"The Catalyst" : A Yang Xiao Long AU! #RWBYWATTYS

Vol.2 / Chapter 4 : "The Demon Within"

Rei walked up to the arena, taking each step with no slight care. Across the arena surrounded by the screaming audience stood his father, Warren Schnee. Warren's blue eyes locked onto Rei, refusing to move from him as if he couldn't resist looking at him. Warren's white uniform was outlined by light blue linings, the same colors of the Schnee family. Compared to Rei's new black hair, red eyes, and black jacket, Warren looked like a shining beacon of hope.

"Greetings, Ladies and Gentlemen." The referee called, silencing the audience. He stood to Rei's left, on the very edge of the large, tiled arena.

"Today, our king, the great Warren Schnee, has agreed to have a friendly duel with Beacon student Rei Crystal. The rules are simple. If you are knocked out of the arena or set one foot out of the arena, you will forfeit the match."

"No rule to prevent killing." Rei thought to himself.

"In addition," the referee added. "If the challenger loses, he will be forced to leave Beacon and the city of Vale for the rest of his life."

Rei's eyes widened in surprise.

"That wasn't a part of the deal."

"Also, if our king does not succeed in victory, the challenger may ask one of any thing to the king, to which the king must ether agree or give. Are these conditions clear?" The ref looked at both Rei and Warren.

They both nodded their heads.

"The duel will begin when the bell rings. Audience, please keep as quiet as possible to allow maximum concentration."

--

The newly formed Team RWBY sat in the bleaches, anxiously watching the match about to begin.

"Yang? Rei will win, right?" Ruby asked, almost desperately.

"He'll win. I'm sure of it." Yang replied, refusing to take her eyes off Rei.

"You have to win. For Ruby and for me." She whispered under her breath.

"There's no way he'll win. Just because he's got new abilities we don't know doesn't mean he'll win. My father has trained for nearly all of his 37 years of life. Rei has only trained for 12 years. There's no way Rei can win." Weiss replied simply.

"There's just no way. I've sparred with my father. Each time, he utterly defeated me. Rei has no chance at winning."

"No, Rei will win." Blake responded coldly. Her yellow eyes watched both participants closely, taking note of everything happening.

"How?" Weiss shot her head around to her left, staring at Blake almost accusingly.

"Rei has much more riding on this duel than the king. If the Rei loses, then he proves to himself that it was his fault his mother died. If he wins, then he not only proves that it wasn't his fault but that he is not trash to his father."

Ruby suddenly started speaking, her childish antics suddenly getting the best of her.

"Besides, Rei still hasn't unleashed his Phoenix spirit yet." The three other members of team RWBY shot their heads in their little leader's direction. Yang punched her arm in anger and annoyance. She shot her a look that said

"You're an idiot."

"A Phoenix spirit!?" Blake and Weiss hushed their voices do as to not be heard. Yang sighed before replying.

"A few years ago, my dad took us to this place in a forest. There, three souls were locked and sealed with three stone tablets. He made us choose three, but it was like they had chosen us. We were drawn to each of them separately. My dad then sealed each soul into the chosen, enhancing our powers by the soul's attributes. My soul was a rank 5 Hell Flame Lion."

"And mine was a Hurricane Eclipse Eagle." Ruby brightly added.

"So Rei's spirit is a Phoenix?" Blake asked.

"At least, that's what he tells us. I don't think it is though." Ruby replied, thinking to herself.

"The spirit emits a spirit aura that only other spirit beast holders can sense. His aura, the aura surrounding Rei, feels so..... Terrifying. Nothing like a Glacial Destruction Phoenix. That's what he calls it."

"So if his beast soul isn't a phoenix.... Than what is it?"

---

The bell rang, followed by Rei and Warren rushing each other. They both disappeared in hazes of their color, Warren disappearing in a haze of white while Rei disappeared in a haze of black.

Both of their swords were drawn, crashing the sharp edges into each other. The initial impact created a large purple shockwave that extended out, creating a small crater and slightly cracking the tiles directly underneath them.

Warren mustered his strength, pushing Rei away as if he were nothing but a paper bag. Rei landed quite far from their initial collision before jumping once to avoid Warren's slash. Rei was now directly above him, moving behind him with a graceful flip in mid-air. Once he landed, Rei lashed out, only to have his blade blocked by Warren's 180 degree turn.

Warren pushed him away again, this time making sure to dash forward quicker. He brought his right arm up, extending it so that his blade landed a large gash into the side of Rei. He quickly turned around, bringing his right arm to follow his movements and land a devastating blow down Rei's back. Rei dropped to one knee, his body becoming overrun from his pain censors.

"This is why you should have learned fencing. You are incapable of defeating a fencing master without any knowledge of fencing. Pathetic fool. It's like I said the last time we met: if you'd learned fencing when I wanted you to, maybe your mother would still be alive. Maybe you wouldn't be bleeding at my very feet." Rei slowly stood from his one knee, as if he was in pain. He suddenly lifted his right arm, the arm that held his blade. He pointed the tip of the blade at Warren, slowly and lightly tipping his sword with the utmost care.

Warren's eyes widened in surprise.

"I did learn fencing. Not because of what you said," Rei began. He suddenly disappeared once more, reappearing behind Warren with a bloodied sword in his hands.

"But so that I could kill you." Rei finished, straightening his back and slowly turning around.

He suddenly heard his heart beating, felt his body going numb.

"My turn." Said a voice in Rei's head.

"Master!?" Rei exclaimed to himself. "What are you trying to do!?"

"Oh, foolish boy. For too long now, you're actually believed I am a Phoenix.

Well,

It's my turn to play."

Those were the last words Rei heard before his vision turned black, his body handing control over to the demon hiding within. V