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.

57. Turning the Tide

Everyone was paying full attention with a mix of emotions; many showing shock, and others showing perilous fear. Their worlds were crumbling around them, life was dying gradually. But what trumped all of this, was that the one hope that they were all expecting and hoping for to save them…was completely defeated. Their happiness was torn out of them at the sight of Dan and the mighty Battle Brawlers at the merciless wake of Riaan, and they all are paying the price for getting their hopes up like the fools they were shown to be.

And yet, through this well spewing fire from all angles, there was a silver lining. While Dan and everyone were practically hopeless, these six humans with Bakugan of their own took drastic actions to counter Riaan. They were dauntless, as they glared down the menace and his Armagedoid. Were they stupid? Dan and the Brawlers couldn't beat them, so what hopes did these guys have?

Julie was still a mess, but she shakily held the mic closer to her face. "G-Guys, look at this! After Dan and the Battle Brawlers fell, these guys swooped in out of nowhere. Now, it looks like they're declaring a challenge against this madman and his Armagedoid. Just…just what are they thinking?"

Nemus was on Baron's shoulder as he leaned in to recognize the people on the screen. "Baron, look!"

"What's that?" His blue eyes widened at the six people and Bakugan that stood onscreen. "What?! Is that who I think they are?!"

"There's no mistaking it, Baron. It's those guys again." Ace retorted. "I can't believe it's really them. Is that really their Bakugan?"

"They've evolved, just like we have." Percival pointed out.

At Luke's family manor, everyone was paying full attention to seeing Luke with his friends once again. As one would expect, overwhelming shock trumped any other emotion available to them.

Claire gasped. "Luke…my baby! He's…he's trying to stop Riaan, with his own Bakugan…"

Cale turned towards Augustine for answers. "I never would've expected that your son would go to these lengths. I knew he was a troublemaker, but still…"

Augustine furrowed his brow. He didn't have anything to say at the time. In a way, Cale wasn't completely wrong. It didn't feel so long ago that Luke came back from his time on New Vestroia and Interacia, rambling on about the end of the world and needing to do something about it. Had it not been for his change in demeanor he wouldn't have believed him. If he could go back in time and slap himself for doubting his son before, now would've been a good time. But this was reality, and right now, they were watching their son risk his life to save not just their lives, but everyone else as well.

A strong sense of anxiety was welling in his balled fists, causing them to shake. He loosened his grip and sat back down, calmly watching with daring eyes. "…Claire."

Claire looked up at her husband.

"…we need to stay strong. If we fret about something that isn't in our power, we'll end up in the same situation we did with him before. For now, we need to trust our son, as well as his Bakugan…that's all we can do."

Claire's face fell. She knew he was right. From where they stood, they've already done enough. And they've tried themselves to stop Riaan. Now it was best to see what good Luke can do. "Yes, dear."

"For everyone's sakes…let's hope they get through this in one piece."

Across the Earth, anyone who wasn't panicking were showing doubtful looks at the team stepping up. The only ones to really show concern or some sliver of hope was Shuji's household, Michelle from the B.I.F, and Rebecca, who was ready to have a heart attack at seeing her daughter facing a terrifying monster. Just a few embers to keep the flames of hope going; these were the only ones amongst the populace now.

Keegan stayed back and looked down at the Battle Brawlers' unconscious forms. They weren't getting up anytime soon, and he sure as hell wasn't getting near the others. "Looks like this'll be a show." He mumbled. "Too bad there's no popcorn…tch. Whatever, give this bastard some hell already."

Riaan's blade was drawn as he awaited their move. He gave them all a mocking, yet confident look. "I've dealt with the Battle Brawlers. Now, to settle with you all. The last ones to stand in my way." He paused. "I trust you know well enough what comes next." To give example, Armagedoid snarled. Their Bakugan reciprocated the threat.

"Yeah, we know what's at stake." Luke held his blade up next.

Riaan's face turned to a serious glare. His eagerness settled and was starting to get to business. He knew well to not let his guard down. His grip on his sword tightened ever so lightly.

Riaan: 100% Luke: 100%

Esther: 100%

Maggie: 100%

Shuji: 100%

Shawn: 100%

Jase: 100%

A pressing silence fell between everyone. Six against one. Hades Pillars admired from behind Riaan as their foes were daring to challenge their rightful master. Lucia especially showed scoffs. "These poor fools. They have no right to consider themselves amongst milord's level. They will pay through this transgression, that I don't have to foresee."

"Then again…you may never know." Cyrus countered; his interests piqued. He thought back to their recent confrontation. "They're more persistent than we anticipated. Our lord isn't as careless as to underestimate his adversaries more than once. As I have said before, this may turn out to be show after all."

Taking the initiative, Shawn held out his hand, which grasped a Gate Card. "Gate Card, set!" he shot the Gate Card across, making it fade into a bright ripple beneath their feet. 'We need to take any initiative we can. We've fought guy once before. I think we might be able to turn this around as long as we play the right moves.'

All the Bakugan stood in front of each other, giving respective leers towards their foe. Armagedoid took their hostile glares in stride and raised his head. "You, enemies…no, Abis Omega…and Bakugan…" His eyes flashed magenta as pressure swelled around him. He craned his head up into a powerful roar that shook the earth beneath. "We shall not be trifled by you!"

Shuji gnashed his teeth. 'This guy won't be any pushover. We're gonna have to hold our ground, and find openings to hammer him!'

'We can't back down now. We've met too many people who are hurting.' Maggie's thoughts ran back to her mother. Her fists started balling. 'It's up to us to stand where they can't…and give them a chance.'

Abis looked back at Luke. "Luke…" Luke's green eyes looked towards him. "…let's go."

Without hesitation, Luke nodded. "Yeah, you're right." He readied a stance. "No more talk! Now…" He paused as all twelve braced themselves. "Let's go!"

"RIGHT!" They all screeched.

The battle had begun.

Frill Abis Omega: 700/Dusk Atchibee: 700/Glow Jelldon: 700/Stag Fly Beetle: 700/Prime Verias: 700/Gale Atmos: 700 = 4200

Armagedoid: 1500

Abis laced a coil around Luke's waist and whipped him forward, sending him flying through the air towards Armagedoid and Riaan. Atchibee's tail pincers extended from beneath her cocoon posterior and whired around, shooting Esther with her spear set. Verias launched both Shawn and Jase in the same arm.

"Now, Atmos!" Fly Beetle shouted. He stomped on the ground, dragging his pincers claws around to create a dust cloud as cover. Atmos reciprocated the understanding and made his joint blades on the wings straighten and commence spinning. They created a whirlwind that shot the dust into the flying humans. It acted as a veil, obscuring them from Armagedoid's eyes.

"Another smokescreen?" He craned his head around, but with how much smaller they were, it proved to be futile.

Riaan braced himself through the dust storm. Winds were brewing the light shades of dust created from the last battle around as a distraction. But he was far from fooled. He closed his eyes for a moment, allowing himself to concentrate…then they flashed open.

"HRAH~!" Several holes broke open at the same time; Luke, Esther, Shawn, and Jase all flying through with their respective weapons piercing blows. Riaan blocked them all in one parry. It took a moment before the shock of their combined attack to catch up before the dust separated.

With an open view, everyone showed complete shock at what they all have done.

Riaan held his stance firmly before finally using one arm to swipe them away. Luke kneeled and gained traction to attack again. 'Don't give him room. Distract him with whatever tricks you've got!' He charged again, this time with Shawn right by his side. Riaan pulled up his blade and commenced parries to outmaneuver their teamwork. Accurate piercings and slashes were deflected in split-second swipes.

Two shadows sped past Riaan to get behind. He glanced back and caught Jase and Esther going for blows next. He deflected Luke and Shawn's shots and whipped around to swiftly parry and defend as well. Luke and Shawn used their weapons to intercept the few slashed Riaan would give them with every pivot.

Armagedoid looked back to see his master in battle. He felt a shadow fly overhead and looked up, revealing Atmos sailing with Jelldon in his talons.

"Jelldon, are you ready for this?"

"Yeah! Now!"

Atmos used his talons and went into a full circle. Jelldon was lashed around and extended his tendrils to give a wider birth between the two. The falcon let go and flung Jelldon to Armagedoid's opposite side to make a pincer attack from above.

"Ability, activate! Bolting Sun!" Maggie shouted.

"Ability, activate! Omni Storm!" Jase beamed.

Jelldon created a plasmatic fireball and threw it with gusto as his power climbed towards 1200. Atmos on the other hand unleashed a large green whirlwind shockwave as his power ascended to 1100. Armagedoid saw the two attacks coming and showed interest before they engulfed him. The plasmatic fire swirled in the gale, creating a fire tornado that brightened and trapped him inside.

'A combination of Ventus and Pyrus abilities from both sides.' Riaan evaluated for a split second. It felt like time was slow around him as he saw the bright whirling flames surround his Bakugan. 'They're trying to obscure us from countering from all angles. But…'

From below, Luke crouched and braced himself. At the same time, Armagedoid caught onto the bright blue figment swimming the ground.

'Their tricks are still imperfect.'

"Ability activate, Dive Bomb!" Luke sprung up as a gush of water exploded beneath Armagedoid. It enveloped his lower half, which made contact with the fire tornado and made a steam cloud that seared in his cast-iron exterior. Luke's sword met Riaan's again, unable to get through.

Frill Abis Omega: 700/Dusk Atchibee: 700/Glow Jelldon: 1200/Stag Fly Beetle: 700/Prime Verias: 700/Gale Atmos: 1100 = 5100

Armagedoid: 1500 (-300) = 1200

The steam cloud broiled skywards as Abis snarled below. 'More…push!' His bodily diamonds shined brighter as he projected more erupting liquids. They exploded within the epicenter of the blaze, turning the entire tornado into a steam burst that blasted upwards.

The steam arose everyone's heads and expanded across the basin ceiling. They all braced as Riaan fought through the humidity to bat away Esther's slash and deflect it into Luke's, making the metals grind against the other and force them to back away.

"Ability, activate!" Riaan shouted. "Deep Save!" Armagedoid's eyes glowed dark purple, his silhouette flexing as distorted purple waves went through his area, nullifying the humid rays.

Shawn furrowed his brow and jumped away to give space for his ability. "Ability, activate! Territory Heart…"

The distorted purple waves traveled through the humid ray, reaching a bright beacon that was drawing too close for comfort. It burst through, revealing Verias lunging through with his staff high as a protective veil enclosed himself and stretched around Armagedoid to conceal his ability. Shawn went speeding after Riaan with his fencer ready.

"…Fusion Ability, activate! Sheer Valkyrie!" Verias darted through, his shine transcending towards his blade and strengthening its hilt. He whipped around and slashed past Armagedoid, grazing the wings and whipped onto a knee behind. A yellow explosion ran across one of his wings, making an explosion of light.

Frill Abis Omega: 700 (+300) = 1000/Dusk Atchibee: 700 (+300) = 1000/Glow Jelldon: 1200 (+300) = 1500/Stag Fly Beetle: 700 (+300) = 1000/Prime Verias: 700 (+300) = 1000/Gale Atmos: 1100 (+300) = 1400 = 6900

Armagedoid: 1200 (-300) = 900

Verias slid off his right heel and glared back. He saw the graze he left on Armagedoid did little to nothing expect get his attention. 'Okay, good. Looks like I got him on me for the time being!' The dragon raised his tail and smacked it across Verias. At the last second, he used his staff to bunt the blow, but it was still strong enough to send him off to the side. He used his brass knuckles to grip the ground and grind to a slower speed. 'He's as strong as last time, too!'

Stag Fly Beetle got on all six legs. "How's about some cannon fire for your tastes!"

Shuji instigated an ability. "Ability, activate! Stag Bullet!"

"Verias, look alive!" Fly Beetle gave a clear warning as the orange center of his horn shined brightly. Several small, orange-brown projectiles fired at an alarming rate into Verias' direction.

The ape immediately caught on as his staff started twirling. 'I see…not bad thinking.' Gaining momentum, Verias bated the projectiles of his staff into Armagedoid. Angles shot were being made to indirectly create a disruptive fire that he had to use his wings to shield from.

Frill Abis Omega: 1000/Dusk Atchibee: 1000/Glow Jelldon: 1500/Stag Fly Beetle: 1000 (+200) = 1200/Prime Verias: 1000/Gale Atmos: 1400 = 7100

Armagedoid: 900 (-200) = 700

Riaan and Armagedoid were under consistent fire from various angles. He was in the middle of holding off Esther when he and Armagedoid noticed their fronts being charged by Luke and Jase. Likewise, with Atmos and Abis charging.

Riaan broke his parry with Esther and deflected her away in a pivot. "Ability, activate! Photon Dragonia!" Armagedoid opened his maw wide as negative dragonfire broiled inside. His power bolted to 1300 and spewed a pressurized blast wave that Abis and Atmos had to get away from.

Using his talons, Atmos seized Abis by the neck and used his blade fans to immediately got up. The dragonfire continued towards Fly Beetle, causing him to open his wing shields and cancel his attack in order to get over the ground as it exploded with explosive sunder. He was shown flying over with the others.

"He's still has firepower alright…" Fly Beetle grimaced. He looked back down, realizing the spot where he was originally becoming a depressed layer of obliterated earth. "Even after the Brawlers, he still ain't slouching."

"Remember, everything has a breaking point." Atmos reminded. "We need to exploit it, until its limits are breached."

Armagedoid raised his head at his foes. "Ability, activate…Fading Goliath!" The dragon started gathering dark purple, black, indigo, and hot pink energy that compressed into several glints around his body. He took aim for the Bakugan in the air to shoot them down.

"Incoming!" Maggie warned.

Esther looked over her shoulder. "Shawn!"

"Yeah! Verias!"

Atchibee flapped, making a break in the winds. "Right!" She used her extendable tail and reached down for Verias' staff. He held on as she took a beeline for the pathway the straight would blast into.

"FALL~!" Armagedoid unleashed the seven starlight beams that barreled into the basin ceiling. With it seemingly endless, it was all just open air. But Atchibee flew in time with Verias. The ape used his knee and hooked around his staff to allow himself to hand with his arms available.

Shawn parried Riaan, but he ducked from a horizontal sweep. "Ability, activate! Brass Sheria!" Verias' brass knuckles shined and held out his claws. He sucked in the starlight that shook the airspace. He lowly roared as he drew in all that energy, all while Armagedoid was expending it into him.

Frill Abis Omega: 1000/Dusk Atchibee: 1000/Glow Jelldon: 1500/Stag Fly Beetle: 1200/Prime Verias: 1000 (+500 +200) = 1700/Gale Atmos: 1400 = 7800

Armagedoid: 1300 (-200) = 1100

Riaan looked up at the shaking air, specifically where the starlight shined like a star where Verias absorbed it all. 'Using your allies' strengths to hold onto your versatility. I see…still…' He heard a shout from the side and parried Luke in time and pushed him away. Esther twirled her staff as she and Jase pincered him between them. They slashed and stabbed, yet Riaan pivoted and used the blunt edges of his blade to angle the attacks past his head. The spear and taser prongs were stuck in place.

As Verias and Atchibee held form absorbing said attack, Atmos and Fly Beetle sailed in, with Abis included in the talons.

"Ability, activate! Boreas Arrow!" Atmos gathered wind pressure as a Ventus aura enveloped his body. He shrieked out as the beads on his chest feathers shined before releasing a broad green energy beam ahead.

"Ability, activate! Storm Drain!" Abis hissed as his body projected a bright, harsh torrent from his body that spiraled through the Ventus energy beam. It helped push and give it momentum.

"Ability, activate! Subterra Gravity!" Fly Beetle's eyes glowed and he channeled gravity around the swirling attacks. He condensed them into a sharper, more destructive force that gained speed as it fell down onto Armagedoid.

Riaan narrowed his eyes as he saw the incoming attack. This was too easy to ignore. "Foolish. Ability, activate! Satanic Suppression!"

The dragon's core shined bright magenta as his wings twitched. He openly exposed himself to the energy and allowed it to all be drawn into the core. The land shook from the force if the spiraling arrow beam though, but its mass was being absorbed rapidly into the chest core. His power arose drastically, shooting upwards into 2300.

Riaan scoffed. "Maybe you've forgotten. Just as how I absorb and replicate, so does Armagedoid with Bakugan abilities. You can only feed him so much before you expend it all! HMPH!" He gave one more slash, ultimately pushing all four away across the ground.

Esther was catching her breath when she caught onto what Riaan said. "We know."

Armagedoid continued sucking in the attack, but was barely catching onto Jelldon squirming a little too close. His gel sacs started shining brightly as Maggie started her own ability.

"Ability, activate! Soft Conductor!"

"Sorry guys!" Jelldon's body shined brighter than before. He began drawing in all the attacks being used across the battlefield. Armagedoid felt the energy being pried out from his body and into Jelldon. The pressure arrow changed direction as well into Jelldon for him to draw in and absorb.

Shawn's eyes widened. "I see."

"Soft Conductor draws in all abilities used and neutralizes them. All while Jelldon gains power." Esther analyzed. "Maggie pulled a good move."

The energy swirled into Jelldon's body, fueling him with power and a Pyrus aura. Armagedoid lost all that power instead, while his opponent drew it in.

Frill Abis Omega: 1000/Dusk Atchibee: 1000/Glow Jelldon: 1500 (+200 +200 +200 +200) = 2300/Stag Fly Beetle: 1200/Prime Verias: 1700/Gale Atmos: 1400 = 8600

Armagedoid: 2300 (-400 -300 -500) = 1100

"Now, let's get him!" Jelldon encouraged.

"Right, go guys!" Maggie prompted. She started off with her Bakumeter showing two abilities overlapping one another. "Double ability, activate! Bolting Sun, plus Fusion Ability, Maximum Bolt!" Jelldon charged up a plasmatic fireball with dense static around it and fling it with all his might across the ground.

"Ability, activate!" Esther roared. "Glare Astral!" Atchibee extended her wings and unleashed dark beams from the eyes of each wings. They channeled across the air, sailing in the same direction as Jelldon's attack.

The two attacks gradually drew closer, until they manifested into a vermilion fireball with a beaming tail with bright purple glossy static surroundings it. The push from Atchibee's attack jettisoned it so fast that not even Julie's camera could keep track of it. An explosive blur of vermilion and plasma erupted in front of everyone, causing shockwaves to tear up the earth beneath Armagedoid. The sound barrier lit up in plasma and darkness that seemed endless.

The blast waves reached past the others in an attempt to push them down. Fly Beetle stood his ground in front of them and took the shockwaves for Shuji, who protected Maggie behind. The brightness of the attack also alarmed Keegan as he watched from the distance.

I'll be damned." He whistled. "Talk about firepower…"

The bright flare and rumbling earth started getting to the Battle Brawlers. Very weakly, they started stirring. Though only enough to barely open their eyes. "Gnnngh…"

The eruptive wake of the attack was caught onscreen for everyone to see. Varied reactions of shock and awe aspired many to feel some measure of ease. Though others were more conspicuous of where this is all going.

"Did…did big bro and the others get him?" Akira quipped.

"Beats me." Nene spatted, crossing her arms nonchalantly. "Hmph…still, I say I could do better than any of those guys."

"Hey, will you take this seriously?!"

"Look, the smoke is clearing, Contestir." Zenet awed to her Bakugan.

"Did they do it?"

The vermilion plasma was starting to recede, and everyone was on edge. Riaan was darkly frowning. Why he was frowning? It was because a pair of magenta eyes gleamed through the dissipating ions to reveal Armagedoid tethered within the translucent reflective barrier that protected him from harm. His power level was still at 1100, despite what many believed to be his end.

"Oh no! Not that move again!" Julie panicked, visibly shaking. She remembered what Riaan did last time, and nothing worked. "Those guys…they're through!"

Riaan shot everyone a glare as dust swept past him. "Ability…Eternity Screen."

The rest of the dust faded. Armagedoid stayed stable within his barrier whereas the other Bakugan remained wary of their surroundings. Abis' sharp teeth were bared as he recalled what this shield could do all too well.

"You Bakugan, you are indeed strong…" Armagedoid's words were rugged and dark. "We will not lose to you so easily, as the ones before you have."

Riaan jutted his sword out to direct the following attack. "You will know our unadulterated might! Ability, activate! Black Ripple!"

Dark matter began bubbling around Armagedoid. Everyone saw it and got on their guard as the crimson and dark magenta energy was causing a harsh tremble through the airspace. Armagedoid tensed up and pushed outwards with his wings flexing. "Your will…shall know or own!" He pushed the attack farther out, unleashing a broadened rippling darkness that pushed towards everyone.

Frill Abis Omega: 1000 (-500) = 500/Dusk Atchibee: 1300 (-500) = 800/Glow Jelldon: 3100 (-500) = 2600/Stag Fly Beetle: 1200 (-500) = 700/Prime Verias: 1700 (-500) = 1200/Gale Atmos: 1400 (-500) = 900 = 6700

Armagedoid: 1100 (+500) = 1600

Jase looked over his shoulder. "Everyone, look alive!"

"Yeah, we know!" Luke shouted.

The shockwaves of darkness were erupting even in their direction. Out of instinct, Luke plunged his sword into the ground to steadfast while everyone else kneeled beneath the black rippling attack. The Bakugan themselves braced as the blast wave was trying to push them back. Atchibee and the other aerial Bakugan ascended over, with the three fliers holding Abis, Verias, and Jelldon up over the horizontal dark waves.

"That was too close!" Verias grunted. Fly Beetle held him up as they sailed overhead. "Fly Beetle, now!"

"You sure that's a good idea?"

Verias' fists balled fight. "Trust me, we need as many openings as we can get."

Fly Beetle snorted. "Alright, whatever you say." He deliberately unhinge all his legs around Verias, allowing the Bakugan to go into freefall into the dark abyss beneath. "Better give this guy crap then!"

'Don't worry…we will!' He bolted downwards, gradually drawing closer towards the rippling matter that was Armagedoid. His grip around his axe tightened further. He screeched as he barreled down like a soaring yellow star that caught Armagedoid's attention.

"Hm? What's that?"

Shawn stayed low to keep from being blown. "Double ability, activate! Primera Pressure, plus Bunker Axe!"

Armagedoid's headpiece tilted up a little more for him to see the yellow stars beaming closer. It gradually gained speed and momentum as a shimmering blade came down. Verias screeched with all his might as the Haos blade bisected not only into the rippling shockwaves, but also shattered a crevice into Eternity Screen. For a moment, Armagedoid was taken back as Verias bared his teeth through the tear made.

Frill Abis Omega: 500 (+500) = 1000/Dusk Atchibee: 800 (+500) = 1300/Glow Jelldon: 2600 (+500) = 3100/Stag Fly Beetle: 700 (+500) = 1200/Prime Verias: 1200 (+500 +400) = 2100/Gale Atmos: 900 (+500) = 1400 = 10,100

Armagedoid: 1600 (-500) = 1100

Time slowed down for everyone present. The darkness broke away to allow a gap from which Verias moved away from to reveal Abis at the ready. Armagedoid picked up on the gap made.

"Luke!" Shawn shouted.

"Got it!" Luke sped fast Shawn just as Abis touched base with the ground, Water gathered around the latter as the former drew his sword back. "Ability, activate! Tidal Flash!" Abis shrieked as he unleashed a vicious flood at Armagedoid. The Bakugan braced himself as the tidal wave swept through the gap of darkness and quickly drew closer towards him. Abis' power went up towards 1400 as he manipulated the cold water towards the dragon.

Armagedoid hastily braced himself for the attack heading their way. Riaan instigated a counter.

"Ability activate, Prism Dialect!" Just at the last second, Armagedoid's coating shined brightly. The flood reached him and crashed into his system with everything Abis had to throw at him. Likewise with the case of Luke as Riaan was parrying him. The suppressing waves kept Armagedoid in check, yet he wasn't budging. Riaan neither wasn't willing to move from his position. No matter how much might they possessed, the two refused to back down from the fight. Whatever it would take, they will not fall so easily.

With a furious graze, Riaan slashed Luke's blade, causing him to slide backwards for room. "Is that al you're worth?!"

Luke grimaced. He was still worn down from his last go-around. He got into a bunting position as Riaan raised his blade…but then he came down, slamming the blade into him. The flat end took the blow, but Luke was able to bounce back from that.

Rian grimaced. 'That should've had a sharper appeal into it…' He thought back to his battle against Luka. His side started aching again, his right eye visibly twitching. 'I guess, I haven't fully recovered from yesterday. I'm slowing down faster than I anticipated. I have to end this quickly.'

"Master!" Armagedoid shouted.

Realizing it at that shout, Luke, Shawn, Esther, and Jase surrounded Riaan and closed in for killing blows. With a hefty grunt, he pivoted and deflected them all.

"Ability, activate! Ambiguity!" Armagedoid's body glowed dark purple briefly before dense, dark shockwaves exploded from him. The ground churned as they spread across the battlefield and towards Abis and the other Bakugan.

"Atchibee!" Esther cried out. At the behest, the moth hissed as she swooped down from above. "Ability, activate! Chrysalis Shield!"

Atchibee swooped down in time in front of everybody to take on the dark shockwaves threatening their lives. She summoned a dark pink crystal wall in front and around them. The shockwaves shattered hefty fragments of the crystal upon impact, but everyone remained intact behind as the moth withstood the brutal blow.

Frill Abis Omega: 1400 (+300) = 1700/Dusk Atchibee: 1300 (+300) = 1600/Glow Jelldon: 3100 (+300) = 3400/Stag Fly Beetle: 1200 (+300) = 1500/Prime Verias: 2100 (+300) = 2400/Gale Atmos: 1400 (+300) = 1700 = 12,300

Armagedoid: 1100

Riaan narrowed his eyes. 'As I expected. Wary and accurate…and deadly.'

The shockwaves of the attack were gradually wearing down the shield, but Atchibee was keeping herself firm for everyone to brace for what's to come. "Everyone, ready yourselves!"

"You don't have to tell me twice, Atchibee." Fly Beetle said, before turning towards Jelldon. "Hey, Jelldon, want a lift?"

"Let's do this." Jelldon braced himself and gradually coiled a tendril around Fly Beetle's horn. The beetle got on all six legs and flung his head skywards, catapulting Jelldon above the shockwaves. With the coast clear, his body crackled fiercely.

"Ability, activate! Alien Flare!" Jelldon's bright gel sacs exploded with heat and a red distortion wave that rippled through the air. The temperature arose ever so slight as his power went up to 3700, while Armagedoid's dropped to 800.

The heated flares made Jelldon look so bright. He was like a sun in the dark sky that got Armagedoid's attention. His headpiece was what shaded his eyes from the solar rays draining his power. "We shall extinguish your light!" He opened wide to exert a voluminous roar.

"Double ability, activate! Photon Dragonia, plus Fading Goliath!" Armagedoid opened his maw as starlight gathered around him. Negative dragonfire and dark starlight rays blazed up attack Jelldon. They moved incredibly fast as well, but Atmos made it between them just in time.

"Ability, activate! Aurai Shield!" Atmos' wing joints spun their blades, generating a green shield made of whirlwinds that deflected the beams and dispersed them.

Frill Abis Omega: 1700/Dusk Atchibee: 1600/Glow Jelldon: 3700/Stag Fly Beetle: 1500/Prime Verias: 2400/Gale Atmos: 1700 (+200) = 1900 = 12,800

Armagedoid: 800 (-200) = 600

Riaan gave everyone once again his best calm, respective glance. The others who were around him were starting to wear down a little from his swift reaction timing. But it goes to show they were being careful.

'Just as I thought…he's still strong. Even after yesterday when he fought against me and Luka…' uke labored. 'Did his body slow down at all from that fight…no, it shouldn't have. Otherwise he'd be faster. We're starting to gets gaps showing that he wouldn't allow normally.'

Riaan scoffed. "Persistent, just as Lucia eloquently puts it. Very well then. Then let's get intuitive, shall we?" Riaan held up an ability one that many had a good feeling about.

Esther gnashed her teeth. "Wait, that card…"

"Here we go again." Shawn grimaced.

"…ability activate, Necromancer!"

Armagedoid's eyes glinted for a moment. "Yes, Master. Just as I had in mind." He gazed at everyone ahead as his eyes flashed dark purple. Instantly, they all stiffened as an unknown power overtook them. Abis grunted, as did Verias. Everyone could feel their bodies being manipulated, and worse, they couldn't move a finger or limb.

"Oh no…not this!" Jelldon wheezed.

"Crap…I can't move…" Fly Beetle murmured.

Armagedoid's eyes glinted again to ensue a command. Jelldon suddenly jabbed Fly Beetle in the side of the head, flooring him harshly.

"Sorry~!"

Armagedoid's eyes glinted again as Atchibee was maneuvered towards Atmos and vice versa. The talons and scythes gnashed into each other harsher than what they expected them to be. Armagedoid manipulated them with another glint, causing Atchibee to slash Atmos with one of her massive scythes. The falcon screeched out and retaliated with a talon forced to stamp in Atchibee's face, sending her to the ground.

Slowly, Abis and Verias were forced to face each other with pained looks in their gazes.

"Verias…"

"Abis…look alive!"

Armagedoid's eyes glinted again. They were thrown into each other into battle. Abis coiled about, to which Verias was manipulated into throwing the coils off and raising his staff to cut into Abis. The serpent was quick enough to snake out of the way of Verias' attack. The little free reign was short-lived when Abis was shoved harshly, pushing both down to the floor. Add to that, Jelldon slammed three tendrils ground to pin them deeper inti the earth. Their screams raged loudly for all to hear.

The Bakugan were cutting, tangling, and tussling against themselves. It was becoming too much for even Julie to broadcast but she couldn't turn the cameraman away. They were both petrified in a mix of fear and shock.

"T-there's Riaan's power working…he's making all their Bakugan fight one another…"

Abis snapped down on one of Jelldon's tentacles, causing him to shout out in pain. "Sorry, Jelldon!" But the only response he got was the tendrils being forcibly wrapped around his neck.

Five more tendrils swept around and laced around everyone's necks. Jelldon grunted as he tried to fight it, bit was utterly futile. All he could do was close his eyes as his body strained to hold his five friends around their necks.

"I sincerely question, how do you intend to fight back now?!" Riaan raised his blade in challenge. No one dared approach callously.

Esther turned to Luke. "Everyone, we need to stop that Necromancer. That's our priority right now."

"Right, got it." Luke turned towards Jase. "Jase, can you distract Riaan?"

"I will do what I can to buy you some time." Jase darted ahead with his taser prongs, engaging in another collision course with Riaan's superior weaponry.

"Shawn, whatever you've got planned, now's the time." Luke prompted, before his eyes widened. "Look out!"

Everyone beneath moved in time before Armagedoid's tail came down to impede their path. It was a close call that it wasn't direct or they would've been crushed. They looked at Armagedoid with a shocked look.

"As Master would say, this is a real battle. And you're our enemies as well…you too do not deserve the satisfaction of mercy." His eyes flashed bright purple.

Luke and everyone looked back with widened eyes. They felt six shadows loom over them as the earth thumped. The already tainted air intensified with their Bakugan looming down on them.

"Not good!" Shuji panicked. Maggie gasped with shock of her own.

Jase was in a duel with Riaan as he twirled his taser to deflect shots. He found and opening and jutted forward. He was off by a little when Riaan leaned off to the side and swept across. Jase was vigilant enough to duck and sweep back to avoid being bisected.

"I must say, former Colonel, for your age, your moves aren't too shabby. A soldier must be fit for duty, as they are to give their lives for their leaders and countries."

"Just as the lives have that you've stolen? I don't recall a guardian being so bold as to claim that what he protects is self-preservation."

Riaan chuckled. "Fitting, I suppose. Still, to each their own. Are you a soldier willing to give his life still?"

Jase tightened his grip on his taser. "No. I've found a reason that compels me to live."

The B.I.F HQ had Michelle staring at the screen with a serious expression. "Jase…"

"Whether I live or die doesn't matter, as long as I try to fulfill in atoning for the mistakes I've made. To think that I would've made Bakugan the same as you do yours. A loyal soldier is one thing, but one who does not comprehend cohesively is another. I stand by that factor."

Riaan scoffed. "So this wardog has some bark after all, but is your bite just as powerful? We shall see." He held out his blade in a gesture for him to come at him.

Fly Beetle's lower pincers stabbed the ground, trying to stab Luke and Shawn. Jelldon slammed down a tentacle, of which Esther used her spear to prob back the tendril, but another swept from the side that she bunted against that sent her into Shawn and Luke.

"Esther!" Luke caught her just as he fell down with Shawn. All three plundered and remained still on the ground, where their Bakugan surrounded them.

"This is bad. Really bad." Maggie worried.

"Yeah." Shuji grunted. He whistled out towards Armagedoid. "Hey, charred scales! Forgetting something?!"

Armagedoid looked over at Shuji, hearing his tone. His eyes glowed bright purple and sent Atchibee and Atmos at them.

"GAH! What are you doing?!" Maggie yelped.

Shuji smirked. "It's called a distraction." He looked over at Shawn. "Whatever you have to do, do it now!"

Shawn looked over and up. He, Luke, and Esther glanced up barely ready as Abis and Verias had fangs and a staff with a battle axe on the end at the ready. Rather than cry and worry for their lives, Shawn called out just as they lunged for them.

"NOW! Gate Card, open! Ring Zero!"

The Gate Card shined beneath, immediately affecting everyone present, including the Bakugan. Armagedoid realized his ability was thwarted, but thanks to Prism Dialect, he wasn't subjugated to immobility like it normally would. He looked down in conscious surprise, while the aura around all the Bakugan dissipated.

Abis and Verias smashed into the ground, the same time Atmos and Atchibee flew into Maggie and Shuji. The earth trembled as Riaan and Jase looked back to see nothing but a cloud of dirt completely obscuring everything and everyone. It was tough to see, but they knew something must've went wrong.

As the dust settled, a long head slithered from the ground, carrying a human on top. Abis flexed all his frills as Luke mounted his head and hissed mightily. Beside him, Verias had Shawn and Esther on his shoulders and roared mightily.

Shuji and Maggie were beneath Atchibee and Atmos respectively, covered by them instead of being slain on the spot.

Riaan narrowed his eyes. "They nullified Necromancer." He looked back at Jase. "Not a bad setup."

"Hmph, I think I'll take your compliment while it lasts." Jelldon slipped a tentacle towards Jase's feet. He promptly stepped over and was lifted back with his friends towards the other side of the battlefield.

Riaan and Armagedoid watched the humans return to position while Atchibee and Atmos went the opposite way.

"Are you ready, Atmos?!"

"Just say the word, Atchibee!"

"Double ability, activate! Silver Twister, plus Fusion Ability, Vermilion Raid!"

"Ability, activate! Quad Vortex!"

Atmos and Atchibee spread their wings and took off in a frantic flight. They sailed over the black dragon and brought their wings back. Atchibee flapped repeatedly, expelling a silver powder typhoon that swirled. She added vermilion flames from her mouth that gave it a glossy bright purple gleam that ignited the powder to make it more destructive. Atmos locked his four wings and the four fans shot four individual tornadoes. The small tornadoes swirled around the larger tornado Atchibee had and made a helix until it actually broadened the entire thing. It crashed hard into Armagedoid's body, swallowing him in a roaring twister that blew around debris and fractured remnants. Even the water stirred in a familiar motion with the twisting attack. Riaan withstood his ground and watched the tornado reach heights that were hundreds of meters upwards. By the looks of the darkness erupting above, it must've hit the ceiling already.

Abis and the others dropped off their battling partners back with Shuji and Maggie. They all immediately gathered and looked serious.

"You okay?" Shuji wondered.

"Don't worry, Shuji. We're just fine." Esther assured, but her demeanor was focused on the tornado in front. "Now then…"

Everyone faced the raging twister, ready to attack again. However, it was short lived when a pair of magenta eyes gleamed through. Riaan readied an ability. "Ability activate…Ambiguity!"

The tornado suddenly went unstable as the wall of flaming dark winds spun left and right. An uneven draft was starting to erupt before an explosive dark shockwave followed by a grizzly roar pushed everything out and dissipate. Armagedoid craned his neck high as his bellow extended towards the Bakugan, who were trying hard to resist and hold their ground with their partners.

Frill Abis Omega: 1700 (-850) = 850/Dusk Atchibee: 2000 (-400 -800) = 800/Glow Jelldon: 3700 (-1850) = 1850/Stag Fly Beetle: 1500 (-750) = 750/Prime Verias: 2400 (-1200) = 1200/Gale Atmos: 1900 (-950) = 950 = 6400

Armagedoid: 0 (+1500 +4300) = 5900

The shockwaves continued rampaging, making it hard for anyone to make a move. The earth beneath trembled beneath the might of Armagedoid as his magenta accents shined brightly, especially his core.

"Let's see where vigilance shall get you now!" Riaan jutted his blade out. "Now! Double ability, activate! Oracle Cannon, plus Photon Dragonia!"

Armagedoid's eight wings created a large, negative space in which dark energy created a void-like beam compressing, while negative dragonfire charged in his mouth. Once ready, the land violently shook to a pinnacle, then stopped for a split second, before unleashing a monstrously broad beam of void-like energy with flaming dark fire that gave it an extra boost in strength as well as speed.

Frill Abi Omega: 850/Dusk Atchibee: 800/Glow Jelldon: 1850 (-800) = 1050/Stag Fly Beetle: 750/Prime Verias: 1200/Gale Atmos: 950 = 5600

Armagedoid: 5900 (+800 +800) = 7500

The roaring attack drew closer that everyone was still vulnerable for. They widened their eyes and were unprepared as time slowed down for a second, showing their shock at the monstrous energy blooming their way. Time sped up again as the beam swallowed the Bakugan. All their screams and anguish erupted as earth churned underneath and blew up the water itself. Sprays went to either side while the human had to get down to their stomachs as the debris was flying overhead. But even so, it was still so much that it picked them up and sent them hurdling as the shockwave of darkness expanded continuously.

"GUYS! NO~!" Julie panicked.

The dust cleared for everyone, who was sprawled on their sides and trying to get up. They had scratches and bruises, but they weren't giving up. However, their Bakugan had already returned to ball form and rolled up to them in silence.

Luke: 30%

Esther: 40%

Maggie: 40%

Shuji: 40%

Shawn: 40%

Jase: 40%

Lucia closed her eyes, scoffing lightly at the light. "As I have said before. Our lord and fate can't be swayed. Their points are invalid towards his superiority."

"You really are a kissup, aren't you?" Amina quipped.

Armagedoid swayed his tail to and fro before reverting to ball form. Riaan caught him with his free hand and glared down everyone as they arose to their feet, albeit shakily at first. Shuji supported Jase while Esther and Luke were getting up in unison. Despite being physically worn down, he couldn't help but feel impressed.

"So…do you insist on going on?"

His taunt made Luke grunt. 'He's as strong as he was before. No, stronger actually.'

Abis rolled around in his hand to get going again. "Luke…" he groaned. "It's okay, we'll be fine."

"Abis…"

"We will be. We've been pushed down enough as it is. Everyone's looked down on us. Everyone." He paused to recall the people they've fought, and had to surmount over. Including the Battle Brawlers, Luke's parents, even Riaan. "That's why…if they want to just sit there and yell us down…then let them!"

"We don't care what they say." Fly Beetle added. "They think we're not big or important because we're not like what other Bakugan should be…"

"So that's why I say, we keep pushing. The more they push, the harder we'll come back up!" Jelldon encouraged.

"Fly Beetle…"

"Jelldon…"

Esther's frown turned to a meek grin. It was an encouraging moment that got its point across. She looked ahead at Riaan with a dead serious expression. "There's been enough said. We've come together and fallen so many times, but…we haven't lost hope just yet. Everyone, stand."

"Right." Shawn stood up with his rapier, holding Verias. "Ole Riaan's been strict before to make Luke and I push ourselves. Guess this is full circle."

"Irony at its finest, I say." Jase chimed. He held up Atmos. "People's arrogance can be their undoing."

Riaan heard them, showing no scoffing at their remarks. "Hmph, yes. I can agree with you there. Overconfidence can be a grand folly. But I do commend you for getting this far and standing before me." He slashed the air. "Now, shall we proceed, and see to whom these lands' shoulders falls onto?"

Back with the Brawlers, they were all starting to come around. They were gradually regaining whatever consciousness was knocked out of them by Shuji, and when it did, it hurt.

Dan was the first to awaken fully. "Gnnngh, my head…gngh! GAH! My arm!" Tears stained the sides of his eyes from excruciating pain he felt. He dragged himself onto his side and clutched his shoulder to suppress whatever blood loss he's endured. "It hurts…it really hurts…"

Marucho gradually lifted his head and fixed his glasses, which were still on his face even after being blown around. "H-Huh…? What's going on…? I thought we were-!" His eyes widened. It all came back to him. "Wait a minute, wh-where's Riaan?"

Keegan looked down at them, seeing them getting worked up just from being awoken. "Rise and shine already? Took you guys long enough to come around."

"What's going on?" Shun looked over at Keegan, his eyes widened. "Wait…I know you. Weren't you on Vestal when we arrived?"

"So I guess you remember me after all? About time somebody recognizes me. Where were you all, under rocks?" He looked ahead. "Anyways, it ain't safe. You're better off holding it back here for the time being."

Dan and the others looked ahead in confusion at the statement made. Much to their own surprise, they saw the six battlers from before bracing themselves. Already they had scrapes and weapons out as they faced Riaan.

"What?! What are they thinking?!" Dan yelled, but his pain flared at the shock and made him wince. He curled back up in pain.

Keegan furrowed his brow. "Don't bother. With that injury, you're better off laying down."

Shun balled his fists in growing frustration. He wanted to get back at Riaan, but knew it was hopeless. He remembered everything said, and how Eve was pointed out in flaws and all. They busted out everything they had, and it still wasn't enough. He lowered his head in frustration. "Those guys…they're gonna get themselves killed out there."

"And we can't even move." Gunz grimaced. "This sucks…"

Dan closed his eyes, tears starting to run freely as he laid his head down. "We're sorry…everyone."

Riaan whipped a Gate Card out and tossed it. "Gate Card, set!" He shot it into the middle of the battlefield, where it faded into a dark shockwave across the ground. "If you wish to succeed, then you must do more than the last! Bakugan, brawl! Armagedoid, stand!" He threw Armagedoid into play, where the Bakugan's wake caused the isle to thunder as he arose. His eight panel-like wings flexed as he exerted another roar upon rising.

"Let's go!" Maggie encouraged.

"Bakugan, brawl!" Everyone threw in their Bakugan at the same time. "Bakugan, stand!" Six elemental lights arose from below, bringing up the six Bakugan as they roared and immediately started their assault.

Frill Abis Omega: 700/Dusk Atchibee: 700/Glow Jelldon: 700/Stag Fly Beetle: 700/Prime Verias: 700/Gale Atmos: 700 = 4200

Armagedoid: 1500

Armagedoid's tail smacked the ground, sending a tremor beneath the surface. "Come at us!"

"You took the words right out of my mandibles!" Fly Beetle extended his wing shields and beat his wings ferociously. He jumped into the air and shot across with Atmos. The two Bakugan sailed around Armagedoid's head in a rotation method, keeping the black dragon's eyes on them as they drew in and out to flux his focus.

Eyeing the two leerily, he took careful aim. Riaan instigated an ability by pointing his sword upwards. "Ability, activate! Fading Goliath!" Armagedoid charged up starlight around him and prepared to fire at the aerial distraction. Once Atmos swooped around, the dragon fired the seven star beams at him.

Verias grabbed Abis by the tail and threw him, knowing what he was best at. Abis prepared and shit between the pathway of the starlight and Atmos.

"Ability, activate!" Luke shouted. "Mirror Shock!" Abis flexed all his frills in midair and took the attack head-on. The starlight projectiles ruptured the air around him, but he was able to reverberate them off of his frills with glossy blue edged within and blasted them back towards Armagedoid. The dark starlight with blue shot across the ground, gradually making explosions that ran across Armagedoid's reversed attack.

Frill Abis Omega: 700 (+500 +300) = 1500/Dusk Atchibee: 700/Glow Jelldon: 700/Stag Fly Beetle: 700/Prime Verias: 700/Gale Atmos: 700 = 5000

Armagedoid: 1500 (-500) = 1000

Through the explosive darkness, a small hole opened up for Fly Beetle to beam down on. He fell through towards the ground as Shuji prepared an ability. "Ability, activate! Seismic Repeater!" The pincers on Fly Beetle's midsection arose as he sundered. They glowed bright orange-brown and plunged into the earth just as he slammed hard. An orange-brown shockwave raced across the ground towards Armagedoid, vaporizing the dust cloud standing in his way.

Riaan narrowed his eyes with a snort. "Ability activate, Shambolic Wing!" Armagedoid got his wings in front at the last second and took the shockwave head on. The air received generous amounts of friction and static that enflamed the atmosphere around him. His panel-like wings outstretched again, showing the reflective insides that shot the shockwave across the battlefield back at them with double the mass and force implied.

Maggie took the initiative and unleashed an ability. "Ability, activate! Hot Flash!" Jelldon whipped his tendrils out and unleashed a broad, searing light ray from his body. It acted as a radiant shield that stopped the shockwave incoming, burning it away. The fragments of the light caused Armagedoid to lower hos headpiece to refrain from blindness, whereas his power diminished towards 700.

Riaan used his forearm to block out the heat rays, but he was no fool. He felt a shadow overhead that made him look up. The shadow of Atmos past over as Luke dropped from his talons onto him. He spiraled down and slashed with all his might, meeting a parry that grazed sparks everywhere between them.

It felt like time was slowing down as the two were in a breakneck stalemate. Luke's downwards force was holding Riaan back long enough for Esther to dash in for an attack upfront. He caught wind and pivoted to spiral Luke away and downward slashed Esther's attack as a parry.

They both slid back for distance to keep out of range for his blade. Esther readied an ability. "Ability, activate! Scale Down!"

Through Jelldon's bright flare, purple powder fluttered from above. It sprinkled all over Armagedoid's body, coating and fading into his frame. He looked at the powder fading on his arms and looked up to see Atchibee scattering the attack through the distraction.

Jase showed two abilities as he jumped onto Atmos. The falcon swooped around as he remained on him. "Double ability, activate! Tailwind, plus Float World!" The falcon shrieked as he picked up speed with whirlwinds gathering around him. A typhoon picked up across the battlefield as a green, fog-like illusion cascaded beneath everyone's heels. It was knee-high, allowing great cover for Shawn, Shuji, and Maggie to break into the gap with Luke and Esther to confront Riaan.

Frill Abis Omega: 1500/Dusk Atchibee: 700/Glow Jelldon: 700/Stag Fly Beetle: 700/Prime Verias: 700/Gale Atmos: 700 (+300 +300 +100) = 1400 = 5700

Armagedoid: 700

Atmos swept over Armagedoid's head, dragging drafts beneath to cover for him. The green fog beneath was backed up around Riaan to ensure he had less visibility. Even within the cover, he knew his foes were out there somewhere.

As he glanced around, he tried picking up on their shadows. One shadow in particular caught his eye as it weaseled past him. 'There!' He slashed diagonally in the spot of the shadow, only tearing up a small fragment of pink cloth. His eyes widened. 'I missed…'

"Missed me!" Maggie chimed.

Riaan heard her voice and turned around, only to be narrowly punched in the face by Shuji and almost fell back. The big guy immediately recoiled to avoid the immediate counterattack slashed at him. It narrowly grazed his noseline.

From another angle, Jase jutted through with his taser lance, forcing Riaan to parry that and focus on defending Shawn's added tempo. Their speed was getting faster, if not more intense. But Riaan was keeping up.

With the focus needed, Esther turned towards Luke. "Now go!"

"Right!" He activated an ability. "Ability, activate! Sea Ruler!"

Abis shrieked loudly as he craned his head high. The water all around him erupted into mist that spread across the cloudy atmosphere. The mist cleared quickly, revealing the water levels from the basin around them having been drained by a good fraction.

Dan looked up with the Battle Brawlers in shock. Julie as well got all on camera. They could see the enormous sphere of water that spiraled with several water rings around it. It surged energy with Abis in the epicenter.

"Unreal…"

Luke pointed his blade up, then dragged it back down. "Now!"

Abis hissed and made the gargantuan water globe around him fall down onto Armagedoid. With hiss speed, he remained in the center as it turned into a soaring water meteor that shook the air. Drizzle fell everywhere to make the ground softer.

Armagedoid watched the shadow of the attack head his way, but he was prepared. "Strong may be, but you won't defend your ideals with such tricks we already know!"

"Ability activate, Satanic Suppression!" Armagedoid's core shined brightly as he reached out towards the falling water meteor. He roared mightily as the roaring attack finally made impact. A huge spray of water shot over everyone's heads that drenched them all. Added with Tailwind and the water was carried back towards the basin. Though only so much of it returned while a majority of the water was being absorbed into Armagedoid's core. This left Abis in freefall while thick, dense streams rushed around him into Armagedoid's core. His power went back up towards 1500.

The air continued to violently shake around them. Time again felt irrelevant towards them as even Riaan was finding everyone on the defensive and raised his blade.

"You all…you have so much pain. So much hate welled up inside…but, matter how of it you have, Armagedoid and I…we shall take it all, and ourselves stronger! Your wills shall only fuel us further!"

Armagedoid's eyes flashed again.

"Ability, activate! Soul Capture!" With Abis still in midair, Armagedoid went and reached out for him. Just before he made impact, however, a red translucent barrier blocked the attack and Armagedoid's hand.

"Gngh?" The dragon retracted his hand from the barrier's generator, via Jelldon. He made it just in time with his Petroleum Shield dissipating.

"Thanks Jelldon." Abis thanked.

"Don't mentioning it! Hrah!" He lashed a tendril, to which Armagedoid easily brushed off and snarled. Jelldon growled back in plight.

"You know what, Riaan, we are angry and upset! Were that and so much more because of what we and everyone else had to go through!" Maggie glared. "But we didn't come all this way just to tell you how much of a scumbag you are! Eve may have thought about the future, but we're here because of what we've decided. Not her."

Riaan closed his eyes briefly. "Even if you aren't swayed by the will that once blinded everyone else, that doesn't mean there's hope for you. I do not doubt your words, for you've been trying to stop me repeatedly, and even after the fault you still choose to die trying to salvage a folly existence."

"If this existence is a fault, then I guess that's a fault that we can live with." She showed an ability. "This isn't about Eve, it's about saving what existence we have from you and live with the consequences of it!"

"Oh, Maggie…" Rebecca mumbled, her face showing genuine shock at her brave daughter standing up.

"We're not shackled to the past like you've been. We're here because of what happened, now we're taking now, and making it our future that we choose! Ability, activate! Element Kraken!"

Jelldon's power gradually spiked towards 1400 as his tendrils shined in a multitude of colors. They shined bright elemental colors of all six attributes and focused solemnly on Armagedoid. With a hefty grunt, his eyes saw into his own, making plasma blink for a moment.

"HRAAH!" He unleashed flashfire jabs of elemental tendrils directly into Armagedoid. The dragon stood there and took all the blows, but they did little to budge him. It was like they weren't doing anything at all.

Riaan looked unimpressed. "You'll have to do better than that!"

Shun narrowed his eyes. He knew they were too weak. "Those guys…they can't seriously think this'll work…they'll just wear themselves out."

Jelldon fiercely jabbed constantly, blows hammering like machine guns into Armagedoid. Each second was dozens of blows bombarding but didn't do anything. The dragon refused to budge. A familiar memory was drawing him back ever so slightly.

"What's important is that no matter what, don't forget that in the end, you try. If not for me, then for Luke or Shawn. If not them, then the others that we like. If not for them, then for yourself. You really are strong, Jelldon, when you put your mind to it. Just remember, it's okay to be scared. But as you try, nothing can weigh you down!"

'We won't…' He thought about when he first met Maggie. 'We won't…!' He thought about his fellow Bakugan. 'We won't~!' Finally, the visage of Luka and Brontes was clear to them. Jelldon's eyes snapped wide as a rainbow shine overtook all the gel sacs in his body. 'LET ANYONE'S FUTURE TOOK FROM THEM AGAIN!'

"HRAAAAHH~!"

Jelldon unleashed bombastic jabs so hard that the force was breaking up rock and earth beneath. Airwaves popped like bubbles each millisecond as Jelldon put as much force into a mighty barrage at speeds surpassing the sound barrier. He was trying so hard that he was crying out with rainbow static igniting from his six eyes.

"TRY HARDER! HARDER~!" He let out an earsplitting screech as earth flew right past Armagedoid and Riaan. The land shuddered as the dragon was starting to feel himself get nudged every now and again. He was feeling Jelldon's blows get to him.

"Gngh…gngh!" On blow smashed brutally into his headpiece, causing shock to make him step back. The sight alarmed Hades Pillars, especially Lucia and Zion.

Armagedoid went to recover, but Jelldon refused to let up. Blinding rainbow jabs didn't give him any clearance for an attack.

Riaan scrunched his brow and readied an ability. "Ability activate, Ambiguity!"

Armagedoid's eyes brightened shortly before his body unleashed a broadening shockwave. With Jelldon so close, the blast wave engulfed him, shoving everything and everyone back who wasn't prepared. Jelldon held on, but just barely as his rainbow tendrils were starting to flicker in and out.

"Ability, activate! Chrysalis Shield!"

A crystalline barrier jutted up from below Jelldon, shielding him and the other Bakugan. Fragments of the crystal in front scattered almost instantly, but at the very least the wall provided a steep cover for everyone for the time being.

Frill Abis Omega: 1500 (+300 +100) = 1900/Dusk Atchibee: 700 (+300 +100) = 1100/Glow Jelldon: 1400 (+300 +100) = 1800/Stag Fly Beetle: 700 (+300 +100) = 1100/Prime Verias: 700 (+300 +100) = 1100/Gale Atmos: 1400 (+300 +100) = 1800 = 8800

Armagedoid: 1500

Luke and everyone stayed low as the Tailwind was still going, giving them some speed to hurry behind Atchibee's shield. They all turned the corner and hid from Armagedoid's boisterous shockwaves rampaging and tearing up the earth beneath. Riaan called out to them.

"Hit and run tactics, that's guerilla warfare, is it not?" His eyes widened. "But will that be enough to weigh us down, I wonder?!" At the question, Armagedoid's body projected greater pressure that made more of the crystal barrier deteriorate. The surface cracked further.

Shuji looked from the side, only to swivel back around to avoid a dense wall of air pressure. His teeth gnashed at how close that was. "Gngh! Damnit, this guy's not gonna let up."

"We'll have to make for an opening, that's a given." Maggie chimed. "Shawn, mind giving us a hand?"

Shawn nodded. "Yeah, sure thing. Verias!"

Using his muscular arms, Verias grabbed Jelldon by his tendrils and whirled him around. Like a sack full of sand, he whipped him up and around until momentum was just right to pivot and send him flying in a spiraling saucer straight through Armagedoid's shockwaves.

"What the heck are they doing?! Are they crazy?!" Gunz raged.

Maggie showed a Haos ability at the ready. 'All we need is to keep him focused on one of us at a time.' "Ability, activate! Spiral Lantern!"

Jelldon's rainbow tendrils turned all yellow and became a bright ring. He spun using the undertow of the shockwaves to fly into Armagedoid, whereas his power ascended towards 2300. He screeched out as the propulsion smashed him into the Bakugan s fast and so mightily that the earth erupted beneath.

"Ability, activate! Photon Dragonia!" Armagedoid unleashed broadening blazes that increased his power towards 1900. However, the jellyfish's momentum allowed him to slice through and make impact.

The shockwaves settled and allowed the dust to clear. They all took a step back and waited to see what happened. Dan and the Brawlers didn't show any signs of hope, even when the others looked ahead expectantly.

Riaan paused for a long moment, but didn't seem fazed.

Where Armagedoid stood, his feet were still on the ground while his hands were stretched out. They were plunged deep into something, and that was Jelldon's midsection with the hands paralyzing his soul. His power was 2200 as Soul Capture suspended him.

"Jelldon!" Maggie grunted.

Though barely able to move, Dan's fist balled on the ground. He should've known it would've been too easy. This guy was too smart and active.

Armagedoid's fingertips were holding onto Jelldon as the jellyfish gagged for levity. His magenta eyes glared deep into the retinas with a passion. "You are a brave Bakugan, and I highly respect that…but enlighten me, what was that move supposed to do?"

Jelldon strained as he felt his spirit restrained, but, even though he was feeling numb, his one eye slipped over his body to look at Armagedoid. "Gnnngh…it's…called bait."

His eyes widened.

"Ability, activate! Storm Valkyrie!"

A whirlwind picked up and Armagedoid looked up. He and Riaan saw just in the nick of time as a green cyclone traveled straight down to conceal Jelldon and hammer air pressure around Armagedoid's arms. The Bakugan was forced to let go and retrace his arms. A small sense of pain filled his arms as the tornado's pulses were causing his footing to slide several feet back.

Frill Abis Omega: 1900/Dusk Atchibee: 1100/Glow Jelldon: 2200 (+100) = 2300/Stag Fly Beetle: 1100/Prime Verias: 1100/Gale Atmos: 1800 (+300 +100) = 2200 = 9700

Armagedoid: 1900 (-300 -100) = 1500

Jelldon was picked up as the tornado's climb gradually brought him upwards. The huge gale wall was supplied by Atmos straight above, who finally grabbed onto Jelldon and held firm to him. "Are you okay, Jelldon?"

Jelldon winced, but he managed to look up. "Yeah…I think so. Thanks."

The cyclone was a relentless barricade that ascended towards the darkness above. However, Armagedoid remained wary as he gazed skywards. He saw a green glint that was concealed within the tempest. He instinctively knew what that meant. He crouched his neck low.

Higher above, a purple glint was shimmering within the thin layers of the tornado. With his falcon's eye, Atmos caught notice and was on high alert.

"Double ability, activate! Prism Dialect, plus Oracle Cannon!" Armagedoid's eight wings aligned in front and channeled energy into the center. Void-like energy manifested and swallowed darkness from the surroundings that amplified from the glistening complexion he had. It made the attack dilate before compressing further and unleashed in a broad, monstrous ray that tore the cyclone into thin air and aimed for Atmos and Jelldon.

Frill Abis Omega: 1900/Dusk Atchibee: 1100/Glow Jelldon: 2300/Stag Fly Beetle: 1100/Prime Verias: 1100/Gale Atmos: 2200 (-800) = 1400 = 8900

Armagedoid: 1500 (+800) = 2300

The chaotic beam bolted after the falcon, but he flapped his four wings and spiraled out of the range of the attack. His maneuverability was allowing him to gracefully fly above the Oracle Cannon's might, even as it sailed past him and blitzed into the cavernous darkness above. Even from a no-point-of-view, there were explosions and rock erupting high above, indicating the attack's massive wake reaching solid ground. The rocks that were from above splashed across the basin, picking up rising waves that crashed against the isle and startled Julie and the Brawlers.

"Geez! These guys are getting pretty excessive!" Kevin yelled.

Atmos took a steep arch down towards his peers. They looked up, realizing the attack's angle followed him and Jelldon as Armagedoid's head turned. "Crap, it's coming!" Shawn warned.

Fly Beetle stepped up. "No it won't…Shuji!"

Shuji balled his fists. "Yeah. Ability, activate! Thorax Defense!" Fly Beetle spread his legs as a metallic, shimmering coating enveloped his body. His power increased towards 1500 as Atmos flew past him at the speed of sound. The massive Oracle Cannon barreled in his direction instead. Upon the moment of impact, the land shuddered as Fly Beetle took on a huge amount of pressure and pain that was threatening to tear him apart. He screamed as he attempted withstanding, but he was gradually losing ground.

Everyone stayed low and behind for their own security. However, they were all being wary and watchful as Fly Beetle was defending them all, just like last time this happened.

Through the shockwaves of the attack, Shuji stood his ground, gnashing his teeth, "Gnngh…we don't, think so…!"

"Is that right?" Riaan raised a brow. "Though I can understand. After all, you hardly lasted long last time this attack struck you. It must've been a burden allowing your friends to suffer as badly as you did. Exactly what changed since then, I wonder?"

Armagedoid added greater forced into his attack. Due to the amplification effects, Scale Down was utile to even weakening the force even a little. Fly Beetle's carapace was gradually starting to crack, the same as before.

"Shuji! Fly Beetle! Hand on!" Luke shouted, only to be responded with Shuji reaching out to his side.

"No! Not yet!" His tone surprised everyone. They watched as Fly Beetle was cracking even more. But even so…he dared not budge.

"Gnnngh…! Not…this time!" Fly Beetle's eyes flashed bright orange.

"Yeah, that was a pain, but listen here pal. You beat us down before, and we get back up! That's what I learned. No wussing around when I'm on the job! We stand our ground and hold a firm road ahead! That's what a Subterra is!"

"Big bro…" Akira's eyes were glued to the screen with admirable shock. Nene was right beside him with their mother still raptured in what was going on. They were watching their brother/son on the air holding off the world's biggest threat, and he refused to budge.

Fly Beetle balled his fists. He and Shuji were silent as they were focused on their goal: Forward. Though in their minds, playbacks of everything they've went through were piling up. From the battle with Keegan helping Shuji fix his style, to standing firm against his folks. Gorem, and even Coredem were in their minds. Everyone who helped toughen them up brought them to now. To break now, would be the biggest insult to them, as well as themselves.

'We…won't break!' Both their eyes widened. 'We are…INDESTRUCTIBLE!'

"Armagedoid!"

Armagedoid bellowed as he added another flux of energy that pulsed down to where Fly beetle was. The land erupted until nothing surfaced but white flares and a blinding array of energy. Everyone present had half-expected a disaster, but no. The shockwaves of the attacks went around them. It was like a huge airwall curved around and struck everything else.

Dan's closed eyes weakly opened. "H-Huh? What the…?"

Shun's gaze shrunk. "It can't be…"

Riaan frowned at what he and Armagedoid saw. The isle beneath was decimated into nothing but soft gravel leading up towards a crackling object. Sparks churned as the joints moved and flexed to reveal Fly Beetle, coated in sharpened, dense iron that made him edgier, and looking more menacing. Everyone there had some measure of surprise.

"Heh…knew you had it in ya." Maggie smirked.

Shuji glared. "Ability activate…Carapace Riot!"

Fly Beetle withstood his ground, glaring daggers at Armagedoid without hesitation or fear. His power skybolted towards 2000. His yellow claws clutched tightly as he leered heavily towards Armagedoid and Riaan, the former growling in defense of his opponent's counter.

"I see…so you've mastered a new trick to strengthen your defense." Riaan prompted matter-of-factly. "How convenient for you."

"We told you. You can push us down all you want…" Shuji cracked his knuckles. "But we're through breaking. We're just going to get harder every time you fire back!"

"Couldn't have said it better myself. Now…!" Fly Beetle took off, darting across the battlefield with his stick legs nailing crevices into the earth. "LET'S BREAK THEIR WALLS DOWN! HERE WE COME!"

"Armagedoid!"

The Bakugan heard his master's call and braced himself. He allowed Fly Beetle to bulldoze his way towards him and lowered his horn. With a violent shout, the insect crashed into him, causing the ground to depress deeply around them. He budged as much as he could and leaned in further. Even though he didn't look it, Armagedoid had some really tough dragon scales.

The dragon snarled angrily at his foe's attempts. "I will not be moved so easily by the likes of you!"

"Just…watch me! Hraaah!" Fly Beetle pushed harder; with every fiber in his being. His iron-clad body pushed so hard and far ahead that traction along the ground meant nothing as he dug his heels in and scooted.

Gradually, it was a single step, but then another. Armagedoid's eyes widened in shock. "What?!"

Fly Beetle screamed mightily as he gradually gained ground. He shoved Armagedoid across the earth along his heels. Trails were left in their wake as he bulldozed with him over his shoulder and unable to stop his attacker's momentum. He dug his dark claws into the ground, but it wasn't enough. Fly Beetle shoved him back that nothing was stopping him.

Even Riaan, who seemed calm all the time, showed some surprise. "I'll be…" He composed in time. "Ability activate, Satanic Suppression!" Armagedoid's core started glowing. "That proud bulk won't mean anything if we harness it for ourselves!"

Shuji and Fly Beetle's eyes glinted. They knew what to do. "Double ability, activate! Horn Blitzer! Plus, Fusion Ability, Grand Booster!"

With contact eminent, Fly Beetle dug his glowing horn and thrust with hardened force into the core. The piercing blow was like a gut punch that caused Armagedoid's body to go numb. His eyes widened as his toothless maw gagged wide open from the wind knocked right out of him.

"What?!"

With Armagedoid momentarily short-winded, Fly Beetle pulled back his fist and clutched it hard. Shuji did the same. "This is what we say to you and everyone who thought our way wasn't fair!" At the same time, both cried out with all their might as they pulled their tightened fists forward into their respective foes. Riaan used the flat end of his sword to shield Shuji's punch, but Armagedoid wasn't lucky as Fly Beetle slugged him across the face.

"HRRRAAAHHHH!" Both yelled out mightily and followed through. Shuji's punch caused Riaan to lose balance and slide several feet back to hold onto traction. Fly Beetle followed through and sent Armagedoid screaming in shock past Hades Pillars' stupefied faces at high speeds across the isle. The black dragon smashed into a rock that fell from the ceiling afar, crushing it and burying him underneath the quaking rubble.

Nobody said anything. Not even Keegan, who was Shuji's first real opponent, was dumbfounded at this brute strength he had. It made him almost immediately regret being angry with him. 'Oh crud…I'm glad I wasn't that guy.'

Shuji pulled back his fist and glared back. "Now!"

Shawn took the hint first and took the initiative. "Ability, activate! Jade Surge!" Verias' gems all over his body brightened before the energy traveled towards his maw. He expelled a bright glossy light that raced across the ground into the rubble and Armagedoid, exploding in a broad light upon impact. Armagedoid's shrilled cries were loud enough for everyone to hear.

Frill Abis Omega: 1900/Dusk Atchibee: 1100/Glow Jelldon: 2300/Stag Fly Beetle: 2000 (+400 +100 +400 +100) = 3000/Prime Verias: 1100 (+300 +100) = 1500/Gale Atmos: 1400 = 11,200

Armagedoid: 2300 (-300 -100) = 1900

The land shuddered as Riaan regained his balance. By the time he looked back Shawn was already on his tail. He slashed across and made Riaan use the blunt end to hold firm. But even so, the pain in his side flared, causing him to grunt and falter back another few paces.

"Milord?!" Lucia blinked, her face showing distraught shock.

"Well I'll be damned. Those pack of diseased rats are biting back." Magnus whistled.

Cyrus looked on, heavily intrigued by the sight. "Yes, they most certainly are. I believe our lord may very well be at his breaking point so soon."

"Unreal…" Dan awed. Even on the ground, he was in total shock at that combo of these Bakugan and their battlers actually…battling. "How are these guys…are they crazy…?"

"They've lost their minds…" Gunz muttered. "How are these guys actually putting this guy back his paces?"

Keegan raised his brow, looking arrogantly down at them. "Probably because they actually shut up and do some work. Which is a lot more than what I can say about you guys…" He glanced away sheepishly. 'And maybe myself back then.'

"So…" Shuji crossed his arms before pumping them to show his seriousness. "Still think we're chumps?"

Riaan was caught surprised as Armagedoid laid in the rock mound that smoked. He gradually composed himself, giving everyone a serious face. "Hmph…well, well. I must say, you've caught me by surprise. I suppose it's clear to say that things won't be the same as before. To that I owe you an apology. It's time for us to correct our misgivings to your efforts."

Shawn furrowed his brow. "I don't like the looks of this."

The air around them intensified further. Pressure started building up again as the Bakugan felt their skins crawl with an uncomfortable force starting to surface. A low. Audible growl was jittering beneath the rubble, which started to shift and reveal magenta eyes gleaming with anger.

"This pressure…is he finally getting serious on us?" Luke worried.

Riaan smirked maliciously as he raised his sword high. "Armagedoid…rise…ascend to the battle!"

A bloody growl turned to a snarl as the rubble broke into fragments. Airwaves repulsed everything as Armagedoid exerted himself. Dark shockwaves spread everywhere and everyone up covered themselves from them. The Bakugan used whatever appendages or weapons they had to hold vast, but even they were shaken up some.

Armagedoid's eyes glowed brightly with a burning passion. That last attack genuinely did hurt. Now he was mad. His eight wings extended, flapping once to pick himself off the ground. A strong tempest whipped up that caused the water to churn around. Large waves severed the lowered tides. Everyone looked up in disbelief as he gave another flap, then another, and another, until gradually, he was ascending to the open basin air.

"Now…we can battle as you see it. Show them your agile might!"

Esther looked into the roaring atmosphere. She could see fragments of the power Armagedoid had before starting to flake off. 'It looks like Scale Down's effects ended as well.'

Jase furrowed his brow. "Incoming! Look alive!"

Armagedoid took off through the air after everyone. He passed over their heads, causing the atmosphere to treble and tidal waves to sever. They all held firm as the dragon tilted on his axis and adjusted his trajectory outwards. He sped across the water at alarming speeds with waves splitting behind his wake. He looked like a dark missile that aimed for everyone at grand speeds.

'So fast!' Luke gasped.

Armagedoid went in for the attack and bellowed mightily. He flapped to ascend higher and chased after Atmos. The falcon acrobatically maneuvered using the Tailwind speed he had, yet Armagedoid was well on his tail, like the winds had no effect on him at all. The falcon shifted course as Atchibee went for interference. The dragon flapped his wings in her face, sending a tempest that pushed her back. His tail came around and smacked her across the abdomen, sending a shock so great it made her fly far out. So far in fact that Jelldon had to slingshot one of his limbs out towards her to reel her in. He made it just in time before Armagedoid went grazing right overhead. His rats generated made him lose ground and fall over onto his back. The bloodthirsty dragon circled around high and looked down at everyone already disoriented beneath him. He remained high in the air and domineered his majestic and crude frame, illuminated by the Prism Dialect's shine to make him look like a black sin eclipsing them. He careened his head back and started gathering negative dragonfire.

"Ability, activate! Photon Dragonia!" He reared back and unleashed negative dragonfire straight into the ground. He flew closer towards the isle and glided right over as negative dragonfire burned a pathway towards everyone. The wake of the attack alone was drawing near too quickly.

"Double ability, activate!" Luke countered. "Filter Cannon, plus Fusion Ability, Refractor Booster!" Abis flexed his frills and took in the dragonfire beaming their way. His frills vibrated harshly as the force taken in was gradually wearing him down. But he persevered. Once it was all drawn, his power level spiked gradually towards 2900 and unleashed a violent glossy blue beam that soared across the air.

The attack's aim was right, but Armagedoid maneuvered around it with ease. He circled around the attack and got closer towards his target.

"Ability, activate! Zone Seal!" He reached down, projecting a singular distorted shockwave from his body that zeroed in on Abis. It encompassed him, paralyzing him long enough for Armagedoid to swoop down with a grabbling claw.

Before he could pierce him, Atchibee reached her tail pincers out and pulled the paralyzed Abis away in time. Armagedoid smashed his fist into the ground instead, depressing the earth and kicking up a dust storm to conceal his foes beneath. He had no choice but to ascend to try and locate them through the smokescreen.

"Ability, activate…" Maggie started. "Abyss Roar!" Jelldon aimed for the opening and unleashed a glistening blue beam that barreled with the force of oceanic water pressure. Armagedoid's eyes glanced towards his direction in tome to see the attack heading his way.

Riaan initiated his defense. "Ability activate, Necromancer!"

His magenta eyes narrowed as Jelldon's away and shined brightly. "Your power is great…but ours is greater!" He vigorously swiped from the side, dragging Verias – the closest target – from the ground to is front to act as a shield.

Time gradually slowed down as Verias was shown slumped by the quick reflexes of Necromancer. The attack was mere feet away when his blue eyes narrowed at what he had to do.

Maggie shifted her eyes towards Shawn. "You got this?"

"Yeah, don't worry." Shawn showed three abilities lined up. "Now! Triple ability, activate! Primera Pressure, plus Brass Sheria!" Verias reached out towards Jelldon attack as a Haos aura enveloped his body. The brass knuckles shined brightly as it drew in the attack at an alarming rate. All the energy liquid shook the air as the enormous pressure around Verias was out of Armagedoid's control.

"What…?"

Jelldon's power depleted towards 2100, but it compensated for his power skyrocketing towards 2700. Once all the power was absorbed, time gradually slowed down as the power transferred to him was directed into his fist. He twisted his body so he was swinging momentum onto Armagedoid.

"…plus Fusion Ability, Vibrant Kingdom Fist!"

Verias' power went bolting towards 3300. He screamed mightily as he brought down his fist across Armagedoid's stunned expression before showing his teeth. With a vibrant battle cry, Verias twisted his body further and plunged his fist deep into his airborne body. The impact was so intense that Armagedoid gagged again before crashing onto his back, rattling the isle beneath.

He landed right besides his peers as they regrouped in front of the smoke cloud that was Armagedoid. They watched it disperse slowly, revealing his frame that was slowly coming back up. His neck craned around as he stomped his foot. A tail swayed and showed the black dragon standing once more.

"He's definitely a glutton for punishment." Verias grunted.

Riaan reached down towards the field. "Gate Card, open! Power Pressure!"

The Gate Card shined below, gradually giving everyone a radiant shine as the light enveloped their feet and lower regions. They all felt themselves anchored by this suppressing force.

"I'm sure you're familiar with this Gate Card in the past. It's a card that prevents the opponent Bakugan from moving, nor can you use abilities if your power exceeds 400…it's quite a contrary, given what lengths you all go to overpower my own."

Armagedoid snarled.

"Ability, activate! Photon Dragonia!" The dragon's maw opened wide and unleashed a spouting negative dragonfire that blazed into everyone. The ground and Gate Card they were on went blaze with roaring darkness that swept across. It erupted around everyone, while Armagedoid's power climbed towards 2700. An eruptive wake blocked everyone off, especially since they couldn't fight back.

Luke used his sword and stabbed the ground. He kneeled behind it as did everyone to block off the dragonfire that streamed for them.

"Oh no!" Marucho panicked.

Luke gritted his teeth. The dragonfire was so strong; it was threatening to where the edges of his sleeves were starting to char away because of it. He persevered though.

Riaan overlooked the battlefield's blaze. He knew everyone was watching, so all they could see was a blaze that would spell disaster. Nobody could tell him he was right though.

"Just look at that power, it's madness." Mira analyzed from the HQ. "I've never seen Bakugan with this kind of stamina before. How are they still going?"

"Beats me, Mira." Runo murmured. "But I do know one thing…this battle isn't over yet…it can't be. Dan and the others risked too much to let it be in vain. You better not let us down, you guys…you just can't…"

Alice's eyes softened at her friends' half-hearted hope of words. It really did a number for all their confidence that the mighty Brawlers were backhanded. But Alice knew where this was coming from. She looked up at the screen, especially towards Luke and everyone defending against the roaring blaze.

Skyress looked up from her perch at the image in the dark vapor. "C'mon everyone. Fight on! The fate of New Vestroia, and everyone else for that matter, rests solemnly on you now."

Armagedoid continued spewing dark flames from his mouth that concealed everyone from view. As they were broiling from inside, a swift blur blew a hole open. Something swift shot up from the Gate Card.

"Hm?" Riaan and Armagedoid glanced up for a split second. Their attention was diverted towards feathers that were barely charred, but were otherwise fluttering from a falcon.

The wings spread, revealing none other than Atmos. His wing joints were rotating immensely to keep him from being anchored like the others were. He ascended a little more and leered down at Armagedoid.

"The Gate Card's effects won't work on him?" Riaan pondered. He subconsciously closed his eyes to think back to one of the abilities Jase used earlier. 'I see…so they anticipated my field trap. As expected.' He couldn't help but smile in glee. 'Such relishing nuisances indeed.'

The blaze was becoming too much. It was only a matter of time before it would overtake everyone. "Jase, do it!" Luke quipped.

Jase activated an ability to measure up the insistence. "Ability, activate! Typhoon Splice!" Atmos cawed and stopped his wing rotation to enable his wings to flap repeatedly. A gale storm of slicing green crescents funneled madly in every direction, tearing up the air and flames beneath his peers. The Gate Card suppressing them was gradually cracking until it finally shattered to pieces.

Armagedoid's eyes widened. He reluctantly covered up using his wings as the shards were blasted in his direction. The shredding tempest brushed past him, enveloping him and cutting around his body.

Frill Abis Omega: 2900/Dusk Atchibee: 1100/Glow Jelldon: 2100/Stag Fly Beetle: 3000/Prime Verias: 3300/Gale Atmos: 1400 = 13,800

Armagedoid: 2700 (-2000) = 700

The shredding cyclone threatened to deteriorate Riaan, yet he remained firmly placed. He gleamed steadily ahead to show his still dominating intimidation. He saw his Bakugan's prism-like exterior gradually getting chipped and sliced at, but he was persevering as best as he could.

Finally having enough, Armagedoid growled and extended his wingspan. With one flap, he dispersed the tempest around him to allow a gaping hole from which he ascended from. He screeched out angrily towards everyone.

"Ability, activate!" Riaan shouted, jutting his blade forward. "Ambiguity!" Armagedoid's eyes flashed as distorted dark shockwaves exploded everywhere from his body. They fanned out everywhere across the atmosphere and dispersed Atmos' whirlwinds. Not only that, but his Tailwind petered away as he was pushed towards the ground. Had it not been for Jelldon's soft body catching him it would've been a grueling landing. Everyone braced themselves as another harsh round of shockwaves exploded around them, causing even Luke and the others to backpedal while trying to maintain ground.

Frill Abis Omega: 2900 (-1450) = 1450/Dusk Atchibee: 1100 (-650) = 650/Glow Jelldon: 2100 (-1050) = 1050/Stag Fly Beetle: 3000 (-1500) = 1500/Prime Verias: 3300 (-1650) = 1650/Gale Atmos: 1400 (-700) = 700 = 6900

Armagedoid: 700 (+800 +4400) = 5900

The blast waves were permeating everything. Everyone was losing ground, but it was taking enough as it did for all of them to keep themselves upright.

"Ability, activate!" Shuji shouted. "Horn Blitzer!" Fly Beetle crouched as he readied his horn. He bolted skywards with his horn elongated with its ends having bright energy. He bulldozed skywards towards Armagedoid with all his might, screaming vigorously until he made contact with his bare claw.

"Armagedoid! Satanic Suppression!" At the command, Armagedoid reached out and stopped the horn from piercing him. Fly Beetle's proud strength held less momentum than it did before. Worse, the energy of his attack was being absorbed through the arm and into the core. Instead it was Armagedoid ascertaining power up towards 6300.

"Gnnngh…so…stubborn…!"

"Your power…won't work twice on me!" Armagedoid violently raised Fly Beetle by the horn and threw him straight down into the earth. He crashed brutally with earth dicing and spreading thin.

"Fly Beetle!" Shuji roared.

The dust slowly dissipated, revealing the insectoid attempting to stand again. He was shaking badly, but he wasn't giving up. Armagedoid descended back towards the ground a safe distance and sneered at his enemies. Hs neck lowered with his knees some.

SHING!

The pain Armagedoid felt earlier from Fly Beetle and Verias' attacks started stinging again. For a moment, he readjusted his footing and shook his head. Adding in the additional damage he's gained throughout his battles and he was starting to get tired.

'His stamina is starting to deteriorate. I didn't think he'd be pushed this far in. If this keeps up, we might be in trouble.' Riaan observed, before adjusting his Bakumeter. "Armagedoid! End this! Double ability, activate! Black Ripple, plus Photon Dragonia!"

Armagedoid charged up dragonfire and blasted everyone, along with his wings flapping once, generating dark matter that popped into consistent ripples that spread everywhere. They fanned fast into the other Bakugan, while leveling everything around him.

Frill Abis Omega: 1450 (-700) = 750/Dusk Atchibee: 650 (-700) = 0/Glow Jelldon: 1050 (-700) = 350/Stag Fly Beetle: 1500 (-700) = 800/Prime Verias: 1650 (-700) = 950/Gale Atmos: 700 (-700) = 2850

Armagedoid: 6300 (+700 +800) = 7800

Everything was swallowed in pitch-black. They all grunted as they were trying their best to withstand the pressure being thrown onto them. But it was still so much.

"Guys…!" Dan weakly cried, but was futile. Dark shockwaves and dragonfire blazed overhead to nearly incinerate him. If it wasn't for him already down, he'd be fried.

Armagedoid roared mightily. He refused to let up. Not even for a second. He aimed to win! He would not lose so easily towards adversaries who do nothing but try, and try, and try some more. These were genuine opponents he was respecting; that's why he was trying so hard to keep surmounting them. Flaws and all, origin or not…the battle – ne the win – had to be his!

Riaan stared in a familiar fashion. He was conserving himself after all the tussling he's been through. It wasn't just the prolonged struggles, but also the physical matter he's sustained. His proxy body was feeling worn out. This had to end, now.

'Your trials…are over!'

As the black void bombarded constantly, six glowing lights gradually illuminated the darkness. It grew brighter, leaving Armagedoid more than a little surprised. Riaan's own shock was evident.

"Huh? What's that?" Gunz questioned. "Some kind of light show?"

The lights gradually spread to force a small wall around it. Its combined might was repulsing the attack. Riaan knew what this meant, and his face showed genuine displeasure. Armagedoid bellowed out in might and fury.

The lights erupted, revealing his flames dispersing around the bright auras of the six Bakugan inside. Abis, Verias, and Jelldon all had shining auras, whereas Atmos, Atchibee, and Jelldon had auras of their own. And from the looks in their eyes, they looked fierce.

"I should've known…" Riaan looked past the fading darkness. He saw everyone on the ground with their Bakumeters glowing a similar ability. "A Triple Node. I should've expected as much."

Frill Abis Omega: 750 (+600) = 1350/Dusk Atchibee: 0 (+600) = 600/Glow Jelldon: 1050 (+600) = 1650/Stag Fly Beetle: 800 (+600) = 1400/Prime Verias: 950 (+600) = 1550/Gale Atmos: 0 (+600) = 600 = 7150

Armagedoid: 7800

Gradually, the six battlers stood once more. They balled their fists or looked ahead with stern gazes that told Riaan and Armagedoid that these guys weren't giving up. Their clothes were tattered, and they were exhausted, but no matter what, they didn't falter from tis suppressing force.

"How…how are they still battling…?" Shun wheezed. The negative energy filling the air was making it hard to breathe. He was to stay still in order to conserve his energy. 'Have these guys been used to this kind of energy for so long that it doesn't bother them?'

Riaan raised his chin, eagerly smirking. "Beautiful."

"We need a disturbance." Jase insisted. "Atmos!"

"Atchibee!" Esther shouted.

Their respective Bakugan glided right into their direction. They jumped and mounted their Bakugan as they took off. Luke and everybody else mounted their respective Bakugan and readied themselves. The moth and falcon arched around each other and went into a steep dive towards Armagedoid.

"Ability, activate! Dusk Tornado!"

"Ability, activate! Draft Cannon!"

Atchibee fluttered her wings in mad beats as a dark whirlwind circulated and launched in a cyclone. Atmos gathered air pressure as his beak glowed bright green. He reeled back as an intense green blast of air pressure canonized through the black tornado. It made a dark vortex with a beaming green center that bolted straight down onto Armagedoid.

Riaan reached out. "Ability, activate! Satanic Suppression!" Armagedoid reached out and hollered as his core brightened. All the dark and green winds spiraled frantically around him as his power absorbed it all, adding to his power to make 8600. "Will you never learn?! We will take all of your pain and anger to make ourselves that much stronger!"

Esther and Jase glanced at each other. They insisted on going as Atchibee flapped her wings, while Atmos kept firing a beam through it. Armagedoid kept absorbing it, focusing on taking it all in.

At the base of it all, Jelldon had a tentacle stretched out. Abis used a coil to hold the flipper end and tugged tightly while Fly Beetle used his horn to drag it back. It hurt like fire, but thankfully Jelldon's appendages were flexible. Verias was at the base of the slingshot mechanism, ready to be launched.

"You sure about this, Luke?" Shawn questioned.

"Yeah." His tone was confident as he looked forward. "Remember when we were kids and we played with something like this?"

Shawn couldn't held but despondently grin at the memory. "Hmph…yeah, I remember. You'd launch stuff around the courtyard and break fragile stuff so fast and then hide."

"Then if that's the case, he won't see this coming!" Maggie urged.

Shuji scrunched his brow readily. "We ready?"

"Ready!" Verias braced himself.

Everyone nodded.

"Here we…GO!" Fly Beetle pulled his horn back and tucked himself in. Jelldon's arms slung forward as Abis kept it straight for Verias to fly like a comet into Armagedoid. The speed he traveled was unmatched as he brought his axe blade back with a ferocious look in his eyes.

'Go, guys!' Luke prayed.

"Ability, activate!" Shawn's rapier was out to his side as he remained on Verias' head. Similarly, Verias' axe blade shined brightly as it trailed shimmering energy that circulated from his peers. "Light Primus!" The light blazed across the battlefield, cutting into the ground as the ape sailed through the air into the black dragon carnage.

Frill Abis Omega: 1350/Dusk Atchibee: 600/Glow Jelldon: 1650/Stag Fly Beetle: 1400/Prime Verias: 1550 (+1800) = 3350/Gale Atmos: 600 = 8950

Armagedoid: 8600

Rin looked on at the attack being absorbed, but a yellow glint caught his attention. He and Armagedoid barely noticed it as it drew closer.

The light around Verias' blade intensified as the ferocious look he had grew shades of bright and darkness. Epic would be one way of putting it, but it was sheer determination. 'I've made it so far because of everyone who supported us back. That's why…'

Armagedoid's magenta eyes dilated as time slowed down. Verias' blade drew closer towards his chest core with a streaming light drawing from all the other Bakugan that was his beloved friend. He roared mightily as his blade swung forward.

'OUR STRENGTH SHALL PREVAIL!'

In one fell swipe, Verias cleave into Armagedoid's chest and past him. He followed through as a blistering light trail seared into Armagedoid and paused. A second later, everything went silent before a voluminous explosion of light with a few attributed colors burst from the dragon. He screamed in agonizing pain as the land shattered beneath his and his agonizing might.

Riaan was completely dumbfounded. He noticed six shadows being thrown at him and quickly got into a parry. Esther came down with her staff, which he parried, but then Shuji was launched in to punch his flat end of the sword, allowing a buffer enough for Shawn to jump off Verias and slash. Again he parried, but an uneven one. Maggie stuck her leg out behind to make him trip upon stepping back. This allowed for Luke to finally take a shot and go for a piercing blow. At the last second, Riaan used the blunt end of his sword, but the blow was so great that the sword chipped drastically. He slid back several feet to a halt and looked at the six still present.

An agonizing shriek got everyone's attention as they looked at Armagedoid writhing from Verias' attack. He looked to be in so much pain as he slowly careened his head back and felt his balance ultimately faltering. He fell onto his side with an earth-shaking thud before reverting to his ball form. He rolled up to Riaan's feet as he was still processing his own breath.

Riaan: 30%

Amina looked own, genuine shocked at what she just witnessed. "…woah."

"Yeah, I'll say." Magnus muttered quietly.

Keegan looked on with his own shock apparent. But it was clear from said look he had that he was more than just surprised. No, he was completely taken back a whole step. "I'll be damned. Those guys actually did a number. See what I mean?" He looked down at the Brawlers.

"In…incredible." Drago muttered.

"I'll say." Dan wheezed. Either it was from his wound or his dizziness, he still couldn't believe what he was seeing. "Did those guys seriously hurt him?"

Marucho had no comment. Shun was speechless at the tactics he just witnessed. As unorthodox as they were, they ended up working. Gunz could've sworn this was just another nightmare and he had to wake up.

"No way…did you guys all see that?!" Julie quipped. "These guys are literally hammering away at Riaan! They're bringing themselves into this fight! They're crazy!"

"Luke…" Claire watched from home, genuine surprise shown at her son's hard work paying off bit by bit.

Tigrerra looked up at Verias in the sky and groaned low. She wouldn't expect anything less from him. "Wow, Mistress…Verias got so strong!" Aerogan awed. "I wish I was there…"

All the Bakugan reverted to ball form and returned to everyone's hands. They all gave Riaan serious looks, despite the worn looks they had and tattered clothing. They were tired alright, but they knew this was going to get serious from here on.

Riaan was completely silent, until he grinned musingly.

"Something you find rather amusing?" Jase chimed.

"Something like that. As a matter of fact, I'm actually enjoying this." He bent down to pick up Armagedoid. "Don't get the wrong idea, I'm not enjoying it because of the stakes or state of mind we have. No, those are catalysts. What I'm referring to is how similar we are."

"In what ways?" Shawn glared.

"Well, when you think about it? Look at what's happened. Everyone's hopes were bent on the Battle Brawlers and their hopes they carried with them. Yet, now they're crippled and completely worthless to the cause now. You on the other hand, you all were nobodies. Not even your Bakugan, who aren't even special enough to fuse or make Battlegear, were nothing. They were all nothing more than New Vestroia's inhabitance of the lowest caliber. Yet here you all are, putting up a fight better than what the Brawlers could've given me. Bakugan – who were as negligible as everyone was to my existence – who didn't stand out. Your non-Guardian Bakugan status is something to behold. You all deserve much more than what's been given to you!"

Esther glared intensely. "So you're admitting that you weren't important to anyone?"

Riaan humbly lowered his head. "Yes, quite so. But…that's in the past. We weren't important to anyone because they believed a greater power would protect the so-called peace that didn't exist. And yet people, and animals…they still kill. Truly, pitiful. That's why I believe now that this battle was meant to be. Those who were suppressed by the light finally breach from the shadows for all to gaze upon. No one has to be more worthy than you all right now. For that, I give you my gratitude."

He raised his blade, readying himself. "Now…shall we proceed?"

Luke furrowed his brow and reached for a Gate Card. "You took the words right out of my mouth. Gate Card, set!" He threw the card out towards the ragged center. A deep blue shockwave ran beneath everyone as they pulled back their arms to launch one more.

"Bakugan…brawl!"

All seven threw at the same time. The battlefield shuddered as seven Bakugan arose with vibrant auras flaring around their bodies. All seven roared out towards one another respectively as the isle and the water shuddered from the pressure built up.

Frill Abis Omega: 700/Dusk Atchibee: 700/Glow Jelldon: 700/Stag Fly Beetle: 700/Prime Verias: 700/Gale Atmos: 700 = 4200

Armagedoid: 1500

Armagedoid extended his wingspan and released a violent cry, He ascended into the air at breakneck speeds an got eye level with Atmos due to him being at the tallest height. The falcon released a cry of his own as he went speeding after Armagedoid, in which he returned the compromise. At the last second, Atmos barreled towards his left and swerved around getting behind Armagedoid for momentum.

"Ability, activate! Tailwind!" Jase declared.

"Ability, activate! Oracle Cannon!" Riaan countered.

Bothe Bakugan turned and faced each other at the same time. As Armagedoid charged up a void-like assault, Atmos generated a gale from out of nowhere. His power went up towards 1000, but it still went down towards 400 when Armagedoid unleashed the roaring blast at him. His power shot up towards 2100 in return. With his agile speed gained, Atmos soared around the attack as it beamed across the atmosphere. He narrowly passed over Armagedoid again. The dragon sailed after him, having energy still charged to fire more rounds.

Negative energy fired across the water with each misfire. The pressure was so intense that each one was like a highly immense laserbeam that tore open trenches into the basin. Water poured down the sides before rising in gigantic pouts that drizzled down onto everyone. But even so, Atmos' added speed enabled him to blitz through the spouts and evade Armagedoid.

Gradually, Armagedoid started taking aim again as he followed Atmos skywards. "You can't escape from me forever!" He fired one more blast of Oracle Cannon, making it narrowly speed skywards towards Atmos' back.

Jase timed it just right. "Ability activate, Vacuum Turmoil!"

"Whoever said running was an option!" Atmos turned around and faced Armagedoid. His fans projected a green funnel-like whirlwind that spiraled the negative energy beam through its momentum back at Armagedoid. The added Tailwind of the attack pushed its power an extra step further as it rocketed at sonic speeds.

"Double ability, activate!" Riaan countered. "Satanic Suppression, plus Fading Goliath!" As soon as his own attack was redirected back towards him, Armagedoid's core shined and he took in his entire attack. The energy was reabsorbed and seeped back into his body, only to be released in broad starlight beams. In one fell jump, his power level bolted up towards 2800 whereas Atmos' gradually declined towards 500.

The falcon's whirlwinds tore apart as the starlight shredded clean through to the other side.

"Ability, activate! Pincer Phalanx!"

"Ability, activate! Bolting Sun!"

A highly concentrated orange-brown beam blazed into the sky along with a plasmatic fireball perpendicular to the attack. They collided with the starlight, making a bright explosion that obscured everyone for a moment. Atmos used this opportunity to jerk away while Fly Beetle and Jelldon below were readily glaring at Armagedoid.

Frill Abis Omega: 700/Dusk Atchibee: 700/Glow Jelldon: 700 (+500 +100) = 1300/Stag Fly Beetle: 700 (+500 +100) = 1300/Prime Verias: 700/Gale Atmos: 500 = 5200

Armagedoid: 2800 (-500 -100) = 2200

The explosive wake of the attack didn't falter Riaan nor anyone else. Luke and Shawn charged with their respective weapons to initiate another parry with Riaan. Though he may have seemed to be hampered before, the mastermind looked more focused and calm than he did before. His pacing was as swit and sharp as knives.

With him focused on the swordfight, Atchibee burst out of the smoke cloud with Esther on her back. "Ability, activate! Phonic Liseran!" Atchibee fluttered her wings to create a dark hue around them to where it was borderline pitch-black. Bright purple energy charged in her wing patterns until she hovered right over Armagedoid in midair. With a violent cry, she unleashed broad dark energy beams that surged into him.

Riaan glanced for a split second to catch onto the oncoming attack. "Ability, activate! Shambolic Wing!" Armagedoid held his position high in the air and flexed his panel wings towards the phonic rays. They made impact, but instead of an explosion, dark airwaves rippled as the attack reflected off the panels and returned towards Atchibee in a far larger force than before.

'Just as we wanted.' Atchibee braced herself at her oncoming attack returning.

"Ability activate, Wormhole!" Atchibee generated a dark vortex in front of her that was wide enough to take in the attack. The wormhole sapped all the energy returned to her the same manner in which Armagedoid did with his attack at amplified strength. Her power skybolted towards 1700 thanks to that stunt.

Armagedoid narrowed his eyes at what he saw. "So, you learn from your own enemies as we do you." He descended down towards the ground, while remaining a few feet off. Ahead, Abis hissed as he was in position.

"Ability, activate!" Luke slashed, deflecting Riaan's blade. "Tidal Flash!" Abis opened his maw wide and lurched forward. He summoned a tidal wave from the surrounding dark basin water and made it rush past him towards Armagedoid as his power went from 700 to 1200.

"Nice try! But our guard won't be brought down so easily!" Riaan declared. "Ability, activate! Eternity Screen!"

Armagedoid reached his arms out and projected a dense, translucent forcefield from in front. The tidal wave crashed into the shield, but it was unable to permeate through while the waves streamlined on either side.

"If your intentions are to break us by wearing us down, then you'll have to do much more than just blindside me if that's your goal!"

Shuji growled. "Then we'll break your guard the hard way." He held up his Bakumeter, showing two abilities stacked up each other. "Double ability, activate! Carapace Riot! Plus, Horn Blitzer!"

The tidal wave broke through itself and gradually dispersed. Something brutal was tearing its way through until it came into view and smashed itself with full speed into the screen. The screen fractured and shattered in mere seconds as Fly Beetle's iron-clad form made it through, much to Riaan and Armagedoid's shock.

'He used the Carapace Riot to make himself tougher than my own defensive ability?! That move must make him immune to attacks coming at him and defending!'

Fly Beetle raged on as his power skyrocketed towards 2400. He barreled into Armagedoid's spot and smashed into the ground with a piercing horn. It looked like he hit, but Armagedoid was revealed to be above, narrowly evading the crushing blow at the last second.

A bright, glimmering shadow cast over him just as he looked skywards. Already on him, Jelldon had all his tendrils glowing bright energy colors with a fierce look.

"Ability, activate!" Maggie shouted. "Element Kraken!"

At lightning speed, Jelldon's power bolted towards 2000. He smacked Armagedoid by the headpiece, sending a shock through his system that left him seeing black. His vision returned just as quickly as he noticed winds picking up and a silver-scaled tornado coming down from above.

"Ability, activate! Silver Twister!"

Atchibee gave it a good flap and unleashed a point-blank cyclone into Armagedoid's face. The Bakugan hollered as it arched and drove him back towards the ground, enveloping him in the raging tempest that picked up gradually. It stirred across the ground in a violent rage that kept Riaan from getting too close.

"…!" He picked up on Esther dropping from above. He parried her with a bunt and deflected her overhead, in time as Luke and Shawn rushed in for a counteroffensive. They slashed, but Riaan didn't waver.

Inside the maelstrom suppressing him, Armagedoid was being suppressed by the whirlwinds. As he started getting up, his feet slipped when the ground beneath began shifting once more. It churned until the broke apart for Fly Beetle to lever his huge. Hard horn and catapult Armagedoid into the eye of the storm.

"Verias!"

At his call, a blur phased into view with his battle axe held out. Armagedoid's magenta eyes barely caught wind before Verias came swinging in to attack.

"Ability, activate! Bolt Cutter!" Shawn roared. Verias roared mightily as he swung his axe with all his might, cleaving clean through Atchibee's attack and struck Armagedoid. A bright flare erupted in the eye of the silver tornado to give it a glossy sheen.

Frill Abis Omega: 1200/Dusk Atchibee: 1700/Glow Jelldon: 2000/Stag Fly Beetle: 2400/Prime Verias: 700/Gale Atmos: 500 = 8500

Armagedoid: 2200 (-500 -100 -800) = 800

A silence broke through the air as everyone looked on with varied expressions. Dan and his friends were completely taken back by the extreme and agile measures taken. It was so fast that they didn't keep up. Not only that, but everyone else was watching these guys take on Riaan to refrain his ability and concentration with their own combat. It was just a huge mess that no one could wrap their head around.

Through the raging winds that was Atchibee's attack, Verias kept his blade stuck out as it struck something. It was putting up a fight. His eyes widened when he saw the blade's glowing edge caught within the grasp of Armagedoid's claws. The dragon leered at him.

"Close…but as they say, no cigar!"

Riaan deflected another blow from Esther. "Ability activate, Ambiguity!" Armagedoid's eyes flashed before a distorted shockwave raged across the battlefield. It tore through Atchibee's encasing tempest and pushed Verias back into his peers. The blast wave raged into all of them, causing them to cover and shield with wings, frills, and arms to hold firm while debris doubled over around them.

Frill Abis Omega: 1200 (-600) = 600/Dusk Atchibee: 1700 (-850) = 850/Glow Jelldon: 2000 (-1000) = 1000/Stag Fly Beetle: 2400 (-1200) = 1200/Prime Verias: 700 (-350) = 350/Gale Atmos: 500 (-250) = 250 = 4250

Armagedoid: 800 (+700 +2900) = 4400

The pulse waves moved frantically until it was enough to make Jelldon squirm uncomfortable. "Hang on, Jelldon!" Maggie shouted behind. Even she was staying low and holding out. 'This Bakugan seriously is taking a beating. And just after battling the Brawlers too.'

Rummaging beneath the shockwaves, Luke used his sword to keep himself up. He looked up at Riaan with a serious face, but swiped across the battlefield. "Gate Card, open! Hate Gate!" The battlefield shined, enveloping everyone in a strong aura. All their power levels were drastically climbing.

Frill Abis Omega: 600 (+1800) = 2400/Dusk Atchibee: 850 (+1800) = 2650/Glow Jelldon: 1000 (+1800) = 2800/Stag Fly Beetle: 1200 (+1800) = 3000/Prime Verias: 350 (+1800) = 2150/Gale Atmos: 250 (+1800) = 2050 = 15,050

Armagedoid: 4400

Riaan frowned heavily. Even with the pressure change he was still unfazed. "Is gaining power all you can do? I seriously doubt that's the extent of your potential."

All six held up their Bakumeters, showing the same ability. "Ability, activate!"

"Pyrus, Aquos, Haos Triple Node!"

"Ventus, Subterra, Darkus Triple Node!"

All the Bakugan started glowing their respective attributed colors, but Riaan wasn't going to have it.

"Armagedoid! Ability, activate! Satanic Suppression!" The dragon snarled as his core brightened further. The attributed shine around everyone gradually lost momentum and was forcibly pulled form them. They became energy wisps that circulated into Armagedoid, drawing him power instead. His power steadily arose towards 9200. "Your power will only fuel us!"

Esther silently glared. "…and that's what we can say in return."

Riaan narrowed.

"Atchibee!" The moth hissed as she ascended higher into the air to confront Armagedoid. She bared her scythes and glowered down for her next attack. "Let's take what he stole…and make it for what we can preserve!"

"Right!"

"Ability, activate!" Esther raised her Bakumeter high. "Silent Plexus!"

Atchibee's eyes grew grizzly as the atmosphere shuddered around her. She violently hissed at Armagedoid as dark helixes swirled around her scythes. They shined just as brightly as her eyes. Suddenly the helixes bloomed into a ferocious dark light that was like a beacon that produced airwaves that tore the water apart. Armagedoid was in midair at eye level with Atchibee's bright beacon of a body, and yet even he showed some surprise to her power rise.

"Are these humans…and Bakugan…that desperate?" He questioned half-heartedly.

Atchibee's body drew a dense Darkus aura as she drew so much power that every accent on her body was shining brightly. Her scythes gained incredible length and unleashed a bloodthirsty cry that shrilled through the atmosphere. Dark ripples burnt through the air.

Frill Abis Omega: 2400/Dusk Atchibee: 2650 (+4200 +400 +100) = 7350/Glow Jelldon: 2800/Stag Fly Beetle: 3000/Prime Verias: 2150/Gale Atmos: 2050 = 19,750

Armagedoid: 9200

"Atchibee won't hold for very long with that power level! Hurry!" Esther shouted.

"Right! Just hang on!" Luke shouted. "Ability, activate! Daedalus Cyclone!" Abis generated a massive swirling cyclone with a leviathan head at the top. He hissed mightily as he fired the blast wave in a massive turbulence towards Armagedoid.

"Back him up, Jelldon! Ability, activate! Sand Typhoon!" Jelldon screamed mightily as his entire body produced a typhoon of sand that he shot towards the dragon. With Atmos directly behind giving him a tailwind, the sand swirled much faster and mixed with the water to create a mushy tornado barreling after him.

Jase added a little extra. "Ability, activate! Draft Cannon!" Atmos shrieked out as he charged up more whirlwinds through his beak and pressurized them into a large green energy blast. Once charged, he released it in a monstrous bema with immeasurable speeds barreling alongside the two cyclones.

Much like Atchibee's attack. The winds and substances gathered around the Ventus attack and made a large funnel that spun up towards Armagedoid with the velocity to ensure it would be blinding fast.

Frill Abis Omega: 2400 (+500 +100) = 3000/Dusk Atchibee: 7350/Glow Jelldon: 2800/Stag Fly Beetle: 3000/Prime Verias: 2150/Gale Atmos: 2050 (+600 +100) = 2750 = 21,050

Armagedoid: 9200 (-500 -100 -400 -100) = 8100

The Aquos/Subterra/Ventus combo attack was kicking up speed as Armagedoid braced for it. He had just absorbed power and now he had to fight back!

"Double ability, activate! Oracle Cannon, plus, Black Ripple!" Armagedoid released an earsplitting below as he charged up avoid-like beam and dark matter at the same time. They gained gracious momentum and he exerted an omnidirectional blast wave of rippling dark matter and a concentrated beam of darkness that had ripples tearing its way through the front towards the attacks.

Frill Abis Omega: 3000 (-500) = 2500/Dusk Atchibee: 7350 (-600 -500) = 6250/Glow Jelldon: 2800 (-500) = 2300/Stag Fly Beetle: 3000 (-500) = 2500/Prime Verias: 2150 (-500) = 1650/Gale Atmos: 2750 (-500) = 2250 = 17,450

Armagedoid: 8100 (+600 +500) = 9200

They met in the center, creating a large, catastrophic wake that ignited the center of the basin. An unstable mass of energy sent shockwaves about that caused the ground to churn again. For the umpteenth time, everyone below was left to duck and cover, or shield themselves with their weapons as everything erupted into a bright hemisphere that overtook everything.

A dark slash went through it, paving a way for the grimly glowing Atchibee herself. She hollered mightily as she closed the gap on Armagedoid, mightily slashing passed him in an X-formation. The cross faded, leaving a moment before the implosion settled…before long, Armagedoid was swallowed in a voluminous dark explosion that rattled the caverns. A dense pillar of darkness so intense and fierce that everyone below had yet again to keep down. Hades Pillars. The Brawlers. Luke's group. Everyone.

Armagedoid's cries of anguish shrilled through the explosion, engulfed in one more dark implosion that severed the pillar of darkness Atchibee left as she circled around. A dark meteor fell from the core of the implosion and shot straight into the ground. Earth spliced as it dug deep and far to where Riaan had to take a careful step back and cover his mouth from the dust.

The Bakugan and battlers reeled back as the shockwaves gradually dispersed. Atchibee's body was shaking violently from the extreme energy she had in her system and gradually felt her strength depleting. It was like her system was slowing down on a whim.

"Atchibee!" Fly Beetle hurried over, getting under to support his friend. "Easy there, girl. You look like you need to settle for a moment."

Atchibee's head weakly arose. "Thank you…Fly Beetle."

The dust dispersed to show a flattened earth, where Armagedoid had landed to be ravaged by the impact. Despite everything, including the pain, he was still up on his feet, albeit he still suffered a slight dizziness from all the wind knocked out of him.

Maggie took the chance. 'Have to hurry!' "Jelldon, hurry! Ability activate, Tendril Trap!"

The jellyfish shot his multiple tentacles forward, extending up and around Armagedoid. They constricted him around the neck, the limbs, even the tail. Even more laced around his abdomen to refrain his bodily functions.

But he wasn't going down without a fight in any way. He craned his neck forward and snarled at Jelldon. The latter was already exhausted that he felt like he wouldn't have enough anchorage. Luckily Verias got the cue and helped grapple Jelldon to hold him down in case Armagedoid would try to fly away.

"At least now…his abilities he's used before are all blocked." Maggie labored.

"Nice thinking." Shuji grunted. "Looks like he'll be low on tricks from here on."

Riaan reaffirmed himself and gave everyone his most studious glare. "I see now, so that's your aim? Well played. You've made Armagedoid use almost every ability within his arsenal that would otherwise be ineffective. You've done well getting far…"

Luke didn't like the sound of his tone shifting. He was getting an epiphany. 'Wait a minute…' He was getting a realization of what might be coming. 'Almost every ability…oh no!'

"…but I suppose we should end things here with you all. It's fortunate that even I saved my trump card for last. Now, witness our full wrath!"

Armagedoid built up pressure from within his body. The air trembled around him as he gave one more voluminous shout towards the Bakugan present. With all of them completely worn out, they held little offense nor defense at this point. Even Verias was trying to hold Jelldon up, and Fly Beetle's carapace was hot with Atchibee's Darkus aura overheating her body.

"Ability, activate! Prismatic Pulsar!"

"Guys, get down now!" Luke warned.

The atmosphere violently shuddered around them, which grew substantially from its epicenter. Bright prism light began charging around Armagedoid's inner body as he curled his wings inwards to contain it. The restraints by Jelldon were pulling him in enough to where his ligaments were stretching and pinching. Verias dug his heels in to help hold him back.

Abis looked up and around to notice the surroundings dimming a little. He looked ahead in familiar astonishment as prismatic dark purple light beams started to slowly spread from Armagedoid. He flexed his entire body out, unleashing billions of narrow light rays that punctured rocks and spread across the battlefield towards everyone else.

Frill Abis Omega: 2500 (-600) = 1900/Dusk Atchibee: 6250 (-600) = 5650/Glow Jelldon: 2300 (-600) = 1700/Stag Fly Beetle: 2500 (-600) = 1900/Prime Verias: 1650 (-600) = 1050/Gale Atmos: 2250 (-600) = 1650 = 13,850

Armagedoid: 9200 (+600) = 9800

Prismatic beams roared throughout the chasm as everyone had to cover up. Pulse wave ran through the air as piercing light beams moved so far that the exhausted Bakugan were unable to keep up promptly.

"Look out!" Jase warned.

Once again, Maggie instigated an ability as the rays came for them. "Ability, activate! Cyclone Barter!"

Split seconds before the light came into contact, Jelldon's glowing tendrils unleashed a brief but exhausting gale that spread thinly across the battlefield. It primarily covered the allies as they were caught within the light rays. They all screamed as piercing rays sped past them and into the others. Their weapons were used, but even then, the force was so strong and blinding that not even Shuji, who was using his back as a shield for Maggie, was pushed down with her.

Frill Abis Omega: 5650/Dusk Atchibee: 1900/Glow Jelldon: 1050/Stag Fly Beetle: 1650/Prime Verias: 1900/Gale Atmos: 1700 = 13,850

Armagedoid: 9800

'Now!' Finding his golden opportunity, Riaan lunged through the light.

Luke's eyes widened behind his sleeve. He reciognized not only the move, but also what followed. Flashes of his guard lost and Luka getting pierced replayed in his mind. In a moment of suspense through the light, his green eyes squinted. His heel dragged along the ground as he held his sword up for something he knew was coming for him, and him alone.

Meanwhile, Atchibee shrieked on agony, as did Verias, Jelldon, and the other Bakugan. Their images were swallowed by the light and threw back their partners. Rocks and earth picked up and tossed everyone around blindly.

Dan and the others couldn't see a thing. No one could. It was a whiteout for a whole minute before the roaring could settle.

Julie looked back s soon as she saw a clearing. Her face returned to a stunned horror. Everyone's for that matter did.

They all saw the dust dissipate, showing Shawn and Esther on their stomachs, trying to sit up like Jase was, though he was using his taser prongs as a cane to support himself. Shuji rolled onto his side while Maggie was safe below, but was otherwise dizzy and fatigued. At all their heels, all their Bakugan had reverted to ball form, unmoving, and unable to go any further.

Esther: 0%

Maggie: 0%

Shuji: 0%

Shawn: 0%

Jase: 0%

"Guys…" Dan grimaced, the light in his eyes fading. "This can't…this can't possibly be…"

Cyrus humbly grinned. "Well now, that certainly took milord long enough. He must've been preoccupied too long to have realized he could've done that move sooner."

Galilea frowned. "Maybe…but he had to figure out every tricks these humans had used. He had to exhaust everything himself…but it seems that the worst is over."

Amina tossed a lock over her shoulder. "Ugh, about time. Can we go home now? Indeed to get that shiny new nail polish on at some point today."

Keegan whistled despondently. "Damn, talk about a killer light show…" He refocused. "Hey, you guys okay?!"

Shawn shakily got back. His vision a complete blur. "Yeah, we're fine…I think…"

Esther groggily stirred. "We're okay…but how?"

SHING!

A clanging echo filtered through the light with sparks flaring everywhere. Everyone jerked upright and turned their attention towards upfront. Everyone at home watching were left in shock and disbelief at what they saw on the camera lens. Everyone had the same shocked reaction as the person next to them.

The dust settled, revealing glowing diamonds along a long slender body, leading up to heavily tattered frills that were cupped in front. Another wave of dust faded as two swords were parried dead center, with one hand for each hilt. Which belonged to two people feet away from the other glaring daggers of reluctance.

Luke was struggling heavily. He was on the receiving end of Riaan's brute force and barely held his ground.

"Hmph. Not bad."

"Luke…!" Esther gasped. She tried reaching for her spear, but when she looked down, she realized it was broken. It was in fragments after using it to defend against the earlier Prismatic Pulsar. She was in no position to help him.

Shawn's face showed utter surprise. 'He anticipated Riaan would follow through that just to finish us off. Is this…because this is what happened before?'

Armagedoid uncurled and gave Abis a look of wonder. The serpent had a hefty blue aura around his body that showed his domineering power level being so much that his already exhausted frame was starting to give in. His fangs were bared, but the diamonds around his body were all fluxing glowing shades of unstable power. He folded in his tattered frills, which had holes in a few areas where scales were breached along his body. Nevertheless, he stood firm against his opponent.

"No way…how did he…survive that attack...?" Dan questioned weakly. He was too tired and too drained to think of a possibility.

Marucho was still on his stomach, but gathered a careful idea. "I don't know…wait." He breathlessly gasped. "That Cyclone Barter! Of course! She must've transferred power towards Abis Omega just before the attack! That's gotta be why!"

"So like a counterbalance to withstand that force, he needed greater power?" Shun inquired, hinting he wasn't fully convinced. "Maybe that might be, Marucho. But, still…"

Riaan: 30% Luke: 30%

Armagedoid: 9800 Frill Abis Omega: 5650

"…that doesn't change, that they'll still need a miracle to get out of this alive."

"It's just that one guy now…this is bad." Gunz grimaced.

Riaan added more force towards his blade. Luke felt the momentum push him back into a slide. It took a few steps for him to regain traction.

"I see…so you've anticipated what I would do." Riaan smirked. "Clever."

Luke grunted harder. He could feel Riaan's force still overwhelming him, even with his earlier wounds by Luka, he was still overflowing in years of experience. He bent one knee in to adjust the angle just enough to ease the tension.

"I…had to learn from my losses. And do you know what those losses taught me?"

"What's that?"

"…it's that not even you are perfect. There's a benefit to losing as much as I have…you learn from your mistakes."

Riaan smirked musingly. "A vulgar choice of words. Just because you gained personal experience doesn't change the course of history repeating itself. Nothing changes, not the arrogance of man, nor the everlasting strife that all life must fight for their own beliefs." He pushed harder to make Luke kneel from his force. "So enlighten me, what makes you think your experience alone can change this course?!"

Luke was running out of steam. He had to act fast. There was something he needed to do; something that he learnt from what a certain someone said to him.

"Hmph. Listen…it's not the blade. It's the one who holds the blade who draws its path. To cut into obstacles that stand between him and what he's standing for."

With his left arm still holding onto the hilt, he slowly reached down towards the sheathed guard of something on his left hip. Riaan's eyes widened at the procuring.

"THIS!"

In one fell sweep, Luke made a circle motion with his left arm, deflecting Riaan's blade in a half-moon motion. The blades were high enough for Luke to promptly reach the hilt. Riaan's eyes shrunk when Luke cried out and slashed a yellow blade with his right hand, slicing into Riaan.

Time slowed down for everyone. Mouths were left gaping as others covered them in horror. They watched the yellow blade being held in a slashed motion off to Luke's right as his teeth gnashed. Riaan was left awestruck and in a moment's realization as his right arm, all the way up to the shoulder, had a yellow streak cutting into it before falling towards the floor. His now limbess hand was still holding onto the metal blade, yet it shattered upon impact with the ground.

Riaan staggered back as his left hand hastily grabbed his bleeding shoulder. Blood drew out as he gnashed his own teeth and was unable to hold back a small cry of anguish from Luke's surprise attack.

"No way…" Shawn was left shocked at the move used. "Did Luke use…"

Jase prodded his glasses up. "It seems like a parting move befitting Luka indeed."

"Milord!" Lucia yelled.

Zion, too, was left speechless. He stepped forward with just as much shock as her, if not more. Magnus, Galilea, even Amina were astonished at the action played out. Cyrus frowned heavily, though of one looked closely, they could see his soulless eyes shrunk a little.

"MASTER!" Armagedoid yelled back.

Abis narrowed his dilating eyes. He snarled and whipped his tailfin violently at him. Armagedoid didn't get it until it was too late, and was harshly slashed across the cheek with the tail. He grunted harshly as he slid on his heel back several meters and looked back at Abis with a look of shock.

"There's…still plenty more where that came from…"

Riaan kneeled out of pure exhaustion. He couldn't believe what happened, let alone process it. With one eye writhing in pain, he looked up at Luke, who was laboring heavily with both his sword in his left grip, and Luka's sword in his right – the one that he cut his arm with. As well as Luke's opposite sword arm.

Luke lowered his blades, panting heavily. He was just as worn out as anyone else, and none could blame him. "That one was for Luka."

Riaan looked more shocked than he did in writhe at the moment. But that didn't stop him from feeling some measure of overwhelmed. "…an eye for an eye. Heh…how becoming. Still, you could've aimed a little higher for my head. But I suppose this still works."

Luke and Abis adjusted themselves as Riaan gradually stood once more. "But less I remind you, this isn't my actual body. It's just an artificial proxy I've created to give me form. So I don't have a reason to be a sore loser about this. In any event it's too late to begin with. As I've said before, I've already harvested enough DNA that the decay of this planet is eminent as anybody else. It's already over."

A metal sword stabbed the ground. "No…not yet." Luke paused to catch his breath. "It may be over for some people, but it isn't for us. I'm still standing! That's enough to prove there's still a fight that we can win!"

Abis reaffirmed himself. Veins of bright blue energy were crawling all over his body. It's been a while since he's had a power level this severely spiked before. But…he refused to give in so easily. Armagedoid faced him with certainty of his power.

"Maybe before…I was scared. I was shaking when I first felt these abilities and powers you've had. You've made those Bakugan on a whole other level, despite resembling what they originally were. Anybody would be shaking. But…we've fought against this power so many times. Now, it's like all we know is this power you have. But that's okay…because dealing with someone like you, is precisely what brought us altogether!"

"If risking ourselves is part of the sacrifices we have to make…then so be it." Abis grunted. "We know pain, just as much as you. And what we feel right now is proof that we're still alive."

Rian humbly smiled. "I expect no less of an answer from someone like you. You have earned the right to keep standing. But rest assured. This battle…has just gotten started!" In correspondence, Armagedoid released another distorted cry out towards Abis.

"Here we go, Abis!"

Abis Omega careened his head around, his body shimmering with throbbing veins.

---

Spectra smirked at what he felt and saw onscreen. Seeing such a matter left even him a little surprised. "Well, well. Those two have…really grown. Wouldn't you agree, Helios?"

"Yes." Helios replied.

Gus couldn't help but smirk at this fact. "Hmph, then it stands to reason why Keegan wouldn't stop complaining about them. Guess we now know why."

"Luke…" Alice looked on with her peers in awe for the endeavors they were watching, let alone facing.

"How is he still going, Mira?" Runo wondered worriedly.

Mira frowned. "I don't know, Julie. But, one thing's for certain…this fight's not over yet."

The Revolutia household was stone silent. The three main people there were left taken back by their legacy doing whatever he could with his Bakugan preserving them, and they sat there while the world crumbled around them. Even so, a sense of pride washed over them seeing him going so far.

"Our son has really grown. Wouldn't you say, Claire?" Augustine commented musingly.

Claire nodded humbly. "Yes, dear." She frowned heavily. "But…I really wish this would all be over. This is too much."

Augustine wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her in to keep her warm and close. "I know." He looked at the screen intently. 'Luke, your other and I…all of us here…we're here for you. We'll always be…just whatever you do, don't stop what you've been doing to prove us wrong.'

---

"Ability activate, Oracle Cannon!" Armagedoid aligned his wings in front and generated a void-like beam one more time that tore the ground open. It sped hastily towards Abis as his power arose towards 10,400, while Abis' depleted towards 5050.

"Double ability, activate! Frill Rippler, plus Fusion Ability, Refractor Booster!"

Abis slunk his body to enable himself to sling himself into the air. The beam raced towards his trajectory as his glowing accents traveled energy towards his tattered frills. He flexed wide as the attack made impact, before distorted ripples echoed outwards and shot the attack back with immeasurable force added towards it. It shot like a rocket back towards Armagedoid and erupted earth beneath from the rippling echo waves generated.

Armagedoid: 10,400 (-600 -1200 -400) = 8200 Frill Abis Omega: 5050 (+600 +1200 +400) = 7250

Still in midair, the refracted power added towards Abis was leaving his body in extreme ire. More of his frill membranes were vibrating violently to where more tears were seen within the frills. But below was a bigger problem as the dust cleared away to show Armagedoid unmoved.

"Ability, activate! Fading Goliath!" Armagedoid generated broad starlight beams and reached out towards Abis above. As his power arose towards 8700, the seven star beams raced at sonic speed into the midair atmosphere. Dark explosions overtook the airspace that fanned across the horizon for everyone to cover from.

From the center if it, Abis limply fell down below as his power depleted towards 6750.

"Abis!" Luke staggered his way into his partner's falling trajectory. Abis crashed into the ground hard, making another tremble just as Luke dove into the dust cloud.

"Luke!" Esther gasped.

Shuji balled his fists, teeth gnashed angrily. "Reckless little punk…!"

The dust settled down, revealing Abis on his back and trying to get back to standing upright, albeit with much trouble. He felt a little nudge from the side of his head to keep conscious. Weakly pulling himself up, he looked down, seeing Luke on a knee with his flat sword angled to make a lever. The immediately explained why he felt cold steel moving him slightly. However, Luke's sword had also several cracks that ran through it.

"Luke…"

Luke smiled contently up towards his friend. "It's okay…what matters is that we don't stop here. Let's go…Abis!"

Abis was awestruck at his partner's words. He grew a serious yet delighted face and nodded in understanding. He reeled down to allow Luke to surmount his head and the two turned bac towards their foes.

"Go! Double ability, activate! Sea Ruler, plus Daedalus Cyclone!" Abis screamed mightily once more as his glowing blue frame drew in the surrounding vapor and water from the basin. Dark water glowed glossy blue as it funneled after Armagedoid with Abis and Luke inside its epicenter. It was a raging maelstrom of pressurized water bolstering to do serious damage. His power bolted towards 7650, while Armagedoid depleted towards 7800.

"Ability, activate! Ambiguity!" Armagedoid screeched out as dark shockwaves shot forward, creating a wall that stopped the attack incoming cold. Abis' water cyclone dispersed into droplets that vaporized into nothing. He and Luke were in freefall for a shirt period of time when Armagedoid drew his claw back.

"BEGONE~!" He bellowed out as he thrust his palm forward. His shockwaves projected Luke and Abis through the air past everyone else towards the waters offshore.

Armagedoid: 7800 (+400 +500 +2700) = 11,400 Frill Abis Omega: 7650 (-400 -500 -3400) = 3350

The momentum was too great for them to take in. Luke and Abis arched their framed back and gagged just before they splashed hard into the cold, dark waters. Their frames were immediately lost beneath as they went head-first into a slow, steady plunge beneath the swaying tides of the water.

"LUKE!" Esther screamed anxiously.

The ripples in the water swayed away from view as not even bubbles surfaced for anyone to see. Armagedoid snarled defensively as his foes submerged to their demise.

Shawn looked back at Riaan angrily. "Bastard…!"

Riaan humbly closed his eyes, smirking to himself for the effort put into the fight finally coming to its conclusion. "If that wasn't enough to keep them down, then I'm sure the lack of air will. Not the most ambiguous way to go…but, who's to say?"

Everyone glared at Riaan in frustration. They were getting uneasy tension by his stare alone.

'Luke…better get back up, or else.'

---

Luke and Abis slowly plummeted into the depths of the dark waters, the only light being the faint attributed aura around Abis as they continued their descent. The strength that they've had up to this point had been almost completely expunged. They could hardly feel, let alone move. It was a miracle they were conscious for even this long.

'Damnit, it's no good. Nothing we're doing is working against this Bakugan…' Luke shut his eyes in frustration. 'And…I can hardly move at all. I feel like a lead weight dropping to the bottom of the ocean. Is this…is this really how we're gonna die…?'

Everything was black around him. It was all starting to weigh in on him and his senses. His head was aching from going head-first down under. With the water being so cold, it felt like every last drop of strength was going away. All he could so now was drown with his Bakugan in lamenting musings.

"Nothing changes, not the arrogance of man, nor the everlasting strife that all life must fight for their own beliefs. So enlighten me, what makes you think your experience alone can change this course?!"

Riaan's words echoed in his head. They were the only thoughts that were permeating any sort of hope he was getting up for. All Luke could do was think and dwindle at how in the end, even though he gave it his all, it still wasn't enough.

'Abis…guys…I…' Just as he was about to black out at last, a small, yellow light breached from the energy's sword. It caught Luke's attention as his hazy glance shifted towards it. 'That light…so bright…'

Abis barely gazed up at it as well. He noticed the light, but wasn't able to speak.

The light of the blade was so bright in their eyes that it seemed to have disrupt their flow of agony. The darkness around them dissipated, revealing a white plane.

…

When Luke and Abis opened their eyes after the blinding rays dissipated, they found themselves able to feel again, albeit only for a little bit. Everything around them was white, with no vanish point.

Luke turned his head around, looking in every direction for a solution. "Where…where are we? I thought we were going to…?"

"Are you seriously going to just throw in the towel like this?" a familiar voice taunted.

Luke jolted upright. He went wide-eyed at the familiarity of the rude yet insistent tone. "Wait…I know that tone." He slowly turned around with Abis, the two looking with perplexed stares at a figment that stood a few meters behind, along with the looks of a familiar Bakugan. Luke couldn't help but feel his heart throb at the sight. "It can't be…Luka…"

"Brontes…" Abis awed.

Luka and Paradox Brontes stood a good distance away, the latter still smiling. "Long time no see, my little slithery friend. What's the matter? You look like you've just seen a ghost." He couldn't help but muse at his own joke.

Abis nervously looked at his late friend. "Then, does that mean…?"

Brontes chuckled lowly. "Well, unless you wanna really be ghost, better not take what you have for granted. You've still have a lot of fun to throw into others' faces~!"

Luka lowered his head. "What he said…I guess." He eyed Luke softly. "Don't ever forget. It's still a long road yet. There's a big bump in your way, are you just going to lose speed and roll back down?"

Luke paused for a moment. He had to realize this was all going inside his head. This had to be their final remnants of energy that Luka passed over by the blade. No wonder it was so bright. "…no, I wasn't forgetting. My light just got dim for a moment there."

Luka scoffed. "I'll believe it when I see it." He smirked nonchalantly. "Better make whatever life you got count…Luke."

"Luka…Brontes…" Abis went to say more, but everything was growing bright once more. Slowly, Luka and Brontes began flickering away before their very eyes.

"Luka-!"

The last thing Luke saw of Luka was a smile of sincerity. His and Brontes' bodies illuminated the scape and erased the dark doubts clouting their minds.

…

Luke's eyes flashed open underwater once again. The fatigue he had was gone as he could feel conserved energy fueling him. 'Wait a minute…what we just saw…' He turned his head towards Luka's energy sword. The light it had was like a glowstick, but it was still faint enough to see it still working. '…thanks, guys.'

Bubbles disrupted his thinking. He strained as a water bubble shrouded his face and encompassed the air inside. With room to breath for a little while, Luke looked down towards the abyss to see where the bubble came from.

Abis closed his maw and craned his head. His body was giving off a blue aura. His eyes leered up at Luke with understanding perseverance. It's like he also understood what had to be done.

'Abis…you felt it too, didn't you?' His brow furrowed. 'Okay then…' He gathered strength to paddle through the water to reach his Bakugan. The further he dropped, the further Luke followed. It didn't matter if it was cold to him. The light from the sword kept the water's tainted darkness from getting to him.

'Luka…Brontes…you've entrusted us to be the avengers that you guys were being. You guys were heroes in the end that you thought you'd never be…'

As he drew closer towards Abis, the Aquos shine around the serpent intensified. He curled up and growled as he moved his tattered frills and slithery body towards Luke. He drew near, looking at him deeply.

'That's why…'

'That's the reason…'

'…why we're going to give everyone that chance, to live the lives you guys have! And decide our own future!'

The moment Luke's hand touched Abis' damaged crystal horn, the shine around Abis' diamonds became so bright, that it looked like a blue explosion was gathering dense, blue water that enveloped him and Luke. They held onto each other closely as the aquatic hemisphere compressed the radiant shine around Abis' body until it fluxed out, along with a bright blue pulsing light wave.

---

On the surface, a shift in the waves caught everyone's attention. They noticed all the raging water around them settling down and changing direction. Pulsing ripples echoed in every direction, causing the water to constantly shift on itself.

"What's this pressure?" Galilea wondered. "Lucia?"

Lucia remained still in order to focus. She closed her eyes to see what would happen. However, what she saw immediately made her eyes flash open with a hitch in her breath.

"This pressure…something happening down below!" Jase realized.

"I feel it alright." Shuji spread his feet.

Shawn looked out towards the spot where Luke and Abis sunk earlier. "Don't tell me…"

Riaan and Armagedoid didn't say anything. They could feel an intense shift in pressure even from their proximity. They watched all the water shift to a stop before one large, bright blue ripple shot across the surface and crashed a dense wave into the isle. The basin water suddenly erupted into a monstrous geyser that went up hundreds of feet into the air.

Everyone's eyes went up towards the geyser's top. All their mouths hung open with shock at something they saw. Even on camera, those watching were taken back by the image.

The geyser dispersed into a downpour of water, shadowing something massively long that levitated higher into the air with diamond-like accents all over the body illuminated his visage and glowing orange eyes. Its bloodcurdling snarls sent shivers down everyone's spines.

The drizzle came from something that was a large serpent-dragon creature. Unlike what fell below shortly before, this one's length was nearly twice that. Dense, bright blue diamonds lined up along the segmented blue scales of his body; their light made them stand out. The hardened diamonds were segmented by the now fully segmented blue scales that were dense and hard. Evenly spread were small sharp fins with blue diamonds on them. They lead up towards the tail, which was a deep blue with two diamond-like gemstones in the crevices at its base and continued towards the end, which were two divided fins that were sharpened and had bright blue markings that shined as well. The entire underside had become black, connecting to the scales by smaller blue diamonds at each jointed end. Near the chest was where the diamonds along the sides were their largest. The chest gems had changed color to become bright blue as well and had V-shaped ridges with bright blue, luminescent lines connecting to the sides. Several bright blue Vs were beneath the three gems before fading down the body. What changed very much was the head, for it now had dense, dark blue armor along the underjaw and over the top. Small blue markings along the sides of both sets of armor. The headpiece had bright blue lines directing towards the center blue diamond. The headpiece was also connected to the head fin, which had now shrunk and had two small diamonds on the front face. On either side were two bright blue horns that curved backwards past the huge frills along the lower jaw, as well as the larger ones at the ends of the headpieces. Five small diamonds were aligned on each one's index frill joint, beneath the dark blue joints. Blue frills connected them all. Running along the back of the head towards the tail were wave-shaped fins that were all connected. Two massive frill-like wings arched down the body until curving to an end at where the shar-like fins started.

Orange eyes beamed opened as the glow on all the diamonds and tail receded. The head craned around and released a roar that spilled shockwaves that dispelled all the water. He and Luke atop of his head glared down as their power level had rocketed towards 3550.

"You…have got be joking." Magnus deadpanned.

The rest of Hades Pillars was left speechless at the awesome display. The gang, even the Battle Brawlers and Julie, didn't have the words to explain what happened.

Having a moment of realization, Luke looked down at Abis, realizing what happened. "Abis…you evolved again!" He paused to make the realization. "You're…Daedalus Abis Omega."

Abis nodded at his partner's shock. He arched down from the air and sailed back towards the isle. He arched over the water to make waves split apart beneath his large, long wake.

"He can fly now?!" Maggie shouted.

"No…it looks like he's swimming through the vapor in the air." Jase corrected.

Shuji raised a brow. "Well if that ain't flying, I don't know what is."

Once they were right above land, Luke dropped down from his partner onto the ground. Abis sailed to a smooth stop and hunched down to leer at Armagedoid with his rows of razor-sharp teeth. The Darkus Bakugan fixed himself against his now-lengthier adversary.

"How interesting…" Riaan mused.

Luke didn't give it a second thought. He looked up at Abis and vice versa. "Let's show them…our new strength we've worked for! Ability, activate! Flood Quasar!"

Abis reared his head back and closed his maw. He lurched forward and fired a high-pressured blue beam with a dark blue outline. The speed of the attack was so fast that Armagedoid didn't have time to put his wings up to shield. He crossed his arms to take the attack that swallowed him in a large blue explosion, again, deconstructing the earth around them.

As the smoke dispersed, Armagedoid cringed as he felt his body recoiling from that blow. He grunted low.

Armagedoid: 11,400 (-9900) = 1500 Daedalus Abis Omega: 3550 (+500) = 4050

Luke was taken back by the power that attack had. 'Woah, that looked intense. Guess it's a good thing we were the ones who dished it out. Alright, let's keep going!' He spread his heels and braced for what moved Riaan would make.

"That's insane! They just wiped out all that power in one shot!" Gunz exasperated.

"It must be that new evolution. It's given him a boost alright." Shun evaluated.

Keegan looked deeply interested, holding his ground to ensure he wasn't falling apart at the scene. "Wow…I gotta say. That ain't a bad move that jerk pulled. Wonder what else he's got?"

"Well, well…seems this has gotten more interesting than even I anticipated." Cyrus mused.

"Riaan and Armagedoid reaffirmed themselves with glares at their opponents. The latter exerted one more roar of defiance for what they did. "Don't think it'll be that easy!"

"Ability, activate! Ambiguity!" Armagedoid exerted voluminous dark shockwaves that sped across the isle. It tore apart the landscape beneath, paving a destructive path towards Luke.

"Ability activate, Pressure Shield!" Abis generated a deep blue, translucent forcefield that surrounded his body like a hemisphere. It was a dense veil of pressurized oceanic water that took on the shockwaves.

Armagedoid: 1500 (+9900) = 11,400 Daedalus Abis Omega: 4050 (-500 -1800 +9650) = 11,400

The dark, voluminous shockwaves gradually dispersed around the shield, which ended up being enough to shield Abis and Luke behind. It dissipated, showing all the diamonds on Abis' body shimmering bright as another Aquos aura flared inside his body. Even without the seafloor-pressure level, there was an extremely dense air around him as his power was so immense. Actual rock crumbled beneath from the pressure.

Armagedoid stepped forward to show his surprise. "They've matched us in power?"

"It seems that the evolution has given Daedalus Abis Omega a much greater durability to the grand G-Power they usually gain from our battles." Riaan pondered. "But even so…to reach such a level, and still hold onto a form…"

Luke was aware of the risks they were taking; it was painfully obvious on his face. 'We have to keep the pressure on, while their abilities are exhausted!' He jutted his standard sword forward. "Abis, go! Ability, activate! Depth Fire!"

Abis' diamonds along the top-half of his sides shined a brighter shade of blue. He bellowed out as he launched blue projectiles much like missiles launching towards targets. They were unleashed in a broad dozen at Armagedoid as his power bolted towards 11,800.

Armagedoid took flight and evaded the bombastic barrage. He shifted all around as close calls erupted blue blast waves across the ground. As he sailed about, the blue projectiles followed him wherever he went. Explosion went off behind, and yet one singular projectile managed to land impact, blowing him away and his power towards 11,000.

"Enough of this! Double ability, activate! Photon Dragonia, plus Oracle Cannon!"

Armagedoid planted his feet along the ground to break his stance. He came to a grinding halt and conjured dragonfire and black particles into a concentrated point. His eyes flashed dark purple before unleashing a large wave of draconic energy and a dark void-like pulse that shot into the rest of the projectiles.

Armagedoid: 11,000 (+600 +600) = 12,200 Daedalus Abis Omega: 11,800 (-600) = 11,200

More shockwaves raged across from the attack's immense collision. Everyone on the ground covered up as the pulse waves threatened to blow them off their feet had it not been for others nearby to support them.

The explosive wake subsided, revealing a clean slate between Abis and Armagedoid. Luke clutched his swords tighter. "Abis! Go!"

Abis roared out and went diving through the air for Armagedoid. He snapped his jaws yet the dragon evaded. Armagedoid went to counter with a tail swing but was parried with Abis sweeping it with his own, mimicking Luke's sword style. He whipped across, again parried by Armagedoid using his wings to guard. It was a back and forth counterattack strike, and it was two stars dancing across the atmosphere for all to see. Abis' Aquos aura was so intense that his chest diamonds shined extremely bright, almost as much as Armagedoid. The two sides looked even if anything was a given.

As Abis swerved around to try and get a solid hit in, Luke couldn't help but get an epiphany as he watched the quarrel. Abis through retrospective looked like Abis Omega in his eyes. He was battling so hard, so hard that was unbelievable how far they came from a simple Abis Omega who lashed his tail. It felt completely unreal.

'Abis…you've really grown up, haven't you?'

Riaan's eyes widened. "Armagedoid!"

Hearing his name, the black dragon's eyes widened and he pushed out with all his might. Abis was shoved several meters back towards Luke and floated in midair.

"This has gone on long enough, wouldn't you say? I believe it's time…to give to you all one more look at what the face of pain truly looks like." Armagedoid crouched in readiness for what's to come. "No more games. And especially no more chances…do it, if you will."

"With everything I've got." Armagedoid stood still, gathering the momentum he needed to charge up. The pressure gradually diminished for a moment, allowing a distilled silence to flow around everyone. Though the quiet tone was a little too quiet for their liking.

The atmosphere gradually blackened as the sound barrier was picking up, only to be torn apart by an immense vibration coming from Armagedoid's brightening core. The hue around his body was darkening with even his pink accents shining, like a ghostly beacon.

'No way…he's gonna use that ability again!' Shun realized. "No! We can't survived this one!"

"We've gotta retreat!" Marucho implored, but even as he tried sitting up, his legs were still too weak from fear to run.

Dan was getting speechless. The temperature got to his spine, yet Luke and Abis faced ahead with subtle shock for themselves. But their standing alone wasn't instilling confidence nor a hope for any of them.

The ground started shaking as Armagedoid was surmising energy for his final attack. Fissures within the isle were opening up beneath, breaching negative energy that flared around the dragon. The illuminating visage made his chest core's brightening radiance stand out. All while Luke and Abis stared with slightly surprised looks on their faces.

"Luke!"

Esther's voice snapped them out of their fixation. He turned towards the mentioned. "E-Esther…" He saw the serious look on her face he knew he couldn't disappoint. Not ever again.

"I'm ready." Abis declared.

"Abis…" He drew towards his partner again. He could see the fortitude in his eyes shining as bright as the Aquos aura around his body. He knew what this meant, no…what had to be done. A serious look crossed his face as he, too, showed this understanding look back towards his partner. "Then let's do. For everyone we've known. For why we're here to begin with! Let's hit them with everything we've got!"

Riaan studiously glared at his former student. "Then come! Show us what your new powers are for! Armagedoid! Ability, activate…"

"Ability, activate…!" Luke showed an Aquos ability as a Darkus ability shined in Riaan's.

At the same time, Armagedoid and Abis craned their necks to let out earsplitting cries. The water was crashing against the isle shores, while darkness magnified everything. Illuminated dense waves gathered around Abis' maw. The diamonds and accents over the body shined extremely to where all the pressure building up gathered in front. The crashing waves streamed pressurized rivers that gathered around a bright blue matter in front of the sharp teeth. It held a liquid exterior, but it looked so concentrated that not even the darkness was vanquishing its light. Armagedoid's entire body was convulsing as his dark light was accenting everything around his body.

Both Bakugan's chest gems gave off their attributed shine at the same time. Their partners' eyes flashed the same coloration.

"JURAT BLACK STAR~!" Armagedoid lurched as he unleashed a shrilled cry. The light went inversed around his body to make a magenta core push out all the energy at once. Everything around him was completely annihilated, and the light wave was beaming right after Abis.

Luke held out both his metal and energy swords and directed them forward. "HYDRIAS IMPACT~!" Abis lurched his entire luminescent body back as the compressed hemisphere of energy flickered. With everything he had, the attack of hyper-pressurized Aquos energy was released into an explosive, large beam of dark blue energy with bright water helixes pulsing around it.

Both their attacks spread towards the opposite adversary and into the center isle. A hemisphere of combined energy imploded and shrunk before spontaneously erupting in a bright flash. Nearby thin layers of the isle crumbled towards oblivion. The bridge far behind them shattered away.

Everyone screamed and stayed low as the shockwaves and pressurized water and light were destroying everything. The tidal waves around the shrunken isle's hemisphere of dark light and glossy shades of blue rapidly spiraled out f control. The basin's gravity centered around the two attacks at the base of it all.

"AAAAHHH!" Luke and Riaan cried out with all their might. They thrust whatever appendages out to encourage their Bakugan to push back with more force. They, too, bellowed out with everything they've got.

Everything was a shaking mess. Rocks defied gravity and shrank towards oblivion. Everyone, even Cyrus, had to drop to a knee from this explosive and devastating energy rising up from a single point. What was meant to be an omnidirectional destructive pathway carved instead into a hemisphere where Armagedoid and Abis were directly opposite, and added only greater fuel to add instability towards it.

"We shall not lose…to you!" Armagedoid's eyes brightened further. He cried out for the umpteenth time as his attack pushed farther out of range. Several piercing beams fluttered everywhere, including towards the ceiling. They shot clean through the entire underground, blasting into the atmosphere where it faded.

"Neither…will we!" Abis widened his maw and exerted even more energy. The blast wave unleashed added pressure waves that distorted the light Armagedoid gave off.

On camera, everyone was looking exceedingly anxious at the sight. All they saw was dark light distorting space around them. The spiral tidal waves encompassed the isle's thinned shores to add an epic effect that left too many at a loss for words alone. Even aboveground, Fabia was clutching her throne with her fingertips. Everything was in a chaotic earthquake from what was happening below.

"Their energy is making all of Neathia itself shudder, my Queen!" Aranaut gasped.

Mira was in the lab on Earth, and her charts were beeping red on every subject. "Their power is unlike anything I've ever seen! Their overloading everything!"

"Don't give up, guys!" Runo shouted. "Please, win this for us!"

"Luke…Luke!" Alice clutched her fist to her heart. She could feel the actual, raw power that Luke and Abis were taking on. She knew she had to hold true to their faith. "Guys! Don't quit! We're here for you!"

"Get 'em! Push them back for us!" Amazon cheered from New Vestroia's depths. "Sensei…those guys…they've seriously gotten so strong, haven't they? Sensei?"

Preyas didn't give any commentary, but from the look on his face, his anxious teeth were hiding a deep sense of pride. '…they've surpassed even us at this point. This is what they were boiling themselves up to.' He managed to break out a small smile. 'Well done.'

Luke wasn't even sure if he was feeling anything right now. His heart was racing so fast that his chest literally thumped. He was so worked up, but in a good way. All the adrenaline he was feeling, and all the stress; the anxiety; the pain; the fear; the ambition; he just couldn't stop it all from coming out. 'Esther…' He thought about all his friends who stayed by his side. 'Shawn. Maggie. Shuji. Jase. Keegan. Ace. Baron. Spectra, and Gus too. Ren. Fabia…Luka…everyone.' He closed his eyes as a wave of calm came over him. 'Guys…this one's by all of us. You helped us get to this point. It's because of you guys…that we're here and who we are right now!' His grip tightened on his two swords. He crossed them, generating a bright flash that shot his eyes open with envy. 'It's our turn…to pay you all back! For everything! We'll take all the strength, and all the pain…to make us live to the next moment of our lives!' His glare hardened on his partner's back. 'Abis…you can feel it, too. I know it. You and I…we'll show everyone…what our way of protecting shall look like!'

"HRRAAAAHHH!" Abis' eyes flashed bright one last time before the diamonds shined far brighter in resonance with his dear partner. 'Luke~! We…will…NEVER GIVE UP!"

With a mighty cry, Luke jutted his swords further as Abis thrust his attack with everything and then some. The dark light was gradually distorting its way towards Armagedoid. Much to Riaan's shock.

'What…?'

He didn't have time to realize what would happen until Abis' light swallowed the darkness he was exerting. Armagedoid's image blurred within the tidal pressure before the light imploded one final time in all directions. Luke used both swords the plunge and anchor himself as an explosion skyrocketed from the basin isle straight into the sky. It barreled clean through the bedrock and beamed clean over the earth and into the atmosphere. Its radius and diameter was as large as the isle itself…no, even more so. Its range made a gargantuan hole that was the size of the Empyrean, which was several kilometers out from the east. The black, dark blue, and bright blue torrent of spouting energy shot beyond the atmosphere, severing the dark skies of Neathia to create a massive hole in the clouds. The energy dispersed into the air before then, the elements distorted and exploded. Shockwaves swallowed the entire sky far outside Neathia's main city where everyone could see the entire atmosphere as blue as the sea. Everyone saw it, even a flabbergasted Fabia and Serena were left open-jawed at the entire cloudy atmosphere turning to blue.

Nobody said anything for several minutes until the blast waves were finally slowing down. It gradually thinned out to a thin dark blue beacon and then into a flickering light that vanished. All the clouds within the sky were gone, instead showing a bright blue hue of the sky that shined blue light through the massive, gaping hole that went all the way down to the basin. With it miles wide, it was all too easily noticed for everyone beneath. They all uncovered at last, revealing themselves to be in one piece, though they were all disoriented and shocked by the display shown. Immediately, Luke's side and Hades Pillars diverted their attention towards the two battlers as they face the skies with shock.

Their attires had tattered rips in them, and Riaan's arm had stopped bleeding. He was standing straight up and looked as a majestic draconian descended down from above. "Armagedoid!"

Luke panted heavily, but he looked up and saw his partner descending from the air as well. "Abis…"

The two Bakugan gently floated back down with heir attributed auras exhausted and dispelling. They floated off the ground and stared blankly at each other for what felt like the longest time….

As Abis slowly levered himself onto the ground, Armagedoid's body and strength went limp as he fell on his stomach with a thud. He laid there, while everyone, even Riaan, showed disbelief.

Armagedoid: 11,600 Daedalus Abis Omega: 11,800

The almighty black dragon laid sprawled across the ravaged, uneven isle earth. He wasn't moving, and his eyes were closed. It took another pause for all of them to realize he was out.

He slowly glowed dark purple, his attribute color shifting his body into ball form and gradually rolled up towards Riaan's feet to a complete, and silent stop.

Riaan: 0%

Riaan was taken back as his life gauge, and all his resources, were used up. He regained his composure and humbly grinned, as if he accepted the results.

It took minutes before anyone could even realize what just happened. Dan and the Battle Brawlers couldn't begin to come up with the words needed to describe the awe and disbelief they felt. Others shared a similar reaction. Sooner or later, the people were coming around.

"Did…did they just…?" Radizen muttered.

"They really did it…they actually beat him." Shawn said.

Esther looked on with her hand clutched over her ample buxom. The shock she had was beyond parallel, but relief was in her blue eyes. "Luke…Abis…you really did it. Thank goodness."

Jase prodded his glasses upright. "It appears that, the student has finally surpassed the master."

Luke and Abis were silent for what felt like an eternity towards them. When it came to them at last, Luke nearly lost his grip on his blades in hand. "We…did it?" He blinked and relaxed his guard. He saw Riaan with his head down and humbly grinning at the loss. "Abis…we actually won!"

Abis careened his head around and unleashed a loud, blistering roar into the open skies above. His echoes raged far beyond the basin and into the snowlands of Neathia.

"They…they did it! Ladies and gentlemen! They did it!" Julie smiled gleefully. With all the excitement and anxiety, she had tears in her eyes. "They actually defeated Riaan! They're the last ones standing!"

Across the interdimensional reception, everyone was cheering with joy. They all couldn't help but feel it after everything that they've been through. People hugged each other, while others like Claire got to her knees and broke down in relief of this proud achievement. Mira and Runo hugged each other with tears flying. Alice looked at the screen with a proud smile as well.

Spectra humbly grinned as he turned away from the computer screen. "Well that…certainly was overwhelming." He chuckled. "How the mighty have fallen so soon. But oh well. At least now, we have even more answers to this plague infesting our world."

"Shall I get to work on analyzing the data then?" Gus volunteered.

"Let's wait until Keegan gets back. After all, he's our little key." Spectra mused. "And that key will bring him secrets from behind a locked door. One that we'll handle ourselves."

Klaus sat back in his seat, lowering his head in relief. "Not a bad show, if I must say Sirenoid."

Jesse closed his eyes and scoffed. "So then…our scripts have been rewritten, and our cast continues with another dramatic epilogue to this act."

"I've never seen such a battle before." Zenet admired. "That's unbelievable."

"Yes, quite so." Lena agreed.

Ren looked at the available screen with awe on his face. He knew what he saw had to be real. He could feel the energy even from here. Linehalt was silent on his shoulder as even he was taken back. But this didn't stop their thought process from relapsing over the astronomical epiphany. 'Those guys…actually pulled it off. You all…'

"They grow up so fast." Gorem awed on New vestroia.

Skyress, Tigrerra, Angelo, and Preyas were hidden away, but they could still feel a sense of accomplishment wash over them from what they saw.

Hades Pillars were at a loss for words. No one had the capacity to say anything after what they saw today. What could they say? Galilea was on the verge of spatting nonsensical sentences, but it did no good for her. Amina was so stunned that she didn't notice her fold-in pocket mirror falling out of her hand and shattering at her feet. Magnus was slumped forward with a broad whistle escaping.

"Milord…" Lucia somberly mourned.

Cyrus frowned with a dreadful seriousness in his eyes. He looked at Luke and Abis as the latter kneeled his head down for his partner to rest himself against. "To think that the worlds to crumble have enough bite to make even the greatest of minds bleed outwards. How utterly…distasteful."

Zion growled aggressively and started for his master's aid. He was stopped when Riaan reached his left – and only – arm out.

"No. Stand down Hades Pillars. This battle is over."

Lucia stepped forward. "But Milord, they…"

Riaan lowered his head. "Yes, I know…but they beat me fair and square. I must accept that." He snorted to himself. "Though I must admit, even I didn't anticipate this kind of results, not in a million years. It seems that I still have a little more to learn about human spirit than I thought I did."

Luke panted heavily as Abis supported him. They looked up at Riaan, who gave them a ceremonious stature. "Well now, what a turn of events this turned out to be. I believe a congratulations are in order, Luke. You've bested me at my own game. You have won fair and square this round."

"Master Riaan…"

"But, don't celebrate too soon. You have shown the infected and myself that there is still fight left in you yet. As the saying goes, you may have won the battle, but not the war. As we speak, my infection still deteriorates all your worlds. It won't be long now until everything amongst the highest degree of your kind is fused into one. Therefore, if you wish to salvage whatever is left of what you all call your home, I suggest that you prepare yourselves for the worst."

Luke furrowed his brow. "We know."

Riaan smirked. "As expected of you. I shall now depart. But…this shall be for the final time. I have made my marks on all the planets that have been the result of Eve's haste: Earth. New Vestroia. Vestal. Gundalia. And Neathia. I have been to all five planets, and have gathered the best assets to bring home. I shall not be appearing on another planet again. When I return to Interacia, the genesis shall be in motion." He started teleporting away, along with a disgruntled Hades Pillars glaring them all down. "The next time we meet…it shall be the last. I leave you all with that message…farewell."

Without another word, the seven teleported from view. They all immediately felt a rumble from the earth around them.

"What now?" Maggie worried.

Jase gazed up towards the crater above them. "The Empyrean is about to take off from Neathia."

---

Within the Empyrean, the entire structure was shining brightly with magenta accents. Riaan and Hades Pillars returned to the top and settled themselves in. Riaan sat himself on his own, grunting while Lucia rushed to his side to provide comfort.

"Milord, please, hang on!" She pleaded.

Riaan let out a grueling sigh. His senses were so dull he could hardly hear Lucia's worried tone. "Need not to worry, everyone…we have what we came for. It's time that we approach our endgame goal: To bring the Bakugan back home." He straightened his back into his throne. Magenta outlines illuminated the entire chamber's chrome design. "Attention! Ready the launch! Next stop…Interacia."

The Empyrean shuddered violently as tremors made fissures around it. It flickered a bright glow, which grew and dimmed, repeating said process for several moments until it was engulfed in a bright light. It beamed across the horizon, illuminating a ray that outshined the sun's view.

When it faded, the magnitudes were gone, and all that remained of the Empyrean was an immense crater that seemed to go down endlessly.

---

Luke continued staring ahead, until his body was finally giving in. He leaned further into Abis as he also was barely standing. "Luke!" Shawn and everyone rushed up towards him to support and congratulate him. Even Keegan was left amazed.

"Luke, that was, like…totally amazing~!" Julie chimed. "You guys actually did it! Oh I knew you had some good in you!"

"Thanks…" Luke mumbled half-heartedly. While he did appreciate Julie's words to some degree, he couldn't help but feel backhanded at her remark. It sounded more like an insult if anything. But he chose to ignore it.

"Nice going." Shuji praised. "Way to cut him down to size."

"We couldn't have done it without you guys. This was all us…even them." He paused as he looked down at the yellow energy saber in his grip still. Luke gave his dear friends a sincere look. They smiled in sincerity back. "And…Abis. We really did it. We showed them. Didn't we?"

The draconic serpent curved his maw to show his glee. "Yeah…we sure did."

Esther sighed with a caring smile. "Thank goodness. I thought something terrible was going to happen to you both for a moment there."

"Yeah Luke, what have we told you about scaring us? You know that's so childish." Maggie quipped. "Esther was about to have a heart attack because of you being an idiot again."

Esther frowned sheepishly. "Maggie, don't make such spurious comments."

Shawn walked up to Luke's side, crossing his arms and looking pitifully at him. "You've really did a number on yourself this time, you know that?"

He grinned. "Yeah."

Jase nodded. "Well now, glad to see that everyone's back in reasonable spirits again after that event. Now then, I believe we all know what priority we have next."

Everyone's face grew serious at his comment. They knew exactly what he meant.

"Yeah. Riaan." Shawn frowned. "He's done with his so-called hunt. Which means he's going back to Interacia to wait out the immersion process."

"If Neathia's process is now up to speed with Earth and the rest of the planets he's infected, then that means time has become a critical element that's not for us."

Shuji squinted. "Which means that he's trying to pull us back onto that rock, isn't he?"

Jase prodded his glasses yet again. "If we're going to see this through, then we'd best prepare ourselves for this war."

Luke and Abis gave serious looks as they looked towards the sky. The dark clouds were barely coming back in as the vapor dissipated. It wouldn't be long now until the sun would black out again, and everything would corrode beneath them.

The Battle Brawlers, Keegan, Julie, and everyone witnessed here today what was to be marked of the change in an era. This wasn't the time ti settle down and rejoice. No. This was a message, a message where they are to prepare to fight for their lives, like they have onscreen. If they were going to save their homeland, they all have to be prepared for this onslaught.

The endgame was coming…and they will all have to be ready for this new reality.

---

And~, tada! FINALLY! FI-NAL-LY! I finished the Neathia Arc, and with an added bonus of a serious battle at that! I will say that this had to have been one of the toughest fights I've ever had to write, because there was so much I wanted to get in for each character, their Bakugan , and their best qualities. And I had to ensure I added experience so we didn't get any unnecessary repeats of strategies and attacks played out. But I got this done in less than a week's time, so I'm satisfied!

And to add icing to the cake, I finally got a chance to unveil Abis Omega's next evolution: Daedalus Abis Omega! That's a mouthful, phew! But hey, about time! And to compensate, they got lucky in taking down Armagedoid for once while surpassing their limits. If you guys want a visual of Daedalus Abis Omega, I drew up his picture on Deviantart in my Bakugan Art folder if you want to check. Deviantart name is in my profile.

Alright, so now I hereby conclude the Neathia Arc! Now we move onto the final arc of the story, the Interacia War Arc! It's going to be a long one, and I am going to work my hardest to ensure this story wraps up before 2020 is over. With it being June, I still have time to spare to plan all the fights and what's to come! Hope you all continue to support me through to the end!

Leave reviews and favorite this story if you can, I happily appreciate it! Happy Memorial Day to you all, and see you in the next chapter and final arc! XD