Valt Aoi: The Battle for the Lost (Book 3!)

Ep 26: The Cliffhanger

As night had fallen and the sky began to darken. Before Valt knew it, it was already dark out.

Sneaking out of the hotel Valt made his way up the cliff overlooking the stadium, the hotels and everything. The stars twinkled in the sky while the wind made the grass sway.

Valt shivered as he sat down in the grass. It was a quiet night with not a lot of movement. Only darkness but also light. Down below the cliff some lights were still on in the hotel or in the bey stadium.

Laying down on the ground Valt thought of Free. He missed that bored look in his eyes and his gentle smile. He also missed that carefree attitude.

In times like these Valt could've used it, but now everyone was looking to him for answers on defeating some insane man and whatever Phi was. But he was just a kid, a kid who didn't know what he was doing and a kid who was afraid. Very afraid of Theodore and Phi.

Theodore Glass had money, power and experience manipulating kids for years. He was very shady and yet after all he had done Valt was suprised he wasn't locked up in jail.

But maybe he could, maybe he could end it all right now before it even began.

Sitting up Valt starting walked down back down the cliff with his fists clenched. He was going to save everyone and he going to to take down Phi...

"Valt?"

Turning back around Shu Kurenai stood with his coat fluttering in the wind a little.

"Valt what are you doing out here?"

"It doesn't matter I was just..."

"It does to me, I just spent the last hour talking to everyone. Hoji was about ready to walk out the door but I managed to convince him to stay along with Sasha."

"But maybe I was talking to the wrong person."

They were both silent, while Valt thought about what Shu had said. He knew Rantaro had been on edge along with Hoji but he was surprised about Sasha.

"Valt, we've all been training hard. Including bladers who aren't even in the tournament. Everyone is on high alert from what Lui told us about Theodore and Phi's lair in the basement." Shu paused.

"But ever since Lui told you about their secret lair you've been quiet and distant.

"Where were you going to go?"

"I don't know home or maybe back to BC Sol."

"And then what's after that Valt? Theodore figures it out and he sends Phi after you to turn you into I don't know Brown Eye?"

"Brown Eye?"

"That's not the point Valt."

"Then what is Shu? I can take care of myself."

"Maybe you can Valt but this team needs you....I need you."

"But I can't be what everyone wants me to be! I don't know how to be a leader! It's scary. I have all this power, and all these people depending on me... but, I don't know what I'm supposed to be doing half the time! But you do! You've been leading the Bulls to Victory! You've been the owner of the Bulls taking care of bladers and helping them!"

"Just because I act like a leader doesn't mean I make mistakes!"

"Mistakes! Let's see we wasted time rounding up bladers when we could've been saving our friends. And then we spent less than a week arguing over who's a spy when we could've been training! Then when everyone looks to me for help I don't know what to do!"

"You can't leave Valt, not when we need you now." Shu's voice was still calm.

"First of all our bladers are better than you think. Ever since you talked to everyone, there's been a change in everyone. And not just in Sasha or in Hoji but everyone else too. We've all been working hard, we have a good team, we just have to work together. So then tell me why do you really want to leave?"

"I'm scared Shu! I'm scared of Free, I'm scared of our friends but I'm especially scared of Phi and Theodore! Who knows what Phi could do to me, to us if he gets the chance! I've felt his power before it's still inside of me, inside of us. He could turn us both if he wanted!"

Valt sat down in the grass covering his face with his hands.

Shu watched as Valt slowly began to relax. His shoulders dropped and his breathing slowed.

Shu sat down next to him rubbing his back.

"You know what's funny, Valt. I used to be scared once. I was scared that I pushed Spryzen to far, I was scared that I had broken our friendship. But I was mostly scared that I wasn't powerful anymore, powerful enough for you."

"But now, we have a chance, a chance to make things right... together."

"You're right."

Valt looked up into the night, Shu still had his arm around Valt pulling him into a hug.

"But it's not just Theodore I'm scared of, I'm also worried about Free. I know he's tough but who knows what Theodore did to him. He's probably being tortured or something..."

"True but if Free is Theodore's favorite then he's probably fine, it's the bladers who don't cooperate we should be worried about."

"Yeah."

Both of them sat there hugging for a while until Valt pulled away a little. Shu let go, turning back to the sky.

"It's sad, you know..."

Shu looked down at Valt.

"It's sad what's happening, it's sad how friends and families have been torn apart. It's sad that some parents don't even know where their kids are."

"I don't really remember my parents..." Shu started.

"but sometimes I wonder, how can someone miss someone they've never even met?"

That silenced Valt, not knowing how to respond to that.

Valt pulled Shu into another hug.

"Thanks Shu."

"Of course Valt."

While Shu hugged Valt, out in the distance he could see three bladers training in the stadium.

One was obviously Fubuki but in a different outfit. It resembled Shu's old Snake Pit attire but it was different. The other blader was Free in full blown Snake Pit attire. He wore a black mask with golden highlights.

But finally the last blader was unrecognizable, like Fubuki and Free he wore a black outfit with green highlights. He had short hair and seemed pretty strong as he knocked out Forenous.

After picking up his bey, the blader looked Shu straight in the eye not even cracking a smile.

Fubuki and Free noticed who he was looking at and did the same. Each of them summoned their resonance. The colors mixed together into a dark purple. Above them a ghostly Phoenix shrieked asserting its dominance over them.

Shu narrowed his eyes.

"What was that?"

Valt sat up from the hug looking up at Shu.

"Nothing, let's go back to the hotel, I'm sure the pool is still open."

"Yeah, c'mon Shu let's go!" Running towards the hotel Valt gave Shu a smile.

When he was gone Shu turned back to the bladers. The Phoenix was gone along with their resonance, instead they had gone back to their battle.

Shu gave them one more look before walking back to the hotel.