Was that a surprise for you all? It was for me and I wrote it! I sat down with absolutely no idea what to do and managed what I think is the longest chapter I've done so far! I know it's a big surprise that Voltaire has bitbeasts, but he was young once, before he headed the Hiwatari Empire. I chose harpies because they are considered evil in mythology, and because they have wings, I'm going along the lines that the Hiwatari's bitbeasts are all wing related. The names for the harpies are real from mythology, as there were four harpies, and these were born of Typhon (a fire breathing giant with a hundred serpentine heads, serpent legs, and feathers and wings) and Echinda (a beautiful woman from the waist up, serpent waist down). You've met Echinda before in one of my poems. These two were snake related beasts that also gave rise to Cerberus, Orthus, the Hydra, the harpies, Chimera and the gryphon. Echinda was also believed to have birthed the sphinx by her son Orthus. She was then later killed by Argus, a man with hundreds of eyes all over his body, who was later killed by Hermes. Hera then took the eyes and placed them in the tail of the peacock. The harpies were originally wind spirits that carried souls of the dead to Hades according to Homer, but this became Hermes job (sort of) and they later became nasty. Dante thought they were the guardians and tormentors of suicide souls. There is also the Jason and the Argonauts story where a flock of harpies raided King Phineas city. The four harpies are the earlier myth though! So that's the story! The names are real, but the way they look is partly myth, partly my own devise.
It's good you can't hate Tadashi! Id hate that id do it that way, seeing as she's only being human and making mistakes, but she does try! It's also good the poem struck you, as you should never change to suit others, however hard it is, I should know.
I'm going along the lines that the tubes too thick to stop sound escaping as it needs to be thick to stop Kai escaping! That's my theory and I'm sticking to it! Tala won't be an enemy, none of the demolition boys will be, they are like Kai in experiences and even if they don't agree they still won't be mortal enemies, I just don't see it working that way. And I hope you had a great time on your birthday!
Voltaire's brothers are dead, they won't be back. Repeat yourself all you want and need, I like your reviews as they are! You'll have to wait and see about all those questions though! And Egyptian Gods rule!
I'm not mad at you! You don't have to review every chapter! And it's not really ending, just continuing under a new name, sort of!
Happy birthday! This is the last chapter, then the sequel!
I think we should leave Max in there, then he can't kill us! Go SDTMO! I can't remember what it means either! Update when you can, I'm waiting!
catches flowersfan art?! Nice one! Id love to see it, if only I could! And I wish the owners and makers of beyblade could find this and give me their opinion, that would be so good!
Don't you get tired form running round the tree?! I don't just like Gundam Wing, I LOVE it! Duo is the best, Deathscythe is the best! Id love this to be a book. I don't know about the other teams. I'm hoping the sequel will have poems in it, but they may not be as frequent as I'm having some inspiration problems! I'm hoping that will fix itself soon! Someday I shall make Deathscythe! Maybe you should strangle the idiot, for humanities sake!
I'm really not surprised you ran out of paper! It is a long story! So many pages!!!
What happened at your school is just whoa! Over-reacting is fine, it's good at some points, so over-react as much as you want!
The names are the real deal, and I'm assuming they are Greek as it's Greek mythology. I guess the scientists had to trust Voltaire here as they are bind to this situation. Id love a movie made because of my work. I put so much into this as it's my passion, hobby, and skill. I love to write and I only wish I could do more of it! Nice quote!
You really want me to email it to you? Make sure you have a lot of room on your email site then! I'll do it when I can, I promise!
Phenomenal is a pretty good word!
Some new faces! Don't worry that you haven't reviewed, it's great that you read it! This is the end of this part, but the sequel is coming up straight after!
Thanks for the thumbs up!
Ok everyone, this is it, the last chapter of the story, Crossing the Bridge. But do not despair fellow Beyblade fans, for the sequel is next! I shall like to introduce you to the sequel's title, so that you know what to look for after this! The new title is, drum roll Russian skies! That may give you a hint as to the sequels story line, but by the end of this chapter it'll make complete sense! I promise! Now sit back and enjoy Crossing the Bridge, I hope you all keep this story in your hearts, as I hope you shall the sequel, and recommend me! I like the ego boost! It'll help new readers to read the first story too, before Russian skies. I still hope to draw new people, and to keep all of you lovely reviewers who have given me so much. Now, onwards to victory! (In this Raiden is pronounced as ryeden, it's Japanese.) This is my longest chapter yet!
The lights faded in the strange world the harpies took as their own. Surrounded by his own glow, Kai unfurled his wings. He gave them a small flap, just to test their solidity. He then swung them forward in a clap of air. He looked out from new eyes to see the harpies watching him, all separate around him, all with stricken looks on their faces.
"No! You weren't supposed to fuse! We must finish the quickly now sisters, before it's too late!" screeched Aello. They were all clearly distressed about this, and Kai had a suspicion that it was more due to Voltaire's wrath then the actual loosing. He could hardly blame them for that, but they wanted a fight, and he was going to give it to them! He screamed his challenge, his voice now part of the phoenixes. The harpies answered.
They rushed him as one, claws out and gleaming in the strange light. Kai was ready for them. In the last moment he created a wall of dark flame around himself, driving them back. He had to keep them away, even in his new form; he could still feel blood running down his own limbs. He had to figure out how to stop them! He observed that they never attacked together so that they would touch; each avoided the other to all extremes.
"You think that only you can raise an element, boy? We are wind spirits, and we shall use what powers we have to destroy you!" Kai could feel the power behind those words, could feel it building up. A small breeze stirred his hair and feathers. A stench of carrion followed it. Then he heard it, a distant roar. He wheeled around only to be struck in the face by a strong, evil smelling wind. It battered at him, driving him backwards, where another wind waited to push him forward into the previous wind. Soon it surrounded him, crashing into him.
"Can you feel it, child? We hold the power to call upon the last dying breath, the air from a long unused crypt, the stench of decay! We drive the wind that destroys cities, and now, you are the target!"
Kai could hardly breathe, apart from the terrible smell making him gag, the wind drove into him with such force he couldn't move anything, nor draw air into his burning lungs. Every now and again a claw slashed at him, mostly striking their target. More blood flowed.
But they seemed to have forgotten that air fed fire, and he was fireproof. He called forth his own powers of flame, and gave it to the air. Read and black sprung forth and poured into the hurricane that ravaged around Kai. The harpies were forced back as the fire grew suddenly, reaching along the wind like it was a solid surface it could feed on.
From inside the inferno, Kai could watch the harpies. His memory snagged at him, there was a way to beat this! Why would they never go near each other? He could only hold them off for so long!
The people in the room whipped around to face the door. It had crashed open and was now filled with the teens and adults some had seen earlier.
"Get out! You should not be here!" yelled one of the men who had not seen them earlier. He stalked towards them making shooing gestures with his hands.
Tyson's dad stepped forward aggressively and the smaller man stopped and hesitated, glancing at the senior scientist standing by Voltaire. The senior scientist shrugged, he didn't know what to do, they had no security for this, none of the kind had ever happened before.
Tyson's dad strode into the room.
"Leave. NOW!" he yelled, his voice making the air boom in the peoples ears. The situation was too much for most, the unknown going on in the tube, Voltaire being in charge, the blood. Now this, it was all too much. They left quickly, leaving only the senior scientist and Voltaire to stand their ground.
Tadashi ran towards the tube, banging on it frantically, calling Kai's name. She couldn't see him through the green mist, but Phagus told her he was in there, and deep down she knew as well. Voltaire sneered at her.
"He can't hear you, and if you try to get him out he will die! I should have expected you would react like this, too soft! You should have died when you had the chance!"
"Shut up you old fool!" she cried back at him, "your twisted, and you made me twisted! I hate you! Leon is as bad as you, but then he was always the better out of us, he was the one you wanted and you only kept me because he wanted you to! Now you do this, to your own grandson, how can you? How do you justify destroying the one thing you have left?" her voice faded at the end and she sagged against the tube. The effects of the sedative still swirled through her bloodstream. Ray quickly went to her side.
"Tad? You ok?"
"He's in here, just out of reach, I don't know how to save him!" she whispered back in response.
Ray looked at her pain filled pale eyes, and nodded. They had to do something.
Max was infuriated. How dare his friends be treated this way! Kai shouldn't have to go through this, not now, and Tadashi didn't deserve this either. He felt a pang of protectiveness as he thought of her. One look at her stricken and tired face boiled his blood.
"Let Kai go now!" he said coldly, every word spitted out like ice.
Voltaire just laughed. That was it, a snapping point. Tyson lunged at Voltaire, yelling wordlessly as he aimed for the thick throat of the older man. Chaos ensued.
Kai could hear something different. It was like a word carried on a breeze, distant, faint, strained. He couldn't make out the angry words, but they made him shudder. In his womb of flame he could tell the voices, so familiar. So they had come for him, but for what point? They had allowed this and now they decided to help, too late.
"Bloody typical" he muttered to himself. He put his attention back to the harpies, noticing they had grown slightly bolder, approaching the wall of flame cautiously, trying to find a way in. He tried to deny them, to increase the flames intensity, only to be stopped by another kind of wall. He physically couldn't do it; it was taking all he had to sustain the wall as it was. His energy bled out of him slowly just as the crimson dripped from his gaping wounds. The pain was catching up to him.
Tyson never made it to Voltaire, his father grabbed his shoulders and pulled him in. he looked beyond his fathers body to the tube that help his friend, watching as the blood inside slid oh so leisurely down. His anger turned to cold fury. His father sensed the change and held him tighter.
Voltaire watched them all impassively. "You are all too late to do anything, you have no choice but to let it finish."
"No" said Max, "That is not an option."
"He's right dad, how can we do nothing?" father looked at son; saw the determination in navy blue eyes.
"Fool child! You can do nothing without killing your precious friend, so shut up and let it finish! You will have to wait and see if what you so readily agreed to has worked."
"Shut up!" screamed Tadashi, now leaning against the tube. "The longer we spend waiting around and arguing, the further Kai slips away!"
Voltaire was now ignored. All attention was on Tadashi.
"We have to get in there, where he is, his consciousness isn't here anymore, he's somewhere else, isn't he?!" she demanded of Voltaire.
He glared back. She wasn't supposed to know about these things, but then how could he expect her not to, he had allowed Leon to know everything, how could he have kept it all secret?
"You always were too nosy, to noticing." He muttered. The scientist cautiously edged out of the room, glad that he was not under such intense scrutiny. The basic truth though was that none of them cared.
Tadashi ignored them both, concentrating on the signals Phagus was sending her. She hadn't realised she had closed her eyes till Mariah shook her shoulder.
"Are you ok?" she asked gently. Tadashi looked at her with a blank expression before speaking again.
"Your bitbeasts, they know where he is; you have to listen to them!"
"I don't understand, Dizzi?" asked Kenny, quiet and pale till now.
The trapped beasts answered. "He's on another plane."
"A plane? I though he was in the tube, not flying." Anyone one of them could have smacked him round the head for that, if the situation allowed it.
"A plane as in dimension Tyson, duh!" answered the computer bitbeast, "he's trapped somewhere that you cannot physically go. He can as he is fused with spirits, as you are weakly, and so his mind and spirit are open to enter where they do. Only they've been forced there, and Kai along with them! There are others there!"
"Other people?" asked Hilary.
"No, other bitbeasts. I can feel their hate from here, gives me the heebie jeebies!"
"Thanks Dizzi, now the question is, what do we do? What can we do?"
"We can't, I can." Muttered Tadashi, almost to herself. They all looked at her as she leant against the tube wall, one finger seeming to trace a pattern on the thick transparent material. Her eyes turned blank, like a covering had been slid across them, shielding her thoughts and emotions.
Tadashi summoned the one thing she could think of to help. Phagus couldn't go in there, not linked as she was. Tadashi would also have to go, and she couldn't get there without help. Phagus couldn't take her spirit as the bitbeast lacked the knowledge, and Phagus was too joined to go without Tadashi. None of the other bitbeasts could do it without knowing how. There was only one option left.
She knew Tori was in her head somewhere. The dead girl's spirit had resided in Kai and now her to help where she still could. Tadashi didn't know the reason why, but she was grateful for the act. She felt a tug. The red head looked at her mournfully from the depths of her mind. They understood each other. And through Tori Tadashi could see what was going on. It was a blurred effect, like looking through a rained on window.
Kai could feel the fire he had a grip on falter for a second. It was only a moment, but it worried him. Sweat beaded his face from effort and tiredness rather then any heat. He faltered again. This time the flame almost winked out completely, and a bronzed claw took the opportunity to slash at him. He cried out as it struck flesh on his forehead, just below the hairline. Blood fell in a small sheet over his left eye.
"It seems we had nothing to fear from a fusion, all you seem to be able to do is summon fire!" screeched Podarge, glee shining on her orange features.
Kai felt rage build up inside him, a cold fury that burned at his heart. They had no right in the first place to think they could attack and destroy him, but to throw in insults was just the icing. If they enjoyed this, then he would make sure they paid dearly for the entertainment.
His wings erupted in fire, falling feathers turning into molten drops that splashed brightly on the ground. He could feel the hair down his neck and back become white flame, his own hair blue fire that licked pleasantly warm against his cheeks. He could see the apprehension in the different coloured eyes. He screamed a challenge, and the air around him vibrated with it. He flung himself towards the nearest, Podarge, and they clashed.
Kai slashed, bit, and kicked at the thrashing blur that was the harpy sister. She fought back just as much, yet little damage was done to either. She called upon her sisters and they joined in the fight. Fiery winds burst into life around them. Kai was fighting well, but being outnumbered by even one was enough to slowly be losing.
His ears twitched as he heard his name. None here would call him by his name. He turned to see dark clouds forming beyond the heated winds. The harpies also stopped and watched it approach. Flashing lightning struck amongst the clouds. They could hear the rumble of thunder.
Then Kai saw it. A black shadow emerged from the depths of the darkness. It rode the air as though it was solid, the shape becoming more distinguished as it approached. A vulpine head was followed by a sleek body and finished in three tails. The fox like creature was sleek and glossy black. White swirls made pattern along the legs and muzzle. The muzzle and paws a shocking contrasts in red under the white. The ends of the tail were also finished in red, the very tips a startling white. The teeth visible due to the snarl on the fox face showed sharp white teeth, and the eyes were white all over, no sign of pupil or iris. There was no armour on the sleek body. A small ball of bluish light hung from the dark neck. Kai recognised both the creature and that ball.
"Raiden" he whispered. It was a bitbeast, one he knew well. The fox like animal was a kitsune, a thunder one. Its own name meant thunder and lightning. Her three tails created the element she was named after, and showed her young age. The thunder element was a mix of fire and air, and Raiden probably felt very comfortable with so much of both swimming around. She had chosen to show herself in her fox mode, not her human form, that meant she was ready to fight.
The kitsune came close, and Kai could swear he heard the harpies shock in their breathing. The white eyes looked straight at Kai. He saw a hint of blue in them.
"Kai." The voice came from the kitsune, but not at the same time. It was Tori's voice, and this had been her bitbeast.
"Raiden? Tori?"
The fox gave the image of smiling. "Yes, I cannot be here long, the link is weak. You have been lied to Kai; this was not made for them. This is a place the bitbeasts partly belong to, yet the knowledge of it as been mainly lost as they have lived more with us in our own world. They have changed this part! They do not have as much power here as they have said. They lie!"
Kai could sense Raiden's anger; her tails began to crackle with energy, small sparks running along them. Something flashed in her eyes.
"I am here to help you escape Kai; I have a message for you. They cannot stand the sound of a brass instrument!"
Kai and the phoenixes looked blankly back at her, realisation slow to dawn in his tired state. A brass instrument? He didn't have one. He risked a glance at the bristling harpies and the answer was right in his face. Their own armour acted against them, this was why they would not go near each other, in case their armour connected and made a sound. He looked at Raiden and the kitsune nodded. They both struck out together.
They took two each, Kai going for Aello and Celaeno, Raiden going for Okypete and Podarge. Kai struggled with Celaeno; she seemed to fade like mist before his touch. Aello was easier; she was furious about the whole thing and was making mistakes. He could hear Podarge shriek, and Okypete berating her in that sweet seductive voice.
They battled on, phoenix fire and kitsune lightning lit the strange landscape in cold, sudden blasts. Split into the two groups the harpies were tiring, this wasn't how they normally battled. Either on their own or together they were formidable, now they were at a loss. Kai glanced at Raiden to see ball lightning form between her three tails to strike out.
He brought a talon ended hand to strike at the misty Celaeno. The sudden impact of it blanked his mind in ice, leaving only a core of animal rage there. The rest of the battle was lost to his memory. He awoke to his senses to a drawn out ringing in his ears. In his beak like mouth he tasted flesh, and was very surprised to find he held a limp Celaeno between his jaws, Aello was held just as limp in his hands. He had struck their armour together in the process of thrashing them. He let them both go and watched in horror as they fell to the ground.
He looked up at Raiden; the noise had knocked the other two harpies out as well. The fox spirit looked back at him with a strange look in her pale eyes. Kai felt sick. What had happened to him?
He took a deep breath. "How am I going to get back?" he whispered, his voice hoarse. He vaguely remembered roaring in the midst of fighting. Tori's voice answered him.
"Join me" she muttered quietly. Then the land and sky faded to black.
Ray yanked Tadashi back from the tube as it cracked. Just moments ago the mist had faded and they had been shown Kai, in all his bloody, bruised glory. Then the mist had returned, black this time. Tadashi had been in a zoned out trance since she had leant against the tube. He pulled her away just in time as the tube exploded outwards.
Voltaire paled in horror as it all seemed to fall apart around him. Kai was supposed to emerge weak, but still ok. Maybe even dead. Either plan did not involve him seemingly destroying the place from the inside out. He yelled and fell back, striking his head as he hit the floor as the control panel exploded in his face.
Everyone either fell or pushed themselves to the floor as fire erupted from the tube. Electricity flicked across the ceiling. Screams came from those who did not recall later that they had done so. Black smoke filled the room.
Kai emerged from the inferno, no sign of his fusion on him. He looked around the room, a sad look on his face. Tori had explained things in the darkness. Leaving the strange world had done something to him, something he didn't like. Dranzer and Black Dranzer were distanced from him. He could still feel them, a weak line on the web of his life. But they were still so far, he was still so alone. He had come to realise too late how much they really meant to him, and how little he had understood of them.
They were more then just tools for a game. They were a part of him, their souls entwined with his in the tapestry of life. Now he could barely feel them. If he had tears left he would have cried, anything to fill the void within him. Instead he walked up to the shattered remains of the consol and reached into the wreckage. He pulled out an object. In his clenched hand was one beyblade, black, red and blue. The bit chip held the two phoenixes flying together. As least they were together.
His limbs tore at him with pain as he walked towards the door, pausing at the frame. Looking back into the room, he silently mouthed a good bye to Tori and Raiden. He fingered the small glowing ball hung around his neck. Raiden's force, given in the hope that Tori could help him again. She couldn't leave Tadashi now, but she could be called upon. Blood warmly slipping down his skin reminded him of the present.
Like fate and chance playing a game, the smoke cleared slightly to show a clear path of vision to Voltaire. Another twist of the fates strings and he looked up from his smoked stupor.
That was it, one last look at his grandson. Voltaire knew he wouldn't see him again, the pain, betrayal, and hollowness in the mahogany eyes told him that. He watched as Kai regarded him sadly, no anger, no hate, just sadness. He watched as Kai turned his head down and away, walking silently out the door, disappearing into a fading shadow as the smoke swirled the image away forever.
He was left to drift back to unconsciousness, left with all his fears, dead hopes, and realisations. Left with nothing.
No one else saw Kai leave through the thick smoke. An impish spirit made them sleep.
Two hours later they awoke, surrounded by hospital staff and police. Too late they got away; made it back to the house in hopes Kai had gone there. He had done, but now was gone. Bloody clothes were all that was left of him. All his belongings were gone. They flew into a search.
Kai had returned to the house only to collect his things. He had made a decision. He washed away the blood and bound the wounds with bandages from the houses first aid kit. He wished he didn't owe them so much, it would make this easier. They had come for him, after all that; they had come to save him. He was confused; he needed to clear his head. He dressed carefully but with determined speed. Donning dark trousers and a dark top, he shouldered on the long hooded coat. It was black, reaching down to his ankles. He drew the hood up over his bandaged head, his unruly bangs sticking past the hood slightly. One last rueful look at the room he had shared for so long. He picked up his duffel, shouldering it painfully.
He had walked away from the town. On a rise he had seen the sun set behind from his times on the roof he stood, now watching the house. He could distantly see building. He could see the small frantic ant-like shapes of those he knew searching for him. They wouldn't find him. So long ago, yet still so close, he could see it all by a river. A river of pain, of memories, of blood. He had stood on one bank, and those he thought he could trust had stood on the other. A bridge had been constructed between them, and he had slowly crossed it. Now he looked back, only to find they had crossed to the other side without him seeing it, and the bridge was burning between them. He could never go back that way. The bridge was burnt, it was over. Too many things had changed.
He looked towards the distance behind him. He was half Japanese, and he had tried living it. Now it was time to return to his other heritage. He was going home. He was going back to Russia. He was going to seek answers to all the questions he had ever had.
As he walked away from his recent memories, the wind whipping them away from him in the form of tears, he was so sure he could hear someone call his name. He didn't turn back. His destiny lay under Russian skies.
Gone
Do you ever feel life is passing you by
Like grains of sand pouring through slack fingers
All you can do is watch as time ticks on
The emotion fading as the memory lingers
The time has come to say goodbye to you
But I speak to empty air where you should be
You were never there when I reached out
Always too late to save a part of me
I had adapted to survive on my own before
In your friendship I soon lost this touch
What felt so good was just not right for me
What you gave me was all too much
I leave you now as a matter of choice
If I stay I may cease to exist
What I am, what I know, will fade away
What I was I can no longer resist
I seek answers from a torn and broken home
I must dig deep inside to find the source
I need to find who I really am
Blood spilt behind me a pulling force
Each time I broke a mirrored barrier
There was another one behind to see
Another face, another disguise, something hidden
Another locked door with a lost key
Each memory is like yesterdays wounds
The pain no longer fresh, but now raw
And now that time has passed to think on them
I see I had exposed and tainted my core
When will this dream end and die?
When will I feel real and whole?
Is there a place in time for me to live?
When will this burden be lifted from my soul?
I survive, but each time I lose a piece from myself
I am not as strong as I seem to be
Why can't you look beyond this image?
And see what I am, just me
The shadowed distance swallows my trail
I left my bridges burning, my ties left as none
All I leave behind are my escaping tears
Broken feathers drifting, I am gone
An age has come to pass, and even though there are no beginnings or endings, it was a beginning. Remember to look out for Russian Skies, the fantastic sequel! Thanks to all who reviewed this story, all of you, every single one, and I hope you continue to read the next one. I can't believe it lasted this long, and that I'm continuing it! Please let me know what you thought of the last chapter! I shall see you all soon in the first chapter of Russian Skies! So read, and wait! Starbugkenny will strike again!