Shitza: Sigh, sorry for the confusion last chapter. I might as well explain a little more about bit beasts and about the solid forms so I better start. Bit beasts in solid forms materialise so it is possible for them to take solid shapes, different sizes and a lot more. I know people were confused over Dranzer on Kai's shoulder, well bit beasts can grow in size, the most frequent beasts to do so in this story will probably be Dragoon and Dranzer. As solid there are really no rules except that they cannot regain a body f flesh and blood and they can't use attacks.

There is also another kind of bit beast thing that will pop up soon. It isn't called anything peculiar I am very bad on cool names for these sorts of matters. Anyway, can't give out details yet so it will have to wait. Just to say, it is either more crap or really cool, that is for you to decide.

Now, I am sorry there is a lot of Tyson in this chapter, but it did clash beautifully into the story and I hope you think so too. After all he just happened to face reality, that you can't always save the day. I think that came as a good lesson.

And this also follows a lot about Zeo's time. And how much he misses his dad, cute isn't it. Okay, I started to write this before I had any idea of what kind of (insert word) Zagart is, but I have to say he is a lot nicer then Voltaire ever would be. Or Boris for an example.

If anyone wonders were Boris is, well, I have completely forgotten to put this down but he is in jail at the moment.

Rating: Says T, but I'd like to say PG-13 for all the darkness and sometimes disgusting scenes you find here.

Chapter 9 Falls and Failures

"The rules are simple!" Kim said to the other five teens standing before her. We just surf down the mountain, no cheating and absolutely no pushing. It is a fait and square game. The winner gets away from all shores for today!"

There was an applause and cheers from the others. They had all agreed to take a game of Lava Surfing, which sounded very dangerous, yes I know. The surfboards were none other then flat stones and they all had a sacred scroll around their wrists, which magic would protect them from burning up. Raya whistled holding her surfboard in her arms. Her fiery red hair easily clashed well against the hot lava.

"Ready!" Daichi said from behind. The six teens all got up on their surfboards as a flow of lava hurried down catching the teens in a wave. There was a lot of cheer as the six of them glided down. Kim was in the lead, followed by a sandy haired guy and then Raya.

"Come on sis, GO!" Daichi screamed from the top of his lungs. Kim nodded and hurried of taking a long lead. They swooped past the village in a blur where the younger kids cheered seeing them go. Even Kai was watching, but he wasn't watching her, she knew that. Raya appeared only seconds later blowing her boyfriend a kiss before trying to catch up.

The race continued down and things started to get more and more dangerous. Two girls had quit before they dropped down from the village. Only the best continued.

"See you at the finish line!" Kim called over the shoulder. The guy behind her growled and of course put a trick upon her. Before she knew it she was almost pushed of her board as the guy sped of. She blew her bangs out of the way and hurried after, Raya not too far behind.

The girl didn't know what did hit him, for one moment he was surfing towards the goal and the next he was stuck in the branches of a dad tree. The guy yelped as the two girls continued reaching the goal same time. Both smiled, made a high five and then started to laugh violently. The elders who saw them rolled their eyes.

Daichi came down moments after, having run down the volcano to get to them. The red haired teen gave the two of them the price; a contract signed by the other four that they would have to do all of their shores today. Kim smiled and Raya sighed in relief. The two of them had been picked to clean the old ragged bit-beast Krowk's hole and that old, thing's hole was not something you wanted to clean. No one really knew what kind of bit beast he was, except for the fact that he was dirty all the time. Krowk had been there as long as people could remember; he had been close on becoming one of the corrupted ones but stopped half way. These days however no one except the bravest went close to him. He was really a sad spirit without any place to rest.

One of the girls who ha been first to give up stuck her tongue out at them, but the two girls didn't mind. They had a free day off all the hard stuff. Raya disappeared in a flash jumping up on her Fox's back. Kim sighed and thought she would perhaps go and visit her mother's shrine again, but something else was soon needed of more attention. Without any warning the wind around them increased and swirled around.

"Tyson?"

Tyson opened his eyes slowly. All he saw was a dark roof painted in gold and red flames. 'The Fire Village, he had made it!' he blinked a few times trying to focus upon the lights above him. As his vision returned, he saw they weren't lights. It was a necklace of shining blue pearls.

"Hello Ty!" Max said happily from above. Tyson's eyes flew wide open and the blue haired teen sat up, not noticing the pain in his ribs. It came afterwards and he was forced back down. He could swear someone was laughing at him, but Max only seemed concerned as Tyson lay down again, sighing heavily.

"Take it easy, they just finished to fully put you back into yourself. You had at least four broken ribs, a broken arm and a finger as well when you soared into this place. It is a miracle you are still here!" Ray said from the corner. Tyson slowly looked over to him.

"What happened, where are those… demons?" Tyson said weakly. "Max, Ray… why am I here?"

The blonde American looked over towards the raven haired Chinese and the two of them looked back at Tyson. "Actually, we hoped you could answer that Tyson. All we've heard are that demons took over the Village of wind a few days ago. People are fleeing towards the North as we speak. Only soldiers remain here, the reason you are still here is because they wouldn't dare move you because of your injuries."

"Yes, besides. They have us all locked up hoping we will choose someone from their village to marry!" Ray said with a growl. "Our little friend Daichi has cleverly enough figured out our bit-beasts history meaning we have halves of their legendary beasts and if I remember it correctly a beast only fuses through love."

"We haven't been allowed on our own for days, ever since you got here as a matter of fact. We've been followed for days to end and it is getting pretty annoying. Mind you, as soon as we find the shrimp we will make him pay for that."

Tyson stared at Max. It was most unusual for the hyper blonde teen to sound this, blood thirsty and the only times you would hear him like this was when people like Boris had appeared in the game. But this was Daichi you were talking about and not some weird maniac who tried to take over the world or something.

Tyson sighed again. The room was pretty dark but from times to time something flashed from the outside. Suddenly Kai walked into the room, his cloak drenched from rain and his hair all messy from the storms. It was a dark night and for him and his team of soldiers it had been a dark time. Their first retreat ever.

The captain of them team merely looked towards Tyson, saw that he was awake and nodded. Then he hurried outside again, the cloak around his shoulder flying after him as he went. Tyson gulped seeing his captain so stressed. As their eyes had met he had seen Kai had dark rings under his eyes and they were puffy and red. The captain had also received a new collection of scars.

"What is going on here?" he asked the other two.

Ray sank down on his chair looking like a pulped cat. "We're in war!" he said in a whisper golden eyes gleaming. Tyson sighed. He had not wanted this and he hoped he wouldn't have to die in this.

The sun was shining again, maybe for the last time ever. No one knew when the eternal night would come but they all could feel it approaching. Tyson hated the silence and the tension as the smell of battle got closer and closer. Most of his bones had already been mended and Max hadn't done anything to Daichi yet. The short teen had been the one to cure him having travelled from his own village as fast as his land snake could take him. Daichi's cures were amazing and as like his sister loved to put it, he could cure everything except age. Daichi had also developed a calmer nature now he was back where he was born and had lived for so long. The red head felt so much older compared to the world Tour.

Tyson wondered if people thought he had grown up. He was still stubborn and a loud mouth and complainer but apart from that he wasn't as much childish as usual. Hilary had told him that, that he finally had grown up.

He smiled and looked away towards the open areas below the volcano towards the edge of the slopes that blocked this Valley from the world outside. The green grass growing down there had through the last couple of days been filled with bodies. It was a horrible sight. Hundreds of soldiers had fallen coming from this place and more would soon lie there being eaten for dinner. Tyson could feel his stomach protest as he saw a vile demon tearing a human body into pieces.

Tyson closed his eyes at the sight. He couldn't take more of this and soon he would probably crack, just like his bones had cracked. Something would have to stop this, too many people died and too many would loose the little they had.

It had been a miracle to discover some people were still alive from the old Wind Village. Most women and Children who had managed to get away. The priestess had been lucky, but the priest died. Anto had been killed in the attack and Tyson felt nothing but pain. Anto had been one of his closest friends in that place. It hurt, it hurt a lot. He could remember last night, when some healers had helped him out to say farewell to his friend. Anto looked so peaceful in death, was this just normal or something special? Death could be described as peaceful and beautiful.

The tears trickled down his face. Sparkling salty tears. He felt so alone even if his friends were there not too far away. Ray and max sat on two boulders talking with someone of the Elders. The man looked a lot like Tao, only he wasn't that flirty of himself. This man was more serious and didn't seem to have a smile at all. Normally Tyson wouldn't even look at a person like this, but now he did and he respected him.

Death, such a short word for an eternity of darkness…

Zeo

"Water…

Thunder…

Fire…

Wind…

Darkness…

Light…

All these must gather their strength if they want to defeat the darkness once and for all. The power between the elements has the potential to lock away all darkness with a negative force. This force, my apprentice, is purely made of good things for it only balances, nothing more. It doesn't try to possess, it doesn't cross any lines. It merely exists balancing the light for too much light does nothing good."

Zeo nodded. For the last weeks this place had fallen more and more quiet and now people barely talked with each other. The only sound heard was the dark voice of the Priestess.

"Do you remember why we don't have a priest in this Village?" she asked him. Zeo thought for a moment.

"The idea of having a Priest came when the duties of a Priestess forced her to bend her back from the weight. But this village doesn't have all that responsibility since we only exist and only helps when the stars tells us to do."

"Very good!" the woman in front of him said. Zeo smiled. His duty as an apprentice had taught him a lot about what was coming and he was probably the only one who knew what was about to come.

The Village of Darkness was as dark as ever, small faint lights lit the streets, but nothing more or less existed, as the people here didn't use their eyes. They used their senses. And everyone would indeed need their senses now that more darkness penetrated this place. Zeo hated being outside. Normally he liked the darkness, but this darkness was choking him. He really felt a bit like a prisoner now not having anywhere to go. It reminded him about home.

"Dad" he whispered. The priestess, whom he had completely forgotten about, turned around.

"What is it Zeo?" she asked her eyes shining of sympathy.

Zeo looked down. "Nothing." He said quickly.

The priestess smiled. "There is nothing wrong with missing the ones you love. Your father means a lot to you, doesn't he? After all, he loves you very much; he almost sacrificed himself for you.

"I know." Zeo said still not looking up. His eyes were fixed upon the floor. Tears formed as he remembered the year after the horrid World Tournament. His father had slowly learnt to like him the way he was and also involved him in more of his projects. His father had big plans for the future and he had hoped Zeo would help him, best he could.

Of course they hadn't just been working. Zagart had a special love for fishing and they owned a small cottage by a lake. When Zeo had been younger they always spent their days there and they still did. Zeo used to look down to find a good place to throw out the rods.

More tears formed in the teen's eyes. The most happy memory with his father was after his change, when the two of them had gotten their wish after all. His father was so happy and nothing would ever be able to replace that happiness. The last days before his father had left had probably been their best days together so far. Zeo chuckled remembering how much the twins King and Queen loved to pick on him because of that. It was odd… they used to work against each other. But from a generous amount of money the two thieves had joined.

The Priestess of darkness smiled. She went over to one of the windows with view over the garden outside. Zeo followed her.

"When I was young, my mother was the Priestess… and every day she brought me out to that place. I used to sit on a small stool as she rummaged around the herbs." She told him.

"Many things are taken so much for granted, but in reality it is not. People tend to forget the small but important things in life. But still, we have to continue living."

"What do you mean?" he asked her, knowing he had really entered dangerous waters.

"My mother died out there. For in those years this Village was in war with the Wind. My father came from the Village of wind, but mum's side has since generations lived here. My father's family didn't like her at all, so they ordered her death. The war lasted until I became the new priestess and after a lot of arrangements it ended.

Both of them sighed deeply.

Zeo looked down at his hands, leaning his back towards the wall. He looked up towards the window where the priestess stood deep in thoughts. She was either not on her guard or she didn't simply notice it, but a huge force of dark powers suddenly blasted the wall. It missed them both by inches.

Outside everything remained quiet. Inside only their breaths could be heard. Nothing more of the sort happened, but they knew what had happened.

Fear and Hail us. We Demons are here for control!

Zeo rushed out towards the streets. The darkness lay thicker then ever, but he noticed something was very wrong. The volcano by the Fire village was throwing out lava, and even if he couldn't see anything he knew, that place was in War!

TBC

To Reviewers:

storm-of-insanity: Oh, bit beasts have no rules really when it comes to size. There will be another version showing up I fell in love with, for a while. Growing older you suddenly start to think it is to bit too much, but oh well. That's perhaps why I'm waiting. And yes, I said in GoL there would be 4 sequels. However the title to the next after this is still not decided so if you have anything flashier do say. Once I said to myself only GoL and three sequels after that, but I quickly changed my mind receiving a brand wonderful idea. No spoilers yet, this fic is only around half way or something. But sorry to say, the fics aren't written, yet. But all events and things are planned so I don't think for once there will be any serious writer's blocks or something. Thanks for reviewing and always feel free to ask if you wonder anything.

Z Star the Hidden Dragon: Oh, that demon isn't he creepy. One of my favourite villains in this series, but I have another one that is even my ultimate favourite. Can't say though… anyway, to return to your review. Yes, I feel bad for Tyson but still he is so cocky through the whole series I wanted to put him down once and see what happens. Mind you Tyson will continue having one major role in this, sometimes I am starting to feel very bad thinking about it. And that girl, well, I just love to include kids in this fic. They add a lot into the tension. Thanks for reviewing and do try to get next chapter shorter, all though I know what you mean not being able to stop.

Kendo Baby: Thank you, I am really happy you like it! Thanks for reviewing!

Storms-winter: Oh, I am happy you do. Mind you there was a lot of information last chapter, I am trying to put most necessary information in at the moment without adding too much. The info about Kai and Kim was added of different reasons and indeed. If you would lock those two together you would have to bring something for the noise. Kai and Kim may be friends but don't try to put the two of them together. And the war has started, hasn't it. I'd say though that half the fic is probably left before I can finish this. A lot of this fic will be written now, and a lot of turns are to come. I guess you are a little like me here, loves the tension in battle. Oh, just wait and see, thanks for reviewing.

Fire Falcon: Oh, there will be a little more about Kai and that little troop of soldiers he has, but it was just written not to make him bored to death. Nah, if you haven't noticed yet the team is slowly getting together again. The only missing pieces are Hilary and Kenny; they are not dead, just occupied. I'm glad you liked the chapter, hope you liked this too, sorry for the shortness though. Thanks also for the review!

Teaser:

Will the guys survive the fights? What will happen with the Village of Fire? How much more darkness can the people in the Dark Village take? And why is Lee-Eck suddenly so distant?

End Notes:

I am terribly, terribly sorry for the short chapter! I'll try to update as soon as I can, but right now I have to get back towards reality again. Sigh, Spanish for tomorrow, mind you I am studying 5 languages this year so it is much!

See you all hopefully sometimes within the week. If anyone still hasn't started school, you are lucky!

Au Revoir!

Shitza