Sam closed his eyes, prepared for the end. This was it, no escape, nowhere to run. He heard Zombis coming closer, any second now it was going to make contact with Sam and that would be the end of it. Somehow through all the haze of panic and sadness however, Sam couldn't help but feel that this was not him. It was not like him to give up even when all odds were against him. That single thought gave Sam the strength to realise that he was not meant to die this way, cowering on the floor waiting to just die. If he was to die, he would do it in battle, using all of his strength. Sam focused on that and opened his eyes. Zombis was running at him, it ran up a piece of fallen stone and launched itself into the air. It changed direction in mid-flight and sped towards Sam, he could almost feel the lust and hunger radiating from the bey.
"NO!" Sam shouted, and with all his might through himself aside, rolling painfully across the ground. He got up on one knee and saw Zombis crash into the stone where he had just lain, shattering it. Sam grabbed his broken arm and yelled with all his might.
"I will not give up!" he lunged at Zombis, bringing the fist of his good arm down onto it. There was a second of silence before a stunning golden light erupted quite painfully from all over Sam's body. He fell to the ground, screaming in pain. Yet at the same time, he felt his arm click back into it's shoulder socket and the burns on his hands vanished. The scars on his back disappeared and all the pain and heartache Sam had been carrying left him in seconds. The pain disappeared also. Sam opened his eyes. His skin was fine; the unhealthy tinge it had gathered throughout the weeks here had gone. He raised his hands to inspect them. Where on his right hand the burns that Astraeus left last time he touched him had been, now sat the symbol of Astraeus, a sword with a helmet behind it. Sam stood up in amazement. All was better; it was like his body had fixed itself.
Or something had fixed it for him.
Sam looked up into the sky, yet he didn't know why. A golden comet was flying down from the clouds, heaven. Sam knew what it was. His angel had come. He reached out his hand and the comet landed in it was a mighty bang, golden flames racing past Sam yet not hurting him. As Sam opened his palm, Astraeus shone there; bright as ever, glittering in the light of dusk.
Sam looked across at Death, who was standing there with his mouth unhinged, gawking at Sam. Sam grinned and held up his bey.
"Now, let's see how your dirty tricks work on an even playing field shall we?" Sam's voice was confident, he felt like he had before the accident. he felt powerful, in control. The top of the world. Death clicked his jaw back into place, and glowered at Sam.
"Zombis, get him!" He shouted, pointing at Sam. Sam reached for his launcher and loaded Astraeus into it.
"Go Shoot!" Shouted Sam, Astraeus flying from his launcher like a golden arrow and smashing into Zombis. The force sent it flying and crashing at Death's feet, unmoving. Death cursed and picked up his beyblade, running into the darkness of the corner of the stadium to hide.
"Sin, pull pack!" He rasped as he vanished into the inky blackness. A second later ScarSeverus returned to Sin's hand and he ran after Death, whining about how he had not finished with the 'Little Red Runt', which Sam thought was Victor. Victor's bey returned to his hand as he saw Sin disappear into the blackness as well. As sonn as Sin had entered the shadow it disappeared and light returned. Astraeus flew back to Sam's hand as Victor walked over.
"How did they disappear like that?" Sam asked.
"Shadow Manipulator." Replied Victor. "The army of terror perfected them near the end of the war a couple of hundred years ago. They were the army's main method of transport, effective too. Anywhere there was a shadow they could send troops and men to attack and hide."
"What war?" Sam asked, but he already guessed the answer.
"The war against the Crateor tribe." Victor said. "They sought to make the ultimate bey, and they saw that power in darkness while we saw it in the light.
Sam nodded. Just as he thought. He had not escaped Chaos entirely. He was only a mere few hundred years since the end of the war, and Chaos still had supplies around most likely.
Sam looked around and saw people starting to emerge from behind rocks and out of the crumpled stone stands. He had a lot of explaining to do. Things were about to get a whole lot worse though, and Sam knew it.
And he knew what he had to do.

Sam looked over the vast mountainside that surrounded Coma Village, feeling as the cold morning air prickled his skin. The mountains that stood before him dipped slightly to forma a sort of crevasse. Sam could see a clear path through the mountains; he could be away and safe in a day.
But he couldn't go. He couldn't just leave the village as it lay, in ruin. The beyblade stadium, the heart of the village, was literally falling apart. Large wooden spokes had to be placed to keep whatever remnants of the building were still standing stable. Food supplies were low, and many people were injured by falling rocks from the collapse of the stadium. The village was in its worse shape since the war.
Are you sure about this? A familiar voice echoed in his head.
We don't have a choice. Chaos will keep getting stronger and stronger, and will eventually attack the village. When that happens, nothing will stop him. No one has the power to. He will destroy the village and rewrite history, a history where Coma Village does not exist in my time.
I agree, but you are still not full health, although my may feel it. You can rest for a while before setting off.
I am fine. Sam said. My wounds have healed.
I did not mean your physical state. I meant are you fine mentally? Sam did not reply, but just stared out over the path that he was about to take. It was a long winding gravel path; one could easily slip and fall.
Much like the path I am deciding to take with my life. It is dangerous, and I could easily fall, but it is the only way to get to where I need to be. Sam pondered to himself.
He reached down and picked up his bag that was sitting at his feet, feeling the cold and slightly damp drawstrings press against his shoulder when he threw it over his arm.
"Just where do you think you’re going?" Sam turned around to face Lavender. She looked different, her hair was tied back and the dress she normally wore was replaced with a blank white T-shirt, denim shorts that were bordering on too short and a navy blue half jacket. She wore a pair of mid-height brown heeled shoes and a bag like Sam's slung over her shoulder.
"Where are you going?" Sam asked, although he already knew the answer.
"With you, you can't do this on your own"
"I perfectly well can, we discussed this and you are not coming."
"Well lets save the discussion this time then and just let me come with you."
Sam looked at her. Why did she want to come so much? Sam had secretly wanted her to come, but he had kept that thought silent. Now, she wasn't going to leave him alone. He sighed.
"Let's go then; we can't waste any more time." Lavender nodded and fell into stride after Sam.
"So, if I'm coming then it is ok if I bring a plus one?" She said it as more of a statement then a question.
"Pus one?" Sam asked just as he saw a dark red haired boy emerge from the bushes a few meters away. Sam glared at Lavender. "Why did you bring him?"
"She didn’t bring me, I brought myself." Victor said with a slight smile on his face. He too carried a travel bag across his shoulder, and in his hand he held a beyblade. Sam just shook his head.
"Any more surprises Lavender?" Sam said in defeat of the girl’s persistence
"Not right now, but later maybe." Sam took that as a 'yes'. He started walking with Lavender and Victor next to him. After a few minutes they got into a conversation about the rotation speed of a beyblade and were talking like old friends. For once all thoughts of Chaos and the battle to come had left Sam's mind.
But that was soon to change.