From Depths We Rise

by Insane Dominator

1 year has passed since Dan and the Battle Brawlers saved the universe, and when things were serene, a new group of Bakugan players are sent to New Vestroia when a dimensional interference forces them to meet each other. Caught in the crossfire with aliens seeking resources, Luke, Abis Omega, and new friends must fight using unlikely odds if they're to save all from extinction.

42. Pitch Black

The valley winds howled in the darkness of the Gundalian underworld. As Hell crept over the desolate landscape littered in crevices and blackened pits, the topside was flat, if not a little rugged. The winds would've pushed anyone away if they dared to tread into the heart of it all. But this wind was a tailwind to someone. And from the looks of it, they were moving fast.

A black and red blur swept across the valley. A closer inspection revealed Luka as he slid to a stop for a moment. 'That energy just now…it had to have been around here somewhere.' He looked all around, but only saw endless cracks and caverns. 'Damnit, if only this energy wasn't spread so thin. They're everywhere! Is Hades Pillars all moving around randomly?'

On Luka's shoulder, Brontes popped open.

"Brontes, can you still teleport?" the Vestal asked hurriedly.

Alto Brontes responded with a meek laugh. "So sorry, Luka. But it seems that for once the joke is on us!"

"Guess that means Riaan's spatial interference is still active." Luka couldn't feel anymore frustrated with himself. He should've known Riaan would be thinking further ahead than him. He anticipated his next likely target would be Gundalia. After careful planning it made logical sense. This wasn't where Code Eve resided before the events if the war of its counterpart world. He took steps to achieve his goals; not jump the gun to reach out like others would.

He scoffed to himself. 'Guess I should've figured. He's gotten smarter at evading a fight. He's just using his pawns to gather the battle energy and expel the negative energy than rely on himself.' Using people, using weapons. That's what Riaan was good at. In his mind all he saw was weapons to be molded to his own gain. With what he's learned about Luke's situation, it was only getting worse. 'Damnit, those idiots…why won't they just get…'

As his own thoughts went to the group, his mind fell onto Luke. His grip tightened as he thought to his stern warning.

"I told you all of that just so you and your planets can prepare for the worst, not to see others like you become what I am. Someone who's willing to risk everything to end Riaan once and for all. There's been too many I've seen suffer on Interacia all these years, and Riaan played them like fools by a loose string!"

Looking back at it now, Luka can see how hasty he was getting – how he is now. He's been pacing himself reasonably until recently, but he was in a mental struggle. "Gnnngh…!"

"An obstacle?" Abis Omega pieced it together as Luka turned to walk away. "Wait, is that all we are to you? After everything that you've done for us, even after helping, you think we're just in the way?! C'mon! Why can't we just fight Riaan together?!"

Luka stopped meters away with his back still turned. He grimly sighed. "It's not that simple." He muttered.

"What?" Luke and Abis Omega asked in unison.

He didn't expect them to understand. He couldn't. They weren't with him when he was taken to Interacia and forced to survive all the climate changes. Surviving and learning to defend was one of the only few things he's learned over the last few years, and it's all he can do.

Individuality. That's all he was. The idea of having others there when you only know how to depend on yourself is meaningless. It was weakness.

He sighed. His bangs covered his forehead and eyes in shadows to none could tell what he was feeling exactly. It wasn't that he was worried about them – no! That can't be the case. It mustn't. Those guys were like anyone else he's been saving. What mattered was his goal to save as many lives as possible, and to do so without them getting in the way of his work. He was stubborn that way, that's all there was to it.

But on the other hand, a small part of him couldn't deny that he's been through a fair ordeal with them as well. He's seen them battle, and beside them too. Acquaintance was one way of putting it, but friends? That seemed a bit farfetched. Whenever he thought about them, something irked inside his mind, and not a good kind. It's a kind that made him feel annoyed. Just seeing them fight when he was supposed to made him feel the opposite of relieved. Just thinking back to Shawn and Luke battling Maximus especially brought him another emotion he was aware of: Anger. Anger that's been fueled from the endless struggle. Anger from his efforts being in vain. Anger from their insistence when he was trying to save them. Anger…that just wouldn't go away. An infection with no cure. Just why should they fight together? The answer wasn't as hard as he thought.

He didn't know.

Why shouldn't they fight together after all this time. They have a similar goal, so why should they? Aside from the instances that he listed, Luka couldn't really argue otherwise. If he was asked that question directly odds would've been someone would be met with a sword and turned to walk away. It wasn't a deflection, was it? His head was starting to ache from this introspection.

'Stop it. Now's not the time to lose your cool. There's only one way to know for sure what I can do to solve this problem. The only way.'

In order to understand what's happening with himself, he knew what he had to do. He gripped his laser sword tighter as he raced off, darting towards the energy flourishing within the canyons.

"The next we meet, that will decide whose vendetta is stronger. Only the real avenger will stop Riaan before the other. This is the last time we'll meet like this. The choice is yours…but know this: It won't change what must be done."

'Dreck, prepare yourself! This time, none of us will be walking away. This will decide who amongst us is the fake. And it won't be me!'

---

Pure adulteration. Riaan's stare at the sight was the sheer epitome of that word. He held a steadfast glare at his captive as all he's been hearing from her for the past half hour were screams, ranging from the lowest growls of contempt to the most agonizing of wails. One could make a choir from the tunes Esther and Atchibee made.

For the umpteenth time, the pair could feel the tight squeeze of the chords loosen, albeit just a little. But enough to get the burning sensations of their skin and ball form respectively to feel some air. Tears stained Esther's face as drool went down her chin. She and Atchibee have been fighting this power for what felt like an eternity. The pain just doesn't end.

"Esther…don't…give in." Atchibee told her partner.

Esther was finding it hard to breathe, let alone respond. The bindings of the magenta-colored chords was like lacerated rope that constricted her. As much of a mind she had, it was beginning to get hazy.

"You are a very resilient pair, color me quite impressed." Riaan commended dryly. "You're both rather stubborn in the face of one who has more power over you. Call that reluctance in a grand façade."

Esther gnashed her teeth together angrily. "You…" The chords tightened, burning Riaan's toxins deeper into her body. "GAAAHH!"

"Esther!" Atchibee's body felt the same harsh shock as her partner did. "GAAAH!"

Both females continued screaming. Any normal person would have long given in to this infection, but both were hanging on while breaching for air.

Seeing them struggle in vain, Riaan turned around. "The human will is in fact a strong tool. That's precisely why I sought to have all Interacians have this kind of mindset for the future."

"Master, if the new world we create is filled with the same kind of human will, will that only lead to strong opinionated individuals?" Armagedoid questioned.

Rian smirked as he stroke his chin. "Very compelling argument of you, Armagedoid. Wills are a very wayward motion to go by. One can be easy to manipulate…or they can be strong. It's all on the human spirit it comes from."

"And yet these species we have also met. They are Vestal and Gundalian. So as to say despite their technology, these humans possess the mindset to advance?"

"That debate is a deep one that even I have yet to wrap my head around, my friend. There is a saying on Earth: Mind over Matter. The mind is the most powerful tool in the human body. It is believed that even though when one is supposedly weak, if the mind says, they can surpass such limits."

"GAAAAH!" Esther and Atchibee's cries of pain reached them loud and clear, but they didn't bother.

"But…in this era, humans have fallen weak due to their social statuses. Very few humans I believe have the capability to think on a goal intently before giving up to power and money. Greed is the greatest human weakness, and all can never truly escape from it."

"Greed…" Armagedoid pondered about that word as he looked towards the dark ceiling. Did that make him greedy then?

"And that is precisely why amongst all of everyone I've known…Hades Pillars is comprised of those individuals."

This news surprised Armagedoid. He's been told a little about them, but not much beyond their general affiliations with him.

"There's been several lines that they had to cross to get to where they are now. And their swayed hearts…is the very necessity of what makes them all the more powerful. Magnus. Zion. Lucia. Galilea. Amina. All these individuals on Interacia, one way or another, have had their own share of ordeals. And that's where they have turned to me, someone who is able to act upon their desires and pleas. Anyone; everyone in humanity, will eventually succumb to their own greed. That itself, is their own salvation. How poetically ironic."

He took one more look over his shoulder to find Esther still hanging on. But sooner or later, she will break. He wasn't in any hurry to be anywhere else.

"Come, Armagedoid. Let's give our guest her space." He turned to leave the two women straining and yelping in searing agony. Their pain could wake the dead.

"Master."

"Yes, Armagedoid?"

"Amongst your peers that you have listed…there was one more. His name…Cyrus, was it?"

"Cyrus." Riaan's grin widened. "Yes…I would say Cyrus is…well, even I can't say." His eyelids lowered as a quiet vibe fell onto him. He stopped in his tracks and looked out the windows, seeing nothing but a dark, crumbling world. As he thought about Cyrus, the more even himself fell to the black spot in his mind. 'Maximus compares himself to the devil, and yet you compare yourself to fear. Cyrus…what exactly are you, I wonder?'

---

Within the younger ages of Interacia, the primitive land was an archaic land, barely brimming with movements of cities and township in but a few places. With only small fractions of life and spawning vegetation, settlements were lucky to be abundant. Stocks and businesses were once barely booming. Even in this time, in a dinosaur land so far, there was life.

Riaan walked casually through this decrepit land, minding no business but his own. With his palace but a place of its own, it wasn't sure to gain any intruders – besides, he could feel it. He could feel everything. And what he felt in this area was what drew him here.

Looking at the vast clearing in the crags. Wherever he looked, there was nothing but cracks and unhealthy Bakugan. Several Serpenoid that were hissing defensively at him from the higher cliffs. A Rattleoid whose long tail rattled as it lurked behind a rock. It's obvious the terraform had made them defensive of their natures: No different from Vestroia at the time.

'Let's see, it should be around here. That spot that the felt shouldn't be too far from this precise location.' He took some steps forward, and instantly he was alerted. 'Wait, this force…it's coming!'

The winds began to shift around the area. There was a light vibration that began multiplying beneath Riaan. He took a step back as the area started to turn into an earthquake. The area was beginning to crack apart slowly, gushing out clots of purple mist.

Riaan said nothing as he held his composure and looked around.

The Devil Miasma flourished everywhere. The pours in the land erupted with malicious poison that quickly vaped the area. The Bakugan in the area began smelling the air, snarling suspiciously. The Rattleoid hiding behind the rocks blinked before it started crying out. Its body wiggled in struggle.

Riaan looked up as he noticed the Serpenoid pack watching was slithering away. Thanks to being higher up, the Devil Miasma wasn't traveling as quickly. They didn't want to end up like the Rattleoid.

The Rattleoid gave one last cry as its body wiggled around. With a loud thud, it fell to its side with an open mouth, eyes devoid of life.

Riaan calmly walked around the corner as he watched the Rattleoid suffocate unfortunately. He stood and observed the corpse of Rattleoid as its dying spirit was instead crumbling away than reducing to sparkles.

'I see, so this miasma…it is like a plague to everyone here, with no vaccine. My apologies to you, Bakugan.' He watched as the Rattleoid reduced slowly to dust. 'Thanks to you, I now have another label in the natural selection.'

A crack was heard in his ears.

"Hm."

He turned around, noticing the land continuing to crack around him. He saw the crevices opening to allow the earth to completely give in. The quakes grew immensely until explosions of miasma became an underground explosion that took everything. Cracks in the area poured open, and the atmosphere began charging with foul poison.

Riaan only stood as he could feel his very world's primitive setbacks unfold.

Fissures opened within a mile radius, pouring in all the Bakugan and debris around. The Serpenoid back that was slithering away didn't have the speed to get away, plunging along with their brethren. Falconeer sailed off, but those too close when taking flight ended up gagging and flailing as they fell into the pits.

After minutes on end, the dust mixed with the Devil Miasma, sinking slowly into the earth once more. From far over, if one could have a bird's eye view, they could see a massive gorge that seemed to have fallen to darkness. It was a pit of death.

Over this pit levitating, Riaan looked at the damage with surprise. 'This was a surprise. This force…and the truth lies beneath. It's just like skin.' He began getting an idea. 'I wonder…'

Curious, he slowly descended into the dark pit.

In the new world of darkness, he laid his feet down and observed the landscape. All around…it was literally Hell.

Stone bodies laid everywhere. Petrified Bakugan, even people from the past, their remains were all scattered and chipped. Horrified faces were in pieces, and heads of petrified people were laid under the fresh debris. The recent deaths of the weak Bakugan laid their remains as dust and parts of their elongated bodies like dried clay around.

'So this is what Hell's Gate looks like.' Even he looked sickened. Ironic because the planet he was making did this, so he was the root cause. He closed his eyes, humbly acknowledging what's been done. 'There is still much work ahead of me.'

"Grrrrrroh…'

Riaan perked up at the sound of that dastardly growl. "Hm? Who's there?" he called.

He was met with unnerving silence. "…"

His brow furrowed. 'That's strange. I thought I heard someone from here…could it be someone's alive?' He faced the dark tunnels, glaring bravely. "Whoever you are, speak out! I come in peace!"

"GROOOOAAAHHH!"

The bellow sent shivers down even scattered bone remains. Riaan could feel the air grow cold as he could see through the purple fog. The sounds of footsteps drew closer, giving view towards something humanoid limping. It looked like a zombie.

Riaan remained steadfast as he came face to face with something, something that made him go wide-eyed. The eye he looked – for the first time – it was one emotion that he didn't process much until now: Fear.

A beastly, black creature that looked humanoid had hollow eyes with red cracks all over. Its gaping mouth was like molten, grueling magma, but instead of lava it was like tar that dropped from the corners of its mouth. The drops released a purple gas, expelling even more Devil Miasma.

"What…what are you…!"

"GROOAAAAAH!"

The beast lunged, leaving everything black. Pitch-black.

---

The winds skimmed across the earth where Luke and Alice were. Both glared ahead, not minding the abominable pressure that triggered them before.

"This negative energy, there's no mistaking it." Abis muttered. "This can't be a coincidence. Luke…"

"Yeah, I know." He glared as he gripped his sword's guard. "We've walked into a bad place this time."

Alice grunted hastily.

Cyrus quietly observed his prey with sharp eyes. Something about him just didn't sit right in their guts, and that's what was making them anxious. He could feel it, their dread was like a sweet aroma towards him. It only made him even more excited, but unlike his inferiors he knew better than to show temptation.

Luke calmly stared him back. "You guys, is it safe to guess that you're part of Hades Pillars?"

"Aye, that'd be right, boy." Zion scolded. "And who might you be?"

"Don't play games with us. You know exactly who we are. Just like how we know you're that guy who put Ren on an operation bed."

Zion darkly smirked. "Aye, that'd be me…he was the fool who found it amusing to pick a fight he had no knowledge of. And look where that simple mistake got him."

Luke wanted to say something to back up his own claims, but he couldn't find solace in his own methods. To a degree, Zion was right. Unlike Luke and the others Ren didn't have any indication or sense of the danger they were accustomed to. He couldn't blame him, even if he wanted to. He knew better than to also show angst towards an enemy's face.

Cyrus faced Alice with a cunning smirk. "So, you're the infamous Alice Gehabich. I have word tales about you and your brawling days. It's a pleasure to finally meet the infamous Masquerade."

"That was a long time ago. Time's have changed." Alice retorted.

"That they have. Time is a very fickle thing to make use of. To make use of the time is a valid virtue, one that many in their lives take for granted for others to use for their own gain." He straightened his back. "But enough about the essence, I believe we have yet to introduce ourselves properly. This is my associate, Zion." Zion nodded. "And allow me to introduce myself." He bowed before them. "My name is Cyrus Black, the head of Hades Pillars. It is an honor to meet two warriors of Earth."

'I can't tell if he's being sincere or sarcastic about this.' Luke thought. 'But this feeling isn't going away. Guess I just answered my own question.' He stepped forward. "Listen, I'm not sure what Master Riaan wants to do with Esther, but she has nothing to do with this."

Zion raised a brow. "So you say, and yet she's where she needs to be. Need not, our lord is doing everything he can to ensure her stay is a mindful one."

Alice glared. "You…!"

"Alice, be careful." Hydranoid warned. "Their power is tremendous."

Alice backed off. "I know. They're giving off a tremendous amount if negative pressure…it's making my skin crawl. I can't believe that I admitted to that."

'So this is the head that we've been guessing all along.' Luke figured. 'So if this guy was Maximus; boss, then he must be on a whole other level…his Bakugan, I can't tell from here. But if he's Darkus, then he's probably going to be using my power to strengthen his own. There's no point going back now. We have to get Esther back, and one wat or another, we're gonna have to fight our way to her!'

"If you're persistent on continuing, then you must get pass us." Zion told them as he clipped in his battle axe on the side of his arm. "And I will ensure you, if you'd rather feel the stings of the blade, then turn away."

Cyrus glared them down. "I've been looking forward to a battle with you both. I'm curious, exactly what worth you both are…show me."

Cyrus: 100% Alice: 100%

Zion: 100% Luke: 100%

"Here we go, Alice." Luke prepped.

Alice nodded. "Right. This one's for Esther!"

Cyrus humbly grinned. "It seems that to daunt with words alone have no effect on you all. Very well, you have earned the privilege to what we of Hades Pillars are." He glanced over. "Zion."

"Done. Gate Card…set!" Between two fingers, he shot the card into the middle, where a red shockwave rippled beneath all their feet. In his clutches, a black and magenta sphere was crackling with static. "Better not stoop to being foolish like your friend…Bakugan, brawl!"

He threw the sphere, making it bounce along the ground until it popped open.

"Bakugan, stand! So, Pyrus Snapzoid!"

In a red flash, red heat waves erupted beneath Luke and Alice's feet. Both were forced to cover up as crackling red static flared up from the vortex of which from Snapzoid was emerging. Its head craned skywards as it unleashed a cry of intimidation. The gaping mouth was like a bottomless pit that glowed like a furnace.

"That's his Bakugan." Luke muttered.

Snapzoid's crackling electricity between his feelers began simmering. He glared the two humans down, snarling like a vile monster leering down prey. Its frilly ears shuddered as another show of intimidation. Zion waited anxiously for whom shall strike first.

"Abis, you ready for this? Let's get pass them! For Esther!"

"For Atchibee! Let's go!" Abis closed his ball form, allowing Luke to throw him in.

"Bakugan, brawl!" Abis shot and plopped along the ground until his own ball form popped open. "Bakugan, stand! Go, Aquos Frill Abis Omega!"

In a blue light, a cyclone of coils surrounded a long frilly top. Abis ascended for battle, his large maw and sharp teeth facing the skies in an ear-splitting screech. His frills flexed with his muscles.

"What an opening." Zion smirked. "This should be fun."

Snapzoid: 700 Frill Abis Omega: 600

Both eel and serpent held a good distance away from each other as they hissed defensively. Abis screeched with an arched figure. Snapzoid returned the bellow with his own. The two long adversaries sneered a little longer, Abis' tongue flickering and eyes narrowing.

And then it began.

With a high-pitched shriek, Abis beelined his long body and snapped his jaws on one of Snapzoid's curled tendrils. Eel and sea serpent hissed as the latter was moving in to coil himself ad spin around the defending Bakugan. Snapzoid retaliated by working into the spin as well. Their spiraling of coils transformed into a helix, dragging the other higher until their lower bodyweight couldn't support the other. Together they capsized, but with Abis snapped on Snapzoid, he was on top and used the momentum to rive the Bakugan into the ground with a tremendous thud. Snapzoid opened his eyes once he got his bearings back and looked pissed. He sneered and arched his head back to bite into Abis' side, causing the two to spiral and coil again.

The ground churned as their bodies spiraled. Their weights and their hands-on assaults on each other was leaving imprints on Gundalian soil.

Now on the defensive, Abis screeched again and retracted from his bite. His massive fins flexed again, forcing Snapzoid off. The black eel sneered as Abis' massive membrane made him look bigger and intimidating. With the distraction, he shot and snapped his jaws on Snapzoid's side again. The two serpents once again fell into a spiraling mess.

"Go, Abis!" Luke encouraged.

As Abis dug deeper, Zion watched Snapzoid try to bite but Abis' much longer body gave him an edge. His fin tail smacked into his head, repulsing him. His smirk widened.

Snapzoid struggled as Abis didn't let up. Unknowingly, this only agitated the eel as his maw slowly opened, allowing his snake-like tongue to slither out.

"Abis! Behind you!" Luke warned.

"Ability, activate! Taser Fang!"

Abis glanced over and saw the fanged tongue. It shot into his scaly abdomen, sending paralyzing static through his body. He grunted and retracted, forcing their slithery binds to break before it was too late.

Snapzoid: 700 (+200) = 900 Frill Abis Omega: 600

Abis shook his head to recover from that shock. Snapzoid lashed his taser tongue repeatedly, but Abis' reflexes made him veer away several times. When Snapzoid went for another bite, the tongue was darting straight ahead. Abis flexed his membranes again and folded in front. His membranes were bitten and the light static raced into him, but he was hanging on.

"Wait for it, Abis! Don't let up!" Luke shouted.

"Persistent. I like that." Zion raised another ability. "Let's see what you doo with this…ability, activate! Eel Shockdown!"

As Abis fended against the tongue with his frills as shields, the curly tendrils slowly flexed, and electricity crackled around them. With a hiss, the tendrils pulsed and red lightning shot at the opposing sea serpent.

"Ability, activate! Mirror Shock!"

Abis was able to pick up by the electro pulses of an attack coming. He lashed his tail to deflect the snapping tongue and the electrical shockwave raced directly at him. His fins tightened and much like a satellite, the pulses were bounced back, though they were laced in blue rather than red lightning. Snapzoid screeched in pain as his own attack electrocuted him, causing him to buffer away.

Snapzoid: 900 (-400) = 500 Frill Abis Omega: 600 (+300) = 900

Cyrus smirked. "Careful, Zion. Seems this one knows what he's doing."

"I know, sir." He watched his Snapzoid reel back in distress, his smirk widening. "That's what makes this fun."

With Snapzoid reeling from his own attack, Abis swung his tail into his side, grounding him hard. Abis sneered aggressively as he eyes Snapzoid carefully, being careful to distance from the shock.

Cyrus humbly scoffed. "Suppose now I'm rather anxious…I hope that you don't mind."

Zion lowered his head, begrudgingly abiding. "Be as you see it."

Cyrus grinned and slowly lifted his palm. In it was his Bakugan, which was black, magenta, and had partial green all over it. "Very well. Bakugan…" He reached out, using his bare palm to exhale some sort of harsh force to propel the Bakugan pass Abis Omega. "Brawl!"

Abis glared daggers as he raised his tail, ready to strike Snapzoid as he shook his head up. He glared at one another, but a bright purple flash behind Abis got his attention. When he turned around, a dark haze scattered about.

Meeting him was a Darkus Raptorix. But not just any regular Raptorix. This one had a menacing hot pink energy that flourished around it, giving air a sinister chill. The black on his body was there, hence being Darkus, bit the shade was pitch-black. The menacing red eyes were laced in magenta. The green eding on the wings was a darker shade, like a jungle green. The beak, horns, and lastly the claws were all turns magenta instead of being yellow like normal Raptorix. The spikes on the back were a dull yellow, and the forked tail was surprisingly hot pink.

"Arise…Darkus Raptorix."

Luke and Abis stared at the Bakugan that was shot to their side of the field. It glare menacingly at Abis as he was pinned between two opponents at once.

Raptorix: 800

Snapzoid: 500 Frill Abis Omega: 900

Raptorix cried out at Abis to get his attention. With him distracted, behind was the perfect chance for Snapzoid to get some payback.

"Abis, behind you!" Luke warned. Abis glanced back to see Snapzoid's gaping mouth.

"Ability, activate! Vex Crunch!" Snapzoid's large fangs glowed bright red, along with all the fangs of the tongue. The beast closed in on the serpent.

Raptorix: 800

Snapzoid: 500 (+300) = 800 Frill Abis Omega: 900 (-300) = 600

The fangs drew closer, and Abis was ready to dodge. However, Raptorix suddenly jumped him, pinning his clawed foot on his face.

"Sorry, but as elusive as you are. We can't afford you to get in our way. Ability, activate…Barbaric Claw!" Raptorix pulled one of its arms back, its claws glowing dark purple with the tension of razor blades. His power level went up to 1100.

Abis struggled to break free, but Raptorix wasn't letting go so easily. His head pinned down, Abis saw the attack draw close. "Luke!"

"I know! Let's get tricky! Ability activate, Dive Bomb!" Abis' eyes shot wide open as he suddenly plunged beneath the ground. Much like water, even the land rippled, making Raptorix swipe into Snapzoid. The slash to the tongue made the Bakugan screech in agony.

Raptorix: 1100 (-300) = 800

Snapzoid: 800 (-300) = 500 Frill Abis Omega: 600

Snapzoid and Raptorix looked at the ground beneath them. All around, the ground was like water, and a large light blue light swam around. It passed beneath them. Raptorix hollered and reached down, but Abis' shallow form erupted a geyser beneath, forcing Raptorix to recoil.

The same shallow figment brushed beneath Snapzoid, erupting a spout of water. The eel hollered as the pressure from another gush from the side startled it.

Zion reached out towards the field. "Gate Card, open!" He waited for it to activate, but instead a thin membrane of Abis' fins arched out of the ground. His eyes narrowed. 'Did his ability make my Gate Card useless?'

"Luke, hurry!" Alice shouted.

"Right!" He faced the battle, activating another ability. "Ability, activate! Storm Drain!" The liquid-like ground that Abis swam in suddenly flashed. A blue watery cyclone of water erupted from the center of the area. The harsh torrents rapidly spread, engulfing Raptorix and Snapzoid in a frenzy.

Despite the disadvantage, Cyrus seemed amused. "Well, well."

Raptorix: 800 (-300) = 500

Snapzoid: 500 (-200) = 200 Frill Abis Omega: 600 (+300) = 900

Like a raging tidal surge, the water was continuing its pull. It dragged Raptorix about, along with Snapzoid. Both Bakugan weren't as able in water compare to Abis. Swimming in the currents, Abis closed in on both Bakugan. He surfaced and flexed his fins, towering above both in the tidal streams he manipulated.

"Impressive, but you are still far from satisfaction." Zion mused. "Ability activate, Thunder Field!"

Abis went to strike, but Snapzoid began crackling with electricity. The entire tidal pool was electrocuted in a red jolt. The water, even Abis, were diminished as it quickly evaporated, leaving Abis in a struggling, flailing mess.

Raptorix: 500 (+300) = 800

Snapzoid: 200 (+300 +200) = 700 Frill Abis Omega: 900 (-300) = 600

"Abis!"

Abis' body crackled in electricity from Snapzoid's counterattack. His paralysis underway, Snapzoid's tongue snapped into Abis' next, causing him to hit the ground. Snapzoid kept his hold on him as the aquatic serpent opened an eye. Closing in was Raptorix with claws bared.

"Alice…it's time." Hydranoid urged.

Alice nodded. "I understand…let's go!" She seized Hydranoid and readied her attack. "Hang on, Luke! Help is on the way! Bakugan, brawl!"

Raptorix scowled as it looked over its prey. Abis tried defending against the incoming threat, but he was down. He watched as Raptorix raised a claw…

CRUNCH!

"Hm?" Zion raised a brow.

Luke gasped.

Cyrus looked on, amused by all means. "…about time."

Raptorix found himself unable to respond as something sharp and heavy anchored one of his back blades. He was tossed over, doubling over as he used his claws to anchor his hold. When he got his bearings, he looked up, as did Snapzoid.

Three spiky tail maces swung gradually as three heads with pulsing red eyes glared them all down. Bloody snarls escaped from Hydranoid's lungs as the Bakugan stepped up. The middle head expelled a booming roar, one that caused Snapzoid to let go of Abis at the warning.

Raptorix: 800 Alpha Hydranoid: 900

Snapzoid: 700 Frill Abis Omega: 600

With the cover, Abis was able to stand once more. "Hydranoid…"

"Now, it is our turn to battle." The hydra declared. "I'm here, friend."

Abis nodded. "Thank you." He faced forward while Hydranoid's three heads expelled battle-ready roars.

"Let's go, Hydranoid!" Alice declared. "Ability, activate! Indigo Nightmare!" His three maws opened wide as his power spiked to 1200. Black and purple energy orbs swirled in the maws. He reeled his heads back and then forward, expelling three blazing streams of darkness that Snapzoid and Raptorix dodged, while rock and landscape exploded in the distance behind them.

The land shuddered as Cyrus and Zion watched. Their Bakugan were on the defensive, but for how long?

"Cyrus…"

"Yes, I know Zion…things are going accordingly."

Hydranoid continued blasting away, his craning heads reducing the earth to an exploding dark wake.

---

All four Bakugan scowled and glared at one another defensively. Atmos circled around overhead while Fly Beetle released a scowl at Lumitroid and Nastix.

"Ability, activate! Stag Bullet!" Fly Beetle bent forward and aimed his horn at Nastix. Brown energy surged into the accented front and fired multiple volleys of bright brown bullets. The attacks were landing their mark on Nastix as the Bakugan looked distressed by the assault, scowling annoyingly.

Nastix: 700 (-200) = 500 Stag Fly Beetle: 600 (+200) = 800

Lumitroid: 700 Gale Atmos: 600

Fly Beetle relentlessly continued his barrage on Nastix, firing rounds like a machine gun. Amina leered over towards her partner. "Excuse me? I thought we were cooperating here." She reminded Lucia.

"Relax. Let me think." Lucia closed her eyes, allowing her mind to calm. In her head, sound became inaudible towards her. She began getting flashes of a bright flare, which was quickly followed by a blue swirl. Another tremor erupted, where green grained down from above. "…I will provide interference, and you will attack. They will try to strike in long-range simultaneous fashion afterwards."

Amina tossed another lock over her shoulder. "There, was that so hard to just tell me?"

Lucia ignored the comment and began her attack. "Ability activate, Luminous Arrow!" Lumitroid faced the barrage with a hiss and the magenta eye began glowing. From it, a bright yellow arrow beamed across the battlefield like a missile. It shot into the barrage close towards Fly Beetle, erupting in a powerful explosion of light that expanded. The shockwaves of the attack picked up the insect and forced him away.

Fly Beetle anchored his barreling with his lower arms. They trailed into the ground, long enough for his feet to come back down to reduce the drag. As he gathered his bearings, his power level reduced to 400.

Amina smirked as she moved in for her shot. "Ability activate, Blue Morph!" Nastix gurgled as his body transformed into glossy blue liquid slime. The mass suddenly shot at Fly Beetle, glopping him hard. Nastix' own power increased to 900.

The glossy swirl was engulfing Fly Beetle rapidly, causing him to grunt annoyingly. Nastix' slime whirled around him like a cocoon.

Amina scoffed victoriously. "And I believe this is where these pests make their feeble attack?"

"Watch and see." Lucia stated.

Shuji remained calm the whole way, though Jase didn't mind having a say. "Shuji, I don't mean to sound cumbersome, but we're getting off track here."

"I know, that's just what we need." He figured. "Enough dragging this out! Double ability, activate! Diagonal Relation of Subterra and Aquos, plus Seismic Repeater!"

Fly Beetle's red eyes shined bright orange as his entire body was coated in his attributed energy. The powers of Nastix surrounding him began channeling into streams of blue energy that mutated to Subterra energy. That energy transcended towards the lower appendages, where a bright orange energy crackled.

"Get ready to rumble!" He raised the spokes high and plunged them deep into the earth. A massive orange omnidirectional shockwave exploded at an alarming rate, forcing Nastix to his original form as he was blown away. The shockwaves traveled towards Lumitroid, buffering the scorpion harshly.

Nastix: 900 (-300) = 600 Stag Fly Beetle: 400 (+300) = 700

Lumitroid: 700 (-300) = 400 Gale Atmos: 600

Lumitroid gathered his bearings, but not before Nastix fell onto him hard. The two Bakugan yelped as they were sprawled along the ground, leaving them wide open for Atmos above to make his move. The falcon went into a harsh dive onto them as Jase activated his ability.

"Ability activate, Tornado Slash!" Atmos screeched as he flapped his wings. He did a barrel spin, expelling a barrage of sharp green crescents that spiraled closer into Lumitroid and Nastix, reducing their power levels to 200 and 400 respectively.

Amina lightly scoffed. "Whatever."

Lucia closed her eyes briefly, only for them to open once her ability was up. "Ability activate, Scale Defense!"

Facing the oncoming barrage. Lumitroid moved in front of Nastix and hardened its ironclad body. Atmos' gale cutters sliced downwards onto Lumitroid, but the splicing attack had very little effect. They dissipated upon impact, unable to penetrate the hide.

Nastix: 400 (+300 +200) = 900 Stag Fly Beetle: 700 (-300) = 400

Lumitroid: 200 (+300 +200) = 700 Gale Atmos: 600

Jase and Shuji glared ahead calmly while their Bakugan regrouped. The combatants glared ferociously at one another once again.

Amina smirked. 'This is getting rather amusing. I'm gonna have fun messing with them when I melt the ugly off them.' She glared mildly at them. "Well now, this is a surprise. I didn't think you would last this long…so now, how should we deal with you next? I know. This." She held up her Bakumeter, showing a forbidden ability symbol.

"Here she comes." Fly Beetle warned. Beside him, Atmos glared.

Shuji and Jase observed carefully with their guards high.

"Ability, activate! Alien-X!" A bright purple core manifested on Nastix's neck, attached to his slimy body like a parasite. Chords warped and coiled around the strands along his body, infusing quickly to make the body show veins that pulsed with liquids and proteins. Nastix lurched in distress until his eye shot open, glowing bright blue. He expelled a large gurgle, shooting shockwaves that buffered Atmos and Fly Beetle.

The winds were hammering Jase and Shuji, but they both used one arm to cover as dirt and small rocks flew pass them.

Nastix: 900 (+200) = 1100 Stag Fly Beetle: 400

Lumitroid: 700 Gale Atmos: 600

Shuji's eyes narrowed as he glared into the pulse waves. 'Her power level only went up a little from that effect. That can't be right…something's gotta be wrong.'

Jase looked over at Shuji, seeing his pondering. 'From the looks of it he can tell as well. Her ability didn't just increase, it may very well have a secondary setback as well. We can only be sure.' He faced forward, activating an ability. 'This should count as a test.' "Ability activate, Tailwind!"

Atmos was using his wings to shield from the shockwaves Nastix was creating. He unfolded and let out a battle cry as he flapped his wings. The drafts created from the shockwaves were being pulled into a cyclone around Atmos and Fly Beetle, protecting them both from the tempests of raw power.

Nastix: 1100 Stag Fly Beetle: 400

Lumitroid: 700 Gale Atmos: 600 (+300) = 900

The tempest surrounding their opponents didn't faze Lucia nor Amina. Both watched passively as Atmos inside flapped his wings repeatedly to keep the tornado going. His caws were made inaudible by the drafts roaring.

"You think they'll figure it out?" Amina asked again, tossing her hair back to accommodate the winds.

"Don't be so easily fooled as before." Lucia replied. "Knowing the severity of our positions, they're more than aware. They're just testing the waters. Watch, they'll know what to do."

The cyclone continued raging around the two Bakugan, but Nastix was unfazed. He growled as his eyes glowed brighter, gurgling louder towards the skies.

Nastix: 1100 (+300) = 1400 Stag Fly Beetle: 400

Lumitroid: 700 Gale Atmos: 900

'Their power level went up without using an ability.' Shuji realized. 'So that's what that does.'

Jase had his own observations. 'If her power level increased by 200 before, then 300, we're looking at a multiplication ability for every ability used. Which means, the power we increase our power, the more we will for her.'

Lucia closed her eyes to depict their next move. She began to seek calm and refuge in her mind, where there she was seeing images of a bright glow, followed by another light that was countered by whirlwinds. "Be careful. They're about to open the Gate Card."

"Okay…but do you know which one?"

Shuji smirked. "Now!"

Jase adjusted his glasses, which were buffered by the dirt. "Then I shall apply the support needed."

Shuji nodded. "Gate Card, open! Additional Task!" The ground started glowing a bright light, one that made all the winds and shockwaves Nastix was creating diminish.

"Add-what?" Amina questioned.

Lucia raised her arm to make a nullification ability activate. "Ability activate, Ghost Light!" Lumitroid's eye began glowing a bright yellow light. The streaking of the yellow began resonating across the field light an infection.

Jase activated an ability of his own. "Ability, activate! Vacuum Turmoil!" Atmos cawed as his blades of his joints activated. They began rotating like a fan, creating a funnel that began drawing in the light instead. The light and wind were sent back towards Lumitroid, stinging him with the two elements.

Nastix: 1400 Stag Fly Beetle: 400

Lumitroid: 700 (-200 -100 -100) = 300 Gale Atmos: 900

Lucia used her arm to cover from the winds blazing around, grunting as her attack was repelled back. Meanwhile, the Additional Task Gate Card activated, creating an explosion beneath Nastix. The Bakugan was picked off the ground, the shockwaves of the card's effects too strong.

He was shot back in a blue light that went back to Amina's hand. She huffed annoyingly. "Why they…"

"I thought that you'd might use something that would try and shut us down." Shuji explained. "So I laid an Additional Task Gate Card, which returns the last Bakugan thrown. So much for your Alien-X if you're not in play."

Amina scoffed angrily. She was starting to boil over inside. "How dare they…!"

"Ability, activate!" Lucia cut them off before they could finish. "Leech Glare!"

As soon as the winds diminished around Lumitroid. Another bright light emulated from the iris. This light shined onto Atmos and Fly Beetle alike, making them both wane. Add in the tough battle they've been having and they were diminishing on fuel.

Stag Fly Beetle: 400 (-200) = 200

Lumitroid: 300 (+200 +200) = 700 Gale Atmos: 900 (-200) = 700

"Don't think because you were fortunate before means it'll shine twice in one day. Milord needs the light, and I shall shine alone if I must to put you both away for your dark sins." Lucia said. "Now then, to render yourselves over. Ability activate, Irate Blazer!"

Lumitroid faced Atmos as the Bakugan was still wavering from that last attack. A bright beam charged up in front of the iris into an orb. As it charged, Lumitroid hissed aggressively at the falcon.

Stag Fly Beetle: 200

Lumitroid: 700 (+300) = 1000 Gale Atmos: 700 (-300) = 400

"Not if we have anything to say about it." Shuji glanced at Jase to see him nod in approval. "Alright Fly Beetle, let'em have it!"

"I'm ready!"

"Ability, activate! Sunder Sonic!" The accents on Fly Beetle's wing shields began glowing bright orange as an intense magnitude came off them. They slowly opened to reveal his four compound wings all glowing the same color and vibrating strongly.

As Lumitroid fired a streaking beam of glossy gold and yellow, Fly Beetle flexed out, expelling seismic brown shockwaves that pulsed in all directions. The ground diced into pieces as the energy spread beneath the ground.

Stag Fly Beetle: 200 (+400 +100) = 700

Lumitroid: 1000 (-400 -100) = 500 Gale Atmos: 400

The beam raced at the falcon just as the seismic waves were rushing from the side. Brown, earth, and debris were a large ripple that crushed the light beam and washed into Lumitroid. The pulse waves sent him flying back, hissing as he reverted to ball form.

Lucia: 60%

The dust cleared, revealing Atmos and Fly Beetle as they reverted to ball form and returned to Jase and Shuji.

"Great, just great. Leave it to the psychic to handle everything." Amina aggravated.

Lucia kept her composure remarkably well. "Relax. This is just as I have foreseen. Remember, they do not have the powers that we possess…and that will be their undoing. This battle is far from over."

On the other side of the battlefield, Shuji conversed with his team. "You think the others are holding up like we are?"

"Who's to say. I can only imagine they may very well be the case." Jase held his bakugan up tightly. "I hope you realize what needs to be done, right?"

"Yeah. We gotta end this. Time to pull out all the stops on these two tramps."

"My sentiments precisely…though I'd prefer leashing my pets so they better behave."

Shuji raised an unamused brow. "You're a messed up dude."

Lucia held up a Gate Card. "Your actions will not go unwarranted by the likes of us again. We shall guarantee that this time, you humans are put into your place. The future has no place for you!" she sounded hostile by her final remark. "Gate Card, set!" she threw the card down to make a yellow ripple shoot across the ground.

"Bakugan, brawl!" All four launched their Bakugan into play for one more round.

---

"Gate Card, set!" A Gate Card shot to the center of the wasteland, where it rippled into a green wave beneath everyone's feet. Galilea picked up her Bakugan to resume the brawl. "Bakugan, brawl! Buz Hornix, stand!" In another green light, the gargantuan queen hornet arose with a maniacal hiss.

"Bakugan, brawl!" Glotronoid, stand!" In a brown light, a tail lashed as Glotronoid arose, exerting a hiss of his own.

"Here we go again, guys!" Maggie was next. "Bakugan, brawl! Glow Jelldon, stand!" In a red light, tentacles spewed everywhere as Jelldon arose for battle, emitting a roar of his own.

"Bakugan, brawl!" Shawn was next to throw in. "Prime Verias, stand!" A battle axe's end embedded into the ground. He lifted it over his shoulder as he hunched for a loud, battle-thrilled roar.

Buz Hornix: 800 Glow Jelldon: 600

Glotronoid: 700 Prime Verias: 600

Galilea didn't waste a second picking out an ability to start off. "Ability activate, Sonic Buzzer!" Buz Hornix vibrated her wings swiftly, generating green energy sparks that aimed at the opponents below. Green bolts were launched swiftly downwards onto them.

Magnus followed suit with her lead. "Ability activate, Bright Cell!" Glotronoid's head gem started glowing brighter than usual. Once charged, an intense, dark brown beam raced across the land towards their foes.

"Not on our watch!" Shawn defended. "Ability activate, Bunker Axe!"

Verias tightened his grip on his staff and the blades on both ends lengthened. On top of that, two more axe blades jutted from the opposite ends. He shot into the air and flipped vertically down in front of Jelldon, unleashing a wailing roar as the blade cleaved into the static and bright beam, literally cutting them down to size.

"Not bad, defending your bro like that." Magnus commended. "Takes real guts to defend one of your own."

"Thanks for that." Jelldon graciously told his ally.

"Don't mention it." Verias nodded. "Get ready!"

"Yeah!"

Maggie showed an ability. "Alright Jelldon, let's show them how it's done! Ability activate, Alien Flare!" Jelldon closed his eyes to concentrate on his glowing gel inside his body. When they slowly opened, he looked deadly serious.

"Gnnngh…" A harsh, bright red light erupted from his body. "Hiyaaah!" The light exploded like a harsh sun flare. The light cascaded beyond Verias into Buz Hornix and Glotronoid with an invisible, weary heat blast causing their skin layers to steam.

Buz Hornix: 800 (-300) = 500 Prime Verias: 600

Glotronoid: 700 (-300) = 400 Glow Jelldon: 600 (+300) = 900

Buz Hornix hissed as she was feeling her power get drained by this heated light. The radiant signature being so close didn't make it any better for her or Glotronoid as they were looking to get weaker.

Still bound by the light, Magnus wasn't able to see. "Damn light. Who turned that thing on?!" He adjusted his wrist, showing an ability. "Ability, activate! Durance Wave!"

Glotronoid balled his right fist as the accents on the arm armor glowed. Though not as bright, he raised his fist high and plunged his fist into the ground. A seismic ground wave of pure energy shot in a long crescent at the opponents, buffering them into doubling over. This made Jelldon's flare recede.

Buz Hornix: 500 Prime Verias: 600 (-400) = 200

Glotronoid: 400 Glow Jelldon: 900 (-400) = 500

The shockwave brushed over Shawn and Maggie, causing them to cover up. When they looked back, their Bakugan were getting back up. "You guys alright?!" Shawn shouted.

"Yeah…we're good." Verias arose with Jelldon not far behind.

Magnus glanced at his partner. "Alright, so what's you got?"

"Just wait." Galilea waited once their opponents were fully up on their feet to make her move. "Gate Card, open! Hyper Delta!" The card beneath began shining brilliantly, but to Verias and Jelldon it was bad news.

"What's happening…my power…"

"Gnnngh…"

Shawn narrowed accusing eyes at Galilea. "What did you just do?"

Galilea matched his glare. "The Command Card, Hyper Delta, is an advanced version of Positive Delta, which subtracts 600 Gs from opponent Bakugan whose attributes aren't in the negative categories as our own. And since both your Bakugan are Haos and Pyrus, they'll lose all their power."

"Not if we have anything to say about it." Maggie swiped her arm. "Jelldon, let's go!"

Despite feeling like…jelly, Jelldon's eyes glared with hopes. "I'm ready, Maggie!"

"What's the pipsqueak doing now?" Magnus inquired. He was honestly intrigued by his tone.

Maggie reached out to her partner, her posture firm and calm. "Alright Jelldon, Attribute Change!"

The gel amber on Jelldon's front shined a rainbow glow. "You got it!" His entire body filtered into the shine, making his coating change. On Jelldon's body, the red changed to a blue, with the yellow on the body changing to a brighter shade of blue. The red center had turned to a lavender purple, and the orange gem remained the same. His eyes, however, changed to orange. Aquos Jelldon looked serious, and ready for battle.

"An Attribute Change, all on his own?" Shawn looked at Maggie. "Maggie, you've been holding out. Nice."

Maggie winked. "Nothing personal if you're feigning hurt."

Galilea watched the attributed alteration occur, her surprise mounting. Despite this, she shook her head. "It doesn't matter. Your attribute is Aquos. You'll still lose power."

Maggie mockingly smirked back. "You know, a friend of mine showed me there's more than a few good tricks when you use Aquos right. I'm no Luke, but I know this'll shock you." Maggie lifted her Bakumeter, revealing an Aquos ability. "Ability activate, Lake Dragoon!" Jelldon's eyes flashed orange as he growled. The tentacles beneath started spinning like a car wash mop, gradually gaining speed. Within the rotation, water began to surge.

Galilea's eye narrowed. 'Water?'

Jelldon suddenly expelled a tidal spray all around, surging across the Gate Card and drenching Glotronoid and Buz Hornix. The two Bakugan hissed in anger and shock as a tidal pool surged and dragged them about, much like Abis' Storm Drain. However, the little joy ride did something else.

Glotronoid and Buz Hornix hissed as the water was seeping energy out of their bodies. They had auras of brown and green get carried away into the tides that Jelldon made, draining them down the center. When they were gone, he glowed his attributed aura.

The water levels receded, revealing the Gate Card nullified in tainted black. Buz Hornix and Glotronoid stirred back up, though that whirlpool left them hazed enough for Verias to come in and slash pass them. They went airborne as yellow gleams blazed across them in recoil.

Buz Hornix: 500 (-250) = 250 Prime Verias: 200

Glotronoid: 400 (-200) = 200 Glow Jelldon: 500 (+250 +200) = 950

"What the hell just happened?!" Magnus outraged. "How'd the hellin' frick did that thing get so much power?"

"That's thanks to the Lake Dragoon ability. It not only nullifies the Gate Card, but all enemy Bakugan swept up in the currents lose half their power, and it goes directly to Jelldon." Maggie explained.

"Nice work Maggie." Shawn praised. "Now let's get a little charge going. Ability activate, Territory Heart!" Verias twirled his staff overhead until he stabbed the ground with it. From the purple gem on his lower region, it glistened like water until a green forcefield-like bubble slowly enveloped him and Jelldon inside.

Inside the barrier, Jelldon and Verias were having bright yellow energy waves flow up their bodies. The damage they were taken, from the scrapes of Glotronoid's claws, to the numbness from earlier, began healing. Soon both were back on top at good health.

Buz Hornix: 250 Prime Verias: 200 (+400 +300) = 900

Glotronoid: 200 Glow Jelldon: 950 (+400 +300) = 1650

Once the green barrier lifted, the two Bakugan immediately lunged for the attack. Tentacles jabbed at Glotronoid and Buz Hornix, while Verias used the cover to sock Glotronoid across the face.

"Damn." Magnus whistled. "These guys really know their stuffs."

"Quite so…" Galilea's glare fastened straight ahead. "Still, we have aces up our own as well. Where I come from, it's important to save what you have for an important time." She pulled out an ability, one of an aerie insignis on it rather than attributes.

"That so? Well where I came from, you want something, you get it." He showed the same kind of card with the core on it. "And I ain't waiting around for power to come to me. Let's get it on."

"Yes."

The atmosphere around them started darkening. An odd, eerie tone started settling into the depths of the canyons as their Bakugan were starting to pick up on the signals, rising back up to face their wary foes.

"Shawn, you feel that?" Maggie muttered. "This feeling…"

"Yeah. Here they come." He braced himself the best he could, minding their dark surroundings. Jelldon and Verias guarded for what was to come next.

BA-DUMP!

A strong pulse came from Magnus and Galilea as both raised their arms, activating the two abilities that shined. Together they glared. "Ability, activate!"

"Cell Force-X!"

"Hazard Earth-X!"

Bright cores too their positions on Glotronoid and Buz Hornix's abdominal regions. The chords quickly laced around their bodies, confining them without much resistance. They fully embraced the chords as they burned into their skins, causing their veins to pulse with power. A dark aura enveloped Glotronoid, while Buz Hornix' eyes glowed bright magenta, gathering photons and dark energy to make it glow brighter as the seconds passed.

Buz Hornix: 250 (+550 +800 +250) = 1850 Prime Verias: 900 (-450) = 450

Glotronoid: 200 (+800) = 1000 Glow Jelldon: 1650 (-850) = 800

Their menacing foes were charging up their forbidden abilities, while Verias and Jelldon prepared themselves for the worst.

"No you don't!" Maggie shouted. "Double ability, activate! Abyss Roar, plus Fusion Ability, Maximum Bolt!" Jelldon's purple center of his frill membrane glinted bright blue as he unleashed a glossy blue torrent skywards towards Buz Hornix. A helix of light blue energy flowed around it as it coasted. Meanwhile, a plasmatic, glossy charge emulated around the entire body, jutting towards the front of the attack. The light blue turned to an electrified blue plasma that torpedoed away.

"Ability activate, Jade Surge!" All the green gems on Verias' body began humming and shining. Their radiating shine created a light force that engulfed the atmosphere around the ape, which was drawn into the crown jewel he wore over his forehead. Once the jewel took in the energy, he unleashed a loud roar that rivaled the pulsating glossy yellow beam that shot across the area towards Glotronoid.

Buz Hornix' eyes all glimmered before the compressed energy in each cellular lens exploded. The bright green laser was massive as it roared across the atmosphere like thunder, colliding with Jelldon's attack. The intensified plasma-filled force fend against the trembling force, lightning and green energy swirling in a titan0sized funnel for dominance.

In a blur, Glotronoid reappeared in front of the attack heading his way, using his bare claws to block the attack. It didn't even shove him away as the remainder of the force went around him.

Buz Hornix: 1850 (-300 -300) = 1250 Prime Verias: 450 (+300) = 750

Glotronoid: 1000 (-300) = 700 Glow Jelldon: 800 (+300 +300) = 1400

"Don't give up, Jelldon!"

"Verias, just a little further!"

Both Bakugan added some more force into their shoves to repel their enemies. However, despite their powers and higher power levels, their efforts were in a standstill. Letting up even a little would mean an instant opening.

Magnus and Galilea watched in silence as they watched their opponents keep up the best they could. From the looks on their faces they weren't going anywhere. Even their own Bakugan couldn't afford to let up, otherwise that'd be it. But there was one factor that Galilea accounted for.

Being an observant woman, she knew what the best attributes for her workers were. After years of paperwork, documents, and watching habits of others amongst her positions, she's come to also acknowledge her own Bakugan. And there was one thing Buz Hornix had that made her special: An extra large thorax.

For some reason, that sounded wrong in her head. 'Damn you Killian.' She could still remember those certain times she and Killian were swooned in some way. Certain words were yelled, otherwise squealed. But rest assured it came to the point of something big that Killian found attractive.

Huffing, Galilea made her move. "No more! Ability activate, Queen Riot!"

Shawn and Maggie gasped. 'Shoot! We forgot about-!'

While Buz Hornix kept the pressure on with her attack, her abdomen unleashed green missiles that rained down on the opponents. They passed their attacks, continuously bombarding them with a shower of explosive show. The two screamed as their assaults were losing momentum from their opponent's last-second surprise.

Buz Hornix: 1250 Prime Verias: 750 (-300) = 450

Glotronoid: 700 Glow Jelldon: 1400 (-300) = 1100

Jelldon was trying to fight it as best he could, but the pressure became too much. The constant barrage when he was trying to attack finally made him lose momentum. "I…can't…hold on…! GAAAAHHH!" A large green blast shook the entire atmosphere, quickly vaporizing everything that was in contact with the ground. An enormous dome of atomized energy bellowed towards the skies, lighting up the part of the canyons in green territory.

"JELLDON!" Verias cried for his ally, but that was a big mistake. Glotronoid suddenly appeared in his face, a fist pulled back. "Wha-?!" With the force of a mountain, the punch across the face slammed into the atmosphere as well. The shockwaves depressed the ground into diced fragments to obscure everything in site.

…

From the distance, a bright pillar of green could be seen from miles away. The towering site didn't go unnoticed by Luka when he and Brontes caught sight of it. "What the…?! That can't be…damnit!" He made a beeline for the energy source.

…

The dust in the area had minutes to give way. Once it was settled, it was like the reset button activated. The ground was a clean slate, minus the fact that the earth around them had lost a layer. Now standing within a depressed crater, Magnus and Galilea were composed and recuperating from that blowout. Maggie and Shawn, however, were another story entirely.

The two were thrown in a whirlwind from that last blow by their foes. They were laying on their sides, covered in dirt and scrapes as their Bakugan laid beside them in ball form.

Shawn: 50%

Maggie: 70%

The first to stir up grunting was Shawn, wiping the dirt off his mouth. "Damn…they really got us that time." He looked down at Maggie, offering a hand. "Maggie! Can you stand?"

"Y-yeah…barely, I think." Hazed, the girl took Shawn's hand and helped her up. Though shaken and wobbly, the two were able to collect themselves to face their adversaries.

"It's impressive that you were able to stand after taking the full blunt." Magnus nodded. "If I had a gun, I'd shoot ya square in the heart. That's a show of respect from where I'm from."

"Thanks." Shawn labored sourly. He reached for his fencer nearby. "Guess I'd return the favor, only I have my own gun…and it's right here." He stuck the fencer out at Magnus. "We're not done yet."

Maggie nodded, picking up Jelldon.

Galilea huffed. "If you insist. But I doubt you'll prove much after this."

"We'll see." Shawn reached for his Gate Card. "Gate Card, set!" He shot the card out, making it fade in a bright ripple. 'Luke, better get ahead while you can…because if we last any longer, we're in trouble.'

---

Raptorix hollered as he sailed overhead. Hydranoid looked up, firing one of his black and purple beams to shoot him down. Raptorix tilted around and spun about, evading the dark blasts. He circled around, while Hydranoid's six eyes kept a good view of the creature gliding into a sharp dive towards him.

Cyrus smirked as he revealed an ability. "Ability activate, Vengeful Ripper!" As Raptorix descended onto his prey, the claws lengthened and glowed bright purple to dice him to shreds.

Raptorix: 800 (+300) = 1100 Alpha Hydranoid: 1200 (-300) = 900

Snapzoid: 700 Frill Abis Omega: 600

Raptorix came down raking one of its claws, but it went between two heads that dodged. The third head went to bite, but Raptorix' other hand stopped it. He swiped at the one head to cause damage, but another head rammed head on, buffering him. Raptorix lunged forward and collided with Hydranoid's saw. Sparks flared between the two as Raptorix kept slashing to wear down the spikes and saw.

"Give up, sum!" One head challenged. "You will never beat us again!" another head declared.

"Ability, activate! Extreme Chaos Leap Sting!" Alice shouted.

Hydranoid's six wings unhinged six metallic chords with fanged ends. They slunk out and opened for Raptorix, who became aware at the last second. He backpedaled from one misfire. Then another shot, which he evaded. He scowled back hoping to intimidate the hydra, but he was met with another demonic roar.

Raptorix: 1100 (-400) = 700 Alpha Hydranoid: 900 (+300) = 1200

Snapzoid: 700 Frill Abis Omega: 600

The miniheads started firing dark purple lasers, but Raptorix slashed in defense. More heads fired, quickly turning Raptorix from offense to defense. When he finished a swipe, Hydranoid roared as he shot another tendril forward, finally biting into the arm. With one appendage taken, the chords snaked around Raptorix, getting coils around the neck, stomach, and legs.

"Looks like you're a little tied up!" Hydranoid scowled.

"Alright Hydranoid, don't give him an inch!" Alice told him.

"I wouldn't dream of it!"

"Ability, activate! Destroy Vanish!" The saw on Hydranoid's center start spinning again. Raptorix was in no position to get away as the tendrils had him stuck. The scowling monster shrieked as its body was pressed against the saw, slicing and grinding into its skin and body. Quickly, as he struggled in vain, his cries further sapped his power level.

Cyrus nonchalantly scowled.

"What's with the look?" Alice challenged. "Something amusing?"

"You can say that. I'm rather…interested." Alice gave no response. "To think that you humans got this far on our new turf with such a predictable response to the call. Truly you all are fools to the ways of sentiment."

"Hey, there's nothing wrong with that!" Luke argued.

"I disagree. Your sense of comradery has lead you all to ban on one road with a dead end before the death drop. This was a one-way venture, and you came here knowing you might lose your own life for another. This side of you humans, it's the very heart that my master may yearn…but I find it to be a great puppet for administrating one's true fears."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Luke wasn't sure what he was saying. But from the sounds of it, it wasn't good.

"I mean that whatever methods my old friends used before were wrong. To face the demon, to conquer your fears…there must be no peace. You must extinguish any grief or good you have for others, so you can make the very demon your own puppet. In this case, that's your friend. Your acquaintance is the demon puppet now, used to showcase what you fear most. You don't want to lose her; she's that important to you. That's what I mean. And if you lose her…your fears will forever torment you. You will never overcome fear. Never be fear."

He looked towards Raptorix to see him still struggling. Despite this, he still smirked grimly.

"Perhaps words alone won't be enough. Maybe this shall…" he showed an ability. "Ability activate, Camo Immersion."

As Hydranoid was siphoning whatever power Raptorix would have, he was suddenly surrounded by an odd dark field. His heads got momentarily distracted as he looked around to find the cliffs and rock walls gone. "Huh?"

As he was distracted by his scenic change, the darkness claimed Raptorix as he silently vanished like a ghost. Hydranoid looked down to find his prey missing from his tendril hold.

"Where'd he go!"

"Hydranoid! Look out! He's using the area as camouflage!" Alice warned him. She looked down at her Bakumeter, only to see Raptorix' power level wasn't dropping anymore. Instead it was at 1000.

Hydranoid glared at his surroundings carefully, snarling with all three throats vibrating. He could tell he was inside and around, but where?

"This my dear Alice, is what's known as dread." Cyrus taunted. "And I intend to remind you of it."

Meanwhile, Abis and Snapzoid hissed at each other. They collided head-first into one another to take the other out, but it was getting testy.

"Maybe this shall be your sport." Zion reached his gauntlet high. "Ability, activate! Snake Bind!"

As they collided head-on, Snapzoid laced his curled tendrils around Abis' body. His hold was supported with his serpentine tongue snaking around the abdominal region. The pressure caused Abis to lose his momentum and hoisted by the eel's long tongue upwards. His power went down to 300.

"Don't gave up just yet, Abis!" Luke encouraged.

Zion lightly scoffed. "How childishly pathetic. And what does non-battle words do to help the cause, boy?"

"This will." Luke showed one more ability. "Ability, activate! Filter Cannon!"

Abis' eyes shot wide open. He glanced at Snapzoid and realized one thing – his own mouth was still able! Glaring, he hissed eerily as the frills all over him slowly flexed. Red waves rippled from Snapzoid's hold, making him weaker as the power hummed to blue energy in the membranes.

"What's this?" Zion wondered.

Abis Omega's power suddenly climbed all the way to 1000 as a charging down was heard. The three gems on the abdomen hummed and shined bright blue as it worked into the maw. He opened wide for Snapzoid as he unleashed an intense blue beam at point-blank range.

Snapzoid screeched as he was swallowed by the beam, unable to escape from such a close range. Abis continued the pressure on his foe until he couldn't take anymore. Snapzoid went to ball form, plopping towards Zion's feet.

Zion: 40%

Zion calmly looked back up, without saying much else.

"One down!" Luke declared. "Now let's help Alice and Hydranoid, pronto!"

Abis looked back and confidently nodded. "Okay!"

The death look Zion had before turned to a light grin. Behind, he reached for something long and sharp…

"Luke, be careful!" Alice warned. "Raptorix is camouflaged into the surroundings!"

"We got it. Abis, sense anything?"

The serpent and his partner glanced around to check on their options, but all they could feel was darkness around them. They glanced around as Zion pulled back his arm, looking to be holding something to launch.

"Huh?" Abis' sharp eyes caught wind of a projectile thrown. "Luke! Alice!"

Hearing his warning, the two turned forward to see a polearm head Alice's way. The Darkus girl gasped in horror as it traveled too fast for her to process.

"Alice!" Luke raced towards her, but it was gonna be close.

BAM!

A spiked tail mace swung to deflect the shot elsewhere. Alice uncovered to find the spear impaling the ground in the middle of the battlefield. She looked up towards her savior.

"Hydranoid!"

The hydra turned his three heads slowly towards the assailant, snarling with narrowed, accusing eyes. His growl was less than amusing.

Luke gasped in realization. "What was that for?!"

Zion didn't bother giving a verbal accord. He walked pass his spear and pulled it out like a weed. He reached for his battle axe and attached to the polearm. He darkly glared at Luke…a killing intent.

Luke had no choice. He pulled out his sword and swung to parry the downward blow, but the force was way more than what Luke originally handled as he almost kneeled from the force. Their eyes met with gnashing teeth from both competitors.

Soon they pulled away, but not for long. Zion adjusted. "Just because your Bakugan has won the fight doesn't mean you will."

Luke's eyes were glued in shock. 'Wait…this is what happened to Ren. He let his guard down against this guy. In that case…' Luke swung his sword sharply, veering Zion a foot.

"Yes! Finally you lot understand real life! You know there's more at stake to battles than just worlds. It's your own survival!"

"You bastard!"

Luke and Zion screamed as they clashed once again. Their swift and heavy blows were countered by sharp and accurate ones. Sword and axe sparked metal to clang with each blow. Luke dodged Zion's attacks and parried, only for Zion to use his armor to keep himself together.

"Luke!" Abis sneered at Zion's advances. He bared his fangs, ready to strike.

Cyrus smirked.

Abis felt something behind him that he didn't become away of until too late. From thin air, Raptorix pounced onto Abis', sending him into the ground.

"Abis!" Luke cried, but was trying to focus on keep his head between his shoulder.

Abis struggled as Raptorix pinned him hard. The beast went and nipped into his side, making Abis scowl. He lashed his tail into the side, knocking Raptorix away. With room, Abis flexed his frills once more and went for another swift lash of his tail.

"Ability activate…Violent Razor!" Raptorix's eyes glimmered as his wing edging sharpened along with his tail and claws on the hands and toes alike this time. Abis pulled away in time when Raptorix went to slash him. He slunk and dodged the swipes and the advances, being sure to not get diced.

Raptorix: 1000 Alpha Hydranoid: 1200

Frill Abis Omega: 1000 (-400) = 600

Abis went to evade and slipped around a slash, actually getting his massive body airborne. He went for a vertical swing and his long tail came down, only for Raptorix to swipe his sharper tail, cutting Abis out of the air and sundering hard.

With his opponent pinned down, Raptorix closed in for the kill. He raised his claw one more time, this time making sure Abis would stay down. He screeched with all primal rage as the momentum enhanced for him.

BAM!

Another tail mace swung into his gut, grounding the Bakugan in his place. The tail swung back around to reveal Hydranoid making his move once again, scowling venomously in Abis' defense. He stepped in his way to take on the menacing Bakugan himself.

Alice swiped her arm. "Don't worry guys, we'll cover for you!"

"Alice!" Luke ducked and jumped in succession from Zion's assaults. He sidestepped and got around to swing at the ribcage, where the armor was supposedly thin. The shock was absorbed by the armor, but it buffered Zion.

Alice glared forward, her own rivaling Hydranoid. "Let's finish this."

Hydranoid roared in succession. Raptorix got up on the other side of the field as Cyrus sneered.

"You're both pretty abrasive Bakugan, I admire that. Given your recent reputations, I expect no less from worthy opponents as yourselves." His eyes dilated. "But…can you take more?" His Bakumeter showed another ability – a forbidden one.

Alice glared ahead skeptically. "It's that card again…" Hydranoid scowled at the ability that was about to be played.

"Let's get started then, shall we?" Cyrus lifted his arm higher, making all the air grow silent. The darkness around them thickened to a pitch-black.

BA-DUMP!

A menacing dark aura surrounded Cyrus as he glared at his opponents with a pulsating pressure. A shockwave ran through the area as he prepared to strike. "Ability activate, Diablo-X!"

A bright core appeared on Raptorix' front that expelled chords all over the body. They quickly faded into the body, leaving a second to pause. Once a second passed, another heartbeat came from Raptorix, who was covered in pulsing veins. Luke and Alice were shocked as they felt an astounding negative energy eruption from the Bakugan. He lurched as a pillar of dark purple erupted skywards, swallowing Raptorix inside.

---

As Luka raced towards the dissipated green energy in the distance, his eyes shot open wider when he felt an astounding pressure that made him slide to a stop. "What is this…no, it can't be…" From the direction he came from, a faint dark purple pillar echoed into the skies. He turned around and gawked at the intimidating light in the distance. "Another battle?"

"H'oh boy. Well isn't this a show." Brontes chimed. "…you feel that?"

"Yeah, I do." His face scrunched in anger. "That pressure, that has to be him. If he's fighting, then…." He trailed off as he could only imagine one good reason.

---

Hydranoid was staring down a pillar of black and purple completely engulfing his opponent. All that could be seen inside were pulsing red eyes with a demonic low growl reverberating through the ground. Rocks defied brevity and reduced to dust as airwaves continuously pulsed.

Raptorix: 1000 (+1500) = 2500 Alpha Hydranoid: 1200

Frill Abis Omega: 600

"Alice! Let's go!" Hydranoid declared, his three heads roaring.

"Right!" Alice activated her purple Bakumeter again. "Stand back guys, double ability activate! Terminal Barrage, plus Fusion Ability, Final Destruction!" Alpha Hydranoid was engulfed in his attributed aura was he spread his six wings.

Zion and Luke continued their epic clash, pivoting and parrying blows. If either looked away for a second, they could end up dead. Luke had to keep fighting to keep Alice from getting hurt.

"Alice! Do it!" Luke bunted to block the spear end on the staff from impaling his face.

Alice nodded and reached out. "Go, Hydranoid!" At her command, all three heads roared and charged spheres of energy inside. They reeled forward, firing intense dark volleys that blazed across the atmosphere.

The attack made impact with Raptorix' pillar barrier, turning everything to white. From a bird's eye view, there was a white burst from below the crevice valleys that suddenly erupted into a white flare. The deafening roars of the barrage Hydranoid unleashed ran shockwaves everywhere to make everyone take cover. Luke used his sword to shield from the light as Zion turned towards the blast. Cyrus held arms behind his back as he stared calmly at the shockwaves and bright burst. As it raised, he seemed even more elated.

"Such force…"

Raptorix: 2500 (-500) = 2000 Alpha Hydranoid: 1200 (+500 +600) = 2300

Frill Abis Omega: 600

From the dissipating white flare, Raptorix fell backwards, streams of dissipating darkness fading like steam around his body. He glowed his attribute color before hitting the ground, falling to Cyrus' feet.

Cyrus: 40%

The roars of the attack finally dissipated, allowing Hydranoid and Abis to return to Alice and Luke respectively.

Zion snorted and raised his battle axe over his shoulder. "Alright, you all ain't half-bad after all."

Luke held his sword to strike. "So you intend to actually hurt us other than Abis and Hydranoid?"

"This is war, boy. Everyone gets hurt. That's the sacrifice that those who are dragged into our reality must make. If you aren't prepared to die, then might I suggest finding a place to hide…but then you'd be snuffed out anyway."

"Ren's in the infirmary because of you!"

"And who's fault is that really? Did you come to us to play nice, or did you come with the intention to kill us to end our ways?"

Luke grunted. To some degree he couldn't deny what Zion was saying. Before he wasn't intending on killing soldiers, or anybody for that matter. But his resolves weren't outweighed by his own securities. There was no telling per se how he'd process it if he had to actually kill…but he knew this road he took would eventually lead down that path. Now was just one of those instances.

"So…what will you do? I'm waiting."

Luke had to think, and he needed to fast. He turned towards Alice with a Gate Card. "Alice, we need to finish this."

Alice looked at Luke's card and back. "You sure?"

"Trust me. If they're going to try and attack us, we have to be prepared. Let's give them a lasting fight."

"Okay."

Cyrus bitterly grinned. "I can smell their desperation…it's indistinguishable. I'm starting to get elated." He held up Raptorix. "Shall we?"

Luke threw the Gate Card. "Gate Card, set!" The card flew into the center, emanating a blue ripple. "Alright Abis, you ready?"

"I'm not done yet, Luke. Don't doubt that!" the serpent declared.

"Got it! Then let's go! Bakugan, brawl! Abis, stand!" In a tandem of coils, Abis spiraled upwards into battle, screeching with flexed frills.

"Hydranoid, let's knock them down for good this time." He closed his ball form. Alice clutched and tossed him in. "Bakugan, brawl! Hydranoid, stand!" In demonic fashion, the three-headed beast bellowed in all his glory.

"Bakugan, brawl! Snapzoid, stand!" Snapzoid arose with a scowling growl of his own.

Cyrus flicked Raptorix with his thumb and seized him in midair. "Bakugan, brawl! Raptorix, stand!" In a dusk-filled haze, Raptorix screeched out.

Raptorix: 800 Alpha Hydranoid: 900

Snapzoid: 700 Frill Abis Omega: 600

"Let's brawl!" Luke picked up his sword, charging at Zion with all his might. Beside him, Abis slithered after Snapzoid.

Zion smirked maliciously as he raised his axe, his Bakugan opening his gaping mouth to s=meet his adversary in the center.

---

In and out. In and out. That's all that Esther could do. For what felt likes ages now, she's been focusing on her breathing; she needed it be as calm as it possibly could if she's to not panic. But the predicament she was in now made it hard to breathe in general. The chords that were starting to leave burn marks in her skin had already numbed a large amount of her muscle. She could barely move nor struggle, but nevertheless stayed calm.

Walking towards her, Riaan chose to make conversation with her. "All is well I take it?"

Esther opened her eyes, taking a look at the monster. Her glare was as cold as a tundra.

"The silent treatment, fine by me. It's your own choice after all." He grinned. "I just came by to check on things. I must say, you're doing well so far resisting. Any normal man would've fallen so quickly. It seems battling against forbidden energy has helped you build up a strong resistance and sensory towards it."

Esther ignored the commentary, her glare hardening with signs of wear.

"Suppose you'd rather wait it out a little longer, that is also fine." Riaan started in one direction. "But you now, everything and everyone has their breaking points. It isn't difficult to reach for them, to push them…but it's even harder to hide them. Unless many who I have met, humans I have found to have the most common abuse in breaking points."

Esther moved her chin down. "Yet…you've lived amongst us. Are you saying the human heart you've copied hasn't been registered into you? You spoke of human wills before…how you admire them. That will, comes from our hearts' desires to live on."

Riaan raised a brow. "So you were listening. I see."

Esther growled.

"Yes, while I do envy the hearts of man, I also find their compassion to be a gift and a curse. Cyrus has always talked about the heartlessness of strength, that in order to achieve power, you must let go of everything you hold dear. So let me ask you this Esther, when you took your friend's place and fell to us…is that a sense of letting go?"

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that your sacrifice towards us, as contradictory as it sounds, it doesn't change the fact that you're now here. What does that say about you? Is it a sign that you realized your inferiority to your friend, that you have lost faith in yourself?"

Esther looked outraged by his accusation. "What? Of course not."

"That may ir may not be true, but I can see that blatant truth like I was. Admit it, Esther…compared to everyone you know, you're the weakest."

Esther's eyes shot wide, her breathing turning erratic for just one instance. That's when the pain sharpened, causing her to shriek from the burns trying to dig ever so deeper. Riaan watched contently as Esther's reaction was a clear indication of what he said.

After a minute of fighting, Esther panted heavily, trying to catch her breath. Her eyes weakly opened, a haze filling her. "What…are you saying…?"

"I meant what I said, Esther. You are weak. Unlike your so-called friends." Riaan reiterated.

Esther was flabbergasted, but she only showed through a scowl. Weak? She couldn't possibly be. She's made it so far with everyone to where they are now. How could he deem her as inferior?

"I'm not just talking about your battling record, I mean by measuring your personality, the way to act. You think that your overall power is the only thing that I've been accounting for all this time? After careful studying of every one of you, you're the most insecure of her position. Unlike the others, your faith has not been most kind to you. Have you even considered where you stand amongst your peers as of late?"

"I don't see what that has to do with a mislead inferiority complex." Esther denied.

Riaan raised his fingers. "Then perhaps this will." With a snap, holographic projections showed themselves around Esther. Each projection showed a different past battle, and they all included one thing.

"What's this?"

Riaan grinned. "Something that I've been carefully making for a while now. This compilation shows all your friends in their own battles, but there was something about you I've taken to account…exactly of all these battles have you seen yourself and Atchibee alone?"

Esther looked up at the monitors to see what Riaan meant. They were true. When she thought about it, there have been only a few battles where Atchibee had to handle herself, and even then they were rough – it was shown she saw the Interacia battle against Ariella and Xander. And before that, all she could see were fights where she was with Maggie and Luke.

"I can see that you're strong." Riaan continued. "You have become an excellent contender in this ongoing struggle between our kind's clash…and I thank you for that fight. But now that you're knee-deep in dark waters, ask yourself this: Who are you fighting for at this point?"

"Who I'm…fighting for?" Something about how he but it was leaving a blank in her mind. Normally she wouldn't wanna her what a monster like him would have to say, but in the state she was in, she couldn't turn away.

Before she fell too deep another harsh sting constraint her. She grunted as all feeling went numb for a moment. "Gnnngh…for…the Bakugan." She spat. "And…my friends."

"So you say." He snapped his fingers, forcing all the screens to change to one person. "But I think this speaks for itself."

"Luke!" Esther saw all the images in the holograms; each and every one of them showcased either him or the two paired in a battle.

"Take a step and look back at it. From the beginning, you were always the one ahead. You were the one who picked him up and affirmed yourself. You were the leader, the strongest. But deep down you knew you couldn't do this alone. It was all like that until I imploded Thermosphere onto itself. Then everything changed. Luke got stronger, while you never went anywhere. As he started finding his way to power, and when his way proved to be superior, you gave up everything to follow him instead of your own way. He turned from the weakest to strongest; everyone has…all but you."

Esther tuned into the holograms to see all the battle progressions Luke has. From the beginning with their first brawl, to battling Maximus and Xander in Thermosphere's darkest chambers. After their training on the island, Luke showed more signs of progression. To beating Xander and Ariella on his own, to winning back her faith on Earth and gaining more power. Leading up to Vestal, where they fought in Empyrean and beat Rogue Zero.

Esther was feeling her strength deplete more by the second. Riaan's words of her weakness were starting to edge into her mind, and it wasn't letting up so easily.

"Can you really push on for just their sake? For his sake…when you don't even have the power in yourself to do so. You gave yourself up knowing your place…but I can help you. Help you gain the power that you so need to faith in yourself."

"No…I can't…Luke…Atchibee…"

"You're all alone. Your friends aren't here. That faith you have? It's not reciprocated…" he narrowed his eyes. "And that's why they're coming here, to get you."

Esther gasped. Her body stung again from the shock.

She recovered, but she was panting from the wear on her mind. "They…they wouldn't…"

"On the contrary." With another snap of his fingers, all the screens changed to the current battles happening. Each one showed her friends and their Bakugan in vicious hands-on brawls against their opponents. Her gaze immediately fell onto Luke's fight as he was slashing at Zion.

Her blue eyes shrunk in horror. "No…"

He dispelled the screens and closed in on her face. "You see? Your comrades are going to risk their lives to save you. How does that make you feel, knowing that they aren't trusting you enough to let you figure out a way back to them? How does it feel…knowing they will all die…because it was your fault."

Esther's blue eyes were staring blankly into space. As she watched the fights, she could see how Luke and Abis, no matter how tired they were, were putting up one hell of a fight against opponents she lost to. Everyone was fighting, when she should've been beside them. But no, instead Alice was fighting with Luke.

The more it sunk in, the more she realized what Riaan said…it was all true.

Everything. She couldn't hold up in a fight of her own life at stake. When she fought Xander and Ariella initially, it wasn't her who beat them – that was all Luke and Abis. They came to her rescue when she was initially in the lead. Now she was left behind, and deep down, she knew behind her cold mask she had, she was still nothing but a religious weakling who sung prayers for forgiveness. What strength she had physically and mentally was outdated, and now everyone's stepping up because of their own accords, pushed by one person. Unlike the others, she hasn't changed.

Shawn's friendship with Luke became even more genuine. Maggie began taking matters seriously. Shuji bucked up. Heck even Jase started to open up to more than just facts alone. And what about her? She just changed faiths to another source and not herself. That weakness never went away…that's probably why she's here now.

She looked over, Seeing Atchibee unresponsive. "Atchibee…"

"I will give you the power you need…all you have to do…is let go."

Esther's eyes turned hazy as her resistance was like a crumbling wall. The burns on her returned with scorching chords engraving into her cells. The girl let out a violent scream that echoed into the chamber. And this time, Riaan wasn't seeing any restraint.

He smirked. 'And it looks like…we have an extra piece to add to our side now.'

---

Atmos ascended overhead as Jase activated two overlaying abilities on his Bakumeter. "Double ability, activate! Tailwind, plus Float World!" Atmos shrilled a cry as he flapped his wings. A strong cyclone picked up around him, enveloping him and Fly Beetle in a draft that was seemingly coming from underground. Afterwards, a green aura enveloped the falcon as the ground all around turned to puffy green clouds. His propellers whipped around, making him glide skywards to even greater heights beyond the clouds as his power sharply went up to 1300.

Lucia closed her eyes. "I saw that technique. Impressive though it may be…" She held up a forbidden ability again. "It's not enough."

Shuji glared daggers. 'Not on our watch you don't.'

"Ability, activate! Lens-X!" A bright core enveloped Lumitroid's eye, causing the chords to engrave around the skin. They pulsed veins, making the eye dilate as a light lens with great magnitudes started materializing.

"Not so fast!" Shuji declared. "Ability activate, Horn Blitzer!"

Fly Beetle dug his heels into the ground and roared mightly. His power shot up to 1100 thanks to Tailwind's effects. His horn glowed bright orange and he shot like a missile into the lens. Like a rock to glass window, the lens shattered as time slowed down for everyone.

"We're not falling for that one!" Shuji declared angrily.

Lucia met him with a scowl of her own before glancing over. "He's in position. Do it!"

"Hmph. Don't tell me what to do." Amina grunted arrogantly. "Fine, ability activate! Hyper Gush!" Nastix faced Fly Beetle and angrily gurgled. The repulsive slime reared his head back, unleashing a spiraling tidal surge from below that spilled towards his foes.

Nastix: 700 (+400) = 1100 Stag Fly Beetle: 1100 (-400) = 700

Lumitroid: 700 Gale Atmos: 1300 (-400) = 900

Fly Beetle was meters away when he heard the sounds of rushing water from the side. Taking action, he took flight in time to avoid a flowing gush wall that protected Lumitroid. He used the updrafts to help his ascent quicker so he could overlook the raging water where Nastix swirled in the center.

"They will attack back, and then I shall activate the Gate Card. That's when they will make their next move. Understand?" Lucia told Amina.

"Hmph, whatever. I got it." Amina smugly smirked as she reached out. "Knock them down!" Nastix gurgled as he unleashed the squall skywards. The attack became a cyclone that was going to swallow them.

Atmos braced himself. "Jase."

With light brimming on his glasses. He swiped his arm to the side. "Ability, activate! Vacuum Turmoil!"

Atmos cawed as he tilted his form. The propellers generated a strong cyclone that shot down and expanded in front of himself and Fly Beetle. The whirlpool-shaped funnel spun counterclockwise while the clockwise swirl of water rushed into it. It traveled down the center, until finally swirling into the same direction it came from mixed with the winds.

Nastix: 1100 (-400 -400 -100 -100) = 100 Stag Fly Beetle: 700 (+400) = 1100

Lumitroid: 700 (-400 -100 -100) = 100 Gale Atmos: 900 (+400 +100 +100) = 1500

The large-scale downward cyclone ran through the air into the enemy Bakugan. Both Nastix and Lumitroid were engulfed in a vicious tidal wave like a coastal hurricane. Wind and rain mixed together to force Amina and Lucia to cover up again.

Meanwhile, the damp winds withered into the rocky terrain all around. The soil became damp as rocks wedged in crevices moved about slightly.

Lucia powered through the winds and glared her foes down. "Gate Card, open! Silent Land!" The card activated, causing a paralyzing glow to shine beneath the raging winds and water. They settled in, while an unknown pressure paralyzed Fly Beetle. "Now you cannot activate abilities." She declared. Suddenly she got another vision in her mind. All she saw was a large explosion, engulfing everything within rocks. 'Wait, is this by our doing?'

Atmos' caws knocked her out of her trance. Looking up, both noticed how Atmos was still jolted upright and gliding thanks to the propeller blades on his wings.

"My apologies, but thanks to my Float World ability, Gate Card effects cannot reach Gale Atmos." Jase corrected.

"Ugh, like annoying!" Amina whined. "Fine. Let's see your little tricks stop the effects of my little weapon." She started tapping into her Bakumeter again, typing in the code needed.

"Ready, Prozar."

The matter materialized over the Bakumeter and she seized it. "Battlegear Boost!" She tossed it onto Nastix, recreating the mechanized nuclear cannon once more. Its power level went up to 200.

She pulled up another ability. "Now then. Suppose its time we wrap this up. I'm tired, and I want to have a nice map before my pedicure."

The air around them started to get heavy as any semblance of dust started to diminish around Amina. A pulse wave expelled outwards, leaving a blank space. Nastix started growling as an intense pressure built up around the Bakugan's aura.

"Ability, activate! Neo Glowcer-X!" A bright purple core appeared and engulfed Nastix. The chords went all around and infused into the body, leaving a dark blue aura to give off horrendous vibes on him. With a loud gurgle, Nastix expelled an ectoplasmic, crackling forcefield in all directions. The dirt was electrocuted by nuclear energy as it raced towards Atmos and Fly Beetle.

Lucia narrowed her eyes and glared at her foes. "Ability activate, Cluster Brace!" Lumitroid's claws fired twin yellow beams through the plasmatic wave, intensifying the lightning produced inside to make a yellow and blue shockwave rage ahead.

Nastix: 200 (+550 +550 +500) = 1800 Fly Beetle: 1100 (-550) = 550

Lumitroid: 100 (+200) = 300 Gale Atmos: 1500 (-750 -200) = 550

Jase showed an ability as he calmly faced the impending death wave ahead of him. "I know you've very sportive today, Shuji. But I hope you don't mind sharing the spotlight a little."

"Heh, whatever you say co-star." Shuji teased.

"I prefer to think myself as a director, thank you very much." He raised his Bakumeter as a new ability activated. "Ability activate, Typhoon Splice!"

Atmos unleashed another cry as he unleashed another blade-like storm. The shredding green air currents grazed across the ground and funneled at the nuclear attack. The Gate Card shattered like glass and the fragments were picked up in the splicing funnel. They were buffered against the plasmatic field to create a maelstrom that that sent everything in the vicinity into a mess.

Nastix: 1800 (-1550) = 250 Fly Beetle: 550

Lumitroid: 300 (-50) = 250 Gale Atmos: 550

The winds flourished haphazardly around the area. The plasma and card shrapnel went in all directions, even enough to buffer Amina and Lucia, the former growing more irritated as her hair was dampening. The psychic on the other hand was losing her own patience. 'This can't go on much longer! We must defeat them now!'

'This must be it! Neither of us can make much more of this.' Jase observed stoutly. He looked over to see his opponents having anxious expressions on their faces. 'And it would appear they agree as well.' "Shuji!"

"Yeah, I know! Fly Beetle!" To his accordance, the insect roared mightly.

Amina sneered as she swiped her arm, activating an ability. "Battlegear Ability, activate! Prozar Nuclear!" Nastix charged up his nuclear cannon, pouring his plasmatic energy into the canister. It started producing a strong hum.

Shuji planted his left foot forward and glared. "That's what you think! Time for the big guns! Ability activate, Pincer Phalanx!" The mandibles on Fly Beetle had brown static connect them as they separated for an obtuse angle. The brown tips glowed bright orange with power.

At the same time, both Bakugan unleashed massive photon and nuclear beams at their targets. The cannon discharged a massive plasmatic pulse, whereas a gargantuan orange blast fired from the mandibles, obliterating part of the earth beneath. The two assaults collided into each other with a force to shatter the sound barrier. A pillar of bright blue with orange outlining it swallowed up everything in the vicinity. It created a bright visage that blinded everyone. Amina, Lucia, even Shuji were stunned as they couldn't see anything.

The vibrations of the attack was creating a powerful draft that caused the earlier formations of rocks to finally crack apart, The valley started crumbling down around them. Fissures started breaking away.

"Shuji! This has gone far enough!" Jase ordered. "Quickly!"

"I know!" Shuji turned towards his partner. "Fly Beetle, time to split!" Acquiescing, Fly Beetle went and picked up Shuji and took off. Atmos glided across the ground, scooping up Jase in a similar fashion. The two faced the bright burst of energy and darted right for it.

"There's only a small gap, so let's not misuse it." Jase informed.

"Trust me, Jase. Like a bullet through a barrel." Atmos countered.

"Well said." He lifted his Bakumeter to showcase an ability. "Ability activate, Draft Cannon!" Atmos opened his maw as a bright green glow came from the jewels on his chest. The energy started traveling up into the beak, where a powerful green surge was dragging in winds currents from all around. The Tailwind from earlier made the vacuum even more pressurized and sharp. Once ready, he fired a green beam surrounded by a whirling tempest that shot clean through the explosion, literally putting a hole right through it for their escape.

"Go!"

They all nodded. Full speed ahead, they shot through the narrow tunnel into the other side. They used the eruption as cover. They glided over the falling rocks, whereas Amina and Lucia were stuck.

"WHAT'S HAPPENING?! THOSE INSECTS ARE RUINING MY MEKEUP!" Amina outraged. A boulder dropped beside her, startling her.

"Amina, we have ten seconds! Hurry, they're heading west!" Lucia informed.

"Tch, fine!"

Their Bakugan retreated to ball form and seized them. Lucia looked up to see a massive slab coming down on them. They teleported just before it came down like thunder.

From the distance, the rumbling couldn't be mislead. The entire section of the canyon came down like a landslide. Rocks dropped and rolled like flies and tires into a massive mess that spread for half a mile.

Up ahead, Shuji looked back at the valley of stone and dust that was freshly carved by their onslaught. "Man…that was a close one…" he looked forward. "You think we lost them?"

"For the time being anyway." Jase informed. "That landslide had to have been created from all the attacks that have been done. The narrow passages should close off the area from any Bakugan that have been attracted in the far back we might have missed."

"Heh, guess a lucky break for us." Shuji scoffed.

"Don't jinx us just yet. Let's find cover."

"Got it. Full speed ahead, Fly Beetle!" The insect and falcon glided to cover far in the depths of the dark canyons.

---

"Bakugan, brawl! Prime Verias, stand!" Shawn threw Verias in, making him explode into a primal roar.

"Okay Jelldon, let's go." Maggie tossed him in next. "No mercy this time! Bakugan, brawl! Glow Jelldon, stand!" A red glow spouted dozens of tentacles before Jelldon arose.

But this time, when Maggie said no mercy, she meant it.

"And for insurance, ability activate! Wall Flame!" Jelldon's six eyes flashed red before a spout of flames erupted high overhead. They rained down into streaming blazes that made a cage of fire surrounding the battlefield.

Galilea looked at the quick ability skeptically. "And what might that do?"

"Why would I spoil the surprise?" Maggie quipped. "After all, you guys sure have a lot of those up your sleeves."

Magnus scoffed at her backlash. "You've got quite the mouth there young lady. Alright." He pulled up Glotronoid and tossed him in. "If you wanna keep fiddling, then so be it! Bakugan, brawl!"

Galilea huffed as she pulled up Buz Hornix. "Bakugan, brawl!"

Both Bakugan shot into the flaming cage, their ball forms getting burned from the ability's effects. When they turned to their original forms, they both stood, but were slightly buffered.

Buz Hornix: 800 (-200) = 600 Prime Verias: 600

Glotronoid: 700 (-200) = 500 Glow Jelldon: 600

Galilea saw the scores and glared. 'I see now. Bakugan who aren't Pyrus attributed entering will lose some of their power. Won't matter in the end.'

Maggie went again for another card. "We better end this, now! Ability activate, Bolting Sun!" Jelldon brought his tentacles together to cup the center of a plasma fireball coming from the gel packets on the tendrils. The energy transmitted into a large, sun-like orb that crackled with red lightning and shot it at Buz Hornix as his power went up to 1100.

Galilea supplied a counter. "Ability activate, Hive Wall!" Buz Hornix shrieked as her power level went up by 400, putting her at 1000. Green hexagonal barriers materialized in front of her to create a large wall that took the fireball attack. It was able to fully block the barrage, though it did buffer Buz Hornix again.

"That won't be enough to take down us!" Maggie declared.

"We'll see. You've been a very disrespectful consumer…and we know how to deal with people like you."

Shawn responded to her comment by making an ability of his own. "Ability activate, Primera Pressure!" Verias had a bright aura engulf his body as he let out a loud roar, increasing his power level to 1000.

Magnus countered with his own ability. "Ability activate, Jag Spartan!" Glotronoid's arm spikes shimmered before enlarging into powerful, long blades that crossed in front of him. His power went up to 900, but Verias dropped back to 600.

Regardless of that, the two Bakugan went into another epic clash again. Close-range combat ensued as Verias parried his axe swings with Glotronoid's blades. It was a rapid succession of sparks and metal setting off an acrobatic barrage by either competitor. Verias ducked from a vertical swipe and went for a knee kick, which dropped Glotronoid to a knee. He ran up and stepped on the stomach to flip-kick him along the neck, sending the lizard onto his back.

'These guys…they have a crazy amount of stamina. I must be their Gundalian genes fused with these enhanced cards.' Verias' eyes widened before he picked up on metal crossing in front. He got the staff up in time to avoid a direct X-shaped slash to the face, but the force made him double over and slide back to a knee. "Damn." He growled.

Back with Galilea's onslaught, she activated another ability. "Ability activate, Compound Brace!" Green electrity crackled between Buz Hornix' mandibles and fired a streaking green blast of electricity at Jelldon, this reduced his power level down to 900.

"Ability, activate!" Maggie countered. "Hot Flash!" Jeldon's body exploded with a red-orange flare expelling all around his surroundings. The radiation waves instantly vaporized the green static and reached Buz Hornix. The Bakugan let out a pained groan as a wave of heat was draining her power level.

Buz Hornix: 1000 (-300) = 700 Prime Verias: 600

Glotronoid: 900 Glow Jelldon: 900 (+200) = 1100

"Keep up the pressure guys! You're doing great!" Maggie encouraged.

Verias and Glotronoid continued their dynamic clash. Metal grazed against one another. They passed each other as their metal slid over and under. They pivoted and slammed their blades in arches. Verias swung but Glotronoid evaded, allowing him to swipe. Verias jumped and backflipped to dodge.

"You're out of your league, fool." Magnus scolded.

"That's what you think." Shawn showed one more ability. "But we're not out just yet. Verias, let's go!"

"Ready!" the ape tightened his hold on the axe.

"Ability, activate! Kingdom Gladiator!" The purple jewels on the end of the axes began glowing a dim yellow light in their center. That light was in the purple gem at his base abdomen. The metal it was attached to slowly lit up with a bright glow, tracing to every part of the armor that had golden brimming. The smooth emeralds on the joints all glowed a bright yellow, leading up to the crown jewel shining the brightest light. At that moment, he let out a gurgling, bloodcurdling howl that stretched far and wide as an eruption of glossy aura enveloped his body. The silver ends of his axes glistened with the same kind of golden energy, making the ends grow immensely.

Buz Hornix: 700 Prime Verias: 600 (+500) = 1100

Glotronoid: 900 (-500) = 400 Glow Jelldon: 1100

Glotronoid chose to close the gap one more time, but this time, Verias was ready. As Glotronoid brought his arm back to strike, the ape's eyes glossed towards the other end. He vanished in a split second, evading the swipe. For a moment it was quiet and suspenseful, but like a ghost in a horror movie, Verias struck from out of the blue, swinging his axe in a gargantuan glossy yellow shockwave that blew Glotronoid away, along with a large sum of earth in a trail that lead pass Magnus and Galilea.

The two Hades Pillars were rendered stunned as both their Bakugan plundered into the earth with painful thuds. Their opponents watched them with careful precision and postures in case they get up for another attack.

Shawn and Maggie offered no verbal recognitions. They were dead focused on winning this.

"Alright, we ain't surviving like this." Magnus outraged. "Yo, Galilea, girl, ready to get even?"

"Please try to be more formal with me when speaking, Magnus. Thank you very much." The Ventus associate dully warned. "But yes, I've grown tired of this. I can't believe they've pushed us to this far…so I say we reward them."

Together they pulled out more forbidden cards similar to what they used before. The air around them blackened further as a heartbeat pulsed beneath, eradicating all dust around them. At the same time, they activated.

Shawn's brow furrowed. He had a feeling it would come down to this.

"Ability, activate-!"

"Judgement-X!"

"Prominence-X!"

The bright cores faded into their bodies as quickly as they came. Pulsing veins eroded on Glotronoid and Buz Hornix as their eyes glowed bright magenta. The air flashed around them as a strong tremor arose from below. The ground was violently shaking as rocks started defying gravity, whereas green energy began gathering from the area into the hexagonal pattern on Buz Hornix' abdomen.

"You feel that, Jelldon?" Verias asked.

"Yeah, sure do." He answered bravely. "I can feel the negative energy crawling around."

"Then we've gotta move, pronto." He looked over his shoulder. "Shawn!"

"Wait for it…" the Haos battler halted.

The accents of Glotronoid glowed bright, contrasting his dark body coating. The pressure continued building up as crackling magenta energy flourished beneath them both, giving them the power they needed to destroy their foes.

"NOW!" He finally reached out. "Gate Card, open! Darkus Battle Audience!"

Another shockwave and a dense magenta beam shot at Verias and Jelldon, who seemed wary at the time. Rather than panic, the Gate Card beneath them shined and suddenly enveloped everything into a dark realm. The colors that mashed together were like the former Darkus dimension of Vestroia – perfect for what they had planned. Their Bakugan thus began changing attributes with the card, altering their body colors. Verias' white fur turned completely black, while the cream claws and toes turned gray. The green gems on the body altered to being red, as did the eyes. The leaves had turned purple. Meanwhile, Jelldon's red skin turned black, while the eyes change into the former color. The yellow on his body turned to purple, including the tentacles. The gel sacs had turned pink.

The attacks rolled into them, but before they knew it, they vanished like ghosts before they made contact. What's more is that by the time they reached their spots, they dissipated into thin air.

"What now?!" Magnus irritably questioned.

Galilea looked stunned at the fast move Shawn played. "Darkus Battle Audience…a Command Card that changes the battle environment and all Bakugan on their side to the attribute of their choosing."

"You don't say…"

"What's more…is that it also nullifies all the opponents' abilities, and subtracts 500 Gs from each Bakugan that don't have that same attribute. Which means…"

The magenta gravity around both Bakugan faded away, leaving them as disoriented and confused beings. Their power levels were so low that it was almost impossible to even move, but oddly nothing else was happening.

Magnus looked around skeptically. He was waiting for an ambush by the enemy Bakugan, but he wasn't getting anything.

Galilea began getting an odd feeling down her back from the awkward silence. "Where did they go…?" She turned forward. "What's going on he-?!"

SHING!

In a flash, Shawn slid along the dirt at an angle as he passed Galilea with his fencer sticking out. A skewer mark was in her Bakumeter, causing the screen to turn blank.

"AH!" she squealed.

"Galilea!" Magnus saw the damage done in the darkness, but he also felt something move between his legs…and it wasn't something he liked. He turned around and saw Maggie slipped behind as well, using the Gate Card to her advantage as well. "What the hell is going on here?!"

"It's called strategy." Shawn countered. "I wish I could explain it to you, but it's better for us that you're the ones duped for once."

Galilea looked at her wrist in horror as her Bakumeter was sliced into. And since she needed it for most of her necessities, she was a sitting duck. "You can't…"

"All's fair in love and war." Maggie snarked. From within the darkness a tentacle reached out to grab her. She happily accepted and stepped onto it. "Hate to break things to you, but we learned there's more than one way to win a fight. Let's go, guys."

A hand reached out, allowing Shawn to step on it. "Yeah." The hand retreated with Shawn on it. The tentacles swept Maggie off as well.

"Wait-!" Galilea reached out to stop them, but she was too late. Their foes that vanished in the darkness. This left Galilea perplexed to a laughable degree. "I don't…how did they…?"

Magnus ran his fingers through his dreadlocks. "Well shoot." He whistled amazed. "Looks like they got away…now we're really gonna get a death wish from his grace." He glanced at Galilea. "Otherwise, you."

As the darkness of the battlefield began lifting to reveal their Bakugan returning to ball form due to the battle terminated, Galilea couldn't process it. Her Bakugan just plopped into her empty hand, on her side it looked, like it went through some sort of hell. She was in charge of this plan. She coordinated who shall take on what opponents based on their battling skills and abilities. She thought the operation would work for once.

But no. Like all business ventures, there are some who make no sales and damage the reputation.

Her fist slowly clutched her Buz Hornix, her face turning stone cold emotionless for what's to come.

---

A clash of metal elsewhere made shimmering sparks crackle onto the ground between the fancy footwork of Luke and Zion. Their constant collision of blades flourished a dance – a deadly samba. They had to read their movements carefully; each strike at this point counts. One misstep, one wrong reading, and the dance would fall short a partner.

This dance was symbiotic towards their Bakugan. Coils and fangs battled it out with the works of serpentine. Abis snapped his jaws, but hastily pulled back before Snapzoid's serpent tongue lashed.

Luke and Zion finally broke from their hold on one another. The elated killer of a warrior had a dark chastity written all over his face. He yearned for this. An actual opponent. Someone who can hold a blade just like he. If anything Luke intrigued him the most, if only he was more assertive, but he was too cautious and serious…and that makes the game all the more relishing for him. It just means his thrill can last that much longer. He broke away from his ambitions to get to business. "Ability, activate! Verity Fire!"

Snapzoid sneered at Abis Omega as he pulled away. His gaping mouth expelled another bellow before expelling a pressurized funnel of fire.

Luke's Bakumeter showed an ability of his own. "Ability, activate! Frill Rippler!" Abis' glare narrowed as he widened his flexed frills. They took the fire, but on impact it was bounced back. What's more, blue ripple-like shockwaves made the funnel of flames expand further into a spiraling heat wave that struck Snapzoid hard, putting him in the dirt again.

Raptorix: 800 Alpha Hydranoid: 900

Snapzoid: 700 (-400 -200) = 100 Frill Abis Omega: 600 (+200) = 800

Zion smirked. "Turning my power against me. Either you must be clever or that's how you fight. Because either way, one way, them defenses will break like glass!"

Luke braced his sword. "Then we'll hold it up for as long as it takes!"

Raptorix cawed as he glared down Hydranoid. One of the heads snapped the jaws, only for Raptorix to evade by going skywards. The hydra looked up and sprouted his wings to chase after the being.

"Be careful. Even the prettiest amongst roses has the sharpest thorns." Cyrus sagely input. "Ability activate, Dusk Plight!"

Once he was high enough in the air, Raptorix scowled down at the incoming hydra. Its body became outlined in dark purple and turned translucent. He was almost camouflaged almost entirely aside from the ghastly outline. He dove down at Hydranoid, cawing like a sick animal as he went straight through him, like a ghost.

"GWAH!" However, this ghost was of another kind. Fazing through matter really mattered to others. And to Hydranoid, his power harshly dropped to 400.

"Hydranoid!" Alice shrieked.

Cyrus hummed amusingly.

Hydranoid looked around to see where the ghost could've gone. He snarled, but his scowling didn't help him when a cold but sharp wake came up from beneath, fazing through him again. This paralyzed him momentarily for the beast to dive once again, fazing back the way he came, only serving to Hydranoid's plight.

"Humans are said to believe in ghosts, is that true?" Cyrus questioned, his tone hanging on a morbid note. "So then tell me…do you believe in ghosts?"

"KRAAAAH!" Raptorix fazed through the back this time, finally sapping away enough of Hydranoid's spirit to make him fall back down. He crashed on his back with enough force to cause shockwaves that made everyone almost fall over.

Hydranoid groaned, but a hard force caused him to yell out in pain. Raptorix was pinning one of the arms with his foot, leaving his other to keeping the middle neck down so he could glare at the right head. He sneered maniacally in his face.

"Go ahead. Take your best shot. I dare you!" Hydranoid challenged.

Seemingly obliging, Raptorix raised one of his claws for a fatal blow, but the impact never came. Instead, a screech entered the area as Abis lunged from out of nowhere, biting into the claw. The action surprised almost everyone there, even Hydranoid.

Abis screeched as he whipped his head around, tossing Raptorix across the ground into a tumble. With space, he looked at Hydranoid.

"Now we're even."

The hydra's middle head seemingly curved his teeth if possible into a smirk.

Abis slowly turned back at Raptorix to see him stagger to a knee. Rather than take chances, the serpent hissed and dove at him again, coiling himself around it. Dirt and mud churned as the long reptile pinned Raptorix' hands to their sides. The raptor-bird creature hollered for an escape, but in no time did Abis find himself in several coils and hovering over his foe.

He looked him dead in the eye, showing nothing but angst and determination. "Play mad howler all you want…we're not afraid of you."

Cyrus smirked. "Is that right?"

Raptorix cawed viciously and started stirring. The more he struggled, Abis could feel his coils flexing. To keep him in dominance, he snapped down on the neck, causing the victim's shrieks to grow hoarse.

Meanwhile, Hydranoid and Snapzoid were both getting up off the ground. With Abis keeping Raptorix occupied, this left the hydra and eel to duke it out.

Snapzoid charge first, snaking his tongue at the hydra, who swatted it away using his tail. "Nice try."

"Ability, activate!" Alice shouted. "Death Trident!" Hydranoid opened all three of his gaping mouths, showing his energy orbs.

"Time to put you mutations to rest…permanently!" All three heads fired the energy spheres at Snapzoid. At the rate they were going, they were gonna hit. And that's what Zion wanted.

He smirked, making Alice gasp.

"You're not the only ones who can turn attacks around." He boasted. "Ability, activate! Swallow Excel!" Snapzoid opened wide to take in the three spheres. They went inside, much to the surprise and horror of Alice. Snapzoid closed up, allowing a faint white bulge to gurgle inside before he opened again, sending the attack back at Hydranoid.

"Hydranoid, look alive!" Alice warned.

Hydranoid expanded his wings and dodged the explosive rebound. However, that didn't stop his power from shooting down to 100 to meet Snapzoid's.

Zion smirked at the dodge. "Good. Very lively."

Abis and Raptorix continued their tussle as the latter was bound in the tight coils. Abis had no intent on giving mercy…just like he and Luke knew they had to do against these guys. His glare sharpened as he bit deeper into the neck, his coils squeezing harder to suppress his menacing foe.

"A rather persistent display I see." Cyrus remarked. "But…will it be enough? I'm intrigued to find out." He showed another activated ability. "Ability, activate! Accel Tornado!"

Raptorix ceased his struggles to expand his large wings on his shoulders, something that didn't go unnoticed by Abis. "Huh?"

The Bakugan suddenly began spinning like a drill within the coils. The free spin added with the sharp wings gave a strict amount of friction that cut into Abis' scales, causing him to scream out and get dragged into the spiral. Raptorix was finally free and blew Abis in a slide backwards. He looked up to find his opponent shooting skywards. Once he was at his peak, Raptorix' eyes glinted magenta again before a plume of dark purple surrounded him.

Cyrus narrowed his eyes eagerly as the spinning Bakugan arched into a streaming dive at Abis, making a dark spiraling drill that increased his power to 1200, while Abis dropped to 400.

The incoming comet that was their opponent reflected in Abis' orange eyes. The same reflection was seen in Luke's green eyes as his teeth gritted. The momentum was coming against them, and it was coming in hard.

They stared down the head of the spiral, time gradually slowing down for them.

'Esther…Atchibee…' In both their minds, the they could see the human and Bakugan. I know you guys are out there…we're gonna get you back. We want…no, we need you! And so help us…' Luke pulled out two abilities overlaying one another. "If that isn't good enough of a reason, then we'll prove it! No excuses!"

His sudden outburst didn't go unnoticed by Cyrus. 'What's he talking about? Those eyes, however…'

The incoming spiraling comet suddenly bolted at a faster rate, time returning to normal.

"Double ability, activate! Mirror Shock! Plus Fusion Ability, Refractor Booster!"

Abis flexed his frills one more time as they held a glossy blue coating over the membrane. Raptorix shot into him with full force, creating an intense fusion of shockwaves and miniature airwaves imploding to make the ground and air churn with the rotation. Abis, however, was buffered drastically as he was hanging on for dear life against the force pushing him back. He grunted hastily as he kept himself up against all the pressure pinned against him.

His eyes narrowly opened inside the wake of the force. With his partner in his eyes, he began seeing flashbacks of their past battles, including against Xander and Ariella. That feeling…it was coming back. His eyes dilated with adrenaline pulsing into him.

"GRAAAAAAAH!" With a violent roar, the frills expanded a little more, sending out an explosive blue pulse wave that shot all the darkness and Raptorix across the landscape back in the direction it came from. Raptorix went gliding in a black and blue energy comet over Cyrus, crashing into the valley walls with rocks flying everywhere.

Within the dust, a flex of frills dissipated it all, revealing Abis with a bright blue aura as his power level went from 400 to a staggering 2200.

This didn't go unnoticed by Cyrus, who noticed his lack of power. However, that didn't stop his smirking.

Luke raised his sword high and came down, causing a standstill with Zion until it was enough to push him away. The warrior jumped back to Riaan's side, both regrouping against their empowered opponent.

"The boy's got spunk, sire." Zion acknowledged.

"Yes, it appears so…" he chuckled low. "So then, suppose he thinks he's worthy enough for us. I say we show him the error of such ambitions."

"Aye."

Luke adjusted his sword as he glared down his foes with Alice. Hydranoid descended next to Abis as the latter's frills shuddered with his hiss. Alice glared coldly. "Is that it?"

"Is that a challenge I take it then?" Cyrus questioned dryly. The look Alice gave him was all the answers he needed. "You impress me, both of you. Therefore, I believe you both earn the rights to what powers the wills of dark and fire really foresee. Zion."

"Aye, sire." He lifted his Bakumeter slowly in alignment with his superior.

As though by some will casted by an odd force, all the wind in the atmosphere stopped. It was a hollow silence blackening the area, turning it almost pitch-black around them. An intense shiver went down Alice and Luke as they faced ahead with rapidly growing heartrates.

"Here they come." Being more experienced with being against negative energy, Luke raised his sword without a single shake in his tone.

"Right." Alice was right behind him, though without weapon per se.

BA-DUMP!

The entire area this time pulsed with a heartbeat. Abis and Hydranoid scowled as they prepared for the worst.

"Ability, activate! Diablo-X!"

"Ability, activate! Spartan-X!"

A bright purple core appeared in front of both Bakugan as chords quickly encased them. The binds and core infused into their abdomens, showing pulsing veins once more. A dark, demonic force enveloped Raptorix as the eyes turned to a devilish tone. Meanwhile, Snapzoid's entire body was giving off a dense flame that enveloped it. It flames coated it with a heavy flame-like armor that scorched the ground.

"KRAAAAHH!" Both Bakugan expelled compulsive cries from the pressure they were feeling. A dark pillar once again shot up around Raptorix, depressing the earth around them.

The harsh energy waves reached Abis and Hydranoid, but neither felt compelled to move.

Raptorix: 1500 Alpha Hydranoid: 100

Snapzoid: 100 (+900) = 1000 Frill Abis Omega: 2200

"He's…wearing fire as armor?" Luke was momentarily at a loss for how to process that.

Snapzoid let out a mighty hiss as his flame-cloaked body wriggled around. The tail shifted across the ground, it left cindered land and embers scattered from a single swipe. It seemed like anything it touched could be set on fire.

"Your best weapon is your shield, your shield is your best weapon." Zion recited. "There is no better armor than the one whom all touch shall be burnt to Hell."

"Zion…I believe they have already seen Hell…is human eyes." Cyrus mused.

Zion chuckled. "What sorry species."

"I say we should educate them on our definition of Hell…Raptorix."

The Bakugan released a high scowl through the atmosphere. The dense black pillar surrounding it started expelling intense pulse waves that condensed the ground beneath with each thump. The waves raced after Abis and Hydranoid, both Bakugan grunting as they withstood their ground. Snapzoid found the chance to lunge at their foes, specifically towards the weaker of the two: Hydranoid.

"Burn him to ash!" Zion ordered.

Abis readied to come to the rescue, but Hydranoid suddenly moved in front to cut him off.

"Stay back."

"Hydranoid…"

The hydra looked back at Alice to give the silent nod of consent. The orangette understood and prepared herself. "Okay then. Luke…stand back."

"Alice?" He didn't quite get it, but he trusted Alice. "Okay." He and Abis backed away for Alice's space.

Another dark wave exploded out towards them, but Snapzoid was slithering right towards them inside of it. The two attacks fused to create a vermilion-flamed serpentine in a forcefield of darkness that bolted at his opponents to burn them alive. Hydranoid stood his ground and glared ahead.

"Hmph. What fools." He scowled. "Alice, now!"

"Right! Ability activate, Merge Shield!"

Snapzoid closed the gap and made contact with Hydranoid, making a bright flash of vermilion flares that surrounded everything in the atmosphere. Cyrus and Zion had blank expressions as they half-heartedly reacted to vermilion fire washing over their heads.

The flames took minutes to dissipate into flaking embers that came down everywhere. They left the ground sizzling, and Snapzoid sneered. However, the bright flames around his body were slowly being consumed into darker flames. Vermilion, mixed with white, black and indigo flares mixed in a slow-moving wave that overtook the fire on Snapzoid's body – like an unstoppable army breaking down a wall.

Zion cocked a brow. "Hmph…the shield is your best weapon."

Snapzoid screeched as the indigo flames took over his body. He wailed around viciously in front of a fuming indigo wall. Inside the wall, red eyes glimmered in a vicious stare. Three heads slowly poked out of the flaming wall, their maws firing the same flames at the next shockwave incoming.

With nothing to back it up, the trio of negative fire shot into the pulse wave, meeting its center with force to match. The results were a momentary standoff until the blasts barreled holes into the darkness. They had straight shot into Raptorix, who was in the center containing the loosening pressure. The moment the indigo flames touched him, a bright core of purple was seen inside the black pillar. It bulged like a swollen belly before it popped like a balloon, spewing indigo mesh in all directions. Abis swiveled into coild to defend himself as the shockwaves sent tremors everywhere. Luke plunged his sword into the ground to keep himself from falling.

The only person up was Alice, who glared ahead with a dead serious persona.

Raptorix: 1500 Alpha Hydranoid: 100 (+400 +400 +1500 +900) = 3300

Snapzoid: 1000 Frill Abis Omega: 2200

The tidal surge of indigo raged like a typhoon inside the valley. The massive power level incline was making the landscape shudder. Rocks went skywards as the energy produce was making antigravity. Even giant boulders were floating skywards ever so slowly. Purple lightning flashed overhead, even though there were no storm clouds in the sky.

Cyrus calmly looked up, enticed with what he was seeing. He could see the silhouettes of the three hydra heads with six bloody eyes piercing down at him. Not just that, but a dark aura was around Alice as she glared just as menacingly. To say he was intrigued would be one thing. Enticed and challenged, that's something else. In a way, he was…ecstatic.

'So this is her power. So ferocious…' For a split second, his menacing sclera turned hollow. 'So powerful…and that power, it shall soon be ours.'

"Luke, now!" Alice screamed. "Put out that fire on Snapzoid!"

"Okay! Abis, let's go! Ability activate, Sea Ruler!" Abis raised his head and roared into the atmosphere. A tornado of mist suddenly spouted from below, swallowing him and pushing him into the higher atmosphere. High enough, the misted tornado dissipated, leaving a large hemisphere of water with several crossed aquatic rings surrounding Abis. He shot down like a meteor into the roaring blazes Snapzoid left, exploding large tidal waves upon impact with the ground. The rush of water in all directions snuffed out the blazes and washed Snapzoid away, screaming as some of the water was swallowed.

"Guys, now!" Abis urged.

"Okay! Hydranoid, here we go!" Alice prepared one more ability. "Ability activate…Hellion Pulse!" For the umpteenth time, Hydranoid opened his three mouths, but this time, faint glimpses of darkness were gathering into compressed points. Dark purple energy with pink speckles glimmered until the maws widened a little more. Dark purple with a black outlining fired into the area where the enemy was recovering. Before they knew it, a dark shockwave enveloped them, flattening the land as purple ripples went skywards. The blast was so powerful that it made nearby cliffs chip away and get blown off.

Raptorix: 1500 (-500) = 1000 Alpha Hydranoid: 3300 (+500) = 3800

Snapzoid: 1000 (-400 -500) = 100 Frill Abis Omega: 2200 (+400) = 2600

The tidal waves and darkness mixed in a swirling maelstrom, making it almost impossible to get close without fear of drowning. It raged into cracks and drowned the land in black waves; fused by the power of Aquos and Darkus alike. The creators of this attack glared hard daggers as together they were flowing with power…a lot of it. At the level Abis was at, he was handling the power just fine, as did Hydranoid with his.

Alice and Luke looked to find their opponents, but even they were nowhere to be seen. It was like they were also washed away.

A lingering silence fell amongst the valley, not even the wind still blowing.

'It's quiet…still quiet.' Luke's skepticism wasn't dropping anywhere beneath a threat zone. 'I'm still getting this strange feeling that something's coming…' His eyes slowly widened. 'Wait-!'

BA-DUMP!

An even bigger sense of dread pulsed in them, this one far heavier than before. Luke and Alice grouped together as they could feel an odd, smoldering stir within the air as it became fouler, like poison. The pressure became so massive that the earth started to tremble beneath them like chattered bones.

"Alice! You…you feel that…?" Luke staggered between the tremors.

"This is…all negative energy?" Alice was dumbfounded for that one moment. She knew they could give up a lot of negative energy, but enough to make the earth shake this much was mind-shattering.

Around Abis and Hydranoid, they could feel the foul air distort into heat. The ground beneath was feeling surprisingly warm, almost to where it felt like hot coal. "What's happening?" Hydranoid questioned.

Abis looked over at a nearby crack, seeing raw negative energy pour out instead of steam. The fissures made from the earlier attacks have started spewing flames. All around them, the levitating rocks were being reduced to dust as they went higher up. It was a massive mess that was breaking out!

Abis looked ahead to see some rumbling beneath debris. "There!"

Far ahead, beams of hot, roaring fire spewed about everywhere. The rocks were sizzling to where they were melting upon touch. Slowly turning to tar, it molded off of a blazing Snapzoid as he surfaced. His spots were glowing bright magenta-white, but the rest of his body was in a bright flare-like coating. The radiation he was giving off was like that of the sun.

A presence of Zion could be heard amongst the sizzling. "Supernova-X."

From the atmosphere, the lightning flashed around Raptorix; more so than Hydranoid. The negative energy flowing skywards was pouring into his body. Every vein in his body was throbbing as his muscles took in the power like proteins. Through every pour in the cellular level, the muscles in the raptor-bird were multiplying to incredulous levels. His once thin arms and legs were replaced by bulky, throbbing muscles, with hot red cracks all around the body.

Its dull eyes were also different. They were now a hollow black that poured into its preys' souls. The atmosphere was actually distorting from the monstrous power that he had gained.

An equally demonic force whispered in the pitch-black. "Alpha-X."

Luke and Alice were feeling the ground cracking apart around them, the heat causing the plates to shift. They looked down at their Bakumeters, but what they saw did more than just scare them.

Raptorix: 1000 (+3800 +2600) = 7400 Alpha Hydranoid: 3800

Snapzoid: 100 (+4200) = 4300 Frill Abis Omega: 2600

"Wha…wha…" Alice was almost speechless, and not just from the lack of quality air around her. It was like she was in the cold, dark reaches of space. "Their power levels…how did they…?"

"Are you serious?" Luke gasped, his eyes shrunk in horror. "What kind of power levels are those?!" He looked back ahead in shock. "Abis!"

The serpent slithered backwards to keep away from the pressure. He could barely breathe with this immense pressure around him. And shockingly enough, it was mostly coming from Raptorix. The Darkus Bakugan scowled, and as if by some twisted taboo, it made pitch-black spires shoot up from below. The sprays of rock fell everywhere like rain, one of which buffered Abis.

Hydranoid roared up at the intense force he was up against. The ground was getting so hot that it was almost unbearable to stand on. With his wings he ascended higher, and not a moment sooner as a fissure broke beneath, spewing broiling flames.

"Hydranoid, no!" Alice cried out.

"This is insane! It doesn't matter what power level it's at!" Luke flabbergasted. "At this rate, we're all gonna die!"

"Is that a problem?" Riaan's question hung in the intoxicated air for all to hear. "The chance of death…is but a small price to pay for the greater power."

Luke froze in shock. His racing heart was at a level he never thought would be possible. He almost staggered to a knee, but with contact with the melting ground caused him to think otherwise. It was either suffocate then drop…or drop and be burnt alive. And they didn't have long either way to think.

"Abis…"

The scowling serpent was already exhausted from the prolonged battle he and Hydranoid had to endure. If they didn't try something soon it'd be lights out for good. But they couldn't quit…not yet. Not while they still have tricks up their sleeves.

And there was still one more to play.

Weakly turning around, Abis shot a knowing glance at his partner. "Luke…"

"Abis…?" As if understanding him, he knew what he meant. He knew this would be scary, and there was a god chance they could all end up dying…but this was something Luke and Abis vowed on.

"Then it's decided. Until the end of our days…to our last dying breaths…you and I, we're going to be partners together. Forever. Even if I die, would you still follow me?"

Abis nodded. "As will you for I?"

And it was time to live up to that vow.

'Abis…I'll always follow you. Just as you will follow me. We owe it to each other…so let's give it all we got! It's do or die!' Luke swiped his arm. "Gate Card, open! Capacity Overdrive!"

The Gate Card suddenly opened, enveloping Abis and Hydranoid in glossy layers of their own attributed auras. Abis was cloaked in a glossy blue aura, while Hydranoid's was glossy purple.

'What's this?' Cyrus looked intrigued at the trap played.

Luke looked deathly at the fray. "Capacity Overdrive…is a Gate Card that doubles the effects of the next ability played by each Bakugan on my side!" He staggered off to the side, but adjusted his footing to stay awake. "That means…we can still turn this around!"

"Luke!" Alice worried screamed.

Luke looked over towards her. "Alice…this is what we all agreed on. You remember what Jase said, right? That there's a chance we might end up dead…well now's that time! We have to fight, push those limits! That's what's gonna give us the smallest hope we need to come out of this! Now, you with me?!" he reached his hand out towards her.

Alice looked towards Luke with shock overtaking her for that one second. Her hair shifted in the heat waves around her, but she paid little heed towards that. Instead, the world around her felt irrelevant towards the daring wills that Luke and Abis Omega had. It was inspiring – yet terrifying.

'So this is what it means to be part of this group.' Realizing the possible price to pay, she knew it was either keep going with a glimmer of hope, or go down trying. She nodded, holding her hand to Luke's. "Alright, let's do it."

"Okay! All the way!"

Together, their Bakumeters showed three abilities; one for Alice, two for Luke. "Ability, activate!"

"Chaos Armageddon!"

"Daedalus Cyclone, plus Fusion Ability, Refractor Booster!"

Alpha Hydranoid's six eyes glowed bright red for a second. A monstrous shout rippled all around him as he asserted himself in the air. His six wings stretched out further, allowing the tendrils to come out. He shot higher than before, ascending above Raptorix to get overhead. He looked down as his three heads charged up pitch-black energy with bright purple, dark purple, and white cores. Same with the tendrils, each one readying a tremendous blast.

Abis' eyes shot wide pen as he screeched up with all his might. A sudden eruption of water spouted around him; steam surged from contact with the burning land. The frills on Abis' body were all flexed out and glistening as the cyclone expanded around him. The head of the cyclone spiraled into a sea dragon's head, with a makeshift set of eyes and sharp fangs to match.

Together, the shine on their bodies expanded, transferring to their attacks. The shine made them brighter, and bigger than usual. They were almost twice as grand!

Raptorix: 7400 (-1200 -1000 (x2)) = 4200 Alpha Hydranoid: 3800 (+1200) = 5000

Snapzoid: 4300 (-1200) = 3100 Frill Abis Omega: 2600 (+1000 (x2)) = 4600

'All the way…all the way…' An image of Esther, Shawn, and everyone, even Alice and Hydranoid, edged into his mind. "ALL THE WAY!"

"ALL THE WAY!" Abis screeched.

With a violent, raging roar, Luke and Alice gave it everything they had to pour into their overused friends. Giving them the strength they needed to use their power, Hydranoid and Abis finally let loose everything in one go.

From Hydranoid, all nine orbs finally compressed, making them look like atoms before each head shot a gargantuan, deafening beam of pitch-black with purple and indigo outlining straight down. The nine beams condensed into one giant black blast coming down with the force of a meteor. While Abis screamed out, expelling a gargantuan cyclone of pressurized blue water with a dragon head. The head expelled a primal roar as it opened its fangs at the bright and dark forces ahead of them.

The two attacks came down as a nova blaze and dark shockwave shot back.

---

In the distance, Luke was continuing his path towards the negative energy. The spike from before almost made him trip from shock, but he didn't stop. Up ahead, there seemed to be a massive dark blast that suddenly disappeared, before several flashes blinded everything and erupted a massive dome shockwave of multicolored energy at an alarming rate.

"WHAT THE-?!" The subatomic blast wave picked him up. He screamed as everything spun into black for him.

---

A deafening explosion shook the entire valley. Every pour and crevice within several miles shuddered to a point where some areas instantly caved in. The shockwaves ran rainbow energy winds threw the area. Any Bakugan blown away by this force was unfortunate as they either reverted to ball form or reduced to nothing. The closer they were, the more likely the latter.

From far away on miles on end, from Riaan's base, even from Ren's destroyed base, there was a large dome of destructive energy that was present for several minutes. The roaring and quaking trembled far beyond Gundalian territory, making seismic reading flow out of order.

Inside the canyons, Jase felt an immense negative pressure suddenly skyrocket with the explosive wake in sight. "Do you see that?"

"Holy crap!" Shuji yelled. "The hell is that?!"

As the land raged, Maggie squealed as she evaded a fumbling rock. "The place is going crazy! What's going on?!"

Shawn looked at the catastrophic wake ahead of him, a sickening pit in his gut suddenly dropping. He didn't know why, but something at that instant told him something just went wrong…and he knew only one person could do such destruction.

'That stupid bastard…'

"Abis…" Verias dreaded.

The landscape reduced to an energetic destruction, leaving nothing but bright colors. Ones so bright that it could scare nightmares away…and replace them with horror.

---

Aaaand here's the cutoff point! To be completely honest guys, I wanted to go a little further passed this point, but I think due to length sake and the aftermath that I wanted to plan, this would have to do for the time being. So yeah, bet you weren't expecting Luke and Alice to shoot for power levels that high, right? You may now gasp in sheer awe. *gasp*

Hope that you all liked the raw battle-filled action this chapter had! Leave a review on what you thought, that's very appreciated! Until next time!