhausted he didn't want to fight Raven. He didn't want to fight anyone else. "Raven will you stop this!"

   "No, not until you are dead. And stay dead!" Raven was furious at Van.

   "Damnit Raven, why do you want to fight me?"

   Raven looked down at him. His eyes glowing with rage, his race red with anger. "You have everything I ever wanted Van! Both of us lost are parents, but you have everything Van! Everything! I want you dead and I want you to stay dead!"

   Van looked up at him, angry and tired he ran to his Blade Liger.

   "Van are you crazy, forget about him." Irvine said, but watched as it had no effect on him.

   "Stay out of this Irvine." Van looked at Zeke who was just as exhausted as he was. "Lets go Zeke, we have one more battle left." Van looked at the Fury, finally understanding why Raven was doing all of this. Lashing out at people because of his life, because of the way he had been treated. He was jealous of Van but he knew only to a certain point. Jealousy and rage, mad because of all the times Van had beaten him in combat, jealous because of how everything seemed to work out in the end for Van, but always die for Raven.

   Raven laughed as he watched the Blade Liger rise once again. "This time Van, Ill make sure you don't come back." Raven charged the Liger, snapping its razor sharp teeth at its neck.

   The Blade Liger jumped back, avoiding the continuous attempts of catching the Liger with its powerful jaws. Van finally found an open shot and executed it, ramming the Ligers head into the Fury's chest.

   Raven shook at the impact, but quickly used one of its claws to grasp on to the Liger, catching it.

   Van shook his controls as hard as he could, trying to break free. The Blade Liger and Berserk Fury growling furiously at each other. The Liger slashing its claws at the Fury, finally getting it to release it from its grip.

   Raven charged the Liger, making a leap for it. The Liger quickly jumping forward before the Fury could land on it and making a turn, bringing out its blades. Raven smiled as he brought up the Fury's shield.

   Van pushed the throttles as hard as he could, bringing the Liger nearly as fast as it was against Hilz.

   Raven felt the impact of the crash, Van's left blade trying to pass through its shield.

   "Raven." Van said, using the last bit of strength he had to make an attempt to shatter the shield.

   Raven laughed as he pushed his Zoid forward, snapping the blade into half.

   Van felt the thrust of energy released and it forced his Liger to crash into the ground.

   Raven turned around, grabbing the Ligers tail with its jaws and slamming it into the ground.

   Van's head bumped into the console, causing a gash to form on his left cheek.

   Raven laughed as he raised the foot of the Fury and drove it into the neck of the Blade Liger.

   "Come on Zeke." Van said, trying to free his Zoid. "Zeke!" Van yelled.

   Raven watched as the Liger pushed out its other blade, driving it into the lower part of the Fury's chest. Raven jumped back, his Zoid damaged. "Why do you torment me like this Van!" Raven now breathing hard watched as the Blade Liger got up off the ground.

   Valen shot a few more soldiers, his small squad quickly making progress through the palace. Finally they reached the throne room and Valen kicked open the door, shooting the six when which stood in it. After the brief fire had stopped, Valen looked at Prozen who was sitting on the throne laughing.

   "So you win the battle." Prozen gave a slow, mocking clap to them. "The war is far from over."

   Valen raised his gun and shot Prozen in the head, killing him. "Sick of you bastard." Valen shook his head and threw the smoking rifle to the ground. "Contact the Jade River Base." Valen rubbed his forearm against his mouth, removing a few drops of blood. "Tell them we won."

   The Blade Liger and Fury clashed at each other. Both Zoids damaged, both Zoid going far beyond their capabilities, and both pilots physically torn up.

   Van wiped the sweat out of his hair and the blood off his face trying to keep his mind focused on the battle. The Liger juking to the right, trying to get a shot at the Fury with its last good blade.

   Raven continued to stab at he Zoid with its two claws on its back, doing whatever it took to kill Van.

   Jason smiled, enjoying the battle taking place. "This is a fight Phantom. Always is when these two go at each other." Jason watched each of them. "The greatest pilots this planet will ever see. That I know for a fact." Jason turned his head and started petting his Organoid. "If one of them die now, we will not bring them back. Then we will begin are quest Phantom, me and you will finish exactly what we started." Jason stopped petting Phantom and turned his attention back to the battle. "To think I made them who they are, incredible." Jason smiled at his work. "But their greatest challenge will come against us Phantom, us and the Tiger." Jason watched quietly at the rest of the battle.

   The Fury caught the head of the Liger before it could ram it once again. Van struggled to free himself but the claws slowly began to pierce through the armor. Van searched the Fury over and over, trying to find a weakness but none came up.

   Raven smiled as he planted the claws into the ground. "Now Van, you will die again. But this time Ill make sure you stay dead."

   Van watched as the small glowing ball in the Fury's mouth began to glow, finally Van had an idea. "Zeke, get ready to put all of your strength into the shield." Van shut down all of the Liger's power, then redirecting it to the shield.

   Raven fired the charged particle cannon just as the Liger drew its shield. The energy of the blast forced the Fury to fly back nearly 100 meters but also destroyed the hind legs of the Liger.

   Van tried to get up, ignoring the blood on his face, neck, and shit. Ignoring the painful stinging of his sweat entering the wound. He tried to get his Liger up. "Zeke, come on Zeke don't die on me now." But the Liger wouldn't budge, and Zeke couldn't do anything more for the wounded Zoid.

   Raven was barley able to get his Zoid up, but he did. Something Van couldn't do right now. Raven walked up to him but just shook his head. Tired of everything physically and even more emotionally.

   Van watched the Fury slowly limp off. Van stared at it, wondering why Raven didn't finish him off. The thought buzzed in his mind to the point were he fell unconscious.

   Jason dropped his jaw as the Fury crawled away from the battle. "What the Hell is Raven doing!" He shouted, angry that not one of them died. "Damn, this puts a small bug in my plan." But Jason just smiled. "So be it, the fool will live slightly longer." Jason stood up and got on Phantom's back, feeling the rush of air pass his face as the Organoid took off.

   "All of Prozen's forces are dead, a few did manage to escape but we took him out. Prozen is dead, so is his army." Valen said over the transmitter.

   Kruger smiled as he heard the command center burst into cheers and hurrahs. "Good work Commander." Kruger looked over at Fiona and Moonbay, both extremely happy. "Did Flyheight and Irvine make it out?"
   "Yes sir." Valen said cheerfully. "Any orders remaining."

   "Help the wounded, help the civilians. We'll be there shortly." Kruger nodded to O'Connell to end the transmission.

   Rudolph walked over to Homaleff. "Prepare the Whale King, we'll leave as soon as its ready."

   "Yes your highness." Homaleff bowed and ran off.

   Thomas and Karl pulled the unconscious Van out of the cockpit, taking the straps off of his body. Irvine attended to Zeke who was lying on the ground, alive but wounded badly.

   "Come on Van wake up." Thomas said, smacking him gently.

   "He'll be fine." Karl said, the rain was coming down softly now as the sun began to rise over the horizon.

   "Yea." Thomas looked around, seeing if the Fury was still around but it was long gone. "Wonder why Raven let Van live this time?"

   Irvine shrugged as he walked over. "Who knows?" He smiled as he looked down at Van. "Kids a hero again. Doesn't seem possible for someone like van to actually exist."

    Thomas smiled. "Yea."

   "As long as he's on are side I don't think it matters." Karl said walking over to his Iron Kong.

   Ryss opened her eyes and looked around the dark room. She could hear the rain clashing against the roof, drowning out every other sound. She looked down, Specula lying on the floor beside the bed she was is. Rubbing her face, she could feel bandages on it, remembering what Jason had done to her. He was angry at her for leaving, and for that he slashed her over and over. She would have died as well, but Specula had saved her. The blue Organoid loyal to her and none other.

   "Should have let you die." Zack said, he was sitting on a chair staring at the girl with blue hair. "I wish he had."

   "For the nicest man I know you seem to hate me an awful lot." Ryss said, her eyes drowsy and head sore.

   "Nice to everyone except you." Zack stood up but watched as Specula quickly jumped up in front of him. "Would have killed you already if it wasn't for your damn Organoid."

   "Where's my father?" Ryss asked.

   "Down stairs, sleeping on a chair." Zack said sitting back down.

   Ryss got out of the bed and looked down at the bloodstained blanket and pillow. "I never knew why you hated me so much." She closed her eyes, remembering her past. "Nikolo never did."

   "He died because of you remember." Zack shouted at her.

   Ryss felt a tear run down her cheek. "He did, didn't he." Ryss lied back down on the bed. "The battle is over."

   Zack nodded. "I know, looks like there might actually be peace for once."

   "The shadows have only started to rise Zack." Ryss closed her eyes and fell asleep.

   Zack looked at her, trying to understand what she meant by that. His thoughts were shortened by the blast of thunder, which shook the old church. Zack shook his head and fell asleep as well.

   Van watched as the Whale King landed, about a dozen people rushing out.

   "This is my favorite part." Valen said, his short brown hair gleamed in the sunlight.

   Van smiled but didn't say anything. He watched as Fiona jumped into his arms like she had done when he returned to her from the grave. They didn't say anything though, he just held her and stared at her beautiful light red eyes.

   Irvine walked over to Moonbay and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her wildly on her lips and neck.

   Moonbay welcomed it, kissing him back as well. "Glad to see you're alive."

   Irvine smiled. "Same to you."

   Rudolph stared up at the Palace City, it was basically destroyed and the desert around it filled with debris and smoke. "We'll have to rebuild all of this again." Rudolph smiled though as he put his arm around Marianne.