*The 2 bladers take their positions and the battle started*

3 2 1 GO SHOOT!!!

*Both beys land in the stadium and Lucifer took the center with its barrier up. Hollow Deathscyther races around the stadium at top speed*

Daina: Now strike it down, Deathscyther!!

*Deathscyther rushes in for the attack and clashes with Lucifer with all its might as it tried to force the barrier back*

Lane: Useless! Emperor Wall!!

*Lucifers barrier knocks Deathscyther back but it doesnt give up as it continues its clash*

Daina: That barrier will be torn apart here and now!!

*Lucifers barrier was falling and Deathscyther was barely able to reach the layer*

Lane: Is that all you can do? don't tell me this is all Deathscyther can do.

*Deathscyther jumps onto the upper deck and raced into the speed cradle*

Daina: Go Deathscyther!!

*Deathscyther rushes out of the cradle and heads straight for Lucifer*

Daina: Hollow Strike!!

*Deathscyther slams into Lucifer with all it has as the barrier was starting to bend once more*

Daina: Now break through!!

*Lane remained silent as his Lucifer was keeping Deathscyther at bay, Daina watched in shock as his attack wasn't working*

Daina: He withstood Hollow Strike?!

Lane: An attack as weak as that won't work on me.

*Deathscyther was beginning to lose stamina as Lucifer kept blocking its attacks*

Daina: Keep going Deathscyther!!

Lane: Emperor Wall!!

*Deathscyther was blown back and its stamina fizzles out as Lucifer was still going strong*

Daina: Tch..

Lane: Is that all you got?

*Daina picked up his bey and looked back at Lane who was already beginning to transform*

Daina: So you are just like your sister, both of you are corrupted by darkness.

Lane: That doesn't matter, what matters is victory and nothing more, nothing less!

Daina: And that's the issue. Your way of blading was caused nothing but trouble and terror across the world. i was there at the Legend League when you destroyed Diabolos and Adeona in front of the entire world and i watched your battles with Lui, Aiga and Athena, 2 of which you destroyed on live TV for the world to see.

Lane: I've read up on your blading history and i saw that you had once cheated in a regional tournament.

Daina: I'm not the same blader i was then, i vowed to never cheat again in a battle and i stand by my word! and now i'll be the one who crushes you!

Lane: You still don't get it. When i read on your career, i studied EVERYTHING about you. Your bey, your beys stats, everything! And you aren't the only one, ive studied every Legend in S-Tier thoroughly, all the way down to their last strategy. You can't win against someone who knows everything about you!

*Daina looked at Lane in shock, Lane pretty much knew everything there was to know about the Legendary Bladers. Daina clutched his bey tightly as took his position*

Daina: Even if you know everything about me, i'll still defeat you here and now!!!

*Lane smiled as his evil Flare took over him as he entered his Demon form*

Demon Lane: I'll tear Deathscyther apart in this battle, just you watch!

*Both bladers had taken their position and the second battle was on*

3 2 1 GO SHOOT!!!

*Both beys land in the stadium and Lucifer took the center once again as its Barrier expanded, Hollow Deathscyther comes in for the blow*

Daina: Take them out Deathscyther!!

*Deathscyther collides into the barrier with all its might, it then unleashes a barrage of attacks as it tried chipping away at Lucifers stamina to break the barrier*

Demon Lane: That won't work! Emperor Wall!!!

*Lucifers barrier knocks Deathscyther away but it comes back and continues its assault on the barrier, the metal scythe was pulling at the rubber wings as Lucifer was losing stamina fast*

Daina: Crush them!!

*Deathscyther knocks Lucifer into the air as its barrier fell, Deathscyther races to the upper deck with full speed*

Daina: Deathscyther!!!

*Deathscyther races off the upper deck as it approaches Lucifer who had finally regained its stability, Lucifer dodges Deathscythers attack as it begins to come up from behind*

Daina: W-What the-?!

Demon Lane: Lucifer!!

*Lucifer approaches Deathscyther at full speed as its contact points began to glow, its Flare flowing around it brightly*

Demon Lane: Emperor Disaster!!

*Lucifer plows through Deathscyter and sent it flying as it burst a second later, Daina looked in shock as his bey fell to the floor with a loud clang. Lane grinned evilly as his Flare swirled all around him and got even bigger from the defeat of another Legend*

Demon Lane: That's another one down..

*Lane began to laugh like a maniac as his laugh echoed through out the arena*

---Later that day---

*Athena met with Shu and Valt to discuss about her new mark*

Athena: I don't know how it got here, i faced off with Lane again a few days ago and i had this mark on my hand.

Shu: You think Lane might be responsible for it?

Athena: Possibly but i don't want to throw out false accusations until we know for sure.

Shu: I see.

Valt: Do you think the Snake Pit has any input in this?

Athena: I've already stated that i don't want anything to do with the Snake Pit, it can't possibly be that.

Valt: That mark is from Ashtems Project: Shadow, there is no other place where that could've come from. Maybe Lane somehow infected you with it.

Shu: It's possible. Athena and Lane are connected on a spiritual level so it would make sense that Lane could've passed on the mark to her if not some of his own dangerous power, hence her new behavior. Only thing that bothers me is that if Lane wanted to corrupt Athena with his darkness then why didn't he do it sooner? Their battle a month ago was the perfect opportunity for him to spread his darkness on to her.

*Both Valt and Athena thought about that for a moment, Could Lane have possibly corrupted Athena when they battled a month ago?*

Shu: In the meantime, its best you stay away from Lane until we can settle something about your new mark.

Athena: What are we gonna do?

Shu: I'm thinking we confront Ashtem and the Snake Pit head on. There is something more sinister going on than simply Lane being damaged by his Flare, i feel like Ashtem is playing us by thinking that. Coming from someone who followed his rule, i know it when i see it. Ashtem is planning something, something sinister that goes way beyond Project: Shadow.

Athena: You want us to go to the Snake Pit? What do you think he is planning?

Shu: I don't know, but i don't think we're gonna like it when it shows itself.. In the meantime, you can name your mark.

Athena: Name it?

Shu: Lane named his the "Devils Mark" so i think it's only fair that you name yours too.

*Athena looked down at her mark as it glowed and resonated with her*

Athena: I'll name it the Nexus Mark!

*Both Shu and Valt nod and smile as Athenas mark began to glow with a evil blue aura*

---Later that evening---

*Athena sat on the beach alone as she listened to the crashing waves to ease and sooth her mind, she held her bey in her hand as many questions came to her mind*

Athena: If the Snake Pit are the ones who did this to me, then what do they want? What did Lane mean when he said "we are connected"? What does this all mean? Is Ashtem trying to do more than just create modified "Super-Bladers"?

*Her thoughts kept wandering even more as her evil red Flare flowed into the air*

---Later that night---

*Valt speaks with Free De La Hoya about Athenas Nexus Mark*

Free: So you want me to battle her again?

Valt: I mean, you've had the most experience fighting against that kind of power so you seemed like the perfect candidate for that.

Free: I know of young Athena, after I was defeated at the Legend League by her, I wanted to become even stronger to have our rematch. I'll do it, I'll battle her.

*Valt looked at Free in surprise as he began to leave to find Athena*

Free: Athena has great potential and talent, I'll see to it that i doesnt go to waste.

*Later, Athena was still sitting alone at the beach as she watched a drone hover overhead and drop a stadium on the ground next to her. There she saw Free De La Hoya standing there!*

Athena: Free?!

*Free smiled as he pulls out his Bey, Mirage Fafnir! Athena smiles and whips out her Adeona and holds it up to Free*

Free: I've been wanting to have a rematch with you for some time...

Athena: Yeah, same here!

*Athenas evil crimson red flare glows to life with a low roar, Free watches in a bit of shock as he watches Athenas evil flare swirl around her. Athenas Nexus Mark activates and all the markings and details settle into place on Athenas body

Free: It's just as i thought.. Athena has lost it...

*Free watched as Athenas eyes glowed with an evil crimson red, a shadow of Adeonas avatar looms over her as it lets out a possessed growl*

Free: In that case, i'll stop you right here and now!!

*Athena grinned as she placed her bey on her launcher*

Athena: Go ahead and try, i'll be the one who destroys you!!

*Both bladers stared at each other as their auras reached into the skies. Athena releases a demonic sounding hiss as Frees eyes began to turn a bright yellow*

Free: Bring it on! I'm ready for you!!

[TBC]

Next Chapter: Mysterious Power! Nexus Mark!!

Athena and Frees battle begins and Athenas Nexus Mark gets another foothold on her as she begins to transform even more