Hikaru fought to keep going as the waves of darkness washed over her. The pulses were more frequent and stronger now – L-Drago must need a lot of extra power. I don't think I can keep this up for much longer…
A cool touch brushed against her mind, startling her awake. Aquario? Hikaru looked around, but she saw no change to the darkness. No change except for the pinprick of light that was shining above her head.
Light? It's been so long since I've seen light…Hikaru thought wistfully. Suddenly a thought flashed through her mind – light could mean escape, if she could reach it. If. Hikaru stared at the light sadly. The light couldn't have seemed farther away if it were the sun and she at the bottom of the ocean. There was no way she could reach it in her weakened state, was there?
A cheerful, friendly aura suddenly enveloped Hikaru, an aura that reminded her of babbling brooks and rushing rivers and an old friend. Aquario! Hikaru shouted. Hikaru! Aquario cheered back. I've finally found you!
Hikaru laughed. She couldn't help it. Just when she thought it was all over, she had been given a second chance. Hikaru pointed up towards the light. Think you can give me a boost? She asked.
Don't insult me, Aquario teased jokingly. The water-spirit wrapped around its blader, and soon Hikaru was rising on a current straight to the surface.
Tsubasa struggled to regain control as the darkness tossed him back and forth. L-Drago must need more power – he was being ripped at and shredded more violently than usual. Torturing more opponents again? Eagle and I should have stopped him while we still had the chance…
Something soft brushed against Tsubasa's mind, cooling his fevered brow. Eagle? Tsubasa glanced around for his partner, but saw nothing new except for a pinpoint of light shining above his head like a single star.
Light? How'd that get here? Tsubasa wondered. Briefly he wondered if it might lead to escape. He put the thought out of his head. Yeah right. Even if it did lead out, there was no way he could escape this maelstrom he was trapped in.
Yet even as he thought that, Tsubasa found himself slowing down. The claws and talons that had been attacking him earlier faded away, to be replaced by soft feathers brushing over his wounds. Tsubasa almost couldn't bring himself to look up, in case he had finally snapped and was just imagining the whole thing. Eagle?
Tsubasa, Eagle replied. I've missed you so much.
Tsubasa embraced his partner tightly. Me too, he choked out. Me too.
It was a while before Tsubasa disentangled himself to look at the star shining above their heads. Should we?
Anywhere is better than here, his partner replied. Tsubasa nodded and wrapped his arms around the eagle-spirit's neck before hopping onto its back. Soon bey spirit and blader were soaring up towards the light.
Kyoya resisted the whirling darkness as best he could. The tornado around him had grown in intensity – that must mean L-Drago needed more power. My partner is Rock Leone. My name is Kyoya Tategami. And I honestly don't know how much longer I can fight off the darkness like this…
Something gentle brushed against Kyoya's mind, lifting the fog from his thoughts. Leone? Kyoya looked around, but there was nothing new except for a light shining above his head. It reminded him of how the moon looked from the bottom of Wolf Canyon.
Light…Why is there light down here? Kyoya wondered. Maybe if he could reach the light, he could get out of here. Except for the fact that it took all of his strength to keep from going crazy in this crazy place, and he couldn't risk losing himself to the darkness. When he had snapped in Wolf Canyon, Gingka and his friends had brought him back to his senses. If Kyoya snapped here, who would save him then?
He heard something. To the untrained ear nothing had changed, but Kyoya recognized the sound of a tornado unraveling. The screams of tormented souls faded away, to be replaced by a low comforting rumble that he had known since childhood. Kyoya threw himself onto Leone and buried his face in its mane. I knew you'd come, Leone. I knew it.
Leone gently nuzzled its blader. I know you did.
Kyoya swung himself onto Leone's shoulders like he had practiced a thousand times. Above them the light shone as brightly as a full moon. You know what to do here, Leone.
The lion-spirit didn't waste time replying. It just dug in its claws and raced towards the light, Kyoya riding high on its back.