From Depths We Rise Chapter 64: What Happens Inside the Cage, a bakugan battle brawlers fanfic

Spectra, Gus, Keegan, and Mira were working around the clock to synchronize the DNA data they've been experimenting with for a while. The computer screens showed bio signatures that were all connected, with another panel showing the strand that Spectra managed to fiddle with.

"How's it looking?" Alice asked, watching them from behind. She wasn't a tech wizard like the Vestal allies. She was more of the analytical standpoint.

Spectra was fiddling his fingers on the keyboard until he crossed his arms. "Hmph, talk about a tough case to crack."

"What's wrong?"

"We're implementing the Forbidden data as best we can into the genetic coding Riaan's been making with his own sources." Mira explained. "But with so many of these sources, it's taking longer to pick out the strands need for our cure to work."

"Either we need more of the data for the coding, or perhaps there's more DNA than we have realized." Spectra explained. "Regardless, our vaccination process won't be for some time."

"Not that we have that time, you know." Keegan reminded. "Remember we're on the clock here."

Gus turned towards Keegan with a sneer. "Yes, we're very much aware of that, Keegan." He snorted. "At least tell us that you're able to get those servers up already."

"Yeah, yeah, it's all working. The signals should be from Solaris just like you guys wanted, right? Check your Bakumeters if you're able to get it."

Alice tapped her Bakumeter, pressing the button to get the screen to show a bird's-eye view of the chaos happening in Solaris. The cries of Bakugan and explosions were happening so often that she almost thought the signal itself was going to erupt.

"That's it. That must be Solaris right now." Hydranoid said.

"It's Julie's broadcast. I hope she's somewhere safe." Alice hoped.

Spectra smirked. "Not bad, Keegan. Seems being on Vestal has taught you quite a lot."

Keegan eyerolled. "Yeah, whatever." He turned towards Alice with a more serious glare. "How's it looking?"

Alice held up her Bakumeter, hearing the broadcast that they could all hear loud and clear. "This is Julie Yamamoto, coming to you from Interacia's capital, Solaris!"

Mira instantly recognized the voice. "It's Julie."

On one of the skyscrapers of Solaris, an Interacian Ziperator screeched as he flew overhead. Julie remained undeterred as she faced the camera with the whirlwinds whipping around her hair. "The allied forces are currently on the move throughout the city! The enemy Bakugan are all over the place, littering every corner with their presence. Recently, Drago and Reptak had taken a serious plunge into city limits, and the smoke trail had carried them off in this direction. Currently, everyone is either fighting or regrouping. It's unclear from this point, but it looks like the guys that stopped Riaan before have suddenly disappeared." She took a moment's pause to look out towards Solaris' view in the sky. It all looked so intertwined; its own beauty in a way that can't be caught on anything but frames. "Just where is everyone now in all this chaos?"

A nearby shadow flew overhead, howling with a Buz Hornix blitzing. Julie flinched as it past over. 'You guys, we need you now more than ever? Where are you?'

It was dark, almost pitch-black. The first thing Luke felt upon regaining his consciousness was a lot of weight and tight spacing. He could have just panicked, but he had to stay calm and collect his thoughts promptly.

'Gngh…where are we…?' he grunted. 'Did…we make it back? It…feels so heavy. Like something's crushing me. I can hardly even breathe…'

"Hey! That's my face your foot's in!" A familiar voice grunted.

Luke gasped in surprise. "Shuji? Is that you?"

"Yeah, it's me. Is that your foot in my face, move it!"

"I think that's mine…" Shawn's voice muffled through the enclosed space. He shuffled his foot off of something firm. "Better?"

"Hey, someone's knee is in my ribs now!" Maggie shouted.

"Maggie? You're here, too?" Luke questioned.

"Yeah, give me a second…oof!" Maggie shuffled, causing everyone to squirm against the smelly inside. Its odor was so foul it was almost unbearable. "Ugh! Why's it smell so horrible? It's worse than gym socks left in a locker for a week!"

"There must be a latch around somewhere." Esther advised. "Feel your way around until something slides or pushes open."

They all strained to move around, so much that every time when someone moved the other would be bumped into. "Oof! I think someone's shoe hit my chest." Luke grunted.

"Sorry, Luke." Shawn grimaced.

"Ow! Hey Shuji, can you try and not take too much space?!" Maggie sneered.

"Is this seriously the time?!"

"Everyone, remain calm." Jase announced, stopping everyone's movements. A jingling sound was heard, and then something shifted briefly enough to reveal light. "I'm feeling a large, plastic lid."

"Everyone, on three." Luke insisted. "One…two…three!"

Everyone shoved upwards, managing to kick or pry the plastic lid wide open that it flipped over, hitting the wall. They were immediately met with low alleyway lighting as they all emerged from a medium-sized trash dumpster, where garbage bags were what cushioned them inside. They all borderline fell out, with Luke falling first, with Esther falling atop him; Shuji and Shawn fell at the same time, while Jase and Maggie eloquently hopped out.

"Yuck, c'mon…" Luke lowly complained.

"Sorry." Esther removed herself off Luke and knelt to his side. "Luke, are you alright?"

Luke barely kneeled upwards, grunting in pain. "Yeah, I think so…" He attempted standing, but he felt a dull pain that made him freeze on the stop. 'Gngh! Guess that battle in the Doom Dimension took a lot more out of me then I thought. It feels like my whole body's on fire.'

Back on his feet, Shawn looked around. "It looks like we've made it out of the Doom Dimension."

"Yeah, but ended up in a place as bad as it was." Maggie dryly chimed. She took on a serious expression as she looked at the memorable walls and ceilings. "Looks like that transporter worked after all."

"Yes, that's true." Jase noted. "But it seems we've been transported back to Interacia. We can presume this must be Solaris as well."

"Do you think the others realized we were gone?" Jelldon wondered. "Maybe we should contact and let them know."

"Yeah, good idea Jelldon." Luke said. He raised his blue Bakumeter and tapped onto the open communicator. "Hey, is anyone there? It's Luke." He waited for a response, but got nothing. "Guys, you there?"

"Luke? Hey, what the heck is going on?!" The shout of a hasty Dan was clear through the mic. "Where'd you guys go?!"

Esther picked up her Bakumeter next. "It's a long story, and we don't have the time to explain. Where are you?"

"We're heading out towards the alleys. We need to regroup, and fast! Drago and Reptak got shot down earlier."

"I think Ren and Fabia might be close to where you guys might be." Shun's voice was heard through the other side. "We're pulling back from the palace's main avenue. We'll meet you shortly!"

"Got it." Luke ended the communications, leaving a small beep before it all fell silent. He turned towards his friends. "Guess we don't have time to sit around and wait for them, huh?"

"That's a likely point." Jase nonchalantly grinned. "After all, our enemies are trained for tracking us…especially signals if anything."

His inclination left Luke to flinch. The others realized what this meant, and to that they had to move, and fast. They all hastily turned off their signal connections and went silent.

"Then we better make haste before we end up like dead trash all over again." Shawn advised.

"You read my mind." Shuji followed.

They all hurried into the depths of the alleyway, turning the corner into the shadows to avoid the small forces that were tailing their Bakumeter signals.

"The signal went dark over here! They couldn't have gotten far! Fan out!" a soldier shouted. He along with his other soldiers fanned out and fan down the alleyway, swiftly fanning out to cover multiple angles.

Luke and the others made sure to stay as quiet as possible. Esther turned the corner and saw the soldiers, making her turn back and warn everyone to hurry behind another dumpster. They hid behind it, trying their best to keep from getting grossed out. It was a heavy shocker that Maggie was staying calm, but she knew this wasn't the time to complain. Once the guards looked away, they took their leave and snuck around another corner, getting themselves drawn away.

As they went along, Luke managed to feel a slight flinch here and there. However, he still kept going despite the weariness his body had been enduring. 'I'm getting tired…but we couldn't have been unconscious for that long, right? I didn't think Maximus would really push us this far to our breaking points…'

"Luke…you okay?" Abis muttered.

Luke steadied himself for his partner. "Yeah, we can keep going."

"That was a serious bout you just got out from." Maggie chimed. "Maximus sure wasn't pulling any punches, was he?"

"To think he would mastermind such an underhanded scheme." Esther dismayed. "It makes you wonder, just how wrongfully they were towards Riaan and Hades Pillars…"

"One's own self-justice requires a conviction needed to carry that burden." Jase noted. "The stronger the desire, the more willing the risks are to be taken."

Shawn kept his glare forward. "That sounds exactly like Riaan."

Jase half-grinned. "But it's not all lost. This is the kind of fight in which those whose desires outweigh the other is determined by who is willing to risk themselves to the most danger. Overcome the obstacle, another hurdle is there."

"When you put it like that, sounds like it never ends." Shuji scoffed.

Jase hummed. "Yes, it most certainly doesn't. It's called life."

A short cause overcame everyone. They let that thought sink into their heads about the trivial and the important trials that life goes with. Nobody ever said living a life had to be fair, nor was it something that had to be desired. They had lives before this all started, but now they were living their own lives. It was harder than expected, but that was because they were all genuinely trying.

Maggie blinked, noticing figures from up ahead. "Hey, I think I see someone up ahead."

"I see them, too." Jelldon chimed. "It's…a lot of them."

From the group heading into their direction, one of the forefront people was someone they all recognized. "You guys!" It was Ren. He, as well as Nurzak, Zenet, Lena, and Ace were all meshed together as they hurried along to meet with the others.

They all met in the middle of the alleyway, stopping to catch their breaths once again.

"Ren." Luke gasped.

Ren gave them a serious look. "You guys hanging in there? We've heard you went missing."

"It's a long story." Shawn explained.

"Hey! You guys!" Coming in from behind the joint group, the shout came from Dan as he led the Battle Brawlers down the slim alleyway. It was too small for their Bakugan to get by, so this meant they had to go by foot.

"Dan? Looks like you've shown up." Shuji stated matter-of-factly.

Still trying to catch his breath, Dan opened and eye and meekly grinned. "Nah, we just got lucky…but seriously, these guys sure know how to put up a serious fight."

"We're at a serious disadvantage like this. They're only dwindling us out before they snuff us out completely." Marucho analyzed.

Lena prodded her glasses with her fingers. "Yes, I agree. At this rate, it'll only be a matter of time before they completely swarm us."

"Then shouldn't we come up with something?" Zenet suggested curtly.

"That's what we're trying to do here." Ace opted. He looked back down the direction they came. "Guess the others are still separated. Hope Baron and that Linus guy are okay."

Ren turned towards Luke and the others. "So what happened? Were you able to find out anything about Riaan's weaknesses?"

Esther frowned. "No, I'm afraid not. But there's another error that needs to be addressed…"

They spent a whole minute to explain what happened after they were teleported away from Solaris and into the palace. They made sure to keep it short and detail everything as best they could, up to where it all came to the shocking conclusion that they were all played.

Dan was the first to respond. "Are you serious?! You're saying that creep Riaan scammed us this whole time?!" He banged the side of the building with his fist. "Gnnngh, man! He got us again!"

"That would explain the presence of Solaris, and the lack of Hades Pillars." Nurzak theorized. "They normally at his beckoned call, and don't stray too far off from Riaan's orders. If he's not within the vicinity, they wouldn't be here either."

Jaakor lifted himself on Shun's shoulder. "And the forbidden data was already hacked and taken from you, you said?"

"Yes, unfortunately." Jase remarked. "We've come towards the lab that had all the equipment needed to do so. However, we were beaten right to it."

Ace rammed his fist into his palm. "So we got bamboozled like a bunch of amateurs huh? Now that just ticks me off big time."

"Well I don't know about you guys, but it's getting a little too wild for my liking around here." Gunz opted. "If the data and that jerk Riaan aren't around, what's the point?"

"We need to find out where he's hiding, and with as much intel as we can get." Nurzak appealed with his suggestion. "We all need to regroup our divided fronts and retreat for now. Our best bet is to gather up our sources and use what we know for another sound strategy."

"I see, then we should hurry towards the front entrance. The Trailer should be parked a couple kilometers back. We can make room to accommodate our rethinking." Jase suggested.

"We better alert the others somehow without using our signals." Luke said. "C'mon, we better find them before someone else does."

Everyone nodded.

On a high perch much similar to where Julie was, the winds blew softly, yet Cyrus' cape remained undeterred. He looked down at the destruction that was being caused, and he could easily tell from his standpoint where all his enemies were. Suffice to say that it's the perfect chance for the perfect time.

He reached down towards his Bakumeter, the screen still bright. "Galilea, you understand, don't you? Do not disappoint."

"I won't, Milord." Her stern tone was heard loud and clear. "Activating the dimensional disruption drome. Be on standby."

The communication receded for a short while. Cyrus looked ahead, his expression growing sinister by the second. "…"

"So which way back to the main entrance? This place is big enough that I can't even keep track." Ace complained.

"We've been progressing with the map that I have graphed since our arrival." Jase held up his Bakumeter, holding onto a sequence where a 3D graph showed them the approximate layout of Solaris. A red dot was blinking to show their location. "We're currently in this district here. We'll have to cross the next few avenues over and it should be at the gates."

Shun nodded. "Understood. Then we better get moving-!"

Suddenly everything started to rumble. The grids protecting the homes and buildings all around them flared bright blue as a surge of power collected beneath all their feet. They could feel it distribute throughout the domain, much to their shock.

"What the-?!" Shuji gasped.

"W-what's this glow for?" Marucho questioned. "Dig we trigger some sort of trap?"

"Gah! This is bad guys!" Zenet panicked.

The light of the grids beneath everyone brightened. It covered all of Solaris, beneath everyone who was also separated.

"What's the big idea?!" Paige grunted.

"Huh?" Boulderon looked up. "Paige, look up there!"

Paige turned towards the direction where the palace was in. Her eyes widened in shock. "What the heck?! What's that place doing?!"

The tower-like palace that went up to an enormous height remained completely still. There wasn't anything happening other than the grid-like barrier covering the city going into the forcefield surrounding it. The networks all went up and around like a cage, encompassing the palace's forcefield almost entirely. A grid-like barrier encased it like a net dome. Once it all encompassed the palace, the top condensed all that energy to a bright orb, which shot a blue laser light high into the sky. The light beamed far upwards, going as far up as the clouds themselves. It gradually fanned out, before seconds later, a giant magenta forcefield came down, overlapping Solaris by its huge walls bordering the perimeter. It came down on the gateway as well, blocking everything from entering and exiting.

The magenta veil overlapping Solaris occasionally had distorted pink waves rippling down it like a dreamy atmosphere. But from every corner, the blue skies were overcast by a disruptive magenta barrier. Even from the outside, it was clear that a large dome took the place of what should have been Solaris.

…

Julie looked up at the scene, her shock evident. "What's this?! Ladies and gentlemen, it looks like…like some kind of giant barrier just came down out of nowhere! What could this mean?"

…

Luke looked up, his shock apparent. "The sky…it's been blocked out by something."

"A barrier." Shawn affirmed. "Well I'll be damned."

Jase frowned as he nonchalantly closed his eyes. "It appears that Riaan had anticipated this event. Now it looks like now that we're here, he doesn't want us to be departing on our terms."

"Aw snap!" Dan shouted. "How'd they get this by us?"

Esther frowned seriously. "It must be Lucia. They knew it'd come to this."

"You mean that psychic?" Gunz pondered. He gasped as he looked skywards. "No way…"

…

Within the melee happening, Plitheon was flying close to the forcefield, with his Vilantor Gear active. He looked at the distorted barrier with a scoff. "Do these fools really think that a little glass dome is going to stop me? Jesse, let's show these Interacians just who they're dealing with, pronto!"

"Patience, Plitheon." He chimed. "We must be sure to rehearse our lines…ability, activate! Metal Verde!"

The metal blades on Plitheon's wrists extended, increasing his power as he squawked mightily through the atmosphere. "COME AND GET ME!" He shot at lightning speed into the barrier, slashing into t. However, the second he did, the barrier rippled in the spot upon contact and discharge magenta electricity through Plitheon's body, stunning him. "GAAAH~!"

"What's this?!" Jesse looked just as stunned before Plitheon was forced into ball form. As he fell, the actor screamed out as he was falling down onto a Zukanator charging up on an Aquos Scaboid's back.

"Hang on! Ability, activate! Float Shield!" Baron showed an ability, in which Nemus summoned golden triangles that surrounded the Zukanator an Scaboid, preventing it from charging.

"Ability, activate!" Linus followed up, reaching out to direct Rubanoid. "Scarlet Plate!" Rubanoid roared out as he summoned a multitude of rubies that he telekinetically manipulated. He shot them over the ground into the Scaboid. They exploded upon impact, swallowing it in an explosion and reverting it to ball form. Thankfully its soldier partner wasn't fast enough to react in time.

Jesse fell until Rubanoid managed to reach up and catch him in his claws. It was close, but the shock managed to get through Jesse no problem.

"Jesse, are you okay?!" Linus shouted.

Jesse looked up to Rubanoid's shoulder at his savior. "Huh? It's you…."

Linus frowned. "Yes. So you do remember me then."

"Yes, I do recall your former co-star and what transpired." He sneered. "In spite of the irony, I thank you." He paused. "Suppose I'll have to owe you a performance as payment later."

Rubanoid looked up at the barrier. "We've got bigger things to worry about than some show, Jesse."

"He's right, he just reverted to ball form when he touched the barrier." Nemus observed.

"So then how are we going to get out of here and back with the others, Nemus?" Baron worried. "Not good…"

With the barrier soundly distorting overhead, Cyrus lifted his Bakumeter yet again. "Very good. Operation Beacon's part one is successful. I believe that shall contain them for the time being." He glanced down. "Now, Galilea, part 2, if you may?"

"Yes, Lord Cyrus." Galilea acquiesced easily on the communication.

In her spot in another area of Solaris, Galilea was fiddling with her Bakumeter as the screen blinked several times and beeped. "There. The signal is ready." She looked forward. "It took longer with the mess to clean up, but this should more than compensate." She pressed a button, causing a long buzz to emit from the Bakumeter. "Connection code 00092-BEACON. Activate the DNA homing signal!"

On the main screen in the lab, the panel went solid white before the code Galilea spoke of came up in bold, black lettering. The screen suddenly went inverse with a red background with a short buzz sound.

Atop the palace within its own forcefield still, the top gave off a radio antennae with a crystal ball core in it. Once the entire thing was up, the sphere lit up in a blue light and sent of a horizontal frequency wave.

The pulse wave continued spreading, even beyond the boundaries of the shield. They echoed outwards in ripples across the skies, fanning out over larger areas to cover Interacia' from the mountains, towards the vast oceans.

Along the shorelines of beaches far off, there were Interacian-patterned Bakugam from Haos Nastic to Aquos Gren that stalked the shores. When the signal wave reached their ears, they stopped what they were doing and perked up. They turned slowly in the direction of the frequency and roared obediently. Once the roars settled, they started off in that direction.

Aerial Bakugan such as Ziperator, Buz Hornix, and Longfly all sailed about, not at all sensing positive energy within the area. It wasn't until the frequency wave hit that they picked their heads up and immediately changed all their courses into one direction.

Damakor, Nastix, Ramdol. Luxtor; every Interacian Bakugan that was Gundalian and Neathian based all turned their heads and roared in allegiance. They all moved as fast as their limbs and joints could carry them, rushing after the frequency's command signal.

Galilea stood perfectly still on the streets, humming to herself. "Hmph. That should progress things along." She reached down to her Bakumeter. "Part 2 of Operation Beacon is a go. The signal is operating at full capacity."

Back in Cyrus' spot, he responded in kind. "Exceptional, Miss Vergo. Now then…is everyone ready? Zion, I trust that your patience will be rewarded soon enough. Now…snuff them all out!"

Maggie peered out from the side of the alley, having watched Plitheon's plunder. She looked back at everyone with a serious fret. "This isn't good. Looks like our Bakugan will just bounce right off."

"So it's just like that shield that's surrounding the palace." Shun vividly remembered when Dan and Gunz attempted to power through the earlier barrier around the palace, but to no avail. "Our enemies…they're clearly trying to pin us down until we've run out of room to hide. First they stall us by making us believe Riaan was here, and now they realize that we know and are holding us in…and we fell for it. Gngh!" Shun slammed his fist into the wall, frustration taking over. "I should've seen this coming! How did we miss it?!"

"Shun…" Ren muttered.

Luke stepped forward. "Hey, stop beating yourself up over something that isn't your fault. We didn't see it either, alright? What matters right now is how we get through this."

"Luke…"

A low ruble overtook the area. They all felt it beneath them, as well as echoes from the outside. It was getting louder and louder until it became a symphony of snarls.

"What's going on?" Drago questioned.

"Woah now, I-I'm sensing a lot of negative energy all of a sudden." Radizen worried.

"Can you guys feel that?" Fly Beetle muttered. "The earth is shaking."

"Yes, I sense it as well…the air is tense with pressure." Atmos said. "…everyone, look alive!"

"KYYAAAHH!" A behemoth hiss shrilled through the air above. Everyone turned their heads up, seeing several wild Haos and Ventus Interacian Longfly fly in from out of nowhere. They didn't have any Battlegear or Mobile Assault Vehicles, indicating they were all wild, but their numbers were blooming like flowers.

"GROOOAAHH!" Voluminous roars came from the ground along Solaris' walls. Damakor burrowed their way through the magenta forcefield. Scaboid, Glotronoid, Lumitroid, and many other Bakugan amongst those species began crawling their way through.

Atop of her high perch, Julie flinched at the sight of Bakugan crawling out from the closed-in shield. "O-OH MY GOSH! There's Bakugan…EVERYWHERE! Just as this bizarre shield came up, now it looks like Riaan's summoned Bakugan from the outside, and they're coming from everywhere!"

Shawn narrowed his glare. "Looks like we were baited after all. Looks like Riaan's trying to bur us alive under reinforcements. And we're already wiped out after making it this far."

"We won't be in any condition to keep going like this. We have to hurry away and find a way out." Esther advised.

Lena nodded. "Yes, a sound strategy."

More shrilled cries came from above. Jase looked up. "Look out!"

An Interacian Buz Hornix hissed as it unleashed a Durandel Cannon from its abdominal spikes. They all flared downwards into the alleyway, creating a green flare that disappeared, before a growing green explosion worked its way down the alleyway. The grids kept the buildings from getting destroyed, causing it to concentrate towards their direction.

"The blast wave is heading this way!" Nurzak shouted.

"Hurry! Scatter!" Ren yelled.

Everyone hurried and darted out of the alleyway and into the street. The explosion wave erupted, scattering everyone out of reach with each other in violent shouts and whirlwinds that blew them even further from each other.

The explosion was seen afar, bringing along the attention of Zion as he was several avenues over. The loud rupture made him stop and glare in the direction. 'Hmph, so, over there? Good.' He brought out his battle axe. 'I've almost grown tired of waiting.' "Snapzoid!"

His personalized Snapzoid let out a vulgar roar before Zion hopped onto his head. The Bakugan slithered his way off in the direction on the explosions at his master's leisure.

The explosion caught not just Hades Pillars' attention, but also the allies currently within the melee of it all. They were still fighting off the Interacian army Bakugan when they all got swarmed from every side by the wild Bakugan pouring out from seemingly nowhere.

"What the heck?! Where'd all thee guys come from?!" Mason shouted. He looked behind Avior's flying frame, seeing enemy wild Bakugan flying his way. "Avior, on your tail!"

"I got it!" The armored wyvern didn't bother turning back as his elongated tail's forked end crackled electricity. "Bolting Chain!" He discharged a blast of orange-brown lightning into the oncoming Longfly swarm.

The attack closed in, but suddenly a shockwave of energy from below vaporized it before it could get near the swarm. Mason gasped in disbelief before he looked down at the Impalaton that had a Pyrus Interacian Ziperator riding it.

"Forgot about those army guys for a second!"

The wild Longfly spread their wings and flapped, sending out yellow and bright green flares that were their Poison Flasher attack that swallowed Avior in its course. The combined mass was enough to completely stun him in midair, numbing all the nerves inside his body.

Meanwhile, overhead, a Koptorix hovered with a Merlix inside. The twin cannons on either side of the helicopter took aim before firing off magenta projectiles like machine guns, hammering Avior relentlessly while his guard was dropped. The wyvern screamed as he fell from the sky, sundering into the streets with a huge thud.

Within the vicious crash course, smoke cleared, and Mason was laying in the crater that Avior had left. As he stirred around, he was trying to regain consciousness, but he was so heavily winded that he could barely see Avior's ball form just a few feet ahead of him.

The street over, Aranaut looked up find Avior shot down. "My queen, look!"

Fabia gasped. "That was Mason, and Avior!" She flinched when an arrow nearly missed her head, grazing off only a few hair strands from the side.

"My queen!" Aranaut turned around, only for a harsh, searing, dark light to completely blind him. It came from a wild Darkus Volt Elezoid, which was accompanied by soldiers and other Bakugan ranging from Mobile Assault Vehicles to the wild inhabitance rushing from all around.

"Aranaut, look out!" Fabia fret.

"I…can't!" He covered up, bracing as Bakugan swarmed all around him.

A soldier aimed his rifle at Fabia from afar. He closed one eye and concentrated. "…say goodnight, your highness."

Fabia turned in the direction of the rifle, her green eyes widening with a gasp.

A loud bang sound went through the street at that instant.

…

Nemus used his staff to hold off a wild Subterra Interacian Damakor, but its bulk was too much. He was gradually losing momentum. "Where…did all these guys come from?!"

"We have to get out of here! If we don't, we're gonna be buried alive by all these Bakugan!" Baron shouted.

Rubanoid ducked as a wild Spidaro's Drain Impact missed its mark. Instead it diffused into the grid in front of a building that would have been struck down. "That would be a good plan if it wasn't so stupid!" He chastised, before reaching his arm for a Corundum Tusk attack. The Spidaro put up its armored shield to protect its face, while Luxtor with Zukanator from both sides charged up quickly before firing blistering beams at Rubanoid.

"Rubanoid, watch out!" Linus shouted.

Rubanoid covered up, but it was too late. The twin beams had hence made impact, enveloping Rubanoid in a disastrous explosion that repulsed everything and everyone. Linus and Baron went flying off their partners as they couldn't overcome the obstacles before them.

"Baron…I'm sorry…" Was all Nemus said before he reverted to ball form and retreated with Rubanoid, who reverted red and zipped away.

"Oh no!" Elright saw the destruction from high above, watching all his comrades get swarmed by the numerous Bakugan alone. Luxtor, Nastix, and Farakspin that weren't part of the army were flying in out of nowhere. They swarmed the skies and atmosphere alike. His Raptorix couldn't even maneuver with all the Bakugan beelining past him.

Elright looked around. With his vantage point he should have found his allies by now. With all the confusion, he couldn't even tell where to go from here. His teeth gnashed together.

'This is bad. I have to get to the queen and regroup before it's too late…' He felt the ground below illuminate, causing Raptorix to jerk before he went sundering down. Elright held on as hard as he could as his Bakugan went zooming right into the Gate Card laid out beneath them. 'A trap field?!'

Raptorix crashed into the ground, creating a small dust wave. Once it dissipated, the Bakugan was stuck to the earth like flies in a sticky trap. Elright couldn't believe his luck.

"Snap! Get up, Raptorix!" He didn't realize it until the shadows drew closer. He gasped and slowly raised his head to see the numerous wild Bakugan looking down at him ferally, especially the Pyrus Interacian Snapzoid with a familiar battler holding his machine gun at him.

Instantly he recognized the threat. "You…!"

Zion gave Elright a deathly glare as he looked through his lock-on screen. "Burn…in your foolish folly!"

Snapzoid opened wide, creating a fire vortex as Zion readied his machine gun. The bright flames closed in as many other Bakugan who were Pyrus unleashed streams of fire that closed in on Elright. The soldier let out a panicked scream just as the flames reflected in his eyes.

From Julie's camera point of view, it looked like a madhouse. Interacian Bakugan swamped everything, and everyone. No one could believe what they were seeing, especially those who were watching the broadcast.

Keegan whistled. "Man, I've heard of a wild party, but this is just a bit much."

"All those Bakugan…they appeared from the outside." Alice realized. "If they can't get out, while the others can get in, they'll be buried alive!"

"We have to do something to help them, and fast." Mira grunted. "But, we're still missing sequences. We can't use the vaccination until all the components are in place."

Spectra turned towards Alice. "Alice…why don't you go and give our friends a little help. I'm sure they could use it right about now."

Alice nodded. "Right, you got it." She held up her transporter card. "C'mon, Hydranoid. The others need us."

"Say no more, Alice. I'm ready." The hydra declared.

Alice gave Spectra and everyone else a nod. "Right, we'll be back soon." With that, she and Hydranoid vanished in a teleportation light. Once it faded, it left only a few sparks before twinkling towards the ground.

Gus turned towards Spectra. "Master Spectra, what do you think will happen?"

Spectra frowned heavily as he crossed his arms. He looked up at the broadcast with a serious atmosphere around him. "It looks…like Riaan's implemented a homing signal that's been designed for Interacian Bakugan. If the signal is strong enough and at just the right frequency, he must be drawing them all in at once. As we know, Bakugan influenced with negative energy are very sensitive towards positive energy, and vice versa. He must have used the positive battle energy collected from everyone around Solaris and magnified it into his own energy source."

"So basically they fueled their own deathtraps." Keegan grimaced.

"That's to say that we don't have a say in it. Gus, Mira, Keegan, we need to fasten our pace right now!"

"Right." Mira nodded. She immediately returned to the DNA strand monitor with the forbidden data. 'Hang on, guys…just a little bit more. Please, hang in there.'

Footsteps raced down a narrow street, where Shawn ducked and rolled over to avoid a lance that was thrown and pierced the ground behind him. He looked back at the lance, then towards the few soldiers who had similar arrows aimed and fired away.

His reflexes kicked in. His rapier drew out and he lunged at the swift arrows with deathly precision. He pivoted and cut into the spear tips. They shattered as they passed him, while he continued his charge at the soldiers.

"Quick! Reload! Reload!" a soldier shouted.

Shawn didn't give them the time. He turned on his hell and swiftly slashed into them. He past them all, leaving a silence to pass as he kept his glare forward. Seconds later, blood sprayed along their neck and the exposed flash within their helmets. They gagged before falling over onto their sides.

Shawn adjusted his stance and looked back at the dead soldiers laying behind him. He frowned, but his were more of resolution. 'The others must have gotten separated at this point. That blast wave must have directed us away from each other's locations. Damnit, they wanted us out in the open from the start'.'

A beep came from his Bakumeter. He looked down at it and saw the signal.

"It's from Luke." Verias said.

"Yeah, figured that'd be him." He pressed a button, making the screen flash. "Yeah, I'm here. What's going on?"

"Guys, are you alright?" Luke shouted.

"Yeah, we're just fine." Shawn replied. "But it looks like we've ran into some trouble along the way."

"You too, huh Shawn? Guess that makes everyone then. You guys, where are you?"

"Here, Luke." Maggie answered. "Jelldon and I are holding off just fine."

"Yeah, we were just shaken up a bit. But we're doing just fine over here, too." Shuji's voice was next.

"Seems that we were all separated. I have a bad feeling about this, stay alert everyone." Esther insisted.

"Copy that." Jase announced in a serious tone. Like Shawn, he was surrounded by dead men that he had skewered and tased with intense voltage. "I wager that we'll have to rendezvous at the entrance point."

"Got it. We'll meet you there." Luke said.

The communications went off, allowing Shawn to look around to realize that for the time being, he was all alone. 'It's strange…for all the chaos is worth, it's like a wasteland around here…that's not a good sign.' He paused briefly to allow his instincts to react promptly to a rise of negative energy. '…! Above us!'

Reacting just in time to the negative energy, Shane tumble rolled backwards to avoid a fist smashing into the ground where he was supposedly standing. The earth depressed as a shockwave picked him off his feet, sending him doubling over and landing on his heels sliding backwards to a halt. The fencer he used grazed up the shockwave around his face, but only a little.

"Damn, almost had you there, you little cockroach." An outlandish tone chimed.

Shawn looked up, recognizing the familiar person atop of his Interacian Subterra Glotronoid. Immediately he got on guard. "Magnus."

"You know man, as much as I respects ya…" He jumped off of Glotronoid, landing in front of his Bakugan. "I gotta say that I'm just fed up with ya at this point."

Shawn's glare intensified. "That makes both of us." He spread his legs as he readied his rapier. "You know, I'm well and all with taking the gags, but this repetition we've got going has gotta stop."

"You speaking my language, little man." Magnus held up his arm, in which Glotronoid reverted to ball form and dropped into it. "First the little tiff you decided to give us in dem gorges, then you come up and trash our crib, and then there's you on my back on that damn Neathia. We've got ourselves a long record, wouldn't you say?" He held up Glotronoid. "But now you're on our turf. This is where it ends between us, little man."

Shawn braced himself as he and Magnus had their standoff. It was true now that it was pointed out. Shawn always got picked with fighting Magnus of the bunch. But now, he was definite that what he said was true. It was time to end their little game.

After communications went off, the street was littered with Bakugan crawling all over the place. They snarled at themselves as much as they did with each other. They sniffed around, noting there was a positive energy signature around somewhere, but they couldn't tell where.

As a Subterra Interacian Scaboid looked around, it heard shuffling from one of the fallen trash cans behind. It looked back and saw nothing but the trash spilled around the metal tin can, so it glared at it for a little longer before it lost interest.

When it turned around, the trash can slowly started rolling on its side, moving ever so slowly away from the Bakugan. The trash can gradually rolled along the sidewalk, at a rate that not many would have recognized as abnormal. And yet why was it moving as such?

"Uuugh, I'm getting dizzy…" Jelldon muttered.

"Yeah…I think I'm starting to see stars too…" Maggie dazedly mumbled. "But we gotta keep it down. We don't, and they'll be on our tail."

"Got it."

The trash can kept rolling a long way. With Bakugan still howling outside and their footsteps making the ground shudder, it made the excuse of a rolling trash can far more appealing.

"Maggie?"

"Ugh…what is it, Jelldon?"

"I thought you hated the sewers and trash. So why choose this?"

Maggie thought about Jelldon's point. She had to admit that it smelled quite a bit, not to mention that it was borderline revolting. But rather than point that fact out, Maggie did her best for a more appropriate answer. "Hm…well, I don't exactly like it." She paused, hitting a small bump. "But hey, my Jelldon got over his fear of the dark right? What's a little grime to stop me from moving forward, too. If you can move pass your problems, then so can I."

Jelldon was earnestly shocked, just as much as he was pleased to see his little Maggie growing up. "Maggie…"

They kept rolling the trash can for a while, a short silence following. Not even the low growls of other Bakugan vibrated within the metal surrounding them.

"It's gotten quiet." Maggie muttered. "You think we're safe?"

"I don't know…hang on, I'll go check." Jelldon moved the lid's side just enough for a small crack for them to peek out of. When he looked out, he seemingly gasped. "Uh oh…"

"Jelldon, what is it?"

"Maggie! Quick! We need to get out! NOW!"

With no time to question, Maggie trusted Jelldon's judgement and pried off the metal trash lid. She wormed her way out enough before a dense, jagged stinger pierced the bulk of the trash can. Her slim legs enabled her to break away freely. She rolled out into the streets and recovered enough to look up at the pierced trash can being lifted into the air by the stinger of a Buz Hornix. The Bakugan hissed menacingly at Maggie and Jelldon below.

"That was way too close!" Maggie gasped. Her heart rate was completely off the charts. Had she been in there a second longer, she'd be skewered.

"I believe your little tricks have gone on long enough, young lady." A mature, but also feminine tone snarled.

Maggie turned around, seeing the culprit who was responsible. "Galilea!" She immediately balled her fists. "Should have figured you guys would try and stop us."

"Isn't that obvious? You had the audacity to infiltrate our sanctum with our permission. What you deserve at the very least is what that was." She referenced to the trash can that dislodged from Buz Hornix' stinger, dropping to her side.

"Boy, talk about crazy." Maggie snarled. "Remind me to never major in business if this is what you've become."

"You won't last long enough to experience such a career, my dear." She glared. "A child like you shouldn't even be here, but your little games have caused far too much damage to my career. If I must…I will have to cut your future short."

Maggie glared back. 'She's more aggressive than last time. She was so confident in herself the last time we've fought…but that also means she might get careless. We're just gonna have to pull ourselves together and throw her off until she's off her rocker entirely.'

"Maggie, you ready to go?" Jelldon said, already set.

She spread her legs. "As if you needed to ask. Let's do this!"

Galilea scoffed. "Bold, aren't we? That'll be your fatal mistake." Her Buz Hornix reverted to ball form, dropping in her palm. "As a member of Hades Pillars, I shall crush you beneath me."

Shuji was all alone, supposedly no Bakugan around. A Ramdol zoomed across him, but its velocity was so immense that it couldn't slow down enough the catch Shuji when he ducked into an alleyway's shadows. The Ramdol backed up and moved its wheels to where it last saw Shuji, but regrettably didn't see him. The wheels turned and it went speeding off down the street, along with a dozen other Ramdol following behind.

Once they all passed by, Shuji removed himself from the alleyway back into the main street. "Looks like we lost them for a bit." He turned towards Fly Beetle. "We better start for the exit as fast as we can."

"I'm down with that idea." Fly Beetle agreed. "Hm?"

"What is it?" Shuji felt a strange change in the atmosphere. Immediately he grew serious and faced forward. He looked over his shoulder, seeing an all too familiar person walk towards him. The heels were a dead giveaway to whom it was.

"Looks like we've got someone with a bone to pick." Fly Beetle said.

"Yeah."

"I knew that you would be here. It was all too clear as day for me." Standing several meters before them, Lucia gave Shuji a stern glare.

"Lucia, am I right?" Shuji inquired.

"Hmph, so you pay attention to names after all. Very well then…" She paused, collecting her momentum and holding out Lumitroid's closed ball form. "Shall we finish what we have started, between you and your friends?"

"You read my mind." Shuji stepped forward. "Guess you can see minds as well as the future, huh? Well tell me, what am I thinking now?"

Lucia closed her eyes, furrowing her brows. "If it'll humor…hm…perhaps something along the lines of 'I will prove you and your foolhardy future wrong', yes? I'm very much aware of how you all believe that you think that you can change fate,but no matter how you dare to hurt him, no matter how much he deters, Milord Riaan's will, his strife for the new beginning, will be conviction that cannot be changed. I've told your little friend this same tale, and look what happened when she tried denying it."

Shuji remembered that day. It was a day he wouldn't forget.

"…when I fought Lucia, she told me that someone would die."

Everyone turned towards her.

"She told me that it was pointless trying to fight fate, but we've gotten this far holding onto the fate that we were trying so hard to mend for ourselves. We could've-no, we should've fought harder. If we did, then maybe Luka wouldn't have…"

Shuji remained completely calm. He knew better than to get enraged like he normally would, it'd be pointless to do so.

"In the end, it mattered not what you did. It was pointless, whether you tried or not, your friend still perished. I do apologize for this unfortunate circumstance, but it was inevitable…just as it is with how you all will crumble to the future that his divine one will bring. One that you will not be part of."

Shuji scoffed. "If you say it that way, that means you didn't see that far into the future. In other words, it isn't infallible yet." He balled his fists. "And guess what, lady? It isn't very nice to upset a little girl, especially when that girl's Maggie." His knuckles cracked adhesively. "So I'm gonna be making a point that I'll say that you won't change either. Fly Beetle and I…are gonna bury you alive!"

Lucia narrowed her eyes at her opponent's declaration. "Very well then. If you insist, then try. But I must warn you, I won't be held responsible for whatever happens if the future you see is blinded out by the light we cast upon you."

On another avenue, Jase was by himself, currently walking away from the soldiers that he stopped before. His pacing was mild and stern, all while he made sure to keep tabs on everything around him.

'It feels like the negative energy is starting to build up again so soon. It must mean Hades Pillars is around.' He thought diligently. 'If that's the case, they're probably out right now in the open. Which also means we may be likely to engage with them. If not our allies soon enough.'

Out of instinct, he stopped in his tracks and felt a sudden impulse of negative energy arise. He prodded his glasses nonchalantly to conceal his eyes. "Well now…what luck."

Sweeping in from behind, a silhouette with a battle axe stretched out shined under the magenta dome's radiance. Time gradually slowed down as Jase glanced back in the direction the axe swung to cleave his face into two.

CLANG!

In speeds as fast as lightning, Jase's elongated taser skewer parried the battle axe owned by Zion. The two were in a brief standoff as they had similar warrior stances pinned on each other. It was amazing how despite his age, Jase was able to react fast enough to turn around and parry with just his metal staff.

"Hmph…not bad reflexes." Zion sneered.

"Even as a soldier, one must know when to act. And…" The two separated promptly, giving the other the appropriate spacing. "One must also know when to confront your opponent without thinking too far ahead to become invisible to them."

Zion snarled. He got what Jase meant and sneered. "Hmph, spoken thorough. However…" He held up his battle axe. "Can you think as fast as your body can allow?!" He swung again, but this time Jase ducked beneath and jumped away to avoid the rifle in Zion's other hand. The bullet barely missed its mark and stained the cement with a depression.

Jase lengthened his artillery even more and lunged ahead after Zion, who reciprocated the charge. Both soldier and warrior paced after with killer intentions before they met in the middle, their respective weapons cancelling the other out in sparks of their refined edging.

"If defeating you is a clause that can nullify this barrier, then that must be the case. Otherwise you all wouldn't be so bold as to confront us without abandoning your security."

"Security is the least of my worries, Jase Mercury." Zion seethed. "You hold a weapon. That's reason enough for me to fight for Milord." With enough force, he swatted Jase back several meters. He stepped forward and glared. "Milord had lost his right arm…to you lot." His body shuddered. "You…shall all burn! Burn, until your ashes soothes the pain that you have caused his gracious one!"

Jase didn't back down. "Then let it be so. But don't except me to give you a salute at your funeral pyre now."

"Your words sear with less blood than my blade draws."

"I'm curious. Is your blade as sharp as your retorts? Let's find out just how dull this soldier has gotten since our last confrontation, shall we?"

A wild Luxtor hissed as it crawled down the street, occupied with soldiers that were resuming patrols and eye-witness reports of the Brawlers and their Bakugan. As they worked their way up the domain, they were completely unaware that Esther and Atchibee were hidden within the shadows of the alleys not far from them. They turned and looked back to see if their eyes were looking back, but it looked like they were spared any wayward gazes. They silently made their way towards the next street, seeing how bare it was with only a Farakspin flying overhead.

'It looks barren. This doesn't feel right…' However, she didn't have the luxury of waiting around when the shadow of the Farakspin worked towards her. She flipped around the corner of a stairway to a house blocked off and hid within the blinds above the cemented stairs. The Farakspin was completely unaware as Esther looked up to see it patrol elsewhere. Whereas she knew she had to act fast.

"This is getting too risky. We'll have to find a faster route, and quick." She advised. "Minimal confrontation is a factor we need right now."

"Ohh~? Is that so?" A feminine voice chimed.

Esther perked up at the tune. "That voice…"

On the other side of the paved road, there was someone else underneath the shading of some stairs. She had her legs crossed with a pillow to rest her head on. Her body was on a cushion even to soften up the stairs as she polished her fingernails so leisurely. "Ah, there we go. A nice even coating."

"Amina." Esther hissed.

Having finished her polishing, Amina stood up and swayed her hips out to the open. "You know, I prefer to not sully myself anymore than what's already been done. Furthermore, I just repolished my gorgeous nails. However, I'm not allowed to go inside anymore. Apparently those are orders." She shrugged. "Whatever. Besides, I've been meaning to hunt you all down eventually."

"Is that so? That seems so unlike you." Esther didn't seem at all interested.

Amina hummed. "Hmph, well, normally I wouldn't want to because I just polished my beautiful nails, but you see…something happened. So I'm gonna ask you this now…" Her face darkened, giving Esther a rather surprised look. "Did you…steal my dress?"

She blinked. "Ex…cuse me?"

"DON'T GIVE ME EXCUSES YOU LITTLE BITCH!" Amina violently screamed, enough to make Esther blink again. "I know one of you had the audacity to enter my room and touch my stuff, with your diseased, bridled hands! If you give back my dress right now, I'll tear you head and nail!"

In spite of this confusing circumstance, Esther didn't play her game. "I'm sorry…but even I wouldn't stoop as low as brandish something like that from someone unless it was dire."

Amina's fury lengthened. "So you do have it! GIVE IT BACK! FIRST YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO ANNOY ME WITH YOUR UGLY FACE SO MANY TIMES, NOW THIS?!" She shook angrily. "You…you…"

Esther frowned heavily. She had no idea what was going on right now. 'Was someone wearing her wardrobe we didn't know about? Now that I think about it, Ariella wore something new. Is that what she was referring to?'

"If you don't give back my dress and kneel at my high heel…" She held up Nastix's ball form. "I'm going to melt you bit by bit, until even your fabric isn't even left."

Esther glared back, undeterred by the threat. Instead, she held up Atchibee. "Atchibee."

"Yes, Esther. I wouldn't trust her judgement, not even for a second."

She glared forward. "Then let's do this. The sooner we surpass her, the sooner we can convene with everyone else."

Amina's near-psychotic glare seared through anyone looking at her. Anyone would be petrified. However, Esther didn't deter. She looked as cold as ice back at her. "Besides…I owe her for her hospitality the last time we were in the Gundalian Empyrean."

"YOU'RE GONNA PAY!" Amina hollered. "NASTIX! MELT HER ON THE SPOT!"

Meanwhile, everyone else was having their quarrels to come around. As for Luke…

A glistening blue streak ran clean through body armor, cutting down another close-range soldier. Once he fell over, Luke stepped back as another soldier advanced with a mace, but he was diligent enough to shift to the side and plunge his blade into the man's gut, clean through to the other side.

The Interacian soldier's eyes were wide in gagging disbelief as blood spewed out of his mouth. He gradually fell over, while Luke dislodged his blade and heard a thud beneath.

He took a pause before he looked back down at the dozen soldiers sprawled along the ground. As gruesome as the sight was, and how bitter it made his mouth taste, he had to be strong. "That looks like the last of them in this area. There's probably more near the front. Maybe they're expecting us to meet their and ambush us."

"Huh…?" Abis turned his attention elsewhere.

"Abis, what is it?" Luke turned towards the alleyway, seeing someone peering out at them from the trash cans they hid behind. They visibly saw someone shaking from fear. He gradually reared his head around, poking it out to reveal himself to Luke and Abis.

"Luke, isn't that…"

Luke's eyes widened. He remembered that kid from before. "It's that kid, from before…"

As they ran past a trash bin, Luke accidentally knocked into its side. It caused it to spin, sending it falling over onto its side. "Oof!" From inside, a few pieces of trash clumped over, along with a kid hiding inside. "Ow…"

Luke whipped around in shock. "Huh?!"

"A kid?" Shawn gasped.

"An Interacian. He must have been in hiding when the lockdown commenced." Jase assumed.

Luke went over and kneeled before the kid in the heap. "Hey, you're not hurt, are you?"

The kid got out of his daze and saw Luke and the others. His eyes widened as he jerked back against the wall, his body shaking. "Gah! No! S-stay away!" he panicked. "Mommy? Anybody?!"

The memory was still fresh in Luke's mind. "It's that kid we bumped into earlier." He noticed that he was shaking still. He looked down at his left hand, holding his sword tightly. He looked back at the soldiers he had to slay and got the idea.

He sighed. He couldn't just say something like "It's not what it looks like!" or "Sorry you had to see that." No, he couldn't really say anything appropriate. But he knew the child was scared. He had to show some leniency.

"Y-You…you just killed…" the kid stammered.

Luke frowned. "Yeah, I know."

"S-Stay back! I don't wanna die!" he panicked. "Where's my mom?!"

Luke frowned. He felt really bad for the frightened child. "Abis…we can't really leave him like this, can we?"

"I'm not sure myself." He grimaced. "He's just frightened as much as anyone else…but, we did promise him something, didn't we?"

Luke paused. "Yeah…you're right. We need to take down this grid shield first and this forcefield around us. Where do we start?"

Suddenly, the entire hue around them blackened. The tone of the environment grew steadily creepier by the second to make Luke's spine stiffen. His eyes widened at this grueling presence he felt.

"…!" The kid hiding behind the alley trash froze. He became so scared that he lost his breath.

'This force…and this air…' It didn't take long to put the pieces together. Luke braced himself and unsheathed his blade, immediately switching the blades with the deep blue energy one. "Come on oit, Cyrus! No more tension building!"

"My, my…perceptive, aren't we this time." A chilling voice than through the atmosphere, like a ghostly wind. In an instant, everything went black before the chilling visage of Cyrus appeared right before Luke's eyes.

The menace gave Luke a sinister smirk. "It seems that you're serious this time. How noble. Rather lackluster for my taste, but you have courage…how foul that is."

Luke didn't buy his taunts. "What's going on? What's with the shields?!"

Cyrus musingly scoffed. "Short and to the point. If I didn't know any better, you seem anxious, aren't you?" Luke didn't answer. This made Cyrus frown. "Very well, if you want to be that way…if you must know, the shield that is currently surrounding the atmosphere of Solaris is keeping all of you and your little friends in. Once you step through this barrier, you have no means of getting out."

"I see, so that's what happened with Plitheon…" Abis muttered.

"You have my thanks for that. It's because of Milord's power of converting energy from outside sources and replicating it that we were able to implement that very same energy into the shield."

"So it's just like the Empyrean." Luke realized, He remembered something how their battle energy back on Vestal and Gundalia created a feedback that sent the energy towards Riaan. 'They must be using the same technology and links back then with the shield. But wait, if that's the case…!' His eyes widened. 'Then maybe…' He glared at Cyrus. "Hey, Cyrus."

"Hm?"

"Tell me, if there's a chance that this shield comes down if you all end up being defeated?"

Cyrus frowned, but it turned to a malicious grin. "Well now, two surprises in one day. I think I might actually feel impressed. You're smarter than I thought." Luke waited for an answer that he had to give. "Well…I suppose that's a possibility. But even though you have bested us once do you believe that it's wise to do so alone? You seem awfully…withered. Did something happen perhaps?"

Luke visibly sweated. He exhausted himself far too much already. But he knew he shouldn't be stopping. 'Crap. That recoil I'm feeling when I battled Maximus hasn't gone away just yet.' His grip on his sword was visibly soft. 'I can barely hold my sword upright without concentrating on my arms. But…I won't sway! There's too much at stake to let such a petty thing keep me from giving it my all!'

Cyrus raised a brow. "This should be interesting…"

Suddenly, a rainbow light appeared right beside Luke. It caught him and everyone's attention. Out of the blue, Alice appeared and dropped to her feet.

"Huh? What the-?!" Abis recoiled.

"A-Alice?!" Luke gasped. "What're you…!"

Alice blinked a few times, getting a feeling of where she was. "Huh? Luke?" Immediately she grew serious. "Are you alright?"

Luke shook the wear off him. He faced Cyrus once again. "Yeah, don't worry. Abis and I are good. We just needed a minute is all." He paused. "So if you're here…does that mean Gus and Keegan are…?"

Alice shook her head. "I'm sorry. It's just myself and Hydranoid." She shot a glare at Cyrus. "And it looks like not a moment too soon."

Cyrus glared daggers at Alice. "Well now…three strikes. Isn't this too coincidental to be real, I wonder. We meet again, Alice Gehabich."

"Cyrus Black." Alice sniped.

"So you remember? Good. I was beginning to worry that I was forgotten. After all, my first impression surely left quite…the impact, wouldn't you say?"

Alice remembered vividly what happened with the battle that transpired within the Gundalian valleys. The negative energy and the foul air was something that still left her worried, but since then she's learnt to embrace it and grow stronger. Compared to Riaan, this felt like nothing.

"Alice, listen. We have to beat Cyrus if we want to bring down the shields." Luke explained.

Alice nodded. "I understand. That's why I'm here. If helping defeat Hades Pillars will do that, then Hydranoid and I are here to back you up."

"Thanks."

"It's time that we settle the score with this guy, once and for all." Hydranoid declared. "Let's shove him back down the dark hole where he came from, Alice!" another voice snarled.

Alice gripped Hydranoid and smiled. "Right." She paused, before looking at Luke. "And Luke. Abis…"

"Yeah, Alice?"

"I'm sorry about what happened to Luka and Brontes." She looked forward, glaring daggers if dead serious nature that no one could oppose. "I promise, we won't let their hard work and sacrifices be in vain!"

Luke paused for a moment, but refocused and faced Cyrus. "Thanks. I'm sure they both appreciate it." He gripped his blade tighter. "Okay…let's take this guy down, once and for all!"

Cyrus smirked widely. "I was hoping we would be able to finish our battle back on Gundalia. I said before that we would settle our score, and as the future beholds, it comes to pass." His eyes flashed, making the hue around them blacken further to make his silhouette stand out. "After what I did to your friends, I expect great things from you both. Show me…so that I may show you why you should be left speechless! Drown in dread!"

As the three combatants readied themselves for battle, the little boy was hiding back, his body visibly stiff just from seeing Cyrus. He couldn't even swallow without choking. "Wha…what's going on here…? Is he…really one of us?" He looked back at Luke and Alice, seeing them face this monster head-on. "Who…who really are these guys? Monsters?"

While everyone was having their scuffles within Interacia, things were much different in another place.

The atmosphere was completely clear. The battle damage that Luke and his friends have created left the Doom Dimension with puddles of water everywhere, and not a single dark sky was above them. The dark atmosphere was still gloomy, but the atmosphere was far less suffocating with all of it reduced to oblivion after that final bout.

Rogue Zero sat around, lamenting over everything that's happened. Their reactions were more or less identical. Disbelief, mounted by despair over what became of their fates. They all sat around unsure of what to make for themselves now that their chance of glory and redemption was taken from them.

"Gnnngh! This…is impossible!" Ariella was on a tangent, stomping her heel in the puddle beneath her. "That shouldn't have been possible! Not in a million years!"

"Please, Ariella. Your voice is like salt to a wound. It stings." Cesar slurred, his palm in his hand.

Ariella gnashed her teeth in frustration. "You be quiet, Mr. Genius! If you're so smart, then tell us after all those calculations and efforts that we still end up losing our heads to those halfwits!"

Xander snorted. "Be quiet, Ariella. Don't be quick as to blame it on Cesar like it's all his doing."

"Oh really? Well then, who do you think is responsible then? You? Or maybe Galilea's favorite little pet over there? Or maybe Mr. Stone over there." She directed towards Killian and Hendrix, who were silent and unable – unwilling – to add fuel to the flames at this time.

Xander shook his head. "Seems like you just won't learn, will you? Maybe growing up in such a high society was a bad influence after all."

Ariella flinched. "You…" She walked closer to Xander's face, giving him a cold, seething glare. "You have no idea of what I've been through! My life has been nothing short of shortcomings because of those stupid Hades Pillars and you guys!"

Xander thought little of her backlash. "That's funny. How do you think the rest of us fared until now? It's not always about you."

Ariella turned away, scoffing angrily. "Whatever! Well now none of that matters because we're stuck here! Gnnngh…this can't be happening…it just can't be…"

"You can't say…that we didn't see this coming." Hendrix mumbled. Everyone turned towards him. "We all knew the risks of doing this task. This is what the path of desperation has turned us into. If you weren't prepared for this responsibility…then you shouldn't have come her to begin with."

Xander raised a brow. "Well, look at you? Taking hits like a man. I admire that." He frowned. "But that doesn't solve our problem now, does it?"

"We've lost. Fair and square at that. Besides…" He turned his head towards a nearby rock that had someone perched on it. "It seems there is another person whose space we need to respect right now."

His reference was towards Maximus Rogue, their leader who ended up being defeated by Luke, for the final time at that. Not only that, but after that battle, his gauntlet claws were damaged, so he couldn't create energy claws to tear them open for all their noise. His right horn to his demonic crown was also gone.

"…" He stared out blankly, his tattered, enormous hood completely covering his entire face, leaving a shadow that couldn't even frown. He didn't even bother keeping track of how long he's been staring off into the endless yonder for, but at this point it didn't matter.

Cesar shook his head. "…well, at least some of us are coping with this better than others." He rubbed the temple of his forehead. "But now my genius is wasted in such a place. Oh how the mighty have fallen."

"Speaking of it not always being about you…" Ariella sniped.

"He's been like that for a while now. What do you think he's thinking about?" Killian pondered about Maximus.

"Who's to say." Hendrix grunted.

"…" Maximus seemingly didn't hear them, or rather he ignored them. It wasn't easy to tell. He looked like he froze in time or something.

"Ha, so much for our fearless leader. Guess he took that battle harder than I thought." Ariella scoffed. "I'm surprised that he's even alive after that. Maybe it's finally came to him that he's nothing but a dead man now after being trounced by something he feared for so long."

"Ariella! Will you just shut up!" Xander shouted. He turned back towards Maximus, walking several paces towards him. "Max…is everything alright?"

Cesar prodded his glasses. "It would appear…that he's psychologically impaired at the moment. It's best we leave him be. I'd rather not lose my head at a sudden lash out."

Killian tilted his head somberly. He felt for their circumstances.

Ariella tossed her hair back and let out a meek scoff. "Well, it makes no difference in the end. Thanks to this failure, we're going to rot away until we're nothing more than statues, like him over there."

Xander turned towards her. "I thought I told you…to SHUT UP!"

"You are not the boss of me! I'm older than you, you snot-nosed punk!"

"And yet I still outrank you!" His glare hardened. "Unless you really wanna waste whatever precious energy you have to prove me wrong."

Killian shook his head. He rubbed the temples of his forehead now. "…why did I have to live this life?"

"It's what fate has chosen." Hendrix said. "Life is very unfair…and no one is shown mercy no less than once in their lives."

While Ariella and Xander were bickering and the others were lamenting in their confusion as to what to do now, Maximus was lamenting just now on what Killian just said. 'Why I…lived this life…'

"Oh, and Maximus."

Maximus stopped in his tracks. With his hood now gone, his shaggy hair's back could be seen. Along with him, Rogue Zero stopped as well.

"Just remember…why you fight to begin with. What drives you matters. Look back…and make it your strength."

What Riaan said before as exactly as what he followed. He went his own way, and he looked back to realize that problem was Luke. He made the fear he had of him his own strength, and supposedly surpassed him. At least, that was the intention. He thought he could kill the fear that Cyrus kept speaking of, so that in turn he would become the fear of that fear, in an essence. But with everything going on, he didn't know whether to make heads or tails anymore.

Gradually, his mind was blocking out the roars and arguments that Rogue Zero was bringing with one another. The louder Ariella and Xander argued, the less he seemed to care. His mind was going backwards, way back to the times that distilled who he was now.

'All my…my life…people…have feared me…'

As kids were playing around with a bouncy ball, they were merrily minding themselves with bright smiles. It wasn't until Maximus' tattered and decrepit frame gradually sauntered closer behind one of the kids that they all stopped what they were doing and panicked.

"GAH! Behind you!" a little girl pointed out.

The other girl turned around, seeing the grotesque creature the size of a little boy. She screamed in terror before jerking away with her friends. "GAH! R-RUN AWAY! IT'S A FREAK! AAAHHH!"

The small group was carried as far as their legs could carry them, leaving Maximus to look down at the ball they left behind. He tilted his head confusedly, before stepping on it, causing it to pop. He hissed at the loud noise it generated.

'Even after…after finding a way out, I…had lost all inno-ocence. Man, woman, and children all saw me as nightmare fuel…I-I…relished in it.'

"Stay away from him, dear." A past patron sneered. "That ain't no child. That's a monster."

"Ugh, I don't feel so good…and my body won't stop shaking. You're a freaky kid, get out of my sight!"

"Holy crap! Whatever you are, you're definitely not welcome here! Go fall in a ditch and crawl around with the other buggers where you belong, freak!"

People always told maximus the same things, wherever he went. And they would all have fearful looks on their faces every single time. A child that couldn't have been no older than 6, swallowed, and feeding off of negative energy. So much that it was a craving. It was his only food source, that was, until he came across Xander. The punk kid who feared him just as much as anyone else, but still hung around. Even now, that's something even he couldn't fathom why.

However, that all changed when he came into contact with Riaan. When the man found them in that shack, it was fate working its fortune.

…

"C'mon man, you have to try and eat something." A young Xander sniped at Maximus, but the little boy did nothing but glare at his plate of food that was sitting there for a while. His insides didn't seem invested with the meal his "friend" pillaged to feed him, but the efforts had to be worth the risks.

Slowly, Maximus reached out, stopping halfway, before moving forward, then back. And then forward again.

"Yeah, that's it. Just a little more." Xander encouraged.

"…KRRRRGGH!" Suddenly, Maximus recoils from the fresh meal, snarling at it like a feral animal. "It's…too fresh."

"That's how it's supposed to be." Xander sighed. "C'mon man, we've been trying for days. All you've been drinking is tainted water and moldy, dirty food…how're you seriously not dead at this point?"

Maximus gave Xander a spiteful glare. His shaggy hair kept much of it away from view. It still creeped Xander out though.

The sound of footsteps drew closer, alarming Xander. "Someone's coming…"

At the opening of the shabby shack's darkness, there was a well kempt man who walked up towards them. He stopped at the entrance, looking into the shadows to see two boys, one with red-orange hair, and the other looking shabby and unkempt, like a feral animal. He looked down at them, keeping signs of shock no visible than the naked eye.

"Who're you supposed to be?" Xander scoffed.

"…tch." Maximus paid no heed. Instead he turned away and looked back at his reflection in the shattered mirror that rested along the wall. Even now, he hissed at his reflection and what it was.

"I see, so this is where all of that negative energy was coming from." He looked at Xander, whom he didn't get much of this from. However, with his perception, Riaan could very easily tell Maximus was covered in it. So much he was literal negative energy. 'This child…he must have been induced with so much of it in order for his entire cellular system to have mutated. I can't sense anything but negative energy coming from him.'

Maximus shuddered at himself in the mirror, as if barely acknowledging the adult in the room. "…begone…weakling."

However, despite the resentment, Riaan approached. "Young ones, how long have you been here?"

Xander crossed his arms and raised his nose. "Hmph, we don't have to answer that. Don't you know you're trespassing?"

"There have been reports and rumors that a thief who's been taking food every day." He looked at Xander, then at Maximus' plate still accounted. "It seems that those rumors are indeed true. A child feeding a cretin's shadow. How deploring of a sight, a folly."

Maximus hissed.

"Hey! Who o you think you are?!" Xander scoffed, but Riaan walked past him, stopping just behind Maximus.

The entity looked up at the shattered mirror, seeing Maximus glare at his reflection with a hazardous glare. "…I see…so that's what this is about. What a vexing specimen you are, child."

Maximus snarled low. Whether it was to him or his reflection, it was unclear. But he wouldn't stop glaring at the foul monster he saw in front of him.

"You both, what if I were to say I could give you something you both desired? For a child as yourself to hang around a young one as this one fending against his own convictions, you both must truly be brave." Riaan lowered his head. "Very well then." He turned around and started for the exit once more.

"H-Hey, wait! You just come in here and then just leave?!" Xander exclaimed.

"I'm afraid that my duties carry elsewhere. But if you are looking for greater shelter, then perhaps I can offer you aid. I will supply fresh food for you when needed. And shelter just as you like it." He looked over his shoulder at Maximus. "And as for you…if you're not satisfied with what you see before you, perhaps we should change that."

"…" Maximus twitched. Slowly, he turned his head towards Riaan's proposition. "You see…me? I can…see something than…that?"

Riaan nodded. "Of course. But I should warn you, change is never easy to overcome. But I intend to bring everyone out of the shadows of the truth and into its light. If you can survive like this, I'm certain such a future can exist for you."

…

Maximus' current body twitched, but only a little. "See…ing…a new me…huh?" He hood lowered some. "Tch, all I saw…were monsters around me…"

"Hmph! You're all tough talk, Xander! Why'd you even bother hanging around Maximus from the start? Were you that desperate for a friend you'd turn to a creature with half a brain?" Ariella's taunts ran deep to where it got to everyone's nerves.

"That's none of your business!" he lashed back. "What makes you think you know me?!"

She tossed a lock back. "Please, everyone here's a poor sap, but it's so degrading for you. A punk who couldn't even be approached by kids his age. Admit it, Maximus was the only person you feared, and you ended up tailing him because of that."

A violent shove came from Xander, enough to push Ariella onto her bottom. Cesar and Killian's eyes widened as they watched the physical confrontation get out of hand. Hendrix, however, looked on with a straight face.

"What the hell gives you the right to talk down to Maximus like this?" He sniped venomously. His glare was ferocious, with a searing flare of intensity that could burn your soul away if you looked too hard. That's precisely what happened to Ariella. "If you must know, Maximus had risked everything in order to bring all of us forward! He's freed us from Hades Pillars whose been looming over us from the very beginning! The reason you're so prissy is because you never got your way, Ariella. Well guess what, none of us did! And what ole' Max tried to do was give us the strength to step out of that shadow, something you could never have done by yourself!"

Ariella shuddered in place, completely mortified that she was pushed down physically by Xander. It processed long enough to make her face red.

"This is getting ridiculous." Killian grimaced. "I didn't sign up for this just to be cannibalized…but you guys are just losing it."

Cesar shook his head in despair. "Well, deprive man from food and starvation does the rest. This is the scarcity of what we Interacians had to bear when Riaan created us. It's so revolting. As deploring as it is, it's hopeless for even science to change that basic principle of nature."

"…" Maximus didn't pay attention. He was drawn into his thoughts some more.

…

Years had passed so quickly, and Xander and Maximus had managed rehabilitation, enough for them to understand the basic essentials of common sense. To someone like Xander it was begrudging, but for someone like Maximus, getting him away from the mirror to the dinner table was its own challenge.

The two were in their refined attires at the time, kneeling before Riaan within his throne room. Their heads were down as Maximus' hood concealed his head. "Well now, I believe a congratulations are in order, you two. You have my deepest empathy."

Maximus lifted his head, giving him a serious frown. "No problem."

"I called you both here because the time has finally come. Maximus. Xander. There are people that I would like you to meet."

Maximus and Xander turned around to realize that four people were standing behind them. One was a scientist with an antigravity chair, with another being burly with a serious disposition, and another with light blue hair and seemed annoyed, along with someone their age with glasses and a neutral complexion.

"Who the hell are these guys?" Xander scowled. Maximus stood beside him with a frown, offering no input.

The scientist smirked as his hand rest beneath his chin. "Interesting. So you're the ones His Majesty told us about. Pleased to meet your acquaintance. Cesar Ventriliqua, at your service." He mockingly bowed by tilting his entire chair forward.

"Hendrix Stone. So, you're our new leader." The tense man said, his tone strict and serious.

The woman leaned to her hip. "Hope you're not as hopeless as I have heard of. I expect great things because of you/ Ariella Island, if you may." She sneered.

The last one stepped up. "How's it going, Killian Miles, at your service. I'll do my best as I always can."

Maximus and Xander turned around as Riaan gave them a serious look. "I've been giving it some thought, but I believe now that the time has finally come. Maximus Rogue, after years of progressing yourself, I have appointed you as the new leader of this vanguard squad. You will all be classified as 'Rogue Zero'. Where that moniker with pride."

"Rogue Zero, you say?" Cesar hummed. "Hm, does have a slight ring to it. Yes, surely! This will help in influencing my creative genius for all of Interacia!"

"A vanguard, huh? This should be good." Ariella hummed.

Xander turned towards Maximus. "Well Max, looks like we've done it this time?" he smirked. "How's it feel?"

The newly appointed Rogue Zero leader looked back at the new team before him. Each one look confident and assured in their own ways.

…

He slowly turned his head around, unnoticed by the other members of his team. Looking at them now, they were a total mess compared to before. He observed them a little more.

"You selfish…insignificant little…" Ariella just about had it. She raised her hand to smack Xander silly, but a tough grip stopped her. "H-Hendrix?!"

The Subterra battler shook his head. "There's no point to this violence. You are only deluding yourself, Ariella."

"Let me go you giant oaf!" She struggled to pull away, but his grip was too intense. She could only squirm hopelessly. "Gngh! Gnngh!" She started kicking and turning away, but all her efforts were in vain. "You…you giant…ox you…I…"

Hendrix kept a straight face as Ariella's composure was starting to crumble. Her strength left her weary body. Unable to hold it in, she started laboring, with tears flowing from her eyes.

"It's…it's just not fair…just not fair…why can't I…just be satisfied? I…wanted so much more…but it was taken from me…"

Cesar sighed. "A need for perfection, the curse of all scientists. Dear Ariella, perfection and getting everything so easily, is science's greatest enemy. What's the point of progression if you're already perfect? My genius is abundant…but even it isn't perfect."

Killian gave him a neutral stare. "That's a shock coming from you of all people, Doc."

Cesar scoffed. "Well, when you spent your whole life the develop yourself onto one path, that's all you know. Diverging is a scary concept…but it's what leads to a future no less."

Maximus listened as he looked past everyone towards the large pool of water left behind from his battle with Luke. It reflected the dark skies above. As if drawn like a magnet, he lethargically got up and started sauntering past everyone.

"Hmoh, look at you, the big bad Ariella finally crumbling down." Xander teased. "What's the matter? Can't handle the pressure all of a sudden?"

"Shut up! Just…shut up…" Ariella sniffled.

"Will you all please shut up." Killian grimaced. "I'm tired of this. Xander, I get it! We all get it! She's a pain! But you're being a bigger one by being a bully to someone who can't hit back. Seriously, what is this? Kindergarten?"

Xander gave him a raised brow. "Huh? Look at you Killian. You surprise me, now you're outing your foot down?"

He leered back. "All my life, I've been nothing but someone who just took orders and complied, alright? I've listened to those above me because of their position and they offered me a better life. I actually had to work, and this is the payoff! Being surrounded by a bunch of childish self-respecting idiots!"

Xander flinched away, genuinely shocked by his outburst.

Killian shook his head and sighed. "You were right. I am just a pet. Just listen and get treats. Just playing it safe…now even I don't have anything left because I listened. I did as they say, and I got paid. And I still did what they said after, and they tossed me aside. What did I even work towards?!"

"My, my, Killian…" Cesar awed. He noticed Maximus walking past him. "Hm? Maximus?"

The leader sauntered his way past the scientist, and everyone else who stood too close to him. Xander and the others stopped their quarreling and traced their eyes towards him as he walked towards the large puddle, until he stood over it, looking down at his own reflection.

"…"

Everything at that moment went silent as Maximus looked at his own reflection. There it was. That ugly, grotesque monster that loomed in front of his face with such an insidious look his entire life. Only now, it didn't look as menacing. In fact, it looked all beaten up, torn with a horn missing and tattered clothes. That very monster stood with a straight face, eye-to-eye without a lack of concentration.

"Maximus. Tell me now…how does it feel…that you've experienced true fear?"

His entire life started flashing in his eyes. When he was so small, to be drawn into the Doom Dimension. He was stuck there for two years. His insides and his underdeveloped Interacian cells had mutated to make him feed and nourish on negative energy. Hate. Fear. Anguish. Fuel to create the monster that soon clawed his way back to reality and be isolated by the crestfallen world.

"GAH!" Backing onto his butt, his heart raced. For the first time, he felt fear on a spiritual level. "What was…" he looked at the kid in question. "What was that?"

Slowly turning around, the hooded kid glanced at a higher angle. His dark eyes with the aura he gave off made Xander feel threatened as he stared with a cynical smile. In a hushed tone, he answered.

"The very monster we all are…"

Meeting Xander, the one and only person who was stubborn enough as a child to make a friend out of Maximus. He showed him what monsters lurked on the other side of the mirror, the ones that dare to try and tear you apart in your mind. Even after years of learning social skills and undergoing Riaan's wings, that same monster looked at him dead in the eye as a means to drive him. Until, he found a new reflection that changed everything.

"You're making a big mistake challenging me just by yourself again." Maximus argued.

"No, Maximus! The biggest mistake I've ever made, was not opening my eyes to the world sooner." He clutched Abis Omega, readying to throw him in. "We've done a lot of things that put our lives on the line, and this is no different. If you really think you're scary just because you have these cards, you're an even bigger fool than I was!"

When Luke came around, Maximus didn't realize what an impact he would have on his life from then on. He only saw a degenerate who was as easily feared by him as was everyone else. However, with each time, he got stronger, and overcame his fear of him and surpassed him. That point which drove him insane.

"Luuuke~!"

The sickly tune he had for Luke at the time was one-sided. He didn't want to be usurped – killed – by his fears. Ni, he wanted to kill them. He wanted to finally break that glass and eradicate that monster who looked down at him all his life. But even in the end, becoming fear itself was little to what Luke had done. Something he said kept locked in his mind.

"Maximus…" Luke muttered. "I see it…we're…the same, aren't we?" His response was a shallow snarl in their stalemate. "We were…afraid of each other. Yet one of us chose self-preservation, and the other…accepted." He closed his eyes, allowing his body to feel an odd adrenaline swell. "If I am what you fear…then let this be where it rests."

Accepting fear. That was the complete opposite of what Cyrus drilled into him. He was told and believes to face the fear and destroy it in order to become stronger. To move on you must destroy what you were. That's what he did, at least…he thought so. He was so lost in his world that he still stared blankly at his reflection. But instead of hissing at it, he was left at a crossroad.

"L-Luke…must kill…Must end…this monster before me…I won't…be overtaken by him…"

"Maximus." Luke softly spoke. "…it's time to let go. There's no need for you to suffer like this."

"Just die…just die…please…just die…"

"Maximus…I get it. I honestly do. I know what it's like to be afraid of someone, especially yourself. But, just ending that monster isn't the only answer. If you stop and take a step back, you realize that you're your own monster."

"Maximus…I understand that you don't want to die truthfully. I don't want to either. But living a life of fear without knowing what you can achieve is something I don't want."

Maximus sneered. "Shut up. You…don't know me."

Luke continued. "…you're right. I don't know what it would be like to live alone your whole life. You didn't deserve to be here for so long, and now everyone thinks you're not like them. The truth is…we're all victims to someone or something. But if I'm going to die someday, or by someone…I want to at least try and know what it feels like to live."

"But even if that happens, I want to embrace what I can and learn from everyone, that way, at least when that time comes, it would feel like I've known so much that that will live on." He turned towards Maximus. "And so, I chose to forgive and accept myself. I was the monster that I saw, what everyone saw. But instead of casting it out…I learned that it was better to be thankful for him, because he's why I'm here today, and who I am now."

It felt like an eternity, but what he remembered last was that very sentence Luke declared upon him. A life of fear no left behind or destroyed…but accepted and forgiven. How could he ever accept the monster that looked at him for so long that scared him? It was Luke, right? And yet…he made it clear they were on good terms. He tried, unlike himself. Maybe…just maybe…

He glared at his broken self, until an impulse made him reach his hand out weakly. It was shaking.

"Maximus…?" Xander blinked. Everyone else went silent.

He was as steady as he could be. Once. Just once, in his fear-filled life, was Maximus actually reaching out towards the broken, ugly creature he's been seeing. It reflected the same. His instincts told him to slash and tear, but a small – a very small part – of his insides was telling him to try.

The battered index finger of the gauntlet claw stopped an inch before the water. Maximus paused, his heart racing for what might happen…

"Maximus…I accept you. That won't change. You've tried to live enough to get rid of your fear of me. But maybe, you should look into yourself just a little more. Maybe…just a little at a time…"

Just a little was all it took. Very gently, he spread his palm and touched the surface of the cold water. It was cold alright, something he was used to…but what he saw made his eyes widen upon reaching out for himself.

The ripples were slow and calm, gradually reshaping the ugly, foul monster into a distorted frame of himself of himself within its wake. He could see how innocent he was as a child so small. His hair had blue, and he was smiling so sympathetically towards him in return.

His eyes were shaking as he could see it, himself from so long ago. The same child before swallowed by darkness. He visibly shook, trying his best to power through this weird pain in his chest. "You…you are…me…" His voice was still broken, but he didn't care. "…I think…I see it now…me…is you…even…as a monster…do you…will you…accept me?"

The little boy looked through the ripples, gradually fading with a smile still on his face. Maximus looked desperate, but that little boy gradually faded into the him now…a him that genuinely smiled beneath his hood.

When Maximus used his spare hand and reached up, he realized he was physically smiling. He couldn't believe it. Or some reason, it felt like this aching, odd sensation inside was starting to settle itself down. No…rather, it was embracing him. Accepting him. He was afraid for so long that he didn't reach out towards anyone, not even himself. But here, right now, he was forgiven, and the reflection of him smiling showed that child that knew fear still existed. Now…it was his turn to embrace the fear, and accept it return.

He closed his eyes, bowing his head towards himself. "Thank you…thank you…"

The ripples in the water gradually faded away, the crude monster no longer looking to kill him. When he opened his eyes, he saw his reflection in a calmer, more forgiving light.

"M-Max…?" Xander stepped forward, visibly worried. "Are you…?"

Maximus gradually stood up, his body and mind completely at ease. He looked up at the dark Doom Dimension skies, the dark hood still shadowing his face and eyes. A long silence passed before he lowered his head a little.

"…Cesar."

Perking up, the scientist raised a brow. "Yes?"

He looked over his shoulder back at him. "Tell me something, do you remember those signal waves we used before to trace through a dimension gate?"

"From our jump to Earth? Hmm…yes, I do vaguely remember such a thing. I'm able to send and receive signals from my gauntlet now if you are wondering."

Hendrix stepped forward. "Maximus…what are we going to do?"

Maximus turned around, staring at all of Rogue Zero in the eye. The way he looked was what left even Ariella speechless. There, right in front of them, they could see his empathetic and determined expression.

"Listen well, because I'm only going to tell you all this once. You want to make your lives useful? Then do as I say…"

Shawn and Magnus were a fair distance apart from each other. Both of them glared intense daggers that even went through Magnus' visors. As intimidating as either was, this wasn't the time to back down, not by a long shot.

Magnus: 100% Shawn: 100%

"Alright little man, let's see what stuff you brought." Magnus baited, bringing up a Gate Card. "Gate Card, set!" He threw the card out into the center, making an orange-brown shockwave spread beneath their feet. "Bakugan, brawl!" He threw his Bakugan out before them. "Bakugan, stand! Go, Subterra Glotronoid!"

In a magenta light, the ground brightened before it trembled. Glotronoid gradually arose for battle once more, his accents an eyes gleaming bright magenta as he released a loud shriek through the atmosphere.

"I'm getting tired of your foulmouth." Shawn sniped, holding up Verias. "Don't worry, we won't hold back this time if we choose to cut your tongue off."

Magnus raised a brow. 'Something's weird about this guy. It's like he's different somehow…like he smells of foul air. He be hiding in the trash or something? This son must be desperate.'

'Our battle in the Doom Dimension is still fresh. We're gonna have to throw him off with all the new tricks we've got.' Shawn thought, before spreading his legs. "Verias, you ready?"

"I'm always ready, Shawn. Let's do this!" The new ball form closed tight for Shawn to seize.

"Okay then…" Shawn threw his partner in with narrowed eyes. 'We have to hit hard, and fast!' "Bakugan…brawl!" He threw him in. "Haos Sage Verias, stand!"

The ball form opened, immediately showering everything in a bright pillar of light. The ground roared as seismic ruptures revolved around the intense pillar's wake. It's what caused Magnus to use hos forearms and shield himself from the wake of the light by itself.

"Gngh! What the hell?!" he yelped. "Where's all this force coming from?!"

Shawn glared forward as he was unfazed by the light eroding shockwaves around him. The light shaped around a silhouette of a gorilla-like creature that had golden armor around his body. Beautiful embroidery with gemstones enveloped the armor, which shined brightly from the power flowing through Verias. A staff with a diamond end twirled around, before stabbing the ground, creating a flare of Haos energy beneath. Verias raised his head, expelling a voluminous roar at his rise to battle.

Magnus covered his ears through the shockwaves, but Shawn was undeterred.

Glotronoid: 700 Sage Verias: 900

"The hell?! When did your Bakugan get a new costume from?!" Magnus quipped.

Shawn glared. "Meet Sage Verias." At that remark, Verias stood straight up and balled his knuckle braces. He banged them against the golden armor on his chest like a drum and expelled a loud, voluminous roar of savage declaration.

"How the hell it evolve?!" Magnus yelped.

Glotronoid hissed at Verias, who shot serious glares at him in return.

Magnus growled. "Alright, that's tripping, I admit. But little man, you still going down. Ability activate, Glow Jacket!" Glotronoid's bodily accents shined bright with a Subterra energy, increasing his power.

Glotronoid: 700 (+300) = 1000 Sage Verias: 900

Glotronoid rushed after Verias with killer intentions. The lizard reeled back his claws while Verias continued with the serious, straight face. Glotronoid jumped into midair, coming down with a foot, but much to his disbelief, Verias used his newly armored gauntlet and blocked the attack with little effort.

'He's gotten stronger?'

Magnus' inner statement was followed by Verias using his staff and swinging the top into Glotronoid. The Bakugan went flying across the avenue to a sheer halt by digging his nails into the ground. Verias looked far from fazed, as was Shawn.

Magnus readied another ability right off the bat. "Ability, activate!" Glotronoid jumped into the air to ready his attack. "Mal Impact!" His forehead gem shined brightly before firing a downwards thin bright beam at Sage Verias.

Glotronoid: 1000 (+200) = 1200 Sage Verias: 900 (-200) = 700

"Shawn!"

Shawn nodded. "Ability, activate! Haos Savior!" Verias' flat diamond in the center of his staff's upper half shined bright yellow, which flowed into the rest of his frame. His entire body glowed with a bright Haos radiance, so powerful that he raised his staff off the ground and swatted it to dissipate the incoming beam like a fly.

Glotronoid: 1200 Sage Verias: 700 (x2) = 1400

The shockwaves of his swing alone were enough to deter Glotronoid from his high vantage point. Magnus covered up as his Bakugan landed on the ground, barely steady from that blunder. They looked ahead, seeing Shawn and Verias hardly even affected.

"Okay, little man…now you're just pissing me off." Magnus instigated another ability. "Ability, activate! Nail Predator!" Glotronoid's claws glimmered bright orange-brown, lengthened a little to make energy nails that he crossed in front as he charged for Verias.

Glotronoid: 1200 (+300) = 1500 Sage Verias: 1400 (-300) = 1100

Despite the swiftness that Glotronoid possessed, Verias kept track of his movements. With the battle experience from his past evolutions, he knew better than to expel energy to chase after his foe. He stood calmly in patience until Glotronoid reappeared in front of his face, claws reeled back for a killer blow.

His eyes reopened. 'He's hasty.'

"Ability, activate! Polaris Hammer!" Shawn shouted.

Verias raised his staff as the flat diamond shined brightly once more. Despite Glotronoid's immense speed, even it was fruitless when Verias seized the claw and gripped tight. With the hold, Glotronoid was clueless when Verias came smiting down the staff onto him with explosive magnitude. An eruption of light swallowed everything, causing the gridding below to vibrate. Magnus had to shield his eyes and bend his knees so the force of the attack wouldn't blow him away.

Glotronoid: 1500 (-500) = 1000 Sage Verias: 1100 (+500) = 1600

Magnus' teeth gnashed together as Glotronoid went flailing out of the shockwaves of light. Glotronoid's body smashed into the ground hard, causing another wake that Magnus had fallen over from.

The dust and light gradually dissipated, revealing Verias' white fur cape swaying off to the side. He looked unfazed entirely. As was Shawn.

Magnus gradually got back up, his stance shaken up. 'Yo, these guys ain't nothing like they were before. This time, they're packing d'at power…' He frowned heavily. 'Alright, guess we better finish them.'

Glotronoid hissed as he gradually stood. But his body had taken a toll so hard that physical movements were hampered.

"Verias, you feel that?" Shawn readied himself.

"Yeah, I do." He patiently waited for the opportunity.

Magnus lifted his Bakumeter, showing a serious disposition. "Didn't wanna bust this out so early, but it looks like you've let me no choice, little man. Ability, activate! Hazard Earth-X!" A purple core appeared on Glotronoid' gradually fading into his frame. His body pulsed before the air thickened around him. He lurched and careened his head around, expelling a voluminous screech across the avenue as magenta plating beneath him trembled. Rocks began defying gravity before airwaves repulsed them outwards. Verias' cape flailed, but he was unfazed. Shawn used his rapier and defended himself as small stones intended to hit him in the head.

Glotronoid: 1000 (+800) = 1800 Sage Verias: 1600 (-800) = 800

They held their ground while their opponent readied themselves. "Now…" Magnus reached outwards. "Level those fools!"

Glotronoid hollered before he expelled all the shockwave energy at Verias. The air roared and flashed like thunder as the blitzing waves of magenta fissures closed in towards Verias/He and Shawn looked down at their feet as everything went white for a few moments. Seconds later, flashes engulfed their surroundings, exploding rock and earth spontaneously while the grids protecting the houses and building ripples the feedback energy like it was nothing.

"That all you got, little man?" Magnus sniped through the smoke and dust cloud. "You got that bling, but apparently it ain't nothing but fake. And that ain't worth nothing to sell or save your life, fool."

"Neither is running your mouth for so long."

Magnus' eyes widened beneath his visors. Something swift came from behind that he turned around towards. With the dust concealing Shawn, his rapiers slashed across the face, splitting the visors and causing Magnus to recoil off to his side.

"GNGH!" The Subterra Hades Pillar staggered, until he looked back and saw Shawn with his fencer in a swiping position. To say he was baffled with be an understatement. "How did you…?"

As the dust diminished around Verias' location, a hemisphere of yellow light ripples waves like water all around, coming from the staff's flat diamond and shining golden rings that jingled. Magnus looked back to realize that while the ground and street was completely flattened, Verias didn't move from his spot still. Th yellow shield around his body vanished; not a spec of dirt on his thick, healthy white fur.

"The hell?!" Magnus gasped.

Glotronoid: 1800 (-800) = 1000 Sage Verias: 800 (+800 +400) = 2000

Magnus looked back at Shawn, seeing a bright Haos ability shining. "You…!"

"Ability…Icarus." He announced. "So much for that ability, right?"

Magnus' visibly eyes glared intensely at Shawn. "You little bastard." He chimed rudely. "First you come here, and mess around with our shit, and now you go and break my stuff, again! You know what, I'm fed up with you! How's about we take care of this right now!" He held up another forbidden ability. "Ability, activate! Prominence-X!"

"Verias! Ready!"

Verias grunted and stood his ground passively. Meanwhile, Glotronoid snarled as the air around him trembled and pressurized. It physically distorted around him until enough pressure made his bright core around his body fade inwards and make all the accents shine bright magenta once more.

"GGRROOOOAAHH!" Glotronoid's bellows stretched outwards again, his accents and bodily muscles intensifying even more.

Glotronoid: 1000 (+1300) = 2300 Sage Verias: 2000

"Now make sure to trample this fool! When I say we be crushing dem, I meant it!" Magnus declared.

Glotronoid let out another roar, before he vanished for an instant. He suddenly reappeared in front of Shawn and had a fist pulled back. The Haos battler readied his fencer, where he barely shuffled away from being directly punched into the ground. However, the shockwaves of that attack were what sent him flying, along with the debris.

"I got you!" Verias outstretched his arm, making it as a guard to catch Shawn and pull him in. "Shawn!"

His face was dirtied, and there were scrapes from the few rocks that crashed into his face, but otherwise Shawn recovered from that recoil fast. "Y-yeah, don't worry…I'm fine." He glared ahead. "Get ready! Here he comes!"

Verias sat Shawn on his bulky shoulder and the two turned towards the roaring Glotronoid. The rampaging lizard closed the gap in a magenta spritz that trailed across the ground. His fist was pulled back and readied for a destructive blow.

"Get rid of this fool, right now!" Magnus shouted.

"Now!" Shawn shouted. "Ability, activate! Sagacity Gem!"

Glotronoid bellow as his fist drove forward right Verias' golden chest, creating a loud clanging sound that echoes through the area. Nothing happened at first, but then the shock of the attack ultimately made a magnitude that exploded earth behind Verias, making rock and earth alike fly.

Glotronoid kept his arm stuck out, waiting for the impact to finally catch up towards Verias. However, all the armor ornaments on his body were glowing bright yellow instead. The lizard's accents were flickering in and out, until its magenta coursed through the armored chest throughout the body, into the ornaments and causing it to filter a brighter light.

"Say what?!" Magnus yelped.

Glotronoid: 2300 (-1300) = 1000 Sage Verias: 2000 (+1300 +500) = 3800

"Is that all?" Verias retorted. With one fell backhand with the armored gauntlets, Verias swatted Glotronoid away, sending him flying across the sky in earsplitting howls of agony. The Bakugan's armor had even cracked some from the ape's brutal – yet nonchalant – swat.

"Shit!"

Shawn held up another ability. "Ability, activate! Incarceration!"

Verias slammed his staff's end on the ground yet again, this time summoning golden ethereal chains that erupted from underground. The chains wriggled their way up towards Glotronoid and snared him in a number of uncomfortable coils. The chains then pulled down, slamming him into the ground hard. The dust dissipated to reveal him completely incapacitated.

Glotronoid: 1000 (-300) = 700 Sage Verias: 3800

Magnus gasped in shock. Shawn continued glaring. "Now you can't activate abilities."

Magnus sneered. "Alright…" He reached down towards the battlefield. "Gate Card, open!" He called for the card to pen, but nothing happened. "The hell? I can't open my Gate Card, neither?"

Glotronoid hissed weakly, unable to move promptly. Magnus looked ahead, completely baffled. He sneered before knowing he was out of options. He pulled out his Bakumeter, preparing his Mobile Assault Vehicle.

"Ready, Vilance."

Magnus clutched his wrist and ethereal energy tracks ran from his Bakumeter towards Glotronoid. "Mobile Assault Vehicle, launch!" He fired the device towards Glotronoid, instantly making contact through the ethereal chains to envelop him in the broad light of the Mobile Assault Vehicle.

Shawn and Verias remained completely calm as they watched the light fade, revealing Glotronoid, while still incapacitated by chains, atop of Vilance. The device implanted was all set to destroy and aimed at Verias and Shawn.

Glotronoid: 700 (+200) = 900 Sage Verias: 3800

Immediately, Magnus went on the offensive. "Ability, activate! Rim Sonic!" The three prongs on Vilance opened up, revealing an energy composition of magenta that gradually channeled into a single point. Once it was all set, a voluminous energy beam blitzed across the domain.

Glotronoid: 900 (+400) = 1300 Sage Verias: 3800 (-400) = 3400

The beam blitzed in, but Shawn readied a counter. "Verias."

Verias stood his ground. He knew what to do next. "I gotcha."

As the blast wave drew closer, Shawn prepared an ability. "Ability activate, Siba Strider!" Verias brought his staff up as the end swayed in majestically bright, cosmic energy. With one fell swing, he bisected the attack around him, making his force surpass the intense beam that would have been troubling before.

Glotronoid: 1300 Sage Verias: 3400 (+500) = 3900

Verias' body had a bright Haos aura around his body, but it didn't faze him. Something like this high of a power level would deter him when he was in his past evolution. But this was nothing. He swung out once ore, creating a shockwave so viral it dispelled the beam entirely.

Shawn glared at Magnus, who looked speechless, but at the same time annoyed. As his teeth gnashed together, the chains around Glotronoid started dissipating. He could move around freely…had it not been for the extreme pain he felt from Verias' beatings.

'Because of Siba Strider, our ability effects can hurt Vilance.' Shawn thought. 'But at the same time, using another ability made Incarceration's effects null themselves.'

Magnus swiped his arm. "Yo, fool! End this! Ability activate, Bright Cell!" Glotronoid's main gemstone on his chest shined brightly, before unleashing a broad energy beam that traveled through the Vilance and into Verias. His power went up to 1700.

Verias nonchalantly used his fur cape to reduce impact. It dissipated with ease.

"One more time! Ability, activate! Hazard Earth-X…" A core appeared on Glotronoid, enlightening him with firepower as the earth trembled beneath the Vilance. The gravitational energy surged into the Vilance's prongs, making it surge with a voluminous pillar of energy. "And now, Ability activate, Prominence-X!"

'Consecutive forbidden abilities again?' Shawn grimaced.

Over the dark core on Glotronoid, another one blossomed, extending chords that faded into Glotronoid's body. The atmosphere roared louder than ever before. It pulsated in all directions, depressing the ground around them. Even the earth beneath Verias was depressing, but he remained completely calm, despite this overwhelming gravity.

Glotronoid: 1700 (+800 +2600) = 4100 Sage Verias: 3900 (-1950) = 1950

Gravity and magenta swirled in the Vilance's cockpit. The energy was so immense that it crackled nonstop. Gradually, a hum vibrated so ferociously that it rung ears.

"That all?" Verias grunted.

On que, Shawn instigated an ability with a calm, cold expression. "Verias, let's even things out. Ability, activate! Power Trick!"

The Vilance opened wider, unleashing a violent stream of magenta energy that tore apart the ground. Debris reduced to oblivion as the energy of Vilance went into Verias.

The ape gave a straight face as he twirled his staff overhead and plunged the end into the ground. The energy transmitted created a translucent rainbow wall that blocked the attack. Or rather, it was conducted into it., completely protecting Verias.

"What now?!" Magnus yelped.

"Power Trick is an ability that equalizes the difference between the opponent's power level and my own." Shawn muttered. "With this, we won't be saying goodbye so soon."

Glotronoid: 4100 (-1050) = 3050 Sage Verias: 1950 (+1100) = 3050

The translucent rainbow barrier didn't go down until the Vilance finally let up on its energy source. The beam eventually dissipated, revealing the insides of the Vilance steaming from the power exhausted. Verias, however, stood like nothing happened. The way Shawn also glared daggers was a sure sign he wasn't playing around.

Magnus' eyes narrowed. "You annoying street rat."

"Verias, let's end this." Shawn declared.

"Understood!"

"Ability activate-!" Magnus cut them off. "Giga Luminate!" Lumitroid's entire frame shined brightly atop of Vilance, creating an intense gleam that stung against Verias, holding him back briefly.

Glotronoid: 3050 (+300) = 3350 Sage Verias: 3050 (-300) = 2750

Magnus reached out. "This time, we're killing you rats where you stand! Ability activate, Rim Sonic!" The Vilance charged up once more, creating a magenta energy mass that focused on Verias.

At the same time, Shawn and Verias' eyes opened. 'Now!'

Shawn raised his Bakumeter, showing two abilities overlapping one another. "Double ability, activate! Sagacious Arrow…" Verias held up his staff, turning it around so that the diamond spear bottom faced the Vilance. The staff exploded with bright yellow Haos energy that streaked all around it. "And now, Fusion Ability, Holy Destruction!" The staff's radiance flares doubled in heat, as well as the size. Besides Verias, it looked like a roaring lance of light that shook the air.

The atmosphere between the two attacks was intense, making several flashes that didn't let up.

"FIRE!" Both yelled.

The Vilance and Verias shot their attacks with all their might. A destructive magenta beam blazed across the ground, whereas Verias waited until it was close enough. He let out a primal roar before throwing the staff like a lance, streaming in a roaring, spiraling wake into the center.

Glotronoid: 3350 (+400 -800) = 2950 Sage Verias: 2750 (-400 +800) = 3150

The two attacks blitzed into one another at lightning speeds. They were so close, but it wasn't until Vilance's beam reached Verias' light spear that it was clear a gap was made. The light spear bisected clean through the beam, much to Magnus' horror. His eyes were wide in disbelief just as the streaking arrow past the beam and went through the Vilance.

A moment passed before the shock of the attack gradually brightened up the insides of the Vilance. The light made cracks that beamed through the machinery, until it exploded in a bright pillar of shrapnel. The eruption pulsated so harshly that Magnus couldn't keep himself upright and ended up falling on his back a second time. The combusted Vilance and Glotronoid roared in agony before reverting to ball form. It dropped in front of Magnus, who barely stood up while his Bakugan stopped in front of him.

Magnus: 60%

'He overcame me so easily…and he doesn't even have a scratch on him!' Magnus realized. 'Just what happened to this man in such a short time?'

Verias glowed and reverted to ball form. Shawn fell to the ground and caught Verias in his palm. He looked ahead with his rapier still out. "So…you wanna try again?" His tone was so menacing and serious, but Magnus rose up to the challenge.

"Alright, alright, I see how it is." He nodded with a spiteful tone. "So you wanna go down that road huh? Well guess what? You be on my turf…and nobody gets out alive when they ain't my homie."

"Guess there's a first for everything then."

Magnus' eyebrows twitched. "Fool…now you gonna die."

Maggie and Galilea were all alone in their section of the street. The two females glared at each other with nobody else to get in their way. And from the sheer looks in their eyes, they weren't going to let anyone else interfere.

Galilea: 100% Maggie: 100%

"If you really believe that I'm going to let an unadulterated child such as yourself run freely, you're wrong." Galilea taunted. She held up a Gate Card between her fingers. "I'll show you why you should have listened to grown-ups. Gate Card, set!"

The Gate Card landed between the two. A ripple went across the ground between their feet.

Galilea held up Buz Hornix and threw her in. "Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand! Go, Ventus Buz Hornix!" The earth beneath trembled as air expelled skywards. Swelling with energy, Galilea's Buz Hornix arose once more, making a loud hiss.

Maggie looked up at Buz Hornix, seeing it look menacingly around her. "You know, it's so ironic. I didn't think Killian could give me and everyone like a hard time like this crazy hag's doing. But after what we just went through, this feels like nothing. Jelldon…you ready to go, big guy?"

"Ready, Maggie. Let's give her a piece of our mind." He snarled.

"That's the spirit." She clutched Jelldon tighter. "Okay…Bakugan, brawl!" She threw her Bakugan in. "Bakugan, stand!"

Jelldon's new ball form opened, immediately making the atmosphere crackle before a pillar of red plasma erupted skywards. The air intensified as the lightning continued its ascent and swirled around Maggie. She stood completely still as tendrils wriggled around, swamped in plasma that was too bright to look at clearly.

Galilea covered up, using her forearms to shield herself. But even he looked surprised once the plasma receded.

Maggie's eyes widened. "Let's go…Pyrus Astral Jelldon!" Standing on Jelldon's shoulder, Maggie proudly loomed over Buz Hornix alongside Jelldon as he floated off the ground. Several tentacles swayed around, drenched in plasma rings that showed his readiness. The frilled skirt beneath was shut, but a half dozen long tentacles with bulbous glowing yellow ends stuck out and swayed through the atmosphere.

Buz Hornix: 800 Astral Jelldon: 900

Galilea's eyes widened in sheer surprise. 'He evolved? When did this happen-?!'

"…perhaps I've misjudged you all this time, Galilea. Or perhaps you're so worked up the stress is criticizing the way you're acting. Don't forget your place, you are under me and Zion. And you know why…don't go squandering such rubbish. That is, unless you think you can face this fear you have."

She straightened herself to reaffirm her position. 'No, Galilea. Don't dwell on those matters. I do not fear those beneath me telling me what to do. I will prove to everyone why I am of their ranks!' With a vindictive glare, Galilea immediately started the battle with an ability. "Ability, activate! Durandel Cannon!" Buz Hornix's eyes glistened bright green as the wings beat faster than normal. A hum sound was heard as Buz Horix charged up her attack.

Buz Hornix: 800 (+400) = 1200 Astral Jelldon: 900 (-400) = 500

"Her strongest standard ability off the bat, huh? She must be in a hurry." Maggie furrowed her brow. "We got just the thing for that. Ability, activate!" Maggie held up her Bakumeter, making a red shine from the ability. "Cosmos Body!"

Buz Hornix eventually charged up enough to unleash several green beams at once from the spikes along the sides. They all seared through air towards Jelldon at lightning speed, but even that wasn't enough to slow him down. He lashed his multiple tentacles and stood completely still. His entire body turned translucent, making him see through and surprisingly soft. Red twinkling dots even sprinkled the visible insides.

The green beams blitzed into Jelldon's vulnerable frame. However, they rippled through his frame instead, diffusing until it all disappeared. The Bakugan looked completely unfazed and serious at the same time.

Buz Hornix: 1200 (-400) = 800 Astral Jelldon: 500 (+400) = 900

'She nullified the ability like it was nothing.' Galilea grunted.

Maggie looked ahead, undeterred by what just happened.

"Very well then, let's see you handle this one. Ability, activate!" Galilea composed as she reached out. "Sonic Buzzer!" Buz Hornix hissed as her vibrating wings summoned ultrasonic funnel waves with green lightning into Maggie and Jelldon.

As the drew closer, Maggie jumped off Jelldon's shoulder and into one of his tentacles coiled up to made a pedestal. A second one encompassed her to make a dome-like shield as the sonic attack struck Jelldon. However, upon impact, Jelldon's body turned translucent and soft, diffusing the energy he was struck with through his stellar-like body.

Buz Hornix: 800 (+300) = 1100 Astral Jelldon: 900

The sonic energy kept pushing, but no matter how much it did, Astral Jelldon was able to hold his own in midair while keeping Maggie safe in his clutches. The little girl herself could see clearly through Jelldon's hold like a scope overlooking the enemy.

"Something's wrong." Galilea said. "Sonic Buzzer transfers 300 Gs. I'm well aware that this Jelldon's defensive abilities gradually reduce that…wait." Her eyes widened. "Did his defenses increase that much further?"

'Looks like she's figured it out. Cosmos Body is the epitome of Jelldon's evolved Gel Shield and Petroleum Shield. That ability evolved to where that he's immune to having his power level dropped under any means. That's the results of his defenses.'

"But now…" She prepared an ability. "This is his offense! Ability, activate! Volt Inferno!"

With two of his arms procuring Maggie, Jelldon's four remaining main tendrils ignited in plasmatic fire that seared to the very bright tips. Plasmatic voltage seared them and he shot them all through Buz Hornix's sonic attack, beelining so fast right into her abdomen that it stung worse than poisonous jellyfish. The moment of impact made a bright flare before plasma discharged with the close-range flames, engulfing her in plasmatic fire.

Buz Hornix: 1100 Astral Jelldon: 900 (+600) = 1500

The blaze blinded Galilea, as well as made heat waves that made her clothing flail wildly from. Her Buz Hornix went down in charred smoke and crashed onto her back brutally. Her body was numb; not just from the fall, but from the plasmatic fire singing her.

"We're not done just yet!" Jelldon brought a tentacle down for a searing whiplash.

Galilea narrowly opened her eyes. "Ability, activate! Hive Wall!" Though barely able, Buz Hornix created a hexagonal green barrier that made a barricade in front of her. Her power level went up towards 1500, matching Jelldon.

"That won't stop us!" Jelldon declared.

At the notion, Maggie showed another ability. "Ability, activate! Flash Atom!" Jelldon's eyes all seared with bright red plasma. Which expelled across his body. It illuminated the atmosphere, sending bright rays everywhere.

Yet again, Galilea covered her eyes and shield herself from the excessive heat rays. The rays themselves seared and atomized Buz Hornix's shield, dispelling it and leaving her open to Jelldon.

Buz Hornix: 1500 (-400) = 1100 Astral Jelldon: 1500

With nothing shielding Buz Hornix, four plasmatic fire whips swerved and seared down onto her, engulfing the ground in crackling fire that erupted skywards. The attack was so brutal that Galilea couldn't even keep herself upright and had to kneel.

Jelldon retracted his tentacles, unfolding two to reveal Maggie standing upright with Jelldon rivaling her serious, brave glare.

Once she got her bearings, Galilea wiped the char off her supple cheek. 'She's gotten much stronger than before. Too strong! But…we won't admit defeat. My position and respect are at large, and I must – no! I will correct it! So if I can't hit it, I can at least overpower it!'

She raised her Bakumeter high, showing an ability ready to activate. "Very well then. If you insist on standing in my way…then just know this will hurt you more than it does me. Ability activate…Cell Force-X!"

A core appeared in front of Buz Hornix, engorging her in chords that diffused all around her body. A strong pulse ran through her, gradually enflaming her with broad levels of power. Magenta hexagonal-shaped energy fluxed where her abdomen was. It surged with intensity, gradually gaining power while the air vibrated like a cannon was about to go off.

Buz Hornix: 1100 (+1600) = 2700 Astral Jelldon: 1500

Maggie and Jelldon watched as Galilea's ability supercharged her Bakugan with its forbidden tactics. They held firm, while the Pyrus girl thought about their counter. They didn't even bother questioning each other for this one.

Galilea reached out before her. "Fire!" At her command, Buz Hornix hissed before her supercharged abdomen fired off a bolstering, obscuring blast wave of magenta energy that tore apart the atmosphere. The compressed beam exploded into Maggie and Jelldon, seemingly engulfing them while the attack kept going. The airspace roared as it sailed across the avenue, until it hit one of the skyscrapers. Due to the energy grid created, the building wasn't destroyed nor harmed in any way. But an energy rupture shot outwards, blooming in a huge smoke cloud that swallowed the entire avenue all the way back towards Galilea. She watched with a stern glare as her attack's wake dissipated, but she waited in full for what happened. For her sake, it had better work.

'If the Bakugan somehow survived, at least it won't be as strong after his partner must have…'

"Really now? You'd go as far as kill blindly. Who are you trying to be? Zion?"

The rude tone snapped Galilea forward. She looked ahead, watching the smoke clear across the ground to reveal Maggie with her Bakumeter up and an ability that was seemingly glowing. "Wait, but how did you…?"

Buz Hornix hissed while the smoke in front of her cleared away. It revealed Jelldon as he was still in one piece, but his entire body structure was completely plasma that took up his shape. Even his eyes were white with red irises to indicate the plasma lenses. The smoke and residual energy went straight through him.

"He wasn't defeated?" Galilea gasped.

"You're slipping, lady." Maggie chided. "Ability, activate. Plasmorphis. Abilities now won't even touch Jelldon when he can easily just go right through him."

"That tickled." Jelldon chuckled sarcastically.

Maggie frowned heavily. "You know, now that I think about it, you can Killian are a lot alike. When you're backed into a corner, you're not actually saving grace under fire. But I know enough to know that you're trying too hard."

Galilea's anger spiked, but she refused to show it. She failed miserably. "Hasn't your mother taught you manners, child? You should respect your elders."

"Yeah, but she never taught me to respect killers."

Galilea gave her a snobbish scoff. Who did this girl think she is, telling her off like she knew better than her? She was a member and a high ranking of Hades Pillars? Even if she wasn't the co-head anymore, this can't be where she blunders, right? She refused to be bested by a petty, dumb child. If there was one thing she hated, it's being told what to do. She may tolerate Zion and Cyrus because they outrank her, but if she wanted to tell them how to do work, she gladly would have. But the truth was she was afraid of them, and for good reasons.

"Don't forget your place, you are under me and Zion. And you know why…don't go squandering such rubbish. That is, unless you think you can face this fear you have."

Her fists clutched in her growing anger. 'It's not rubbish. Cyrus…Zion…it takes more than just power to run efficiently…but if that's what you want.' She swiped her arm. "Gate Card, open! Ventus Reactor"

The Gate Card shined beneath, making the Ventus Reactor card available. The card shined and summoned an area with windstorms that drafted Buz Hornix skywards. A Ventus aura flared around her, giving her power she needed.

Buz Hornix: 2700 (+300) = 3000 Astral Jelldon: 1500

'Now while we still have the chance!' Galilea channeled her energy to another ability. "Ability, activate! Judgement-X!" a purple core appeared on Buz Hornix, engulfing her in chords that again faded into her body. The energy traveled up to her wings, in which they hummed vastly before sending our dark green ultrasonic energy waves that went through Jelldon's plasmatic body. They would have suspended him, but instead her attack charged up without a sustained target.

"Let's see you stun this!" Maggie prompted, showing another ability. "Ability, activate! Solar Flare!"

Jelldon's plasmatic frame gradually gained heat. He grunted as combustible sparks ignited from his inside and crackled with red lightning.

Buz Hornix shrieked as she unleashed a bolstering beam, drilling it through the funnel directly into Astral Jelldon. However, Jelldon suddenly flexed out, unleashing a shrilled battle cry as flames and red ions fanned out in an omnidirectional manner. A pillar of flames engulfed him that plumed the wake of its force all around. The grids kept the buildings safe, but the green beam and Gate Card dispersed, destroyed by the shockwaves. The ring-like flare swallowed Buz Hornix, who was unable to escape the flame's wake.

Buz Hornix: 3700 (-700 -300 -500) = 2200 Astral Jelldon: 1500

The expulsion of fire and ions made it impossible for Galilea to get close. Maggie stayed a good distance and low while the energy raced overhead.

Galilea's patience was at its end. 'So this is the power of its evolution.' Composing herself, she reached for her Bakumeter, typing away for a sequence.

"Ready, Cyberg."

The green energy material gradually came together, creating the Cyberg's mass that resembled a multis0ded pyramid. Green energy tracks appeared in front and took aim. "Mobile Assault Vehicle, launch!" Galilea fired the Cyberg, which attached itself towards Buz Hornix. The green light gradually immersed itself with the Bakugan, allowing her to stand upright with the towering Cyberg shielding her from the flames.

Buz Hornix: 2200 (+200) = 2400 Astral Jelldon: 1500

"So, she's brought it out, huh?" Maggie glared. "Guess she's getting serious after all."

"So what did you have in mind?" Jelldon inquired.

Maggie blinked, before she tentatively grinned. "We're gonna beat her at her own game. Alright Jelldon, you set?"

Jelldon nodded. "You bet."

"Ability, activate! Volt Inferno!" Jelldon's tendrils began glowing with searing plasma.

Galilea's eyes narrowed. 'What is she thinking? She's aware that Cyberg can reflect any attack thrown at it. But at the same time, that Cosmos Body will prevent her power level from dropping. Is she just trying to throw me off?'

Maggie reached her arm out, directing Jelldon to the path of triumph. Jelldon roared out as he shot all six plasmatic enflamed tendrils at Buz Hornix, stretching them at lightning speeds.

Galilea glared harder. "Ability, activate! Psyonic Bide!" The Cyberg's reflective metal coating shone the reflective wake of the six tendrils. Time slowed down for a split second before they ricocheted off the metal and back at Jelldon. He kept a dead serious glare even as his own tendrils lashed back at him, creating an intense flare that bombed the skies spontaneously.

The flames created a smoke surge that crackled with plasma, enough so that Maggie couldn't see what was happening. The cover was just what Galilea wanted.

'Offense! Quickly!' "Ability, activate! Queen Needle!"

Buz Hornix's power level went up to 2800 as a compartment opened up for her stinger to reveal itself. It glowed bright green, whereas the Cyberg used its antigravity propulsion and jettisoned across the ground towards the smoke cloud to impale her foe.

SQUISH!

The needle impaled something in the smoke. Silence fell across the scene as Galilea looked expectantly at her target. 'I knew it. She fell for her own bait.'

Maggie looked skywards at the dissipating fire. She didn't look in the very least concerned. Like her opponent, she was expectant just as much.

The smoke dissipated, revealing Jelldon in his physical bodily state. The needle was right in his gut. However, the gut felt and looked entirely of plasma. Jelldon looked at Buz Hornix like nothing happened.

Galilea's eyes widened. 'That's impossible. I thought Plasmorphis was inactive. But what if…' She noticed a shadow looming above. Her gaze fell upwards, but what she saw made her pupils shrink in order. "What…?"

"Ability, activate!" Maggie declared. "Binary Plasma!"

The real Jelldon was right above, overlooking the scene, whereas his body double took his spot, and identical clone made solemnly of plasma. The plasmatic copy turned into raw plasma, then shifted around Buz Hornix to get around and corner her.

Buz Hornix: 2800 Astral Jelldon: 1500/Astral Jelldon: 1500

"Binary Plasma is an ability that's special only to Astral Jelldon." Maggie explained. "He makes a clone of himself that's also immune to ability effects, since he's made up entirely of plasma."

The Astral Jelldon clone raised his six tentacles behind, readying his next move.

"Ability activate, Minion Deluder!" The Jelldon copy crackled with plasma and whipped one of his tentacles, sending a thin thread of plasmatic electricity from the very tip that shocked Buz Hornix's back, completely stunning her.

"Buz Hornix!" Galilea yelled.

Buz Hornix hissed as she attempted to move, but the electrical impulses were getting the best of her. Her machinery itself wasn't responding because she was being controlled by the Jelldon's clone.

'With Minion Deluder, Jelldon can control any Bakugan he wants, including multiple ones.' "Now…" She lifted her arm up. "Jelldon, give them a lightning show!"

His seven eyes gleamed. "You read my mind…"

"What is he doing…?" Galilea questioned.

Floating high above, Jelldon's frilly underside wriggled and convulsed. Beneath, the end looked like it was squirming out something…a lot of things actually! It gradually increased, until the frills expanded to bloom like a jellyfish's membranes. Hidden within the membranes were hundreds of long, thin, red tendrils with yellow bulbous ends. Each one wriggled and aimed for Buz Hornix. The sheer number alone gave Galilea the chills.

"Double ability, activate!" Maggie shouted. "Thunderstorm! Plus, Fusion Ability, Element Booster!"

The real Jelldon's hundreds of tendrils had plasma surging between them. It crackled spontaneously, diverging crackling energy that built up to a maximum point. The air around him flashed with energy that didn't recede. Ions crackled as his seven eyes magnified with brightened red irises.

The copy Jelldon controlled the Buz Hornix's nerves and moved her and the massive Cyberg to go higher. The insect made the antigravity move at maximum output due to the Cyberg being five times as heavy as she was. It soared up like a rocket, and she wasn't able to stop her body from making it do this!

"How's this-?!" Jelldon raised his tendrils upwards. "For something flashy!"

It happened so fast. Buz Hornix was shoved into the tentacle bed, where the air discharged inti a thunderstorm that rained down red lightning bolts that terrorized the ground. Thousands of small bolts rained and smashed the concrete street, embedding char and crushed earth with every strike. The land roared as loudly as the air as thousands of flashes happened each second. Galilea gaped her mouth wide open as she couldn't react fast enough to stop her insect from a point-blank plasmatic lightning maelstrom.

Buz Hornix: 2800 (-500 -300) = 2000 Astral Jelldon: 1500 (+500 +300) = 2300/Astral Jelldon: 1500

The bolstering lightning show erupted a temperature so hot that nothing could get close. Het waves rippled throughout the atmosphere that fanned all across the avenue. Maggie stood on the ground, staring completely calm while she watched the smoking mess that was Galilea's Bakugan descend with the smoldering Cyberg dropping like a lead weight. Before it could blunder into the ground, however, it reverted to ball form, rolling up to Galilea's feet in her surprise.

Galilea: 40%

The Ventus member of Hades Pillars looked down at her defeated Bakugan, processing what she just saw. 'She…she overcame the Mobile Assault Vehicle, without having to worry about nullifying any of her own abilities.' She looked ahead, watching the plasmatic Jelldon clone fade away while the real one reverted to ball form and return towards Maggie.

'That ability enabled her to manipulate my Bakugan to do as it wished. Because of that, it knew that it couldn't deflect attacks that were too close without taking serious risks to itself. And if given the severity, she could have turned her on me. That Bakugan, it…has no blindspots!'

Maggie gave Galilea a serious glare. "We're gonna stop you…even if it means we have to fry you in the process. That's the least you get after what you've done."

Shuji and Lucia had their own standoff. Both stood a fair away distance to get a look at each other. With what they've recently been through, they expect the other to not hold back so easily.

Lucia: 100% Shuji: 100%

"I will admit, up until now, you've been a very intrusive adversary, You've done quite the number on Hades Pillars' reputation." She looked serious. "But of all of the you whom I have the most distaste of, it had to be that meddlesome Luke. He had the gull to depreciate my beloved Milord, after doing everything he can to ensure his dreams and vision comes true. And what does he get? The folly of a dismemberment." She glared harshly at Shuji. "This will be retribution for the actions you and your friends have done to sully all of us. You will pay dearly, starting with your lives."

"You can see the future, right?" Shuji questioned. "If so, what are you doing just talking about it? You wanna get to annihilating us…" He held up a Gate Card between his fingers. "Then you better make it than preach it, before we make it happen ourselves."

Lucia bitterly chuckled. "My, what a paradox this is. You sound just like Cesar. Much to do, little time for talk." She sighed. "Galilea's poor judgment of character will be her own downfall when this all ends."

"Not if we end you first." He countered.

Lucia glared back. "Then come…I assure you, I am more than prepared for your endeavors."

Shuji held up the Gate Card and swiped his arms. 'If she can see the future, she probably knows what I'm about to do.' He thought about when he fought her alongside Jase on Gundalia. 'I remember her. She waits for the right moves and then counters. Then that means, we'll just have to guard her to where her stamina draws out first.' "Gate Card, set!"

She flung the card outwards, making it fade into an orange-brown shockwave between them. Both combatants stepped forward, giving each other the stink eye before they narrowed at the same time.

"Bakugan…" Shuji brought his arm back, throwing Fly Beetle as hard as he could.

"…brawl!" Lucia swiped elegantly, shooting Lumitroid as hard as possible.

Both their Bakugan flung out at the same time. The brown and white balls bounced once before colliding and ricocheting off one another. The second they landed, their ball forms popped open.

"Hercules Fly Beetle, stand!"

"Bakugan, stand! Haos Lumitroid!"

In a broad yellow light, Haos Lumitroid arose for Lucia. The black and magenta Bakugan hissed as its pincers arose and cyclopean eye glared at its rising foe.

The moment a rugged, hard foot slammed into the ground, the earth depressed beneath its bulk. The wake traveled upwards as airwaves vibrated from a wing shield that unfolded. Revealing silver monstrous insectoid wings that could shred anything up. A claw crushed the ground beneath, creating an indent with crushed debris. Hercules Fly Beetle arose, raising his armored, disastrous horn with a monstrous, primal roar that disrupted the air flow around them all.

Shuji stood ready, while Lucia stood with a blank stare, though her eyes were slightly wide from the surprise.

Lumitroid: 700 Hercules Fly Beetle: 900

'So, his Bakugan had somehow evolved.' Lucia thought calmly. 'If that's true, then his defenses and offenses would have been augmented. Even so…' She closed her eyes. 'The future is mine to see. I shall see, and it will be directed as such.'

In her head, she could see it. Several images of what's to come. Armor intensifying, physical combat by the bulky menace, rocks heading their way. The images came as soon as they went, leaving her to process what she saw.

"…very well then. We shall force our hands onto you and your newfound might! Come!" Lucia declared, her Lumitroid braced and ready for combat.

Shuji leaned forward. "They have no idea…"

"…who they're messing with." Fly Beetle leaned forward, unleashing a primal roar once more. "Come get us!"

Lucia closed her eyes, before reopening them. "If you insist on us feel obligated…ability, activate! Radiant Sting!" Lumitroid hissed as the tip of his stinger glowed and shot it at Fly Beetle.

Shuji glared as he prepared an ability. "Ability, activate! Gaia Armadura!"

Fly Beetle's entire frame remained stationary as a sheen went over his entire body. A translucent, copper-like carapace shield enveloped him before fading from view. Lumitroid's stinger drew in, but his carapace was so hard that the stinger bounced off no problem.

Lumitroid: 700 Hercules Fly Beetle: 900 (+500) = 1400

'His defenses are even more durable than before.' Lucia observed.

Hercules Fly Beetle's eyes gleamed as he grabbed Lumitroid by the tail with an iron grip. His claws borderline crushed the stinger as he drew his arm and threw Lumitroid like a ragdoll across the avenue. The scorpion stood no ground as it hissed and grinded itself along the ground, tumbling sporadically to a stop.

Fly Beetle reaffirmed himself and glared ahead s the dust settled. Lumitroid staggered about until its legs got underneath.

"Ability, activate!" Lucia countered. "Irate Blazer!" Lumitroid's eye shined brightly and intensified a searing light that it shot in a concentrated beam across the earth towards Fly Beetle. The armored beetle made no effort to block. Instead, he stood there and took the attack that engulfed his entire front.

Lumitroid: 700 (+300) = 1000 Hercules Fly Beetle: 1400 (-300) = 1100

Lumitroid kept blazing away with its attack against the larger foe, just as Lucia intended. But even with his armored bulk, he wasn't going down. Lucia glared daggers. 'He's going to counterattack here, so I'll have to counter by nullifying he does next.'

Fly Beetle was like a statue, before his eyes gleamed again. He lifted his head, expelling a violent roar in all directions before bringing his two arms on his right side around and backhanded the beam. It dissipated, sending strong winds back at Lucia and Lumitroid. The former used her forearms to shield her face from the wake of the monster.

"You call that a hit?!" Shuji yelled.

"Not even close!" Fly Beetle opened his wing shields and jettisoned across the ground. The earth trembled beneath his wake as he zoomed after Lumitroid at speeds that even overwhelmed Lucia's vision. He reeled around his horn and smashed it into Lumitroid, impaling its armor like it was a cracker. He rammed the scorpion so hard that it went airborne with another hiss of agony.

'Such muscular force!' Lucia awed, watching Fly Beetle reaffirm himself. 'Here comes the counterattack!'

Shuji instigated an ability. "Ability, activate! Tectonic Edge!"

Fly Beetle balled his fists and ascended several meters. He raised one of his might fists high up and came crashing down, plunging the fist deep into the earth beneath. It depressed, and then giant, gray, jagged stones in clusters shot up from below in a linear line that tore its way towards Lumitroid.

Lumitroid: 1000 (-500) = 500 Hercules Fly Beetle: 1100 (+500) = 1600

The stones paved way towards Lumitroid, hurriedly reaching his descending frame. Facing the oncoming wave with dignified eyes, Lucia waited patiently until the moment was right. 'Now!' She held up an ability. "Ability, activate! Scale Defense!"

Lumitroid gradually plundered downwards, but his armored exoskeleton had a sheen much similar towards what Hercules Fly Beetle had before. As he landed, his scales took the majority of the blow, leaving him unscathed when landing on the ground.

However, when the stones pierced their way towards him, they had no intention of slowing down. They closed in until they shot up beneath Lumitroid, creating spikes that towered in size and punctured the armor. The structure exploded with dust and rock flying everywhere, swallowing everything in its path.

"What's this-?!" Lucia covered up as the dust blew in her face. The shock was so powerful that she was blown onto her back, yelping in agony.

The stone debris laid everywhere, with Lumitroid laying in the middle. It could barely move, let alone feel the ground beneath. Meanwhile, the ground thud when Fly Beetle loomed over the scorpion's decrepit state. Shuji was revealed on his shoulder, glaring down with him.

Lucia laid in the rupture waves, trying to get up. Her drees had a few dirt spots but she didn't care. She wasn't Amina, who prided herself too much on looks than the job itself. 'How is this possible…? He overwhelmed by defenses with his own…' She thought back to Gaia Armadura. 'That must be the case. I should have known. That must have been why Scale Defense was broken through. It appears…'

"You think you can break our attacks that easily." Shuji glared. "But they're just like us…UN-"

"-BREAKABLE!" Fly Beetle plunged backhanded Lumitroid like trash across the ground. His force was so intense that the stone debris shattered and followed the Bakugan as he skidded across the ground, smashing into a building grid hard.

Lucia grimaced. She watched her Bakugan get taken down like it was nothing. She had to work, and fast.

'I need to hurry. Lumitroid can't suffer another hit like that.' She reached for her Bakumeter, bringing out a series of buttons that pushed nonstop.

"Ready, Acceleton."

Yellow energy materialized into the Mobile Assault Vehicle parts. They gradually congregated and eventually became tangible. Lucia made energy tracks and aimed for Lumitroid. "Mobile Assault Vehicle, launch!" She launched the device through the tracks, slinging right onto Lumitroid.

The device struck him, engulfing the scorpion in a broad light that gradually turned into the hovercraft podium with cannons attached to the pincers for ensured firepower. Lumitroid hissed as his power level returned to 700.

"Extra firepower, huh?" Shuji observed. He had a good guess at what might come next.

Lucia closed her eyes, allowing herself to see into the events to come. A light flashed in her mind, allowing her to envision a light sclera firing into a shield brought, and an arrow heading right for her. With all that in mind, she braced herself.

"Ability, activate!" She started, holding up a forbidden card. "Lens-X!" A purple core appeared in front of Lumitroid's eye, gradually fading into the flesh. Once the energy sunk in, a pulse ran through the air that Shuji and Fly Beetle felt, but were expectant of. They watched as light gradually from all around, creating a large lens that was made of nothing but light particles.

Lumitroid: 700 (+500) = 1200 Hercules Fly Beetle: 1600

'They may have power and defense…but we have maneuverability.' Lucia readied her next move. "Ability, activate! Gear Saber!"

Lumitroid hissed and readied the twin cannons. The hexagonal accents charged up as well until full capacity was reached. All at once, projectiles fired in rapid succession of one another through the lens. Their size magnified threefold as the lens lost some of its light in the process.

Lumitroid: 1200 (+1800) = 3000 Hercules Fly Beetle: 1600

The projectiles went barreling after Fly Beetle and Shuji, tearing up the ground as it closed in. The gargantuan monster beetle used his forearms to take the blows. Shuji held firmly onto his partner's side as the beams and gunfire bombarded his partner. The earth shook violently as their attacks coursed into Fly Beetle's ironside front.

Lucia's glare intensified. "Your defenses can't hold forever."

The Acceleton hummed wildly before it sped around the sides, circling around Fly Beetle with continuous bombardments. The expulsion alone was enough to tear down buildings, but all Fly Beetle did was turn left and right to keep track of the speed. Shots grazed around him, but he barely noticed until the pincer cannons came around, aiming right at his face.

"FIRE!" Lucia pointed ahead, directing Lumitroid to unleash a bolstering twin yellow beam through the lens that engulfed everything in its path. It sped towards Shuji and Fly Beetle, who didn't seem fazed.

"Ability, activate!" Shuji countered. "Earth Shield!"

Fly Beetle slammed his lower hands into the ground, creating a magnitude that intensified until the earth in front erupted with a giant slate of stone that was several meters thick to barricade Fly Beetle. The laserbeams blasted into it, but ended up being separated around the shield and erupted into the energy grids around them, keeping Fly Beetle from harm.

Lumitroid: 3000 (-1800) = 1200 Hercules Fly Beetle: 1600

Shuji gnashed his teeth as he glared through the energy streams going around them. 'Bet she's gonna follow up on this.'

"I see. So you've nullified my ability…" Lucia held up another one. "But that earth mound you're so proud of will crumble soon enough. Ability, activate! Luminous Arrow!"

Lumitroid's eye focused intensely to aim straight into the center of the earth shield in front of it and fired directly from the eye. A yellow arrow seared into the lens, subtracting more light from it as the arrow instead went at lightning speeds across the ground, crackling electricity from the particles that clashed with each other.

Lumitroid: 1200 Hercules Fly Beetle: 1600 (-1200) = 400

The arrow streamlined across the ground and closed in on its mark. With the speed that it traveled, it was unmatched like a lightning bolt. The thick earth slate was struck hard, crumbling to pieces on the spot. And yet at the same time, even more stones were built up behind.

Lucia hummed.

"Careful where you aim!" Fly Beetle shouted.

"Ability, activate!" Shuji shouted. "Precipice Slate!" With his claws still embedded in the ground, Fly Beetle pushed deeper, making sharp, flat-angled stone jut up like a wall. It arose just milliseconds before the arrow could make contact.

The two remained stationary as the shockwaves of light seared right passed them. Shuji glared as his coat flared about. Neither were moved as the stones eventually did their job and the arrow ended up ricocheting off them, deflecting in a series of zigzags through the small area before being shot back at Lucia and Lumitroid.

Lumitroid: 1200 (-1200) = 0 Hercules Fly Beetle: 400 (+1200) = 1600

Lucia's glare was expectant. 'Now I see. He reflected my amplified ability back at me.' She thought back to when she battled Jase on Gundalia. 'Each one of you, individually have unique battle abilities that surpassed the Battle Brawlers. And it's because of that…'

The arrow drew closer, yet she braced herself. 'We shall take fate, and keep it from being changed by you!' She looked serious dead ahead. "Ability, activate! Gear Saber!"

Lumitroid fired through the lens once more with Acceleton, this time as twin laserbeams that came in contact with the remnants of the lens before combining into one giant beam that met the laser arrow. The two attacks created a gargantuan mass of expelled light that erupted before Lucia and Shuji. The light shot skywards, creating a powerful wake that bloomed in the distance that no one could look at directly.

Lumitroid: 0 (+1800) = 1800 Hercules Fly Beetle: 1600

The huge smokescreen of pure light gradually dissipated. It revealed Fly Beetle unharmed as the lens in front of Lumitroid dissipated in full. It was left as a stalemate between the two Bakugan.

'We must keep the pressure on at all costs!' Lucia instigated another ability. "Lumitroid, one more time! Gear Saber!" Lumitroid fired off some more projectiles beams at Hercules Fly Beetle. His power went up towards 2400.

The volleys bombarded him as he used his forearms to block the blows. There were so many coming for him, but he didn't deter. He just stood there and tanked it all with only small grunts every so often.

"Your little gadget…is getting really annoying." Shuji sniped. "Ability, activate! Land Crusher!"

Fly Beetle growled as he raised his huge horn upwards before plunging its jagged tip into the ground as deep as possible. The result was the earth suddenly cracking beneath into fissures that erupted dust and dirt everywhere. The fissures spread into a voracious magnitude and plumed after Lucia and Lumitroid. The shockwaves made uneven earth plume around Lucia, keeping her from visibly seeing anything while trying to hold herself upright.

Lumitroid: 2400 (-500) = 1900 Hercules Fly Beetle: 1600

As rock blew beneath the Acceleton, its antigravity was keeping it afloat the fissures beneath. But the plumes of rocks and boulders didn't let up. It continuously pelted the bottom to where the vehicle was going off balance. Lumitroid found itself unable to keep hold as the centripetal force was too great to slow down.

As the Acceleton spiraled out of control, a shadow loomed through the dust cloud, which startled Lucia. "Lumitroid, evade!"

Charging head on through the blast wave, Hercules Fly Beetle charged with his horn down, piercing clean through the Mobile Assault vehicle and causing Lumitroid to be thrown off. The scorpion fell on its side while Fly Beetle raised his horn, holding up the vehicle that was far heavier and larger than he was supposedly. It didn't stand a chance when he slammed it don into the wake of the earth, tearing it into scrap metal.

"The Mobile Assault Vehicle-!"

The metal shards rained down around Lumitroid, who was at the mercy of Fly Beetle. His power declined towards 1700. The giant beetle glared down at his opponent with a snarl.

"Now it's your turn." He snarled.

Lucia glared daggers. "You may be stronger than before, but our own power won't be underestimated! Ability, activate! Ghost Light!" Lumitroid expelled an eerie light wave from his eyes that seared into Fly Beetle. His power increased towards 1900.

Shuji used a forearm to cover his eyes from the ghastly light. 'She's not letting up.'

"Ability, activate! Irate Blazer!" Lumitroid charged up once more for his attack.

"Shuji…"

"Yeah, I know." Shuji held up an ability. "This time…she's going down! Ability, activate!"

Fly Beetle spread his legs and held his ground. A hyper-condensed mass of orange brown energy started formulating between the horn's peak and the lower curb. Its make gradually made the earth around Fly Beetle grew in fissures that distorted around him.

Lumitroid fired away, igniting the air with an eye ray that blazed like flames. However, as it closed in, some overwhelming mass-like barricade disrupted the attack, making it deflect around Fly Beetle and Shuji.

Lucia's eyes widened. She realized what came next. 'This is-!'

"HORN GAIA!" Shuji and Fly Beetle roared violently at the same time. Fly Beetle let out a primal roar as he careened his head back and then forward. The energy imploded on itself, shrinking to an even smaller mass before exploding into a voluminous blast wave of roaring, dense, orange-brown energy that engulfed everything for miles on end.

Lumitroid: 2200 (-600) = 1600 Hercules Fly Beetle: 1300 (+600) = 1900

The broad light produced outweighed anything and everything that Lumitroid had thrown. The light he used was no match as he was engulfed in the destructive shockwave. He screamed mightily as he reverted to his yellow attributed light and reverted to ball form.

Lucia: 40%

Lucia's eyes widened when the blast wave wouldn't stop. She realized she had to duck and hit the floor to avoid as much of it as possible. Boulders and debris were incinerated behind and above her. And even more were thrown around everywhere as Fly Beetle's attack didn't end there. The blast wave fanned out across the avenue, sending seismic shockwaves across the ground that caused soldiers to double over, fall completely, and even make ground-based Mobile Assault Vehicles lose balance before collapsing on themselves or the poor soldiers. Screams came before squishes. The seismic ruptures palpitated to make the Interacians hiding in their bunkers shudder at the sheer magnitude.

As it all cooled down, Lucia groaned as she gradually picked herself up. She turned left, and then right, seeing nothing but a completely flattened landscape of earth that went on either side of the avenue. The buildings were saved, but the ground felt hot and steaming. She shakily stood up, whereas Shuji was lifted off Fly Beetle's shoulder and onto the ground.

Fly Beetle finally reverted to ball form, returning to Shuji's palm. The Subterra master gave Lucia a serious glare. "What was that about making us pay with our lives before?"

Despite this surprising setback, Lucia straightened herself up. "Don't get ahead of yourself. I won't fail Milord. I swear, you won't stand in my way much longer."

"Yeah, we'll see about that."

Metal clashed to create more sparks. Jase dodged left to avoid the dagger before going for a midsection pierce with his taser land. Instinctively Zion backpedaled and swung around in a pivot. His axe in his right hand swiped in a full circle, but Jase was fast enough to duck and evade as well. Zion went on the offense yet again, ferociously charging at Jase with parries following up on one another. With the weight outdoing the weapon, Jase found himself backpedaling a good several meters until Zion pulled back for another dagger jab from his left wrist.

'An opening.' Jase had to time it just right. The moment Zion jabbed forward, he used basic militaristic training to catch the fist and hold the wrist dagger in place.

"Hmph, not bad." Zion snarled, raising his axe blade. "But not good enough!"

"Is it now? Then perhaps this shall suffice." The grip locked, he used his taser lance and jabbed it on the metal of the dagger. With it being conductible towards electricity and voltage, the armor stung graciously enough to make Zion pull back with a rough scowl. Jase used this chance to advance and slash, but was met with Zion's armor deterring the slash.

The two warriors found themselves at a proper stalemate. Neither looked like they were ready to give in, especially when the battle's just begun.

"Enough warm up!" Zion shouted.

"Yes, I believe the sentiment can be shared." Jase noted.

Zion: 100% Jase: 100%

Zion held up a Gate Card between his fingers, taking the initiative right off the bat. "Gate Card, set!" He threw the card out between them, making a red shockwave disperse beneath their feet. He brought out Snapzoid and threw him in. "Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand!"

A dark fire erupted before Jase, swirling with red lightning bolts flashing sporadically. "Rise, Pyrus Snapzoid!" From the pits of the broiling flames, Zion's signature Snapzoid gradually arose with his mouth gaping wide open, expelling a broad roar that made the static flux until it dissipated around his body.

Zion held up his axe blade directly at Jase. "Come, unless you want us to cut the fight out of you first."

Snapzoid gave a sinister hiss, one that Jase chose to take as an impatient note. "Seems there's no time to dawdle. Atmos."

"Yes, Jase. I understand. Let's give them, what you humans would call 'a piece of our minds'." Atmos consoled, closing his new ball form and dropped into Jase's grip.

Jase faced the Snapzoid and threw his Bakugan in. "Bakugan, brawl!" Atmos' ball form launched across the ground to a subtle roll. "Bakugan, stand! Rise, Ventus Apex Atmos!"

The moment Atmos' ball form popped open, a pressurized green typhoon exploded skywards, expelling winds outwards so strong that it made Zion cover up. His Snapzoid's embers from when he stood were instantly snuffed out when the typhoon swerved around until its tip tore open. Something swift and green escaped and dispersed it in a half second before zipping into the Bakugan, immediately falling him over.

Zion felt something swift pass over his head. He covered up when the shockwaves of the avian finally caught up with him. The avian that was Atmos let out a whistling shriek as he arched high into the air, circling around to hover over the – literally – winded Snapzoid.

Snapzoid: 700 Apex Atmos: 900

Zion's brow scrunched with scrutiny. "Did he evolve?"

"I trust that you will be most pleased with what we have in store for you." Jase chimed. Apex Atmos hovered right over him, craning his neck around for another shriek.

Zion scoffed at the remark, getting over the surprising twist easily. "Hmph, very well then." He held up an ability. "Ability, activate! Taser Fang!" Snapzoid opened his maw wide and fired his long, eel-like tongue with fangs on its end at Atmos in the sky.

Snapzoid: 700 (+200) = 900 Apex Atmos: 900

The static-drenched tongue snaked its way up at Apex Atmos, but with his increased speed, he became a blur and ziplined out of the tongue's reach. The rate in which he blurred caused a shock that buffered the tongue in midair.

Atmos spread his four wings and acrobatically danced through the skies until enough momentum built up for a jet shot high into the atmosphere. His speeds made him unseen by anyone; not even Zion could keep pace with him.

"What is he up to…?" He looked towards Jase, who stood in wait. His eyes narrowed and pulled out two knives while he had the chance.

Jase tumble rolled out of the way of the knives, which pierced the ground where he originally stood. He held up his Bakumeter with an ability all set. "Ability, activate! Sonic Rain!"

Zion and Snapzoid turned towards the skies to see a green glint. It faded, revealing Atmos diving at Snapzoid at breakneck hyperspeed. The sound barrier broke as he blitzed past Snapzoid. He continued his wake, as if nothing happened. Then moments later, the sonic shockwaves finally caught up, distorting the air and smashed into Snapzoid. The ground shattered from the sheer speeds and power that made the Bakugan shriek out in surprise.

Snapzoid: 900 (-500) = 400 Apex Atmos: 900

The shockwaves of the attack even caught up to Zion. He plunged his axe into the ground, embedding it to use as a support anchor and keep himself firmly in place as the sonic shockwaves bypassed him. He snarled and grunted as rocks blew about haphazardly. If it wasn't for his armor, the debris would have done more than dent him.

Apex arched across the sky, breaking into yet another burst of speed as he circled around into another divebomb attack.

Zion snarled and powered through the shockwaves, his Bakumeter showing an ability active. "Ability, activate! Thunder Field!"

Atmos dove at a steep altitude into Snapzoid yet again, but this time the eel was more than prepared. His tendrils extended, creating an electrical discharge that enveloped him like a shield. When Atmos drew close, the falcon's wings enabled him to ride winds back up while his attack's momentum carried itself into Snapzoid. But the shockwaves instead smashed into the shield, causing the static to distort and erode between Zion and Jase.

Snapzoid: 400 (+500 +200) = 1100 Apex Atmos: 900

Jase didn't at all look surprised by Zion's counter. But he wasn't going to let his guard down so frivolously. To that, he immediately picked up on the polearm heading his way and shifted right. The metal end impaled the ground, but Jase was quick to glance at Zion in anticipation. "I see you're as opportunistic as ever."

"Hmph, this is a battle…and I see that your human wits and training haven't dulled since last time."

"You'd be surprise. Ready the moment your eyes are open in case someone decides to raid you and your team is something we've trained for." Jase chimed sagely. It was more directed towards the militaristic ways he's been conditioned since joining the army, but it also stood for the survivalists work he and the others have been through. Suffice to say despite his age, the young ones kept him from getting rusty.

"I can see." Zion reached for his side slowly, getting out the machine gun that was strapped to him. Immediately Jase got on guard. "Then old soldiers should know when to retire quietly."

"Well…" Jase's were shrouded by his glasses. "There's always my second wind." He held up his Bakumeter, while Atmos fanned out his wings wider. "Ability, activate! Hurriblade!"

Atmos glided skywards, where he swung one of his wings to create a violent maelstrom. One wing slung was all it took to create a violent, razor-blade tornado that swallowed up Snapzoid in an instant. The slicing winds cleaved through the static shield, tearing into Snapzoid's cried that had gone hoarse.

Snapzoid: 1100 Apex Atmos: 900 (+600) = 1500

The shredding winds cut into the ground where Snapzoid would be standing. Zion, again, had to use his axe and cleave into the ground. But this time the wind pressure went through the polearm connecting to the axe blade. His breath hitched before he found himself picked up by the outer drafts and pushed farther back. He went flying onto his back, then doubled over until he slammed hi back into a nearby cement fencing grid. The impact was enough to send a shock through his body that made him gag for a moment.

The typhoon raged madly, but Jase remained undeterred, standing as though nothing was going on.

Zion gradually got back up, looking at the massive wall of whirlwinds enveloping the area. He could barely see ahead of him while Apex Atmos sailed above like it was nothing. And that was just from one flap.

Reaffirming himself, he looked down at the spliced polearm in his hand and tossed it aside, completely worthless at this point. He held up his Bakumeter and activated an ability. "Ability, activate! Vex Crunch!"

Snapzoid opened his mouth again and his tongue slunk out to open wide and aim at Atmos high above in the typhoon's eye. Red energy gathered and he fired it skywards, beaming with just enough force to beam through the winds into him.

Snapzoid: 1100 (+300) = 1400 Apex Atmos: 1500 (-300) = 1200

The striking red beam drew closer to Atmos, but the falcon was steadily ready. "Speaking of a soldier's second wind, Jase…?"

"If you'll allow me." He held up his next ability. "Double ability, activate! Storm Bullet!"

Atmos infused his entire body in bright green energy that filtered into his wings. The second he zipped down, a green stream of energy pulsed through the sky, tearing through the oncoming red beam like it wasn't even there.

"…and now, Fusion Ability! Mach Maelstrom!"

Atmos' green spikes on his wing joints glowed bright. The four joints manifested individual streams of spiraling green energy. They all gradually spun until they combined into one, enveloping Atmos in a swirling green energy dragoon. His speed suddenly doubled to where not even the human eye could keep track. The green glide following him suddenly pulsed an airwave, breaking air particles.

Snapzoid: 1400 (-500) = 900 Apex Atmos: 1200 (+500 +500) = 2200

In split seconds, Atmos cut right through his own typhoon so fast that it didn't catch on until moments past. The impact with Snapzoid was delayed before several blinks of green took over. Suddenly, everything exploded into intense green tornadoes and winds that tore apart the ground and continued its way towards Zion. The armed soldier, who was already against the wall, used his gauntlets and armored forearms to take the shockwaves, but that only smashed them into his face.

The atmosphere howled wildly as Jase stood completely still. His attire ran wild as well but he paid no heed. He watched as Atmos sailed over him at fighter jets speed and made an undertow that he stood his ground with. Atmos cawed wildly as he flew around, cawing wildly while breaking airspeed records.

Zion's patience was running thin. He glared menacingly at Jase. "…very well then." He got up slowly, gradually gaining his momentum needed to begin his assault once again. He held up an ability. "Ability, activate! Supernova-X!"

The cyclones still raging around Snapzoid's spot gradually started heating up. The earth started getting immeasurable hot to where it was almost impossible to stand on without feeling cindered. The cement and concrete gradually depreciated and melted inwards as a crater melted around Snapzoid, whose body was enflamed with extreme levels of heat at this point. The magenta accents were borderline white as his body eroded in searing flames. The Bakugan grunted low, gathering a large mass of energy to expel.

"Atmos!" Jase warned.

"Yes!" Atmos circled to a stop, just above Snapzoid. His four wings were spaced evenly with each other and prepared to strike.

"Now…" Zion's eyes widened. "INCINERATE!"

Snapzoid careened his head around, expelling a loud, shrilling uproar that rippled smoldering flames. A pillar of fire erupted skywards, searing everything that was nearby while the shockwaves of the flames expelled outwards.

Snapzoid: 900 (+1800) = 2700 Apex Atmos: 2200

They drew closer towards Atmos, but the falcon was more than prepared to handle what came next.

"Ability, activate! Whirl Barrage!" Jase shouted.

Atmos' eyes glistened before he let out one more volatile shriek. His wings fanned out, creating a stirring cyclone that evolved into a giant green vortex that swallowed up all the broiling flames heading his way. The flames gradually reduced themselves and split apart as the raging winds dispersed the flames around Snapzoid, completely eradicating him of his power over Atmos.

Snapzoid: 2700 (-400) = 2300 Apex Atmos: 2200 (+400) = 2600

The cyclones gradually faltered Snapzoid to where he couldn't move. The eel was too weakened to counterattack and hissed angrily before his flames diffused. His power reduced to 700.

'His power is used up! Shit!' Zion sniped.

'His power has been exhausted so soon. Must have taken more damage than anticipated. But just to be on the safe side…' Jase held up an ability. "Ability activate,Draft Burden!"

Atmos spread his wings out further, getting above Snapzoid at an even greater altitude and let out a continuous air draft that felt like gravity pushing down on Snapzoid. The Bakugan was pinned to the Gate Card, anchoring him with a groan of pressure. Struggle as he might, it was doing very little against the overwhelming winds.

Jase prodded his glasses once more. "Draft Burden will prevent you from activating abilities or opening your Gate Card."

Zion snarled yet again. Jase was really driving my patience. And with the winds blocking him like a wall, he couldn't get anywhere near him at this rate. He was going to have to dig out his big guns. He pulled out his Bakumeter and prepared to type. "You Earth soldiers are too persistent it's pathetic." He started typing to get a sequence in.

"Ready, Torracrawler."

Red energy massed into a device that he clutched. He seized it, and then red energy tracks ran from the Bakumeter out towards Snapzoid. "Mobile Assault Vehicle, launch!" He fired the Torracrawler, making it attach onto Snapzoid.

A red explosion erupted around the eel, immediately making him defy the airwaves pushing onto him. The jetstream Atmos made was gradually deteriorating as well due to the eruptive flare the device gave off. The Torracrawler gradually arose, standing on its eight huge spider-like claws to support Snapzoid. His power erupted towards 900.

Zion's eyes flared with angst. "Fall! Ability, activate! Siphon Lock!"

The Torracrawler began extracting heat and static from Snapzoid, traveling its way down his tendrils and into the tips of the spikes. They hummed as energy began charging up, superheating the tips.

Jase ran his arm skywards. "Ability, activate! Storm Bullet!"

The Torracrawler slammed its mechanical eight claws down all at once smashing them into the earth. A red plasmatic shockwave leveled the planes while Atmos' sheer wings gleamed glowed bright Ventus green. He suddenly broke into a steep dive own onto Jase, before making a 90 degree turn across the ground beelining into the attack heading his way.

The plasmatic shockwaves drew near, as did Atmos, but he was speeding much too fast that his green blur tunneled a path clean through the shockwaves like he wasn't even affected. He spiraled thoroughly before beelining a streaming shot through the glass containing Snapzoid and bolted past it. He ascended back into the air, doing an acrobatic twirl with the streak still following. It caught on, finally disrupting the shockwaves by cutting them clean through – dicing the plasma and the Torracrawler! Green outlines of wing blades overtook the device until exploded, creating a rupture wave that was too much for the ground and the overall atmosphere to take.

Zion covered up for the umpteenth time as the explosive winds overtook his power. Jase was unmoved as he held a dead serious face.

Snapzoid: 900 (+1800 -500) = 2200 Apex Atmos: 2600

The smoke cloud gradually dispersed, but the Torracrawler and Snapzoid glowed bright red before molding back to ball form and plopped to Zion's feet.

Zion: 20%

Apex Atmos circled around and cawed before reverting to ball form. He dropped into Jase's hand as he kept his eyes forward through the dissipating energy cloud.

Zion glared daggers as he picked up his Bakugan. "It would appear…that Milord had been wounded for a good reason."

"What happened to Riaan solemnly is on his shoulders. It was his judgment and callous act that Luke had taken the opportunity to disarm him." Jase explained.

"…I see." Zion paused, slowly lifting his other polearm and combined it with his left arm's axe to make another makeshift battle axe. "Then if that's the case…I shall give him recompense in your stance…an eye for an eye, as you humans say?" He pointed his weapon at Jase. "Before I split your head open, your arms shall be ripped away from your bloody corpse!"

Jase got into a battle-ready stance of his own. "I see, then I'll have to make sure this old soldier doesn't rust before your armor does."

Zion screamed mightily as he raced after Jase, who reciprocated the charge in defense.

The air was immensely tense between Esther and Amina. The Aquos woman looked at the Darkus younger woman, who had a cold, serious complexion.

Amina: 100% Esther: 100%

"Hmph, what are you looking at?" She scoffed, tossing a lock over her shoulder. "Those disgusting eyes of yours…the way they just look just makes me wanna hurl. Tell you what, before I rip you apart…" She held a Gate Card between her fingers. "How's about I take out those eyes of yours first? Actually, no…why offer such a proposition? I'll just do it myself. Gate Card, set!" She threw the card out, causing it to fade in a blue shockwave beneath herself and Esther. She held up her Nastix, sneering with glee. "Bakugan, brawl! Bakugan, stand! Go, Aquos Natsix!"

In a deep blue light, a Bakugan gradually arose in front of Esther. Immediately she backpedaled when a glob-like hand came down to smite her. She evaded and look up to find Nastix and his grotesque frame rising up and bellowing into the air, making shockwaves run about madly.

Amina smirked. "I'm going to enjoy this."

Esther kept her serious glare forward. "Atchibee, I'm relying on you."

Atchibee's open ball form sat on her shoulder. "Yes, Esther, We won't fail this time."

Both woman and Bakugan thought about the last time they fought Amina with Alice. Back then, they lost because they were careless with how they approached them by the end. They had to assume that the case may be here with Amina. They've fought before; and since she's by herself, that makes her even more of a threat.

'When we fought on Neathia, she didn't ally herself with much assistance. She was more adept to letting the others take hold of the situation unless the situation calls for it. But, when it is under her, she's crafty and pulls off counterattacks that shuts down all her opponents with little effort….very well then.'

With her mind on track, Esther knew what she had to do an expect. She held up Atchibee, who was just as ready as her. "Very well then, let's go. Bakugan, brawl!" She shot Atchibee out towards the battlefield. "Bakugan, stand!"

A dark purple light slowly engulfed an enclosed area in front of Nastix, but instead of raw energy and light, it instead was a fluorescent shade of cosmic dust and sparkling light that fanned upwards. It blinded Amina with its dazzling gleam that it outdid her fashionable wear, much to her chagrin.

A silhouette fluttered out from below, screeching sinisterly, like a ghost. Clear wings changed color to match the light refracting through its cells to give it a magenta hue. Long, blood red sickles shimmered as hairs bristled around her mane.

Esther stood beneath her Bakugan, looking Amina with a look as dark as night. "Darkus Eclipse Atchibee."

Atchibee's fangs chattered before a louder, more sinister bellow shrilled the air. She flapped her powdered, wings, giving her a demonic, regal composure.

Nastix: 700 Eclipse Atchibee: 900

Nastix let out a gurgling roar of his own to counter Atchibee, to which Atchibee shrieked back. Words were not needed when her sickles and blood red stinger could do the talking for them. "Atchibee, no reluctance." Esther swore.

Amina raised a brow in disgust. "What…a tacky Bakugan." She rebuffed. She stepped back as Atchibee's scales were flaking off and across the ground. It was like a radiant dark powder that made her ghastlier than her last evolution. "I don't know what you did to your Bakugan, but clearly it looks like you can outdo me. Let me tell you. That…will never happen."

Esther chose to not respond, instead she allowed Atchibee to hover overhead and drop one of her claws. She reached up and was pulled up atop of her partner to loom over their adversaries.

"Don't think you can look down on me! Nobody does that!" Amina readied her ability. "Ability activate, Toxic Blind!" Nastix moved his head and aimed his circular, spiky mouth up at Atchibee and Esther. He expelled a glossy glob of toxins that gush up at them.

Esther looked down expectantly, knowing it would have been the case. "Ability, activate! Solaris Moondance!" Atchibee brought her wings back and gave a large flap, spreading her majestic powder in a brighter spread. The scales profusely fanned out, with each particle shining like twinkling stars and sticking to Atchibee. The glob that was supposed to hit Atchibee diffused into the powder, disintegrating into nothing.

Nastix: 700 Eclipse Atchibee: 900 (+500) = 1400

"You nullified my ability." Amina huffed. "Fine them, I have other ways of making you get knocked down a peg." She held up another ability. "Ability, activate! Morph Cluster!" Nastix aimed up at Atchibee once more, this time creating glowing ectoplasmic globs inside his mouth. He fired them in rapid volleys up towards the Darkus Bakugan.

Nastix: 700 (+300) = 1000 Eclipse Atchibee: 1400 (-300) = 1100

The globs closed in on her, but Atchibee didn't make any callous movements. Esther glared down. "Atchibee."

The moth understood and raised her sickles. As all the globs went her way, the moth held her sickly red blades out before slashing them. The globs overtaking her in numbers all suddenly separated into diced clumps that dispersed behind her. The ectoplasm rained down in clusters around Atchibee and Esther, but the scales kept her coating safe. Both didn't seem distressed in the slightest.

Amina's patience was running thin. "Hmph! Then try this, you ugly beast! Ability, activate! Gastro Soak!"

Nastix unleashed another spray of gastric acid, this time in a continuous spray that closed in on Atchibee. Her power level went from 1100 to 900. The acidic juice shot upwards to make Atchibee gracefully flap her wings and soar to a higher altitude.

"You can't get away from me!" Amina reached out, directing Nastix to trace after Atchibee and Esther. "Melt them down until nothing is left of them!"

Nastix gurgled as a sign of obedience. He kept gushing sprays of gastric acids at the moth high above. The opponent fluttered her wings and danced through the skies, maneuvering around the spray with devilish grace. Just as one gush was going to spray her, she used a strong wing flap and caused a gust it to blow around her, keeping herself and Esther out of harm's way.

Atchibee whimsically shouted as she glided over Nastix's assault, getting right over him. Esther didn't bat an eyelash as she had an ability ready. "Ability, activate! Black Solstice!"

Atchibee spread her beautiful wings as the accents and patterns on them shined brightly. She looked straight down onto Natsix as the accents grew so bright that they shined down a dark purple light that trapped Nastix in it. The amorphous blob let out a gurgling groan as his power was gradually declining. Gradually, bright particles starting eroded up from his body, ascending into Atchibee's. The longer the light seared down, the more particles left to drain him of his power.

Nastix: 875 (still dropping) Eclipse Atchibee: 1050 (still increasing)

Amina looked genuinely shocked. "You're taking all our power?!"

Esther didn't respond. She an Atchibee continued draining Amina's Nastix until the power was so low that it was on the verge of collapsing.

"Tch, ability activate, Blind Shade!" Amina went to activate her ability, but the effects had yet to begin. In fact, nothing happened when she was waiting for the ability to be nullified. "My abilities are…!" She looked up to Esther with anger. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Sorry, but Black Solstice prevents you from activating any of your abilities while all the opponents' Bakugan are drained of all their power." Esther explained. "And what we're doing…is stopping Riaan and you by any means it takes!"

Amina snorted arrogantly. She wasn't going out like this. "That's what you think." She readied her Bakumeter, typing in her device's code to activate.

"Ready, Prozar."

The blue energy materialized into a solid structure that she grabbed off her Bakumeter and threw it onto Nastix. "Battlegear, boost!" The Prozar made contact just as the energy depletion was all done. The machinery engulfed Nastix and mounted its radioactive, nuclear cannons and broilers to aim at Atchibee.

Nastix: 001 (+100) = 100 Eclipse Atchibee: 1900

"Battlegear…" Esther mumbled.

With her security in check, Amina smirked maliciously as an ability was held up. "Battlegear Ability, activate! Prozar Nuclear!"

The glass capsule along the Prozar gradually began to bubble with bright magenta energy. His bulbous shoulder shined as the tubes connected to them transferred the energy into the Battlegear, churning towards the main chambers to ready the radioactive cannon.

Amina pointed upwards. "Now, fire!"

Nastix released a shrilling bellow as the main cannon fired a plume of radioactive magenta energy. Plasma and ions erupted ahead, skyrocketing up towards Atchibee and Esther and they looked down at it so calmly.

Very calmly, Esther prepared her counter through the atmosphere's shuddering wake. "Ability activate, Black Hole!"

Atchibee's forehead oval shined brightly. A distorted dark portal that bent space circulated in front of Atchibee. The atomic wake of the attack was drawn skywards intending to engulf Atchibee, but she took it moderately well. In fact, she wasn't even close to being touched when it all distorted and git sucked into the vacuum that was the black hole.

"What's this?" Amina glared. "It's absorbing the ability now?"

Nastix: 100 Eclipse Atchibee: 1900 (+400) = 2300

The magenta shockwaves of radioactive energy rumbled wildly about, but neither Atchibee nor Esther were hardly fazed by this. They glared forward until all of the atomic widespread energy was drawn in and completely absorbed. The portal dissipated, leaving Atchibee's optic forehead accent to lose its light.

Amina tisked yet again. "You can be so meddlesome that it makes me want to puke."

"If you can't stomach your own lunch, then I fail to see how you can stomach this battle." Esther countered. "I'd tell you to take this seriously, but there's just no reasoning with you."

"Hmph, you're gonna wish you never said that to me." Amina held up an ability. "Ability, activate! Alien-X!"

A bright core formulated around Nastic, slowly crawling chords that dispersed into its body. They emitted a pulse wave, which caused Nastix to growl. His eyes shined bright magenta.

Esther's brow furrowed as she watched the atmosphere crackle around Nastix. He raised his head, releasing a strong pulse that went into the ground. Ectoplasmic sparks crackled beneath him as his gurgling trembled the atmosphere.

Nastix: 100 (+2700) = 2800 Eclipse Atchibee: 2300

The atmosphere became impossible for anyone to get close to Nastic as the energy was coursing through him thoroughly. Amina was behind, smirking as her pet was doing his job. 'Hmph, there, that should stop her from getting bright ideas. That ugly tramp is going to wish she didn't exist.'

Esther held her arm up, making an ability shine. "Ability activate, New Moon!"

Atchibee's body gave off a dark purple glow that radiated across the battlefield. It fanned out in a dark purple ring-like shockwave. The way she shined was like a dark sun that overcasted everything across the atmosphere. The glare was so bright that it disrupted the energy Nastix had going.

"What?!" Amina quipped.

"New Moon nullifies all ability and Gate Card effects on the battlefield." Esther explained. "And it brings all Bakugan on the battlefield back to their base levels.

Nastix: 2800 (-2000) = 800 Eclipse Atchibee: 2300 (-1400) = 900

Amina balled her fists. "So we're back to square one? In that case…" She pulled out her Bakumeter, readying another coded sequence.

"Ready, Phastrix."

The Mobile Assault Vehicle was materialized and ready for launch. Blue energy tracks raced from the Bakumeter towards Nastix. "Mobile Assault Vehicle, launch!" She fired the device, making it launch onto Nastic. The Bakugan was engulfed in a broad light before the robotic energy pool with telecoils appeared with Nastix at the ready.

Nastix: 800 (+200) = 1000 Eclipse Atchibee: 900

Amina retained her confident charms. "Hmph, still think that an ugly trash heap like yourself can outdo a beauty like me?" she chuckled. "Why am I even asking?"

'There's her Mobile Assault Vehicle.' Esther paused, recollecting what that device did. 'It nullifies anything and substantially drains power. If that's case…let's try this.' She held up three abilities. "Atchibee."

"If we must. Let's!" The moth declared.

Amina let out an arrogant scoff. "Try whatever you'd like, it won't matter!"

"We won't know unless we see for ourselves now, won't we?" Esther's three abilities activated on the spot. "Triple ability, activate! Violet Pulsar, plus Penumbra Geist!"

Atchibee's long, red sickles gradually came apart, splitting into four deathly sickles to point and shape themselves into the of the moon's shape. A spherical mass of Darkus energy appeared in the center of the lunar shape and condensed into a single point.

Meanwhile, the accents on Atchibee's wings all glowed brightly, whereas the entire scenery around went absolutely dark. Amina found herself unable to see in the dark, with the only light being Atchibee's blades, stinger, and wing accents.

Atchibee unleashed a shrilled cry as her glowing blades released all the condensed energy, expelling a monstrous blast wake that beamed across the sky into Nastic. The roaring dark purple lunar blast pulsated with the more pressure that rippled spontaneously. The roaring energy blast drew too close that it was almost too fast for Amina to stop.

The Aquos woman darkly smirked. "Ability, activate! Quash Photon!" Phastrix' energy pool bubbles spontaneously as Nastix poured his power into charging up the wake of the attack. Electrical impulses worked from the pool up towards the telecoils until the peaks were brimming with bright magenta. Once they were fully charged, the impulses fired away.

Esther narrowed her gaze. 'Now…' She held up her last ability. "Fusion Ability, Jet Black Buster!"

Atchibee's eyes suddenly flashed dark purple. The dark purple attack she unleashed suddenly expanded roaring at nearly twice the intensity with a much darker hue towards it. The black streams and darker rippling wake made its force completely break through the Quash Photon's plasmatic shockwaves.

Nastix: 1000 (-600 -500) = 0 Eclipse Atchibee: 900 (+600 +500 +600) = 2600

The beam gradually ate its way through the Quash Photon. The shockwaves of the Mobile Assault Vehicle's attack were gradually slowing it down, but it somehow wasn't successful in completely dispelling all of it.

Amina's nonchalant arrogance was being replaced by annoyance. "Why isn't it being affected? Maybe this will!" She swiped her arm. "Gate Card, open! Ecto Dirge!"

The Gate Card shined beneath them. Ectoplasm gradually eroded up around Atchibee's underside, but while discomforted, that didn't stop her attack's wake from eating away nonstop still.

Once again, Amina was left stupefied. 'Impossible!' She still had one more trick to help turn this around. "Then maybe this will! Battlegear Ability, activate! Prozar Atomic!"

Nastix let out a groan before his eyes gleamed bright magenta. He gurgled wildly as his bulbous shoulder bumps glowed brighter than before, channeling energy through the tubes directly into the canisters along the sides. The main cannons charged up a deep blue energy beam until was all set. All at once, the canister lids opened wide, unleashing immense radioactive shockwave concentrated around a monstrous blue beam that roared with crackling ions around it. The ground reduced to a flattened landscape as the attack closed in on Atchibee's dark beam.

Nastix: 0 (+600) = 600 Eclipse Atchibee: 2600 (-1700) = 900

The two concentrated beams came together, until they ultimately struck in the middle. A violet pulse wave bellowed outwards, leveling dust that scattered through the streets below.

Once again, Amina's beautiful silk dress was blown away, and she could barely hold her ground. She backpedaled gradually, until it was too much for her and she fell over.

Atchibee let out a darkening howl as she flapped her wings, causing a wake in the attack to travel down to disrupt their collision. Everything went dark as night, and time slowed down for a moment. But in that instant, Atchibee's dark accents and scythes made the rest of her body seem invisible. She zoomed down onto Nastic, were Esther jumped off, pulled out her spear, and slashed at the same time Atchibees glowing four sickles cleaved into the machines and Nastic. Esther dropped back down onto Atchibee's mane before she pulled up back into the darkness. A moment passed before nothing happened. Then, Nastix and the Phastrix and Prozar gave off a violet shine before imploding on themselves. The entire street was flattened further when the shockwaves of the eruption shot skywards.

Nastix's frame was seen inside, screaming in agony before fading into the wake of the explosion. His ball form spit out and rolled in front of Amina, who looked down at her sudden lackluster of a victory.

Amina: 40%

Amina gathered her bearings and looked down at her Nastix. More importantly, her dress. Once again, she found herself sullied with the damage done.

Atchibee descended, allowing Esther off before returning to her ball form. Esther caught her, glaring daggers at Amina.

"You…little…" Amina strained as she got to her feet. Esther remained cold and composed. "This is the third time now that you ugly, filthy rats went and destroy my beautifully expensive clothing. Do you have any idea on the fabrics used for this…?" Her shoulders trembled as her anger spiked. Her eyes glared at Esther with so much hate. "You…I hate you so much! I'M FED UP WITH YOU!"

"Then I suppose the gesture is reciprocated." Esther countered.

Amina's teeth gnashed. "You know, I was just thinking…" Her glare was absolutely dark and twisted. "Maybe instead of vaporizing you, how about I drain and stuff you? Huh?!" She smiled wickedly. "I've been needing something to add to my new quarters in Riaan's ultimate Empyrean! And what better accessory than one of the brats that decided to pick a fight with someone of my stature!"

What she said sparked something. 'Wait, did she just say…Riaan's ultimate Empyrean? That must be where he ran off to.'

"You will pay…you all will!" Amina smirked. "Whatever it takes to wring you dry, of every, little, cent your life's worth."

The little kid behind the trash bins and debris had his knees hugged up to his chin. His teeth were clutched so tight that they couldn't even move. With this dark hue around, it felt like an intoxicating atmosphere that he couldn't fully breathe in. And the culprit was coming from the middle of the street, where Luke and Alice squared off against him.

Cyrus: 100% Luke: 100%

Alice: 100%

Cyrus looked on in anticipated silence. He glared down his two opponents with a demonic vibe. "It's been some time since we've met up like this. I trust that you haven't gone rusty, either of you. I'd be disappointed if you were." He facetiously taunted.

Alice leered back. 'He's gotten stronger, I can feel it. Spectra and Gus explained back at the lab that he was powerful…' Her fists balled. 'But, I didn't think it'd be by this much. Still, we can't lose our guards with him.'

With her mindset in the ready, Alice turned towards Luke. "Luke, are you feeling alright?"

Luke faced forward, his sword held firm. "Yeah, Abis and I are good. You think you can give us a hand here, Alice?"

Alice nodded. "Yes, we understand." She faced Cyrus, pulling out a Gate Card. "We'll take the lead! Gate Card, set!" With a flick of her wrist, the card went flying out between them, fading on a dark purple light. "Alright Hydranoid, let's go."

"I'm ready." He closed his ball form.

"Abis, ready or not, here we go." Luke prompted.

"I hear you. Let's not hold back!" Abis closed his ball form, allowing Luke to grab him.

At the same time, both battlers threw their Bakugan at the same time. "Bakugan…brawl!" Alice tossed Hydranoid, while Luke threw him in. Both Bakugan rolled beside each other and popped open at the same time. "Bakugan, stand!"

"Come on, Darkus Alpha Hydranoid!" Exploding from a dark purple light below, three spiked tails whiplashed before six disturbing wings spread, followed by three maws with jagged red teeth protruding outwards. Alpha Hydranoid arose, careening his three heads into the domed sky with a demonic roar that distorted the air.

"Go, Aquos Daedalus Abis Omega!" A deep blue flash was followed by a raging cyclone of dense, oceanic water that protruded something rising towards the tip. The water exploded, unleashing an extremely long, deep armored water serpent-dragon, whose diamonds and accents all over his body glowed brightly like lights under the deep ocean. The air distorted as he let out his own roar of entry.

Cyrus watched calmly as the two Bakugans' combined cries caused shockwaves to ripple past him. He didn't feel a thing. "Isn't this quaint. The Bakugan that Milord desire at one time to be part of hos legion, and the other whom bested his Armagedoid in single combat. You're all just full of surprises, aren't you?"

"Luke, you guys must be tired from all the running and fighting. Hydranoid can take the lead here." Alice insisted.

Luke didn't complain, he went with the flow. "Got it. Thanks."

"Been a while, Abis Omega." Hydranoid spoke to the massive serpent beside him. "Are you ready for another round?" Another head asked.

"Yeah, we can keep going." He braced himself. "Alright, let's keep our guards up around him."

"Right!" Hydranoid braced himself next.

Cyrus' malicious smirk turned into a serious frown as his Raptorix was thrown in. "Very well then. Let us begin! Bakugan…brawl!" He threw his Bakugan in. "Bakugan, stand! Rise, Darkus Raptorix!"

In a swirling dark haze, the atmosphere darkened around Hydranoid and Abis as they glared ahead calmly at the hazy helix surrounding a Bakugan. A chill ran through the air, one that even the little boy felt when he looked up to find his worst nightmares coming true. They all witnessed the helix fading to reveal Raptorix's dull eyes gleaming brightly, his claws stretched out as he screeched into the atmosphere with his own dark distortions rippling about.

Luke and Alice remained undeterred as they watched the Bakugan's sinister entrance ended with it levitating itself lower towards the ground above Hydranoid and Abis.

Raptorix: 800 Daedalus Abis Omega: 900

Alpha Hydranoid: 900

"I'd hate to be called hasty, but against such adversaries such as yourselves, I believe this calls for appropriate actions." Cyrus didn't waste a second as his Bakumeter expressed his ability. "Ability, activate! Violent Razor!"

Raptorix's wings lengthened to even longer points with finer, sharper edging, along with every nail and claw on his body. He braced himself as he suddenly beelined for Hydranoid and Abis head on.

"Heads up!" Luke and Alice shouted.

Abis and Hydranoid watched the swift Raptorix draw closer, before he suddenly disappeared.

'He's fast.' Luke glanced around, catching onto the idea of what might happen. "…Abis!"

Catching Luke's intuition, Abis' orange eyes glanced behind, seeing Raptorix as per his suspicions. The Bakugan closed in to slash at him.

Raptorix: 800 Daedalus Abis Omega: 900 (-400) = 500

Alpha Hydranoid: 900

Raptorix violently rushed for Abis with his back turned, and the serpent was well aware using his tail to guard would lead to cuts and gashes. He slipped around and avoided a lethal slash, his huge body making funnels of coils that left Raptorix in disarray. The Bakugan jumped skywards before dropping back down like a bomb.

"Not so fast!" Alpha Hydranoid got between Abis and their bad company.

"Ability, activate!" Alice shouted. "Saw Demolition!"

Hydranoid's stomach sawblade began churning at a rapid pace, shredding up even air. Raptorix's claws violently sliced into the spikes, but was intercepted when the saw's force was chipping away at his sharpened nails. The hydra remained undeterred at his opponent's efforts.

Raptorix: 800 (-200) = 600 Daedalus Abis Omega: 500 (+400) = 900

Alpha Hydranoid: 900 (+200) = 1100

"Is that the best you've got?!" Hydranoid followed up by reeling his three large tails around, but Raptorix backpedaled to avoid the spiked ends. Hydranoid turned around and gave a snarl at the dark menace before him.

"I see you're as determined as last time. How suiting, but also frivolous." Cyrus held up another ability. "Ability activate, Camo Immersion!"

The he around Raptorix gradually darkened, like a bleak fog that he started blending into. Hydranoid and Abis got on guard as their opponent camouflaged himself all too well.

Raptorix: 600 (+300) = 900 Daedalus Abis Omega: 900

Alpha Hydranoid: 1100

"Where is he…?" Alice questioned. She looked left and right, but no sign of Raptorix from anywhere.

Luke silently glanced around, but he picked up on one seldom place: Above. With audible gasp, he looked skywards. "Above us!"

Abis and Hydranoid looked up from Luke's warning and saw Raptorix's faded figure fly straight down onto them. The creature shrieked as he drew in towards Hydranoid, but the hydra snapped his jaws at him to deter its course. Raptorix glided backwards and faded into the surroundings yet again. Hydranoid was blindsided by Raptorix suddenly appearing behind, outdoing his six eyes.

"Look out!" Alice shouted.

"Ability, activate! Hydrair Tornado!" Luke countered.

Abis let out an earsplitting shriek before he swung his tail around, coated in a thick helix of dense blue water. The water tornado was swatted and stretched its way towards Raptorix, who was about to attack Hydranoid's backside when the tornado engulfed him.

Submerged into the wake, Raptorix screeched out in angst as he was unable to escape it pull. Abis continued swinging his tail, projecting the water blast and Raptorix into the nearest building's energy grid. The impact splashed water and continued pinning the Darkus Bakugan with such heavy force.

Raptorix: 900 (-300 -500) = 100 Daedalus Abis Omega: 900

Alpha Hydranoid: 1100

The drowning vortex kept Raptorix from going anywhere, and the water sprayed like rain around Cyrus. For the most part he seemed undeterred by this counterattack.

"Thank you both." Alice smiled.

"Yeah, don't mention it." Luke replied.

"Hurry, while we still have him pinned down!" Abis exclaimed.

Alice nodded. "Right. Ability, activate! Indigo Nightmare!" Hydranoid's three mouths opened wide and charged up swirling black and purple energy within his maws. His power level increased to 1400 as he closed his mouths briefly, before opening and spewing black and purple streams at the water cyclone's end.

Cyrus sneered. "Perhaps we should hurry this along." He saw the attack streaming too fast to have his Bakugan dodge. "Ability, activate! Diablo-X!"

The three dark beams closed in at alarming velocities into the aquatic tornado. Suddenly, a dark pulse broke through the water, dispersing that as well as Hydranoid's attack. The shockwaves of the rising pillar of energy erupted skywards, echoing loudly for them to know it was all shaking. Hydranoid and Abis braced themselves as these shockwaves past them, causing them to hold their ground.

"Here it comes!" Luke warned. He brought out his sword and pulled the switch at the last second. The blue energy came out and he plunged it into the ground. Alice grabbed onto him and got behind just as the shockwaves finally reached them. Debris and dark matter erupted throughout the area.

Raptorix: 100 (+1500) = 1600 Daedalus Abis Omega: 900

Alpha Hydranoid: 1400

A pillar of dark matter escalated drastically as the silhouette of Raptorix hollered madly. His bloodcurdling cries sent shivers down spines to all who heard it. Cyrus stood beneath with a grueling smirk of pleasure.

The dark matter's shockwaves were rebuffing everything, but Luke held firmly to his sword as an anchor and refused to move.

But the plumage was too great to thoroughly avoid for some in the area. Hydranoid and Abis were able to power through just fine thanks to their strong resistance and stamina. Something like this wouldn't trifle with them so easily. However, the shockwaves were reaching beyond them, knocking the trash bins and bags over that the kid from before used as cover.

"Ah! AAAAHHH!" The child panic on his knees, curling over to cover his head.

Luke glanced over, his shock on his face. 'That kid from before!' He saw that the kid was going to get blown away. They had to act, and quick! "Abis!"

Glancing to where the kid was, the serpent realized the danger he was put in. He streamed after him and started concealing the kid in large coils to create a large wall to shield him from the dark pulses. He positioned himself so his head armor faced the front to shield from any debris that would be blowing their way.

"Make sure he's safe!" Luke shouted. "Alice, we have to stop them!"

Opening an eye, Alice nodded. "Yeah, you're right." She reached down towards the ground. "Gate Card, open! Ring Zero!"

The Gate Card shined brightly beneath, giving off a ray that froze everything around them. Time seemingly stopped around the dark pillar that bloomed, and yet the figment that was inside could be seen visibly. With time at a standstill for the attack, its loss of momentum made it disperse quickly, leaving Raptorix paralyzed in midflight.

"Now, you're just target practice for us!" Hydranoid shouted.

"Hydranoid, keep Raptorix occupied!" Alice directed.

The three-headed hydra spread his wings and went barreling into Raptorix. He swung his tails around, knocking the immobilized Bakugan over. He raised his red-claws foot and stomped on his chest, pinning him into the ground with a screech. Raptorix still couldn't move, leaving him at Hydranoid's mercy as he pressed as hard as he could, completely crushing what life was possible out of their opponent.

"You fakes will never learn, will you?" Hydranoid said. "As long as there's a puff breath…" another head took over. "We real Bakugan will never let you walk away unscathed!"

"Interesting…" Cyrus kept his focus on the battle, but he couldn't help but notice the two battlers separating. Knowing their motives, Cyrus could only offer condolences.

"Abis!" Luke's shout as he ran over alarmed the serpent. Luke reached up to one of Abis' tails that swung over and picked himself up over his coils shielding the kid. The tail dipped inwards, making Luke drop and look down on the frightened and dazed individual.

With the kid still frightened and curled up, Luke knew he had to be gentle. "Hey…you're not hurt, are you?"

"S-Stay back…stay away…" The kid mumbled, cowering with eyes shut. "Please…just make it stop…"

Luke stepped forward. "Yeah, I know. That's what we're trying to do. Listen, you wanna get back to your mother, right?"

The kid shivered. "Yeah…"

Luke lowered his head. "Okay, then you're going to have to trust me this one time."

The kid was hesitant.

"I know it's hard, trusting someone you don't know. You probably think we're here to bring your world down. But listen, there's a bigger fight out there right now, and I want to make sure as many people can get through it. Understand? So just this once…" He reached his hand out. "Let me try and help you."

The kid looked at Luke's hand, unsure of what to say, let alone think at the moment. He pondered about something that brought him back to earlier.

"So you're…not here to destroy our kind?"

Luke shook his head. "No, not exactly. We're here to change, not destroy, just like Riaan has been doing to us. We're not like him, we'll prove it if we must. Tell me, where do you live?"

"Um…ummm…" He looked at Luke intently, unsure of how to answer. He glanced away sheepishly. "Like…a couple blocks over…?"

"Look, until we try and fix things for as many people as possible, just stay low. I'll come back for you."

The kid swallowed a lump. He was genuinely nervous at what Luke insisted on. But he didn't have a choice in the matter. He hastily moved towards the trash can again, cowering behind.

"Good, just stay hidden…we don't wanna bring anyone into this mess."

The kid remained unsound, but remembering Luke's words and how he was so sure, it left him at an odd calm. He didn't know who to trust. Was he the bad guy, or was there an even greater threat that Riaan didn't tell them of? It was hard to understand. But for now, this guy was offering to lend him some aid. The least he could do was give it a shot.

He hesitated, but gradually. His hand soon made reach with Luke's. He swallowed a lump. "Just…make me see my Mom again."

"We will. Just stay close."

Raptorix struggled beneath Alpha Hydranoid so much that the three heads snapped down, completely pinning the wrists and neck. The sharp fangs were enough to pierce through flesh, Raptorix found itself unable to resist with Hydranoid's jaws trapped around it.

"Keep him down, Hydranoid…" Alice glared.

Seeing his Bakugan at the hydra's mercy, it was watching a maim fest. Hydranoid's teeth clutched tighter, seemingly gripping the jugular. Cyrus was enjoying just a show, but he'd rather not be on the receiving end. He held up his Bakumeter, showing an ability. "Ability, activate! Territory Hazard!"

As Raptorix struggled and wriggled with little effort, its body secreted a dark hue that raced across the Gate Card. It seemed through, causing the brightness it once had to disappear. With the Gate Card's luster drained, there was a feedback in Raptorix that gave him a Darkus outline.

Raptorix: 100 (+1500 +300) = 1900 Daedalus Abis Omega: 900

Alpha Hydranoid: 1400

"He nullified the Gate Card!" Alice realized. 'Then, that also means…'

Hydranoid's six eyes widened. As he kept hold, he felt Raptorix's body getting hot, teeming with excess power. The creature kicked up its feet and stamped Hydranoid's spikes, surprisingly making him gag and reel back. Raptorix hollered as his wings extended, giving Hydranoid a voracious snarl before screeching. He shot after him, heading straight for the heads.

As he glided over, Hydranoid's heads snapped their maws again, but Raptorix glided right past him and straight over.

"Huh?" Hydranoid looked back, seeing where Raptorix was aiming for.

"Luke! Heads up!" Alice screamed.

Luke heard Alice's outcry and turned around. "Hey kid, hang onto me!"

The kid did as told and held onto Luke. He did so just in time before Abis' coils undid themselves and his armored head whipped around and picked up Luke and the kid second before Raptorix could rush them. The coils broken, Raptorix glided up the nearest building's side until he reached a high enough point. Abis glared upwards while Luke held onto the two diamond spikes on his head. The kid clutched his waist tightly with his arms and eyes kept tightly shut.

"Everyone, hold on!" he roared. "It's gonna be a bumpy ride!"

Raptorix's boy emulated a harsh magenta and black aura as he screeched out, making distorted dark ripples equivalent to that. Abis reciprocated with a roar of his own. The Darkus Bakugan beelined in a divebomb slash that Abis was quick to maneuver up from. The ground where he stood depressed and tore up concrete. Having ascended to such heights so rapidly, he looked down, seeing Raptorix chase after him again. This time when the Bakugan went straight up, Abis arched around in a 270 Degrees turn. Luke and the kid held on for their lives while Abis' tight turn directed them into a tag away.

Raptorix chased after Abis, but the Bakugan turned around suddenly and met Raptorix's claws. He snapped down harshly, biting into the nails and hand to keep him at bay.

"Hang onto Abis' fin, alright? He won't move, I promise!" Luke instructed.

The kid let go and quickly sized the armored dorsal fin atop the head.

Luke held up his energy sword and let out a violent cry. With Raptorix immobilized, he lunged across the domain, where he violently slashed at Raptorix's face with the blue energy blade, causing the Bakugan to release a strong cry of angst.

Cyrus raised a brow. "Well, well…"

Barely looking at it in sheer shock. The kid couldn't believe what he saw.

Raptorix angrily slashed at Luke with his other claw, but even in midair, Luke successfully parried using his blade. But Raptorix still followed through and Luke went flying back towards Abis. Abis raised his long body and caught Luke.

"Abis, now!" Luke roared. Ability, activate! Flood Quasar!"

Abis' maw opened wide with deep blue energy, engulfing Raptorix's hand and working its way up towards the face. The Bakugan had no chance when a deep blue beam engulfed its entire body, sending it beaming towards the ground in a vicious screech that was muted by Abis' bellows.

Raptorix: 1900 (-1100) = 800 Daedalus Abis Omega: 900 (+500) = 1400

Alpha Hydranoid: 1400

The blue beam ate away at Raptorix in midair, causing the Bakugan to ultimately lose its momentum and plunder towards the ground below. He crashed down in a smoking blue mess in front of Cyrus, making a powerful eruption of earth and tremors that rattled about.

With their opponent in a smoking shamble, Abis swiftly descended in an arch and dropped down Luke, who held onto the kid. They regrouped with Alice and Hydranoid on the ground.

"Is the kid okay?" Alice asked.

"Yeah." Luke looked down at the boy at his waist. "He's okay."

Hydranoid and Abis sneered into the dust cloud, watching it dissipate. However, the only figment that was seen was none other than Cyrus. He looked dull, for a lack of better word. "How intrusively persistent you both are." He grimaced.

Luke and Alice frowned with their guards up. They guarded the child, who looked fearfully at Cyrus.

"You should both be more mindful of yourselves. You strike fear even to those whom aren't supposed to be dragged into this matter. Why, if I were that child, I wouldn't blame him for being terrified to trust…such an underrated term indeed."

Luke balled his fists. "Be quiet!"

"Well, no matter. Soon enough I'll make you realize your fears and places yet again. After all, a fearful animal is one who snaps the hardest when in a corner. Let's see where I can corner you, shall we?" He held up an ability…a forbidden one at that. "Ability, activate…Alpha-X!"

BA-DUMP!

The atmosphere thickened with an immense signature of negative energy. Luke and Alice remained undeterred while the kid's heart stopped. His face paled as his Interacian blood seemed to have stopped moving through his system. He couldn't even breathe.

'Wha…what is…'

Suddenly, the air pulse darkness around the area where Raptorix crashed down. The Bakugan's frame gradually risen up again, this time fuming in a dark energy so thick that it was hardly recognizable. His muscles tensed up as he growled ferally. His frame bulged with veins as an inferno of darkness and magenta expelled from his frame. It was becoming too much that it was like staring down a hemisphere with a demon in the middle of it.

Raptorix unleashed a vibrant cry, one so brutal that the air rippled with dark matter yet again right over Hydranoid and Abis' heads.

Raptorix: 800 (+2800) = 3600 Daedalus Abis Omega: 1400

Alpha Hydranoid: 1400

The shockwaves of the attack raged about madly. Hydranoid grunted as stood his ground, as did Abis, who coiled up to deter some of the dark matter pulsing into them. Luke and Alice held firm while shielding the kid.

Cyrus nonchalantly smirked as he watched their reactions with glee. "Now…I believe this calls for some extra assurance." He began typing into his Bakumeter, ringing up a sequence through a series of buttons.

"Ready, Hellix."

Dark purple material congregated to a single point. Cyrus aimed it with the dark purple tracks at his Bakugan and paused. "Now…Mobile Assault Vehicle, launch!" He launched the Hellix, where it flung across the atmosphere an attached to Raptorix.

A dark purple glow blinded everyone for a moment before it ascended into the skies above. The demonic rays channeled into a formation of wings, claws, and a bottom. Until finally, Raptorix's Hellix was assembled and enclosed his body. As shrieked outwards, his power level increased towards 3800.

Alice's eyes widened. "Is that…?"

"His Mobile Assault Vehicle." Luke grimaced. It was just as deadly as he remembered it being.

Hydranoid and Abis grunted, knowing they had to be extremely careful with this Bakugan now.

"I would love to throw you all a bone…but I have less of a care than I do of your petty interests of saving your skins." Cyrus showed an ability. Ability, activate! Bedlam End!"

The massive gauntlets spread out evenly, making the open holes in the palms shine and create a ball of raw dark matter that gradually ascertained pressure. The dark matter eventually was pushed into the sky, where it was propelled to a high enough point and disappeared. Before long, a huge dark flash appeared in the sky and came searing down a broad, dark beam.

"Watch out!" Luke shouted.

Raptorix: 3800 (+1000) = 4800 Daedalus Abis Omega: 1400 (-500) = 900

Alpha Hydranoid: 1400 (-500) = 900

The jettisoning ray came down drastically, where the air roared at its monstrous wake becoming all too much. Hydranoid and Abis readied as they glared ahead.

"Ability, activate!" Alice shouted. "Death Trident!"

Hydranoid opened his three maws and generated white, indigo, and dark purple energy orbs that he fired up towards the oncoming energy beam. They soared straight up the middle, where they bolstered into its terrifying wake, making it shoot around the orbs and into the Bakugan in multiple beams.

Raptorix: 4800 (-300) = 4500 Daedalus Abis Omega: 900

Alpha Hydranoid: 900

The beams drew closer, but Cyrus refused to be done yet. "I will…eradicate you into fearful submission. Ability activate, Diablo-X!"

A dark core appeared on Raptorix, which diffused easily into his frame. That's when another pulse ran through its already augmented system and caused it to unleash a broad, unintelligent shriek of terror. The intensified energy went into the attack, causing the severed beams to multiply once again into several glints that erupted to one large beam yet again. His power bolted higher than ever towards 6000.

The kid holding onto Luke's waist looked up, seeing the dark doom heading their way. He was so scared that he could've sworn his life flashed before his eyes. He was petrified. He couldn't even move.

"Kid."

The kid looked up again, seeing Luke look ahead without batting an eyelash. "Just stay calm, alright…we can handle this."

"M-Mister…" The kid clutched him tighter. For some reason, looking at Luke and his confident glare left him a little more at ease.

Luke glared upwards. "Alice…"

She nodded. "I understand, let's go."

Together, they readied their abilities just as the beam drew closer. "Ability, activate!" Both shouted.

"Hydrias Impact!"

"Chaos Armageddon!"

Abis and Hydranoid's maws opened wide, channeling dense blue and black energy; purple in Hydranoid's case. The demonic heads attached to the metal chords on the underside of the wings slicked out and opened out, charging up that same energy in split seconds.

At the same time, both Bakugan unleashed bolstering blast waves that exploded across the ground. The ground tore to shreds as a roaring, deep blue beam and nine various beams sped skywards and combined into one humungous violet, liquid beam with swirling black energy. It bored a hole and pressurized Raptorix's attack like it didn't even exist and kept going, heading right towards the Bakugan.

Cyrus frowned at the violet stream's glow getting closer.

"Now try this!" Luke added. "Fusion Ability, Poseidon Surge!"

As Abis kept unleashing his attack, his eyes glowed brighter, along with the gills and diamonds over his body. His maw opened wider, causing a surge of dense liquid to give the attack an even greater spin. It caused it s velocity to rampage and nearly double in size. The darkness that Raptorix was engulfed in and had around was torn wide open before the violet whirlpool blast ultimately blinded it, then seared through the skies at breakneck records. It pulsated so brutally that it swelled into several other Bakugan that were far away, enveloping them and making them dissipate into ball forms or oblivion.

Raptorix: 6000 (-1500 -1000 -600 -600) = 2300 Daedalus Abis Omega: 900 (+500 +600 +500) = 2500

Alpha Hydranoid: 900 (+500 +600) = 2000

The violet wake of the force combined by Hydranoid and Abis was too much that it caused Raptorix to reel back in the high altitude. The Hellix and his dark matter couldn't take anymore until the beam fully exploded upon them. The force made the air repulse all the negative energy and make the ground shudder. It diced apart, whereas the energy grids around brightened with the excess energy pushing into it.

Luke and Alice were steadfast through it all, while the kid remained holding onto Luke for the duration of the explosion. Cyrus used a forearm and shielded himself until it dissipated.

As the violet energy dissipated, Raptorix came down in his ball form, dropping in front of Cyrus as he looked at it with a straight face.

Cyrus: 60%

"Woah…" The kid awed. All that fear he felt before was momentarily wiped away by sheer awe at what he witnessed.

Abis and Hydranoid glared forward, steam dissipating from their mouths before they reverted to ball form together. They returned to Luke and Alice as they leered at Cyrus.

The leader of Hades Pillars nonchalantly went and picked up his Bakugan. "Most impressive…but it seems that you were rather delayed there with that reaction. Can it be that I've prescribed about your fear has motivated you? If so, you'll wear yourselves down that much faster."

"Hey." Luke paused. "For once, will you just shut your mouth about fear? Look, we get it, fear is what drives you back, but it's also what's pushing you forward. Don't you think that you're contradicting yourself right now?"

"Luke…" Alice muttered.

"I've been there, and at this point I'm through. You can talk about fear as much as you want, but that won't stop me. It may what got Maximus, but it won't work on me anymore." He held up his sword, glaring intensely without hesitation. "So Cyrus, if you wanna keep talking so much about why fearing you is so important, why don't you show us instead of running your mouth?"

The air went completely silent between the two sides. Luke and Alice stared deadest on staring Cyrus in his frowning face. What Luke said genuinely struck a chord in the Darkus battler. The kid on the other hand was standing behind with an honest and god smacked expression. Words could not express how anyone felt right now. It was a mixture of bravery, admiration, and one could even say stupidity.

Cyrus closed his eyes, processing what Luke said. "…very well then…but know this…" His eyes opened, making the hue around them suddenly blacken more. An aura that was so powerful, so foul, expelled from his body that it was like a bloody whirlwind that made their attires flap in its wake. They gritted their teeth as they faced down this shrewd, hellish visage of Cyrus. "You will know suppression until it drowns you in its wake!"

In the lab, Spectra was working with Mira the best they could to configure the data they've been able to process and isolate. With Keegan and Gus on the backburners, they could only watch as the brother and sister combo were working diligently to get the job done.

"They sure are taking their sweet time." Keegan nonchalantly spoke. He didn't get a response as everyone was working. He turned towards Gus. "How's your arm doing?"

Gus looked down at his arm, seeing it still in the casket. The wound Zion inflicted yesterday still stung. "Hmph, it's fine. I'll be ready in no time." He chided. "Personally, I consider myself lucky to have gotten just this. But it seems Hades Pillars is as big as a threat than what we realized."

"I hear that." Keegan paused, pondering about his allies and the current broadcast happening over their Bakumeters. 'Knowing them they're probably going toe-to-toe with those abominations. Wonder how they're doing?'

Spectra and Mira's screens continued surging DNA strands until more red margins came up. Their faces frowned in disappointment.

"Tch!"

"No good. It's not enough for what we need." Mira grimaced.

"What's up now?" Keegan questioned.

Spectra turned towards them. "The forbidden energy that we've been splicing and modifying with vaccination is showing signs of purity for the most part. However, with how far Riaan has taken his genome evolutions, the current data we have isn't enough."

Keegan raised a brow. "Okay, so then what? We need a stronger forbidden energy signature to work off of?"

"That's one solution, sure." Mira looked At the screen where Julie's broadcast was taking place. She could see the many battles happening right now. "However, we fear that it might be too late. And we haven't heard back if they were able to reach the lab yet in Solaris for the data. I'm starting to fear for the worst…"

"Don't lose hope just yet, Mira. Calm yourself and think for a moment." Spectra insisted. "Now listen, Dan and the Brawlers may have failed before, but Luke and his comrades have given us a new light on the situation. We must use that light's strength, and reach for it. Where there's a will, there must be a way."

Mira softly smiled. "Yes, you're right, Keith."

BEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEPBEEP!

The lab's monitors started flickering showing icons of signatures and wavelengths. Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned towards the screens along the wall.

"What's this? There's some kind of a signal that we're getting!" Mira typed furiously on the keyboards to decode it. The screens were moving fast, to which she was deciphering.

"What's it say, exactly?" Spectra asked.

Mira frowned. She kept detailing what it was, but it looked like the signal was incoming directly towards them. "It looks like there's something happening that the dimensional portal is reacting on the lower level."

"Someone breaching us through a transport?" Keegan questioned.

Spectra immediately walked towards the back of the lab, where the elevator would take them to the lower flooring. "We'll have to hurry. It could end up being Riaan's reinforcements blindsiding us from a new angle. Better safe than sorry. Gus."

"Don't worry, Master Spectra. I'm coming." Even with one good arm, Gus could still walk, and at the very least use Vulcan by throwing with his other arm.

Everyone hurried along towards the lower level dimensional gateway. In the large domain that it took up on the far end of said room, the three Vestals and one Interacian saw the dimensional distortion happening inside of it as it activated on its own. They were steadfast in what it could possibly be.

"Wonder what it is?" Keegan pondered.

"We're not sure, but the signal shot right out of nowhere." Mira explained. She frowned heavily. 'It didn't even have an origin base on it. It could have been from Vestal for all we know. Could it be another outside force in the works?'

Gus perked up. "Get ready. I see our company."

They all braced themselves as they awaited for the dimensional portal's recipients. Slowly, figures walked on through, standing firmly along the upper stairway that encompassed the portal's size. As they stepped out, they said nothing as they were met with stunned expression by everyone present.

Gus' eyes widened. "Wait…aren't you-?!"

"Why are you all here?" Mira harshly questioned.

"…"

Spectra gave the figures a stern glare. He didn't know what to say as well, but for some reason, he had a feeling of why they were here. But he chose to keep it under wraps as he stepped towards them. "Well now…this is a surprise. How do we owe the pleasure?"

The main figure frowned, giving Spectra a serious eye. This came down to serious business.

2 weeks it took me to write this. 2 weeks. It should have taken me 1 week, but Writer's Block is getting me really bad these days, and I mean bad. Normally my fight scenes would have a consistent image when a battle ensues, but lately I've been all over the place with what sources I've been using. Monster Hunter World (hence Hydranoid's moment suppressing Raptorix), My Hero Academia, and trying to imagine it in real-life CGI just all over the place. Not to mention imagining it in manga format and Mystery Dungeon format as well with dialogue outside of battles. But in all seriousness, it's starting to really hurt me trying to keep up an epic level while trying to be consistent with the high standards.

This chapter, you'd probably expect them to be sweeping Hades Pillars, and technically they are, but rather than completely overpower them, I wanna show off their abilities above all else, hence why their ranges by the end were still below 3000 Gs.

Next chapter, I'll be sure to wrap up what I can in Solaris. Though with how I'm feeling with this "Writer's Image" I'm having being inconsistent, it'll have to wait. I'll hop over to some of my other stories for a short while just so I'll feel refreshed when getting back to this. Hope to hear good things! Thanks for the support everyone!