Title: Untold Truths
Authoress: Ladya C. Maxine
Rating: PG-13
Summary: see chapter one.
Warnings: see chapter one.
Disclaimer: I do not own Beyblade or any of its characters. All unrecognizable characters belong solely to me and are not to be touched. I am making no money off of this and I write with the sole intention to entertain.
The Abbey was as imposing and silent as he remembered it, even more so without the sounds of beyblades spinning and kids chanting their brainwash-induced rules. Not even the falls of the cloaked guards' footsteps sounded and nothing stirred except for the wind blowing dead and crumbling leaves around the barren grounds. The dark towers stood tall and frightening, bats fluttering around their domes peaks.
'This is where it all started. It seems like only yesterday the Bladebreakers first saw this place.'
Ray turned away from the eerie compound, not even able to stand its mere sight. His eyes fell on Raven who stood leaning against the car, eyes vigilant as she relayed their finding to her fellow agents through her radio. Her green eyes met his for a moment before returning to her scouting.
To Ray's surprise they had simply driven right into the courtyard. He had though Raven to want to attract as little attention as possible, as agents tend to do, but she had revved the engine and taken out the gate before them. The car, made of some super secret metal, had only a few scratches where any other car would have been a total wreck. But nothing had stopped them. There had been no alarm and the place remained deserted.
He felt the weight on his waist and looked down apprehensively at the belt that Raven had taken from the trunk, which had folded out into an entire display of guns, ammo, knives and various things he couldn't name. Despite his hesitation, she had clamped this belt around him, the bullets clicking together. Twin hand grenades were on both side and a small pouch held a wicked pocketknife. Then there was the gun; silver and gleaming, it waited patiently to be fired. A second black pistol was attached to a holster on his thigh.
"Just precautionary items should you encounter any trouble once we get inside," Raven had assured him before loading up herself. He was amazed with her small body's hidden strength as she carried more ammo and weapon than an army soldier. A sniper riffle remained loose and in her hand, held with experience and certainty.
'How did she pull off the whole maid-disguise for so long?'
She had told him that she had been 'serving' Tiffany for almost five years. Wonder how the blond would react if she was to learn that her timid servant girl could just as effortlessly put a bullet through someone's head as iron her dresses.
"There is activity in the lowest level," Raven informed as she clipped the radio on her belt.
"Our sources have found an increase of YTF-196 signals coming from some 130 feet below ground."
She smirked at his blank look.
"That means that they are readying the program to activate the chip. They just need that." She pointed to the necklace that he had hung around his neck for safekeeping.
"What about Kai? Do they know where he is? Is he all right? And what about Saskia?"
"I'm afraid we don't know."
Unlike Tiffany, who was too dull to even cut through fog, she had picked up on the two guys' feelings for each other from their first meeting. At the time even they had been unaware of it but she had seen the protectiveness in Kai's eyes when he had defended Ray from Tiffany's sneering remarks.
She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed it gently.
"Kai's a big boy, Ray. Besides, he has you to keep him strong."
Golden eyes widened for a moment but then sparkled with gratitude.
"Thanks, Raven."
"All in a day's work." She hoisted the riffle. "So, are you ready to play hero?"
"I'll leave that to you." He smiled and followed her as she ran towards the buildings, having planned their route already.
For a split second he was brought back in time; the Bladebreakers running towards the building in search of Kai, forcing to stop when, out of nowhere, two figures landed silently before them. One of them with bright blue eyes narrowed in warning as red bangs swayed back into place.
'It should be you here with Raven; you spent your entire life here, spying on the happenings, risking your life. You deserve to make these people pay for what they did to you.' His irises narrowed and he let out a soft growl. 'No damage to this place will ever avenge your death, but I swear to you; I will finish what you had dedicated your life to. Rest assured, Tala.'
The buildings no longer imposed him. They had already taken one soul and were hiding two others for which he cared for, and he was not leaving without them. Either he was going to leave this place with Kai and Saskia, or he wasn't going to leave at all.
She banged her fists helplessly against the glass, the sound muffled by the fluid around her but she knew those outside could hear her though they were too occupied glaring each other down. A sharp sting vibrated down her spine when one of the wires embedded in her neck strained beneath her twisting. Still, she could not tear her eyes away from her brother.
'No Kai! Run! Get away! Please, run!'
It was with a defeated sob that she watched as he took his place opposite their grandfather at the large dish. She could see Voltaire's lips moving but could not hear his words, though by the tensing of Kai's stance she knew he was taunting him. Whimpering in the mask over her nose and mouth, she buried her face in her hands and allowed her body to be slowly pulled back by the wires she had been fighting against the entire time. Her state of health returned with a vengeance and her muffled moan went unheard as the teeth gritting pain and stomach-churning nausea commanded her attention, shouting for more of her tears.
'Kai...please don't die...'
He immediately noticed the halt in movement in the incubator and he turned, ready to simply smash the damn thing and get her out of there.
"Unless you wish to rescue a lifeless body, I suggest you remain right where you are. She is just weak, though I could have told you that from her birth."
"I am going to enjoy watching you take that final breath, old man." Forcing himself to look away, he glared at the wrinkled face that smirked irritatingly at him.
"Win first, gloat later. Though I truly doubt you will do either." He removed his heavy cloak and held up the midnight black blade. "One battle. No time limit. No rules. No disqualification. Bladers are as vulnerable to attacks as their blades. No perimeters."
"Dranzer doesn't run from anyone," Kai growled resolutely as he withdrew his blue blade, the flaming phoenix bit glowing in anticipation.
"Oh, believe me, your feeble canary wouldn't even have time to run." Voltaire picked up the cane he always carried, its handle a roaring lion's head. He attached Black Dranzer in the mouth; the cane being his personalized launcher.
Closing his eyes, Kai felt a moment of peace. The feeling someone got before his or her death. And die he would if it meant saving Saskia. He had waited for and feared this hour his entire life but all emotions were overpowered by a fierce protectiveness he had felt the very first time he had laid eyes on his little sister. The second those bright pink eyes had opened and stared up at him he had known he would give up everything to ensure her living.
In his mind he sent out a silent prayer to the small girl who floated in the incubator that stood to his right, aligned with the middle of the dish.
'If I have to surrender my consciousness to the evil of the chip in order to summon Dranzer Demon, then I will. I ask of you then, baby sister, to remember me for who I was and not for who I will become. Remember that I do love you. This fire will forever burn in my heart, even if my mind no longer recognizes you.' A darker thought came to mind. 'Should I fail, should I die, I will wait be waiting for you on the other side, Sassy. Nothing on this earth and beyond can ever keep me away from you. I love you. For now and forever.'
Voltaire smirked, excited when a bolt of fear ran down his spine as the boy's eyes opened. A fire hotter than a phoenix's fire seared around black irises, consuming them to a point that they disappeared beneath the scorching heat. The warrior he had spent the twelve years training had finally thrown his shield aside, sword now poised and ready.
'That's it Kai, free your emotions. Allow the chip to fuel your unbridled anger. Bring forth the creature that the earth has never seen before. Let your burning soul light its feathers once more. Together you will be unstoppable!'
"Blades ready!" he commanded loudly, his voice amplified by the emptiness of the stadium. The sound of launchers locking and waiting sounded like gunshots in the still air.
"…3…"
Fingers tightened around the cold metal of the ornate launchers.
"…2…"
Arms flexed as they waited like coiled springs, ready to snap.
"…1…"
Eyes narrowed and both released a deep breath, awaiting the final word.
"Let it rip!"
The silencer rocketed the bullet through the barrel with but a whisper though the man on the receiving end groaned loudly and tumbled forward, he own heavy gun clattering onto the floor before his lifeless body landed beside it with a softer but solid thud. Aside from the thin tendril of smoke that snaked out of the fired rifle nothing else moved amongst the six bodies that lay in a bloody pool.
Raven walked between them, removing their ammo from their uniforms and pocketing them in the many pouches on her, tossing a few to Ray who did the same though she could see that he was not as at ease around dead bodies as she was, never minding the fact that he had fatally shot two himself.
"You have a good aim. Have you ever fired a firearm before?"
Taking a deep breath as he reloaded the gun the way she had shown him, Ray nodded.
"Lee's grandfather took us hunting with him once. It took me many tries but I did shoot down a flying duck. At the time I was very proud of myself. But now…" His eyes strayed to one of the two men he had killed. The man's eyes were open in shock and death.
"It's natural to feel this way, Ray," Raven assured him. "I have never fired a shot that I had liked. But you have to do what is for the greater good. These men are all hired hit men who have killed many innocent people. Keep that in mind."
"Yeah, sure..."
Hired hit men. Expert killer. What if they had already found Kai? What if they had killed him? What if they will turn the next corner to find the phoenix's body lying on the cold floor? Fiery eyes extinguished and crimson blood staining that soft skin. And what about Saskia? What have they done to her?
"Why is it so dark in here?" he asked instead. Ever since their entry they had been running in near sightless darkness. There was no sign of electricity though hundreds of battery-powered lanterns provided enough light for them to see a few feet before them.
"My guess is Kai. And this is the least destructive thing he'll do tonight."
She tugged him towards a door. It had been guarded well; the six guards, and a heavy lock held it securely shut.
"Do you have a key for that?" he asked.
A well-shaped brow rose and she pulled out another riffle, which she had been carrying in its holster on her back. One shot and a rain of debris later the door was laying in a cloud of dust, the lock nothing but a hole in it.
"I find that improvisation works much better." Shouldering the weapon, she offered him a sly smile before stepping inside. He couldn't help shaking his head as he followed.
The room, or whatever it was, was in complete darkness and he stopped walking, his sharp hearing picking up the soft clicks of Raven's boots. They faded away and he was about to call out when the lights came on. Or rather, a huge screen lit up. Raven's small figure was outlined where she stood before an expansive panel that was a puzzle of keyboards, buttons, switches, levers, mini screens and disc drives.
"I though the current was dead."
"It is. But certain computers are too important to risk being damaged by downed electricity. This one has its own separate circuit box."
"And what is this?"
"Say hello to mainframe Alfa-314 super cell, a.k.a 'Alkar'."
"And what's it do?" Ray asked, in the back of his mind he smiled as he imagined what Kenny's reaction to seeing this thing would have been.
"This is where all files of the Abbey's bladers are kept. In the past it used to be guarded with lasers and the likes, but now with all the kids gone they have loosened up a bit since it is rarely used. I just need to find something and we will be on our way. Watch the door for any approaching guards."
He nodded and jogged over to lean in the doorway. Giving the hall a glance and positive that it was empty, he gave her a thumbs-up to signal it clear.
Pulling off her leather gloves and replacing them with thin plastic ones, she pulled out a palm-sized case and opened it to reveal a soft brush and some powder. With brisk but careful strokes, she coated the entire panel with it and waited. One by one, small smudges appeared all over.
"Fingerprints," she explained his questioning look. "Pressing the wrong button will alert them of our position, and then we will be in trouble. The codes needed to activate Alkar are still well protected."
"But there are fingerprints everywhere," he pointed out, shooting a look both ways down the hall before pulling his head back inside.
"Yes, but the powder reacts to only one particular person's fingerprints and that person is the only one who knows the code. The rest will soon start to fade." As she spoke the smudges did indeed begin vanish and soon all that were left were about a dozen or so on the keyboard near her arm. "Bingo."
"What about the sequence? How do you know which one to press first?"
"That is a secret. Trust me."
"You pretend to be a humble servant who was afraid of her own shadow and now here you are shooting off punks and accessing top secret information of a world-threatening organization. Oh, yeah, I so trust you."
The screen turned a bright green, big white Russian letters spelling out something that was translated in several other languages below it. 'Access approved' stood beneath English.
"What are you looking for, anyways?"
"Information for the BBA."
"In the bladers' files?"
She didn't answer, her green eyes intent on the screen as she rapidly typed, occasionally stretching an arm to push a button or pull a switch. Numbers and codes rolled down the screen like pavement beneath a speeding car yet she didn't miss a thing. After many minutes of searching, she pulled a disc from her coat and inserted it.
"There is a chance that we are all going to die."
He had been watching the hall for guards but that was quickly forgotten at her words. Thinking he heard wrong, he eyed her with slightly raised brows.
"Come again?"
"According to the data, Biovolt plans to summon Dranzer Demon."
Lowering his gun, he turned to face her completely. Black Dranzer was a name he had never wanted to hear again. Dranzer Demon, now, held no more a special place in his heart.
"What the hell is Dranzer Demon?"
She turned and ticked in something on the keyboards. The numbers and codes vanished and an image started to focus. Ray's grip on his gun turned painful as his grip tightened.
A fear-gripping phoenix focused on the screen. Its body was a highway of crumbling rocks and molten lava that tore and spewed fire with each movement. Huge bat-like wings with talon-tipped fingers spread out wide and fire burned on their edges. Six spiked tails spiraled around the powerful body as the giant bird hovered in mid-air. A great comb of flames ran from its back to its hideous head. A beak that could tear an armored tank apart was open in a silent cry, glistening fangs sprouting from black gums and a long, thin tongue darted out occasionally from the billowing smoke that crawled out the mouth from deep within the phoenix's stomach. Eyes blacker than night with flaming pupils seemed to lock on him and he took a step back.
"Dranzer Demon is hell," Raven answered. "A sacred spirit like no other. While bit beasts were created to help mankind there have been those born to destroy it. They know no compassion or any other emotion other than destruction."
"Evil bit beasts?" The four faces of the Dark Bladers came into his mind but they were quickly burned away by Dranzer Demon's scorching gaze.
"Yes. And the most powerful one of all is Dranzer Demon. Its true power is so deadly, so horrid, that it is never whispered of. Not even here in the Abbey. It's a beast of 100 pure and uncontrollable evil, feeding off others misery and ensuring death wherever it goes."
Somewhat shaken, he met her eyes, forcing his tongue to form coherent words.
"So where has it been all this time? If it's that strong, why doesn't anyone know of it? Where is it hiding?"
She watched him with sad eyes for the longest of while, indecision to tell him warring in the green depths for a minute before blinking helplessly. With a soft sigh, she reluctantly raised a finger and pressed a single button.
The image drew in till the entire screen was dominated by the hell-spawned bird's insanely evil eyes, the bloody pupils halting in their mad dashing as the image froze. And slowly, they started to fade. Fade into another set of eyes. The red pupils grew bigger but their intensity didn't change. White appeared around them as the transfiguration started to take shape. Something in him twitched and he held his breath.
"It can't be..."
The image started to pull back, revealing a face he knew all too well. The gun fell from his limp fingers but he didn't even flinch at the sound, his eyes glued to the face on the screen. Did this mean what he thought it did?
Raven concluded his thoughts.
"Dranzer Demon's spirit is embedded within Kai. And if ever he is to lose control of his emotions, he will unleash this upon us all."
It was a good thing that there was no perimeter limits since the dish had not lasted five minutes under the extreme power of the blades. The moment both blades had been launched and landed in the deep bowl they had shredded long groves into the concrete surface. Unaffected by the uneven terrain, the two phoenixes had continued to test each other's strength though it became painfully clear which one was the strongest. Still, Dranzer refused to surrender and they had clashed several times. It had been at this point that the entire foundation of the dish had begun to tremble. The concrete had held up admirably but a tremendous impact from both blades was too much and the entire thing had literally disintegrated.
Free of their confided battle field, the blades had taken to the air, whizzing through it like whistling cannon balls before landing with deep impact onto the floor, creating webbed cracks that ran till the wall. The equality shifted when the ebony-cased blade suddenly accelerated to frightening speed, homing in on its blue opponent.
"Dranzer, stand your ground!"
"It's hopeless, boy! Surrender or watch your precious phoenix perish!"
Ignoring Voltaire, he kept his mind focused on the battle.
"Now!"
Stopping in its tracks, Dranzer's blade spun in place before tipping slightly to one side in the incoming blade's direction. The floor beneath it groaned from the constant pressure but the phoenix held her ground. Black Dranzer screeched towards her, leaving a trail of smoke as the bit in the center glowed red with a lust for carnage.
A blinding light flashed as the two clashed. As it dimmed Black Dranzer was revealed to be pushing Dranzer back but she had anchored herself well and with an extra burst of energy she righted her blade. It had the desired effect as her attack ring caught the underside of the onyx blade. Black Dranzer was sent flying across the room. It hit the wall but like a ravenous spider it remained spinning at the ninety degree angle.
"Admit it, Kai! Dranzer is weak! Just like Saskia! Forget them and return to where you truly belong! Come back to what your life is truly about!"
"As your puppet? I don't think so. Dranzer, let's do this!"
The blue turned red as she glowed, eager to take her enemy on. With a burst of sound and light, she emerged, wings open and head thrown back in a battle cry. The adrenaline of the battle so far had fueled her and fire engulfed every inch of her. Each beat of the mighty wings sent flames flying and her magnificent tail feathers almost swept the floor.
"Your choice, your demise," Voltaire shrugged smugly. "Arise, Black Dranzer!"
Racing down the wall and gaining speed with each descended inch, the black blade became a blur before it even touched the ground. Sometime during this all a low screech had started and it grew louder. The red bit glowed blood and the dark phoenix shot out of it, making a bee line for Dranzer.
"Dive, Dranzer!"
Making a full back flip, she obeyed, narrowly missing the outstretched talons that had been meant for her neck. Flipping in midair, she fired several flaming orbs after her evil counterpart. Their power and his momentum hurled him forward and he crashed into the concrete wall, leaving a considerable dent.
"Black Dranzer is only as strong as the person who wields him," Kai reminded Voltaire with a smirk. "Guess this proves your weakness."
"Do you really think me that easy an opponent? You forget who trained you! Dark Sphere!"
A pained shriek brought his attention back up in time to see a dark ball of energy slam into Dranzer's chest. She regained control of her wings but not in time to see the black phoenix roaring towards her. They collided but both refused to let go, grappling with razor sharp claws. They began to plummet down, their wings flapping furiously but their attention no longer on their flight as they pecked and clawed at each other.
Dealing a vicious hooked peck to Dranzer's eye, Black Dranzer twisted in their descent, placing the female phoenix between him and the floor.
Kai picked up the black phoenix's intention.
"Dranzer, break free!"
She tried to obey but a large claw clamped down onto one of her wings, immobilizing her effectively. Screeching in rage, she struggled but the ground was closing in.
"Dranzer!"
"Give it up, boy! You know you must!"
From inside her watery prison, Saskia was hugging herself, watching with wide eyes as her brother's beloved bit beast thundered towards the ground, the large Black Dranzer guaranteed to crush her upon impact once his weight settled. Kai was desperately trying to contain himself but she could see the look of panic in his eyes and she knew why; the sight of Dranzer injured, the pain of watching his treasured phoenix destroyed right before his very eyes would be too much. He would lose all sense of control. And Dranzer Demon would be freed.
She knew Kai was strong but there was no being on earth that could fully command the demon phoenix, a crucial fact that their grandfather and his followers had waved off, confident that since they were the ones who had harbored the demon's fire within Kai all those years ago, they could easily control it once it is free.
'You can do this, Kai. Please, don't give up. Not now.'
But her prayers were ignored when the distance between the battling phoenixes and the floor finally ran out. The entire stadium shook on the impact and an enormous fireball almost reached the ceiling, belching thick black smoke that clouded the arena in heavy darkness. A piercing shriek of a phoenix rang out but slowly died into a mere whistle.
"DRANZER!"
Amidst the black smoke, Voltaire grinned as two satanic-red eyes pierced the thickness. A hellacious roar sounded from somewhere before him where he knew Kai was standing. He began to laugh loudly.
The glass around her shook and threatened to break but she didn't even pay heed to that as she struggled forward, ignoring the wires that tore from her skin, turning the yellow liquid around her orange with her blood as it flowed free. Pressing her face against the glass, she watched with big eyes as something large and terrifying appeared, its immense body silhouetted in the smoke. It made a swooping movement with great wings and the smoke surrounding it fanned away in hurricane-like gales, revealing the creature.
The mask absorbed her shrill shriek of horror.
: WARNING! WARNING! DRANZER DEMON HAS BEEN DETECTED :
The entire building was washed in red as alarms blared and people ran back and forth, their tasks going into overtime. One of them ran into the room where he had been quietly sitting watching the scientists work.
"Sir--"
"I know. It is time," Mr. Dickenson rubbed his eyes tiredly.
A loud beep followed by a green light came and the group of scientists cluttering around the table stepped back, sighing in relief. The head scientist moved aside as he came over. The younger man gave him a proud smile and said,
"System's are up and running, sir."
Mr. Dickenson looked down and for the first time in many months, he felt his heart lift.
"People, this is it. All our years of hard work comes down to this. Let's do this right."
A chorus of agreement rang out.
Walking over to the table, he nodded as he looked down at the finished product. It was time to put their backbreaking research to the ultimate test.
Tbc...
Read & Review, please.