The legend returns

Chapter 22

Sora unhooked her launcher from her belt and took Draco out of her beyholder. She switched her launcher to left spin and loaded Draco onto it. She twisted herself around to where her launcher was on her right side facing the stadium and crouched down as she prepared to leap into the air. Hearts just held his launcher in front of him and flicked his hair as he let out a small laugh. "3...2...1...LET IT RIP!" They yelled in unison. Sora leaped into the air and untwisted herself before pulling the ripcord as hard as she could. Draco activated its Cho-z wings and spun around the stadium in left spin, charging towards Hades. The two beys collided and Draco was knocked towards the center. "Bad move Sora! Dead Gravity!" Hearts yelled. Draco kept getting knocked back by Hades as it tried to escape. "Storm breaker!" Sora yelled. Draco's tip dropped, the teeth locking and giving the bey more speed. Draco rocketed towards Hades, the beys collided and both were knocked out of the stadium. The bladers picked up their beys and turned to face each other as the referee made the announcement. "Having fun yet former chump? It seems your best isn't good enough. Listen up! The greatest show is about to begin created by, with, and for yours truly! Come on Sora, it's show time! Are you ready to get blown away by a true legend?" Hearts said. "How you you plan on defeating me?" Sora asked. "Weeeee! BOOM! This next burst finish is going to go up like fireworks in the sky!" Hearts said as he moved his hands as if they were fireworks. The crowd erupted in wild cheers. "I can't hear you! You guys want to see that right?" Hearts asked. The crowd began to chant for the white and lavender haired blader. "Be careful what you wish for." Sora said. Her scar began to glow a gold color and her hair changed from white with gold streaks to red with white streaks and began to wave around like flames. Hearts looked scared for a moment before he shook his head and got into his launching position. Sora twisted herself around to where her launcher was on her left side facing the stadium and crouched down as she prepared to leap into the air. "3...2...1...LET IT RIP!" They yelled in unison. Sora leapt into the air and untwisted herself before pulling the ripcord as hard as she could. Draco activated its Cho-z wings and the teeth in its tip locked, causing the bey to rocket around the stadium. "Dead Impulse!" Hearts yelled. Hades spun towards Draco's path. "Dragon Slash!" Sora yelled. Draco and Hades collided, Draco's Cho-Z wings hit Hades and sent it flying out of the stadium. Sora picked up Draco before standing back up and facing Hearts. "You are stronger than I thought. Show me more of that power!" Hearts taunted. The two bladers got into their launching positions once more. Sora twisted herself around to where her launcher was on her left side facing the stadium and crouched down as she prepared to leap into the air. "3...2...1...LET IT RIP!" They yelled in unison. Draco's Cho-Z wings activated and the bey spun around the stadium in right spin while Hades circled around the edge of the stadium above Draco. "Dead Gravity!" Hearts yelled. Hades began to spun rapidly around the stadium, getting closer and closer the the center and trapping Draco once more. "You think that's gonna work? Allow me to show you why it won't. Ultimate Dragon Slash!" Sora yelled. Draco's tip dropped and the teeth locked together, making Draco pick up speed as it headed towards Hades. The two beys collided, Draco used it's Cho-z wings and struck Hades repeatedly as the two continued to spin around the center of the stadium. Within five seconds Draco sent Hades into the air where it burst, leaving Draco the only bey left spinning. Sora picked up her bey and stood up straight, her scar stopped glowing and her hair returned to normal. She looked at the shock on Hearts face. "With a score of three to nothing, Sora Hagane wins the match!" The referee said. Hearts' expression quickly turned to anger before he turned around and left the arena. The referee gave Sora the title belt, the white and gold haired blader turned towards the crowd and held the belt over her head with a smile on her face. Sora turned to face Aiger Akabane, who was slightly glaring at her from his spot in the stands between Ranjiro and Fubuki. This is what real blading is. You don't need help from Ashtem. Sora thought as she looked Aiger straight in the eyes. She sling the belt over her left shoulder and allowed her arms to drop to her sides before walking out of the arena and towards the stands. She saw several people walking out of the hallway across from her towards the exit of the building and decided to stay in the shadows of the hallway she stood in. She heard a few comments, most of them falling along the lines of 'I can't believe Hearts lost'. Once the hallway was empty, Sora continued on her way towards the stands. She reached the end of the hallway and spotted Aiger, Fubuki, and Ranjiro standing by the railing. Shu and Valt were standing a small distance from them. Sora walked over to the albino and the bluenette and stood beside them, looking at the angered expression of the maroon haired blader. "We should give them some space." Shu said. "Yeah." Valt replied. The three bladers walked out of the stands and back to the room where they had first run into Aiger. Sora's legs suddenly gave out, causing her to drop the belt and fall towards the ground. Shu quickly caught the gold eyed blader before she hit the ground. "Sora, are you ok?" He asked, his voice filled with concern. "Just tired. I've kinda been running on nothing ever since I got here. The beybread Valt gave me is just about the only thing I've been able to eat. I haven't slept well in a while either." Sora replied. "If that's the case, I'm surprised you were even able to walk, let alone use your full strength." Shu said. "Adrenaline and determination can do amazing things." Sora said. "If I'd known that I would've brought more beybread." Valt said. "It's ok Valt. I'm just glad you did bring one for me." Sora replied. "Hey! Maybe when we get out of here I can ask Ange or Mom to make you some beybread!" Valt said.

~Shu POV~

He was only answered with silence from the white and gold haired blader. Shu and Valt looked at her to see she had fallen asleep. "She really was tired." Valt said. "I don't blame her. I would be too." Shu said, keeping the sleeping blader close to him so she wouldn't hit the floor. Aiger suddenly ran into the room, looking at the ground as he ran past the three bladers. He continued running until he has left the room and disappeared from sight. "I wonder what his deal was?" Valt wondered aloud. "I have a feeling that we're about to find out." Shu replied as he heard more footsteps running towards them. Fubuki and Ranjiro came running out of the hallway, stopping when they saw that Aiger was long gone. "What happened?" Valt asked. "Aiger got really angry with us when we tried to reason with him." Fubuki began. "He said that we wouldn't understand him." Ranjiro finished. "He probably just needs some time to cool off." Shu said. "What happened to Sora?" Fubuki asked. "She passed out from exhaustion. Hearts didn't really take good care of her. She hasn't ate or slept well for probably as long as she's been here. She's been running on adrenaline ever since we freed her." Shu explained. "Geez, the way she fought in that match you would've never guessed." Ranjiro said. Suddenly, a yell was heard coming from somewhere on the walls of the Dead Gran. "Who was that?" Ranjiro asked. Shu felt Sora begin to shift in his arms as if she was waking up.

~Sora POV~

Sora slowly opened her eyes and stood up, pulling out of Shu's grasp. She heard someone yelling, as if they were trying their hardest at something. She turned around to see Fubuki and Ranjiro, but not Aiger. "Aiger is in trouble." She said. "How do you know?" Ranjiro asked. "He's not with you. He's battling someone with all he's got. We have got to find him and fast." Sora replied. Thunder roared above, startling the group of bladers. "Lets go." Shu said. The group of bladers ran out of the room and down a hallway. The sound of rain echoed throughout the hallway. The hallway turned to the left and then to the right. Thunder roared furiously above and the rain began to come down harder than before. The group followed the hallway until it suddenly came to a dead end. On one of the walls, there was a ladder leading to the top of the wall. The thunder and rain had stopped and the clouds had dispersed, leaving a blue sky behind. The group one by one, climbed up the ladder and stood on the top of the wall. "Where could he be?" Fubuki asked. Sora listened closely for any signs of the maroon haired blader. A cry of pain and sorrow was heard coming from the right. "This way!" Sora yelled before turning to the right and running across the wall in the direction of the cry. The wall widened to a huge room-like balcony. In the center was a stadium with none other than Aiger Akabane on his knees, sobbing beside it as he looked at something near the base of the stadium.