[REWRITTEN] (The Monster x The Angel) [Lui x Valt]

Chapter 22

Valt's POV:

"IT'S TODAY!" I shouted, jumping up in the air and grinning. This is it. Lui will finally show the world kindness, and I can talk to my brother. I'm kinda glad Toko and Nika aren't coming with us. They would just make it difficult to talk to him.

"What are you talking about?" Shu mumbled, opening one eye to look at me, not seeming too bothered by the early morning wake-up call. He was used to it by now. He was an early riser, anyway. I'm surprised he wasn't already up and cooking for everyone.

"It's Zac's festival today, and he may even bring the psycho stadium again!" I replied, stars in my eyes at the very thought of seeing my brother again and being able to battle in that cool battleground. I might even get to battle Lui this time! And he might even choose me to be kind to! Who knows?

"It's a cyclone stadium, not a psycho stadium," Shu told me, and I let out a nervous laugh. Who cares about the small stuff? Let's just get there as soon as possible so we can be the first ones to battle in it. I'm so excited! Shu yawned, glancing at the clock. He looked defeated once he did. What's wrong with him? "Anyway, you gonna let us sleep for another hour? It's kinda early, Valt."

I looked at the clock, which read 5:39. My mouth dropped open in shock, and my eyes widened as I stared at the clock, confused. Why am I up so early? This makes no sense. I can never wake up this early usually. Especially after getting such little sleep. Unless... I really am eager to get to the festival! Even more of a reason to get up and get there now, because we all know I'm going to be late if we don't leave now. I smiled at Shu. "Yeah, I guess I should."

"Will you guys Shut up and let us sleep then?" Free asked, not bothering to move, or even spare us a glance. He scares me. I think he scares everyone, though. And if he doesn't scare you then you're either a God or a psychopath. I am arguably both, and he still terrifies me, and he probably always will. I'm fine with that, though. As long as he's on my side, I don't really care.

"Alright, alright, we'll be quiet," Shu said with a chuckle, closing his eye once again. How does he just laugh that off? I feel like he's going to kill me if I say another word. I smiled slightly at the two brothers. I guess you get used to it after a while. I laid back down, staring up at the ceiling. Time to get some more sleep... some more sleep... I can't sleep, I am so pumped right now! I can't wait until Zac's festival, and I get to battle everyone, it's going to be so cool, and I can't wait! Plus, I get to see my brother again! Do you know how incredible that is? I might be able to finally rekindle this relationship of ours. I'd have the chance to perform a miracle.

"Why don't you go and run some of your energy off?" Shu suggested, sensing my restlessness, and I nodded in agreement. Shu is so smart! I jumped, excited to get moving and burn off all this extra energy.

"Yeah, that's a great idea!" I exclaimed, something suddenly hitting me, almost like a sense of uneasiness. Something was going to happen, and it gave me a sense of foreboding. My hand closed around Valtryek, who I always kept near me. "But..."

"What's wrong, Valt?" He turned to face me, concern and confusion written all over his face as his eyes surveyed my face.

"Can you come with me?" I asked, not trusting myself to get back on time, or to not get lost after getting distracted by something in addition to the overwhelming uneasiness. I can trust Shu to both protect me and keep me on track.

"No, sorry buddy." He replied with a yawn, and I nodded in understanding. He can't do everything, no matter how hard he tries.

"Alright, I'll be back in an hour," I said, running off to get changed and then running out of the house. Whatever happens will be a learning experience.

You know you're their target, right?

Whose target?

The masked bladers.

And I'm supposed to know who they are?

I guess you didn't get the warning yet.

I wonder whose fault that is.

Now's not the time to play the blame game. They are a group of bladers who seek power to take over the blading world.

So they've sought out the power of the Gods in an attempt to become Gods themselves. Well, they have my respect for coming after the strongest threats first. I'm guessing they're coming after all of us, then.

All of you? Why would they need to take out anyone other than the wonder boy? It would be illogical to risk anything else.

No, it would be illogical to take out only me when I have such influence over so many others that could easily topple whatever they have going on. They would need to take out Shu and Free, obviously. They are the next biggest threats after I am and don't rely on pure luck to win. Plus Lui, because he is prone to making rash decisions in a rage, and if anyone touches his brother then he will be in a blind rage, attacking everyone who stands in his way. Then there's the rest of the beyclub - sheer determination can get you places, let me tell you. And if all hell breaks loose, then Murasaki will most likely join in to stop the chaos. She is far stronger than I could ever hope to be. There's also Xander and Zac, who would feel a need to protect the very thing they have devoted their life to. These masked bladers must understand that if they wage war on one of us, they wage war on all of us, and let me tell you; we are no pushovers. We are the Gods of this very tradition, and we will gatekeep it with our very lives if we must. We did not get this far without getting a little bit of blood on our hands, and we are not afraid of getting a little more on them.

You are just children. You have no power.

We have no power? Oh, you poor, sweet soul. Tell me one person in this damned place who can even hope to rival us.

I'm sure there is someone. You are no Gods. You are merely children.

Why do you say that? Do you want us to lose? Don't you want us to be the strongest?

I stopped beside the park stadium and saw a silhouette of Valtryek show up on the other side of it, an unhappy look on her face. 

That's not what I meant, and you know it.

Then what did you mean? I have fought for this sport, fought for you, with all I had, even at times when it was not necessary. I clambered to the top of this stupid ladder with nothing but a bit of luck and determination, as have the rest of us. We are the best at what we do, and we have the battles to back us up, so why do you doubt us?

This is why. Because you doubt yourself. A slight quierie to your power and you crumble. Why would I have faith in someone who doesn't even know if what he's doing is right? You are so scared that what you're fighting for is something that doesn't deserve the time of day, but I can tell it's been a long and hard battle and you do not wish to stop now that you have come so far. So why not enlighten someone to the horrors you have faced so we can start blindly supporting our wonder boy once again?

I don't want your blind support. That's never something I've fought for, and I never will. I am not worth that much. Even Gods have their limits.

I walked away from the battleground, and I felt Valtryek's eyes on me. I've seen what has happened to so-called Gods; how warped and twisted their view on reality has become once they realise people will blindly support them and everything they do. I do not want that. I never have. They are just villains disguised as heroes, pretending that everything they do is for the sake of the people when in reality it's just their selfish greed. I should know. I was once one of them.