Chapter Twenty-Two: Protectors of the Earth

Emily had left. Gone, and this time for good. He hadn't been able to find her at South Bank in Brisbane. Now he was here in New Zealand without any hope of tracking her down at all. Most likely she had booked a flight home and was already looking for other places to work at. He looked down the mountainside, feeling a great weight on his shoulders, his eyes resting on Lake Wakatipu.

They were in the heart of mountains of New Zealand's South Island in the tourist city, Queenstown. Thousands of people from all over the globe had come here for the finals which were gearing up to the greatest of them all. To pass a bit of time before the big match day, people skied, took jet boat tours, went bungee and trumping, mountain treks and much more. The city was abuzz with life.

Michael wasn't having any of it. He was currently standing outside the Sky Restaurant overlooking the place. People were queuing for the gondola line which was the only way to reach the restaurant on atop of a rough cliff side. He hated to think of how many people were waiting on the bottom. Tuning the rest of the bystanders out, he looked down at the mountain base.

A beautiful city, but there was no joy to be felt. The PBB All-Starz had been knocked out once again, but this was worse. Max and Rick might've represented the team last year, but they were still a team. Now? They were broken. No Emily. His entire fault. She had left because he had given her little choice. "I hope you're happy wherever you are," he murmured, as a gentle but cold breeze brushed up against his skin and rustled his hair.

He remained overlooking the lake for a few moments longer then glanced down at the time on his phone. Twenty-four hours until match time. The Avengers must be on edge. The Horsemen had yet to show their true capabilities automatically having gone through to the finals because of the Bai Hu Clan dropping out due to unforeseen change in circumstances. A shame really. It would've been one heck of a match to watch.

"Michael?"

A female's voice. One he recognized all too well. He turned around and spotted Emily standing a few feet away, dressed in clothes not unlike her usual self. She was wearing a red strapless dress, her hair fell around her shoulders, and she was even wearing make-up. And were they… golden earrings? It was as if she was heading out to a party… or a date. She wasn't even wearing her infamous pair of glasses today. Must've opted for contacts for one night.

"Emily?" he replied, almost lost for words.

She brought her hands together, fingers curling around the other, and fidgeted. "I wasn't expecting to see you here."

He pulled back from the railing. "I didn't expect to see you here either. I thought you had gone, Emily." A wash of relief poured through him. She might've left the team, but she was here now and that's all that mattered. Maybe he could reach out to her… Be honest with her before it was too late. Maybe he could change her mind. He looked her up and down then said, "Important date?"

She nodded. "I'm meeting with Miguel."

Of course. Miguel. Emily wouldn't dress up like this for just any guy. Maybe… It was for the best. If Emily truly loved the blond, then just standing in her way would only add to her unhappiness. Maybe it was best just to let go. "Miguel, eh?" He tried to keep his voice steady. He even tried to put on a fake smile. No point in being hostile and making her feel more uncomfortable than she already did.

"Yeah, Miguel."

"Emily…"

She held a hand up. "There's no need for apologies, Michael. What has happened has and it can't be reversed. You made it very clear how you felt – I don't want to a burden to you or the team. Stepping back is the best thing I can do," she said softly.

"You're not a burden to us, Emily."

"Please… just stop," she replied. "I've thought a lot about this. You can't change my mind, Michael. You and I just can't work together, and I've only just realized it now." She unclasped her hands.

He was losing her. Talking only made things worse, but he couldn't stop himself. "So, this is it then? You're just going to walk out on us without even saying a proper goodbye? You're not just walking away from a team, Em. You're walking away from the PPB."

"Sometimes you just have to learn to move on," she said tonelessly.

"You can't be serious. You gave everything you had and more to the PPB and you just want to walk away from that?" Was Emily even hearing herself? No one in their mind would ever walk away from the PPB.

"I didn't want to walk from the PPB, Michael, but I had to. How do you expect me to remain working in a place where I don't feel like my services are needed?" She took a step towards him, her eyes narrowing. "You're right – I gave my heart and soul to the company, but it's time for me to move on."

Most people now would just walk away and accept the battle was over, but Michael didn't consider himself to be a quitter. Cocky. Bull-headed. Obnoxious. Insensitive. But never a quitter. "Then say it – look straight at me and tell me this is what you want. That you're happy to walk away from the world's top science facility for what? For love?" He forced a humourless laugh. "To be with Miguel? The guy who didn't have the balls to turn down Barthez the moment he knew they'd rely on cheating tactics to get through?"

"Don't you dare bring Miguel into this, Parker," Emily retorted, pointing an accusing finger at him. "Miguel has done more for me than you have ever done in a lifetime of knowing you. He treats me with respect. He makes me feel like an actual person rather than just some tool to keep around to use when needed. That's why I'm leaving. Would it have hurt you to actually treat me like a person for once?"

He tried to speak back, but words failed him. A lump formed in his throat. Had he ever really shown her kindness? Sure, he had stood by her when Rick and Max had taken over, but that was it. It wasn't like he could recall doing other nice things for her. "…I just… I don't know." Way to go, Michael, he told himself. That's certainly convincing. "I don't want you to leave."

"But I have and there's no turning back. You just have to accept that. I don't have to take orders from you anymore," Emily replied, taking another step closer to him, her eyes fixed on his own. "This is where we part for good. Maybe now you'll realize what it feels like to be hurt." Without saying another word, she turned her back and retreated indoors, leaving Michael standing outside in the cold.

.

"So, let me get this straight… When you said meeting it's just your formal way of saying 'party' right?" Tyson said, looking around the room, taking note of the large number of people standing beneath the same ceiling. Celebrations over the win against the Demolition Boys had been short. The moment they had claimed victory, Robert had sent a text message to meet at the Earnslaw Lodge shortly afterwards.

The entire hotel had been cleared out to allow the bladers maximum privacy. He wondered just how much Robert had paid them to take the day off. The captain of the Majestics was sitting at the opposite end of the table, a large brown book with a leather casing before him. "Not a party, Tyson. We are having a social gathering of minds."

That was one way of putting it, but something was missing. Johnny and Enrique were present. The Saint Shields were there too. Unexpected faces included Salima and Kane. Apparently, Robert had encountered the duo last night at a VIP 'social gathering'. Some faces were missing. Kai and Max were nowhere to be seen.

"We can't have a discussion without Max and Kai. They're part of the team too," Kenny said.

"We don't have much time," Robert noted. "You have less than twenty-four hours before you step into the dish one last time in this tournament. The less time we spend chatting, the more time you have to practice."

"This isn't right," Tyson said, looking towards the door again. He half-expected Kai and Max to burst through at any moment, but it never came. What was taking them so long? Maybe Max was still at the doctor's office and Kai was waiting for him like a good team captain? "…But fine. What do you have to tell us that can't possibly wait?"

Ozuma was the first to answer. He was currently leaning against the wall with one leg pressed it against, his shoulders folded across his chest. "The Leviathan comes Tyson. I've seen it in my visions and my clan elders have confirmed it to be so. Our duty is to protect your bitbeasts – that's why we're here now. To ensure the sacred bitbeasts do not fall into the wrong hands."

"…And they're doing a pretty piss poor job at it too," Johnny interjected, sending a wayward glance in Mariam's direction. The blue-haired female turned her nose up and looked the other way. "…Their lot didn't even manage to defeat one Horsemen."

"…Which we know is no easy task to achieve," Robert answered. "We all witnessed their battles during the qualifying rounds. We all felt our bitbeasts react to their presence. The Saint Shields losing would've happened to any of us. It just so happened the Saint Shields were first."

Johnny flopped down onto a nearby couch and stretched himself across it, his hands resting behind his head. "For a team that is supposed to have a connection with this sort of shit, you'd think they'd be better at their jobs."

"And what would you have us to, Johnny? We knew little about the Leviathan," Dunga retorted, his fingers curling into fists, as if preparing for a fight. "Maybe if your team hadn't been so chicken, all this mess could've been prevented long before. All you had to do was open the book and read the passages."

"Wait, what book?" Hilary said.

"And since when did your two teams know each other?" Rei added, looking from the Majestics to the Saint Shields then back to the Majestics again.

"Everyone knows about the Majestics," Mariam concluded. "They're the stuck-up snob team made up of pampered over-privileged brats." She then looked at Johnny. "Some more bratty than others."

Johnny bolted upright and glared. Before he could speak another word, Rei cleared his throat and stepped forward, standing in between them.

"Hold on. This is supposed to be a meeting of minds, not a war of words. Aren't we all friends here? Just what exactly is going on?"

Johnny refused to speak, and Mariam wasn't making things easier either. Enrique smiled. "Mariam defeated Johnny in a beybattle."

"Go fuck yourself!"

Robert sighed, and rubbed his temples, obviously a little stressed. "Can we please stay on topic? We're here to talk about the Leviathan and nothing else. Your personal matters can be addressed after," the captain said, giving Johnny a look of disappointment. Johnny rolled his eyes and laid back on the couch again. "We know the Leviathan was the first bitbeast to be created."

"He was also the first bitbeast to fall and become what is known as the darkness of today," Ozuma added. "Shortly after Stanley's death, I received a vision from the beast warning of dark days to come. The end is nigh, it said."

"They were the same words Max and I saw on a wall in the abandoned alleyways back in Japan," Rei pointed out, frowning. "We were attacked at the café. We chased the blade down and it led us there. You think it was a foretelling?"

Robert nodded. "Ozuma is able to receive visions of a possible future thanks to the powers of his bitbeast. Ozuma heard 'the end is nigh' in his vision and that became a reality. There are many things we do not yet understand of our bitbeasts, but we know not to take these visions lightly."

"I haven't had any visions since that day," Ozuma started, pulling away from the wall. "I'm not sure why, but I'd say the Leviathan has targeted another. Perhaps I wasn't the one he was seeking."

"Brooklyn," Tyson said. "Who else could it be?"

"We also ran into the Dark Bladers who confirmed the Leviathan has been freed from his cage. My teammates and I were responsible for cursing them into the darkness and thus it only makes sense they can feel its presence." Robert stood up and paced back and forth. "Oliver is being flown to New Zealand as we speak. He insisted on being here as soon as he was able. It's been over a week since the accident."

"He's read the book then?"

Robert shook his head. "Not yet, but he will. But I do recognize some words that are in English. It brings up Leviathan, Gaia, and Purgatory. Also, the names of the four sacred bitbeasts. But that is all I can decipher, but it's enough to make some sense."

"So, we're all basically screwed then," Joseph said.

Robert ignored Joseph. "The Leviathan was the first bitbeast to be created, but he proved to be dangerous and thus was cast down into the pit known as purgatory. In Catholic doctrine, it's a place of suffering inhabited by the souls of sinners who are expiating their sins before going to heaven."

"We believe Gaia created the four sacred bitbeasts to help seal away the Leviathan to protect humankind," Ozuma added.

"And what of those four bitbeasts the Horseman possess?" Rei said.

Robert looked to Salima. She cleared her throat and spoke. "Gaia created more bitbeasts, but the Leviathan was able to corrupt them. That's the only solution I came up. The Horsemen do refer to the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse – War, Famine, Pestilence and Death."

"To spread chaos across the world," Kenny murmured.

"And that's why they're important to us all," Ozuma further added. "That's why my people wanted to capture the sacred bitbeasts. We mistakenly believed they would become corrupted if in the wrong hands, so we wanted to stop you and seal them away forever. Fortunately, you helped us realize that was not the case."

"So, you're saying we're the only ones who can beat the Horsemen then?" Rei said, pulling his gaze from Salima to look at Ozuma. "Because our bitbeasts were responsible for sealing the Leviathan away before."

"It's a theory, but it's a plausible one," Ozuma said. "Gaia does mean earth mother. Her oldest creation rebelled, and now we have good and evil bitbeasts."

"But how would the Leviathan even be able to escape? Why now?" Tyson said, frowning, looking up from his blade.

"Evil bitbeasts have been amongst us for many long decades sealed away in rocks, but human interference released them. The Fallen Phoenix. The Hound of Chaos. The Prince of Darkness. Do these names sound familiar?" Robert said. He walked over to the table and grabbed a glass of water.

"Black Dranzer, Cerberus, and Zeus," Kenny concluded.

Hilary rubbed her temples. "So, they're Leviathan creations?"

"That's what we believe. There are old sacred sites in Australia that have drawn attention to similar creatures in paintings of indigenous tribes," Salima explained. She pushed a strand of loose auburn hair away from her face and continued. "Similar depictions of creatures that we have seen in the beystadium."

Kenny scratched his head. "All right… So, we know about the Leviathan and the Four Horsemen… But how did the team even get the bitbeasts inside their blades? If the Leviathan is so powerful, how could anything tame it?"

"That's where I come in," said another voice. All heads turned to the front door. Judy was at the entrance accompanied with Max, Kai, Tyson's own father and grandfather and Max's dad, Trevor. Tyson was alarmed to see a thick white bandage wrapped around Kai's ribs and waist. Before he could even ask questions, Judy spoke. "I was there when the Leviathan was extracted. I saw it with my own eyes and felt its power. I'm here to help you stop it."

"Dad?" Tyson repeated, stunned. The last time he had seen his father had been just before the Russian tournament.

The man walked over to greet his son, but there was little time to exchange hugs and warm greetings. "I was the one who found the entrance to the Leviathan's gate. It was in the mining town of Mt Isa in Queensland. Douglas recruited me to uncover it, and I had little choice but to take orders."

There was a thick white bandage wrapped around Judy's head too. Her ex-partner stood close to her side, a hand wrapped around her waist, as if to keep her close. "Douglas is behind this. He started the PPB for this reason – to develop the technology to extract the Leviathan into the perfect beyblades. You remember King and Queen? Douglas enlisted them after their exit in the second tournament to collect parts. Whilst they collected the parts, Douglas had us working on the next step in beyblade technology. He had been planning for this moment for years now."

That was a lot of information to absorb. No wonder Robert had brought all these people together. The more minds, the easier it was to make sense of all of this. It was all so complex. "Then who shot Stanley Dickenson? Douglas?" Tyson said.

Judy should her head. "Douglas is not a murderer. His aim here is to simply prove that science is stronger than spirit. I don't think even he realizes just what monstrosity he has released upon the world, but I wouldn't be surprised if he were connected to it. A hired gun. We'll have to start an investigation later after the tournament. But we mustn't think of that now. Defeating the Horsemen is your primary goal. Everything else can wait."

Kai slowly limped over to the couch Johnny was lounging on and sat down. He visibly cringed but didn't make a sound. Tyson frowned, concerned. Kai must've sustained an injury during the match with Tala and typically he had kept quiet about it. That's why he had gone in the direction Max had taken. "We'll defeat them," he said, a hand resting on the bandages.

"You look like you're going to fall apart at any moment," Johnny pointed out displeased Kai was sitting so close. "Are you sure you can even battle? You know your teammates can't hold your hand." Kai's only answer was a glare in Johnny's direction. If looks could kill, Johnny would be dead, but the Scotsmen just snickered.

"It's not going to be so simple," Judy said. "We still don't understand the true power of the Leviathan. You'll each be fighting a fragment of him, but each Horsemen will be tougher than any other opponent you've battled. Stronger than Black Dranzer. Stronger than Cerberus and Zeus. Even the three of those bitbeasts combined."

"Then how are we supposed to win if we're going up against that much power?" Rei said. "From what you're all saying it's impossible."

"The Horsemen have special beyblades… Judy and I have adapted that technology and created our own to counter it," Trevor said, digging a hand into his pocket. He pulled out a beyblade. "We call it New Magnesium Beyblade. It's strong, but also incredibly light. Your blades will neither melt nor take chip damage. It'll be able to endure everything the Horsemen throw at you. With your bitbeasts inside it, you'll be able to achieve maximum power unlike anything you've experienced before."

Kenny stood up and walked over. He picked it up, turned it around to examine all edges then gave it back. "That's amazing," he commented. Then, "…We don't have a lot of time to practice with the Magnesium Beyblade."

"I'm sure you'll be able to master it. The stronger the bond with your bitbeast, the easier controlling the blade becomes. There is a downside however," Judy said, glancing sideways at her partner. She then looked back. "It's very physically and mentally demanding. Your battles must be short. Long battles will only weaken you. Possible side effects include headaches, cramps, and in worse cases, vomiting."

"We'll take the risks," Kai said.

"Fortunately, we've designed the blades already. All you need to do is insert your bitchips and the blades will be ready to go," Judy said.

"So, it's settled then. You have the power to match them," Robert said.

"We're all depending on you," Ozuma said.

"Don't fuck it up or we'll regret losing to you," Johnny added.

Tyson stood up. "Talk about pressure."

"You're not alone, Tyson. We're all here for you," Kane said.

"All right, enough talk before this turns into one of those cheesy scenes from a bad movie," Kai said.

"Aw but Kai, I love those movies," Dunga said.

Mariam rolled her eyes. "He cried during Bambi."

"That was sad!" Dunga defended.

Several bladers laughed. "You can celebrate later," Kai said. "We've got a job to do." He stood up. Taking cautious steps, he wandered over to the entrance. "Judy, show me the blades."

Hilary looked at Tyson. Tyson just shrugged as if to say, 'what do you expect me to do about it?' "When we win, we'll celebrate like there's no tomorrow, but Kai's right. Let's get the job done first." He followed Kai's footsteps eager to see the new blades for himself. The rest of the Avengers followed afterwards. "The Horsemen are going to learn they're screwing with the wrong people."

.

Whilst the rest of the bladers were enjoying the pleasure of food and drink, Rei had snuck off with Salima down to the lake. The air was crisp and the sky clear, a beautiful hue of orange, yellow and red. "I'm glad you could make it," Rei said, turning his head sideways to look at Salima. "It's been a while since we last saw each other."

She joined him on the bench. As beautiful as ever. Her long, red locks lay in cascading curls down her back, not bound by a hair tie. "I wish I could see you more but working with children has me busy all the time. It's hard to get leave sometimes, but Robert covered the expenses. It helps to know rich people."

Rei chuckled, but his humour was short-lived. "We're going to face the most difficult of our lives soon and I don't know if we can win."

Frowning, she turned to face him, placing a hand on his own. "I believe in you."

"I wish I shared your enthusiasm, but…. I don't know. Those bitbeasts… They worry me and I don't get scared easily. This Leviathan business… Are we fighting something that's beyond our power?" He sighed. his shoulders slumped. They had fought tough battles before and overcome difficult challenges, but this? They were fighting the true king of darkness itself. "The others might be confident, but I'm not."

She raised a hand and caressed his right cheek. "You have to win, Rei."

"The fate of our world is at stake, I know." He sighed again. "It's such a beautiful day too. I wish I could enjoy the view more, but I feel a weight on my shoulders. I can't believe I'll be battling Bruno – he was such a desperate to please kid growing up. Now he's my greatest threat. I taught him all I knew."

Salima intwined her fingers with his own. "He's been corrupted by the beast. I know that feeling all too well – you lose control of your own thoughts, and you feel lost in the darkness, a prisoner in your own head. But you freed me from that hell, and you'll save Bruno too. I know you will."

He grimaced. "You're far too kind."

"It's because I care, Rei. You know I do. What kind of a girlfriend would I be if I didn't?" She leaned in.

He met her lips with his own, closing his eyes, as their mouths connected. Truly, he was blessed to have crossed paths with Salima. After a few moments, they pulled apart to collect their breaths. "I hope you'll be in the crowd to watch."

"Of course. I didn't fly all this way just to be Robert's special guest." A pause then, "Do your clan members know about us? We've never talked about it before."

"No," Rei said, draping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. "I probably should, but with all this drama going on, I haven't had a chance to really talk to them about it. The Elder always thought I'd marry Mariah you know – for a time, I thought I would too."

She rested her head on his shoulder. "She was kind to you."

"She always looked up to me. But she's like a sister, you know? You don't marry your sister."

"Do you think she still loves you?"

He shrugged. "As a friend, yes. As a lover? No. She's got her attention elsewhere. I didn't fail to see the interest in her eyes whenever she looked at Mystel. I don't know if he's the best choice for her though considering we don't really know anything about the guy except he's blunt and likes to show off. But… I want her to be happy."

"You'll have to tell them about us at some point."

He nodded. "Of course. I need to tell them I won't be coming home after this tournament – not to live anyway. I want to live with you. Here – in Australia. We can make a life for yourself here."

"What about your friends?"

"I can visit frequently. We'll always remain tight." He smiled. "I can't be a professional beyblader forever. I had already considered retirement until the whole Stanley Dickenson death happened. But this is my final tournament – it's time to let someone else climb to the top. I want to help you helping disadvantaged kids beyblade. But… I can't think about that future until the Leviathan is defeated." He turned to face the sunset dipping below the snow-capped mountains. He hoped it wasn't the last time he saw beauty.

"I know you and your friends will defeat this evil."

"I wish I had your confidence." He stood up from the bench and extended a hand towards Salima. She grabbed his hand and allowed him to guide her down to the lake's edge. "What if we fail? What if this is the battle we cannot win? We can't win it all, right? Sooner or later, our luck will end."

Her grip tightened. "Without hope, there is darkness."

"We are fighting darkness unlike anything we've faced before. What if we're consumed by it?"

She placed her hands on his chest and peered up at him. "The darkness can be defeated."

He grabbed both her hands and moved them aside. "What would I do without you?" He leaned in again and kissed her lips. She responded in kind, parting her mouth slightly to allow him better access. After a slow kiss, he pulled away. "We should probably return to the party – our friends might be wondering where we are."

"I'm sure they could wait a little bit longer," she teased.

He grinned. "Well, you've convinced me."

"There are some gardens not too far from here. We could go there and explore."

"Sounds wonderful. Lead the way."

.

Forced out of the tournament thanks to meddling bladers outside their clan. It was unthinkable, really, that a clan as powerful as theirs had been forced to resign. Kevlin jumped down from the tree then flipped his white ponytail over his shoulder, his sapphire blue eyes alight with anger. "We shouldn't have ever trusted him. Mystel was always a traitor. He was never loyal to us in the first place."

Dohna nodded, her eyes looking towards their leader, and her father, Master Li. The man was sitting on the grass with his legs crossed, his arms resting on his knees. He was in his early forties, but he looked much older. The years had not been so kind to him. His tanned skin was marked by wounds that had never healed. Scars of battle. On his face he bore the markings of their forefathers – two deep cuts on his cheekbones, and one over his right eye.

"He needs to pay for his treachery," Dohna said. "You said it yourself, father. Once part of the clan, always part of the clan. We can't allow Mystel to walk free."

"He needs to suffer," Kevlin added.

Master Li opened his eyes and looked up. "Mystel will be made to repent for his crimes in time, but we have other matters to focus on."

"The prophecy," Kevlin and Dohna said in unison.

"Yes."

The age-old prophecy the forefathers had claimed would someday come to fruition. For centuries they had been preparing for this – for judgement day. "The day will come when sinners will be punished for their misdoings. The Beast will awaken after and his followers will be rewarded for their loyalty," Dohna said, repeating the words repeated by the forefathers. "A ritual of the Old Blood must be performed for the Beast to rise."

"The first part was the killing of a wise old man within thirty days of a new moon." It was believed the death of an old man before a new moon would release his spirit back into the world and become reborn in the form of a new baby.

"Which we've done by sacrificing your father before the new moon," Dohna answered. "That was completed by you, Kevlin."

"The second is to kill a cow and drink the milk mixed with blood." Cows were sacred animals of the clan as they provided milk to the people. The killing of a cow was only done as a last resort if food were scarce.

"That task falls upon me," Dohna said. "And the last?"

Kevlin continued. "The third part is to take the ashes of a man of faith and drink it." This was done to purify the surrounding land. A man or woman of faith was said to have a stronger connection to nature and thus drinking it meant ingesting their spirit in turn making you spiritually stronger. "That part is all Mystel. Once all parts are fulfilled, then the ultimate sacrifice can be made, and the Beast will awaken."

"All those that dare oppose us will be stopped."

"Master Li, how do you wish us to proceed?" Dohna said. Now that they were out of the tournament, they had heaps of time to work on fulfilling the prophecy. The rest of the bladers were distracted with the Leviathan allowing them free reign to work. "The others are distracted. The cow will not be a problem, but what about the ashes of a man of faith? Whom did you have in mind?"

"Tao, the spiritual leader of the White Tiger Tribe." Master Li climbed to his feet. "He's outlived his time, and now he must pay the price."

.

After the loss to the Avengers, Tala had taken his team to Arrowtown for a day trip just to get away from the crowds. The rest of the boys were enjoying the sights and sounds whilst Tala had opted to stay at the café to check his emails. Sometimes, a few hours break from the team was necessary, especially when everyone's spirits were low. Tempers tended to flare, and Tala didn't feel like arguing right now.

He opened his laptop, sorted out the internet WiFi connection, then brought up his inbox. Ten emails. Seven were spam, two were from some fans that had somehow gotten his email address and the last was from the anonymous sender. Boris. Tala looked left and right to make sure his teammates weren't in sight then opened the message.

I saw you battle at the world tournament. It's a shame you boys lost, but I know you gave it your best. Perhaps it's for the best that you had lost – your talents are best used elsewhere.

Tala read the message again to make sure he hadn't skipped over anything. Boris had access to a computer. Why had they given the man a computer to use, and why had Boris contacted him of all people? He considered ignoring the message but decided against it. Boris was a stubborn persistent fool. He wasn't going to stop pestering him until Tala answered.

What do you want? Tala typed into the white text box. Why are you bothering me? Find someone else to do your dirty work because I will never serve under you again. He hit the send button. When he refreshed his inbox a few moments later, he was surprised to see another message. Boris was online right now. He opened the message again.

Ah, at last you respond. I understand you are in New Zealand now, but I just want to talk to you again. It's been awhile, Tala. We need to make amends.

Tala couldn't help it – he laughed. A few locals glanced in his direction, but he ignored them. Re-join Boris Yeah right. The man was starting to turn senile in his old age. Perhaps jail had messed with head even more? I want nothing to do with you, Boris. I just want you to leave me alone. Again, he hit the send button. Several moments later he received another message.

Tala, that's not any way to treat your mentor. I made you who you are.

Just leave me alone, Boris. Rot behind bars. I don't care for you.

We should talk, Tala. There's things I should tell you about yourself.

Even though Boris couldn't see him, Tala glared at the screen. Talk?

Yes. They're allowing me a chance to talk with you. I've named you as my next of kin.

Next of kin? Tala raised his eyebrows. What? We're not related.

Your adoption certificate says otherwise. If you want to talk, write down the date.

He hopped offline. The man had sent him a Zoom link scheduled for four days from now. In other words, two days after the finals. Before Tala had a chance to respond, thundering footsteps burst through the door.

"I won, squirt," came Bryan's voice.

Tala brought the laptop lid down and glanced at his approaching teammates. "You're back early."

Spencer lifted a brow. "What's wrong, Tala? You look like you've seen a ghost."

He snorted. Yeah right. He wasn't scared of Boris. "Fan mail. Some people are borderline creepy."

"You cheated, Bryan," Ian pointed out, glaring up at the taller blader. "You picked up the golf ball and dropped it down the hole. That doesn't count."

Bryan shrugged. "So? I still won. I was leading the entire way."

"But that makes it too easy, Bryan," Ian whined.

Bryan ran a hand through Ian's hair messing it up. Sniggering, he pulled back just as Ian tried to hit him. "You have to do whatever it takes to win, squirt. I thought ahead." He then turned to Tala. "What's up? Some fan trying to organize a webcam chat session?"

A visible shudder raced down his spine. That had been an awful mistake. "I was just wondering what you were thinking of doing when we arrive home." There'd be another tournament next year, but was there really any point in competing at the top level again?

The three Demolition Boys exchanged glances. "No idea, actually. Never thought that far ahead," Bryan said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Taking Ming Ming out on a proper date?" Spencer said.

Ian wagged his eyebrows suggestively. "No!" Bryan snapped.

Tala didn't even want to know what this was about. Bryan and Ming Ming? Sounded like a recipe for disaster… or a set up for a bad horror movie. "I'm not even going to ask."

"So, what's up, Tala? Why'd you ask?" Spencer said.

Sighing, he raked a hand through his hair. Now how to tell them he was thinking of retiring the team name? "I just wanted to know what your future plans are, that's all."

"Train for the next world tournament?" Ian said.

Tala shook his head. "We gave it everything we have, Ian. I think it's time that we think about leaving professional beyblading behind us." Silence greeted his words. They were shocked, understandable, but they'd come around to his way of thinking soon. "Look, I know we wanted to win, but we don't have to prove our strength in the beystadium. We can do other things."

"You want us to leave?" Ian said.

"Of course not. We'll always be together, but just not as a team anymore," Tala replied.

Spencer stroked his chin. "Tala raises a fair point. We lost to the Avengers."

"So, what do you want do to then?"

"I haven't decided yet. But something to do with beyblading of course."

Bryan raised an eyebrow. "A charity?"

Tala shrugged. "Like I said. I haven't thought about it much. Ask me after the tournament."

"Right, the finals are tomorrow!" Ian punched the air. "It's going to be wicked!"

"We even have first row seats," Spencer said.

Bryan rubbed his palms together. "It'll be good to watch. Hey. Do you think Ming Ming will be there too?"

"Seriously, Bryan? Ming Ming?"

"What?" Bryan frowned. "I like her music."

"…Okay, I'm not asking further questions," Tala remarked, climbing to his feet, and pretending to yawn. "Right. Well. I'm going to have a rest."

"But Tala, it's daylight," Ian said.

"Let's go and get some ice-cream," Spencer said, peering down at the squirt. "Let Tala rest." He pushed his teammates towards the door.

Tala didn't sit down again until he was certain they had left. Once he heard their footsteps down the hall, he turned back to the laptop and answered the message. Fine. I'll talk.

.

Tossing and turning, Tyson muttered in his sleep. Two black eyes peered at him from the shadows, and a forked tongue emerged. He was running to nowhere., surrounded by suffocating darkness. Alexander emerged from the shadows flanked by his teammates and Hiro, all leering at him. He bolted upright in his bed, heart pounding like he had just won a difficult battle.

"Just a dream," he murmured. He looked around. Fortunately, his teammates were all fast asleep. Drawing in a deep big breath, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and headed to the kitchen. He helped himself to a glass from the drawers then walked over to the sink to fill it up with water. He took a few sips, finding some respite in relieving his parched throat.

Tyson stepped outside and gazed up at the starry-night sky, a cool breeze brushing up against his skin. He lowered his gaze, resting his elbows on the railing, and looked towards the mountains in awe. Tonight, was a new full moon and he could see the golden orb up high in the sky, casting a brilliant ray over the centre of the lake.

Tomorrow the battle would happen. The fight for his title. The fight of his life. Perhaps for his life too. Robert had spoken of the Leviathan like it was something that could not be defeated. An ancient foe older than the sacred bitbeasts themselves. Was a victory even possible? How could you hope to fight against something that old?

He pulled out his blade and looked down at Dragoon. "We'll be facing the fight of our life tomorrow. I'm scared, Dragoon. If it goes wrong… I've endangered the lives of so many people. Max. Rei. Kai. They're all going to fight with me. What if we don't win? Is this the end for us?"

The bitchip glowed. You must not give up, Tyson.

Tyson looked down. He could see Dragoon's face in the water. "You're right."

"Are you having trouble sleeping?"

Hilary's voice. He glanced over his shoulder and smiled as she approached then shifted his attention back towards the mountains. Every time he exhaled a misty cloud escaped his mouth. "I always do before a big match. There's so many thoughts racing through my mind right now, it's impossible to even think about sleep."

She stood next to him. "You will succeed."

"I hope, but sometimes it's hard to shake off that feeling that this might be the end of the road." He turned his head to look at her. "I've had it good for so long. I've won battles I shouldn't have won. But here I am about to face off against an enemy we hardly know anything about."

She looked at him and placed a hand on his own. He didn't move. "I've never known you to be a quitter, Tyson, or someone who doubts." Now she turned her body in his direction. "The day you stop believing in yourself is the day hell freezes over. You are the reason we are all still here able to do what we love."

"All these people," he started, gesturing towards the buildings below. "They don't know what is coming. They don't know what is on the line. For them, it's just entertainment. They want to see a good battle. If we hadn't competed in this tournament… Maybe none of this would be happening."

"Hey. You can't think like that."

A gentle breeze blew through the valley. He pulled his jacket around him tighter, as if that would somehow generate more warmth. "Thanks for being here, Hil. I'm serious. You've always been there for me." He gave her a slight smile.

"I told you before, Tyson. I will always be here for you until you tell me to go."

Her fingers entwined with his own, and he glanced down, an eyebrow raised. His heart rate quickened, and he felt a surge of warmth rushing to his cheeks. And something else, but he couldn't describe it accurately. It wasn't the same course of excitement he received when winning a match. But it was a pleasant feeling that spread throughout his entire being and it made him feel warm.

"I would only tell you to leave to save yourself."

"That's not going to happen."

His gaze lingered on her face, taking in every detail, from her deep brown eyes, her rose-tinted cheeks to her infectious smile. Without thinking, he grabbed her other hand, interloping his fingers with hers, not once breaking eye contact. "I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow. I can't even predict an outcome. But whatever happens… I don't want you to look back."

"Tyson…"

His heart ached upon hearing his name. Never had he heard a woman speak his name so full of adoration. "Promise me. Whatever happens. Don't look back."

Her lower lip trembled. "Don't be a pig-headed fool, Tyson."

He pulled his hands away and looked down at the ground squeezing his eyes shut and drawing in a deep breath. Goodbyes were always the worst. He lifted his gaze once more. "I'm willing to sacrifice everything if it means keeping you safe because you are worth the fight."

"Don't talk like you're not making it out," she said.

"I've got to do whatever it takes. That's what champions do." Again, she bit down on her lip, and looked away, then wiped her eyes. He reached a handout and caught a tear. She turned back to face him, trying to hold back tears, but they kept falling. "Please, don't cry."

She gave him a withering glare. "For once in your damn life, Tyson. Don't be the hero. You're always thinking about everyone else. Be selfish. Just this once."

"I got them all into this mess. I'm going to get us out." He smiled. She returned it, tears continuing to roll down her face. Without thinking, he leaned forward and kissed her cheek, catching a salty tear on his nose. He pulled back, noticing a faint redness appear on her cheeks. "Remember. Whatever remains. Stay strong. I know you can do it, Hil." He pulled back, digging his hands into his pocket, and retreated into the dark.