You Can Never Escape Your Shadow /// Beyblade Burst Fanfiction

Chapter 6: The Ashen Bey

~Valt~

Valt straightened. "Who are you?"

The newcomer smiled. "My name is Bronze Eye. Third ranking in the whole of Snake Pit. Excluding Ashtem, of course."

Bronze Eye grabbed Valt's arm. "Unfortunately for you, in order to leave, you must battle me and win."

"You're on!"

Valt took out Valtryek, which he had evolved a year ago. Evolve Valtryek. "What your Bey?" Bronze Eye lifted his hand. The Bey was blue and its blades were shaped like flames. "Meet Flame Thysclar!"

Ashtem scowled. "Make it quick."

Bronze Eye led them towards a room. A stadium was located right in the center of it, with a wide metal tube filled with green liquid and wires sticking out of it pushed into the corner.

"Silver Eye, will you be the referee?" Bronze Eye called. The other Blader looked annoyed, but nodded.

"First battle!'

"Ready? Set!"

"Three, two, one, LET IT RIP!"

"Ultra Flash Rush Launch!" Valt shouted.

"Metal Boost!" Bronze Eye yelled.

Both Beys sped up to incredible speeds. "Evolve Whip!" Valt called. "Go Valtryek!"

Valtryek slammed into Thysclar, and the latter burst into pieces on the spot. What he could see of Bronze Eye's face paled. The Masked Blader dropped to his knees, collecting the pieces of his Bey.

"You are powerful," he commented. "They told me so, but I've never believed it." Bronze Eye gave Valt a small, respectful smile.

"Bronze Eye," Silver Eye said sharply. "You lost. Once these visitors leave, you are to keep training until midnight." Bronze Eye nodded.

"I'll come with them."

Valt whipped around to find his best friend smiling at them. "You're going home?.." Ashtem said, a hint of anger in his voice.

"Yes." Shu stared calmly back at Ashtem. "I can train back home."

Ashtem cracked a sly smile. "Very well then."

~Timeskip (about 1 month)~

~Shu~

Finally.

He had worked so hard to train and practice, and now, he got his reward. He had defeated new challengers, those who wanted another chance at him like Orochi and Wakiya. His constant desire to defeat Ashtem pushed him on and on and on.

Shu glared at the masked man on the other side of the stadium. This time, Spryzen will win. I've worked too hard to fail now.

"First battle!"

"Ready? Set!"

"Three, two, one, LET IT RIP!"

Spryzen flew into the stadium with unmatched speed and power, even more than Requiem. "Crux Boost!" Shu yelled. Spryzen began launching relentless attacks against Requiem. "Elemental Defense!" Ashtem shouted.

Shu knew that was a Bey version of the attack Ashtem had used against Valt years ago. But he didn't care.

"Ultra Counter Break! Knock it out of the ring!"

Spryzen began to speed up even more, then crashed into Requiem. Ashtem's Bey was sent flying into the air, where it Burst instantly.

"Inferno Spryzen with a Burst Finish! Two points to Shu Kurenai!" the referee shouted.

Shu's scar began to burn with fury, but also a strange pleasure. Only one more point to go, and then I'll win.

"Second battle!"

Shu gripped his launcher tightly.

"Ready? Set!"

"Three, two, one, LET IT RIP!"

"Go Spryzen! Upper Launch!"

"Requiem Launch! Leviathan Whip!" Both of Requiem's attacks meant Spryzen was facing a barrage of attacks.

Spryzen's spin began to waver. It began to circle away from Requiem's attacks; away from the center, trying to catch the groove and speed up, but Requiem rammed into Spryzen. Shu's Bey promptly Burst.

"Ashen Requiem with a Burst Finish! Two points to Ashtem!"

No way he's going to beat me!

I'll have to go for defense and dodge Requiem's attacks. Ashen Requiem is an Attack Type; if Spryzen dodges it's attacks, it will wear itself out.

"Third battle!"

"Ready, set!"

"Three, two, one, LET IT RIP!"

Shu launched Spryzen with all his power. "Spryzen! Take the center!

"Requiem Whip!" Requiem swooped in to deal a quick and powerful attack.

"Now, Spryzen!"

The Bey's aura flared. "Dodge it!" It streaked away along the groove. Requiem crashed into the walls one by one, losing stamina quickly.

Ashtem's Bey was just starting to wobble when Spryzen's tip lost its grip on the groove.

"AXE LAUNCH!"

Spryzen suddenly banked away from the groove and raced towards Requiem. "Finish him off!" Shu yelled. Fire and fire met.

Both Beys flew into the air, out of the stadium, and...

Requiem Burst.

~Valt~

Ashtem growled, picking up the pieces of his Bey, and turned to leave.

As soon as he was gone, Shu picked up Spryzen and left too.

Valt ran after his friend, but Shu didn't seem to hear him. They had left the center behind before Valt finally caught up.

"That was amazing!"

Shu didn't answer. Instead, he collapsed, unconscious. When Valt tried to help him up, his skin was ice cold. 

"He used too much energy to battle Ashtem," Daigo said from behind him. "He won't wake up for a while."

"Speaking of Ashtem," Honcho said. "He's right behind you."

The last thing Valt remembered before he blacked out was a shout of warning, and then extreme pain.

.  .  . 

Valt woke as someone was shaking him by the shoulders.

"I don't wanna go to school," he slurred sleepily. There was a short laugh, then the shaking continued. "You're not going to school," the someone said, "you're going to practice with Valtreyk." Valt jerked up immediately. "Honcho? Why are you here?"

"You're not at home, Valt," Honcho said. "Look around. Do you recognize this place?"

Valt obeyed. His mouth dropped open. "Survival."

Honcho's eyes had a glint of fear in them. "Yes."

Daigo shook his head. "The is a representation. It's not the real thing. Ashtem trapped us in this room to spark our fear."

Wakiya poked Honcho. "He seems to be succeeding."

"But we're going to starve!" Valt cried. "It'll take ages to make us scared by just trapping us in a room!" Wakiya rolled his eyes. "Trust Valt to only be worried about his stomach."

The silence was interrupted by Ashtem's voice. "Sacrifice each other, and you will survive. Believe in your friendship, and you will die."