Episode 49: The Fallen Hero

[Dasia Turano]

"Oh my," Dasia said in amazement, "This is a different side of you. You must be really mad at me. Eh. I would be too if I were in your shoes. "

Dasia started humming loudly to where it was ringing Allen and Gorem's ears. She was obviously doing this on purpose to piss them off. This annoying behavior had to be more preferable than Dasia getting upset herself, because getting flipped off by a male would be enough to make most women here trap them in a room and subject them to Asmodeus levels of yelling.

"Even though you're being mean to me, I'm still going to help you, because it is in my best interest to keep this ship afloat for as long as possible. You keep that pervy fruitcake occupied while I kill people out here, 'kay? It's only fair since you're not coming across any more checkpoints for a while. Kill ya later."

[Noland Hardy]

Allen would soon find out that Dasia only told a half-truth. The area his path was leading to was getting close to the reactor core. Because of that, the only thing past that point that none of them could see just yet was a digital overworld. This would indicate that the actual location of the reactor core WAS in a checkpoint itself.

The said area Allen was about to go in was modeled after the FedEx Field, the same place Noland had his first outburst at. Of course, Noland was in here. The dreary scenery Dasia depicted with the red lights didn't help the current issue at all, because Noland was about to breach the checkpoint housing the reactor core and would kill everyone in an instant with a blaze not even the Master Blaze could fathom. The only person that stopped him from doing it was a shocking surprise.

It was Seiki.

She was holding her own quite well. After Oberus had put her through some extra training, her and Ahio became quite formidable. They were pressuring Noland and Drago who has not seemed to deal a detrimental blow to them just yet; however, judging by the look on Noland's face, he didn't seem very disturbed. Considering the state he was in, this was a dangerous sign that something was about to go very wrong.

"I don't consider you an enemy, so I'll say this. What you can do in situations like these are impressive. You're even stronger than I was before I learned about the Switch Code," Noland commended. "But..."

As he said that, Ahio used Gusty Scales to cause an imbalance in Drago's standing posture before attempting to deal a critical blow with Sylphystia. Drago intentionally allowed Ahio's ability to get him off-balance, and then - before Ahio could make contact with Drago to potentially defeat him - Noland activated the Hex Code. Drago's scales turned black as he defiantly blocked Ahio by having her head crash into his palm. While her attack was still going, Drago was not moving, which shows that the enhancements he just received from the Hex Code were far too powerful for Ahio to overcome with that amazing move.

"Even that won't be enough to match my current abilities," he asserted. "I don't know if it was your pleading for me to understand what I'd be doing to people, or about that shocker of a confession on Vestal, but now I feel like an asshole for not paying enough attention to you and Tracy. Tell you what. To show you that I'm sorry, I'll let you in a little secret. I have feelings for you too now, feelings so strong that I'll tell you that this card my lovely friend here gave to me protected us from the checkpoint around this exact spot, but it doesn't allow anyone to pass through the last one up ahead. That means I don't need this card anymore, so this checkpoint here will be triggered. Guess who's about to go in there and fight some mechanical Bakugan?"

Noland took the card Yita gave him and put it in his right hand. He sent electrical surges through the card to utterly destroy it. Him, Drago, Yita, Seiki, and Ahio were all digitized into another area; however, a couple of seconds later, Noland and Drago were the only ones to get out of there. He used the same ability as last time to escape from the checkpoint while Seiki in her weakened condition had to face whatever contraption Dasia put in that checkpoint.

The best part of this was that Allen and Gorem saw him do this to both of those girls. Noland sensed them arrive at the top of the arena, but he was far too slow to stop him from putting the girls in grave danger. What a protector he is. Noland let them come closer so that they heard every word he was about to say. Once Allen and Gorem stood at the same place Seiki formally stood, he let it all out.

"So...it is true then. Yashu had informed all of you about my plan, didn't he? Seiki seemed to know all about it when we fought, and judging by how you're looking at me now, I assume you know as well. Before I address that, I want you to answer me this, even though the answer seems obvious. Are you here to kill me?"

[Allen Silva]

Allen walked in right at probably the worst possible time. Noland used a ability he appeared to have gained from Yashu, and sent Seiki to who knows where. And then he immediately moves to Allen." If you wont come back to your senses, then yes. But first and foremost, what do you think your doing?" Allen asks, rage building up as he looks at the person who was once like a brother to him." She cared about you, and you tossed her aside like yesterdays trash. Not only that, but your hear about to use this death machine. I dont know who you are, or who you think you are. But the Noland i called my best friend wouldn't have done that."

Allen pulled gorem out of the air, intending to fight Noland. He showed off the ball form to the former Master Blaze, making it obvious that he will go forward with this." Either way, this ends today. Whether you come along with me as our leader, or the great Master Blaze falls, and is remembered as the coward who once led the Resistors. Now, whats your decision?"

[Noland Hardy]

Noland held a straight face at Allen's apparent declaration of battle. While it didn't seem like Noland thought much of the situation, he could accurately predict that Allen was very serious about fighting. Noland could accurately tell that was the case based on Allen's body language. He showed no signs of wanting to pull back, so Noland will have to handle this.

"My decision will be to tell you this, former best buddy. Consider it one last homage to our friendship before I destroy you," he replied. "I think this whole situation we're in will end today as well. In a few moments, everything you've heard about me will become reality. I'll finally have my revenge. Not only will Dasia's Alternative be wiped out, but all of those shitheads and those like you who want to protect them will suffer horrific deaths that can only be compared to the inhuman treatment they were and are still willing to give to us."

Drago snarled at Allen to go ahead and throw Gorem in already, unless he wants to fight a Bakugan all by himself. He stood ready to receive anything that was thrown at him. He had that killer look in his eye, one that easily denotes an individual who will go through any means to secure a victory, Gorem's death being the favorable of those means.

"Come on then, 'hero,'" Noland provoked. "Show me what this newfound courage of yours is good for."

(Boss Theme: Phase One)

[Allen Silva]

Allen lost all sign of emotion as he threw Gorem into the battlefield. He was only sorry that he couldnt get his friend back without a fight." Bakugan brawl. Lets take him down Gorem." The giant golem bakugan looked no less steeled as he rose into his full form. Cracking his knuckles, Golem took battle stance, staring a hole in the person he once called almost a brother. Allen raised a ability card, deciding to make the first move." Lets bring the pain. Ability card activate. Sentry golem."

Gorem's armor dropped down, securing him to the floor. This would in any other circumstances be a bad idea, if it wasnt the subterra resistor's bakugan. This move allowed Gorem to fire more powerful blasts then when he doesnt do this move." I hope you can survive this, Drago. Id be horribly dissapointed if you fell to this little move."

[Noland Hardy]

If Allen was more aware of who he was dealing with, he would not have made a move like this out of the gate. While being evil is certainly not a good thing, Noland's energy control has taken strides beyond where he was at when he was sane. As he proved against Markus, Noland can now use the Hex Code in an identical manner as Apollonir does by entering the form in short bursts for attack or defense purposes.

"Ability activate! Novia Blade!" As Noland swiped the card, his voice got darker, hinting at the sudden switch in modes. Drago's scales turned black, and then he casted the ability.

A halo-like sphere appeared around Drago's horn. Once it expanded, a foul blade traveled straight towards Gorem, easily dispersing the incoming blasts due to the power difference. It stabbed the golem right in his abdomen. Once it did, pillars of light appeared all over his body. The locations where these pillars showed up were the sites of energy bursting through Gorem's body and subjecting him to the foul darkness his chum was under. Drago then cancelled the Hex Code since he no longer needed it active for right now.

"It's always the same with you for some reason. You never learn, even with how many times I told you to never stay still against a Dragonoid," Noland said for the last time. "Let me guess. You're going to use Equilibrium Purge to prevent Gorem's life force from fading with each move he makes? Oh wait...maybe Vicious Counter to hit me for double the damage? Good luck with those if that's what you're thinking..."

Drago started monitoring Gorem to make sure there weren't any surprises. For the sole reason that he knows Gorem is stronger than he was before, he was not going to rush into combat just yet. The way he was seeing it, he'd let Gorem dig himself in a little more before getting serious.

"Little it was," Drago agreed with Gorem. "Now crank it up a notch or get out of my way."

[Allen Silva]

Allen kind of hoped that the sentry golem would at least do something to Drago. But of course Noland had read right through that strategy and came right out of the gate with Novia blade. The one good thing for him was that Noland had already tapped into the hex code, even if it was for a moment. Now if he could only get him to activate it for the rest of the battle. Then the rest of Allens plan could go into motion.

The hex code caused Gorems life energy to slowly deplete as he attempted moves. So Allen had to minimize the damage until it was time to use Equilibrium purge. He apologized under his breath, than pulled two abilities out of his pocket." How about I do this little trick than. Ability activate. Panzer sheen."

Gorems armor extended to cover his entire body . It then begun to thicken,increasing how dense the bakugan was. This wasnt just important for the ability alone, because this is the crux of his current plan. The now thickened armor then transmutated into a powerful metal alloy, increasing his defenses even further.

" i hope you can take this pal, because next up comes Magnitude crash." Allen named his next ability. This was what he was really going for. It would unfortunately hurt Gorem a little, but it was well worth it to put some pressure on Drago. Gorem got out of the stance that his sentry golem had put him in, entering a more rush in approach. Soon after he charged directly at Drago, shoulder ready to crush the dragonoid if he was dumb enough to take it head on.

[Noland Hardy]

Letting Drago get dump trucked by that combination would be a real dick move right now, but it was definitely possible for him to get hit. Gorem's movement was noticeably faster than it was previously. He's putting more force into the ground with each step he takes. It would seem like Noland will have to take this more seriously after all, because Allen wasn't playing around.

"I hope you can show me something I haven't seen before, 'pal,'" Noland challenged. "Ability activate! Rapid Fire Takedown!" Drago breathed a small flame out in front of him that quickly formed into a carbon copy of Drago himself. Since Gorem was coming quickly, the Dragonoids needed to act quickly as well.

To prevent retaliation, Drago waited until Gorem got within three strides of him. The clone shifted its form into the bulkier wingspan, which gave it increased resistance. The real Drago exerted his power to push the clone towards Gorem with extreme force, which proved to be enough to not let the clone get roadkilled instantly. This was because Drago's power had advanced to the point where even his clones can freely exercise the power of the Hex Code.

The newly-turned clone was knocked back slightly, but still held the massive monster back a little. In a flash, Drago leaped over the clone and planted his right foot on Gorem's head. He lashed his tail towards Gorem's chest, causing his newly formed armor to crack. With the Hex Code clone keeping Gorem from moving, Drago unleashed a rapid fury of tail strikes to continuously break down Gorem's defenses without having to exert too much energy himself. He then jumped off of Gorem's shoulders to get airborne, leaving the Hex Code clone to do whatever while he prepares his next attack.

"Are you really ready for this, Allen?" Noland inquired, knowing that the Resistor's current movement was nowhere near a match for his souped-up abilities. "It's a shame. Here I thought you and I were equals. Did I really surpass you by that much?"

[Allen Silva]

Noland showed off another new trick he figured out while bieng corrupted by whatever gripped him. He used the rapid fire takedown and then had it hex code. That would normally be a real pain." Guess that was too obvious of a move. Then again, we are the defensive specialists." Gorem actually kind of praised the move. While he wasnt happy about it bieng used on him, as well as it bieng the Hex code, he couldnt help but be impressed. His momentum and armor had been mostly stopped. He had some of the Panzer sheen left, which was all he needed." Guess we should show him a new trick Allen."

" i think i have just the abilities for this one." Allen prepped two more abilities to hit Drago with. Doubling up on cards was the only way he was gonna match Drago at the moment." Lets get rid of that pesky clone. Kinesis barrier."

Gorem would in most cases place both of his hands in a line and summon the hammer. But this was a different scenario. He simply kept stance, creating the large weapon from the hull of the Alternative only using his non charging hand. Once he had formed it, he swung his creation, using its properties to take out the clone of Drago." Bet you didnt see that coming." Gorem took to taunting thier former comrades.

" next up is a little baseball. How bout mineral barrier." Allen set up Gorems next move.

Gorem created a sort of force field out by suspending and moving stone that layed around him. Heres where the after effects of his Kinesis barrier came in handy. The hammer had made large pieces of debris upon its creation, giving Gorem plenty of ammo for his next act. He used the hammer to break up the debris, and then, using it like a baseball bat, launched stones in Drago's direction. Now he had both offense and defense at the same time.

Allen could be seen with his head down, obviously affected by what was occuring in front of him.all he could do was mutter the word "why?".

[Noland Hardy]

Drago was thinking about dodging, but the scattershots made from Gorem's hammer made guarding against it the safest maneuver. Drago hit a few projectiles with his tail, and had his arms up to prevent any major body parts getting damaged. It's clear that Noland will have to do something to ensure Drago survives past this setup.

"Nice, very nice," Noland commended. As he showed with Seiki, he's not above giving his enemy their props if they truly deserve it. Knowing this, Noland's posture changed. He was a bit more relaxed before, but after seeing a move like that, Allen and Gorem need to be taken seriously.

"Ability activate! Crimson Bonding!" Drago's immense energy showed itself in the form of a red electric ripple surging around his body. This acted as a personal barrier for him when it came to the incoming projectiles. The rocks that came towards him were disintegrated, showing Gorem that any more he sends will meet the same fate.

"What's wrong? You stopped hoping that I would take your attacks. Did you change your mind yet?" Drago taunted. His next move would give him every right to talk trash too.

His energy control allowed him to only send the specific amount of energy he needed towards Gorem to neutralize his Mineral Barrier. Some of this energy poured onto the floor. It flowed all the way to Gorem's location and specifically seized him by traveling up his legs. This was bad on its own, because Gorem would have to contend with being electrocuted and having his insides burning at temperatures they are never supposed to reach. The other bad thing was that it spread outward to Gorem's Mineral Barrier. The powerful electric current tore through the entire thing, crumbling any and all floating objects the golem used against Drago.

"I'll give you this, Allen. Your willpower seems to greatly exceed all of ours. I expected you to drop already. The damage Gorem has taken so far is critical; yet, you still stand," Noland informed his foe. "I wonder what it's going to take to get you to quit. Tell you what... If you switch places with Alana, I could give you a reason. I want to have a 'chat' with her."

[Allen Silva]

No matter what Allen though of, Noland seemed to see right through him. Gorem was begging and pleading for air right now, but that's okay, because when the going gets tough, Gorem gets tougher. Allen was getting ready to show his old friend exactly what that meant.

"Weren't you supposed to do your research on that, 'hero?'" Allen fired back. "Ability activate! Rebound Revolter!"

Gorem's leftover armor pieces from before became fortified with some extra power. Now, all of the nasty energy Drago embedded into Gorem's body flowed right out of his system and into his armor. Like before, this ability can take the energy from an opponent's attack and redirect back at them with a powerful shockwave. What Noland didn't know was that Gorem can also use energy that's already inside of him as well. So much for his life force and internal organs being reduced to nothing.

"Coming at you hot, right!?" Gorem taunted, intentionally jacking Drago's catch phrase before sending the said shockwave right to him. The resulting explosion rocked the entire ship. Sparks of red-colored bio-electricity rippled all around Noland and Drago's location.

"You like that? We're just getting started," Allen suggested, knowing that what he just did wouldn't be enough to do Noland in.

[Noland Hardy]

Noland would be lying if he came out of that and said he wasn't affected. He definitely was. The incoming attack had the combined properties of Hex Code darkness and the burning tribulations Crimson Bonding puts one through. Fortunately, Drago did not have to rely on any drastic maneuvers and simply opted to enter the Hex Code again to make him durable enough to remain standing. That's what Allen and Gorem would see when the dust settles.

"Damn you..." Noland growled when he made eye contact with Allen. Drago was on his back, having been blown back from the sheer force of Gorem's ability. As he got up, his scales returned to their normal color, and a rainbow veil was flowing through his body. It was likely that the Switch Code was restoring his vitals to normal after being struck by his own debilitating energy.

"I guess this IS just the beginning, eh?" Noland agreed, having felt Allen's power from that blow. "Alright. You've proven your point. Now, you die." As Noland made the motion to declare his next attack against Allen, a disturbing presence alerted him. Noland glanced to his right where he noticed an energy buildup. It was alarming enough for Drago to look as well. In about three seconds, a murderous beam came crashing through there. Drago swiftly stepped back to dodge it, but he wasn't in the clear yet. The same attack was spammed over and over again, so Noland and Drago were in trouble.

"You dare!?" That was all Noland had to say to the person responsible for these attacks. He knew who it was. Did SHE really have the courage to face him in mortal combat though?

[Alana Cortese]

Seeing as how Drago was easily avoiding long-ranged shots, the attacker sought to get close and personal. A black hydra came flying through the massive hole that was made in the stadium walls. He instantly appeared above Noland and Drago's heads using the Phantom Transmission movement, and then tried to crush their heads with his fists.

As expected, this didn't work either. Noland and Drago got some distance away from Hydranoid and Gorem in the midst of that attack. As frustrating as that was, Hydranoid chuckled in anticipation of this bout, because he knew that it was going to be satisfying to steamroll this cocky bastard.

"Use those 'senses' of yours and figure it out," Alana responded to Noland's question. It was obvious Noland and Allen were fighting, so there was no need to give him any warnings or whatever. Alana was fighting. Unless Noland's darkness just magically withered away, she wasn't changing her mind.

[Dasia Turano]

Dasia was now getting concerned. Like Noland, she was expecting Allen to be defeated by now. Since he wasn't, there was a chance Noland could lose the battle. She didn't know the exact chance of Noland losing, but any chance it could happen could spell trouble for her plan. This problem was exacerbated by Alana showing her face there. Something had to be done now.

"Now now kiddies...it wouldn't be any fun if I let that happen, right?" Their battle arena disappeared for around five seconds, leaving the Resistors in a motionless state. When the scenery was created, Noland and Alana were all alone in another Colosseum. It didn't resemble FedEx Field this time. It closely resembled the arena Noland fought Alana at when Noland was trying to get revived back when Hydranoid was evil. It was a dusty, barren battleground. The architecture had cracks in them. It could be demolished at any moment.

Meanwhile, Allen and Gorem were kept busy by being placed around the same point Noland was when he had that dream. They were in the same plains area Noland was in. The only difference now was that the scenery wasn't as beautiful as it was. Death was slowly creeping up on the surroundings. The withering grass made this very obvious.

"Sorry, but we couldn't let the third wheel interrupt your alone time," Dasia playfully apologized. "Please. Continue."

[Noland Hardy]

"This place again...? Okay...now I'm really mad..." Noland took a good look at his surroundings. He recognized where he was instantly. The thought of being here made him excruciatingly angry. It showed in the increase in dark power Noland had bubbling inside of him, definitely more than what he had when he was fighting Allen. He has been waiting very patiently to exact his revenge, and now it's finally going to happen.

"They must've infected the doctor that helped you that one time..." Drago guessed. That was the only way Dasia could know about this event. She was smart to do this for reasons Noland is about to explore.

"How poetic. The same place you saved me from back then is the same place you're going to die in," Noland declared to Alana. "What a shame that is. There's no comparison between the Alana then and the one right in front of me. You turned out to be a real bitch."