SHADOWLANDZ SEASON ONE

Genjo, Kyll, Cyro, and a clone of Genjo walked through the streets of New Babylon, wearing the Slayerz 4 clothing. They heard the announcement over the loudspeaker: "Day Three trials start in fifteen minutes. All Anointed, please get to the arena immediately."

As they walked towards the dome, Cyro asked, "So, Master Genjo, I saw you were surprised about an arena being here. Is this new?" Genjo nodded, "Yes, from what it seems, it has Ark written all over it. I'm surprised they'd take anything from him after his betrayal, but yes, it seems they've added a lot. When we invaded Babylon years ago, it was a whole different location, and it wasn't during the trials. This timing is perfect because they would never expect it."

Cyro agreed, "Yes, I've read a lot about the war. If I'm correct, it was Master Ezon against you, and then there was the Seven Deadly Sins versus the Twelve Disciples."

Genjo's eyes gleamed with intensity as he recounted the past. "Yes, we invaded Babylon while they were distracted by a huge meeting. Ezon and his Disciples had discovered one of our main nests, where the Seven Deadly Sins rested. They invaded us, killing off the entire nest. We tracked them back to Babylon, and days later, we retaliated with full force. That was 13 years ago."

Genjo's voice dropped to a low growl. "We slaughtered nine out of twelve Disciples and over 6,000 followers. Ezon was forced to..."

Suddenly, a girl bumped into Kyll by accident, apologizing profusely as she rushed past.

The girl's eyes widened as she gazed at Kyll's face, shrouded in shadows. But it was his dark, evil eyes that made her blood run cold. She trembled, her lips parting to unleash a scream. Genjo's swift intervention silenced her; his hand pressed against her forehead, and he whispered, "Sleep." Her eyes fluttered shut, and she crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Cyro's voice was laced with urgency. "That was close."

Nearby, Raiza strolled through the crowded streets, his senses on high alert. A faint, ominous vibe caught his attention. He scanned the area, but the four had vanished into thin air. Raiza's eyes narrowed, his curiosity piqued, but he continued on his way.

The four reappeared on a rooftop, Genjo's eyes sparkled with intrigue. "Hmmmmm, that kid who almost caught us... his vibe is almost as if he's... hahaaaa! Now I see, this is more than just an invasion. I've found my other mission."

Genjo's grin broadened. "We'll go up to the rooftop and watch the Anointed during this trial. We'll assess how they fight before we play our own little games. They'll think we're just the four, watching from a distance. This is perfect... hahaaaaaa! Let's sit back and enjoy."

Genjo's gaze swept across the cityscape before focusing on the battlefield below. "These will be your opponents, so gaze upon the battlefield."

Scene switches back to the arena....

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the final Trial. Today our Anointed will face their toughest challenge yet. They will all be fighting against a fearsome beast known as a Gakon, a mixture of a gorilla and a lion. There are only six of these creatures roaming the Shadowlandz, and this one is particularly vicious."

Hela whispered, "I will never understand how these creatures mate."

Ark explained, "They didn't, exactly. It's nuclear fusion. After the Great Divide, not only did most animals grow huge and strong, but many also fused with others due to chemical explosions."

Divide added, "What happened was that most animals started roaming the lands freely. When they encountered another breed, they'd naturally fight over territory. But in this case, bites, scratches, and blood mixing caused them to combine blood cells or traits, creating these weird Alpha creatures. The numalz."

Ark continued, "Gorillas and lions both dominate their respective areas, but after years of fighting for dominance in unfamiliar territory, they created this Gakan."

 Scene switches back to Gibby

Gibby- "So, on this massive Gakon, there are one hundred red circle dots. All of the Anointed have the objective to hit ten dots in only twenty-five minutes. There are no limits; you only need to hit the buttons, but it will be extremely challenging. The Gakon will be free of chains, and the buttons are hidden near its skin, meaning they're under all that thick fur. You must find where they're hidden."

The announcer paused for dramatic effect. "Now, let's introduce our finalists! Khayjin, Raiza, Kayge, Nobu, Aza, Zane, Zesh, and Sol, please step into the arena."

The eight Anointed entered the arena, ready to face the formidable Gakon.

As they entered the arena, they saw a large gate and heard the sound of grunting and a heavy purr rumbling the floor. Zane expressed his concern, "I've fought a lot of Numalz, but Gakons are definitely out of our league. They're relentless, and I've read a lot about them. We could possibly die during this trial."

Raiza scoffed, "This is all child's play. I've killed demons bigger than this."

Kayge cautioned, "Well, you must remember, Raiza, we're not killing it; we're simply hitting buttons."

Raiza snorted, "Tch."

Aza shouted enthusiastically, "He's going down! Unleash the beast!"

Zesh warned, "Aza, be cautious. You barely made it to this round."

Aza reassured, "Don't worry about me. That guy over there is sleeping; someone should worry about him." He glanced over at Zane who was indeed sleeping.

Sol woke Zane up and said, "You just gave us a speech, and now you're sleeping. What a fool."

Khayjin thought to himself, "Gotta do this for Northern Edge, for Rouke, and most importantly, for Zeyta." He looked over at Zeyta, who was watching with a sad expression.

Sol said, "This will be challenging, Zane."

Zane wakes up "Oooo, I'm ready."

Raiza turned to Khayjin and said, "Hey, Northern kid."

Khayjin asked, "What do you want?"

Raiza sneered, "Stay out of my way."

The huge metal gate lifted, and a thunderous roar echoed through the arena (RWAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH). A colossal Gakon emerged, its fierce gaze sweeping the area. The creature stood over eighty feet tall, its tan fur and majestic mane a testament to its formidable power.

Havibot comes out of Khayjins pocket...Scanning 

"This is a numalz.

Name-Gakon, look is a mixture of a gorilla with a lion's mane and claws.

Threat level-not recommended please stay away from this enemy."

Everyone's focus intensified. Kari gasped, "Omggggg, what happens if that thing catches them? It could kill them."

Gibby chuckled maniacally, "Well, they better not get caught—ahhahahahahhh."

Kari shot back, "You're crazy, Gibby."

Gibby grinned, "Ready... set... GO!"

The team charged the massive Gakan. Raiza and Sol jumped onto its arm, running up the creature's enormous limb. The Gakan swung its arm, tossing them off. Sol flew into a wall, using his feet to stop the impact. Raiza disappeared momentarily before reappearing in the Gakon's face.

"Annoooooo Moses..."{

He sprang into action, swinging his staff at incredible speed. A powerful wind current, like a windmill, lifted the Gakon's fur. Raiza spotted the red dots and targeted them. The Gakon retaliated with a crushing blow, but Raiza vanished again, running down the Gakon's arm.

The Gakon attempted to shake Raiza off by smashing its own arms into the arena walls. Then, it started rolling over everything, but Raiza clung to the creature's body, hitting buttons as he ran. 1-2-3-4-5-AND 6!

Gibby exclaimed, "Woahhhhhhhhh! Raiza is done! Raiza already completed it in just a few seconds!"

The crowd went wild, cheering in disbelief. "Impossible!"

Nobu grumbled, "Urgghhhjjhjj, that showoff!"

Khayjin marveled, "That was incredible. He really is something else. Can't stand him still."

Vojim analyzed, "I must say, the boy has amazing skill. He knew the wind from his staff could lift the fur, so instead of trying to dig through, he just parted its hairs and found the red buttons. He deserves to be an Anointed. I'd say he needs to fix his attitude a bit, but he'll get there."

Adon chimed in, "Yeah, the kid has always been a prodigy. Just don't want him getting too full of himself, ya know?"

Rouke added, "He's young, he'll get it sooner or later."

Hela grumbled, "Urgghhhh, his discipline is what I've been trying to instill in Zane. Adon, you might have to train him for a little while, haha."

Kayge shouted, "OK, bro, I see you! It's my turn!" Kayge threw two knives at the beast, hitting its shoulder. The Gakon spotted him and attempted to crush him. Kayge was smacked, but then an orange glow appeared. The Gakon lifted its hand, and Kayge remained unbothered. "That's one dot," he said, revealing a red dot on his palm.

Gibby exclaimed, "Kayge got one! Wowwwww!" The audience cheered.

Aza yelled, "Hammer Kraken!" and struck the beast in the back, but there was nothing there. "Oooo, I thought there was one there."

Zesh teased, "No, you didn't. You just wanted to hit it."

Aza protested, "Ummmmm, no, I really thought..."

Sol interrupted, "Blue Thrust!" Sol stabbed right below where Aza had hit. "You were off by three feet, hahaha."

Aza cried, "Nooooo! You cheated!"

The Gakon jumped up in the air, lifting its arms and pounding the floor, causing the entire arena to shake and sending several of the Anointed flying.

Raiza stood up, "OK, I'm done. Can I please leave now?"

Gibby replied, "Sorry, can't leave till the exam's over. All though you passed, rules are rules."

Raiza sighed, "I'll just go take a nap." Raiza walked to the edge of the arena, placed his staff in front of him, and lay down.

Nobu announced, "Alright, here I go!" Nobu summoned his arrow to shoot at the Gakon, looking for a red dot. "There, one is right next to its rib cage. Time to strike." He pulled back his bowstring to hit, but then Zane intervened.

Zane shouted, "Ha! That's one!" Zane had hit the red spot with a lightning bolt.

Nobu protested, "Not fair! I saw it, I shot my arrow, and you jumped in front!"

Zane smirked, "Welp, you gotta be quicker."

Khayjin approached the Gakon, which attempted a quick downward fist pound. Khayjin countered, "Anno Samuel," using one hand to smack one fist and the other hand to smack the other fist. Then, he held his fist back and said, "Wind Piercer." He hit two red dots with a thin gust of wind.

Nobu asked, "How did he know they were there?"

Khayjin explained, "I saw them when Kayge got crushed, and when you were aiming... You gotta really zoom in and observe; you'll see them."

Nobu protested, "Whaaaaaaaat? I have seen them! It's just people keep stealing my dots. I saw them way before."

The Gakon suddenly slapped Khayjin into the wall, knocking him out. The crowd grew nervous.

Zesh noted, "Looks like that punch from Khayjin got it pissed. Well, let's get moving. Aza, there are two buttons near his eyebrow. Throw me up there on your hammer."

Aza laughed, "Hahah, say less!" She jumped, and Zesh stepped onto her hammer. Aza swung him up.

Zesh said "Anno Joseph," and he could see a dot, but the Gakon went to back slap him, crushing his bones on impact. However, Zesh then dodged the slap by entering a state of heightened reality. He grabbed the Gakon's hand, holding onto a finger as he got swung around the arena.

Zesh jumped off onto the Gakon's back and saw the Gakon reach for him. He went back to reality and told Aza to hit the Gakon's left leg hard. Aza did, and right when the Gakon went to crush Zesh, it stumbled from Aza's hit.

Zesh pulled out two small blades and threw them, hitting the red spots. He jumped off and landed next to Aza. "That's two for me."

Aza replied, "Hey, what about me?" Zesh said, "Look behind you." Behind Aza were blinking red spots right in front of her face. His hands right there for you.She hit them. "Oooo, yeah! That's two."

Vojim marveled, I remember when we did the private trial with him It's almost like he saw things coming."

Ark explained, "That's his Anointing. He can see things three seconds before they happen through mini premonitions, visions, or dreams. It's mesmerizing. That's the perks of Joseph's Anointing." 

Vojim chuckled, "Hahah, this is glorious to see."

The Gakon roared extremely loud, making everyone fly back. Nobu yelled "Annoooooooo Gideon" and spotted rocks he could use to jump off. As he flew back, he jumped off the rocks and used his arrows, hitting three red dots near the Gakon's shoulder.

Nobu exclaimed, "Got ya!" The Gakon started going berserk.

Gibby announced, "Fifteen minutes left, everyone."

Kari worried, "I don't know if they can do it. They've all been great, but this Gakon seems extremely pissed off now."

Sol warned, "This beast will awaken its core energy soon."

Khayjin asked, "Core energy? What's that?"

Sol explained, "Every one of these high-ranked beasts has some type of nuclear attack. It's like a last resort thing for them."

Zane asked, "I'm confused."

Sol clarified, "Zane, remember what your mother told us about the movies back in the day, like Godzilla vs. Kong or Godzilla and Ghidorah?"

Zane recalled, "Oooo, yeah."Those movies sound so awesome,Wish we could have watched them.

Sol continued, "Well, this beast here has a nuclear-type attack. We need to watch out for it. His body temperature is rising; it could be fire or lightning, I don't know, but it's not good. Let's finish this ASAP."

Khayjin realized, "So wait, this thing is about to start shooting like laser beams."

Sol corrected, "Not quite lasers, but yeah, in a way."

Khayjin exclaimed, "Oooo man, that's awesome."

Sol retorted, "Idiot..."

Zane announced, "OK, Annooooo Elijah, I'm gonna look up top for any openings."

Khayjin jumped up, cocking his fist back. "Wind Break!" However, Zesh grabbed him mid-air, and threw him into the wall.

Khayjin asked, "Why'd you do that? I was gonna punch him!"

Zesh whispered, "Shhhhh... watch." They looked up, and the Gakan opened its mouth extremely wide. A massive fire-lightning blast came bursting out. Everyone was shocked.

Khayjin thanked Zesh, "Thanks, Zesh! I would've died from that."

Zesh replied, "No problem, just observe, don't rush. It's about patience, my friend."

Aza suggested, "I would've thrown my hammer down its throat." Everyone shook their heads.

A deafening wind sound pierced everyone's ears, and the Gakan dropped to all fours, its eyes blazing with fury. Lightning began to circulate around the Gakan's massive body, crackling with ominous energy. Flames started to seep from the Gakan's mouth, casting a hellish glow over the arena.

Sol's voice was laced with urgency, "Wait, it has two elements! No, this is bad! Everyone, get back! It's going to blast you all!"

The Gakan's roar thundered through the arena, a sound that seemed to shake the very foundations of the ground. As the Anointed scrambled to get out of the way, the Gakan unleashed a colossal fire-lightning twisted blast that tore through the air, leaving a trail of scorched earth in its wake. The blast hurtled toward the Anointed with unstoppable force, threatening to incinerate them all.

Nobu warned, "Watch out! " The Gakan unleashed a blast, but Zane leaped forward, absorbing the mouth blast. He channeled the energy into a fire-lightning orb, struggling to contain it before finally gaining control.

Khayjin marveled, "Wowww, what did you do, Zane?"

Zane explained, "One of my spirit moves is elemental manipulation. I put that entire blast into this little orb. But I think we need to give it back to him, full power. I'm able to manipulate elements; I'm sure you all witnessed when I fought against Mr. Big Shot over there."

Sol suggested, "Wait, as you said, Zane, we can give him back his own power. Yes, I see. If we can directly hit him with his own attack, it could knock him down, revealing more red spots."

Zane clarified, "Well, kind of. I'm thinking more of burning fur off so we can see skin. That's where the dots are. So let's get him to show skin."

Zesh asked, "But how can we do that? Doesn't the attack need to hit his body directly?"

Nobu replied, "No, Zane can manipulate fire and lightning. He can simply use lightning manipulation to raise all the hairs on the Gakan, then manipulate fire to burn it all off. Pretty much, we're shaving this beast."

Zane agreed, "Exactly."

Sol instructed, "OK, everyone, as of now, we work together to reveal the remaining red dots. Defense, offense, rely on your holy spirits and discernment. We just need to get Zane to the top."

Everyone replied in unison, "OK!"

Chapter ends

NEW CHAPTER NEXT THURSDAY

BEAST-2