Hiiii! So sorry its taken me so long to update with this one. For some reason I just couldn't get it just right and had terrible writers block with this chapter! I hopw you are all ok and doing alright what with COVID.

Chapter 24.

*NEEEEOWWWWW NEEEOWWWWW NEEEEOWWWWW NEEEOWWWWW NEEEEOWWWWW NEEEOWWWWW*

Hospital Tannoy - "Please can everyone remain calm and make your way to the nearest fire exit. Leave the building in an orderly fashion and wait in the designated zones outside. This is not a drill. I repeat this is not a drill."

*NEEEEOWWWWW NEEEOWWWWW NEEEEOWWWWW NEEEOWWWWW NEEEEOWWWWW NEEEOWWWWW*

The Tokyo University hospital was a frantic scene; despite the tannoys' instructions to remain calm and exit in an orderly fashion. The thought of a fire, despite no actual flame in sight, was enough to send the public mad with panic and all sensibility out of the window. Those who were able bodied, rushed to the nearest door or fire escape, parents clasped their children's hands tight and thrust young infants into their arms. Those who were not physically capable of walking were assisted into wheelchairs by porters, nurses, receptionists and hospital security. ICU patients were prepared by blue uniforms with frantic hands to be wheeled out with portable breathing machines and heart monitors. Stacks of paper were strewn across the floor where files had been knocked over and staff were too rushed off their feet to pick them up. Nurses called over each other in the wards and security yelled at people to take the stairs instead of taking the elevators. A mass mission to evacuate all persons from the hospital was under way, a mammoth task requiring all hands on deck. Doctors with their white coats fluttered like capes as they rushed to assess and assist each patient. Nurses who were already over worked and exhausted from 12 hour shifts stayed on to do what they did best...save lives. Hospital security abandoned doorways and took to herding the lost and bewildered out to their nearest exit and played tour guide to the nearest evacuation point outside; pointing to the fire exit maps on the walls and fold out versions in their pockets.

Mr Cooper instructed 27 of the 30 Hiwatari Enterprises security staff to assist in the evacuation wherever they could; they held doors open, reunited lost children separated from parents and carried the elderly down flights of stairs as if they were as light as paper. Mr Cooper had instructed them to leave their posts and protect the people of Tokyo whilst he saw to their other priority.

The elite of Team Halo had the top job to protect the boss and had joined Mr Cooper on the secluded rooftop on level 7. Mr V. Kovalenko; and a white skinned woman around 5ft 9 with long straight dark brown hair held back in a pony tail wore uniform sunglasses and Kevlar from top to toe, she looked as slick and intimidating as any of her male counterparts with sharp cheekbones, a small nose and a stare that could kill a goat. The name A. Ghazi was embroidered on her right breast plate.

Mr Cooper immediately rushed to Kais' side and held out a hand to assist his much smaller employer to his feet. "We need to evacuate Sir. That's the fire alarm and I do not believe this is a drill."

Mr Coopers' hand hovered mid-air for Kai to take it. Instead, the dual haired man growled with closed eyes and with his arms crossed. His peaceful day watching the world go by on his quiet rooftop without a Bladebreaker or nagging nurse in sight had been brought to an abrupt end and now... the hospital was apparently on fire.

Kai sighed angrily and after seconds of hesitation he grasped his employees' giant chocolate hand. Mr Cooper pulled with minimal effort on his part and gently hoisted his injured employer to his feet. Kai tried his best to hide a groan from his throbbing wound as his butt left the floor, his muscles sharply awakened and his bones cracked as his body twisted to the uncomfortable new prone position. Patient 12s' shoulder popped as he lifted an arm up to shield his squinting amethyst orbs from the intense burning sun above and cursed having to leave his shaded spot of peace. The beyblader flexed his back and momentarily stretched before clutching one hand over his wound and taking tender baby-steps to the door where Mr Kovalenko and Ms Ghazi waited.

Mr Cooper stood close and towering protectively at Kais' right side to cast his employer in his shadow, thus protecting him from the burning suns' rays, a kind and thoughtful gesture going above and beyond professional duty. His deep brown eyes tucked behind the dark lenses of his sunglasses, watched every one of his employers' slippered steps and readied to catch him should he lose his footing. He took a long heavy boot stride to every three of Kais' as his employer shuffled rather than walked, much like his grandmother...only slower.

Mr Cooper - "I don't want to hurry you sir but we need to get you to a safe place. I could carry you?"

Kai ceased his next shuffle/step to death glare to his underling, causing the ex US Marine to gulp, sweat-drop and immediately retract his suggestion.

Mr Cooper - "Never mind Boss."

Kai grouched with a sore throat as he continued his wounded march. "Any sign of Tyson or the others?"

Mr Cooper – "I assigned Team Halo to assist the hospital staff with the evacuation. Would you like me to redirect resources to find your friends instead?"

Kai – "Hnnnnnnnn...No, they're probably loitering around my room waiting for me to come back or stuffing their faces in the canteen. We will head to my room first."

Mr Cooper – "But Boss. You are our top priority. Let us evacuate you to the safety check point first..."

Kai butted in. "No. I'm not leaving this building without them. We check my room first. In the meantime tell all units to keep a look out and radio in."

Mr Cooper did his best to hide a sigh and sweat-dropped. "Yes Boss."

Meanwhile...

Max ground to a halt and stammered; his warm blood ran as cold as the man-made cavern around him. The air was crisp and pungent as fear tricked down his spine and mixed with dew under his loose dark khaki t-shirt. "Yourrrreee...not...Kai. Just who are you?!" The half Americans' cool fingers twitched and his mouth hung partially agape as he struggled with the newborn anxiety.

The shadowed figure leapt from the crates; ninja somersaulted mid-air, landed perfectly just meters away, straightened, and gleamed menacingly under a spot lit clearing. Trash bags lined the walls and rats squeaked as they fled away from his dangerous presence. Max's heart raced as he recognised traits from an opponent he and his friends had encountered before. He felt the familiar presence of Kenny and Emily rush to his trembling sides and together they picked apart the hooded strangers' appearance.

The figure flicked his hood back with a tattooed hand to reveal his unfriendly face. "Well hello at last... Max is it? We finally meet. HAHAHAHAH. Kiss goodbye to your Bitbeast Draciel! The Great Purple Turtle Spirit will be mine at last! HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAH!"

This guy was around Daichi's height i.e. around 12" shorter than the taller Max Tate. His face was round with an upturned nose and reverse fangs protruded from his bottom lip; he wasn't the prettiest of fellows. Like Kais' opponent Blake, he had thick silver hair in long straight bangs that stopped just above his shoulders and thin grey eyebrows to match. His eyes were the same hue of red and their skin tones were identical. Thick black tattoos ringed around his toned bare arms; around fingers and peeped from under the neckline of his black and Egyptian blue tunic. His clothes were much like the style of the Saint Shields only with tight fit sleeves which stopped at his elbows, and the cuffs of his blue baggy trousers were concealed by black ankle high boots with the toes exposed. Completing his outfit was a loose purple cape that draped around his shoulders with a large hood now flapped back, and a large silver circular clasp affixing it around his frame.

Unlike Blake, this guy was un-composed and cackled to himself as if he was laughing at his own jokes. Even as the trio watched...he glowered and chuckled in a weasely voice as he eyed up his blonde-haired victim.

Kenny extended a quivering pointed arm. "Max...look at his clothes! Don't you recognise them?! His eyes are the same blood red colour as... his skin...and those tattoos...Max...I think he's is one of the bladers the Saint Shields' warned us about!"

Max glowered with baby blue eyes, his chin dipped hiding his eyes and his voice turned unusually steely. "Ohhh he's Shadow Vale alright. His nervy quivering stopped as buried courage found its way to the surface; and his turtle bitbeast cried to him from his knee pocket. His face shot up and stabbed the words "and he's here for my Draciel."

Kenny begged with utter distress and gestured with his hands. "You can't battle him Max! Remember what Blake did to Kai in pursuit of his Dranzer. If you fight him...the same could happen to you! We should all get out of here and fast!"

Emilys' guard was up and her voice dripped with concern. "I have to agree with Kenny here. From what your friends the Saint Shields have said, these guys are bad news and are not to be toyed with."

Max clenched his fists and shook his head from side to side with his eyes shut tight in agitation. "So what do we do?! I can't just run away!" He exasperated.

The figure cackled in a weasley voice. "Hahahahha. Prepare your beyblade Max. You don't have a choice but to fight me!" He slipped his hands behind his back beneath the purple cloak and rummaged for objects.

Kennys' guts did back flips as he turned on his ankles to face the opposite direction and started for a dark lit staircase nearby. "I'll go get us some help. Kais' security will know what to do." He cried in panic as his thin legs took off running as fast as his un-athleticism would allow, whilst dodging puddles of murky residue on the floor.

In a flash the cloaked figure brought to light a basic brown beyblade launcher, loaded the black rip cord without a snag, clipped in a black beyblade with yellow tips and with a sharp backwards arm motion, his spinning blade was set loose through the air. Like a bullet, his beyblade weapon shot past Kennys' head so close that it severed a cluster of brown hairs, sending the strands to fall like auburn confetti onto his shoulders and float in tufts to the floor. The harmless and stunned brunette stopped so instantly that he tripped in his tracks and shivers shot up his skinny neck.

The attacker cackled again as his beyblade bounced off a nearby wall and zipped back to his inked palm. "Hahah! None of you are going anywhere until Max gives his Draciel...to meeehhhhee."

The Chiefs' short meek legs didn't get him far. He patted his head and chest to check for any blood or injuries with shaky hands and turned his jittering head back to Max and Emily. "Ahhhhhhh that was a close shave!"

Max was instantly vexed and growled. His soft play-face was long gone and in its place, a tougher harder Max came out of his shell. "Heeeyyyy! Nobody shoots a beyblade at my friend and gets away with it. You'll pay for that!"

The American dove each hand into a pocket and pulled out his arsenal. In one hand his fingers wrapped around the familiar cushioned grip of his dark green launcher, and in the other was his trusty Draciel...a supped up built-for-maximum defence beyblade; the best of beyblade engineering lovingly gifted by his Mum and designed by the top minds of the BBA. Its edges were thick metal plating that resembled the shape of dinosaur scales and sported its classic green colour just like models before it.

Max held Draciel out like a sword before battle with a shimmering bitchip facing his opponent. "You want Draciel? Come 'n get him. I'm not afraid of you!"

The blonde American then zipped the rip cord through and *clink* was the sound as Max locked a full metal Draciel into his launcher.

The cloaked assailants' ruby eyes narrowed and his lips upturned into a smile. "Draciel. The great Purple Turtle. You will be mine before this day is through. I will please my Lord and Master as destiny has foretold. Max, your final moments are so near I can almost smell them."

Kenny broke out of his trembling from his heads' near-miss. He now had a different reason to be afraid and ran to his buddy in a bid to stop him from what he was planning. His shriek echoed through all cobwebs and rat holes. "No! Max! Don't do it!"

Max pulled the ripcord with all his might with a face devoid of its usual friendliness. "GOOOOO DRACIEL!"

Emilys' stance was wide open and sweat dropped as she watched the green beyblade fly. "Too late!"

*SMASH* *SMASH* *SMASH* *GRIND* *GRIND* *SMASH* *SMASH*

The cloaked bladers' black beyblade and Max's leaf green wasted no time in smashing and grinding viciously into the other. The black beyblade was quicker, zippier and darted around like an annoying fly whereas Draciels' blade was more stationary but spun like the spinning fortress it was built to be. The black beyblade collided with Draciel with little consequence as the green beyblade barely moved from its impact and hardly left a scratch.

*GRIND* *GRIND* *SMASH* *SMASH*

Maxs' fists were as pumped as his spirit. "That's it Draciel. Hold your ground and when this guy's run out of steam we'll teach him what happens to people when they attack MY friend!"

Emily pushed her glasses up the bridge of her delicate nose with one finger and analysed the battle. "Max looks to be doing well Kenny. His blade has been built for such high defence that smashing into it isn't going to do any good. We may have overestimated these Shadow Vale bladers. This guy at least isn't exactly a power house."

The ginger glanced to her side where she expected a brown head to be. Instead, Kenny was steps away and had set up his laptop on a flipped over discarded cardboard box to keep it from getting dirty on the unhygienic basement floor. She watched her tech-head colleague flip the camera component on the side of his laptop screen and aimed it to record the battle like he had done many many times before.

Max attacked with a hyper vibe and punched the air in front of him. "Go Draciel! Let's send this guy running back to whatever rat-hole he crawled out from." The green beyblade smashed into the black and sent it scatty with a metallic smack sound.

The silver haired attacker gleamed and cackled within himself, completely unperturbed by Max's advance. "Hahahammmhahhhahhh that's it Max. You think you're winning...I'm just biding my time. Enjoy yourself while it lasts Max."

Kenny felt Emily draw to his side as her shadow bent over his crouched form. He looked like a mad professor as the light from his screen reflected on his glasses, and his fingers tapped furiously on the keyboard as he set up the data capture programme he spent most of his teens designing. "We have next to no data on this Shadow Vale clan. Anything I capture right now is going to be invaluable later on. I just hope this blader isn't as good as we thought he'd be and that Max's years of daily training at the research centre has made him the top dog we all know he is."

Emily straightened and crossed her arms, she returned her gaze to the match with worried features. "This guy's got something up his sleeve. I can feel it, question is...what?"

A glint of metal twinkled from under his cloak; of which the tennis fanatic thought nothing of.

The two beyblades collided again and again; over and over with no change in direction or momentum. Draciel spun strong and unfaltering whilst the black beyblade tagged it back and forth with no let up.

Max glowered at his opponent whom still giggled to himself. "NOWWWW DRACIEL! Let's wipe that crafty smirk off this jokers' face!"

Without hesitation the great turtle arose out of the perfectly spinning miniature tank. His purple aura lit up the darkness and flooded the walls like a projector at the cinema. The black shiny metal armour glinted like black diamonds, a flawless shell of power. The white circular patterns drawing from the edges of his eyes to his neck were a beautiful delicate detail to such a mighty beast. Draciel turtle cried in the air upon his release which echoed throughout every inch of the basement. No rodent remained in sight now and even the dumb trapped pigeons found a way to escape.

The cloaked blader ceased cackling to gasp in awe. "Huuuuhhhhhh. Finally...after all these years of training and the promise of this day. It's time to come home with me... Draciel but first... I must end ...your master. Hehehhehe. It won't be long now."

Max cried with a fist in the air. "Draciel! Now!"

The youths' eyes glinted red, his bottom fangs twinkled as his lips peeled away into a filthy smirk.

The spinning mass of green halted on its axel alone...

...for its opponent had disappeared.

Max sweat dropped as his body lunged forward. "Whaaatt? Noooo! Where'd his beyblade go?"

Emily was forever sharp and quick to yell as she pointed towards the ceiling above. "Up there! Watch out Max!"

From nowhere the black beyblade fell from the darkness above and pile dived down on top of Draciels bitchip; then refracted off to the side. There was nothing neither Max nor Draciel could do to dodge the aerial attack, its speed was like lightning and would easily give the super speedy Driger a run for his money.

The caped figure cried out with an extended black banded arm as his silver hair swayed with the movement. "HEHEHEHEHEH Now! Zap Arachnid!"

Upon those words, his Bitbeast, Zap Arachnid emerged as a giant black widow spider. It was shiny black all over apart from an electric yellow triangle on its abdomen and steel silver tipped feet and fangs. Its carapace was dark grey with 8 tiny red eyes clustered together. The spider Bitbeast lived up to its name and shot a web made entirely of electricity from the tip of its abdomen at its chelonian victim. Draciels' hulking weight was not built for speed and too slow to evade the projectile. Draciel could only watch and wait like the dinosaurs did the comet that hit the earth.

The shocking web expanded like a parachute and bolted itself to the ground, trapping the surprised black and purple beast inside it. The turtle frantically slammed his great shell against the sides and bit at the web with his colossal reptilian beak in a bid to escape his yellow zinging prison, all the while being electrocuted over and over.

Draciel was not alone in his suffering as his beloved humanoid guardians' body was dealt the same blow. Max cried out as electricity zipped through his body too. The static yellow currents fizzled and zapped at his skin again like elastic bands being pulled tight and pinged all at once. His golden hair stood on end and even the tiny blonde hairs on his pale arms were electrified. Max grimaced with each word and clutched one eye shut with the shocking assault. "Noooo Draciel! *zap*Come on you gotta *zap*get free! *zap*Keep fighting against it buddy. *zap* You...can...do this!"

"Hahahahahah you're mine now Draciel! Once my bitbeast absorbs all of your power and paralyses your guardian...you will be alllllll mine." The figure chortled under his breath as his cape swayed from the spinning beyblades energy.

"MAAAX!" "MAAXX!"Emily and Kenny shrieked from behind their friend in unison, worried for his wellbeing and safety.

The caped assailant beckoned an order to his bitbeast. "Electro-drain Attack! Now my beastie. It's time to bring this battle to an end!"

The spider bitbeast screeched a high pitched whine in response to his command and shot a thread from between its fangs to the electric netting. This new string shot acted like a charging cable and sent electric shocks through it like a pylon simultaneously. One after another, the shocks were delivered to Draciels' body in order to induce weakness and pain whilst Zap-Arachnid fed off his ancient energy like milkshake through a straw.

The thunder waves were constant and soon the great shelled reptile could no longer stand. His tree trunk-like legs collapsed and the aqua animal crashed to his belly. His fall cracked the concrete beneath him...and he let out a long low cry, like a sad whale song to his blonde haired master.

"Nooooooo Draciel *zap*get up buddy! *zap* You can't give up now!...*zap* Wait, why do I feel so drained too?"*zap*

The spider master smirked as he watched his prey struggle and gleam at the bitbeast that would soon be his for the taking. He cackled inside himself. "Hehehehe. Little do you know Max I'm sapping your energy too. You will be completely energy-less before long. I will drain you so much that you won't even have the energy to talk, let alone protect your bitbeast."

Kennys' voice was frantic as he pointed out the obvious to Emily. "This is not good! Draciels' power is being drained away by Zap-Arachnids' web and it's only making his Bitbeast stronger. If Max doesn't find a way of rescuing Draciel from that net soon, he's going to run out of energy and fast. Max and Draciel are in serious trouble and if he loses this battle...I dread to think of what comes next!"

The Chief curled his hands together to produce a tunnel in order to shout louder. "Max! You gotta do something before you and Draciel run out of energy!"

Emily murmured to herself as she shook her head, her dark blue eyes unable to look away from the heart-breaking battle. "I don't know what to suggest. He's completely pinned. Max doesn't stand a chance. It's all over."

The blonde half Japanese caught wind of Emily's lowly words from behind him and stabbed her a hurt blue eyed look with darkly furrowed golden eyebrows, then sharply returned his stare to his imprisoned bitbeast. He thought. "I know, I know I'm done for if I don't get Draciel out of that net. This guy is going to take my bitbeast away from me and that's happened too many times in the past. No, I can't let that happen. I won't let that happen. Not while I'm still breathing!"

"IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL I SAY IT'S OVER!" Max became a human power electric station as bolts bounced off of his defiant form. "COME ON DRACIEL! WE'VE GOTTA FIGHT THIS! YOU KNOW WHAT'LL HAPPEN IF WE LOSE!"

*Flashbacks of Dranzer being sucked away into a brown beyblade in Blakes' outstretched hand and Kais' blue lipped lifeless body on the stadium floor.*

"GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR." Maxs' words were just the fuel kick that the great turtle needed. Draciel forced his great hulking shiny shell off the floor with his diamond black claws, shakily stood up proud as punch and roared again as he ripped the net apart like it was made of cheap yellow ribbon. "GGGGGGGGGGGGGAAAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWRRRRRRRRRRRRR."

The Shadow Vale blader smirked with his arms crossed. "Hmmmppphhhh you've got more spunk that I thought. Like that's gunna save you."

A red warning tab flashed up on Kennys' laptop. The beyblade power stat analysis had finally completed and the data compiled into a reading... Max's power levels were at 2%. As the results reflected on Kennys' goggles, his heart dropped into his stomach. The Chief shot to his feet and yelled as loud as his small lungs could. "NOOOOOO! Max don't attack! Hang back!"

Max cheered whilst throwing a right fist in the air as his hair fell back to its natural position and the static whittled away. "YEAH! Way to go Draciel! Now let's take him down with our Hyper Tidal Wave Attack. Gooooooooo Draciel!"

Kennys' distressed warning came too late as the great black and purple titan attacked with the minuscule drips of power he had left. The green beyblade smacked into the black one with a disastrous outcome as Draciels' blades' momentum was thrown back at it and now spun dangerously off kilter.

Maxs' heart was pumping wildly as a thick dread turned his stomach. "Noooooooo...this can't be happening!"

Emily felt deeply sorry for the mammoth turtle. Her voice was low and analytical. "Draciel can't keep this up. He's lost too much power!"

The cloaked figure cackled and stood like a triumphant oppressor with an extended arm and finger. "Hahahahahhahah. It's all over now! Go Zap-Arachnid. It's time to end this!"

Max panicked as his gut twisted further, he knew he was in trouble with how off balance Draciel spun. "Noooooooooo Draciiiiiieeeeelllllll!"

The great black and yellow spider did as his master ordered and shot another web net made out of electricity at the already waning and weak Draciel. The crackle of the electric net trapped the turtle once again and more heartbreaking reptilian cries filled the air.

Max suddenly felt faint as the second wave of electric sapped away at what remained of his energy too and attacked his already stressed out nervous system. His body twitched as the thunder violently flicked his skin and his eyesight started to blur.

Before long...Draciel collapsed, he crashing to his belly like before and began sobbing giant turtle tears as he looked to his inanimate master.

Moments later; Max's white human legs turned to jelly and his eyes turned misty as he collapsed to his knees, he was a spent human battery. His limp Caucasian hands lay flat on his knees and his feet splayed to the side allowing his butt to touch the cold damp floor. The loveable American could barely arch his head up as he locked half open eyes with his faithful fallen bitbeast and together they shared a sad defining moment; they both knew what was coming and prepared to say goodbye.

The cloaked blader laughed with malice as he held his arms out like a wizard about to cast a curse. "HAHAHAHAHA. Now! You are mine Draciel! ZAP ARACHNID! FINAL ATTACK!"

Zap-Arachnids' silver fangs glowed white hot and shot out daggers which flew through the air to the pinned and crying turtle under the net. Draciel screamed as the blades imbedded deep into his shelled back leaving just the hilts exposed.

Simultaneously, Max cried out "Arhhhhhhhhgggghh."The beyblader lunged forward on all fours as if he too had been stabbed in the back, his eyes shot open, his pupils turned into pinpricks and his breathing became laboured with the telepathic pain he shared with his turtle best-friend.

Draciels' beyblade wobbled badly, threatening to grind to a stop at any second...it was a miracle it still spun at all. Draciel continued to turtle screech and writhe as Maxs' cerulean eyes welled and tears fell in the dual emotional agony.

Max barely had enough energy to lift his low hung head as bulbous aqua tears fell and soaked into his khaki fabric lap. He lowly muttered. "I'm so weak... I can't even stand up... Draciel! I'm so... sorry. I let...I let... you... down."

Hot tears tore their way from Kenny eyes and trapped under the rim of his glasses. "I can't watch! This is exactly what happened to Kai!" Kennys' hands trembled in tight balled fists at his thighs." These Shadow Vale bladers engage in battle, then they over power their opponent." Kenny sniffed as his nose began to run and his voice broke. "Then they pin their opponents' bitbeasts with dagger moves... then once their blades stop spinning...they attack the blader in the most horrific way."

The brunette sniffled twice as his flat chest quivered beneath his shirt and tie. "Max's life is in danger! I can't sit back and watch this again but I don't know what to do. I've tried to email for help but there's no signal down here. We are completely on our own and Max..."

Kenny ceased talking as he glanced over at Emily. Her dark blue eyes were mere dots with fury behind her glacial glasses, and her fisted hands shook in disgust above the hem of her leaf green knee length skirt.

Kenny fell to his knees as flashbacks of Blake and Kais' battle flooded his memory, despite the grime on the floor dirtying his clean skin. The trauma of that day had scarred him and this...was turning into a repeat episode. A fight ignited in his belly as she smacked his thighs with rolled fists and jumped to his feet. He screamed at the top of his high pitched lungs. "Max get up NOW! *sniffle*Run away! *sniffle* I know you love Draciel *sniffle* but please run for your life now! You know what Shadow Vale did to Kai *sniffle*and if you don't move now! You... will... be... next!"

"Dra...ciie...llll" Murmured Max as he heard Draciels' spirit fizzle back into the safety of his tumbling beyblade. He felt a gentle bump as his spinning top tapped into his knee, rolled...and finally... stopped. Draciels' blade had completely run out of energy and so had Max; his cerulean eyes faded into a heavy blur, his yellow crowned head dropped into his sternum, his hands slumped between his legs and... he blacked out. The turtle guardians' body remained upright in the slumped seated position under a single overhead lamp hanging from the ceiling with Draciels' blade snuggled silent next to his leg.

Kennys' whole body shook so vigorously that he couldn't expel words and jabbered incoherently with terror. "Mmmmmmmaaaammmmmmmaaaammmmmmaaaaaaaaaaxxxxiiiiiiieeeeeeee?."

The figure raised his arms wide and high and strode forwards with triumph. His purple cape billowed behind him like an anime villain and his ruby eyes glowed with malice. He marched forwards as he reached his hands into a concealed pocket under his cloak. His fingers gripped around something hard and shiny. "I'VE DONE IT! DRACIEL IS MINE!...Now just one more thing to do." His hands pulled out the hilt of something dangerous and deadly familiar "...Max I'm afraid this is only going to hurt for a..."

In a flurry of plaited skirt and ginger hair, Emily Watson jumped into action and ran to Maxs' broken and unconscious side. She pulled her launcher from a hidden compartment in the folds of her skirt and a turquoise blue beyblade from the breast pocket of her blouse.

"No time to waste! Go Trygator!" The female PPB Allstarz blader let rip her high-spec spinning top into the air. The turquoise beyblade went straight into attack mode and collided viciously with the still twirling Zap-Arachnid. *Smack* *Grind* *Smack*

The assailant immediately dropped his arms and stopped mid sentence as his celebrating was cut short. His voice u-turned into an angered shriek. "EHHHHHHHHH WHAT'S THIS?! GO AWAY THIS IS NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, GIRL!" He swung his arms in an annoyed gesture for her to move aside and his face grimaced with discontent.

Emily smirked with her battle face on and her stance wide. "Hehh. I make everything my business, that's just the way I am. Now I'm going to put you out of business! Trygator don't let up!"

Kenny wiped his nose with a bare skinny arm and sniffled. A spark of carrot-haired hope jolted him out of his despair. "Emily! What are you doing?!"

The PPB Allstarz player retorted a reply as she analysed Zap-Arachnids' movements under a mental microscope. "What does it look like I'm doing Kenny?! I can't just stand back and let this guy hurt Max. I may not have been there when Shadow Vale attacked Kai but I'm sure as hell not going to let the same happen to Max. Judy would never forgive me if I just stood by and did nothing. Max is my friend too and this creep is going down! TRYGATOR NOW!"

With Emilys' words another great reptile bitbeast roared like an angry four legged dinosaur as it came to life; her green aura lit up the space that Draciel illuminated just minutes ago and another light show was born. The sandy orange crocodilian, armoured with purple and silver plating, her jaws lined with white pin-sharp teeth and whipped her tail ferociously in reflection of her masters' attitude.

The cloaked blader was deeply unimpressed with his inked arms crossed...he was far from laughing now. His upturned nose pointed further in the air as he leered at his new and unwelcome opponent. "Pathetic. You have no idea who you're dealing with. I will squash you like the ant you are. My Zap-Arachnid is one of the strongest bitbeasts in the world, what makes you think your bitbeast is going to measure up against me? You are no match. Zap-Arachnid! Final Attack! Blow this nothing away so that we can do what we came here to do!"

He dangerously murmured under his breath as his eyes narrowed into a glare. "If this girl doesn't get out of my way, I will have no choice but to deal with her too. I have more than enough throwing knives to take all 3 of them out."

Zap-Arachnid did as it was beckoned and emerged instantly from its spinning-top cage screeching a metallic insect cry. It took its eight-legged form with a yellow flash and before Emily could call Trygator away, it formed 2 daggers from its fangs and sent its arsenal flying straight for the alligator spirits' back.

Kenny shrieked whilst pulling at his hair as he watched the missiles near their target. "Ohhhhh no incoming! EMILY! WATCH OUT!"

The teal beyblade with dark blue sections and red tips along with the glowing alligator Bitbeast; could do nothing but wait to be impaled with the flying daggers that had caused Draciel so much misery just moments earlier.

Emily gritted her perfect white teeth, clenched her blue eyes shut and turned her head to look away. "Brace for it!" She cried as she prepared for the stabbing pain about to assault her bitbeast; and her.

Despite her confident exterior, she knew she was no match for this guy. Beyblading to her now was nothing more than a hobby, as the science of beyblading had become her life...not the sport of it. Max on the other hand, was a BBA test blader and had trained for harder and longer than she ever did at the research facility, if Max couldn't take him down then what chance did she have?

Trygator sat like a sitting scaly tan coloured duck with spiky teeth, a muscled whipping tail and flat body lined with silver plating that glinted in the poorly lit basement. She sat waited and roared until...

*clink* *clink*

The duo daggers bounced pathetically off the alligator bitbeasts' silver shields lining her back and head. The daggers refracted off, skidded along the basement floor and dissipated into thin air like silver stardust.

The caped bladers' face was as angry as he was dumbfounded. His hands ran through his front silver bangs and pulled with frustration and high pitched cried. "WHAAAATTTTT! WHAT'S THIS? WHY DIDN'T MY ATTACK WORK?!"

Kennys' jaw dropped as his body lunged forward and gasped with amazement. He jabbered. "Zap- Arachnids' attack...had no effect?!"

Emilys' jaw dropped in unison with Kennys' as her surprised heart jacked her into action. "His attack...I have no idea what just happened but I'll take that as an opportunity. Trygator let's show this guy what we can do and send him a projectile of our own. ATTACK TRYGATOR!"

In a flash of furious turquoise, Trygators' beyblade flew through the air and smacked harshly with Zap-Arachnid. The two beyblades went to town grinding and smashing wildly into the other. Attack rings chipped and shaved at the opposing blades' edges and the deafening metallic screeching of weight disks echoed throughout the entire basement, easily drowning out the fire alarm.

As Emily and the cloaked stranger went head to head; Kenny abandoned his laptop with shaky knees, leaving the camera running in order to aid the motionless slumped Max.

"Maxie? Are you ok?!" The Cheif exclaimed as he knelt down in front, placed each of his hands and on each shoulder and gently shook in an attempt to wake his friend. Maxs' downward facing skull and dangling yellow hair lightly swung with the force of Kennys' shoving but nothing more.

Kenny shook the blondes' shoulders again and called. "Max are you alright? Can you hear me?"

The beyblader in green was motionless.

Kenny shook his shoulders a little harder as thick worry coagulated in his blood. "Max answer me pleasssseeee!"

Kennys' stomach jumped into his throat so far he wondered if it was going to burst through his larynx. Max was not responding. The brain box took rougher measures and shook the blondes' shoulders as violently as his stick thin arms could muster. His voice was frantic. "MAAAAAX?! PLEASE WAKE UP!"

Finally... Max murmured incoherently. "Cheiiiffffffff...I'm sooooooooooooooo tiiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrredddd."

Kenny let out a long sigh of relief as he relaxed his grip on Maxs' shoulders and allowed his arms to drop to his lap. He wiped a heavy sweat soaked brow with the back of his hand. "Pheewwwwwwwww. Max you scared me!" The brunette then wiped two heavy tears away from under the rim of his glasses with a cool thick finger, sniffled some bravery into his meek spirit and turned to see how Emily was doing. He thought. "This is bad. Max is out for the count, he is literally too weak to move and needs to see a doctor right away. I've never seen a case of beybladers' fatigue this severe before. Poor Emily is in way over her head and I don't know how much longer she can keep this up. This guy has endured a whole battle with Max and Draciel and STILL Emily is having a tough time with him. His blade and bitbeast are just so strong. Just who are these Shadow Vale bladers? How did they get to be so strong? No time to worry about that now. If Emily loses what will this guy do next?...Will he take Draciel away like Dranzer? And...what will he do to Max... and the rest of us?! Emily it's all up to you now!"

The cloaked blader had a dark and serious tone as his tattooed fingers wrapped angrily around his dark biceps. "Finish this nothing off Zap-Arachnid. We have other things to do!"

The black spinning weapon collided with fresh violence as it clipped the teal beyblade and sent it smashing against a nearby wall, fracturing multiple small metal shards off the females' attack ring. Zap-Arachnid retreated momentarily, allowing Emily to observe her helpless beyblade as it fought to regain balance.

"Noooooo Trygator!" The spectacled blader panted as Trygator wobbled and spin intensity waned.

Emilys' voice was defiant and stubborn despite the apparent damage her beyblade suffered. "Don't give up Trygator! We've faced tougher opponents than this!" The gingers' nasally voice broke with sheer desperacy as she glanced over at Max's crumpled form. "Come on! We can't lose Trygator. There's too much at stake!"

The cloaked blader gleamed and relished in his imminent win. "It's time for you to go bye-bye girly. You tried but you are juuuust toooooo weak. Zap- Arachnid! Hmmmphhh...It's time to end her."

Kenny jumped to his dirtied legs and yelled. "NOOOOOO EMILY!"

The black beyblade hurtled towards the tumbling Trygator, threatening to take it out without mercy. All the ginger scientist could do was wince her eyes shut and turned her head away in preparation for her defeat. "That's it, one more hit and I'm finished. I'm so sorry guys."

"You guys look like you could use some help!" Echoed a sassy voice from an air vent above. A female figure expertly jumped down from a height and landed with a ninja like grace. The figure was dressed in a red and earthy orange outfit and her gold dangling pendants swung from her ear lobes.

Kennys' eyes sparkled as he cried out with relief. "Mariam!"

"GO SHARKRASH!" With a fearless order, the Saint Shields'' blader released her arsenal; a blue, white and silver beyblade with an attack ring forged with unique shark shapes. The bluenettes hair whipped like a mako shark tail as she pulled the rip cord and jumped straight into battle. Her beyblade Sharkrash flawlessly intercepted Zap Arachnids' advance and knocked the black beyblade backwards like a pinball...saving Trygator from its certain wipeout.

Emilys' pride wouldn't allow herself to show any gratitude as she watched Mariam glide with long purposeful strides and stop in front of her, blocking her from the assailants' line of view like a blue haired heroin, all she lacked was a cape and a latex suit.

Emily smarted with a pout. "I had this under control by the way." Then breathed a covert sigh of relief at the sight of Trygator still spinning.

Mariam side smirked at the PPB Allstarz girl. "Yeah whatever...you can thank me later but right now I've got bigger fish to fry. " The bluenette turned her head to the purple draped blader and cockily spat. "We've been looking all over for this bottom feeder. It's been a long time…Darcel."

The silver haired bladers features were furious as his top lip twitched and his eyes were wild. Fresh dew drops lined his for head as his tattooed fingers curled into fists. His words spat venom. "Mariam of the Saint Shields! You bitch! Why you?! I was so close to getting this weaklings' Sacred Spirit!"

Mariam swished her lush pony tail as she adjusted her battle stance like a cat about to pounce on a mouse. Sharkrash spun perfectly by her feet, ready for its orders. "Oh Darcel! If anyone is a weakling here, it's YOU; you little street rat!"

Kenny shrieked as he placed one hand on the sullen Maxs' shoulder. "Mariam! Boy am I glad to see you! Max is not doing so great; he needs to see a doctor right away. This creep did something to him in battle and I can't get Max to wake up!"

Mariam turned her head to gaze at the young crumpled guardian, his face hung hidden under the shadow of his loping yellow hair. "Oh Max you moron! What did we say about battling these guys! Kennys' right, Max really doesn't look so good. Looks like I've gotta finish this off and quick!"

The Saint Shield took no time in going on the offensive. With an extended arm and demanding tone she yelled. "GOOOO SHARKRASH! TAKE HIM DOWN."

Emily was quick to join in and lend whatever scraps of power her beyblade had left. "Go Trygator we're not finished yet!"

Sharkrash hurtled towards the stationary spinning Zap-Arachnid with Trygator hot on its heels.

Within 2 seconds flat the black beyblade took a strong double smash from Sharkrash and a weak smack from Trygator simultaneously. Instead of hanging around for more punishment...Zap-Arachnid bounced backwards into the air and was caught like a ball by the tattooed hands that owned it. Just like that...the battle was over. The Shadow Vale bladers' purple cloak swished as his whole body twisted, and turned on his heels and readied to flee. He glanced down at the fallen Max with livid features and his teeth snarling. His evil gaze bore at the pesky females and then at Maxs' subdued form.

His unkind mind ran wild. "Grrrrrrrrrrrrr. Now that bitch Mariam is here, I'm out of my depth for now. You can't watch him forever Saint Shields. We will meet again Guardian Max. This isn't the last you've seen of me! The Great Turtle Bitbeast Draciel will be mine if it's the last thing I ever do. Tsssst." The assailant flicked his hood back over his head and pelted for a blackened corridor behind him.

"And where do you think you're going you snake! Come'on Sharkrash, he's not getting away this time!" The blue and silvery beyblade zipped straight to Mariams' hands as her boots pounded through puddles giving chase to her clans' bitter rival.

The Shadow Vale figure was very nimble and had disappeared into the blackness of the tunnel in no time. Mariam was steps away from entering the dark herself to continue her hunt when cries stopped her in her tracks. Her pretty female head spun and her ear pendants twinkled as her green eyes shot back at the trio.

Kennys' high pitched worry pierced the air. "Oh Max wake up buddy!"

Emily had crouched next to Max and grasped a hand on one of his shoulders and gently shook. "Max come on you gotta get up now?"

Max remained slumped and motionless.

The cold breeze emanating from the tunnel tickled the back of her neck, begging Mariam to enter and continue the chase for her life-long adversary. Elders in her village had drummed into her from a young age that the Shadow Vale Clan was an enemy to humanity and must be stopped at all costs. They are to be hunted down and dragged back to the village to be dealt with by the village chiefs, failure was not acceptable. A choice weighed heavily on her shoulders. Chase her enemy?...or go to a old friend? She shot one last gaze into the dark of the alley and turned course back to the unconscious Bladebreaker. Protecting Draciel was everything and Max...her friend and perhaps more than just a friend, need her.

Mariam took no time in rejoining them. Draciels' damaged beyblade glinted on the floor next to Max's knee and begged for her to pick it up. She made a quick but necessary glance at Draciels' bitchip just to be sure the great turtle was still inside and gave it shelter in a pocket next to Sharkrash. "Draciel is safe Max. This time." She paused and glanced over Emilys' crouched body before Maxs'. "He's completely wiped. Poor guy. How's he doing?"

Emily used her hands to cup under Max's jawline and heave her team mates heavy head upwards to meet hers, and brushed his wavy yellow hair out of his eyes with her thumbs. His usually so bright eye were closed and his cute face was pale. His freckled features were relaxed like he was in a deep deep sleep and his eyebrows didn't twitch once. Emily tenderly set his head back to his sternum in order to free her hands to check his pulse. She wrapped her fingers around Max's wrist like a doctor would and held them there for a few seconds. Moments later she shrieked with a thick dangling sweat drop. Emilys' voice was edgy and alarmed."His heart beat is really slow and his breathing is super shallow! We gotta get him out of here and now! There will be paramedics outside at the evacuation points."

"Noooooo Max!" Kenny was having a panic attack as he grabbed at his hair. His meek heart was pumping madly and his stomach knotting with the worry. "COME ON MAX WAKE UP! PLEASE!"