Chapter Twenty: United We Stand
"Stop looking so sad," Dohna said, collapsing onto the couch next to Mystel.
He flinched but remained seated. "I'm not moping."
Hours had passed since the match against the White Tigers. His teammates were celebrating the quick demise of their opponents, but Mystel could not relate to their joy. Had the victory created a wider gap between himself and Mariah? That's all he could think about.
"You look so much better when you're happy," Dohna said. She brought her legs up onto the couch and crossed them. "Today is a great day. We won a straight set. You should be proud." She draped an arm around his shoulders.
He pulled away. "Why are you like this?"
She rolled her eyes as she removed her arm. "You're such a bore. You used to be fun." A pause then, "Are you thinking about her now? Mariah? I can understand why – she is quite pretty. The boys in the crowd certainly loved seeing her battle."
Mystel stood up. Her presence was dampening his already sour mood. "So, I like the girl. Why is that a problem for you? You and I – there was nothing ever there. Stop acting like there was." He turned to leave their room, but she stood in front of him. "Really? You're going to stop me from leaving now?"
"I taught you everything you know," Dohna said, reaching out to grab his arm.
"And I'm grateful for that." He withdrew from her touch. "I can see what you're trying to do, but I'm not interested. You're trying hard to make connections to make me feel like I'm one of your people, but I'm not falling for it. I'm heading out… and I'm going alone." Once more he tried to move past her, but she refused to let him go.
"Master Li doesn't want you out and about alone."
He narrowed his eyes. "He doesn't trust me."
"You did run away once before. What's to say you won't run off again? You need to be watched." She grinned, twirling a lock of black hair around her finger. "And lucky for you, I'm happy to supervise."
"Fine," he said, throwing his hands up. He sat back down on the couch. "So, you promised answers if I joined the team. On the plane you mentioned someone else had killed Mr. Dickenson."
She nodded. "Douglas of the PBB All-Starz. Powerful CEO with a lot of money and influence who believed science could fix all his problems, but he didn't perform as planned. The Bladebreakers tore up his plans and made a fool of him and his science."
"Why kill Stanley then?"
"He's the face of beyblading. He was the only man more powerful than Douglas. Take him out and that throws the whole sport into chaos." She unfolded her legs and placed her feet on the floor. "Douglas has been interested in the mines in Australia. He took a team of expert scientists there to investigate some ancient site."
He raised an eyebrow. "How do you know that?"
"Our bitbeasts are prehistoric. It's in our best interests to know about ancient places."
He folded his arms. "And what are we supposed to do with this information? Tell the world Douglas planned the assassination of Stanley? No one is going to believe that."
She shook her head. "To find out what he's planning. That's why we came to this tournament – it'll bring us closer to the man we seek. We're just lucky it brought us back to you. We can be powerful again – do you remember how strong we were together before you left us?" Again, she reached out, her fingers gently brushing up against his arm.
This time, he didn't recoil. "You were still a better blader than I."
"You could've become stronger, but you never came home."
"I'm not an assassin, Dohna. I never intended to harm the White Tigers."
She narrowed her eyes. "Because you fell for a girl."
"You didn't come here just for Douglas. You want the White Tigers gone. That's why you went after them with such force during the tournament match." Not that it had been that difficult – the White Tigers weren't a powerful team. "Because I didn't finish what I was supposed to have done."
She shrugged. "Perceptive."
"The White Tigers are a different tribe to what they were all those decades ago," Mystel pointed out. "They're not a threat. They're just people who enjoy beyblading, so why not just let them be? We don't have to be held back by our pasts."
"They decimated our people long ago. Only few of us remain."
"I can't do what you want me to do. I'm not that person anymore."
She sighed. "You've grown weak in your time away, but did you achieve anything? Did walking away bring you happiness? You signed up to join the Bega League to serve under a madman. You were a puppet to entertain the media and you played the role well. You revealed our special move to the rest of the world. Your team lost and again, you're left with nothing."
"I made friends."
"With other misfits? You don't belong with them. I watched the games. You weren't friends."
"Maybe not at the beginning, but we have come to appreciate each other." Even Brooklyn was tolerable. Mostly. Better than the Bai Hu Clan anyway. He sighed. "You might've made me the blader I am today, but I'm nothing like you."
"Allow me to remind you of a past we shared."
Fingers now wrapped around his arm, she leaned forward. She pushed him down onto his back and lowered her head, pressing her lips against his own.
Perhaps it was a moment of weakness and feeling of loneliness that made him stay him in place, but he didn't flinch. He wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her close, savouring the taste of her. A hand trailed down his side, resting on his thigh. Only then did his brain make sense of what was happening. It was like a siren going off in his mind.
He pushed her back and sat upright. "What the hell?!"
She ran a finger across her lower lip. "That tells me all I need to know."
"That meant nothing. You took advantage of me!"
She chuckled. "She can't give you what you want. I can. Our clan can. Remember that." She stood up from the couch and walked outside the room.
He remained on the couch and ran a hand through his hair. "Fuck." Dohna was an unpleasant person, but the intimacy was nice. "I need fresh air. Just play along for now. You came here for Mariah. Dohna is not Mariah. You are not attracted to her," he told himself. He needed to find Mariah.
.
Another loss, but what a quick exit it was. Knocked out of the tournament just after the first official round thanks to the new elimination layout. Once again, the White Tigers were out of the running. She was starting to wonder why they had even bothered competing if they had just been set up to lose.
"Mariah! Don't feel bad about it. None of us were aware of what we would be up against," Kevin said, doing his best to console his upset friend. Their battle for a place in the semis had been ended by the Bai Hu Clan in the Melbourne Entertainment Centre. Tao had told them the Bai Hu Clan had no longer existed, so it was certainly a surprise to see them on participating in the tournament with their prehistoric bitbeasts.
What hurt the most was seeing Mystel on their team and watching how easily they made short work of the White Tiger bitbeasts. He fit perfectly in with them and it made her wonder just how little she really knew him. Perhaps that's what Brooklyn had been warning her about. Perhaps it was wise to heed his words and take his advice. But curiosity led her to finding more answers. She needed to know the entire truth.
"It doesn't feel right, Kevin," Mariah replied, lifting her gaze up from her battered blade. The attack ring was unrepairable. Destroyed with a single bone-crushing bite from the prehistoric hyena type-creature. It belonged to the female, Dohna. The bitbeast was known as 'Pachycrocuta' and what a menace it was. Lightning fast and a jaw grip so powerful, it could shatter the metal of any advanced beyblade.
Master Li, the leader of the ragtag team, had also showcased his skills, but hadn't revealed his bitbeast. Mystel had been the last to blade and her unfortunate brother hadn't stood a chance. "But what can we do, Mariah? You saw how quickly they destroyed our blades."
"There has to be something we can do!"
"You're thinking about Mystel, aren't you? This has nothing to do with the others."
She released a sigh. "I don't understand why he would ally with them."
"Talk to him, Mariah. You're never going to learn the truth by standing around here and doing nothing. We have two days until the semi-finals begin in New Zealand, so you have heaps of time to reach out to him. Maybe you convince him to drop out. If he really cared about you, he'd do the right thing," Kevin explained.
It was odd hearing such words from Kevin. For years they had been giving him lectures on how to behave like a mature adult, yet he was the one now giving advice. Drawing in a deep breath, she exhaled, trying to calm down her nerves. "You're right. But what about Lee?"
Lee had locked himself up in the room, and he hadn't come out since their loss yesterday. They had ended up in a room at one of the nearby hotels. "…If anyone can help Lee, it'll be Rei. I'll talk with Rei after the match – he doesn't need to be distracted now. You go and deal with Mystel and figure out just what's going on here. You should take Gary with you for backup in case things turn sour. I don't trust those bladers."
And neither did she. What were their intentions? Why had they revealed themselves now? Why had Mystel joined them? So many questions yet she lacked answers. She heaved a sigh. "I'll take Gary with me. You talk to Rei after the match with the Demolition Boys. I'll be back before the match begins."
"I wish you all the best, Mariah."
An odd thing to say, but she pushed it aside and walked down the hallway, heading towards the entrance. People were piling in early to witness the next match with the Horseman. The queue was so long there were people lining up on the streets. The biggest match of the decade was the headline being splashed on papers and television news programmes. The Avengers battling against the Demolition Boys for a spot in the finals. The winner would then play off against the Bai Hu Clan or the Horsemen.
Now where would Mystel be? Most likely he was within range of the stadium sticking close with his new teammates. What did his former teammates think of the ditch? She dug a hand into her pocket and pulled out her phone. Selecting Mystel's number she sent him a quick text telling her to meet him in the training facility nearby.
She hoped he'd come along. They hadn't traded a single word since Brooklyn had interfered. She was well overdue for an explanation of the sudden loss in communication. Perhaps there was still a chance she could reach out him if there was any part of him that still cared. "Gary," she said, walking towards the café where her friend was busy eating a garden salad. Tapping him on the shoulder, she added, "We're going out. I want you to come with me."
"But what about my salad?"
"You can take it with you. Come on, I need you."
He stood up and cradled his plastic bowl of salad. "Where are we going?"
"We're going to settle a score with the Bai Hu Clan. Lee's locked in the room and Kevin's going to talk with Rei. That leaves you and I to sort this mess out. My blade is broken, and I can't get it fixed until tomorrow. If worse comes to worse, I'll need you to battle."
Gary nods. "Okay."
She smiled. "Good. Let's go."
A blade sailed past her head, narrowly avoiding making contact. It flew into the nearby tree and remained embedded in it. Exhaling sharply, Mariah looked in the direction of which the blade had come from. Standing a few metres away was a woman with long black hair. Dohna. "Mariah, right? Did you come here to have a rematch? Oh wait. Your blade is totally trashed. What about your big friend there? Perhaps he'd like to have a fight?"
Gary growled, and raised his blade, ready to launch. Mariah placed a hand on his arm and forced it down. "Don't fall for the bait. Let me handle this." Gary lowered his arm, but his steely gaze remained. "I'm not here for you. I want to talk to Mystel. Alone."
The woman snorted. "A lover's spat? Oh joy, they're fun to watch." She glanced over her shoulder. "Mystel! There's someone here who wants to speak with you." A few moments later the blond appeared. "I can tell her to leave if you want."
Mystel locked eyes with her. "No. She can stay. I want to hear what she has to say."
"You need me to hang around?"
"I'll be fine, Dohna. You can leave. I'll see you at the tournament in a few hours."
The female pouted, as if disappointed. She placed a hand on his shoulder, leaned in close whispering something into his ear. He frowned then she pulled back, a smile on her face. "I'll see you later then." She winked at Mariah then walked off. Gary, realizing this was a private moment, moved to the side giving them both some space.
"Mariah… why'd you come?" Mystel started. He sounded tired. Unhappy even.
"Because I want answers. I haven't heard from you in weeks."
"I've been busy."
"Busy dealing with your new friends."
His jaw tightened. "Mariah, you shouldn't even be here. Go back to your team."
"And do what? Your team knocked us out, Mystel. So, what happened? Did you pull a Kai-move and ditch Bega to join up with another powerful team?" she demanded, her voice raising an octave. Remain calm, she told herself. Be rational. You're the level-headed one in the family.
"I didn't abandon Bega."
"You sure about that? Because I see you standing here before me competing in the tournament without the rest of your former teammates. If that doesn't sound like abandonment, then I don't know what does." He visibly cringed. Good. Her words were having an impact. Make him squirm a little. See how he liked being the one to suffer. "So why did you leave? Or did they realize you were a traitor and kicked you out?"
"I didn't betray anyone, Mariah."
"Right. I find that hard to believe."
He sighed. "You have questions… ask away."
"The Bai Hu Clan. Why are they here? What's your connection to them?"
He raked a hand through his hair and avoided meeting her eyes. Guilt probably. "There are many things you don't know about me, Mariah… and I just… ask that you hear me out."
"Start talking."
"I was abandoned by my parents at a young age. They didn't have the finances to raise me properly, so they left me behind in the woods. I suppose they hoped I'd perish there in the wilderness and no one would ever know. Master Li found me and brought me to their home. I was inducted into their way of life and became part of the tribe," he explained as he moved in a little closer. Now he was just an arm's length away. "They taught me how to blade. Everything I know now can be credited to them."
No wonder he was sometimes labelled as the mysterious Mystel. She really didn't know much about him at all. "You could've told me earlier."
"I never wanted you to know, Mariah. If you did… you'd turn your back on me in a heartbeat. I've done things I'm not proud of, and if I could take it all back, I would, but you can't turn back time. You can only go forward." He still refused to meet her eyes. What could possibly be so terrible he was hesitant in telling her?
"You're a friend, Mystel. You can trust me."
"If you knew the truth you wouldn't." He turned his head to the right and gazed up at the tournament stadium. "I never wanted to hurt you Mariah. I never wanted to be held responsible for being the cause of your team's elimination, but I didn't have a choice in the matter. Once you join with them you never leave."
"You make it sound like a cult. Everyone has a choice."
A dry laugh escaped his throat. "Everything you know about me is a lie, Mariah. I didn't join up with Bega out of the blue – I knew exactly what I was doing." He looked at her now and she could see the conflict in his eyes. Torn. Guilt. Even fear. "I was raised as a blader of the Bai Hu Clan and we practiced day and night perfecting the infamous 360 attack I'm known for. It wasn't to become the best blader to win some title… We trained for war. To take out opposing clans. Like yours."
To train for war… take out opposition… those precise moves… perfect accuracy… "That's why you were there at the White Tiger Hills… You weren't there to help me, were you? You were spying on us." She felt as though she had been slapped in the face. All these past few months of spending quality time together… All just a like. He had been using her. Most likely he had been feeding information back to his people and that's why they had come. Come to what? Collect?
He took a step towards her. She took one back. "…Mariah…"
"Stay back," she replied almost with a snarl. He stopped his hands raised in a defensive manner. "How dare you? You came into our lives pretending to be a friend but all this time you were a foe!" She pointed at herself. "I trusted you! I was willing to turn my back on my tradition to be with you, but now I can see that's all just a big mistake."
She didn't cry. Tears would come later when no one could see her. "Mariah… I…"
"Are you trying to explain yourself because there's absolutely nothing you can say that is ever going to make this right! You came into my homeland to spy on us, Mystel. How the hell do you justify that? You're worse than Kai. At least he never tried to be a friend. But you – did you ever care for me at all or were you simply playing mind games with me?"
He looked down at the ground. What a fool she had been to think that he ever cared. Never trust a man who hid his true face behind a mask for they had something to hide. How could she have been so blind? Lee had seen it. He had warned her against Mystel yet she had happily let him in blind to his fake charm. "Of course, I do. If I didn't, I wouldn't be here right now talking to you. I hated Brooklyn for what he did to you trying to drive us apart."
"You're missing the point entirely, Mystel. You kept truths from me!"
"To protect you!" he retorted.
"To protect me from what? From the real you?" She scoffed. "I'm not some damsel in distress."
"Do you see now why I didn't want you to know? Because I knew this was going to happen. Asking questions," he retorted, frustrated.
"And why should I not? You want me to remain blind so you can continue to manipulate me?"
Mystel looked ready to argue back but stopped himself short. Instead, he sighed. "I don't want to fight, Mariah. I'm sorry that I didn't tell you sooner, but I wanted to avoid this – this conflict we're having now." He paused, rubbing the back of his neck before carrying on. "But you now know. We can move forward from this."
"We can't ever go back to the way things were," she replied. How could she trust him knowing that he was only in the village to spy on her people? How could she even reconsider letting him back into her circle with the knowledge she had now? A manipulator. A liar. And above all, a coward who hid behind a mask. "My brother was right to distrust you."
A muscle jerked in his jaw. "…Mariah… please…"
She held a hand up. "I don't want to hear it anymore. You've said what needs to be said. Why don't you run back to that bitch?" Seems like her grandfather knew best after all. Pairing her with Rei from birth was the right thing to do. Arranged relationships was for the best of the tribe. At least Rei had no secrets – she knew everything about him. They could have an honest relationship. Unlike one with Mystel which was built on lies.
"I guess it's over then," Mystel started after a few moments pause. He looked at her with an expression that made her heart ache. Hurt. Rejection. Shattered. It was almost tempting to say, 'okay – maybe we could still make this work' but forgiving him would be a sign of weakness. Sometimes, the right decisions were the ones that hurt the most. "I just want you to know that you were the reason I left the Bai Hu Clan. I wanted this to work so badly that I kept the truth so you wouldn't leave. So, you wouldn't hate me for what I've done."
"Don't talk."
"I loved you, Mariah, and I still do, regardless of what you think of me now."
She bit down on her lower lip and turned away, unable to meet his gaze. No one else, aside from her brother and grandfather, had ever told her that. Not even Rei, her crush for years, had ever been able to say it out aloud. Maybe it was a last-ditch attempt to reach out to her so he could keep her close. But no. She wasn't weak. She wasn't some gullible girl who was going to forgive someone just because they knew the right cards to play.
"Just go, Mystel. You've got a battle to focus on." Motioning for Gary to follow, she turned her back, kept her head low and walked away without sparing a glance back, a single tear running down her cheek.
.
It hadn't taken much effort to find their former teammate. He was at the local blading park just across the road from the beystadium looking down at the dish before him. In a few short hours, he'd be expected to blade against one of the Horsemen. Fans from all around the globe had paid large amounts of money just to witness it. Brooklyn, however, was not one of those crazy fans. He had other plans.
Garland and Ming Ming accompanied him. He had planned in visiting Mystel on his own, but his teammates insisted on coming too. "Surely, there has to be some other way to solve this peacefully," Ming Ming said. "Does it really have to come down to a battle?"
"It's the only way, Ming Ming. He'll thank us in the long run," Brooklyn replied, crossing the road. Thankfully, there was no one else around. Everyone was busy watching the game inside the venue or watching it from the bars or their homes. Perfect time to settle the score without a crowd to watch. "Besides, he's asking for it."
"Can't you just talk about it?"
He would've laughed if the situation wasn't so serious. "We settle things with a beybattle, not with words, Ming Ming. Maybe you girls do these things differently, but this is the best possible resolution. You agree don't you, Garland?" He looked to the kick boxer for support.
With a shrug of his shoulders, Garland nodded. "Sorry Ming Ming, but Brooklyn is right. We put him out of the tournament and then together we put an end to the Bai Hu Clan."
"This sounds like a recipe for disaster…" she murmured.
"We're not going to hurt him," Brooklyn assured, then with a slight smirk, he added, "Okay, maybe just a little, but don't say he doesn't deserve to be roughed up a little. Let's not forget he joined up with another team without informing us." He was also going to be battling against one of the Horsemen. He hadn't forgotten the words in his vision - War, Famine, Pestilence and Death, the four faces of the Horsemen of biblical origin. Battling them had one result – a loss. He was doing Mystel favour by forcing him out of the tournament.
"Did you get ditched?" Brooklyn called out as he approached the blond.
Mystel looked up then frowned, noticing who they were. "Brooklyn. Ming Ming, and Garland. I'm not even going to ask where you got the funds from, but rather why have you come?"
Brooklyn pulled out his blade and launcher. The ripcord was already inserted. "I think we should have a match. Let's see how sharp you really are."
"I'm not going to battle you."
"Too afraid to take me on?" Brooklyn challenged.
Mystel narrowed his eyes. "I'm not a coward, Brooklyn."
"I don't take no for an answer. You should know that." He released his blade directly in front of Mystel's path, preventing him from going anywhere. "I'm not leaving until you fight back." Garland and Ming Ming stayed back a few metres. "So, what's it going to be?"
"You're an ass, you know that, right?" Mystel replied, reaching down into a pocket to pull out his blade and launcher. He put the blade in place then inserted the ripcord. Gripping the launcher firmly, he jerked his other hand back, sending his blade forwards at a speeding pace. Poseidon landed directly on top of Zeus.
With Zeus, Poseidon was no serious threat. Mystel could hold his own for the first few minutes of the battle, but Zeus always won in the end. But without Zeus? They were on the same playing field. "Maybe, but I'm less of an ass than you. I never abandoned ship." This was the real test. To see if he could blade without Zeus and remain vision-free. Surely, Zeus wouldn't be able to reach him without being in the blade?
Zeus managed to throw Poseidon off then rammed into the side, pushing the blade to the opposite side of the dish. Poseidon pulled free when he neared the rim, circled around, and attacked again. "I notice Zeus is missing from your blade. Is that an insult to me?" Poseidon pulled back a second time then charged forward once again, slamming into the side. Aggressive. More aggressive than usual. A reflection of the state of mind of the blader.
"I wanted to keep the playing field equal," Brooklyn replied. "No fun if it's so terribly one-sided."
That would get a rise out of him. Get him all riled up so the real fun could begin. Mystel sent his blade skywards by using the slope of the dish as support. The infamous 360 attack of the Bai Hu Clan. Plunge of death for those who didn't know how to counter or avoid it. His blade crashed back down releasing streams of water, spraying liquid in all directions.
"Poseidon, attack!" Encased in a barrier of water, Poseidon crashed down on Zeus with such force it made the ground shake. Brooklyn looked on. There was nothing he could do to counter that special attack. Without Zeus, he was just as vulnerable as any bitbeast-less blader. Still, his blade was endurable and powerful without its usual inhabitant.
Much to his surprise, Poseidon jumped off then pushed Zeus to the dish's edge. The slippery surface did little to throw Mystel's blade off course, but Zeus wasn't designed for that. Okay. So perhaps he had overestimated his bitbeast-less blade and underestimated Mystel's own power. No wonder the Bai Hu Clan were so eager to claim him back.
"I'm not going to fight you without Zeus, Brooklyn. If you really want to test me, it should be with your bitbeast."
Zeus's bitchip was sitting in his right pocket. He wasn't so keen to use him again after recent episodes, but Mystel had a fair point – not using Zeus was an insult. He may as well be carrying a white sign above his head reading, 'I think you're weak so I'm not using my bitbeast'. Digging a hand into his pocket, he reached for Zeus, his fingers brushing up against the bitchip. It was warm. Odd.
"Fine. You want a real battle?" He pulled the bitchip out and walked over to pick up his blade. He placed the bitchip back on then returned to his previous position and reloaded his launcher. Mystel recalled his and prepared to launch again. "Then you'll have it. Don't come crying to me when you lose." Stomach muscles tightening, Brooklyn drew in a deep breath then released his blade. How would Zeus react this time?
"You look nervous."
"I saw Mariah walk by earlier. She didn't look happy. She found out, didn't she?"
Mystel released his blade as Brooklyn did the same. The blades collided creating sparks. "What happened with Mariah has nothing to do with you." Poseidon pulled back, knowing a head on clash with Zeus wasn't wise. Play to your strengths, and for Mystel that was being unpredictable. Much like his moods really. "Need I remind you that you were the one that originally pushed her away?"
"For your own good. Zeus, counterattack!" Zeus sped across the dish in hot pursuit of his rival, but Mystel's blade narrowly avoided the charge by making a sharp turn to the right. One thing he hated about blading against Mystel – his moves were so erratic, it was irritating. When you thought he was going to go right, he'd go left. There was no other blader he knew that could make the sharp turns Mystel could. Well, there was the Bai Hu Clan of course, but no other famous blader could. Not even the mighty Hiwatari could pull off a turn like that.
"Now Poseidon! Rise!" His bitchip glowed. A burst of white light exploded from the centre. When the light faded, his marine sea creature type bitbeast appeared, wielding the golden trident in his right hand.
"Two can play that game. Zeus! Arise!"
A surge of relief poured through him as he watched his bitchip light up. At least he was listening, but for how long? Never had he felt this nervous using his blade. Who had ever heard of a blader being afraid of their own bitbeast? It was unheard of! He raised his right hand in the air and prepared to bring it down when he felt a sharp pain to the right temple. Clenching his jaw, he ignored the pain, and tried to focus on the match ahead.
Poseidon charged up the slope to gain height then flipped in the air before plummeting to the ground. Again, his blade landed directly on top and began to spin in the opposite direction to use Zeus's power against him. As soon as the reverse rotation started, the streams of water sprayed out from the blade. Purple flames soon joined the fray mixing in with the water as Zeus finally decided to show himself.
Pain, immeasurable pain, imploded in his mind. Like a migraine, but a thousand times worse. Overcome with pain, Brooklyn slumped to the ground, once again finding himself on his knees. This was worse than the previous time. Much worse. It was like the insides of his body were tearing themselves apart whilst being set alight on fire. An agonized scream tore through his throat. His scream only seemed to empower Zeus. Zeus's flames, usually coloured purple, were as black as the night.
"Brooklyn!" Someone screamed his name, but he couldn't make out whom. The only thing he could clearly hear was his own tortured scream filling the air. "You have to stop at once!"
Stop. Yes. But how? Zeus had a mind of its own. It was like he possessed by a force far greater than himself. Was it the Leviathan taking control? His thoughts were broken by the taste of blood in his mouth. Bringing a hand to his mouth, he ran a finger across his lower lip then pulled it away. Covered in blood. Nosebleed.
"Garland, do something!"
Feel the wrath of the Leviathan. No one defies me.
"Mystel!"
A sudden weariness gripped him. Then, there was coldness. It was as if he was standing in a pool of freezing water, and he was drowning, being slowly pulled beneath the surface. Soon, his head went under. He tried to break free of the invisible limbs holding him down, but try as he might, he could not. With oxygen failing to reach his lungs, he weakened fast, his mind beginning to spin, his brain starved of vital air.
You are no brother of mine.
Then… relief. He found himself able to breathe again. Gasping for air, he glanced up from the bloodied patch of grass beneath and found Zeus had retreated into his blade. All that was left was a blackened dish because of the flames scorching the metal. Mystel was laying on the ground several metres away, Poseidon lying just a few inches before his face.
"What…the hell happened?" the blond said, struggling to his feet, a low groan escaping his throat moments afterwards. He reached out and grabbed his blade. As he picked it up, the pieces crumbled. The only piece remaining intact was the bitchip. His jaw dropped. "…You destroyed my blade…"
Brooklyn remained on the grass. He wished he knew too, but right now he was just happy to be alive. "Damn it Brooklyn, why'd you take the risk?" Garland said, dropping down beside him. There was annoyance, but also concern. "After what had happened last time, I thought you would've learned your lesson."
"I had to take the risk…" he said in between breathes. "…I'm not losing a teammate to the Leviathan."
"What Leviathan?" Garland demanded.
Mystel frowned. "…That's what they're searching for."
Ming Ming looked from Brooklyn to Mystel to Brooklyn again. "Can someone please tell me what is going on? Leviathan? Searching for what? Who is they?"
Forcing himself to sit upright, Brooklyn looked at his companions. His head was throbbing but at least he was breathing. His nose was still bleeding though. Pinching his nose, he leaned forward slightly to encourage the clotting process. "…We need to talk to Tyson. What I know could save their lives." He struggled to his feet. He almost fell over, but Garland was there to support him.
"You really should be resting, Brooklyn."
He shook his head. "No. This can't wait." The Leviathan bitbeast was reaching out to him through Zeus. The bitbeast had mentioned previously Zeus was part of three bitbeasts responsible for breaking the three seals that binded him. But brother? Perhaps he had mistakenly assumed Poseidon was one of the bitbeasts responsible for locking him then pulled back when he realized it wasn't.
The four sacred bitbeasts. Surely, they had to be related directly to the Leviathan. Four horsemen heads of the Leviathan. Four sacred spirits. At some point they must've gone to war and the Leviathan had lost. Was history repeating itself again? He brought a hand to his right temple and rubbed it. The pieces were starting to fall together now, and it had taken a match against Mystel for the connections to be made.
He looked at Mystel. The blond was still examining his blade. Well, the little that remained of it. "Your tournament is over, Mystel. Time to look to the future now." A future that involved a gathering of the best bladers. If his theory was correct, they were all in great danger.
Mystel glanced up. "You wanted this to happen, didn't you?"
"We might've gone a little overboard, but we got the result we wanted," Brooklyn answered. "If we hadn't intervened, you would've lost in the tournament. I just saved you from a humiliating defeat."
He put the broken pieces of his blade back in his pocket. "…The Bai Hu Clan are still a problem. Even if they get eliminated, they're not going to stop harassing me. When they find out I can't blade for them tomorrow…" He looked away towards the horizon. After a few moments paused, he looked back, his expression forlorn. "They don't take rejection well and I can't currently defend myself."
"You can stay here with us," Ming Ming said.
Mystel shook his head. "And have you fight my battles? No."
"Then what then? You're just going to run? You said it yourself – they're not ever going to stop," Ming Ming pointed out. "And your blade needs repairing. What kind of friends would we be if we let you go alone? We've been through too much together just to let it fall apart."
The blond looked utterly confused. He was probably half-expecting them to tell him to scram and never return. "I can't make up for what I've done. Mariah… she's… gone. I came here for nothing."
Garland shook his head. "You didn't come here for nothing."
"I can't leave them," Mystel remarked. "They made me who I am."
"Everyone has a choice, Mystel," Ming Ming said. "If they come after you, they come after us as well because we're a team. We stick up for each other."
Mystel's shoulders slumped. "I have to go back."
Ming Ming frowned. "What do they have on you? You fought one match for them…"
"Dohna… She was my mentor. Taught me what I know. And she…" Mystel trailed off and looked down at the ground as if he was embarrassed about something. He even rubbed the back of his ear.
"You didn't sleep with her, did you?" Brooklyn said.
"No!" he replied quickly. "She kissed me. I let her. I shouldn't have done that."
"You're not dating Mariah. Not officially," Ming Ming added as if that somehow made things better. "You're not cheating on anyone. A minor slip up, sure, but you're not dating anyone. It means nothing. I'd love to chat about this more, but it's getting cold. Can we go inside? I'm freezing," she added, wrapping her arms around herself.
Garland nodded. "You heard the lady. Let's go inside to our room. You included, Mystel."