No recent reviews, so no one thank this time around.

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Chapter Twenty-Three: The Beyblading Spirit

Tyson glanced out the windowsill watching the golden sun ascend snow-capped alps. Not a single cloud in the red sky. Normally, a clear day like this would lift his spirits, but with the knowledge of the Leviathan looming in the back of his mind, it was hard to feel anything but nerves.

"Red sky at night, sailors' delight. Red sky at morning, sailors take warning," said Rei, gazing up at the sky.

"Nothing but a weather proverb," Tyson replied, turning away from the windowsill.

Rei pulled away. "You're nervous too, aren't you? I couldn't sleep at all last night. I kept thinking about the Leviathan imagining some giant serpent creature unleashing chaos." He made a derisive snort, flipping his ponytail back over his shoulder. "Sometimes I wish I could just wake up and tell myself it was all just a dream… But it's not. The Leviathan is real and we're the only ones who can stop it."

"We have to believe in ourselves and in each other," Tyson said, looking towards the team. They were currently being debriefed by Kai and Hilary while Kenny was doing a last-minute check on the blades. "Our faith keeps us strong." He looked at Rei and smiled. "I'm glad you returned to the team, Rei. I thought you, Max, and Kai were done."

"Hey, I wouldn't miss this for the world, Tyson." His smile faltered. Digging a hand into his pocket, he searched for his Driger then pulled it out. "This is my last tournament, and I want to finish it on a high. Douglas wants to ruin what beyblading is – Driger and I won't stand for it," he added, curling his fingers around his blade.

"Douglas won't win."

Silence. Then, "We should probably see what Hilary and Kai are talking about. Don't want Kai biting our heads off later," Rei said, gesturing towards them. Tyson nodded. An angry injured Kai was the last thing he wanted to deal with.

"…It's going to be a four vs four match," Hilary said.

Four vs four. It was like the Bega League tournament again. "We've decided that Rei will blade first since he didn't blade in the last round," Kai said, pointing to the butcher paper on the table. Kai and Hilary had spent the last hour determining the line-up. "Max will blade after. It'll give him a bit of extra recovery time from his injuries sustained during the Demolition Boys battle."

That made sense. Everyone needed to be at their top level. Every extra moment of rest counted. "Kai's decided he'll blade after Max," Hilary said.

Tyson frowned. "But Kai, you're in even worse shape than Max. You should be last."

"That's what I told him," Kenny said, glancing up from his laptop. "But Kai insisted he should be third. That makes you last, Tyson."

As always. "It's not like we can change the order. Tyson is the world champion, so he has to go last no matter what," Kai explained. "He also gets an extra day since the final match is held twenty-four hours after the first three. That's apparently to make any necessary repairs and give our finalists an extra day's rest."

"They did the same thing last year with Brooklyn," Max said. "How are the beyblades looking, Kenny?"

"I've ran all the tests I can," Kenny noted, turning away from his laptop. "Dizzi helped out too. Your blades are going to be fine, and they should be able to handle anything your opponent's dish out. I'm just worried about the effects it will have on you lot. It's going to take a lot of power just to control it. One wrong move and you'll lose the match… Or worse, end up fighting for your life."

Tyson caught Hilary's eye. She looked away immediately, as if afraid to lock eyes with him. He'd have to talk to her when the opportunity surfaced. Calm her fears. Let her know everything was going to be all right. "I'm not afraid to put my life at risk if it means saving everyone else."

"Agreed," Max said.

Kai stepped forward. "Then let us end this once and for all."

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"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to the second last day of the 2016 World Tournament!" DJ announced, standing in the middle of the blading floor. "After a week of intense battles, it has come down to just two teams! The Avengers and the Horsemen!" The crowd cheered.

"And not a single face in the crowd even knows anything about the Leviathan…" Kai murmured. "They're only here for the entertainment, completely unaware of what is truly happening."

"Better they remain blind, Kai," Rei said, stepping up to stand next to him. "If they knew the truth, there'd be global panic. Sometimes it's best to not know what lurks in the dark."

"You might have noticed that the brochures didn't tell you what dishes were going to be used in the finals… That's because the organizers wanted it to be a surprise and make sure no team had the advantage of knowing beforehand.

He gestured to the big plasma screen. Images of the dishes appeared in the order of appearance. Rei looked towards the screen, his jaw dropping in shock at the dishes. His fellow teammates were just as stunned in awe of the stunning designs. Even the crowd were delightfully thrilled, expressing their excitement with a Mexican wave.

DJ continued. "The first dish will be the Southern Alps, a mountainous terrain where bladers have to climb to reach the open space. The second dish is the fjords of Milford Sound! Bladers will use the boats to traverse the water, but the weather will change from clear days to fog the longer the battle goes. The third dish is the geysers of Rotorura! Bubbling water will occasionally shoot up from the geysers to damage the blades and mud will act as an obstacle! And finally, the last dish will be Mount Cook itself! The surprises of this dish are random."

"You're up first, Rei," Max said.

"We're all behind you, Rei," Hilary added.

"Thanks guys. I promise I'll do you all proud."

Drawing in a deep breath, Rei made his way to the beystadium dish for the last time. He was going to miss the excitement of battling before a huge crowd, but there was little reason in competing in further tournaments. "One last battle, Driger. Let's show them all why you why our clan is named after you." The bitchip glowed in response.

His opponent was his former clan member, Bruce. The man didn't even acknowledge him with a smile. There was a cold glint to his eyes, as if the man were devoid of emotion. It was almost… mechanical. Weird. "And now, we'll reveal the first dish so you can see it with your own eyes!" The floor opened. Unlike previous times, Rei's stand also moved. It moved down into the actual dish itself.

Rei looked up at DJ Jazzman for an explanation. This was unlike anything else. The dish was no bigger than the one he battled in against Crusher, but to be standing in it made him realize just how big the dish was. He was surrounded by the mountain alps. Like the real mountains, a cold breeze blew down from them. He shivered. Once he was safely on the ground, the platform lifted and moved back. Robots carrying top quality cameras were now in the blader's usual place.

"You look surprised, Rei."

"Not at all," Rei fired back. "So, there's no stand. That's fine. I don't need a protective handrail to hide behind."

Bruce smiled. "I've been waiting for this moment, Rei. When you left the White Tigers, I saw a chance for me to stand in your place. To become part of the representative team and make a name for myself." He raised his launcher and jerked the cord back letting his blade fly forward. Rei did the same. The blades landed on the rocky terrain.

"Is that why you joined them then? To prove yourself worthy of the tribe?"

Bruce's blade dashed forward and smashed into Driger. The force of the impact pushed Rei back several metres. He threw his hands up in an 'X' shape to steady himself then ordered Driger to counterattack. Driger raced towards his opponent and rammed into the blade's side. Rei grimaced as an invisible force of wind smacked him in the stomach almost winding him.

"We are both proud members of the White Tiger clan, but unlike you, I never had the chance! You took the White Tiger and then you left – you are not worthy of Driger, Rei! Chimera! Fire Spin!" A funnel of flames burst skywards from the chip. Within the vortex, Rei could make out the shape of a four-legged creature. It had a mane of lion, a snake for a tail and a third head of a goat attached on top of the mid-section. It also had the wings of a dragon.

"So, you have a new toy, Bruce. It doesn't change anything. You are still an amateur. Driger, Tiger Claw!" Driger roared and charged ahead to make a running leap right into the flames. Driger landed on top of the creature and slashed at the goat head leaving a deep graze. The chimera bucked and Driger jumped off to avoid being struck. "Impressive bitbeast, but a little underpowered don't you think?"

Bruce chuckled. "Oh, I'm just warming up Rei! But since you seem so eager for a real battle, allow me to accommodate your wish!" He raised a hand, clenched a fist, and squeezed his eyes shut. "Activate special power!"

The chimera spread its wings and reared on its hind legs. The snake lifted its head, turned its head, and opened its jaws. It hissed then spat out an arrow coated with acid. Driger evaded the attack, rolling to the right. The acid hit a rock. Seconds later, Rei heard a sizzling sound then noticed a gaping hole in the rock. He raised a brow. The snake continued to shoot out projectiles. Driger jumped out of the way again.

"So, your snake shoots out acidic arrows… I'm not scared, Bruce."

"It's not your bitbeast you should be worried about, Rei. It's you."

The snake shot forth another projectile, this time towards Rei. Without sparing a second, Rei threw himself at the ground, narrowly avoiding it. So, Bruce was willing to play dirty then. Whatever it took to win. "Keep moving, Driger!" Avoid the arrows and wait for the right moment to strike. But how? All parts of the creature were guarded well. It was like fighting three bitbeasts at once. Driger jumped from rock to rock, climbing upwards, avoiding the projectiles. Each projectile caused a rock to loosen and fall down the mountainside.

What else can he do? Rei thought. The Leviathan was supposed to be incredibly powerful but right now he wasn't feeling the brunt of it. It seemed… too safe to put it mildly. Was Bruce just testing him? Mocking him even? Or was he trying to wear him down until he no longer had the energy to fight? Judy's words repeated in his mind. The longer the battle lasted, the more power required. More power meant more energy.

"Rei! Watch out!" Hilary screamed.

Rei glanced upwards. One of the rocks above him had been hit. Bits of rock loosened and fell to the ground. One… two… three. Now. Rei hit the earth again and rolled to the left just as the large rock crashed down. The environment trembled. It was like being in an earthquake with everything around you falling.

"Activate second special attack! Chimera, use Uproar!"

The chimera reared on hits hind legs again. Whilst the snake continued to fire arrows, the lion head roared. Pulsating waves of pain seared through Rei's body. Uttering a deep growl, Rei brought his hands to his head, and winced. Throbbing pain. Pounding. Rapidly intensifying with each passing second. The entire stadium. More rocks crashed down, each one leaving a deep hole. Was he trying to bring down the entire building?

"And we are off to an explosive start!" DJ Jazzman called. "Bruce's bitbeast has turned up the heat and the music too! How much of this punishment can Rei's Driger take? Oh, but wait – what is Bruce's bitbeast doing now?"

The roaring died down, but there was still a ringing in his ears. Tightening his jaw, Rei pulled his hands away from his ears and looked ahead. The chimera lowered its head and scratched at the dirt with a forepaw as the snake continued to fire its venom, flames still dancing around the bitbeast. "I think that's enough entertainment for the audience now. What do you say we fight a true battle?"

"Give me everything you have."

Bruce smiled. "Of course. Charge!" The chimera pinned its wings back and charged forward, kicking up dirt behind its feet, the ground quaking with each stride. The impact was immense. The lion head picked up Driger by the scruff of the neck and flung him through the air, as if he were a rag doll. Driger hit the mountainside and plummeted to the ground, taking a big chunk of mountain down with him.

When the boulder landed, Rei was thrown off his feet. He flew back first into the rock then landed face-first, a low groan escaping through his lips. Body aching, he struggled to breathe. Each intake of air caused a sharp stinging pain in his ribcage. He looked up. Driger was lying on his side, a deep gash on his right.

"Why don't you just give up, Rei? You can't compete with the power of the Leviathan on my side. I've barely even tapped into its full potential yet… But lucky for you, you'll be finished before I even get a chance to use it," Bruce taunted, unfazed. The chimera snarled. A ring of flames encircled it.

Rei propped himself up onto one knee. "…You must think lowly of me if you think I'm going to surrender to you," he said, slowly rising to both feet, ignoring the aches in his left rib cage. "You might have a powerful bitbeast at your disposal, but you're not a true beyblader. Tao would be ashamed to see how far you have fallen. Our ancestors would be ashamed."

The man spat at the ground. "Save your talk, Rei. I've moved on to better things. Chimera, climb now!" He directed his blade up the mountainside. Rei watched his blade traverse the rocks with ease, the snake spraying venom to prevent Rei from coming up behind. "Let me give you a short history lesson, Rei. You're probably wondering 'why horsemen?' Back in the Middle Ages our ancestors faced a tumultuous period. Coin was scarce. Food was short because of the drought. People died."

Rei didn't need to listen further to know Bruce's bitbeast was Famine. He wondered how that played into the battle. It wasn't as if Driger needed to eat to stay strong. "So, I've heard, but food isn't a problem in this match."

"Correct… but Famine doesn't have to refer to a shortage in food and coin. In the beyblading world, our battles are fuelled by the energy we give to our bitbeasts." A smile spread across his face. "No energy… well… let me show you what happens. Chimera, use Famine!" The lion roared again emitting powerful soundwaves. A sudden weakness gripped him. Hunger. Fatigue. Extreme weakness.

His stomach grumbled. One of his eyelids drooped.

"…Anyone else feeling just a little hungry?" DJ said, stifling a yawn. "…And a little sleepy?"

Rei yawned. So, that's what his bitbeast's secret power was. Make the blader feel drained of energy making them weak. …It's impossible to win, he thought. There's no way to beat something with this much power. Forget Bega League. This was something else entirely. The odds were stacked against him. "No… This can't be it…" he said. "There has to be something I can do to win this…" But what? His blade was starting to slow. Driger tried to chase after Chimera but lacked the energy to climb up the mountainside. His mighty tiger was reduced to looking as helpless as a tiger cub. He dropped to one knee, both palms on the ground.

"How are you feeling, Rei? A little short on energy?" Bruce taunted.

"…Impossible…"

"You're done, Rei. You and your Driger are history. There's nowhere you can continue to blade in your current state with your energy levels so low." The chimera lowered its head and prepared to charge again. Bruce was right. There was nothing he could do to fight back. He didn't even have the strength to use a Sunbeam attack.

Kenny. Hilary. Max. Kai. Tyson. His teammates. He could hear them calling out his name. "...Rei! You have to stop!" he heard Kenny yell. "Pushing yourself to the limit will overload Driger and yourself! You could end up hospitalized! Or worse!"

Was Kenny telling him to give up? Just throw in the towel? Live to fight another day? He wasn't a quitter. What honour was there to be had in giving up a match because the odds were stacked against him? Pull yourself out of it, Rei, he told himself. If I'm going to lose this match… which seems inevitable… then I'm going to go down fighting. "Driger!" Rei called out at the top of his lungs. "Let's finish this!"

"No, Rei, don't! Pull back!"

Driger, if you can hear me… This is it. Our last tournament. Let's make it a match to remember. Driger rose to his feet and roared. Rei screamed, mustering up his remaining energy into one final attack. He thrust a finger in Bruce's direction. His opponent took a step back, uncertain. "We may have been born into the same clan, Bruce, but you and are not alike at all! I would never have stooped as low as you to obtain greater power! I can hardly recognize you anymore. You're no member of the White Tiger clan. Driger, final attack!"

"Counterattack, Chimera!"

The two bitbeasts charged. Driger flung himself at the chimera, snarling and hissing, slashing at the chimera's body as if he had nothing to lose. His tiger latched on and held firmly, sinking his claws deeper into the skin. The snake head swayed back and forth firing venom projectiles in random directions. Rei ducked again to avoid being hit.

"Bring him down! You are stronger!" Bruce called out.

"Attack!" Lightning bolts crashed down from the opening in the ceiling. Pieces of mountain imploded as the bolts struck their target, sending rocks around the stadium. As Driger held on, the chimera began to buck to loosen the tiger's grip. "Hold on, Driger!" Rei called out his voice hoarse.

The chimera dashed forward then made a running leap, knocking Driger to the side. A breath of fire exited the goat's head shrouding Driger in flames. Driger lashed out, roaring in pain, as flames burned into his flesh. Rei screamed out feeling the flames against his skin too despite him being several feet away. "You've fought well, Rei, but nothing can stand in the way of the Leviathan – not even you. Chimera, use Meteor Shower!"

Rocks encased in flames crashed down to the ground creating earth-shattering quakes. Each impact resulted in Rei being thrown off his feet into the mountainside. He cried out in pain as rocks tumbled down the side, pinning his legs beneath. Unable to move, he was at the complete mercy of his opponent. Meteors continued to rain down. Big chunks of the dish were removed.

He was fighting a losing battle. There was nothing he could do to win. His energy had almost depleted and now he was gravely wounded. Driger's spin rotation was slowing rapidly as the Chimera's only seemed to increase. Sweat beads formed on his forehead. It was all over. How could one be expected to triumph against such odds?

Driger tried his best to battle valiantly against his opponent but even his noble tiger was bested. A meteor landed nearby, the impact throwing his blade right out of the dish. It was all over. Defeated by a bitbeast that seemed to only grow stronger. He rested his head back on the ground, feeling weakness spread through his body. The stench of blood – his blood – filled his head.

"…Driger has been knocked right out the dish! The victory goes to Bruce of the Horsemen!"

The dish lifted back to surface level allowing the medical team to help the bladers. The rock keeping Rei pinned was removed. His concerned teammates sprinted over. Through blurred vision, he saw Tyson's face peering down at him. "…I'm sorry, Tyson. I couldn't win the match," Rei managed to speak, wincing as a sharp pain imploded from somewhere within his body. He was consumed in so much pain that it was hard to tell exactly from where it was coming from.

"It's not over, Rei. We can still win," Tyson said.

"Sorry Tyson, but we have to get Rei in the operating room now."

"But-"

Kai held Tyson back. "Tyson, don't."

"At least let me give his blade back."

Rei could just make out the shape of his blade sitting on his chest. He would've smiled, but that required too much energy. He squeezed his eyes shut and remained motionless as the doctors carried him to the medical room. Thanks for fighting for me, Driger. I'm sorry we didn't get the victory we wanted, but I know you did your best. We've played our part – now it's time for my friends to pick up where we left off.

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Watching Rei being carried away on a stretcher bloodied and battered had silenced the crowd. People had been expecting a great match, but that had taken things to a new level of terrifying. Max looked to the dish. What sort of horrors would he have to face?

"Max, we need to stay focused," Kai said. "We can't afford to lose the next match."

A draw or a win would see them still in the race. But was that even possible? "I… I don't know if we can win this… You saw what happened to Rei out there…"

"Don't let Rei's results shatter your confidence, Max," Kai said tonelessly. "So, we lost the first round. So what? We've lost opening rounds before. We've had our backs against the wall more than once. So, what if they have a powerful bitbeast? We have something greater. The beyblading spirit. Remember that, Max."

"The beyblading spirit," Max repeated.

"Years ago, Douglas tried to prove science was a more powerful force than spirit… This is what this is about. The Leviathan was freed because of science and placed inside scientific blades used by amateur bladers… They are an insult to everything blading is about," Kai said, tone laced with vehemence. "Blading isn't about fancy blades and bitbeasts. We know it's about skill and heart. Draw from the power inside you Max and use it as a weapon."

Max turned back to the dish, reflecting on Kai's words. The beyblading spirit. Of course. Rei only discovered the spirit in the dying matches of the battle, but by then it had already been too late. "Thanks Kai." Drawing in a deep breath, he walked over to the platform and waited for DJ Jazzman to make the announcement.

He pressed a button and the floor opened revealing the next dish. The fjords of Milford Sound. There were a few boats travelling across the water. No sign of fog yet but DJ Jazzman had said it would appear as the battle went on. The platform turned on and lowered to the ground, placing Max on a boat. His opponent was none other than his old friend Alan. He was placed on another boat. Another boat, twice the size of his own, was in the middle. He imagined that's where the main battle would play out.

Once he was safely on the boat, the platform lifted and returned to its original position. "The second battle is between Max of the Avengers and Alan of the Horsemen! We all know what Max is capable of, but what about Alan? Will we see another Bruce vs Rei battle on our hands, or will Max defy the odds and scrape through with a win? Don't blink or you'll miss the action! Now bladers, are you ready? Three… two… one… Let it rip!"

"I have complete faith in you, Draciel," Max said, as he loaded his blade. "We can do this." He released his blade directly at the middle ship as Alan did the same. "We have to win this battle. Everything goes on the line no matter the cost." He then looked up from his blade to face Alan. The boy just kept finding himself in crappy situations.

"We meet again, Max. It was so kind of you to keep in touch with me the past few years," he jeered.

Max tightened his jaw. "I haven't had the chance, Alan. I've been busy."

"Busy competing in world tournaments. I thought we were friends, Max. Is that what you do to your friends? Abandon them when something or someone better comes along?" he retorted, directing his blade forward. The blade smashed into his own and forced him near the edge, causing the boat to tilt to the side.

"I never abandoned you, Alan!" Max called back withstanding the onslaught. The boat rocked back and forth, conjuring up waves to crash against it. Thank goodness he wasn't prone to bouts of seasickness otherwise this match would be over before it had even had a chance to get interesting. "I was always there for you, but you never gave anything in return!"

"Do you remember the pact we made when we were children? We promised to start a team together and become the world's best bladers, but you didn't uphold your end! You went on to compete in the local tournaments without me!" His blade charged for Draciel again driving him into the side of the boat's wall, empowered by his blader's anger.

"So, is this what this is about? Friendship? I thought we parted on good terms, Alan. You stole the rock from my mother, but I forgave you for that indiscretion." The new metal blades his mother had designed were certainly proving to be quite capable. Light, durable, and powerful. Any ordinary blade would have broken into pieces by this point. "Why did you join the Horsemen?

Pushing back strands of brown hair away from his blue eyes, Alan growled. "To prove that I was just as capable as you, Max. Maybe if I were as strong as you then you wouldn't think twice about casting me aside. You didn't even contact me once since we parted ways and yet you have the tenacity to call me a friend?"

Alan had a fair point there. He hadn't even texted his friend since they last met. What a shining example of friendship that was. He couldn't find the words to explain himself – what was there to say? Sorry, but I was too busy focusing on the world championships to take a few seconds out of my day for you? It made him sound like a hypocrite preaching friendship, yet he was a piss poor friend himself.

"Your silence only confirms it, Max. You pretend to be this guy with a heart of gold with a holier than thou attitude but you're just a fake. When your parents divorced, who was there for you? I was! I helped you through the dark times and you repaid it by abandoning me. We're not friends, Max. Not anymore. We're enemies, and this is War." His bitchip turned yellow. A pillar of white light burst skywards from the centre. Moments later, the light faded to reveal his Leviathan beast which was a humanoid winged creature with the head of an octopus.

"So, that's your bitbeast then. You finally got what you always wanted." Impulse had been his former blade and it was supposed to be capable of summoning one of the invisible rock bitbeasts, but Alan had lacked the skill. His new bitbeast was far more powerful than one of the rock ones, but the blader was still an amateur. He had to use that to his advantage. "But it doesn't change anything. You might have a big toy, but you don't have the heart. You don't have the true spirit of a blader and that is why you can't win this."

Alan smirked. "My bitbeast and I beg to differ, Max. Bruce told you all about Famine, now let me tell you about War. When Famine caused the crops to die, War started. Men waged war on each other for territory and food. The strong survived and claimed their prizes while the weak were forced to flee. My bitbeast is Cthullu."

Just looking at it made his skin crawl. The tentacles. The hollow eyes. The draconic wings. The muscular stature. Built to be like a battering ram. Max held his ground and summoned his own bitbeast to the fray. Cthullu was much larger than his bitbeast. It was almost like comparing a human to a giraffe in terms of height, but height didn't mean power in a beybattle. "Draciel, go on the defence!"

"Still determined to use your old way of blading, Max? My bitbeast will shatter your shields. Cthullu, use Force Blast!" The beast brought its palms together sending an invisible gust of wind in Max's direction. Draciel was smacked in the chest and forced back a few metres. The sudden movement caused a wave to crash over and into the boat. Fortunately, the boat didn't flip over.

Max gripped the handrails on the boat to hold himself upright. His boat rocked from side to side. "Draciel, use Gravity Control!" Time to turn things up a notch before the entire dish was shrouded in fog. The water in the dish started to rotate in a clockwise direction pulling everything into the vortex. Both Max's and Alan's boat moved in.

"Two can play that game. Cthullu, use Battle Tide!"

Despite its cumbersome form, the bitbeast was able to jump. When it landed, the entire stadium shook, creating massive swells. A large swell smashed into his boat, pushing it backwards into a fjord. He stumbled but was able to pick himself up again. Somehow, his attempt at creating a whirlpool failed.

"I know you were there for me during my darkest moments, Alan, and I'm truly grateful for that. I know we were best of friends back at school, but things changed. I couldn't stay back at home and do nothing with my life. I had to do something and that's why I chose to become part of the Bladebreakers." Maybe he could try talking some sense into Alan. Place insecurity and doubt into his thoughts. If he truly were a much improved blader, he'd be able to control his bitbeast by staying composed. "But just because I was away, didn't mean we couldn't be friends anymore."

The Cthullu stomped his feet creating more swells. With the boat rocking from side to side, Max held onto the handrails for dear life to prevent himself from going overboard into the cold water. "Then explain why you never made any attempt to contact me. You say you were focused on becoming a world champion, but was it so difficult to take some time to contact me?"

"This isn't just about me. Friendship is a two-way street, and you didn't try to contact me either." He then sighed. "Maybe you're right. Perhaps this is a war after all. I should've tried harder to contact you, but you should never have tried to become my better in the first place. It's soured you." Twisted his mind so much he succumbed to temptation of wielding a powerful bitbeast.

Alan snarled. "Shut up, Max! You don't know anything! Once there was a time, I wanted to be just like you, but now I've come to the realization that I don't want that – I want to be better than you, and my bitbeast will make that happen!" His bitbeast let out a fearsome roar. The swells rose in height. "When you're defeated, you'll realize that turning your back on me was the biggest mistake you've ever made! Cthullu, activate special attack!"

The creature brought its hands together once again and conjured up a hammer. It raised it above its head then slammed it down onto the boat, splintering it into two parts. Rain started to fall through the opening in the roof. Thick clouds bellowed above looking rather ominous. Lightning lit up the sky. The water itself reacted to the storm brewing above, attacking his boat with such ferocity, cracks formed.

But more came. Waterspouts came down from the clouds from all different angles smashing boats into pieces as they came into contact. A war in the ocean against the element of water. Wind lashed at his skin and clothes. His hair whipped around his face making it difficult to pay attention to his surroundings. Another wave smashed into his boat. He tumbled to the side then took cover inside the cabin area as more waves pelted him.

Under normal circumstances, waves this big weren't possible in fjords, but with a bitbeast like the Leviathan on your side, anything was. Another wave lifted him up off his feet and into the side of the cabin. He smacked his head against the window. Groaning, he walked over to cling onto something, but was struck again by another powerful wave. He slid across the floor to the right then to the left before sliding back to the right again.

Draciel was still spinning. He could feel his bitbeast fighting hard to withstand the fury of the ocean though his energy levels were starting to drop. Wave after wave smashed the boat as Max was thrown from side to side yet somehow Draciel kept fighting. Max picked himself up from the floor. "If you don't give up Draciel then I won't either. We have to win this."

The waterspouts moved closer. He could hear the howling of the wind just outside the boat to the right. It was so loud he couldn't even hear his own shouts. He didn't know what was happening beyond the dish, but the audience had to be feeling it too. It was so realistic he almost forgot he was in an actual beyblade match.

Rain and wind pelted his windows. It was like being in the middle of a storm out in the ocean, yet this was created by a bitbeast. How could he defeat it? What could possibly be strong enough to stop this? He tried to peer out the window but saw nothing. He jumped back as a spider crack appeared. The boat was getting ripped to shreds and he'd be taken along with it if he didn't act now.

Again, he tumbled down the side of the boat, smashing into the side once more. Stumbling towards the door, he pushed it open with all his might, and staggered outside onto the deck. Water sprayed into his eyes. Within seconds, he was drenched. As the waterspout bore down on the boat, Max climbed over the edge and dived feet first into the water. He ducked as a piece of debris flew inches above his head. Fortunately, he wasn't in the waterspout's path for long. He rode the wave and allowed it to carry him to the other side closer to where Draciel and Cthullu were battling.

Grabbing onto a piece of rope hanging over the side, Max climbed up, pushing his body to the limit. He eventually climbed onto the slippery deck. The two blades chased each other around the boat as the bitbeasts did battle. Draciel swiped with a claw. Cthullu grabbed his limb and held it back. Draciel pulled back then struck again, taking aim at the tentacles instead. Once struck, the tentacles wriggled, spraying out some black liquid onto Draciel's face.

Draciel clawed at his face to remove the oil. The Cthullu swing a muscular arm swatting Draciel aside to the boat's edge. His opponent followed the move up and slammed Draciel into the wall unleashing relentless attacks. Cthullu didn't seem to tire. The same couldn't be said for Draciel. It was only his iron-like defence that had kept him in the game for this long.

He didn't have the power to match the Cthullu, but what if he used that same power against him? He thought hard. Years ago, he had managed to defeat Kai by getting his blade on top of Dranzer and spinning in the opposite direction. If he could do the same thing now… But how? Wait. He had to send his blade upwards. Ride the waves like Tyson had then land on top. Yes. That was it.

"Give it up, Max! You can't possibly win!"

Max kept his face blank. A person's expression said a lot about their thoughts. He wanted his opponent to think he had the advantage. Don't give away anything. Draciel, if you can hear me… We're pulling a page out of Tyson's book and we're going to ride the waves. It's our only chance to win this.

One of the waterspouts drew closer sending the waves around them into a fury. The boat was picked up by the waves and thrown back down yet somehow stayed afloat. Water spread across the deck, but the blades were both designed to deal with slippery surfaces. "Draciel, do it now!" Max ordered. Draciel allowed the Cthullu to knock him overboard. Now Max smiled. "It's time to show the world just what we're capable of! Go!"

Squeezing his eyes shut, he willed his blade up the spout, giving as much energy as he could to his companion. Several times his blade was almost thrown out, but pure willpower kept him going. Eventually, he reached the top of the spout. Draciel used the power of the spout to launch him back onto the boat. He landed directly atop of the Cthullu spraying water in all directions.

"Impossible!"

"Reverse spin, Draciel!" Draciel changed his rotation to counter clockwise, drawing in Cthullu's power. Draciel dug his claw right into his opponent's head prompting the beast to bellow in pain.

"…Would you look at that ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! Max has managed to turn his opponent's power against him using his iron willpower! The tide has turned in Max's favour!"

"You may have an impressive bitbeast, Alan, and you might have fancy powerful moves, but there's more to blading than just that! It takes heart and you don't have one! That's why you will not win despite the odds being in your favour! "You can't break me, Alan!" The beast tried to grab Draciel and fling him off as waves pummelled the boat, but Draciel would not budge. "Draciel, finish it now!"

It was all over in minutes. The rampaging waves ceased, and the spouts disintegrated. The other boats in the fjords now lay in pieces across the water with the only boats being untouched the ones the blades were on. Max dropped to his knees and hunched over, placing both hands on the ground to support himself. A victory against all the odds. A last-minute strategy to come out on top.

The platform emerged and lifted him back to the main ground. He was greeted with a round of applause. The only person not joining in the celebrations was Alan. The boy was on his knees examining his blade, an expression of shock and regret on his face. If wielded by an expert blader, the results certainly would have gone the other way.

Slowly, he limped back to the bench. "You did it, Max!" Tyson exclaimed.

He nodded weakly, his hair and clothing dripping with water. "Yeah… I did. They are beatable… but it was a close one. You both must watch yourself – the Leviathan beasts are tough. We're lucky we're only blading against amateur bladers otherwise we wouldn't have a chance at all." Max looked at Kai. "You're up next Kai. And I'm serious – watch your back. It's only going to get tougher."

He was about to sit down on the bench when a few doctors rushed over. "We have to run a few tests on your condition. You took a battering out there, Max. We have to make sure there are no internal injuries," the woman said.

Max nodded. He hadn't felt anything but then again perhaps he was so cold he was numb to it. He allowed the doctors to guide him over to the medical room in the back as Kai stepped up to the dish. "Give it your best, Kai. I know you can do this," Max said softly before disappearing down the corridor.

.

One loss and one win. Still no reason to celebrate though – there was still two battles to play. Carlos and Alexander. His opponent was obviously Carlos. How fitting he should blade against one of his former teammates. He stepped onto the platform and waited for it to bring him down to the playing dish.

The lower he came to the ground, the hotter he felt. The geyser dish. Bubbling mud pools. Hot water and steam. Dranzer would be right at home, but what sort of beast did Carlos have? "Finally, you and I get a chance to settle things," Carlos said, thrusting a finger in his direction. "I've been waiting for this moment for a long time."

Kai loaded his Dranzer. "You never meant anything to me, Carlos. You'll always be meaningless in my eyes unworthy of my attention."

"Bladers will be blading in the hot geyser dish! Don't fall into a geyser – you won't like what happens to your blade! Now bladers, are you ready? Three… two… one… Let it rip!"

Kai released. His blade sped forward across the rugged landscape towards his opponent's white blade. Carlos's blade collided into his own successfully pushing his blade back a few inches. So, Carlos was going for an aggressive strategy, but did he have the energy to sustain it? There were a few geysers nearby. One of them erupted, sending plumes of hot water and steam in all directions. He heard the water sizzle as it touched the rocks.

"Dranzer! Attack!"

"I suppose I should thank you, Kai. You helped me become a better blader. Ever since I was forced out of the Blade Sharks, I've done nothing but strive to be better. Allow me to show you how far I've become! Now I will be the teacher and you will be the student! Vix'thra! I summon you now!" White light burst skywards. Moments later, the light dimmed and in its place was a monstrous pale white undead dragon with blood red eyes.

Kai tightened his jaw. A winged skeletal dragon. An undead one which meant he had to represent Pestilence of the horsemen tale. It made logical sense. After war, a plague spread infecting thousands. "How cute. An undead dragon. You must feel so strong."

"Once the wars had ended, disease quickly followed. Disease claimed the lives of more people than the wars did," Carlos described, ordering his blade to crash into Kai's once more. Sparks flew. "And you're going to be another victim. Vix'thra, use Acid Rain!" The dragon roared, flapped its wings, and took to the sky. It flew around in a circle vomiting out green clouds.

The stench of rotten eggs filled his nostrils making his stomach muscle tighten and his head spin. Holding back a gag, Kai pinched his nostrils and summoned his Dranzer. His phoenix rose from the blade and stretched her wings. Embers rained down. Dranzer flew up to avoid the cloud, but Kai didn't have the same fortune. Vix'thra flapped its wings forcing the gas clouds to spread out.

Immediately, his stomach lurched as the cloud passed through. "Can you feel that, Kai? A tickle at the back of your throat? You better get used to it because it's only going to get a lot worse. Why do you think so many people died because of the plague? Vix'thra, charge now!" The dragon moved forward and slashed its claws at Dranzer. The phoenix brought her legs up to protect her belly and moved her tail out of harm's way.

The dragon pulled back then barrelled forwards, applying its entire weight against Dranzer's lighter bulk. Thrown aside, the avian tumbled to the ground. Another geyser erupted encasing both bird and dragon with hot water and steam. Fortunately, Dranzer was unharmed, but so was the dragon. Typical. The cloud thickened, and Kai felt an itch in his throat. He coughed once then coughed again.

He suspected it was all part of the plan - recreate the sickness that had wiped out so many to gain a quick advantage. "You might need a cough drop, Kai. It sounds nasty. I'd hate to be in your position," Carlos jeered.

"A bad cough isn't going to stop me, Carlos. You should know me better than that. Dranzer, use Blazing Gig!" Dranzer fired her feathered arrows upwards at the dragon hoping it would be enough to push it off. The feathers simply bounced off, as if the dragon had an invisible barrier around it that repelled attacks.

Carlos snickered. "You're gonna have to do better than that Kai! But don't worry – I'm here to show you how to do it right. Vix'thra, use Bone Throw!" Opening its jaws wide to reveal two rows of dagger-like teeth, the dragon conjured up a few bones and hurled them at Dranzer. The bones were no longer than a chicken bone, but they packed a lot of power. A single bone forced Dranzer to skid across the ground.

Kai too felt the impact, staggering back a few feet, feeling the wind knocked out of him. Grimacing, he regained his composure and planted his feet into the ground. Dranzer picked herself up and flapped her wings to gain altitude. The phoenix cawed, pinned her wings back and dove, hurtling towards her opponent. Dranzer slammed into Vix'thra's side knocking the dragon over onto its side.

Vix'thra clambered up and swung its tail around, smacking Dranzer in the side. Dranzer into the far wall. Bits of the dish loosened. Kai coughed again. Glancing down, he spotted flecks of blood on his hand. He wiped his hand clean on his clothes and looked up.

"You think you're strong, Kai but how tough are you really? Warriors on the battlefield could win a fight against other men, but when faced with disease, they were easily brought to their feet. Let me give you a taste of what they had to endure. Vix'thra, use Horrid Wilting!" The dragon rushed forward, ramming its head into Dranzer, before crushing the avian into the ground with its tail. Before Dranzer could pull free, Vix'thra brought its head down and bit the phoenix in the neck. Its eyes turned black.

Kai brought a hand to his neck feeling a sharp implosion of pain as he coughed again. This time, he felt his chest hurt. It was like having a severe bronchial cough with a bit of blood thrown in. "…You won't bring me down that easily."

"They didn't have a name for this sickness because no word could fully encapsulate it. I'll take you through the symptoms just so you're aware of what's happening – if you know what's coming you might want to surrender to spare yourself." Carlos raised a hand to his neck and pointed at his throat. "It starts with a tickle in your throat before it gradually progresses into a chest cough. At first your cough produces nothing, but then you start coughing up blood."

Like he was now. He didn't bother wiping himself clean. What was the point if he was going to keep coughing? "…So… you rely on cheap gimmicks to win a match?" He forced a laugh. "You think that's something to be proud of?"

"Whatever it takes to win… Isn't that what you once told me, Kai?"

That had been a long time ago when all that mattered was crushing every opponent in his path. Things had a changed a lot since then. He supposed it was the influence of his teammates that had made him change his ways. "Maybe so… But I'm not that blader anymore. I'm better than that. I believe in honourable battles. You're even less of a man than I originally thought you to be."

Much to his satisfaction, Carlos scowled. Good. His words were having an impact. "I want to win, Kai. I want to be the blader you never thought I could be."

"And you're not doing yourself any favours by using cheap tactics… But then again, you could never aspire to be a better man. Dranzer, Blast Fireball!" Dranzer conjured up a flaming orb then hurled it forward. The ball slammed into the chest of the dragon and knocked it over, but the flames itself had little effect against the bone. How to win against an opponent that appeared to have no weaknesses?

He thought hard, but he had little time to formulate an effective strategy. His own physical state was deteriorating. His coughing was worsening, and now – he moved a hand to his nose – there was blood coming out. Just what he needed.

"Second stage. Uncontrollable nose bleeds," Carlos said, smirking once more. "Followed by chest pain and shortness of breath. You're going to feel weak in both mind and body. You'll be in no condition to fight."

It wasn't going to end like this. It couldn't. To be defeated by an amateur? No. "Gotta dig deep inside," he told himself. "Find the energy. The power. I know it's in there and I can defeat him." Dig deep. Stay determined. Never give in even if all seemed lost. Max had triumphed. He could too. He just needed more power.

"You're going to die, Kai… and if by some miracle you survive this battle, you'll meet your end soon enough. You can't keep running forever. Your sins will catch up with you soon. Vix'thra, attack!" The dragon sprinted forward and gnashed his teeth at the air then swung its tail catching Dranzer in the chest again.

Kai brought a hand to his chest feeling a pang of pain. Every intake of oxygen hurt. His opponent's blade smashed into his, pushing Dranzer towards one of the geysers. Dranzer's light weight build made it difficult for her to gain the physical advantage, allowing the dragon to push her around. Fire didn't work against the dragon. What could?

He then looked at the bubbling pits of mud. Perhaps… as powerful as the dragon was, it's great power would be meaningless if it became stuck. The mud would slow his movements down and prevent it from doing anything and eventually the blade would stop spinning. Max was strategic in his victory. It wasn't about pure power, but brains too. He coughed up some blood, wiped his mouth clean then gave Carlos a smirk.

"You think you've won… But I'm not done yet. Dranzer, fight back!" The avian shrieked enveloping herself in flames, giving her additional strength to match the dragon. Slowly, he managed to push Vix'thra back. Several more geysers erupted, spewing mud pools all around the stadium dish. More than three quarters of the dish was covered in mud. "You can have all the power in the world, but if you don't have the brains, then you're not going to win!"

The blades pulled back then collided once more creating sparks. Dranzer pushed. Through sheer willpower, Kai was able to push the dragon into the mud. Mud flew up around them, covering the bitbeasts in it, but the blades didn't slow down. Each hit against Dranzer hurt Kai too. Every hit felt like getting tackled to the ground by a professional footballer. He fell to the floor and hunched over, spraying blood over his hands. It was as if his insides were slowly being torn apart and his skin pulled off.

"Give it up, Kai! You can't possibly win!" Vix'thra pounded the ground with its tail creating an earth-shattering quake. Several more geysers erupted sending plumes of mud skywards. Steam filled the air limiting visibility, but Dranzer's flaming body was easy to spot. The avian was engaged in a fearsome battle with her opponent, striking at the dragon's eyes with her talons. The dragon slashed a claw. Dranzer was struck and sent skidding across the terrain near a thick layer of mud. Soon. Just a little bit more. The dragon chased after Dranzer sloshing through the mud, eager to strike once more.

"You're wrong, Carlos. Take a look!"

Carlos looked down. His blade had gotten stuck in the mud. "…I'll get out of this."

"You were so eager to finish me off you paid little attention to the environmental hazards this dish poses!" Kai called back. Vix'thra thrashed around in the mud, but it only caused it to become more stuck. The heavier the creature, the harder it was to escape. "You were never smart, Carlos. That's why you'll always be a loser. Nothing but that."

"If I'm going down, you're going down with me, Kai. You can't hold on for much longer yourself!"

He was right. His condition was worsening. Now his vision was beginning to blur as his headache worsened. His coughs had turned into a hacking one, and each one caused pain in his chest. Not only that, but his body was taking a physical battering. He had to hold on. Never say die. It was only over when he decided it was over. "I'd be more worried about yourself." He remained on the ground, lacking the strength in his legs to support him. His plan was working. Carlos's blade was slowing down. The design of the blade was also its weakness. Not even a powerful bitbeast could stop he mud getting inside the blade and slowing the gears.

"No! It can't be!" Carlos complained.

Second by second, the blade slowed, but that was the least of his worries. As Kai weakened, Dranzer slowed rapidly losing momentum too. It was a race to see who would slow first. Within a few short minutes, Kai collapsed on the floor, unable to find the strength to keep himself upright. Hold on just a little longer, Dranzer, he thought. Just long enough to scrape through with a win.

"Both blades are losing momentum!" DJ Jazzman called out. "Carlos's blade can't seem to free itself from the mud and Dranzer is just about exhausted! This could easily end up as a draw!" The crowd was silent. He couldn't see them from where he was, but their silence could only mean one thing – this match was on a knife's edge. "And… Oh, if you had placed any bets on a victor then you're going to be sorely disappointed! We have a draw folks! Both Carlos and Kai's blades have stopped at the same time!"

A draw. A poor result. All the pressure would fall upon Tyson to claim a miraculous victory against the strongest and most dangerous member of the Horsemen. The sickness had ended the moment Vix'thra had stopped, but the effects remained present. He was on death's door right now. Weak. Exhausted. The platform raised him back to level ground.

"Kai!"

Tyson's voice. Who else would come running over to check on the teammate? Tyson knelt beside him. Kai cracked a bloodied smile. "I'm fine, Tyson. Just worry about your match."

"…Kai, you almost died out there!"

"…Do me a favour and shut up, Tyson. I'm not dead. Now help me up why don't you?" Tyson clamped his mouth shut. He stretched an arm out. Tyson didn't need to be told twice. He allowed Kai to lean on him for support. He spat out some blood onto the floor then continued talking. "We've done our part. You have to do yours and win so we can put this behind us."

"I promise you. I will win this for all of us."

Kai nodded. He would've said more but that require too much effort. Tyson seemed to pick up on the hint and helped Kai towards the medics whilst DJ Jazzman wrapped up the match. "…And there we have it, boys and girls! Both teams sit on one victory and one draw! Whoever wins the next round will claim the championship title! Will Tyson be able to defend his title or will we see a new world champion? We will be back in half an hour to find out!"

Would Tyson be able to withstand the pressure and come out on top?