(DISCONTINUED) Skyfall /// Beyblade Burst Fanfiction

Chapter 9: Still Family

"Succumb."

Phi towering high above the fear-ridden people beneath him.

He was a silent power. Fear grew in his wake. He didn't have to wake it himself. All he needed was to let the already-made fearful awe become stronger.

Awed murmurs fluttered through the kingdom. "This is the person we need," the Mizore king said spitefully to the Kaen king. His violet eyes glowed with awe, like every other pair in all the kingdoms.

Lui Shirosagi, south of his father, was crossing his arms. He bore an unimpressed expression. "He looks like you," he said to Shu. "Except a stronger, taller, less annoying version of you."

Shu rolled his eyes. "Shut up."

"It's true," Lui shot back. "He has the strength of the Mizore Kingdom, shown by his blue eye, when you clearly don't," he added jokingly.

"Then are you half Kaen Kingdom?" Shu asked, exasperated. "Your eyes are a mix of red and blue."

"Definitely not!" Lui yelped.

"You got Lui stressed out?" Daigo joked from his shadowed spot on his bed. "Respect."

"Yeah!" Valt chimed in.

"Even Lui will have to admit that's impressive," Zac agreed. His eyes sparkled mischievously.

Lui growled warningly.

Lying on a bed in another room, Free was sleeping. He could faintly hear the neighboring princes chatting, and that helped anchor him to the real world while his mind ventured dreams. It reassured him that the horrid lands of his nightmares were unreal.

An image of Phi fluttered in front of his face. Like he had that day, Phi's form shimmered like a mirage.

Not a mirage, Free realized. A ghost.

His mind tunneled. He could no longer hear the reassuring chatter and shouts of his friends. It was only Free and the monster before him.

"Free De La Hoya," Phi mused.

Phi's voice sent shivers down his spine. Unfortunately, before he could shove his fear away, Phi noticed it.

"Don't be scared," he smirked. "After all, I'm just a dream..." He faded away.

Free woke with a start. Even though his encounter with Phi had taken mere moments, he could tell hours had passed since he fell asleep. The neighboring princes were silent. He could sense the moon shining high above. He could hear the muffled hoots of owls and chirps of crickets.

Quiet snores filled the room. Even restless Xander was asleep.

Free pulled out a pearl bracelet from a pouch lying on his drawers. The bracelet had been the last gift he had received from his mother. It warmed his hands like sunlight.

The pearls gleamed even in the darkness. Free could faintly hear his mother's voice whispering to him, assuring him everything would be alright, and that made his heart ache. He hadn't seen his mother since she and his father left him alone that day. He remembered her light smile, her steady hands, her lavender scent.

She was one of the only people Free loved.

And then there was Father. The constant reminder that he should never lie. The cause of years of hard work with no reward. The very person who had lied to Free about his whole life.

Lies...

But were Father's lies really that bad, if it kept Free alive?

Letting his mind shy away from the thought, Free thought about Phi and how he had certainly lied to the kingdoms, they just didn't know it yet. Was Phi's voice of deception evil? Selfish, yes, but did he believe what he said?

Lying was complicated.

Free missed his family. He had heard from his mother that he had a new sister, but he didn't know her name. His father was gone, presumably dead. His mother had probably left his father, well, hopefully.

He recalled one of the times he turned his back on his father.

"You dare turn your back on your family?" he thundered.

Free didn't even look back. "You can manage without me," he answered coolly.

His father growled. "Do not think for a moment we do not need your help. You asked for assistance and that's what you get. Or else, what are you?"

Free turned back, for a split second. "And what are we?"

"Family," his mother whispered, a tear traced down her cheek. "We're still family."

Free couldn't believe how easily he had turned away. Then again, he was in a comfortable life. Nothing like what he was in now.

A blazing light lit the room. It burned through all the walls and illuminated the room as bright as daylight.

Phi, Free thought instinctively.

The ghostly phoenix was beginning his rampage of destruction— and he was starting with the Heiwa Kingdom.

Sorry for the short chapter! I've been really busy so I don't really have time (or motivation) to write.