Thanks to Minekoanime for reviewing.

So, the second arc draws to a close, and the third arc begins. And you'll see something completely new which would definitely cause problems for the bladers later on.

Disclaimer: I don't own Beyblade.

Chapter 24: A New Nightmare

Everyone stared at the unconscious Oliver, not knowing what just happened. Where was Nate? It seemed as though the other greenette simply… vanished, without a trace. As though he was never there.

Enrique was the first to snap out of it. He went towards his best friend, glad to see that he was alright. He frowned, however, when he saw the Medallion of Lucifer glowing softly, before returning to its normal state.

"Did he use that thing?" Johnny whispered.

"I think so," Enrique whispered.

"Hey, Lee," Tyson said. "You guys aren't freaky cat-people anymore."

The White Tigers huffed, and everyone confirmed that it was true.

"I didn't know Oliver knew how to use that thing," Robert said. "Didn't he say he was supposed to keep it out of the wrong hands?"

"I guess he needed to know what it does before he took the job," Tyson said.

"Perhaps," Robert said. "Come on. Let's get him to bed. It's been a long night. For all of us."

The others all nodded their consent, before Spencer came to gently pick up the sleeping boy, making sure to be as careful as possible.

"Time to rest," Spencer whispered.

…..

Staring coldly at the blue eyes, wide with fear, he had to admit, it was quite satisfying to see him that way. After the way he treated him, it was a small form of revenge. And the owner of the blue eyes would never bother him again.

Your wish has been fulfilled.

He glanced at the other being there. He could see nothing but glowing violet eyes. The eyes much like his own.

"What do you want in return?" he asked, knowing that there was a price for what he was forced to do.

Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. When the time comes, I will collect, and you cannot deny me.

He nodded, and stared at the prisoner.

"He won't be able to escape?" he asked.

No. He is here for the rest of his days.

"Good. Anything else I should know?"

All shall be revealed shortly.

…..

It was dark. No, wait, that was just because his eyes were closed. He tried to open them, but they felt too heavy. For some reason, he felt as though his entire body was made of stone, being weighed down. There was a dull aching pain in his shoulders and abdomen, but it could easily be ignored.

He finally opened his eyes, seeing that, while the curtains were drawn, it was late in the morning or early afternoon.

Oliver sat up, trying to remember what happened the night before, when he felt something cold against his chest.

The Medallion of Lucifer.

He remembered deciding that there was no other choice, that he had to use it. But he knew that, if he used it, there would be some sort of price to pay, and he dreaded paying it. It was made worse by the fact that he had no idea what the price was.

The door opened, and Oliver's eyes drifted to the blue eyes looking at him.

"You're up," Enrique remarked. "How are you feeling?"

Oliver frowned in thought, trying to decide what would be the best way to put it.

"Heavy," he finally whispered.

"Guess you feel a little faint," Enrique said, coming closer. "You're still pale." He placed his hand on Oliver's forehead. "And you feel a little warm. You sure you're okay?"

Oliver smiled gently.

"I'm fine," he said. "Just tired, I guess. What time is it, anyway?"

"Almost lunch time," Enrique said. "But, everyone's kind of in a 'help-yourself'-mood. Which means, if you're hungry, you need to get your own food. Last night was tiresome for all of us."

"I see. What about the others?"

"Most of them are still asleep. Actually, I think, asides from us, the only ones awake are Robert and the Demolition Boys. Even Kai is still asleep."

"What are you doing up then?"

"I couldn't sleep. Nightmares. What happened to that guy, anyway?"

Oliver avoided Enrique's eyes, a heavy sigh escaping his lips.

"He's gone," Oliver whispered. "I don't know exactly what happened, but he is gone. It was…" Oliver swallowed. "Lucifer. It was the medallion. I was so afraid. And that was the only thing I know that could help me."

There was silence for a while, neither one wanting to speak. Finally, Enrique looked at his friend.

"Why didn't you tell us you knew how to use that thing?" he asked.

"Because my dad told me not to share that with anyone," Oliver said. "We were afraid that someone else might use it, and who knows what it would do?"

"Don't you trust us?" Enrique whispered.

"It's not that," Oliver said. "It's the fact that I couldn't trust myself. If I use it whenever I'm in trouble…" Oliver sighed. "The price. There's always a price. And I don't know what it is, but when the time comes for me to pay, I won't be able to walk away."

…..

Tala was calmly walking down the tunnel. A threat has passed, and now they could relax. Except for the fact that there are still three Russians behind the bars.

He looked back at the only one that decided to join him for this. Robert. It made sense, since it was his castle. And the two of them were the only ones that would be able to do what had to be done.

He had to preserve what little innocence Ian still had. Bryan was still a nervous wreck. Kai managed to escape, and it would be unfair of him to expect something like that. Spencer had to look after the others while this went on. And the rest of the people in the castle wouldn't be able to handle it. They were still trying to process what happened the previous night, and they wouldn't be able to live with themselves if they were a part of what was about to take place.

"Are you sure about this?" Robert asked.

"Yeah," Tala said. "This needs to be done."

"Very well. We're almost there."

…..

'You have no idea what awaits you and your friends, do you?'

Kai looked around. He knew the voice. It's haunted him far too long.

He was in the abbey. He hated this place. It was where he spent the greatest part of his developmental years. This is where he saw his mother die. Where his father had left him. Where he met him.

"What do you want, Black Dranzer?" Kai called out.

'I want the medallion,' the Bitbeast hissed, 'and you're going to help me get it.'

"Fat chance. The Stone's still in effect. You have no power here."

There was an amused chuckle.

'Silly boy. Did you know, that if the Medallion is used, a price must be paid? Well, you can thank your friend. The Stone is no longer in effect. Which means you're all in danger now. And if you give me the medallion, I'll make sure that no one else hurts your friends. Especially the cat and the French boy. They're the prime targets, and I can either make sure they remain safe, or I will personally see to it that they suffer.'

…..

"To what do we owe this pleasure?" Natalia asked, looking at the two new arrivals.

"Nate's gone," Tala said.

"So he's gone to think of another way," Dimitri said.

"No," Tala said. "He's gone. No trace. As if he never existed. Which is what will happen to you."

"What are you talking about?" Natalia asked.

"You will stay here," Robert said. "Until your blood has dried, and your bones have become dust. I informed my staff that no one is to come down here, and that it will be locked. By the time someone decides to come down here, you will be no more."

And with that, Tala and Robert turned and left, ignoring the angry, outraged and fearful protests of their three prisoners.

…..

Kai awoke with a start. He stared around at his surroundings, at the still sleeping Bladebreakers. He particularly looked at Ray, who looked as though he was having an uneasy sleep as well. Kai debated whether or not to awaken him, but had no idea whether or not it was a regular nightmare, or… one of those.

And he had no idea whether the Black Dranzer that spoke to him in his dream was real or just a dream. After all, wasn't it Ray that had these night terrors?

'I guess it doesn't matter,' Kai thought. 'Anyway, it's late. I should have been up hours ago. I don't need to get any grief from Tala about this. And we still need to do something about the other three Slashers.'

And with that, Kai left the room, unaware of what Ray was going through in the land of dreams.

…..

"No!" Ray cried out. "Not again. Please, not again! Why must I go through this again?"

'Because, Raymond,' a familiar voice hissed, 'you are my pet. You have been since this day, and you will be until the day you die.'

Ray's face paled, and he took a step back in fear.

"No," he whispered. "You can't. You're supposed to be…"

'What? Out of commission? Thank your friend. With the medallion having been used, the price to be paid is the safety of your group. Not only can those who managed to break through come back, but everyone else. And they're all coming for your little friend. But don't worry, my little kitten. I won't let them touch you. You're mine, after all.'

"No," Ray said. "Leave Oliver out of this!"

'I no longer have any interest in your friend. The others, on the other hand, won't feel the same way. They want to restore their bodies, and I want yours. No need for our interests to clash. And I don't want to cause any trouble for myself. Which means I keep you all to myself while your friends are preoccupied.'

"NO! Keep them all out of this. I'm not yours, and you can't force me."

'Silly child. No matter how much you want to deny it, you belong to me. And while I wouldn't want to cause troubles with the others, I can't guarantee that there isn't anything I wouldn't do to get what I want. Even if it means I need to kill…'

…..

Ray awoke with a start. Everyone was still there, except for Kai. But, considering the time, it wasn't that unusual.

He felt cold, and he was covered in sweat. And he couldn't help but think that what he heard was the truth.

'Oliver, what exactly did that thing do?'

…..

'Looks like we get to have some fun.'

'Excellent. Now, find the medallion, whatever it takes. And we share, all right?'

A cold choice on Tala and Robert's side. And no one else knows about it. Sure, they would've talked about it among themselves, but as far as the others knew, the matter was unresolved.