"Alright so here's the plan since the walls are too hard for a little guy like me to climb we can just slip in the door along with Aiger and Ranjiro."

"I have a better idea."

Liam stood at the base of the Dread Tower looking at the stonework. It was beautiful and yet intriguing at the same time. Near the top the fire burned bright allowing him heat.

"Now if we're really quiet we can.... ooo or maybe if we just...."

A few rocks from above trickled down snapping Liam out of his thoughts.

Free was crouched from above looking down at Liam.

"What?... How in the world did you get up there so fast? That wall has to be at least twenty feet up in the air."

Free shrugged his shoulders and threw down a rope. He tied the other end  letting Liam take his time climbing up. On the other side, Free watched Aiger and Ranjiro enter. They both had determined looks as they walked up the stairs. Not long after Liam made it to the top and crouched down next to Free.

"Won't they notice us?"

"No, people never look up."

"Huh."

They were both silent for a couple of minutes watching Aiger, Ranjiro and Count Nightfell. Aiger was yelling at the Count and Ranjiro was trying to calm him down. The whole scene reminded Liam of his younger brothers fighting.

"Yeesh, how can someone be that loud?" Said Liam covering his ears.

Says the kid with pipes himself Free thought.

"Woah who's that guy?"

"Count Nightfell, he's a phantom thief."

"Wow, he must be powerful!"

"Hmmm."

"What are they saying I can't really hear them."

Ranjiro and Aiger had calmed down, but Aiger was still yelling at Count Nightfell.

"I wonder what kind of stadium that is?" Liam mumbled.

"Come on let's get a better view."

Crouching down Free moved swiftly and yet so quiet at the same time. They moved to the other side while Count Nightfell talked to them.

Then something caught Frees eye.

"Wait, stop."

Free crouched down and listened.

"I'm volunteering to guide you to him. That is if either of you can manage to defeat my Aether in battle."

Taking both the pieces he clicked them together as if it were magic.

Free could've sworn he heard Liam say "oh snap." Or something like that.

"Man I wish I knew magic." Liam mumbled.

"No magic here. Aether is born from the fusion of two powerful beys" Count Nightfell responded as if he was talking to Liam.

"That's amazing, I've never seen a bey like that!" Aiger responded sounding excited.

"For once I actually agree with him."

"Are you not a fan of Aiger?"

"Yeah,"

Free heard something above almost like it was a bee or a buzzing noise. A camera flew above in the shape of a rolley polley or a bug.

"Get down."

Free pulled Liam closer to him pushing them both closer to the ground and hidden.

"Why don't you want the world to see you?" Liam asked.

"Because I don't want the attention, not here and certainly not now."

After watching for a bit Free began to get bored from all the smack talking.

"C'mon there's nothing interesting here." Free said getting up.

"So we came out here for nothing?" Liam said disappointed.

"Seems that way."

Free began walking to the exit unimpressed. From what he had seen on the show so far had intrigued him. It made him want to see Aiger for himself.

Sure they had their battle earlier in the forest but there was something about Aiger in that moment that had caught his eye. He wanted to see for himself that it wasn't just a fluke or something.

Down below the two beys began battling but Free didn't care. Then he felt something, he felt in his chest. Power. Bey Power. No, this is dark bey power, corrupted power. Free once again crouched down and watched the battle more intrigued than ever.

All around Aiger he could see his resonance flowing around him. Normally for bladers like Free his energy was beautiful but also dangerous.

Colors would dance around the air engulfing the bladder in their pure, light energy. But for Aiger this was different, it was almost as if the energy itself was corrupting him. Sometimes bladers turned to the darker side on purpose but this seemed different. It was like whoever had encountered Aiger wanted this to happen. This wasn't an accident or Aiger's doing, this is something else lurking in the shadows.

Free had some theories but he wasn't really certain.

"What's going on?" Liam asked.

Free had completely forgotten about Liam, in fact he had startled him a little.

"Aigers increasing his resonance."

"Ohhh,"

Free could see exactly what was happening. In fact he had caught on pretty fast. This is just a game to Hyde, he's using Aiger. Every battle he's had it's been to make Aiger stronger but the way they're making him strong is in a negative way. They're only making him more dangerous and powerful which is never a good combination.

Free's thoughts eventually wandered onto Shu Kurenai. In a way Aiger reminded him of Shu or in this case Red Eye. They both had a fiery determination to them and Free considered them interesting. But one of the main differences between Red Eye and Aiger was infected and he didn't willingly do it unlike Red Eye. 

Aiger roared at the top of his lungs. His hair turned crimson and broke free from his ponytail holder.

"You see that! his aura the little bits of black in it, it's like the colors have darkened." Liam said while thinking.

Smart boy.

"And there too! When he summoned Achilles the colors around him are not normal. It's like they're mirroring each other or something.

Aether then began circling around Achilles like it was it's prey.

"Dread Gravity!" Count Nightfell said.

Achilles was bouncing all over the place as if it were in a ping pong game or pinball.

"There's something wrong with him, Free. The way his clutching his chest shows he's feeling Achilles pain! This only proves my point more that they're mirroring each other or that Aiger is so connected to Achilles he can feel his pain.

"Yeah, you're doing great, Achilles! Keep it up. Go even further."

"Free this is bad, where I come from you'll see the occasional edgy blader or something. But I've never seen anything like this but whatever this is it's getting worse and worse. Heck his eyes are purple like Achilles it almost like.....

"What is it Liam?"

"It's almost like he is Achilles." Liam said terrified.

Liam reaches out for Free but Free hasn't even noticed. Instead he was watching the battle. Liam grabbed his hand and leaned onto Free. Free looked down at him, gave a him a squeeze and focused back onto the battle. Liam desperately wanted to talk or maybe yell but his throat felt like a desert and he could barely speak.

"I'm scared." He barely managed to get out.

"I know." Free said, still watching the battle.

Aiger once again roared as if he were an animal as Achilles was sent flying through the air. Gravity pulled it down and it dove onto Aether while it was still spinning. Powerful wind and energy was everywhere. Liam covered his eyes while clutching Frees arm. Free still watched unfazed. Then after all of it died down a small bursting noise was heard. Aether was lying in the center of the stadium in pieces.

"Alright Liam lets go."

"Liam?"

Free hadn't even noticed that Liam was gone. He had been so intrigued by the battle he hadn't even heard Liam leave.

A/N: man that was kind of a long chapter. Hope y'all enjoyed it!