Chapter no.: 16
Chapter title: Death...
Story rating: M
BETAed: Phoenix Seal of Approval
Disclaimer: Me no own Beyblade. I mean, come on - how stupid are you? If I did own Beyblade, it would contain much swearing, blood, sex and rock'n'roll. And Yaoi. Don't forget the luffly yaoi. But since I don't own it, I have to settle for entertaining you guys with my stories and OCs - which is fine by me.
Warnings: big, creepy spiders… um, that's it, I guess…
Thanks for reviewing...
shrouded-obsession
RussiansNekojinlover
Neena14
tala
HiddenPortrait
tornadicwolf666
Notes: The reviews? That's more like it... and i've just checked; 71 reviews for 15 chapters? I luff you guys -huggles- Heh, but on with the chapter... and you won't like me after the end of this one... oh no you won't... cos I didn't even like this one... -lip wobbles-

The female Tala dropped from the roof beams, a dagger on a link of chain swinging in her hands, smeared with blood – Bryan's blood. She smirked, twirling it mockingly.

"Don't worry – he's not dead," she told them with a chuckle. "Would I allow him to die? Him, no; his Kitten on the other hand…" She drew her thumb across her throat.

"What did you do to Ray?" Kai demanded.

"Oh, nothing much…" She examined her nails. "I would have let him live if he hadn't have been so… oh, what's the word? Stubborn. Kept going on about how I'll never be me again and how darling thief would remain the real Tala… tsk, maybe he'll be Tala; I go by 'Yuri' now. Still…" She sighed dramatically. "Need I say this? Tala won't be around much longer."

"Want to bet on that?" Asked a voice.

She gasped. "I thought I'd killed you!"

"Takes more than that to kill a spirit…" The voice commented. Right before their eyes, Bryan dissolved into a pile of sand, which filtered through a grate by the wall.

"Bring him back!"

"Let me think about that one… no."

"Then go! Leave! Go back to your disgusting desert!"

"Fine…"

Then, Tala and Kai vanished, in the same state as Bryan. Yuri snarled, looking around for the voice's owner. Finding no one, she howled in fury.

"But I'll be taking then with me…"

Pain rippled through his back when he moved to sit up. No, he wouldn't do that again. The ground beneath his cheek and body shifted and he blurrily opened his silver eyes. The first thing he saw was orange. The sky was that amber colour; so was the ground.

"Ray…" he croaked instinctively.

He clenched a fist in the grainy ground and let the granules fall.

"Sand…"

Realising he had to move at some point, he rolled onto his front, pushing up slowly to his knees, trying the ignore the scorching stab of pain that coursed along his spine. He looked around with a curse. He was in a desert. All he could see was miles and miles of red sand, stretching as far as the eye could see.

He could feel the blood on his back sticking to his clothes, irritating his already burning skin. Yanking off his jacket, he swore as it felt no different.

"The sky is orange…" he muttered quietly to himself. "That either means sunrise or sunset… let's hope it's sunset… it's cold then…"

Struggling to his feet, he swayed in imbalance.

"Is this Hell?" He asked, not realising he was thinking out loud. "It's hot enough… it's orange and red enough…"

The wind breezed against his back through his t-shirt and through the hole in the material, sticking to his wound, which he hissed at. Unlike the wind he was used to, it was stinging and hot but, he had to admit, at least it wasn't going the other way, blowing sand into his eyes.

It blew against his back again, a little more persistently this time; almost as if it wanted him to follow that direction.

Knowing he had no other plan, he did so, stumbling with the wind's path. He trudged on for what seem like hours and what probably was; the moon slowly rose and the temperature dropped. Falling down a few times, he carried on, shrugging his jacket back on when chills ran down his spine and goosebumps appeared on his skin.

"There is a God…"

Before him was an oasis. A pool of crystal clear water and a tree for shade. He moved quickly towards it, realising his throat was grating together and that his tongue felt like sandpaper for the first time. He prayed it wasn't a mirage…

It wasn't. He fell to his knees before the water's edge and dipped his fingers in. The water was warm from the day's sun, but it was drinkable. He cupped his hands and brought them to his lips, greedily gulping down the pure water.

Soon, he thirst was sated and he sighed in relief.

"So I'm not in Hell… Satan wouldn't allow my thirst to be quenched unless he really liked me… which is probable…"

He sighed again and looked down into the water, eyes scanning the bottom of the deep pool. Thoughts raced through his head: where was Tala and Kai? Were they alive? Was he alive? Where was he? A desert, yes, but there were quite a few deserts in the world… yet, wasn't he in the hidden labs of Arkhangelsk in Russia last time he checked? How did he arrive here? The pool of water looked inviting… what would happen if he were to stay under the water beyond his lung's capacity? He would die; but what if he were already dead?

"I would have let him live if he hadn't have been so… oh, what's the word? Stubborn."

He remembered. Before he had fallen into unconsciousness, he had heard that bitch's words…

She had killed Ray… his hands clenched… his heart clenched… his eyes clenched… that meant she had most likely killed Bryony too… why did he have to leave them be? Yes, Tala's orders. Bryan's lip quivered in the beginnings of a snarl. His damn orders! If he had stayed in Japan, the two most important people in his life would be alive! If they weren't, then at least he could have died with them…

That would spite Tala, the Falcon thought dryly. He loves me like a brother. If I were to die, he'd only have Kai left, but even then, he'd be distraught… then he'd realise that he should think of those his friends love even if he hates them…

But I have no one now… my parents died… then Alana went… then Ray and Bryony… what's the point?

His body relaxed and, slowly, he fell into the warm water. Not moving at all, he sank to the bottom, finally resting on the soft, muddy ground. Opening his lips, he watched bubbles of air float up to the surface…

His silver orbs opened and he took in the watery sight above him. The moon shone down, giving the impression of a tunnel leading to light…

How ironic…

Suddenly, a figure loomed overhead, their appearance blackened to a silhouette. Without warning, they jumped in and swam towards him, reaching out a hand. Even through the haze of oxygen deprivation, he managed to identify the being: Alana, his dead sister.

She's come to take me to a better place…

Clasping her hand, he let her take him away…

Demi: Eh, see? I told ya you wouldn't like it. Bry's my favourite character - how could I do this to him

Hm... review and I may update a wee bit sooner and put ya outta your misery...