Revenant
We're killin' strangers
We're killin' strangers
We're killin' strangers so we don't kill the ones that we love
Each movement he made was painful with the heavy chains weighing on his ankles and wrists. After hours of fighting the inevitable, he finally gives in to the situation. Had it been Days? Weeks? He had no way of knowing how long he'd been held captive in this cell. But by now, it felt like years.
For too long he hadn't done anything to provoke Boris's wrath. In fact, his success rate was improbably high as he kept taking out one opponent after another. But Boris never seemed to be satisfied, always pitting him up against weaker opponents.
It drained him dry of whatever energy reserves remained, but still he mustered the courage to keep track of the intervals where guards would come around with water and bread or beat him senseless based on their sadistic whims. His body weakened by the lack of physical activity, and his joints ached from being confined for too long - yet deep down inside, he refused to give in to Boris' twisted joy of seeing him broken completely.
He embraced the darkness within himself, a writhing mass that pushed him forward implacably towards his goal. His heart hardened as the pain intensified, and he narrowed his eyes at the thought of absolute power. A single minded ambition drove him to go beyond what others conceived of as immoral, and soon there was no limit to the evil he was willing to commit in pursuit of it.
The crushing need for control transformed into an overwhelming desire to make the world bow before him, succumbing to his every whim until all his enemies crumbled away like dust in his hands.
From time to time he'd hear noises af if somebody was scratching the cold brick walls. And as his consciousness faded in and out, he'd hear whispering.
But the whispers were always just out of reach, never quite clear enough to make out the words. It was like a constant humming in the back of his mind, an ever present reminder of the darkness that had consumed him.
As the days dragged on, he felt himself slipping further and further away from the person he used to be. The chains around his wrists and ankles seemed to weigh heavier, the walls of his cell closing in around him like a vice.
He no longer paid attention when the guards entered and he often awoke to find a tray next to him. His dreams became increasingly vivid and he was having difficulty distinguishing between sleeping, waking, and his current reality.
One day, as he was caught between slumber and wakefulness, he suddenly heard a loud crash like an explosion. He jumped up in fear but his body stayed in its position; eyes wide open while lying on his side with one arm stretched out.
A shrill ringing noise echoed through the chambers of the abbey, making him feel like he wanted to tear off his own skull.
The murmuring grew louder and more distinct, but the words were still hard to make out. Even though there was no light, he felt as if something was nearby.
In the far distance he could hear the guards running through the hallways in a state of alarm. He shut his eyes and tried to focus but instead his consciousness faded.
Wiping the sleep from her eyes, Julia extended her arms and let out a big yawn. Her face flushed when she remembered what had happened the night before. Looking around, she saw schematics scattered on top of a laptop at the desk in the corner. On the wall were large technical drawings with lots of mathematical equations. Just looking at them made her head spin.
Leaning against the bed, she pulled the blanket up to her chin and breathed in the scent: cigarettes, gasoline, alcohol, and a dash of fresh pine.
For years she'd told herself that their one-night-stands were just casual flings. But no matter how many other dates she went on, none compared to Tala. His alluring presence had been too much for her to resist last night; shaking off her shame while dancing atop a bar made her feel oh so alive.
Her stubbornness never wanted to admit what her heart thought. Her voice muffled by the blanket she spoke softly: "I've really fallen for that stupid face of yours.."
Steeling her courage, she retrieved her clothes from the floor and put them on before venturing out into the workshop. She was met with a fragrant aroma of coffee and the sounds of 80's rock songs playing from a radio. She had always pictured him to be more into that kind of rebellious music.
In the center of the room he was hunched over the hood of a truck, a screwdriver dangling from his lips as he used both hands to take out a part.
Moving closer to him she admired the beautiful beast clad in a dark blue coverall, his sleeves rolled up revealing the tattoo's on his arms.
Though she had explored his body more than once in the dark of night. But beneath her fingers were bumps and ridges hinting at scars and oddities only his ink could hide. It was rare to see a glimpse of skin under the light of day.
Glimpsing away from him, Julia went to the pot on the workbench and poured in fresh coffee.
"Would you like some?"
He made a sound of agreement as his reply. Julia couldn't help but laugh before pouring another cup.
She placed the drink beside him, and after taking the screwdriver out of his mouth, he said a quiet "Thank you".
She took a sip of her own coffee, savoring the rich flavor before sitting down on a stool next to him.
"What are you working on?" she asked, nodding towards the truck.
"Just some repairs," Tala replied, not looking away from the part he was tinkering with. "I've put this off for too long."
Julia nodded, watching as Tala deftly worked on the truck. She took another sip of coffee and leaned back in her stool, feeling content simply being in his presence.
Eventually she broke the silence. "Are you going to the BBA headquarters this afternoon?"
"Nah, I heard enough of Judy for a lifetime already."
Julia laughed at his bluntness. "You really dislike her that much?"
"I hate anything in a lab coat.." He said jokingly
She wasn't completely unaware of his past. The media bursted once the Biovolt scheme had come to light. But she never asked him about it, feeling it was an absolute taboo subject. And she didn't want to bring up any painful memories.
Tala sensed her hesitation and turned to face her, a soft smile on his lips.
"It's just a lot of bureaucracy,I prefer being out here, working with my hands."
Julia nodded, feeling relieved that they could talk about something as mundane as work.
"Spencer is going instead."
A bright smile spread across her face. "Is that really true?!"
Tala glanced at her with a smirk. "Ah, so who's the favorite now?"
Julia's cheeks flushed pink in embarrassment. "N-no... that's not it! We're just really good friends. You and I are- " More than that. The words lingered on her lips, but she bit them back. He watched her smugly, as if he could read her like an open book while she couldn't do the same.
Tala chuckled, amused by her flustered state. "Relax, I'm just teasing you. I know how close you two are."
Out of the group, Spencer was the most approachable, and it didn't take long for him to become good friends with Julia. When they saw each other at their yearly gatherings, they would talk about trivial matters. Julia was really the first person Spencer called a friend, separate from the family he saw as his brothers.
Julia let out a sigh of relief, grateful that Tala was not upset with her. She took a small sip from her coffee before glancing at him. It was these small moments that made her heart beat faster, even though he was too clueless to see it.
"Are you staying in town for long?" He asked her.
Calculating in her mind, she muttered the time frame. "In about a week or so, the girls and I plan on getting together so we can talk without interruption from their husbands." She chuckled.
Tala couldn't help but chuckle; it was still so strange to think of Kai in a married state. "That rough, eh?" he asked.
Julia nodded, smiling at the thought of catching up with her childhood friends. "Yeah, it's hard to find time to hang out when everyone's busy with work and family."
As she spoke, Tala turned back to the truck, his focus returned to his work. They fell into a comfortable silence, the only sounds coming from the radio and the occasional clink of Tala's tools. Julia watched as he worked, admiring the way his hands moved with such precision and skill. But beyond all that she knew that he was a complicated man with a troubled past.
She bowed her head and toyed with the cup in her hands. Before she came to Moscow, she had decided that it was time to make a decision – either take things to the next level or end them before it became too difficult for her to handle. "Tala?" She whispered.
He turned to her, his eyebrows raised in question.
"Yes?" he replied.
Julia took a deep breath, gathering her courage. "Maybe we can hang out again sometime this week."
Tala's eyes widened in surprise, but he quickly regained his composure. "Sure, why not" he replied.
Julia beamed at him, feeling a sense of relief that he was receptive to the idea. "Great, I'll let you know what my schedule is like," she said, finishing off her coffee.
Tala nodded, his attention already back on the truck. Julia stayed where she was for a few more minutes, watching him work before getting up and heading towards the door.
"I have to get going now! Meeting the girls and all that. See you later, Tala," she said, waving over her shoulder.
"Later," he replied, not looking up from his work.
He was about to open his mouth and make a sarcastic comment when the door opened again, revealing a woman. He recognized her; his features instantly turning sour with distaste.
She wore a black corporate skirt suit, her hair pulled back in a tight knot atop her head. Her face was set in an expression of seriousness as she got right to the point: "Why aren't you answering our calls?"
Tala clicked his tongue in annoyance, not meeting her gaze. "I'm busy," he replied shortly.
The woman shot him an ice-cold look of disdain. "You made a deal with the FBSC," she reminded him coldly. "Honor it."
Tala let out a heavy sigh, his eyes trained on the truck hood. He had hoped that he would be able to avoid this conversation for as long as possible. "Fine" he muttered, his tone indicating his annoyance.
"You better," the woman snapped before turning on her heel and heading out the door, the sound of her clicking heels fading away.
The moment she was gone he spat out "Bitch!" in anger and snapped a wrench in two like it was a twig. It pissed him off how the FBSC acted like they could just boss him around, but for the time being it was better if they thought of it that way.
Julia's sudden appearance had caught him off guard, and he was grateful for the temporary distraction. But now that she was gone and reality had come knocking, he couldn't avoid it any longer.
The next morning Julia freshened up back at the hotel and quickly went exploring the city. Earlier the girls had suggested in their group chat that someone meet up for some lunch.
Although it was autumn, the weather had been gentle over the past days, and she decided to wear jeans, a beige crew neck sweater and her tan checkered trench coat.
As she strolled along Nevsky Prospekt, Moscow's main avenue, the autumn red and golden trees had transformed the city into a living masterpiece. The baroque buildings of St. Petersburg seemed to be beckoning her to take a closer look at their beauty.
The acrobat within her had an irresistible urge to go from wall to wall, balancing precariously across them. This would sometimes earn her the stares of onlookers, but she paid them no mind.
Ever since the ban, she could not go on as many adventures as she used to. Although she was a fierce competitor in the championships, what she really longed for were all the exciting experiences that came with travel. Maybe even more than battling itself.
Lost in her thoughts, Julia didn't realize she had wandered into a quieter part of town until she heard the sound of music wafting through the air. She followed the sound until she came to a small park, where a street performer was playing a violin.
Mesmerized by the beautiful sound, Julia found herself walking towards the musician, pulling out a few rubles from her pocket to place in the open violin case beside him. The musician noticed her and smiled, nodding his thanks before continuing to play.
Julia closed her eyes and let the music wash over her. She felt a sense of peace and calm that she hadn't felt in a long time.
The sound of her phone buzzing in her pocket startled Julia. She reached in and retrieved it, to find a message from Hilary on the screen: "Hey girl! What's taking you? We're already here."
A silent groan escaped her lips as she bowed politely to the musician before hastily exiting the street and making her way to where they were supposed to meet.
She rounded the corner and came into view of the Bistro where they were supposed to meet. Feeling excited for something they'd postponed for far too long.
It was a beautiful little restaurant that sat on the corner of the street. A shuttered wooden building with a mauve glow from the lanterns that hung in its windows. The walls were made up of uneven chunks of white stone, and an enormous wooden shelf stretched along one side, overflowing with bottles of wine. The latter had caught Julia's eye immediately.
In the corner, Julia noticed Hilary talking to Mariah and Mathilda. Excitedly, Julia rushed over to them, her arrival accompanied by a loud squeal of delight from the girls.
Hilary jumped up and hugged Julia tightly. "Oh, I'm sorry we didn't have more time to catch up yesterday!"
"It's no problem," Julia said reassuringly. "I know you and Kai are very busy."
She settled into the chair and a diligent waiter appeared to take her order. With so many options to choose from, it was difficult for her to make a decision. Finally, he suggested a sauvignon blanc to accompany their meal.
"Why did you leave early last night?" Mariah questioned
Julia, catching her off guard. This morning had been hectic, and the same went for the previous evening. "Well," Julia began, skirting around the issue. "I had a bit of a headache and was feeling jet lag."
The other girls nodded in understanding at her not-entirely-true tale. Explaining her situation with Tala in detail would be complicated. She quickly steered the conversation away from herself towards Mariah. With a smirk, she asked, "So how does it feel now, Miss Kon?"
Mariah rolled her eyes playfully. "Ugh, everybody acted surprised when we broke the news to them."
Hilary hooked on quickly there. "Not us, sweetie."
Rosy cheeks formed on Mariah's face. "W-was it that obvious?"
"It was." The other three replied in immediate unison.
"That leaves us with two bachelorettes though." She pointed at both Mathilda and Julia.
Mathilda chuckled and took a sip of her drink. "Well, I think we can all agree that Julia should be next in line for the bouquet toss."
Julia laughed nervously. "Oh, don't worry about me. I'm not really in the market for anything serious right now."
Hilary gave her a knowing look. "That's what they all say."
The group laughed, but Julia couldn't help feeling a little uneasy. Would such a future even be possible?
Mathilda, who had been quiet until this point, spoke up. "I... fancy someone," she said quietly.
The other three were taken aback by her admission, and the barrage of questions from Mariah, Hilary and Julia began.
Placing her hands in front of her, Mathilda protested, "Wait! I can't hear a single word you all are saying!"
Eventually they settled down and Hilary posed the question on behalf of them all. "Are my ears deceiving me? Did you really just say that you have a crush?"
Julia's eyes shone with excitement. "Is it Raul?! He is single - we could be sisters-in-law!" She was over the moon in an instant.
Mariah added her two cents as well. "Lee! He cooks so well and would be such a doll. And if he ever messes up I'll punch him out!"
"N-no!" Mathilda exclaimed.
Hilary pushed forward. "Then who is it?!"
Mathilda drew back into her shell, overwhelmed by shyness; she loved them but those three girls were on another extroverted level.
Her mind was racing as thoughts of her mystery man came to the surface.
A warm smile spread across her face unnoticed, and even in the dim lighting of the restaurant, she shone.
Julia observed Mathilda's transformation while the other two continued their conversation about who it might be. Placing a hand on Mathilda's leg, Julia leaned in. "If it feels right, you should go for it."
Maybe it was one of those moments where Julia should have taken her own advice; yet whoever this person was they brought happiness to her friend that was all that mattered.
Time had flown by and it was time for them to leave. The day had done them much good to catch up again. And gave them the necessary vigor to face the reality of the BBA and the FBSC.
The group walked down to the headquarters of the BBA that stood adjoined to the arena. It was enormous and probably the biggest stadium that Julia had seen. Although it looked a little worn down.
From the sides large banners flowed down showing various teams whose names were somewhat unfamiliar to her. She had tried to keep up with the new competing beybladers, but since they rejected owners of sacred beasts there wasn't much for her here anymore.
Julia noticed a strange expression on Mariah's face and moved closer to her. "Hey, are you okay?"
Mariah gave a nervous smile at the entrance of the arena. "Yeah, it's just kind of weird being here," she said.
Julia tilted her head. "What do you mean?"
Mariah shook her head slowly. "This arena has seen a lot of things-Biovolt owned it for a while; this is where Ray lost to Brian and how the BBA was formed."
A chill ran through her body as she recalled all that had happened in this place, and she rubbed her arms to ward off the feeling. "It's got such a dark history," she muttered before entering the building.
In the entrance hall Judy was waiting for them all to enter. Just when she was about to lead them to the meeting room Spencer rushed through the door.
He made his apology with a deep intake of breath, as if he had just finished a race. "Sorry for being late," he panted.
Judy waved off his apology, a smile on her face. "No worries, Spencer. We were just about to begin. Please, come with me."
As they walked down the hallway, Julia noticed that the walls were lined with framed photos, all depicting different beyblading tournaments from various years. It was a stark reminder of the long history of the sport and the passion that came with it. Oddly enough it didn't hold many records of the Neoborgs except for a single picture of the four of them in their mid-teens.
They entered a large conference room with a long table in the center, surrounded by chairs. The curtains were drawn, and the only light came from the projector, casting an eerie glow on the faces of everyone in the room.
After joining Raul's side Julia plopped down in her chair and glanced around. Almost everybody was present. Though occasionally people shot glances at the back where BEGA was sitting. They still weren't popular it seems.
Julia nudged Spencer, who had taken the seat next to hers, with her elbow. "Hectic shift?"
"Don't even start..." He groaned, rubbing his face with his hands.
"Good to see you though, big guy. Too bad you weren't at Brian's pub yesterday" She said with a wink
He yawned and stretched his arms, remarking on how he hadn't even made it to bed yet. "What about you? You seem content," Spencer said with a hint of awe.
Julia twirled a strand of hair around her finger, coyly trying not to smile too much. "Oh, me? I'm fine."
Spencer rolled his eyes dramatically. He knew that expression well enough-it only meant one thing. "You and that.."
"Psh!" Julia pouted.
He leaned closer to her, replying: "Just tell that slacker to come home once in a while or at least give some sort of sign that he's alive."
She faked a laugh; Spencer's comment surprised her since they all lived together. Judging by what he said, it seemed Tala hadn't been in touch with anyone for some time.
Julia's smile faded as she thought about Tala. He was always the mysterious one, disappearing for days on end without telling anyone where he was going or what he was doing. But this time, it felt different. She couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
"He seemed alright this morning though." She said while biting down on her lip.
Spencer nodded, his expression mirroring hers. "I'm sure he's fine," he said, trying to reassure her.
But Julia couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong. She was about to voice her concerns when Judy cleared her throat, silencing the room.
She took a seat the head of the table, and shortly Mr. Dickenson followed by Tatsuya entered the conference room.
"Thank you all for coming," she began. "As you know, we have a lot to discuss today."
Julia leaned forward in her chair, her focus entirely on the meeting.
Judy sat at the head of a long, oval table. Everyone in the room was tense and quiet. The tension was thick enough to cut with a knife
She reached into her briefcase, pulled out a flash drive, walked over to the projector, and plugged it in. "I want to apologize for being a bit forward in showing you all the video." She said, addressing everyone at the table. "I understand that it is a lot of new information, even to us it is. But I sincerely hope that we can count on your support, I have a feeling that the coming months could get a little bumpy."
A map appeared on screen next; circles covered parts of Russia and Europe along with some dots scattered about each continent. "You all may have heard about them in the news or rumors even but there are cults or gatherings appearing all over the world." Judy began explaining. "They seem to appear out of nowhere and we have a firm belief that the Federal Bureau of sacred beast control is subjugating them.
Robert cleared his throat loudly before speaking up in his thick German accent: "Perhaps the FBSC should spend their time on criminals instead of holding us back! Can't they see that this is caused by them!" He slammed his hands onto the table
Mr. Dickenson tried to calm him by motioning his hand slowly. "I understand you frustration, we too believe that the FBSC is the main issue here. Sadly we have little to no understanding how these so-called cults operate."
Julia could feel the tension in the room rising. It was as if everyone was holding their breath, waiting for someone to make the next move.
Suddenly, Tatsuya spoke up. "I've been doing some research on these cults, and I might have found something."
The room fell silent once again as everyone turned to look at Tatsuya.
Tatsuya removed a notebook from his bag and opened it up. "We came across a secret crypt during my most recent trip to Italy - all due to Tyson," he stated.
"I've already apologized!" Tyson muttered, sinking further down into his chair.
"Leave it to you to break an ancient artifact!" Dachi shouted with enthusiasm as he patted him on the back.
Briefly, laughter filled the room. Thankfully, Tatsuya could appreciate the funny side of the situation.
"The Romans had a thriving society and their knowledge was vast. It came to our attention that even then they categorized the Sacred Beasts. A bit like how we define the animal kingdom."
He pulled out a few more pictures from his bag showing ancient scriptures and pictures written on monoliths.
"He lifted the photographs of ancient carvings high above his head. "It took some time to translate the scrolls, but they tell us about the Sanctus and Gehenna. The Romans had a thriving society and their knowledge was vast. It came to our attention that even then they categorized the Sacred Beasts. A bit like how we define the animal kingdom."
"The Sacred Beasts were given titles sort of like naming animals or putting species on a list. There are three categories of Sacred Beasts: Regios Rex, Progantus Phylarcus, and Terrestris. The first two categories describe types of gods; they are also called Royals and Second Genertors."
He paused for a moment and eyed the crowd, so far everybody seemed to be caught on. "Now, we know about the Sanctus tree. Good examples of these are Dragoon, Draciel, Driger and Dranzer. They are also referred to as the Regios Rex - Royals."
On a piece of paper he drew it out like a diagram to help them envision it.
"Then, there are the Progantis Phylarcus, they are descendants of the Royals. Like a second generator so to say. Lastly we have the Terrestris, they are closer to earth rather than godhood and some have been born through sheer worship
Proceeding his explanation he took out a piece of cloth from the bag. As he carefully unwrapped the cloth it revealed a dagger. The handle was heavily rusted and the blade was pitch black, almost like obsidian. Though it looks like it could crumble from even the slightest movement.
"In the secluded crypt we discovered a dagger and a small stone tablet. The walls were full of ancient texts that took us months to decipher. As Tatsuya spoke, his face slowly darkened."
Julia was astonished; had she heard him correctly? Was he referring to demons?
"Just like the Sanctus, the Gehenallis are divided into three categories - Daemonium Rex, Infernalis Phylarcus, and Belua Agretis," continued Tatsuya.
Everyone in the room started chattering nervously until Mr. Dickenson's cane tapped against the table for quiet. He begged everyone to listen to Tatsuya. "Please, I urge you all to pay attention to Tatsuya's words; this is essential knowledge."
Judy put a comforting hand on Tatsuya's shoulder with understanding; he loathed being the bearer of bad news and preferred telling endless stories year after year.
When everyone had settled again, Judy spoke up. "So far, only one Gehennalis has been identified – Black Dranzer..." She looked towards Kai who was putting on a composed facade but inside he was petrified by the name.
"Our equipment sometimes spots another Gehenallis nearby, yet by the time we get there no trace remains," finished Tatsuya.
Judy crossed her arms and began to speak. "This information leads us to believe that these cults are seeking out the Gehenallis or rather they are able to pry their way into people's minds now that the Sacred beasts are being locked away one by one."
An uncomfortable hush filled the room until Mr. Dickenson stepped forward and planted his cane on the ground. His gaze was serious as he looked at them. "I really shouldn't be asking this of you again, but I'm here to plead for your help."
Tyson was the first to jump up, a determined glint in his eyes. "What do you mean, no position? We're the Beyblade revolution, we won't let you down!"
The entire group rose to their feet in unison, their eyes blazing with purpose.
Rei was the first to speak up. "Just tell us what you need."
Giving him a small nod Mr. Dickenson spoke. "We need to show the FBSC that what they are doing is going to cause more harm than it does good. I suggest that we host a tournament once more. Show the people that the Sacred Beast are not for the purposes of madmen, but als for good."
He received a vast applause from the room. These were people who waited restlessly for more than five years to get back into the arena. Not a single person among thought twice about supporting the BBA, or more specifically Mr. Dickenson.
Mr. Dickensons eyes started to well up as he watched the scene before him with immense pride.
A/N
Credits to Killing Strangers by Marilyn Manson
Again special thanks to Mkayverse for her support!