Chapter 23

The Darkness of the Past

(Note: This Chapter is a little more violent and dark than Chapter 20, but it's not as bad as it could be. Thanks for reading and R&R!)

After the conference, we went back to the hotel and the whole team sat for hours in our room with an awkward silence. Our friends had just become our enemies, and I wasn't exactly ready, but better them than the Demolition Boys. Win or loose, we'd have to fight them sooner or later.

"Who should we match up with in the match?" I asked.

"I'm battling Kai." Johnny said, "I'll tell you that right now."

"Then I'll battle Tyson." Robert said, "I want a rematch with him after he beat me in the European Championships."

"I wanna battle Rei." Oliver said, "our last match was a tie, and I wanna make sure it's a win this time!"

"You can battle Max, Ayia." Enrique said, "I don't mind. Besides, I know you're better than I am at blading."

"But--" I started, if I didn't want to battle anyone from the Bladebreakers, it was Maxy.

"You can do it." He said, "I mean you're good at tearing through strategies, and Max has a load of strategy."

"I guess so." I said, "but he's my best friend."

"Well, he'll congratulate you like a best friend when the battle's over." Robert said, "and likewise to you. I'm not saying you'll easily win, but you have the ability to."

"I know," I said, "Max will give me his best, no matter if we're friends. How could I let him down by not giving him my best as well?"

"That's the spirit." Robert said.

I looked down for a minute, remembering our conversation in the restaurant. "They all have new blades." I said softly, "They say Tyson's new blade is the best, or it's at least as strong as Kai's. I only saw Rei and Kai's, and they look extremely powerful."

"So they've got some fancy new equipment," Johnny said, "big deal, we can take them anyway. We're just as good as they are."

"I know we are." I said, "but it's just not going to be easy."

"Well we knew that in the first place." Oliver said, "and we knew that after the European Championship."

"I'm more worried about Tyson and Kai's power than the others." Robert said.

"Why?" I asked, "they're all strong in one element; Kai's is combination, Tyson's is attack, Rei's is endurance, and Max's is defense. All their Special Attacks are based in the element they specialize in."

"Well, you're the strategy reader," Enrique said, "what tactics do you suggest?"

"I can't tell you how to battle," I said, "Only you can decide that. But I can give you all a few tips. Johnny, you need to fight just as fiercely as Kai does. Kai has loads of strategy though, but if I know him like I think I do, he'll focus on attack against you, so just fight fire with fire. Oliver, Rei's a very wise person with a load of strategy, and his Driger can take attacks very well, not to mention he's extremely fast. You just need to get him into a tight spot and attack him wisely, just at the right time, and the battle's yours. Robert, Tyson has an extremely strong sense of blading spirit, and that will add to his immense power. You need to lower his spirit a little with some hard head-on attacks and then back off, just confuse him a little. Don't entirely change your strategy, but just surprise him, he doesn't adapt to new things very well."

"And about your battle?" Robert asked.

I paused for a moment, then flopped backwards onto the soft bed behind me, "I have no idea." I said as I sighed heavily, "his new blade probably has newer components than I know of. I mean, I hadn't even heard of an Engine Gear until Max used one."

"It's not the blade, it's the Blader. Just think of it like this," Enrique said, "Lee got a new blade and wanted to challenge you. You've already beaten him, right? So even though his blade might be different--"

"His strategy would still be the same!" I finished, "So even though Max has a new blade that has newer and more improved parts, he can only control it the way he knows best, his own strategy!"

"And what might that be?" Oliver asked.

"Attacking an opponent to confuse them and dodging their attacks, looking for an opening to strike," I said, "totally catching them off guard when he releases his special defense-oriented attack. For him, defense is the best offence."

"So how are you going to break that kind of strategy?" Johnny asked.

"I know!" I said, "If he's going to dodge my attacks, then why attack?"

The Majestics looked at me like I was insane.

"Don't you get it?" I asked them, "I'll make Max want to attack me by beating him at his own game! If me attacks me first, then I'll just take the damage like he does. I'll only attack when necessary, cautiously, and wait for when Max has given up the fake keep-up attack strategy, and then I'll hit him heard, just as he's switching. His strategy options will eventually run out and he'll have to use a Special Attack, and that's when my Engine Gear will go off. That should hold off his attack, and then I'll be able to release Orelin and finally take him out with just one powerful hit!"

"It sounds like that would really drag out the battle." Oliver said, "waiting for Max to decide to attack you."

"That's the plan," I said, "To irritate him and then hit him with his own strategy, letting him know that I have memorized his entire strategy."

"But what if it takes too long?" Johnny said, "what if you tire out first, Orelin's not exactly an Endurance type, is he? What if Max turns your own strategy against you like you're going to do to him?"

"That's just a risk I'll have to take," I said, "but Orelin and I can handle it, I'm sure of it."

"We have quite awhile to think about it," Robert said, "we don't fight until tomorrow evening."

"That's good," I said, "by the way, I have to make a quick errand tomorrow, I'll be back by the time our match starts."

"Be sure you are." Oliver said.

"Where exactly are you going?" Enrique asked me.

"To Lee's village." I said, "I asked Kenny to make a new Galeon for him, and Rei will take me there tomorrow."

"That's great." Oliver said, "he needs a spirit lifter after what happened."

"He really needs a good friend like Rei around too." Johnny said.

"I think it would really help him out." I said.

"Well, that's fine." Robert said, "just be back in time."

"You know I will." I said, "but if something happens, have Enrique take my place. I know that he'd do just as well as I would."

"No I wouldn't." He said.

"Yes you would." I replied, "you know how to beat Max, I just gave you a strategy."

"A strategy that only you seem to understand!" He said.

"Just trust me on this one." I said.

"Fine." He said, "I'll battle if you're not there."

"Great!" I said with a large smile.

" We need to get some rest." Oliver said, "We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."

"You're right." I said as I yawned and stretched.

I slid the shoes and socks off my feet and curled up on the bed. Enrique and the others lied down in their own beds.

Before I knew it, they were all asleep. How nice that must be, they were dreaming about the battle, while my mind was swirling about everything else. I was trying to still grip everything. It seemed that after Tala had slapped me a that tournament party so long ago, my mind never had a time to settle and think about it. I had gone from battle to battle, and had never thought about it. I had just become angry and didn't understand. I still didn't—I don't think I ever would.

My mind kept racing, and soon I was thinking about tomorrow's battle in Beijing. Then I thought of Lee, and what had happened to Galeon. I sat up in bed and looked over my team. What if it happened to them? I couldn't let it. These guys now meant more to me than just a simple team. Since I had come here, they had welcomed me, and made me feel like I belonged.

I lied back down, and my eyes felt heavy. So tired, yet I felt like I could spring out of bed at any second. But my eyes were seeming to outweigh my brain right now, and my world was soon black.

I got out of bed and walked over to the window. Was I dreaming? I set my hands on the window, and a freezing feeling rippled through my fingertips. It felt—cold––in Egypt.

I opened the door and walked outside onto the balcony and sat in a nearby chair. I stared out into the sky and suddenly, I saw something white fall into my vision. I reached out my hand toward the white object, and felt it rest on my finger. I felt a cold sensation as it melted.

Snow.

Snow!

'I must be dreaming.' I thought as more of it started to fall to the ground, covering it at a rapid rate.

All the sudden, the landscape itself seemed to melting and transforming. Buildings become more beautiful and familiar, their tips coming to defiant points that seemed to touch the sky. So familiar—then it hit me.

I was in Moscow.

I turned around to see the hotel building itself had transformed. I was now in a large square of land filled with snow, and there were many spread out buildings around me, clustered together like its own little city.

It was—-the Abbey.

'Why am I here?' I asked myself.

I looked up. The sky was a dark, dark grey, and it seemed that a horrible storm could start any second. It was dark, very dark, but I could still see the shapes of buildings that I remembered. Even if I couldn't see, I'd still know I was near the Abbey. It seemed to send out waves of fear and evil that my brain and heart could pick up anywhere.

I walked closer to a circular-shaped building I seemed to remember. All the buildings were made of gray slate and had crosses on top of their pointed roofs, seeming to give it a feeling of innocence and purity. I clenched my fists tightly. Those crosses were nothing but a coverup for the sinister things that took place inside, all formed by Boris.

I got to the door of the building and it opened on its own. It seemed I wasn't the only one who knew where I was. I walked inside to see a dimly lit chamber with a beydish in the center. The torches in the room gave off an eerie familiar glow. I walked closer to the dish, my mind going absolutely crazy, as though I had seen a ghost.

'Why do I remember this room in particular?' I thought racking my brain for the shattered memory. The answer seemed so close I could taste it, 'it looks just like all the other training rooms, so why is it so important?'

Suddenly I heard a voice cry out:

"Matt, Matt please stop!"

I turned in shock.

'Matt?' I thought, 'the Matt I knew--'

Suddenly, I saw a small figure run into the room. In the light of the torches, I saw it was a young girl. She looked to be about thirteen. She had long brown hair and her blue eyes flickered in fear.

'It's––me.' I said, tears welling in m eyes as I remembered, 'This—this is the day I got Orelin!'

She ran towards me and looked around.

"Matt–Matt where are you?" She asked the darkness in a pleading voice.

Suddenly, I saw another figure step out into the light. It was a young handsome boy. He had glowing blond hair that barley reached his shoulders and he had sea-green eyes, but they had been replaced with a treacherous black. A black I remembered so well–the black that had been in Tala's eyes—the black that had been in my own eyes. I saw him hold out a blade. The blade's appearance shook my heart and I instantly knew what blade it was.

'Motoki.' I thought.

"You thought you could keep him all to yourself." Matt started. His voice seemed to be teetering between absolutely calm and insanity. He clenched Motoki tight, as though it were his only source of air, as though it kept him alive. "Well not anymore, because it's my turn now."

"No Matt," My younger form pleaded with him, "please. Just hand him back to me before I have to take him from you."

I sensed an odd brashness in my voice. Had I been holding onto Motoki just as tightly as Matt?

"You had your time in Boris's spotlight, but now it's my time." he said.

"Why would you want to please that old louse?" I asked with hatred hearing Boris's name.

"Why not?" He said, "then, I can have full control of Motoki, and have all the power to myself!"

"You can't handle that kind of power." I said smartly, "You already proved that to Boris."

Matt narrowed his eyes at me.

"You wanna bet?" He asked, readying his launcher, "I'm your backup, so if something was to happen to you I would–"

"Matt." I said, finally seeming to come to my senses, realizing what he might do, "Don't do anything crazy."

"It's perfectly sane." Matt said with a cackle, "Remove my obstacle, and I'll get what I want."

"Matt calm down, please." I said, now being serious. "I was just joking around, you're a great blader, Matt, there's no need to ruin it by being power-hungry. I was just kidding."

"Too bad I wasn't." He answered.

"Matt, Motoki's controlling you." I said, "he only wants the darkness in your heart. He's just taking advantage of you."

Wasn't he doing the same to me though?

"You just don't want me to take what's not yours." He said.

"Matt!" I yelled loudly with brashness, seriousness, and begging in my voice all at once, "Please stop!"

"It's too late Ayia." He said, "You're finished, and Motoki will be mine!"

"Matt, I don't care about Motoki anymore, this has gone too far!" I yelled out on the verge of tears. I ran towards him, "Please Matt, stop and think!"

He launched the blade at me.

"Back up!" he said, "Or face the power of your own Bitbeast!"

"Matt no!" I screamed.

"Motoki attack!" He screamed. He started to laugh insanely as the dark wolf arose from the blade. He looked even more powerful now. I backed into the wall and watched young me back up as well.

"Matt, don't make me--" I started.

"Make you what?" He shouted, "Now that your precious Bitbeast is at my hands, you have nothing, NOTHING!"

Motoki strayed from younger me and came closer to me as I pressed my back harder against the wall. I had never seen him this close. Our eyes were exactly level, as if he could see me, when my own reflection couldn't. His red eyes burned into mine, and I saw it.

True darkness.

My breath quickened, and I grasped my shirt, trying to control myself. I couldn't help it. I wanted away from this darkness. But, a small part of me wanted it.

Suddenly, I saw something else. I saw Motoki raise an outer section of its jaws in what looked like a smirk, no it was a smirk. It reminded me of–Matt–his smirk and Tala–the smirk he wore when he smiled and talked to me–the smirk he h ad before he–kissed me.

I was snapped out of my thoughts when Matt shouted out another command.

"Destroy her!" He said. Motoki started to form a large black mist that suddenly turned into a hurricane, making a swirling vortex around me and the rest of the room. The floor started to shake.

"Matt NO!" I said as I reached into my pocket and pulled out a white blade.

'It's Orelin's blade.' I thought.

"Matt, you can't be controlled any longer! I won't let you!" I said, "Never again will you be a slave to this darkness—"

My voice got a bit softer and gentler, "like I once was..." I said.

I suddenly saw Matt drop to his knees and tears streamed down his face.

"A-Ayia!" He screamed.

"Matt!" I yelled back.

"Ayia, it's so hard! I can't keep in control of this Ayia! I just can't do it anymore!" He screamed as his hands rose up and clamped over his ears and pulled at his golden hair, "Please Ayia, make it stop!"

"I'll try Matt!" I shouted, tears welling in my eyes, "just hold on Matt–hold on!"

I pulled a crystal out of my pocket.

"I don't know what you are, but please help him!" I said as I began to cry and put the crystal on the blade and launched it.

'Orelin's crystal!' I thought.

"Let him see the light!" I shouted as the blade began to glow. Suddenly, Orelin appeared in a blast of light. It was odd how Orelin seemed to be so beautiful in such a dark, horrific place.

I gasped.

"Wh-What are you?" I asked.

I then heard a voice, Orelin.

"I am Orelin, the wolf spirit of Light, coming to the aid of those lost in darkness." It said, "I am the one who can show others the light, and cleanse their hearts."

"Please!" I yelled, "Help him see!"

Orelin charged for Motoki.

"Help me see as well!" I yelled, "help us into the light!"

The two collided and began to grapple and snap at each other in the air. Motoki bit into Orelin, and satin blood started to flow, staining its satin fur and flying into the air and onto the floor. Orelin traded the damage back with another bite. Blood fell from Motoki and landed around Matt.

Matt was on the ground now, curled up in a ball, hands still over his ears, tears still running down his face.

"Matt, please, you have to try to fight it!" I said, "be rid of your darkness!"

I saw Matt get to his knees.

"Ayia!" He shouted.

"Please Matt, please!" I pleaded.

He stood. He looked almost lifeless.

I looked back into the air and saw Motoki start to grow in size, as Matt seemed to grow weaker.

'He's draining his life energy!'I thought to myself.

"Stop this, you awful creature!" I shouted as I ran towards Motoki.

Motoki stopped what it was doing, and turned around to face me.

It looked down at the younger me, and I could tell I had just seen the true evil in the wolf's eyes.

"Orelin!" I yelled as Orelin continued to fight. Both of them were covered in scars and bleeding, "end this!"

Orelin suddenly began to glow, lighting up the room.

"Cleansing Light!" I shouted.

The room was filled with light, and both of us shut our eyes.

I re-opened them to see Motoki trashing back and forth insanely. It suddenly turned around, and saw Matt. I saw in the wolf's eyes the intention to kill had come back, but now with a different prey. It had gotten all the darkness it needed , but still failed. It was now done with this host, and needed another. It raced to wards Matt, its gleaming claws outstretched, sparkling with death.

It was only a millisecond.

The dark wolf collided with Matt's frail body, Matt fell to the ground, and blood splattered on the concrete floor.

"MATT NO!" I shouted.

I saw Orelin absorb back into the its blade and spin into my hands. I ran over to Matt.

"No...Matt...no." I said as I held him close to me, his blood soaking into my white uniform. "it's my fault, it's all my fault."

I watched this as I began to cry.

It was my fault. I knew it was. I shouldn't have done what I had. I should've tried to draw the battle out, I should've—

"Ay–ia?" Matt chocked out.

"Matt?"I asked, tears pouring down my face and falling onto Matt's uniform that was soiled with blood. The middle of his uniform was torn, revealing his chest. Over his heart, a gash was embedded in his skin, "Matt...it's gonna be okay...you'll be fine...I'll just get Boris to take you to a hospital, and then--"

"No Ayia, no." Matt said, "There's nothing that can be done now. I'm going to die."

I started to cry more heavily.

"Thank you Ayia." He said.

"For wh-what?" I asked, wiping my tears.

"You saved me from Motoki—from myself." He said, "my darkness is gone, Ayia. But , I feel like there's nothing in me now."

"Matt." I whispered.

"It's okay Ayia." He said, "you had one choice, and one choice only. This was a game of chance, and I screwed up, big time."

"No." I said.

"Yes." He said, "I'm still a little angry."

"That's just like you Matt." I said with a small smile, "always angry at something."

"Hey, but then I wouldn't be me." he said with a laugh, "hey Ayia?"

"What?"

"Do me a favor, okay?" He said.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Tell a story about me." He said, "make it a scary one, so no one will ever go near Motoki again."

'If only I had followed my own story...' I thought.

"Okay Matt–I'll do that for you–you can be sure of it." I said.

"Thanks Ayia.' He said, "you know–for everything. I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too." I said. I think that's when it finally hit me.

Matt was really going to die.

I started to cry even harder.

"I can't hold on much longer." He said, his words coming out slower, and every breath seemed to be work. "Goodbye, Ayia. I hope you find the light someday."

"Good-Goodbye Matt." I said, taking his hand, "I hope you find peace, wherever you go. I'll always remember you."

"I will too." He said. He suddenly caught his breath in his throat.

"Sh..." I said hushing him and chocking on my tears, "don't worry Matt, just sleep now."

"Bye Ayia."

"Bye Matt."

His hand went limp, and there was silence—deathly silence. Just me holding a bloody Matt's body, Orelin, and Motoki's blades.

I cried.

"I'm so sorry Matt." I sobbed, "It's all my fault, all my fault..."

"Matt!" I screamed, springing up in bed. I heard Enrique get out of his bed and run over to mine.

"Ayia–Ayia what's wrong?" He asked desperately, sitting next to me.

"It's all my fault, it's all my fault, it's all my fault." I said, lightly rocking back and forth and crying.

"What is?" He asked.

"I killed him, Enrique!" I screamed as I leaned into him, crying uncontrollably, "I killed Matt! It's all my fault!"

"Sh..." He said softly in my ear, "oh Ayia, I'm so sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" I asked. I couldn't control myself anymore. I had started, and I wasn't going to stop anytime soon, "I killed him, I killed him!"

Enrique rubbed his arm up and down m back.

"It's okay Ayia." He started.

"No-no it's not!" I yelled.

"Ayia, you told me you couldn't control what happened before." He said.

"I did Enrique, I did!" I yelled, "I made him mad, and I ordered Orelin to attack him! If I didn't--"

"If you didn't—then you wouldn't here with me!" he shouted, "don't you get it Ayia, it all happened for a reason! If you had given up, or refused to attack, you would have died, and Matt and Motoki would have done what Tala's doing now! You wouldn't be able to stop him, no one would!"

"Enrique..." I said, starting to calm down a bit.

"I'll admit, Matt dying was an awful thing, but it was meant to happen!" He said, "I wouldn't have known you if you died, the team would be different, and so would I. I---"

He paused.

"I wouldn't love you." He finished as he kissed my forehead.

"Enrique." I said, "I'm sorry, it's just that it's hard to see that again, I just can't take it."

"Just calm yourself down." He said, "Everything will be okay tomorrow."

"No–it won't." I said, "nothing will ever be the same."

"It's okay, Ayia," he said as he lied me down and lied beside me. I felt him put his arm around me, "just sleep now."

"I wish I could." I whispered.

It was true, I had killed Matt, and I was the only one to blame, but it had happened, and there was no way I would let the same thing happen to Tala. Motoki had killed one person close to me, and he was trying to do it again.

My eyes started to get heavy.

"Motoki." I said, staring out the window, "I swear, Matt will have his revenge, no matter what it takes."

I slowly slipped into darkness.