Note: I might take a while to update.

Disclaimer: I Zatch Bell own not.

Chapter Three: A Forced Battle

A big view of the desert confronted Tanio. There was a sandstorm in the distance.

"Hey kid," said a soldier. He had short, unruly brown hair and brown eyes. He knelt down besides Tanio. "What are you doing up here on the lookout fortress?"

"I'm trying to get a good look at this world," replied Tanio absent-mindedly.

"Well, this is a cruel world," said the soldier. "We might get attacked anytime. If you value your life, go back to the city. We will ensure your safety."

Tanio nodded and walked back towards home. A cluster of tall buildings greeted him. What a boring place this is. It's either a desert of sand, or a desert of concrete. Sean's at school, training to become a soldier. I guess farming is the only thing to do.

"Hello, Tanio, would you mind helping me water the crops?" asked Sean's mother. Tanio looked up from his daze. Somehow, he had wandered into the farm.

"Uh... sure." He took a sprinkler and got to work.

"This place is so boring. I'm going to the beach," said Tanio as he walked towards the beach. "I wonder where's Sean. He should be dismissed by now."

"GOTCHA!"

Two hands grabbed Tanio by his chest.

"Hey, who are you? Let me go!" said Tanio. He glared at his kidnapper. It was a 14-year-old boy with spiky black hair, brown eyes, and a robot body with a red crystal at the center. How much worse can it be? I haven't even burned a single book and now I'm kidnapped.

"We will not resort to violence if you peacefully tell us where your spell book is," said a 15-year-old boy, walking up to them, holding a glowing blue book. He had short, unruly brown hair and brown eyes.

Tanio let out a gasp. He's that soldier from this morning.

"Hey, aren't you the soldier from this morning?" screamed Tanio, struggling in the mamodo's grasp. "We don't have to fight. We both want to make this world a safer place, so there can be an understanding between us!"

The mamodo holding Tanio merely laughed. "How can a weakling like you have the power to improve the world? Maybe it would be better if we just send you home."

"Well, even if I'm weak now, I can become stronger," said Tanio. There was a pause and the book owner and mamodo exchanged glances.

The mamodo gently put Tanio down.

"You pass the test," said the book owner.

"What test?"

"We were trying to see whether or not you are evil," replied the mamodo.

"Well you weren't acting very nice a few moments ago," said Tanio as he backed away.

"My name is Goruji," said the robot-bodied mamodo. Then, he glanced at his teenage book owner. "This is my book keeper, Keklin." There was a brief pause.

"Tanio, will you battle us?" asked the book owner Keklin as his blue book began glowing.

"Tanio, take the challenge!" said a voice. "We can use this chance to train." Tanio turned around to see Sean running towards him, holding a glowing pink book.

"Right. I accept," said Tanio solemnly. Goruji put on his helmet. His eyes were covered by a pink visor.

"I'll start," said Keklin. "Aruushi." Goruji fired a red beam of laser from the red crystal on his stomach.

"Zakeru."

The lightning from Tanio's mouth missed the laser and hit Goruji. There was a yell, and Sean turned to look a sizzling wound on Tanio's stomach.

"You will pay for that!" said Goruji, staggering from the blow. "Keklin!"

"Aruushi."

"Zakeru." The two spells canceled each other out, but signs of fatigue were evident on Sean.

"Zakeru!"

"Aruushieldo." Goruji smirked and produced a transparent red barrier in front of him. The lightning bolt hit the shield and disappeared.

"They used a shield on us," said Sean, panting. He closed his book. "It's no use, Tanio. We have to run."

Tanio shook his head and ignored them. He turned to Keklin. "Why must we fight? We both want to make the world a more peaceful place. We have an understanding of each other, so please stop fighting!"

"What the hell," said Keklin. "If you have the power to stop this mess, then defeat us first. There can only be one king! Aruushi!"

"There are no such things as friends in this battle," said Goruji as a beam of laser shot from his stomach. "Everyone is everyone's enemy. Only the most powerful mamodo deserves to win." Tanio shook in rage as the laser approached him.

"There is a reason why the battle was created," yelled Keklin. "So we can fight!"

Tanio leapt from the laser's path, but he was knocked back by the explosion.

"Tanio, we have to run," said Sean as he turned tail.

"No, Sean. We stay," said Tanio as he slowly pulled himself up. "If this guy wants a fight, he gets one!"

Sean paused, but he couldn't help smiling. All of a sudden, the book began emitting a bright pink color.

"Our book is glowing!" said Sean excitedly.

"This can't be good," said Keklin.

"A new spell appeared," said Sean.

"This doesn't change anything. It's time to end this," said Keklin, flipping his blue book to another page. "Our third spell, Zon Aruushidon!"

"Take this, weakling!" Goruji's chest opened up and three missiles were fired at Tanio.

"Time to see what this does," said Sean. "The second spell, Ma Seshieldo!" Tanio produced an orange circular shield. There was a giant orange orb and a lightning pattern at the center of the shield.

The three missiles collided with the shield, making noticeable cracks on it. Tanio powered the shield with all his energy.

"C'mon!" said Sean as he poured more energy into the spell. Tanio also was struggling. "We can do this, Tanio. We can't lose!" A few moments later, there was a loud explosion. Sean and Tanio were thrown backward.

"Did we... win?" asked Sean as he sat up with difficulty. When the smoke cleared, their opponents were gone.

"They... ran?" said Sean. He looked around and discovered Tanio lying unconscious next to him.

"Oh well," said Sean as he smiled. "At least we won."

Note: I really like to animate and all that but... It's Just Too Hard!!! Darn, all the anime artists really need patience. Anyway, continue submitting mamodos! They're good... well, great. And Blighter: Please excuse my treating Goruji as a bad guy, but when I read the spells you gave him, I figured that he is a very strong mamodo, and a very strong mamodo teaming up with Tanio would mean that the good guys would win instantly. I wouldn't want that to happen, so I gave his personality a twist. :P