Fall in the Fires, Rise from the Ashes.
Chapter 19: Do or Die.
The crowd's cheering could be heard dimly in the locker rooms. However, the occupants of the room paid no heed to the sounds as a thick aura of tension was clinging to the atmosphere of the room. None of the five boys were meeting gazes and had their eyes fixed on the man in front of them who was talking in a cold voice, filling their minds with poison.
"You will show no mercy in the battle...or I'll show no mercy if you lose. You will steal their bit-beasts just as I have ordered you to. They are very valuable for our facility. If you fail to do you, I will personally make sure that you'd wish you had never been born. Trap them...corner them...as if they're your preys. Give them no chance to catch themselves while you attack them. And you..."
The man turned towards a blue haired boy, "You will use Black Dranzer or...you can kiss your chicken of a phoenix good bye."
The teen nodded curtly, his crimson eyes showing no emotion.
"Now then..." The man stepped towards the door, "Wait here, till you are told to come out."
With a loud bang, the door closed and locked behind the man who had just exited in the hall.
Inside the room, a red head turned to the blue haired teen, "Kai...you are not seriously thinking about following his orders, are you?"
Kai blinked as if in a trance before glancing at him, "Trust me Tala, I know what I have to do."
"But Kai..." A lilac haired teen spoke up, "You know you can't feed that much energy to Black Dranzer. You're taking a huge risk."
"I am forced to take risks all my life, Bryan." Kai gave a bitter smile to the fair blader.
Bryan opened his mouth to say something but decided against it.
This time, Ian broke the silence, "Well Kai..." Ian only used his team mates' real names when he was dead serious, "Whatever you do...we've got your back."
"Big phrase for you, kid!" Bryan ruffled Ian's hair.
Kai gave the smaller blader a ghost of a smile, "Thanks Ian."
"But in any case," Spencer met their gazes, "Be careful, Kai. I don't know what you're going to do...but don't do anything risky."
Bryan smirked from his place, "You should be saying, 'don't do anything stupid, Kai!"
Spencer gave a small smile, "Yeah, that too."
Kai sighed, "I wont. Stop worrying over me."
Tala pursed his lips. He didn't want Kai to participate in the battles. The teen's condition had been worsened ever since he had returned to the abbey, what with all the punishments and stuff. But he was still being reckless...for his team...his friends...his brothers. He had something special planned in his mind for today's match. Tala had no idea what it was but his instinct told him it wasn't good. He just hoped it wasn't too dangerous.
So the team waited in tense silence for their call.
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"AND NOW FOLKS! WE ONCE AGAIN FIND OURSELVES IN THE BEYBLADE BATTLE ARENA!" DJ Jazzman was going crazy over his micro-phone as he conducted the event.
"Boy, I can almost feel the beyblade's whizzing in my ears AJ!" Bradbest told the person sitting beside him, not bothering to bring his voice to a lower pitch as he almost yelled.
"Same here AJ! Man, is this match gonna be tense or what?! I bet, our audience are going head-over-heels just thinking about it!" Bradbest yelled back.
"Surprisingly people," Jazzman continued, this time in a somewhat reasonable voice, "This time, we have the Bladereakers fighting the Demolition Boys once more!"
At this, the crowd went wild with cheering and commenting on the upcoming tournament.
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"We don't want to take any risks unless absolutely necessary. Is that understood?" Mr Dickinson told his sub-ordinates.
"Yes sir." The man bowed his head.
"Good. All we have to do is to lead those boys as far away from Voltaire and Boris as possible before cornering those two. If all goes well, those boys will have a chance to live freely. If not...then I expect you to cover up any slip-ups. We can't lose those boys."
"Got it." The man nodded.
"However, if something goes wrong, know this...that Voltaire's hands have high approach to the law. He wont abide by our rules. That man has access to resources we can't even think of. He will do anything to keep his grandson in front of his eyes. Kai is very valuable for both, him and me. It's an unfortunate turn of events that I have to stand up against my old comrade." The old man's tone saddened.
"But sir, what if the boy wants to stay?" The officer questioned.
"No. This is a false assumption." Mr Dickinson shook his head, "Kai dislikes that abbey and that man just as much or maybe twice as much as we do. His hatred toward them is stronger than ours. And same goes for the rest of his team. Those boys are, no doubt, talented but mis-used...and mis-judged. To lead them to a better life, we have to do everything in our power."
"Understood."
"But...know this. By doing so, we are risking not only ourselves, but the lives of those boys as well. Who knows what they'll have to endure if we fail?! So be prepared for anything and handle this matter with care."
The uniformed man assured the elder of everything turning out as desired before leaving.
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"My lord?"
"Boris...I expect you have taken care of everything?" Voltaire regarded the man with cold eyes.
"Yes, my lord. Those boys know what to do. I have...taught them well." Boris had a menacing grin on his face.
"And...what about my grandson?" Voltaire's voice turned cold at the mention of the boy.
"He will do as he is told, sire." Boris assured, "After all...he has your blood, running through his veins. The same desire for power..." The man trailed off.
Voltaire's grip on the silver serpent head of his black cane tightened, "He'd better obey...or else. Make sure of it. If anything, I feel most waves of danger radiating from him, of all people. If anyone can harm me in anyway in this world, it's him. If he follows as I have ordered him, the world will once again revolve in my hands."
"Of course sir. The power of Black Dranzer is too strong for him to control. Once the beast controls him, he will have no choice but to succumb to it. And once he loses himself, he's all yours." Boris's voice turned malicious.
"If all goes according to our plan today, we will have more than just that. The other bit-beasts...and by combining them..." Voltaire's thoughts led him to the dark ideas...of everything he could do once he got his hands on all the sacred beasts.
"Things will run smoothly...I assure you my lord." Boris bowed low once more before departing. He had some...unfinished business to attend to.
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"Oh man! I can't wait to go there!" Tyson was jumping up and down.
"Let's just hope Kai listens to us." Max looked at the navy haired blader seriously.
"He'll have no other choice." Ray assured the blonde.
"You bet! I'll make him listen even if he doesn't want to."
"And how exactly are you gonna do that Tyson?"
"You just wait Maxie...wait and watch!" Tyson pumped his fist in the air.
Ray sighed, "We've got to give him a chance. Let's just face it guys, we need Kai back in our team as the captain. We're nothing but a bunch of teenagers without him. Drigger's stats have dropped ever since I haven't trained under his guidance."
"Yeah, same happened to Draciel." Max remembered.
Tyson lowered his head, "Well...guess that's true. We have to get him back at any cost."
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"Who'll go first?" Ian broke the thick silence like a formidable sin.
"Didn't Boris tell us?" Spencer looked around.
Bryan shook his head, "No, he didn't."
"Well...Tala is the leader so he'd know about it, right Tala?" Ian turned towards the red head.
Tala frowned, "I don't know..."
"We'll need to know who we're facing, first." Bryan pointed out.
"From what I know...Boris is saving Kai for last." Tala sighed.
All three gazes turned towards the blue-haired teen who was leaning against the wall in the farthest corner. He was a picture of calm and collected to anyone other than the occupants of the room. They couldn't miss the tension in his shoulders.
"Kai?" Ian carefully went over to the teen and prodded his arm.
Crimson eyes snapped open as Kai realized what was going on and looked at the boy beside him, "Hn?"
"Who are you gonna battle?" Ian's voice was filled with curiosity.
"I don't know Ian. It's not like it's up to me to decide." Kai brushed him off.
"But I thought you wanted to battle Tyson...or maybe Ray?" Ian remained where he was.
Kai sighed. He didn't want to deal with any human being present on the planet at the moment in a situation like this, "I don't care whoever it is. Leave me alone."
"Oh." Ian backed off.
Kai didn't want to say the last part but right now, he was too caught up in his mental turmoil, 'Fight...or surrender...No! I have to fight. But they're my friends too. But even if I fight...Dranzer...or Black Dranzer?! Dranzer is still in my pocket but the bitchip resting in my beyblade is her evil twin. If I use it...No! But If I don't use it...what will happen to Dranzer...and my team...and me?!'
Tala eyed the teen who's eyes were once again staring far off in space. 'Come on Kai...decide already!' He mentally reprimanded the boy. Why couldn't he figure out what to do?! Wasn't it clear?!
Making a decision, Tala went over to him, "Kai...we need to talk."
This was a signal for others to busy themselves while the red-head did some good mind therapy of their friend.
And so here they were, standing on the other side of the lockers, away from the rest of the team.
Tala placed his hands on both shoulders of the boy, forcing him to meet his gaze, despite the fact that he had continued staring at the plain floor, "Kai...look at me." His voice was calm.
Kai finally dared to look up. Inside his crimson eyes, Tala saw countless swirling emotions... anger... confusion... pain... frustration... fear... Fear? Kai was...afraid?!
"Kai, what is wrong with you? Why can't you decide what to do? I know it's not that easy as it might sound but come on! You know Dranzer is the only one who deserves to be spun by you." Tala raised his voice a bit, but not enough for the others to hear.
"Black Dranzer...is too strong." Kai swallowed before continuing, "I don't know what to do because...because I can't control it. And Dranzer is...You have no idea what Voltaire would do if I use Dranzer in this match. I don't want to win using Black Dranzer but..." Kai trailed off, not knowing what to say.
"You can control Black Dranzer. You're the only one who can do is Kai..." Tala looked him directly in the eyes.
"No! Don't you get it...I can't do this! If I lose control while battling...that thing would take over me! I'll be nothing but a desire for power then! There will be no way left for me to return!" Kai snapped at the red head.
'He's just a lost boy' Tala looked over at the teen in front of him before tightening his grip on his shoulders, "Kai...listen to me...you wont lose yourself there. Even if Black Dranzer takes over you...that's not who you are. You...are not evil. I believe in you...and I know that you're the purest person I have ever met."
"I'm...scared."
The barely audible voice clenched Tala's heart painfully and he pulled the teen in a tight embrace, "Nothing's gonna happen to you...don't worry...I'll keep an eye on you...I'll make sure that you don't fall...and you wont. So just relax and give your very best out there...I trust you." His voice was determined.
Kai leaned into the hug. He had decided now. He was going to fight...until the bitter end. He will risk his everything...he will risk himself for his friends...his brothers. Nothing...no one could stop him now from emerging victorious in the end. He's either do it...or die.
A little bit filler but...important. Next chapter is the LAST one. Get me SIX reviews coz next chap will have action...and angst on behalf of Kai!
Rose out!
Until next time!