Golden Age 16: ‘Rewinding the Long, Forgotten, Fateful Challenge!! Juniors Monsters VS Seniors Monsters!! Cricket Kings Encore!!’ (Part 1)

Alan rushing towards the Central headquarters, stood before the large building. "Finally here…" he gasped.

Instantaneously tracing a figure right before the entrance he squinted his eyes to get a closer look. Stepping forward he outlined Rauf standing before the doors. His arms crossed with his expression firm, he stared at Alan before him. A soundless breeze blowing amid them. Behind him Evan stood grim with Drake and Kortes. A relived smile escaped Alan lips, he leapt forward however abruptly halted amid his steps shaking his head instead. "What was I thinking…?" he thought.

"What's wrong?" Rauf asked pointing his action from before. 

Alan playfully glanced. "Nothing~ I was just so happy to see you that I was about to embrace you. What? Staggered?" " he teased amused.

Rauf not even blinking from his jest stared stern.

"Darn…" Alan uttered speechless, "I just lost face big time." he rubbed his neck embarrassed.

"If I remember correctly…" Rauf spoke, "You were expelled from the base weren't you? What are you doing here again?"

Alan recalling the time he left the base all high and mighty chortled, "Haha… that…?" he rubbed his neck harder unresponsive. "Yup, I said quiet a hell load of big words that time. Now how do I retort…?" he thought confused. "Seriously, me and my big mouth…" he reflected speechless.

"Hm?" Rauf inquired again.

Alan taking a deep breath smiled, "Looks like my promise to you brought me back. Don't tell me you forgot brother?"

Rauf grinned, "As if. So tell me, what do you want? Any excuse will work." 

Alan pointing his bat before him smirked, "Face me brother! An over or two until I beat you! Can this excuse be counted?"

Rauf taking his ball out tossed it in midair catching it again. "With pleasure…" he grinned dangerously.

Alan studying at the surroundings wondered, "As experienced as he is, he would definitely recognize the gap between us, as it is on pitch. I don't have to worry about it. However, that confident grin of his… who knows if I'm trouble thanks to that." "You know, the boys are back. The PSL is right on our heads as well. Won't you compliment me?" Alan winked tapping his bat on the ground.

Rauf twisting his right arm stepped a few steps forward aiming the ball at him. No speed nor a sound the ball cut through the path like thunder, spinning wildly on the ground's impact blazing towards Alan. Stepping back Alan guessed, "A leg break3…?"

"No! It's a slider1!" he realized defending his wicket. As if hit by a rock, Alan pushed the ball back forcefully. "So hard…!" he thought taken aback.

Slamming it with full force the ball rolled on the ground before him as a dot return. Alan's hand quivered, he gulped, "Wow… just what the hell was that?"

"If it was a leg break or a slider, I wasn't able to detect it till the moment it reached my stumps. A second later and I would've gone straight back to the pavilion. Not to mention the speed and technique…" he noted.

Rauf glanced, "What? Too surprised?"

"Haha, as if." Alan grinned tapping his bat. Taking another ball out Rauf delivered it towards Alan. "A Yorker this time." Alan read, keeping his bat forward he once again stopped the ball with a dot return.

"A dot return again… each and every single ball he throws carries so much power that I's impossible to strike back." he thought.

"What is it, Alan? Where did all that over confidence head off to? Get ready now. I am done with the warm-up." Rauf warned.

Alan smirked, "Alright, alright. First take me to a ride all around the world. Only then will I reveal that over confidence big brother." 

Rauf flicking the ball into midair, changed to his left hand, stepping forth on the popping crease, his swung his wrist tossing the ball towards Alan. Its form quiet strange, the ball spun haphazardly left to right in a curve aim straight into Alan's stumps. Alan cautioned grasped his bat. "6th Wonder of the world… Petra/Rose City of Jordan." Rauf uttered.

The ball as if a confusing maze crashed onto Alan's bat spinning wildly. "Tch! If I don't return it now. It will slip for the midwicket. An arm ball. 5This delivery is meant to slip amid the batsman wicket." he recalled shifting his bat low to ground and swiping it towards mid-wicket leg side. The ball rolling towards the boundary died down before it could hit.

Alan stood relived. However, that relief was only temporary as the wild grin resting on Rauf's face clearly stated that. Alan amused pointed his bat before him, "Hey Rauf, are you deliberately going easy on me?"

Ignoring him, Rauf stepped on the right of the pitch spinning his ball again. "Changing sides…" Alan stood alerted. Stepping on the popping crease Rauf whispered, "5th Wonder of the world… Flavian Colosseum of Rome!" 

The ball wheezing with immense strength landed on the pitch bouncing towards Alan's face. "A bouncer2?! How can that be…?" he thought confused as the ball changed its trajectory towards his bat's blind spot.

"It's aimed for a catch out." Alan pulled his bat away as the ball hitting the outside edge flunged towards the back side of the wicket. An anxious thump escaped Alan's chest he thought baffled, "The second return4. If a wicket keeper would've been there…"

"It would've been an out." Rauf read his mind.

Evan, Drake and Kortes too stared stunned.

"So what is it Alan? Do you consider yourself out or should I teach you a bit more?" Rauf bantered ironically.

"Your Wonders evolved, didn't they? Seriously, I wasn't even able to realize that and got out too." Alan shook his head in disbelief, "However, why don't you teach me a little bit more?"

Not coerced neither dazed Alan still grinned confidently, "How about I show you some of my wonders this time?"

Rauf turning around warned, "The chance you are asking for Alan won't be offered to you at the world stage remember that." 

Alan agreed, "Right, right."

Rauf tossing the ball up delivered it one again towards Alan. Its speed harsh and undetectable approached him. "It's spinning twice fold than the two deliveries before…" he noted tapping his bat. The ball hitting left of the pitch changed towards right. Rauf smirked, "Fun's over Alan. Eternal Chaos!."

Evan hearing him stuttered, "Rauf?!"

Alan too taken aback gazed at the ball which in a split moment diverged into multiple black illusions attacking from every side. A Googly, an arm ball, a carom delivery, leg spinners and off spinners all spin deliveries aiming towards Alan. "A mirage." he thought immediately rasing his guard, "Only one amongst all of them is the real delivery… but which?"

The ball approaching ruthlessly Alan called, "Silver lightning eclipse!"

A huge thunder striking before Alan, a silver panel stood before him while Rauf smirked, "Useless."

The silver lightning eclipse detecting the real delivery, Alan slammed the ball straight on the ground. However, to his surprise the illusions which approached passed the silver light hitting him mercilessly.

"Ghk!" he winced as one of them scratched his arm, his knee, his cheek and slashed his hairs disappearing. As many as the illusions were, Alan stood with as many grazes on his body. Light trickle of blood went down his cheek. He crouched panting hard. "Those illusions were real…?" he thought baffled.

"Rauf…" Kortes and Drake whispered restless as Rauf pulled another ball out of his pocket.

"Don't tell me… Eternal Chaos also evolved?!" Alan whispered speechless.

Suddenly his vision began to blacken. "My senses…?" he whispered touching his temple, "On the third delivery…?"

Nervous and confused himself Alan panted on the batting crease before Rauf who glared menacingly. "Oh drat~" he chanted over his deficient briskly vanquish. 

___

Seraph taking the right turn studied the sign board whispering, "Just a little bit further." "To think Alan would run this fast? I lost him the moment my concentration diverted because of the siren." he wondered amazed, "Moreover, I wonder if the others have already caught up to him since, I didn't saw a single highschooler this far." "Better make it quick. Who knows what trouble he might've gotten himself into right now." he sprinted across the 4th stadium. 

___ 

"Long time no see indeed~" Kenzo greeted back sneering. A bizarre sensation of vengeance and delight taking over him. "Well, how lucky hun… our highly respectable seniors have shown themselves right before us on their own accord. Saves us even the slightest bit of hassle finding them, right Cassiel?" he glanced at Cassiel who smiled nonchalant.

"Blocking our path won't do you any good. So why are you stopping us?" Cassiel asked.

"Stopping you? Who the hell said that?" Ren glared coldly.

"Tch." Kenzo clicked his tongue, "Then get the hell out of the way already."

Spinning the ball in his hands Ren tossed it towards Kenzo's face mad. As if anticipating Kenzo sneered pulling his Queen, he uttered, "Finally snapped, didn't you?"

"Cassiel my boy rather than dragging this out any longer. Make a run for it!" he ordered.

Cassiel nodded however, before he could even step forward Senri stood before him waving his hand. "Hehe…" he chortled.

Cassiel rolled his eyes, "Now what?"

Kenzo hitting the balls back laughed, "Haha!! What do you mean by now what? Just beat them up already!!" he ordered elated.