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 not making any money off of this and I write with the sole intention to amuse.
Ray started when the ground beneath his feet began to jerk left to right. His momentary distraction almost cost him his life when the man jumped up from where he had been using a fallen door for cover. With a primal cry, the guard opened fire, shooting wildly in hopes to hit the nimble teen. Ray's feline reflexes never let him down and despite his bruises, and the ground still trembling beneath him, he ducked and rolled out of the way. Coming to stop on one knee, he raised his gun in answer and fired much more accurate shots. The enemy fire stopped as the guard slumped over the door, blood trickling from his mouth onto its cold metallic surface.
He barely had time to recover when a bullet zipped just an inch from his face, its wind making the dark bangs sway. Growling, he shot a single bullet that lodged itself into the man's neck. As the guard crumbled to his feet he saw Raven finish off her own batch of ambushers. Again the ground shook heavily and he just barely retained his balance.
"What going on!"
A final grunt of pain sounded and the last guard fell to Raven's skillful shots. But her face was extremely pale.
"Raven!"
Had she been injured? He hadn't seen her take any bullets. Leaping over the bodies that lay strewn in the hallway in which they had been intercepted, he reached her side but could find no trace of blood on her with the exception of the splattered drops from the guards.
"Raven, are you hurt?"
Numbly, she shook her head. Another tremor actually tore a large rip in the ground a few feet from them.
"We're too late..."
"What?"
"He's lost control."
Half an hour ago he would have been none the wiser at that but know his blood ran cold through his veins and he shivered as a jolt of fear ran down his spine. The satanic beast's eyes burned in his mind and he shook his head.
"What are we going to do?"
They were thrown back against the wall but the adrenaline numbed any pains they might have felt.
The green eyes grew stone cold with resolve and she straightened, slinging her rifle over her shoulder and removing her radio from the belt. Russian flowed endlessly as she heatedly spoke to her fellow agents who were God knows where. A deep voice replied and Ray saw a bright flash of something in her eyes and the corner of her mouth curled into a small smile.
"Well?" he asked when she was done.
"We have to split up."
"Come again?" He lowered his rifle and stared at her incredulously.
"I have to go back. Once the rest of the service arrives I will be needed. They just radioed that in."
Something was shining in her eyes; a light he had not seen before.
"But...I don't know where to go!"
"Straight down this hall. You will find a very long stairway down which leads into another hall. Once you reach that you wouldn't have any trouble finding them."
She took him by the shoulders, with surprising strength, and looked him dead serious in the eyes.
"Kai needs you now more than he ever needed anyone in his life. Don't let him down. We will send in the cavalry the moment it arrives."
With a small wink she turned and quickly disappeared into the shadowy hall, her clicking heels growing fainter and fainter until the only sound left was his labored breaths.
"Oh boy."
He was about to start telling himself that he couldn't do it when the truth dawned on him; it was not a matter of if he could do it. He had to. The chances of him being much help wasn't very big but he would do everything in his power to stop this madness before it took away everyone he loved. And not only those in Russia counted; if Biovolt was victorious then the entire world was in mortal danger. The Bladebreakers in Japan. His friends and family in China. He couldn't let anything happen to them.
'Tala kept his promise to protect Saskia till his death. It's time I kept mine too.'
Loading his rifle, he slung it over his shoulder and took two hand guns that laid on the bloody floor.
"And I am not alone."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the silver blade. A green glow surrounded it and his hand, ready for action.
"Go Drigger!"
The once dark hall was now lit by a fell green and the tiger roared a deep battle cry, claws bared and digging deep grooves in the concrete floor as it pawed the ground impatiently, fangs gleaming in its own inner light and power.
"Ready for a new challenge?" Ray asked with a grin and the great cat growled in agreement, hunching down to allow the boy to jump onto his back, settling between the immense shoulder armor.
Taking a deep breath, he opened his eyes, the pupils elongated with newfound courage. No one placed those he loved in danger and got away with it. He gripped the tiger's thick fur and that was all Drigger needed. With an eager roar, he took off, dashing through the large halls like a bolt of green lightning.
'Kai, I'm coming...'
He could feel the chip tugging at his thoughts, trying to pry it from him. Gritting his teeth, he resisted as he watched the stone-coated phoenix above him, its great wings showering the arena with raining rocks and molten lava. A large glowing puddle landed right before him, spattering in many directions. A small splatter landed on his cheek and he could feel the heat leave a definite burn there. He didn't even flinch.
Through the billowing smoke that was slowly choking his lungs, he fixed eyes with Voltaire. The man was beaming and that really ticked him off. He had been a fool and had done exactly what his grandfather had wanted him to do; he had lost control of his emotions and that thing that had been living inside him for so many years was now free.
Black Dranzer was hovering above Voltaire, his flight less graceful as he had broken a bone in the left wing upon impacting with the ground. Behind him, an immense crater several meters deep was the solemn tombstone of what was Dranzer's final resting place.
The reminder of his fallen bit beast made him angrier and the chip was able to rob him of some of his consciousness. Refusing to go down, he glared up at the demonic bird that awaited his command...for now; he knew that pretty soon even he would not be able to curve the satanic phoenix's appetite for dominance. But now he still had some saying over the beast and he would use it to its full extent.
"Darkness Falls!"
Glass all over the arena shattered to bits as Dranzer Demon tossed back its massive head with a pitched shriek. The great fire crest on its head and back burned brighter before darkening to pitch-black flames. The onyx blaze was inhaled into the fanged beak that clamped shut. Its eyes went white and with a mighty toss of its head, it hurled the accumulated ball of black energy into the air. A sonic boom rocketed after the huge ball of energy causing the ground beneath it to crumble as it soared past several feet above it.
For a moment the entire world went white and Kai watched in slow motion as the energy impacted with Black Dranzer's chest. The force ripped the flaming ball right through the dark phoenix, shattering its spine and exploding out its back. A mournful cry of pain and defeat echoed hauntingly in the dark smoke and with a final weak flap of its wings, Black Dranzer disintegrated.
The genetically mutated phoenix had finally been freed from its anger and pain.
Time caught up with them and a small click near his feet made him look down. A black attack ring had landed before him; all that remained of what was once considered earth's most powerful bit beast. A sadistically triumphant shriek reminded him who the true bearer of that title really was.
The cry had been so loud in fact that he hadn't heard the approaching footstep from behind him and was thus unable to avoid the calloused hand that suddenly clamped down on his neck, ripping away his scarf. Before he could even begin to struggle the cold sharpness of a knife sliced through the unprotected skin.
"Just taking back what is rightfully mine," Boris spoke with a voice colder and sharper than the scalpel as he dug it deeper into the now blood smeared skin.
: Warning: defenses breached! Warning: defenses breached :
It hurt much more than it normally would have as the darker side of the chip sent waves upon waves of angered electricity at the offending instrument. But specially designed gloves protected Boris and it was Kai who was feeling the numbing effect of the overcharged voltage. When Boris shoved his ruthlessly to his knees he could not resist and landed with a bone jarring impact onto the cracked stone tiles.
: System is being activated! System is being activated :
He could feel the part of the chip that had been his protector for many years battle it out with its evil counterpart that was desperately trying to activate the system in order to save itself. But the greater evil won out and with a final beep, the voice fell silent.
: System has been activated :
And then it fell silent as it was forcefully wretched from the wound.
The caravan of cars raced down the open road, guided only by the light of the full moon while back-up helicopters flew ahead to set up the larger equipment. Every frequency on the radio was buzzing with life and the onboard equipments were hot from the constant flow of data and the circuits were near frying temperature.
"Sir! The system has been activated!"
Several other people made sounds of distress and concern but a stern voice broke through.
"Keep your wits about you, people! They do not have the codes!" Mr Dickenson barked back at the panicking scientists. Most were veterans here but a few newer ones had been chosen for their abilities though bravery in the field wasn't one of them.
"Sir, that may be so. But the virus can already start spreading, non-active but in place. If we don't stop them the moment they get the codes the virus will have already been laying dormant in over half of earths technology highway!" a levelheaded man spoke up wisely. "What of our own project?"
"Get it ready, but don't activate it. We must get closer first."
"Yes, sir."
Mr. Dickenson turned back in his seat at the head of the van. To think that he had at one time use to worry about his team making the Asian championship!
Raven had been right. Reaching the end of the stairs the two partners were assaulted by a smothering heat. The air was almost suffocating as the thick warmth hung in it. Blinking against the heat, he squinted down the hall to see a flaming crimson light at the end of it.
"Okay Drigger, this really is it."
The white tiger roared and once again took off, rocketing towards their destination with glowing eyes. His claws tore the stone floor to shreds as he propelled himself further. Horrible noises came to them from the end of the hall: falling debris, explosions and a shriek so unearthly that it could only belong to Dranzer Demon.
'There's no backing out now. Remember what the elders taught you.'
The constant shifting of the earth had made a huge gap in the path before them but instead of slowing down, Drigger picked up his already swift gait and without faltering, the large tiger crouched and jumped it, clearing it completely and landing right outside the tunnel...and into the very pits of hell.
The heat was overwhelming and already he could feel his sweat starting to make his clothes stick to his body. His bandana was soaked and the salty water dripped into his eyes but he didn't even blink; his golden gaze locked on a monster that was circling high above his head, each flap of its great wings blowing aside the black smoke that was slowly filtering out of the broken windows which were missing their panes. A grinding crunch sounded with each wing beat as the stones that were its skin ground together.
Unable to look at the horrifying creature any longer, he lowered his eyes only to find a more horrifying sight. A familiar body lay on the floor several feet away from him.
"No…"
He jumped from Drigger's back and ran over, not even aware of the large tiger shadowing his every step to protect him from the evil phoenix above.
"Oh god no!"
Tears blurred his sight and he dropped to his knees, hands stretched out but afraid to touch the pale face that was too serene, too emotionless.
"Kai!"
Raven paced the courtyard impatiently. In the distance she could hear the approaching choppers and saw the headlights as they tore down the road towards the Abbey. She knew more ground units were coming from the south, using the forest for cover.
Within a few minutes the first cars screeched to a halt on the graveled grounds. Not even waiting for the vehicles to come to a complete stop, armed S.W.A.T. teams jumped out and immediately began dispersing, taking up their positions and awaiting further orders.
A large truck-like van pulled up and she ran over as Mr. Dickenson climbed out of the front passenger's side. With a click of his fingers the wide side doors slid open to reveal an entire transportable lab. White robed scientist jumped out and began to set out equipment. The elderly man was commanding them with the ease of a captain commanding his ship. He turned to her when he heard the clicking of her heals.
"Ray?" he questioned the boy's whereabouts.
"I sent him ahead. He should have reached there by now because my sensors have registered that he had called forth Drigger."
"That's my boy." Mr. Dickenson smiled as the scientist who had spoken previously in the van walked over.
"All is ready, sir. We need only past battle tactics to finish the programming."
"Raven."
He held out his hand and she placed the disc in his hand that he in turn handed over to the scientist who ran back to the truck, narrowly avoiding another squadron of uniformed agents. The only light they had to work with was the vehicle lights and the full moon above.
"Will this work, sir?"
She was nervous. She had refused to be so in front of Ray but now she worried her full lower lip as she looked around at the others who worked in perfect co-ordination.
"There's only one way to find out."
He turned to the scientist who gave him a thumbs-up, signaling them to be ready. Taking a deep breath, he breathed out a prayer to the sky before speaking with a loud and clear voice.
"Everyone, keep your positions! Operation Demon has begun!"
He watched Raven as she went to her post and turning, he met the new eyes that watched him before they smiled a smirking smile that he returned.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the Moscow---
"You sure there's nothing in there? Another animal or something?" the guard asked as he followed the janitor who had fetched him down the hall.
"Nothing. New security measures have been installed and there is no way anyone could have snuck past them. I'm telling you, they sense something strange in the air."
Both men turned the corner that led into the dark observatory and the guard immediately understood what had gotten the janitor so shook up.
The observatory's lights were all turned off for the night but the room was illuminated by dozens of eyes that gleamed back at them from behind the display glass. Yellow pairs stared at them from one spot before slowly fading to appear in another place. All were floating as the big furry animals paced uneasily, their eyes never leaving the two men.
"What the hell?" The guard watched the phenomenon in shock and a tremor of fear as the eerie eyes seemed to hover in the darkness with the occasional glance of a bushy tail or a long narrowed snout.
"I've been working here for over twenty years and I have never seen them act like this," the janitor informed, watching apprehensively as a large shadowed body reared up upon hind legs and sniffed the air before settling back down.
"It's like they are waiting for something."
"Yeah...but what?"
A heavy beam would have crushed him had Drigger not knocked it away with a swipe but Ray didn't even notice. He had been prepared for anything. Anything that is, except the sight of the unmoving body lying on the floor like a torn rag doll. The surrounding flames glittered in the equally red blood that had pooled beneath the bluenette from a wound he could not see.
"Kai! No!"
Shoving aside his nausea, he gathered the limp body in his arms and affectionately placed a trembling hand on a cold cheek, the blue paint and red blood immediately transferring onto his fingers but he didn't care. He could feel the warm wound behind the neck and he bit his lip with a small sob.
"Come on Kai, open your eyes...Please, you can't have given up! You can't die on me now! Don't die on me too!"
"Ray...?" The deep crimson eyes opened and looked up at him wearily and in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"
"Kai!" He cupped a bloodied cheek and released a small sound of relief as he hugged the slightly disoriented boy closer to him. "You're alive!"
He couldn't really figure out what was going on but the feel of Ray's velvety hair against his face made him suddenly not care and he returned the embrace, wrapping his arms around the trembling frame and forcing himself to sit up, noting the stabbing pain in the back of his neck.
"I thought I would never see you again. I'm so sorry, Ray. For all that I said to you."
"Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in."
Ray turned an enraged glare to his left as Voltaire stepped into view from behind the curtain of smoke, a mad grin plastered on his face. A second figure appeared and it turned out to be none other than Boris.
"I'll kill you."
"Oh, don't be so dramatic, Kon. Look, he's still living, for a bit longer. All I did was take back what was rightfully mine." Voltaire's grin broadened and he held out his arm, the sleeve of his expensive shirt had been ripped off and Ray felt his stomach churn at the sight.
A long deep gash, self-inflicted, ran down the man's inner forearm, the aged hide sliced and pink muscles visible. Nestled in the horrid wound was a small octopus-like machine, its tiny tendrils waving about as they plunged themselves into the man's meat while others pulled out with sickening sounds, covered in blood and squelching noisily as they moved about.
Ray tasted the bile in the back of his throat and forced himself to look away from the gruesome sight otherwise he would have thrown up. Swallowing many times, he turned to look at Kai who watched the squid-like robot with cold eyes.
"That...that's it...isn't it? That's your chip?"
He raised a hand to feel the back of his neck though he knew the wound was there. The evil thing had been removed but he unexpectedly felt...incomplete without it. It had been a part of him for so long; his body felt somewhat weaker without the chip's presence lurking about.
"It was mine," he snarled, glaring up at his grandfather.
Voltaire grinned and stared down lovingly at the slithering device as it fed off of him.
"And with it now tasting my own blood, I have the power to control earth's greatest weapon!"
He laughed and looked up to where Dranzer Demon was spewing out balls of explosive gasses, destroying the arena as it lazily flew around. Drigger growled and moved to shield the teens from the deadly rain of debris.
"You can't control that thing. No one can," Kai pointed out.
"Of course I can! You may have carried it but it was I who had discovered it! It knows that I am its true master and will obey my every command!"
"So why isn't it attacking yet?" Ray countered. This is where Boris stepped in.
"Because Voltaire will only tell it to do so after earth's energy has been completely drained. Something that we have been unable to do because you have the key component."
Kai stiffened at this and turned to see the necklace swaying from around Ray's neck and was abruptly reminded of someone.
"Saskia!"
Amongst the flames and smoke, her watery prison stood looming and mockingly. The glass reflected the leaping flames and the now crimson liquid no longer bubbled. Inside, her small body had sunk to the floor where only the wires, keeping her suspended in the red tainted fluid as her wounds bled her life away, held it up.
Ray followed Kai's stare and the little breath that he collected when the phoenix had awoken suddenly left him.
"The appearance of Dranzer Demon was too much for her and she has stopped responding to her surroundings. It won't be long now. For both of you." Boris looked down at Kai who slowly got to his feet. Ray stood too, not leaving the red-eyed boy's side.
And he wasn't the only one. Boris jumped back just in time when Drigger snapped after him, large fangs barely missing biting the director's head off. Flexing his great shoulders, the tiger gave out a warning growl that stated that anyone who approached his master would die a very painful death.
"I wanted my first order to be that of world destruction, but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to test my new power on this mangy cat," Voltaire sneered. Raising his arm, he pointed it at the massive bulk of the devil phoenix and shouted in a clear voice.
"Destroy the tiger!"
To Ray's horror, the great bird wheeled in mid-air and started to dive straight towards Drigger. The tiger was forced to move in order to keep the flaming beast away from the two teens. Still, a fire-dripping claw caught the white tiger across the face and he was slammed into the wall many feet away.
"Drigger!" Ray cried out at the sight of his bit beast falling limply to the floor.
Kai pulled himself together and wrapped his arms around Ray, keeping him from running over to the tiger and his sure death at the claws of the dark phoenix.
Something nudged Kai's foot and he looked down, eyes widening before a small smile spread across his face.
"Give me the necklace, boy, and your bit beast will be spared!" Boris trained his gray eyes on Ray.
"I...I can't!" He bit a hole in his tongue when Drigger received several whips from Dranzer Demon's six tails.
"Dranzer Demon can easily crush you bit beast with its bare talons; it's only playing with him. All I have to do is give the signal and the white tiger will be history!" Voltaire exclaimed proudly.
"Then why not even the odds?" Kai spoke up in a cool voice.
"What?" Boris snapped and turned to the boy but the blue beyblade that was spinning at the teen's feet was more important. "No! Impossible!"
"I fight to the end, you bastards, and so does Dranzer! Fire Ring!"
Even Voltaire, who had been gleefully watching his new 'servant' take out much pent up aggression on the stubborn white tiger, turned his attention to the others. A large section of the smoke blasted away and a flaming head emerged, crying the familiar shrill cry of a phoenix.
"What the--?"
Dranzer, her sized more than doubled and her fury more than tripled, wasted no time and began shooting flaming rings at her evil counterpart who turned from lashing at the tiger. The blasts caught it in the chest and it lost a lot of ground before making a stand, screeching in rage of having been taken off guard.
Recovering from the blows, Drigger rose to his feet and moved to stand next to Dranzer. The female phoenix and the tiger shared a look before beginning an all out teamed attack; Dranzer taking her evil brethren on from the sky while Drigger kept up massive ground assaults.
Voltaire was shouting orders out at the dark phoenix while Boris simply watched intently; ready to intervene some way should things start to go not according to plan.
The attentions of the adults were off the two teens and Kai put it to good use.
"Ray."
He turned to Kai who spoke in a soft voice.
"Make sure that Boris does not get that necklace."
"Where are you going?"
"To get Saskia."
He removed the black pistol from his pants, relieved that the two men had not confiscated it. He spied an army knife on Ray's belt and leaned in to take it. Their bodies touched and for a moment they absorbed the other's body heat though the air held heat wave after heat wave.
Bringing his mouth to Ray's ear, he whispered, "I need you to distract Boris for me."
"I'll do my best."
"I know you will." He locked eyes with the tiger blader, drinking in those golden irises he had though he would never see again. Unable to resist, he leaned in and caught the slightly open mouth in a brief kiss. It was short but meaningful and when they pulled apart Kai smiled. "Watch yourself."
"Be careful."
With a final glance, Kai turned and ran towards Saskia.
"Hey!" Boris growled, having been transfixed in the battle between the two phoenix's. Pulling out a handgun he had concealed in his robes, he took aim at Kai's back. A great force knocked the weapon from his hand and he turned startled eyes to Kon who stood with a feral glare, rifle raised and smoking.
"Lay another finger on him and you will die."
"Dranzer Demon is growing stronger. We have to move in!"
Raven looked from the scientist who was reading the energy charts to Mr. Dickenson who stood calmly watching the Abbey. Even hundreds of feet above the lower level, the sounds of a distant battle was audible and the ground shook on many occasions. The armed agents were itching to enter but obediently awaited the order, which he had not given yet.
"Sir?"
"If we allow our men in there now they will be slaughtered. I understand the situation is fragile but we must put trust in what we have worked on so hard."
"Do you think he can do it?" Raven asked, looking at the large archway through which the aforementioned 'he' had disappeared but a minute ago.
"No. They can do it," he corrected the young woman with a smile.
Turning to the deceptively peaceful buildings, he prayed that his faith was not misplaced.
"Saskia!"
She didn't respond from her crumpled position on the tank's floor. The heart monitor had malfunctioned due the heat and flames so he had no way of telling if she was alive or dead.
Brute force was out of the question. He was no expert when it came to wiring, but he knew that it was the only way to help her. Giving her a last glimpse, he dropped down to where the circuits were located. He couldn't see what was going on behind him and didn't know how Ray was faring. From the pained screech he knew that Dranzer was hanging in there. Loud roaring proved that Drigger was backing her up but they could not keep going for much longer.
'One problem at a time, Kai.'
Using the army knife, he forced open the panel and set the metal plate aside. An entire network of wire-highways and chips greeted him and he sat back on his heels. His mind was still reeling from the sudden loss of the chip and the irritating throbbing pain in his neck wasn't helping. At least it had stopped bleeding.
'Calm down and take a deep breath. I need to only open this thing and ignore everything else.'
The problem was; which wire was the right one? He knew the age-old red-wire-is-the-right-wire was nonsense, but what was it then?
"Ata, I really wish you were here…"
He remembered something that Ata had once been lecturing him about a few years ago while the redhead had been tinkering away on his laptop's circuit board after it had blown something. He was recalled listening half-interestedly about the set-up of the circuit board and Ata had stressed on something concerning the power. But what? Ata had specifically mentioned it, the blue eyes sparkling.
"Blue..."
His eyes scanned the wires and he saw it; hidden between several thicker wires, was a single blue cord. The words came back to him:
"When a machine's fire needs to be put out, douse it with the water cord."
At the time he hadn't really been paying close attention to the metaphors and had merely nodded. Ata's words were worth their weigh in gold.
The sharp sound of a gun firing broke through his concentration and he whirled around, trying to find Ray but he view of the field was clouded by debris and smoke. A knot twisted in his stomach but he forced himself not to get up and find the tiger. He had to free Saskia first.
Holding the edge of the blade to the cerulean wire, he looked up at the towering glass case hesitantly for a moment and slashed upwards. The wire snapped into two sparking ends and for a moment he feared that the whole thing would explode but then, with a whirling metallic sound, the glass started to slide down, causing the liquid to rush over the receding glass onto everything below. He jumped back in time and watched as the large tank slowly emptied.
The moment the glass was at waist height, he jumped onto the platform and over the moving brim, landing in ankle high liquid that soon drained away too. Careful as to not step on the wires that still ensnared the small body like a puppet, he knelt before her and with gentle hands he removed the mask.
"Wake up, Sassy." He ran his thumb over her pale cheeks, forcing himself to remain calm and rational. "I'm here. Big brother's here."
At first she didn't stir but just as he was about to check her pulse she whimpered and opened her eyes, her neck too weak to lift her head. Despite the heat, her body trembled, soaked and defenseless. Small hands curled into fists in pain and nausea. She sensed someone near her and knew at once who it was.
"K-K-K…" She broke off in fits of coughs, each causing her body to shake and the wires to pull free or tear at her skin.
"Easy, Sassy," he whispered as he quickly started to remove the plugs. Some came out easily while others bled heavily, making her sob softly.
It seemed like forever but he finally had her free and lifted her into his arms, lifting her chin to look into her horribly pale pink eyes. Her hair was plastered to her head and neck in little ringlets.
He shrugged off his heavy coat and wrapped her naked body in it. She looked even smaller in it and he held her close and placed a kiss on her brow.
"It's okay, Sassy. We're getting out of here."
"K-Kai..." she whispered in a hoarse voice as she snuggled deeper into the comforting coat, smelling his scent on it relaxed her greatly. Exhaustion took its toll and she started to drift off. Her eyes fell shut and her breathing evened out.
Holding her against his chest, he jumped off the platform, casting the hated incubator a final glare and turned...to look down the barrel of a handgun held directly between his eyes.
"Never let kittens play with guns. It is very dangerous," Boris smiled wickedly as he looked down at the bluenette. The boy could not defend himself as he clutched the small girl in his arms.
"Did you honestly think that you could stop us, Kai?" The man chuckled and clicked the gun once, ready to fire the fatal shot. "Heroic yet foolish, just like your father."
His finger tightened around the trigger and Kai shut his eyes.
The gun fired.
---Elsewhere in the Abbey---
"I'm telling you, we have to get out of here!" he hissed to his fellow guards. "This whole thing has gone up in flames!"
The others murmured their agreement but their leader shook his head forcefully.
"We were told to stay here and we will obey those orders."
"Look around us! The plan has gotten out of control! Something's happening downstairs and the secret service are all over the place upstairs! We've got to get out while we still can!"
"As long as we stay here we will be fine. We will not disobey Lord Voltaire's direct orders! Now shut up and take your place!"
"Don't you…" He faltered when he noticed his breath condensed right before his face.
The captain frowned at this before noticing that his own exhaled breaths were fogging as the temperature in the corridor they had been guarding began to drop rapidly. The men started to whisper fearfully amongst each other.
"It's that beast the lord has been talking about. This is its work!"
"Don't be an idiot. That thing is a phoenix! It's probably a draft; a section of the wall must have caved in somewhere above from the tremors." He himself wasn't very convinced with this and his uneasiness grew when they heard something approaching their positions.
The air got colder. Ice started to form on the walls and their thick robes were suddenly useless as the freeze seeped into them, biting somewhat painfully at the men's skin. The tips of their noses and their ears had gone numb as another strong breeze brought more cold with it.
"We have to go! We have to warn the others!"
"To hell with the others! Let's get out of here!"
Several men dropped their guns and started to run.
"Cowards! Come back here! I'll--"
He never finished his words. A strong gale of artic wind suddenly blasted from somewhere down the hall. Icy particles glittered as they hurtled towards them. The captain was dead. Frozen to death in a large cube of ice, eyes still wide open.
Now truly terrified, the men ran blindly but the freezing air easily caught up with them, encircling them before drawing them into its sub-zero temperatures, leaving behind immobile bodies whose faces were still twisted in terror. Empty eyes didn't even blink as a large mass of fur flashed by them before disappearing down the hall.
A single snowflake fluttered harmlessly to the floor amongst the frozen bodies in the now silent corridor.
The gun fired...but he felt nothing. Had Boris missed?
Looking up he saw a look of disbelief on the man's face, which was paling very quickly. The gray eyes looked down and a trembling hand reached up to touch the chest, drawing back, now coated with blood. Their eyes met and Boris gave an amused chuckle before his eyes rolled back in his head and he slumped forward.
Kai jumped to the side as the man's body landed with a THUD on the ground.
"Never underestimate your opponents, you bastard."
Ray stood before him, rifle still raised and smoking. Somehow his hair had gotten loose and a dark stain covered a shoulder though he offered Kai a small smile.
"I don't think he really understood the meaning of that sentence."
"Guess not." Kai walked over and lifted Saskia's sleeping body up to Ray.
His smile quickly turned solemn as he shouldered the weapon and gently took her from him. Keeping the heavy coat around her, he waited as Kai climbed up as well before handing her back.
"He shot you." Kai realized, eyes fixed on the bleeding wound in his shoulder.
"Well, it's not like I don't have no other injuries," he half-joked.
"Don't worry; once you are dead you won't feel anything."
The two friends turned to find Voltaire standing in the middle of the field before them. Behind him lay Dranzer and Drigger, unmoving in craters in the ground, their blades wobbling dangerously nearby. Above them, Dranzer Demon was licking its fangs with its serpent tongue, flaming black eyes rolling madly in victory.
Raising his arm, which by now was pale and trembling from blood loss, he pointed to the all mighty bird, grinning insanely. The creepy chip was squirming in the wound that was already starting to get infected, the serrated skin turning yellow. The little tentacles trashed about, splashing blood everywhere.
"My pet has already disposed of your pathetic bit beasts. Now, it's your turn. You are of no use to me and my phoenix hungers for the taste of man flesh."
The once regal businessman had vanished, leaving behind a maniac whose blood was being splattered on his own face and his eyes were wild.
"The chip is sucking you dry. You have to destroy it!"
"Destroy it? Ha! Boy, this is all I need! To blazing hell with the virus! With Dranzer Demon on my side, I need nothing else!" His mad grin never faltered. "You should have surrendered to me Kai. I would have let you live. But you choose a foolish path and now you have nothing."
"I have what I came for," he argued, nodding to Saskia's sleeping form and throwing a glance over to Ray. "You aren't the only one with a goal here, grandfather."
"Fine then!" Voltaire spat. "I am truly going to enjoy this. Dranzer Demon, attack!"
The phoenix took some time to respond as its rebelliousness was setting in but finally it released a pitched shriek and its flaming comb flared several feet higher. Hovering in the air, it opened its mouth, fire gathering on its tongue and slowly forming a ball that grew larger and larger.
"What are we going to do?" Ray asked, turning to the bluenette.
Kai watched the phoenix before shaking his head.
"We can't outrun it. And we can't stop it."
"Then…this is it?"
Pulling the neko-jin closer with one hand, he gently stroked a soot-covered cheek.
"I'm afraid so. The good guys can't always win."
Ray swallowed but accepted it.
"So much for a happy ending."
"You shouldn't have come back…"
"I chose this, Kai. At least I will die knowing that I stuck with you to the end. Guess we'll see Tala now on the other side, huh?" Ray asked in a whispered voice, tears clouding his eyes.
"I look forward to that." He allowed the tiger to pull him into a deep embrace, cradling Saskia between them. Their lips met in a soft kiss and everything else melted away. The world grew silent and white as they shared their final kiss.
Ray could feel the tears running down his face; tears of fear, of pain, but most of all, of grieving joy. He would have loved to make this work. He would have loved to live with this bluenette for the rest of his life. It was a dying shame that they would never be able to do that here, but then again, they had the rest of eternity to do so in heaven.
'I just wish I could have told my friends and family I loved them and not to cry. Especially Mariah, she's always been so sensitive.'
Holding Saskia in one arm while wrapping the other around the slender waist to pull Ray closer, Kai couldn't believe he had lived this long without him. They had been on the same team an entire year, had shared rooms during their tournaments, and it was only now, as their time together was about to be ended, did he truly understand the depth of their love. Ray had risked his life and returned to him and though he would have never wished this upon the younger blader, Kai was somewhat put at ease to know that they will leave this place together.
'The four of us can be together again once more, Ata. Someday, the whole gang will finally show up and we can tell them about our feelings for each other. I am sorry that I never told Natasia, Ivan and Jeremei how much they mean to me and how much I appreciate their support all these years.'
They finally broke off the kiss but did not move apart. Instead, they held each other closer, holding Saskia together. Ray looked down at her and placed a soft kiss on her forehead. He looked up into the scarlet pools and smiled through his apprehension.
"I love you."
"I love you."
A thunderous sound began to build as Dranzer Demon prepared to end it all with its smothering breath. The heat made the entire demolished arena shiver, distorting everything into rolling waves.
"PREPARE TO DIE!"
---Somewhere in Moscow---
The janitor jumped when a piercing howl broke him out of his trance. Beside him the guard fumbled with his radio.
"What the hell is going on!"
One by one, the howls increased and the winds inside the exhibitions picked up, whirling the snow that had laid on the ground up into the air, causing a blinding blizzard that hid the beasts from the two men's view though their haunting howls rang clearer than ever.
"I'm out of here!" The janitor threw down the broom he had brought to use as a weapon and ran from the room. The guard waited but a second longer before following swiftly.
The howlers didn't even notice the human's departures.
They had felt it. It had first been just a small scent that had lingered before growing and infiltrating their bodies. They had gathered to witness it and now there was no doubt left.
The pack was complete once more.
They had returned.
The thermometers beeped loudly as a sudden cold descended upon them in the courtyard. Raven's teeth started to chatter despite her thick coat and she looked up at Mr. Dickenson who was smiling.
"They have reached the others," he informed her.
The room was spinning as the heat heightened to volcanic proportions. Ray was getting light headed but he never released his hold on Kai or Saskia, burying his face in the taller boy's shoulder, his dark hair falling forward to cover his face, blocking out the sight of the building around them caving in on them.
The entire arena seemed to rock as Dranzer Demon unleashed its flaming burden. The phoenix's entire body rocked back at the force and the immense fireball rocketed towards the three children, everything in its path melting.
Dranzer and Drigger, both badly injured, were desperately trying to get to their bladers but it was too late.
Voltaire's mad laugher rang through the chaos and Kai hugged his companions closer to him, protecting them from the unavoidable. He rested his cheek on Ray's loose hair and closed his eyes, releasing a final breath. He felt the boy do the same and a tear escaped his clenched eyes, the little water drop quickly evaporating under the simmering heat.
His eyes opened, however, when he felt a cool breeze sweep over him.
Was this what it felt like before dying? Is this the calm many people spoke of?
No. This was definitely something else.
There it was again.
What followed next caught them all off guard.
Like a wave crashing on the shore, a cold front swept seemingly out of nowhere and covered the arena in one solid blanket. The sweat on their skin was now a frozen sheen of water that crumbled into flakes and fell when he lifted his head to look towards the tunnel, which was were he had pin-pointed the origin of the sudden change. The cold was almost suffocating but the one who suffered the most was the satanic phoenix's fireball.
As it flew towards them, the flames got smaller and smaller as it had less and less oxygen to feed off. The speed lessened until it was started falling from the sky. By the time it reached the ground several hundred of feet before them, it was the size of small horse and exploded into harmless flames which the cold immediately enveloped and extinguished.
"WHAT IN BLOODY HELL!" Voltaire raged but his voice was drowned out by Dranzer Demon's own outraged screech.
"What happened?" Ray asked, his breath frosting against Kai's neck.
Kai himself could not respond, simply staring with wide eyes down the hall. Ray turned to follow Kai's stare and he blinked once. Then twice. Then many times more before shaking his head but it didn't change the vision before him.
A thick mist poured out of the great hall before them, the wispy tendrils curling like snakes on the cold floor as they spread, impenetrable to the naked eye. But as they watched, it started to clear and slowly but surely they could make out something big standing amidst the foggy mist.
Crystallized wings shimmered like diamonds in the blue light from either sides of the streamlined flank. A long bushy tail waved slowly. Ghostly cerulean eyes glowed bright from above a long and narrowed snout, ears flat against the head that turned as it took in the room. Its black nostrils flared as it picked up the familiar scents.
"It can't be..." Kai muttered softly though it was standing right before him.
Voltaire was in shock, staring unblinkingly up at the great creature that stood tall and proud, pointed face taking in the two other bit beasts before settling on the dark phoenix above.
The blue bit beast's growled and looked down to something to its left. The fog had yet to clear but a smooth voice cut through it easily.
"Long time no see."
The mist finally faded away completely and another figure became visible where it stood beside the great blue and silver wolf, arms folded and a hint of a smirk at the corner of his lips. Ice blue eyes stared at them from behind thin-framed glasses.
Tbc...
Read & Review, please.