*The plane flew in the clouds towards Mexico as everyone on the plane was getting ready for what they were about to face, Wakiya and Boa were also with them but they weren't gonna be battling.. Boa didn't want to be involved with any conflict with the Snake Pit and Wakiya still had not repaired and evolved his new Wyvern yet. Athena was fast asleep as the Legends were having a pretty serious conversation*

Wakiya: Back in the days where Shu went through his Red Eye phase, we encountered him BEFORE we had entered the Snake Pit temple. If this plays out just like that, then Lane will probably be waiting there for us.

Rantaro: You think it might be a trap?

Valt: It's possible, the Snake Pit has been silent for 4 years now. If they wanted to improve their defenses and protocol then they've had plenty of time to do it.

Shu: He's not wrong. But if Lane IS waiting for us, then does that mean that they know we're coming?

Wakiya: It's possible but it's not possible that they know we're coming.

Aiga: Maybe Athena and Lanes "connection" is probably what told them we're on our way?

Wakiya: Well the thing is, we don't even know how Athena and Lanes connection even works. We all know and love Athena but we don't know their bond works, i dare say it is more mysterious than the Snake Pit.

Boa: When i was a member at the Snake Pit, Ashtem had an platoon of Bladers that used exact copies of your beys. I feel like he'll have those guys ready.

Rantaro: I hated that. Battling and losing to an inferior Ragnaruk left a bad taste in my mouth, thankfully i got my revenge in the World League!

Valt: Don't forget you almost died.

Boa: The bladers who lose get ejected from the HQ and they are forbidden to return again, Shu was the only exception as Ashtem had other plans for him.

Shu: Yeah, it was the Requiem Project, That was how Spriggan Requiem was created. And now Ashtem has started Project: Shadow which is probably how Lane made Emperor Lucifer.

Rantaro: So Ashtems projects can manufacture beys?

Shu: To an extent yes, it really depends on what the project is being used for at the particular moment.

*Athena finally woke up and the plane was finally above the jungle of Mexico, as it approached the city of Mexico*

Athena: Hey, didn't you say earlier that the Snake Pit HQ was in the jungle.

Wakiya: Yes but unfortunately we can't land directly in the jungle so we'll have to land at the airport and travel the rest of the way on foot.

*the plane touched down on the runway as the plane began to come to a complete stop. The bladers get out of the plane and they immediately head to the entrance of the forest, Wakiya and Boa stayed behind on the plane. The team walked through the forest and they get to the zipline that they had crossed all those years ago*

Rantaro: Thank god Wakiya isn't here to see this, looks like its gotten even deeper since we've been here.

*Everyone gets on the zipline and they all slide down to the other side, the Snake Pit HQ was just up ahead. After about 20 or so minutes of walking, the Snake Pit was finally in view*

Athena: This is it, this is the place!

*Everyone started walking towards the place but they all saw a figure on the peak of the fortress, it was Lane..*

Athena: Lane..

*Lane began to walk down the pyramid as a stadium began to come out of the ground. Lane finally reached the ground and stood at the stadium with Athena. Lane said nothing as he held up his Emperor Lucifer. Athena looked in a bit of surprise as she held up her bey too*

Athena: So you want to battle me again..?

*Lane simply said nothing as he took his position and the battle was about to begin, Athena took her position as well*

3 2 1 GO SHOOT!!!

*Both beys land in the stadium and Lucifer takes the center with its barrier activated. Adeona rushes around the stadium at top speed as it geared up for a brutal strike*

Athena: Burst! Guardian Bound!!

*Adeona clashes into Lucifer hard as the barrier bends back from the strike, Adeona reaches Lucifers ring and both get knocked back due to the extreme recoil. Lucifer recovers as it returns to the center with its barrier still up*

Lane: Is that all you've got..?

Athena: We're just getting started!!

*Adeona slams into the wall and uses its spring loaded wings to rebound off the wall! Adeona slams into Lucifer with incredible force and it goes flying as its barrier falls*

Athena: Yes!!

Lane: Now go for it, Lucifer..

*Lucifer enters its dark flare as it began to accelerate faster but something about it this time was different but Athena couldn't quite put her finger on it*

Lane: Destroy them, Emperor Disaster!!

*Lucifer slams into Adeona and it burst nearly instantly! Athena watched in shock as the parts of her bey flew behind her and hit the brick floor with a clang. Lucifer jumps up and Lane catches it as he turned and walked toward the Snake Pit entrance*

Lane: Leave.

*Athena chased after him and blocked his path*

Athena: No! We aren't leaving until we find out what the hell is wrong with me!! This cursed place gave me this useless mark and i intend to find out why!

*Lane went around her and walked into the endless labyrinth that was the Snake Pit*

Athena: Should we go in and follow him?

Shu: We might as well, i mean we're here for a reason.

*Everyone goes in and follows Lane into the Snake Pit, the team gets on an elevator and they were going extremely deep underground. When they get to the bottom floor, Athena was in shock at what she saw: The facility was pretty much a hell as she saw bladers being pushed way past their limits on the different machines and equipment*

Athena: T-This is what you had to go through?

Shu: Unfortunately.

Valt: It's gotten even worse than last time.

*A familiar person that Valt and Rantaro recognized came over to them, it was Silver Eye*

Valt: T-This guy again?!

Rantaro: Same mask and everything..

Silver Eye: Ashtem has been wanting to see you, right this way.

*Silver Eye lead the team up to main area where Ashtem and his other henchmen stood, Athena glared at Ashtem as he got up from his chair and walked over to the child*

Ashtem: It sure has been a while.

Athena: Yeah it has. You wanna explain what this is all about?!

*Athena raised up her right hand where the Nexus Mark was contained, Ashtem simply smiles as he went back to his chair*

Athena: I want an answer!!

Ashtem: You actually believe i did that?

Athena: It makes the most amount of sense, you're the one who created the project!

Ashtem: That means nothing. Sure i may have created the project but i wasn't the one who gave you that mark, that my child was caused by the one you hold so dear to your heart.. Lane Valhalla.

*Athenas eyes widened in horror as she stared down that mark with incredible sadness*

Ashtem: It's clear he doesn't care about you at all, so why do you still bother trying to reach out to him. Lane has stated multiple times that he doesn't care about you whatsoever, being the loving and caring sister that you are.. i'd figure you'd listen to him if you cared about him so much.

Athena: I'm doing all this because he is suffering from the darkness that you've just added on to. I'm saving from the dangers that YOU put him through!

Ashtem: You seem to be forgetting that Lane came here on his own accord. He came to me directly and stated that he wanted to undergo the project, i would have stopped him because the project wasn't 100% ready but he insisted anyway. I understand what you're trying to do but eventually, you're gonna have to learn to let go.. but i'm sure you'll be taught that in school one day.

Athena: I've had enough of this!! Get this damn mark off of me right now!!!

*Ashtem simply smiles as her friends look at her with worry*

Ashtem: I'm the wrong person to ask for that kind of request.

Athena: That wasn't a request..!

Ashtem: If you want that mark removed then you'll have it drained away.

Athena: What are you talking about?

Ashtem: The only person in this place other than you that has that kind of mark is Lane and he is the only one who can take it away from you. It's quite symbolic, he's taken everything from you hasn't he? Well, he'll be taking that away from you as well.

Athena: At least i get out of here without this damn thing.. What must i do? Where is he?

Ashtem: Before you face Lane, you must face THEM.

*A door behind them opened and 5 bladers stood there, they all had masks too. Valt, Rantaro and Shu knew EXACTLY where this was going*

Athena: What's so special about them?

*The 5 masked bladers held up their beys and the team gasped in shock as their beys were pretty much evil copies of their beys.*

Athena: I-Is this some kind of joke?! I don't care about these, Lane is only one i want to face!!

Ashtem: my dearest apologies, but as long as you are in this facility then you will fight by our terms.

Athena: Who says i will?!

Ashtem: Do you want to get that mark off of you or not?

Athena: Well yeah! That's not even a question!!

Ashtem: Then i suggest you do exactly as i say.

*Athena scowled at Ashtem as Lane appeared above the 5 bladers lowered their beys and they disappeared*

Athena: Where did they go?!

Ashtem: You will face them in stages. The rules are quite simple, you will fight the blader that has the "Black version" of your bey so an example would be Adeona VS Adeona or Spriggan VS Spriggan. You get the idea.

Athena: Is that it? If i'm guaranteed a battle with Lane, then what is the point of them battling?

Ashtem: We simply want to test the Black beys strength.

Athena: Is that so? Well here is a news flash in case you didn't catch the memo, me and friends aren't gonna lose to some inferior copycats.

Ashtem: Then why don't you get moving and prove it?

*Athena glares at Ashtem one last time and she and her friends went to challenge their copycats*

*Athena and her friends were in a jungle like environment and they saw one of the copycat bladers standing in front of a stadium. His name was Scarlet Eye*

Scarlet Eye: Greetings my friends! My name is Scarlet Eye!!

Athena: Scarlet Eye you say? What is your bey?

*Scarlet Eye held up his bey and it was a Black Infinite Achilles with a red Infinite Sword*

Athena: It's Achilles!!

*Aiga stepped forward as he readied his gear*

Aiga: Well looks like this is a job for me.

Valt: Aiga be careful! These copycats are not to underestimated!

Scarlet Eye: He's right ya know! You know i wonder which Achilles between yours and mine is the strongest, what do you think?

Aiga: Obviously mine is stronger!

Scarlet Eye: We'll see about that soon enough..

*Both bladers get in position as the battle was about to start. Aiga was going with Infinite Shield as he knew probably wouldn't be able to his own beys attack but something else threw Aiga off*

Aiga: WAIT?! He has the same launch form as i do?! He really is a copycat..

Athena: Aiga, you've got this..

*The battle began*

3 2 1 GO SHOOT!!!

*Both bladers land in the stadium and Aiga's Achilles took the center immediately as Black Achilles was coming in for the attack*

Scarlet Eye: Tear them apart Achilles! Show them who is superior!!

*Black Achilles clashes into Infinite Achilles hard and broke through its defenses and sent it flying, thankfully it was able to survive and return to the center and put up its defenses once again*

Aiga: Not bad but let's see if you can break through this! Infinite Guard!!

*Achilles put up its defenses and Black Achilles couldn't get anywhere near close as the shields were keeping it at bay*

Scarlet Eye: I've seen better, go Achilles!

*Black Achilles disengages and begins to speed up as it was gearing up for a major blow, its Infinite Sword glowing with an evil red as it came back*

Aiga: Wait what-?!

Scarlet Eye: Send them flying! Incinerate them with Infinite Sword!!

*Black Achilles slashes across Infinite Achilles and sent it flying out of the stadium and it hit the ground next to Aigas foot as he gasped in shock. He had just lost a point to a copycat*

Computer: Black Achilles with an Over Finish! Scarlet Eye gets 1 point! The score is 1-0!!

Aiga: There's no way...

Athena: Aiga.. actually lost..

[TBC]

Next Chapter: The Horrors Within!!

The battles with the copycats get even more intense as the fight to get Athenas mark removed is on the line.