Rex wasn't sure how this happened, and he was sure that his friends didn't know what was going on either. One minute he and his merry gang were traveling through Alrest and the next minute, a bright flash overtook their senses before discovering themselves in a vast land filled with trees and mountains. Not even the Aegis knew what was going on, nor what their current location was.
"Pyra, your thoughts?" Rex asked. "Where are we?"
"No clue," Pyra shook her head. "Mythra doesn't know either. I can't even contact Siren. Sorry, Rex."
"This isn't good news at all," Azurda muttered, flying out of Rex's helmet to hover around him. "If not even she knows what happened to us."
"Well, this is a fine mess we've stumbled into now," Nia huffed, folding her arms. "Why do we attract the strangest things?"
"Come now, my lady," Dromarch offered. "If it weren't for these 'strangest things,' perhaps our adventures wouldn't be as exciting as they would."
"Tora love adventure no matter which way we go," Tora bounced happily. "As long as Tora gets to continue travel with Rex-Rex, then no complaints!"
"Poppi also in major agreement with Masterpon," Poppi α flapped her arms. "This adventure is big learning experience that fills Poppi's databanks with new information about world."
"That's an optimistic way to look at it," Mòrag mused. "But remember, this land is unlike any place we ventured before. Be on the lookout for anything suspicious."
"Hard to say what we should be in the lookout for, Lady Mòrag," Brighid muttered. "If this land really is unlike the places we've been to before, then it'll be hard to tell what kind of forces here are hostile or not. We haven't even encountered any other sentient being since we got here, friendly or otherwise. I feel like this land has been… vacated."
"It does have the makings of a brutal ravaging, if the crumbled buildings and ruins we passed were any indication," Zeke remarked, placing a hand under his chin. "Perhaps whatever force that blazed through this land is gone and is up for grabs. There's plenty of greenery here that could rival the likes of Elysium."
"Awesome idea, my Prince!" Pandoria exclaimed. "This place is a nice change of place compared to Tantal. Nothing against our homeland or Genbu, but really, I can only handle so much snow in one lifetime."
"I know for a fact that this isn't Elysium, but this land… it feels nice either way," Pyra commented, enjoying the gentle breeze that swept through her hair.
"I could also get used to this," Azurda commented.
"Hey, if you look over there at horizon, far west, you can see some snowy mountains," Rex pointed.
"Wow, you're right, Rex," Pandoria gazed in his direction. "This land has everything!"
"Poppi want to see snowy mountains too!" Poppi α waved her hands eagerly. "Can we see more of this new land?"
"Chum, imagine if we can somehow relocate the people of Alrest to this cagy land," Zeke pondered. "So many possibilities for us to uncover. If there are snow-covered mountains like those in Tantal, what're the chances we'll find different styles of land like from our homes? There're a lot of trees that can rival Gormott's. I wonder if there's something hot and burning like Mor Ardain, like a desert or a volcano."
"That all depends on if we can figure out how we were transported here in the first place, Zeke," Mòrag reminded. "We'll also need to properly survey all corners to ensure sufficient living quarters, which should also answer your additional inquiries."
"But we don't even know where exactly we are in this huge plain," Nia protested. "For all we know, we could already be at the edge of this continent or even in its heart. And is this place even on the back of a Titan?"
"That's the thing," Pyra said, placing an examining hand on the dirt. "This doesn't feel like it belongs to a Titan. But I can tell there's a great power that exists in this land, allowing it to endure through many generations."
"A great power?" Rex repeated worriedly.
"Well, we won't figure out the mysteries of this place unless we finally get a move on and figure out our next plan," Nia advised. "Though it's hard to decide when every direction is a viable option."
"It would be unwise for us to split up, given that we have no prior knowledge of what lies ahead," Dromarch voiced.
"Yet at the same time, we won't be able to cover much ground staying together and wasting time like this," Zeke muttered. "This is quite the conundrum indeed. Not even the Zekenator can solve this riddle so readily."
"How about friends ask strange man standing on top of hill over there?" Tora suggested, pointing with his left arm wing.
"Wha?" Rex, Pyra, Nia, Zeke, and Pandoria gaped.
Mòrag and Brighid were already on their guard as they finally discovered a human being in the form of a young man with long shaggy blond hair with a small tail tied from the back. He didn't seem to be particularly tall. He was garbed with a unique blue shirt, sturdy tan pants, and brown boots. But what stood out from this man was the sword he had sheathed on his back. Compared to most swords they've seen, this one was rather simplistic in design. He was likely a swordsman, if nothing else. Though what was just as odd was how and why he suddenly showed up when he wasn't on that hill minutes ago.
"A native?" Rex inquired.
"It wouldn't hurt to ask," Nia nodded.
"You lot think he's a Driver? Or perhaps a Blade?" Zeke mused.
"We don't even know if Drivers or Blades exist here, Shellhead," Nia grumbled.
"We won't know anything if we don't do something," Rex pointed out.
"Shall we?" Pyra prompted.
The young man seemed to be surveying the horizon, planning the next locale he was to visit before his pointy ears picked up on approaching footsteps crunching on the grass behind him. Link knew that there were no other humans in this area, thinking that the interlopers were Bokoblins or Yiga Clan soldiers attempting a sneak attack.
Before they got too close, he quickly jumped away and drew the Master Sword before discovering that the company trying to get close to him wasn't a group of Bokoblins, but a team of strange people and creatures. Of course, his defensive instinct also triggered theirs as they immediately drew their weapons. The young boy had a large red sword with a flaming blade. The cat girl had blue dual rings. The walking potato with wings wielded a huge shield. The androgynous military figure had thin dual swords that gave off sparks of blue flames. Last but not least, the tall man with the eyepatch had a huge blade that seemed to course with electricity.
"Something tells me this guy is not willing to talk," Rex remarked.
"Wait, can we even fight in this place?" Mòrag questioned. "Is there ether here for our Blades to draw upon?"
"I'm able to give you power without problems, Lady Mòrag, so I'm not complaining," Brighid replied.
"I'm not sure if ether really does exist in this world," Pyra voiced. "But somehow, we're still able to power up."
"Do you think it goes back to that 'great power' you sensed from touching the earth?" Nia asked, alerting Link big time; were they after the sacred power Zelda had?
"I don't know, but I think we can avoid this fight if we just explain ourselves," Pyra reasoned.
"What makes you say that?" Nia pressed on.
"We did sneak up on him," Pyra pointed out. "I think he has his right of being cautious."
"Is that right?" Zeke chuckled, looking at Link. "Say, pal, you know what this place is? We can't be the only people here."
"…"
Link wasn't sure if they were good or not. Obviously, they were rational people, but it could also be a front to get him to let his guard down. After the devastation Hyrule was been through, the last thing he needed was to be fooled by this strange people.
"What's wrong, buddy?" Zeke grinned. "Nia got your tongue?"
"Oi, what's that all about?" Nia hissed.
"Oh, come off it, Nia," Zeke laughed. "I saw how you were eyeing this jolly fine bloke. He is in dashing good shape. Comes from being a swordsman, after all."
"Watch it, Shellhead," Nia growled.
"Hey, uh, sir?" Rex spoke. "We're really sorry for sneaking up on you like that. I can tell you've been living out on your own and that you haven't had a comfortable life exactly. Please put down your sword."
"Listen to him," Mòrag advised, sheathing her twin swords. "We mean no harm. We just want to know where we are and how we can get back to our home."
Link looked upon each member of their team with impassive scrutiny. There was a chance that these strangers could be members of the Yiga Clan in disguise, waiting for him to drop his guard for an immediate assassination. He wouldn't put it pass them considering how vengeful they became since he felled their leader. From open ambushes to subtle deceptions as helpless travelers, Link really had to be careful while traversing Hyrule on his quest to defeat Calamity Ganon.
However, he sensed no deception from their words, though there was a small part of him that wanted to test their battle prowess. But it's not like him to pick fights on purpose, at least not anymore. According to recent memories he recovered, he fought recklessly when he was a child, even younger than that boy with the fire-bladed sword. Of course, back then, he had Mipha to heal his wounds, and even though he had Mipha's Grace now to save him from every mortal hit, he couldn't go about fighting as recklessly as he used to.
Deciding to give these strangers a chance, he sheathed the Master Sword. It was inspiring the others to put away their weapons. Perhaps now was a chance for him to talk.
"He has the gaze of a hardened warrior," Zeke commented. "I don't blame him for drawing his sword at a bunch of nutters like us."
"Speak for yourself, Zeke," Nia sighed. "C'mon. He can't be the only person living here. There's got to be civilization somewhere."
"Tora can't wait for—Oof!" Tora, in his excited dance, accidentally tripped and bumped into Poppi α, who unintentionally fired off a biter missile from her body from the collision. "Meh-meh?!"
And the missile wound up flying towards Link, whose quick reflexes allowed him to redraw the Master Sword and slice the ambush in a blink of an eye. Looks like he's not going to talk after all as he brandished the darkness-sealing sword threateningly.
"Tora, you numpty!" Nia scolded, noticing that the others were pulling out their weapons again before following suit.
"I don't think he's willing to listen to reason after that," Mòrag announced. "Let's calm him down first. We've no other choice."
"Remember, just incapacitate him so that he'll cool off," Rex reminded, readying the Aegis Sword for the first attack.
"Be careful, everyone," Azurda said, retreating back into Rex's helmet to observe the incoming fight.
"Hang on tight, Gramps," Rex replied. "This'll get a bit bumpy."
"Does this man have a Driver?" Zeke asked offhandedly. "Or is his Blade hiding somewhere? Or maybe he's a Flesh Eater?"
No one bothered answering him as Link circled them, attempting to find a weak link (pun possibly intended) in their formation. All five that were wielding weapons appeared to be pretty good on keeping their guards up while the additional five standing behind them seem to be their power sources as he could see that they were channeling energy to them.
Link then decided that the small girl with the cat ears might be easier to pick off first.
"Nia!" Rex called out.
"I'm fine!" Nia responded, fending off Link's sword strikes with her rings.
Unfortunately, this was no ordinary opponent they were dealing with as Link's relentless strikes eventually manage to throw her off her balance. Nia was stumbling over her feet until Link shoulder-tackled her to the ground.
"My lady!" Dromarch roared, charging in to push Link back while encasing himself in a protective barrier.
Link learned not to engage the beings that were funneling power to the wielders as they were capable of conjuring strong barriers that would be pointless to attack. Maybe if he could overwhelm these people one at a time, he might be able to eliminate this new threat to Hyrule. Calamity Ganon's forces were already a handful as they were.
"Blaze!" Mòrag attacked.
He didn't stay in the same spot as he watched the androgynous woman turn her swords into whips that were blazing with blue fire. Link backflipped several times as she had intended to trip him up and burn him. It was clear that they stopped playing around, and now so should he. He then sheathed his sword to pull out his bow.
"He changed weapons," Rex warned. "Heads up!"
Link had utilized his ice arrows to neutralize the flames, firing a quick and small barrage to put out the flames Mòrag started as well as targeting the Ardanian Inquisitor herself. She retracted the whips back into blades to deflect the arrows, only to discover that her fire was put out and her swords were encased in ice.
"What?!" Mòrag barked, attempting to thaw her swords upon channeling her energy, but it proved to be not as an easy task.
"Ice?" Brighid observed. "But how?"
"Our silent blighter's got some sly tricks up his sleeve," Zeke grinned, charging in with Pandoria following behind. "Luckily, so do I! Now it's Zeke time! Bringer of Chaos!" He was going to strike down the silent swordsman like a sudden lightning strike from above. "Ultimate Lightning Fu—!"
BOOM!
Link had switched to bomb arrows as to match his new bombastic opponent. He landed a direct hit, and it would've been fatal had Pandoria not been focused and blocked much of the explosive's power from throwing her Driver for quite the loop. Smoke was coming off of Zeke's body as he landed and skidded on his back before attempting to save face by rolling backwards.
"Ha!" Zeke grunted triumphantly, only to crash into a tree since he didn't stop himself fully. "Ow!"
"My Prince!" Pandoria cried, tending to him. "This can't be it for you!"
"There isn't a nobler end than a warrior fighting to the end with his full strength," Zeke recited dramatically, holding his hand up before letting it fall to the side to rest. "A noble end… Chum! Avenge me! … Ah, I've fallen and can't get back up."
"This guy's fighting style is so bizarre and unpredictable," Rex noted. "He shifts from his sword to a bow and back in the blink of an eye."
"Tora got this, friends!" Tora jumped in next with Poppi α following behind.
Link drew back the Master Sword to fend off the winged potato's shield. The small creature's assaults were rudimentary and unguarded compared to the military woman's sleek wielding and the dramatic man's thunderous brute force. He was then caught off guard when the potato tossed his shield to his robotic assistant.
Perceiving her as the bigger threat despite the fact that she was also able to conjure those bothersome blocking barriers, Link charged in, kicking the potato aside to slash at her. To his surprise, Poppi α was able to block his horizontal swipe with a free arm and repel him. He could tell that her body was pretty sturdy, though how sturdy compared to the Ancients' technology would require further analysis.
"Ba pa pa~!" Poppi α hummed, releasing spikes from the edges of her shield as she started to spin like a top. "Poppi Spinning Slash!"
Link positioned his sword to hold back the spinning robot girl, careful as to not let the shield spikes get to him. Sparks were crackling from the spinning spikes clanging against the Master Sword. He couldn't break free from this clash as there was something about this robot girl that drove him to attack her instead of the others. It was aggravating, to say the least. It was difficult for Link to react as the young boy with the sword of fire and the cat girl with the blue dual rings charged in from both sides.
He was surrounded.
"Now!" Rex signaled. "Rolling Smash!"
"Butterfly Blade!" Nia followed.
Link had no choice but to fall back to avoid direct hits, even though he knew was going to get scuffed throughout the maneuver. The boy sent a wave of red flames upon slashing down on the ground. Link managed to jump away despite feeling the full brunt of the heat. Likewise, the cat girl's rings nearly nicked him from the side, leaving a strange breaking sensation on him, but it wasn't something that he couldn't handle. He dealt with worse, obviously.
"You got him, my lady," Dromarch alerted.
"Rex, do it!" Nia alerted.
"Right!" Rex nodded, holding up his left gauntlet to fire his grappling hook. "Anchor Shot!"
Before Link knew it, he found himself being tugged down. The boy's grappling hook had wrapped itself around one of his legs, conveniently pushing him off balance when the boy slashed at him upon reeling him in, forcing him to land on his back. He let out a yelp upon being toppled all of a sudden. He couldn't move immediately as the impact he made on the ground was jarring enough to paralyze him for a short moment.
This was not good.
"This is for picking on me!" Nia hissed, throwing her rings in front of Dromarch for him to use.
"Wild Roar!" Dromarch bellowed, howling a pulse of water ether from his maw through the rings to douse Link with.
This special attack was more successful than Poppi's previous attempt. Rex took note of it so that they could build up some Blade combos on their powerful opponent. In any case, with Pyra backing him up, Rex charged in to take an auto swipe on their downed foe, only for him to block his strike simply by clashing it with his own sword.
"Ah!" Rex yelped.
"Rex!" Pyra yelled.
Link regained enough strength to get back from the ground, but not before sending a leg out to trip Rex as revenge. Rex managed to roll away despite the counterattack, back to Pyra's care.
"Who is this guy?" Nia questioned. "He doesn't seem to play by the rules."
"We can't underestimate him, that's for sure," Rex answered, looking at Pyra. "I think we might need Mythra for this."
"Rex, isn't that a bit overkill?" Pyra asked in concern. "He's just one man. And I don't sense any evil intent from him. He's not a bad guy."
"That's true," Rex mused. "Mythra's power is for fighting bad guys. This is just one huge misunderstanding we've gotten ourselves into."
"I don't mind if Mythra steps in one bit," Nia huffed. "This guy's almost as tough as Jin. We need all the power we have to calm this fool." She then looked contemplative. "You know what? As a matter of fact…"
She tossed her rings to Dromarch and in a quick bright flash of light, Nia transformed into her Blade form. Nia held a hand to the side to conjure her Catalyst Scimitar and entered a stance. Likewise, Link was on the defensive, entering a stance that seemed ready to repel any attempt at his life.
"My lady, is this really necessary?" Dromarch inquired despite holding the rings' handles in his maw.
"Our foe is a competent swordsman and archer who's probably the only living breath in these wilds," Nia explained. "Need I say more? Pyra! Rex! Together!"
"Er, right," Rex muttered, taking hold of Nia's scimitar.
"On it!" Pyra responded.
Only in scenarios against tough foes would they resort to using their combined special attack. With Rex as their shared Driver, Nia and Pyra started to channel power into their swords once Rex had the Aegis Sword in one hand and the Catalyst Scimitar in the other.
Link carefully observed their movements at the same time. If these strange enemies were about to up their game, then so must he. It might get to the point that he would have to rely on the Champions' gifts to get the jump on these jokers. But for now, he kept his eyes on the boy wielding the swords channeling fire and water. If he was going for a straightforward attack despite the great power he was storing, then Link should have no problem dismantling him.
"Let's gooooo!" Rex bellowed as he ran in.
Too easy.
Mòrag, Zeke, and Poppi α noticed how he waited at the very last second for Rex to swing at him as Link instantly backflipped out of the attack. And then as far as they could tell, a series of rapid sword slashes easily repelled Rex, knocking him back along with Pyra and Nia. Link's onslaught was powerful enough to knock Nia's scimitar out of Rex's hand, though he kept a strong grip on the Aegis Sword this time around.
"What the hell?!" Nia griped. "This guy's really on Jin's level if he can move like that!"
"No, it's not that at all," Mòrag called out. "I've only heard rumors of such skill among the Ardanian army."
"… Skill?" Rex panted, helping Pyra up on her feet.
"Gifted warriors that train hard and push themselves pass their limits can master a skill called Perfect Dodge," Mòrag explained. "In the past as to learn how to use Arts before resonating with a Core Crystal, soldiers place themselves at the cusp of life and death by evading mortal blows at the last second, invoking a rush of inner potential that slows down time around them for a very brief period. As we've all just witnessed, that allows one to send a flurry of attacks against the enemy within a matter of seconds before the enemy can react."
"Practically at lightspeed," Zeke added. "This makes engaging this enemy head-on more complicated than it needs be. Chum, it's time to let him have it. The Aegis's true power, I mean."
"Foe swordsman moved faster at rate of ninety-seven percent within span of five seconds," Poppi α alerted, turning to Tora. "Masterpon, it advisable for Poppi to change into QT mode for more mobile and stronger defense."
"Tora ready when Poppi ready!" Tora declared.
His artificial Blade proceeded to engulf herself in her red cape to begin the transformation process, metamorphizing into a taller robot model that looked more like a teenager wearing a maid outfit than the little girl she previously was. Link noticed that her shield weapon was gone, now wielding a pair of metallic tonfas that looked like they have hidden weapons within, just like that buzz saw in the shield.
"Poppi QT fully operational," Poppi QT announced, handing her mech arms to Tora.
"Eat missiles!" Tora quipped. "Scattershot!"
As Link predicted, those seeming rudimentary weapons concealed plenty of tricks. Multiple fiery missiles were launched out of those mech arms and were honed to his location. Link wasn't sure if he would be able to evade all those missiles, even with Perfect Dodge. Besides, the potato was too far away for Link to send a flurry of slashes against. Instead, he switched to his bow and fired a few bomb arrows to counter the missiles. The resulting explosions in the air were intense against both sides as the aftershocks blew out everywhere.
A few more bomb arrows emerged out of the resulted smoke cloud in the air, causing Tora and Poppi QT to fumble in place as they landed and exploded all around him. The Nopon was able to avoid lethal hits as Poppi QT still had half a mind to block them on his behalf, but the explosions were a bit too jarring for their senses, disorientating them as a result.
"It's those damn bomb arrows of his again," Nia hissed, changing back to her human form out of exhaustion. "That special move will the death of us all. Rex, you and Mythra have to take him down. It's like what Zeke said. Let him have it already!"
"If it's really come down to it," Rex nodded somberly, looking at Pyra, who then allowed her other half to take control.
"Just leave it to me," Mythra affirmed. "I'll have our wild sword-swinger calm down before you know it."
This was another form change that Link wasn't looking forward to. The blonde girl that replaced the redhead definitely had more power. Then there was the sword the boy she was with wielded as it changed form as well. The overall hilt was gold and white like her outfit, as well as having a more intricate design. Its flaming blade became that of pure light energy.
Link actually felt worried, but at the same time, he felt excited. These were powerful opponents he was dealing with, whether they were affiliated with Ganon or the Yiga Clan or were a completely different third party altogether. Or possibly a new trial the Sheikah monks suddenly threw his way to prepare him against the Calamity. He was starting to see that they weren't necessarily bad guys, but his inner pride as Hyrule's strongest soldier prevented him from putting his sword away, not after he got them riled up as well. He was going to see this fight to its end.
He had unlocked the true power of the Master Sword a while ago after completing the Trial of the Sword at Korok Forest, having proven himself worthy to wield its divine power at any time, but he purposefully held back its power as to conserve its and his strength. The blade wasn't glowing as brightly as it would when facing creatures of Malice. And while these people Link was facing now were not particularly evil, he could really use its full strength now at least to protect himself.
Link felt reassured when he heard a familiar whooshing chime and flash from the darkness-sealing sword gripped in his hand. The voice of the sword had spoken to him, promising her full cooperation and loyalty to her current Master.
"Huh?" Rex grunted, glancing over at Link's direction after sensing something.
"Rex, what's wrong?" Mythra asked.
"His Blade," Rex muttered, completely fascinated.
"What Blade?" Nia pressed.
"I'm afraid I don't see anyone else but him," Dromarch remarked.
"What Rex-Rex talking about?" Tora inquired, having recovered from the concussive explosions.
Rex didn't respond to any of their words, wondering how they didn't see it. Behind Link was a floating angelic humanoid that was blue and shiny, as he would describe it. The cloak she appeared to wear as arms were split between colors, with one half purple and the other half blue. The pattern on her legs matched that of the sword's grip. Upon the figure's chest was a diamond-shaped crystal. Perhaps that's her Core Crystal? This figure was quite enchanting to look at as the way she floated behind the swordsman was as graceful as a ballet dancer.
Then that means this guy really is a Driver and now he's calling upon the power of his Blade, Rex thought, noticing the man's blade starting to glow.
Mythra didn't say anything on the matter, opting to focus her synchronization with Rex to maximize their affinity. Even if their sword-wielding foe could be termed a Driver, the fact that he was able to dismantle their friends almost effortlessly spoke volumes of his fighting capabilities. If Rex felt like resorting to using the Aegis's true power, then she would allow it as she trusted him well enough to use it wisely by now, though that would all depend on how much punishment their sword-wielding opponent could take.
"Rex, I think Foresight ought to be enough so that he can't get the drop on us," Mythra advised.
"Right," Rex said, tightening his grip on the Aegis Sword. "Let's go!"
He ran forward to make the first strike, watching Link closely as he also charged in with his sword glowing brightly. The mysterious blue girl that was dancing behind him seemed to have vanished, but that didn't matter too much to Rex now that the next phase of their fight began.
Their swords clashed in the middle of the field, divine light against divine light. Rex was surprised how his opponent's sword, smaller than his, was able to fight back still on even terms despite Mythra being present. Link, on the other hand, was astounded to feel the difference in power between the young boy's sword before and after. This new blade of light he had was powerful. Maybe instead of going for another clash, Link thought about attempting a Perfect Dodge on them.
The both of them soon backed off with Link goading Rex to attack on with a hand out. Rex synched himself with Mythra to access her Foresight before attacking again, but something felt off as he couldn't see afterimages of Link performing his next set of movements.
"Hey, Mythra, can you see what he's up to?" Rex asked.
"I think he's planning another one of those Perfect Dodges, but it's hard to predict when," Mythra growled. "I can't get a good read on him."
"Is it because of the possible lack of ether particles here?" Rex followed up, knowing how Foresight worked by relying upon the change of ether current in the atmosphere.
"That shouldn't matter, no," Mythra shook her head. "I can see his next moves faintly, but… it has to be his sword!"
"What do you mean?" Rex pressed.
"Shut up and listen," Mythra grumbled, annoyed with the barrage of questions. "It's true that my powers can work even with the disruption to the ether flow in the atmosphere because I use light, but our 'friend' over there… I think he's able to use light too with that sword of his, obscuring the predictions and canceling me out. And remember, I can't use Sacred Arrow here because I still can't connect to Siren. Maybe in my true form, but that's up to you."
"Well, we can't just stand around like this," Rex protested. "We'll be sitting ducks."
"Then go after him and I'll alert you when he'll strike," Mythra suggested.
Rex ran forward with the Aegis Sword pointed back, readying himself for the right opportunity to catch Link off guard. The soldier with the darkness-sealing sword observed him carefully. Rex wasn't going for a straightforward attack, which would make pulling off the Perfect Dodge more difficult than anticipated.
Link flubbed his timing when the anticipated swing Rex made was a feint. He wound up putting as much distance as he could from the boy as to rebuild momentum and charge back in. They clashed again soon enough, countering each other swing after swing. Link pondered if now was the time to utilize the Champions' gifts to regain the advantage. That boy with the huge sword of light was a tough foe. It'd only be fair to utilize every strength and ability he had to put him to the test.
"Rex! He's gonna jump!" Mythra alerted. "Very high!"
"What?!" Rex yelped.
Link frowned. That blonde and barely dressed woman aiding him apparently had the ability to predict his movements, complicating things even further. But then a thought occurred. Even if they could predict his next attacks, would they be capable of keeping up with him? It was time to test that hypothesis as he crouched upon the ground, calling upon the winds crafted by the arrogant Rito archer. It was time to use Revali's Gale.
Rex and the others were taken aback when a blustery column of wind surrounded consumed the lone swordsman. There was also a green bird humanoid apparition flying around the rising tornado. In a matter of seconds, the swordsman flew up with the bird spirit. As Mythra anticipated, he was high up in the air and as Foresight's visions were able to reveal, he was going to rain down bomb arrows from above.
"I got you covered," Mythra assured, preparing to block any and all hits that targeted Rex directly.
As anticipated, Link pulled out his bow and pulled back on the string. Even with his maximized stamina, he had to make this count. His reflexes sharpened and time around him had slowed down considerably. He fired away and at liberty as his stamina would allow.
On the other side, Rex and Mythra braced for the incoming hits, only to be caught off guard by the rapid barrage of bomb arrows bombarding Mythra's protective barrier. It was only a matter of time until the concussive force from the conglomerating explosions overwhelmed Rex's sole protection and the remaining bomb arrows Link fired at them blew him and Mythra off their feet.
Link had a sliver of stamina left, quickly pulling out his Paraglider to safely descend back to the ground. He had to give them credit for lasting this long and for forcing him to fight harder and differently. All this experience would be helpful in taking down Calamity Ganon once and for all.
"I was afraid this might also happen," Mòrag spoke up. "This man's honed reflexes also apply when in midair, which was how those bomb arrows of his rushed you so quickly."
"This is one of the strongest warriors we've ever faced," Brighid commented. "I worry on what's going to happen at the end of this altercation."
"Rex can handle him no problem," Zeke assured. "I believe in him, and that's all he'll need to be successful. No one who has the Zekenator's respect is not allowed to lose to anyone else."
"You just want Rex to avenge you with you playing the old master and pretending him to be your apprentice," Pandoria surmised. "You are getting on in your years, to be frank."
"Just once I'd like a bit of sympathy instead of some snarky, smart-alecky comment from you," Zeke groaned.
"Hah, so even with Foresight…," Rex panted, getting off the ground and willing himself to continue fighting.
"… This'll wind up being like a repeat performance with Jin if we can't counter his rapid reflexes," Mythra continued on his behalf. "Y'know, I'm ready to use my full power at your call."
"First, let's see what other specials he's hiding," Rex advised. "That tornado thing was one. I'm certain he has a couple more he's wanting to use on us."
"In that case, I hope you don't mind me leaving the two of you to deal with our mighty foe," Azurda announced, flying out of Rex's helmet to get to a safe distance. "I really don't want to be caught in the crossfire, after all."
"Be careful, Gramps," Rex said.
Link then charged in upon touching the ground, redrawing his sword. Mythra utilized Foresight, determining that he held his sword at quite the distance before stopping halfway, before even reaching them, and performing a spin attack for some strange reason. The vision ended there. The man's divine sword had blocked out the details that would've explained why he was doing that.
"Rex," Mythra called out.
"I saw," Rex nodded back. "Guess I should stop him."
He charged in at the moment Link was preparing to perform his spin attack. It took a few seconds, but the details that Foresight couldn't pick up soon revealed itself as an ethereal green half-sphere emerged out of Link's body and covered a considerable radius around him, in which Rex and Mythra wound up being inside of. Bolts of lightning crackled about around them, but what was the most staggering sight was that a phantasm of a tall and well-built woman appeared this time. At a rare moment, Link looked up to the woman and shared a confident smirk as Urbosa's Fury was about to storm in on them.
The unyielding Gerudo Champion snapped her fingers and that was when lightning struck down. Everywhere.
Rex and Mythra soon found themselves stunned by the sheer intensity of the electricity, unable to react when Link went ahead and knocked them back with his spin attack. Azurda felt a bit glad he got away on time, but guilty at the same time for watching Rex being subjected to such punishment. It did, however, bring a bit of dark humor seeing Rex and Mythra's reactions of being electrocuted.
"Blimey! How many powers does he have?!" Zeke protested. "That lightning attack is just… too cool for words! Not fair. Pandy!"
"Yes, my Prince!" Pandoria saluted.
"Double time on our training if we ever get out of here alive," Zeke ordered. "I want to pull off doing a cool area attack like that and snap my fingers like that ghost woman that briefly appeared as the closer."
"Style aside, this man's proven to be a deadly adversary," Mòrag muttered. "Are there more of him out here in this strange land?"
"Mythra, you okay?" Rex panted heavily, shaking off the electricity.
"Nothing I haven't already experienced," Mythra shrugged off as to prove she was tough with her pride as the legendary Aegis on the line. "I suppose training with Zeke helped you deal with electricity."
"… I suppose," Rex agreed, albeit tiredly. "I'm gonna burn out if we don't stop him. And I don't think I can take any more attacks like that."
"You feel it's time to use the Aegis's true power?" Mythra asked seriously.
"I think he's earned the privilege," Rex chuckled.
"I don't say this often, but he's certainly earned my respect," Mythra smiled back.
"It's is a desperate move to fall back on the Aegis's true power," Nia commented. "We haven't exactly placed him where we wanted him to be. Our Blade combos failed against him."
"Just leave it to us," Rex promised, holding the sword high to power up.
Link was entreated to a fantastic light show of his own as the young boy's sword began to change shape once again under a brilliant emerald green glow, the light energy blade becoming even bigger than ever. Likewise, the woman also changed her appearance, sporting emerald green eyes and hair tied in a long ponytail, as well as advanced-looking armor that actually covered most of her body this time.
There was no turning back now as he could tell that they're exerting their full power in response to his using the Champions' gifts. If that was the case, Link was going to give it his all. He had two remaining gifts he hadn't shown off yet. He was purposefully saving Daruk's Protection against their most lethal attacks in addition to not showing his entire hand while hoping they didn't push him to the brink of using up Mipha's Grace.
"I'd like to see him survive against the power of the Aegis," Pneuma smiled, channeling her power into Rex.
Before Link knew it, he found himself flying back a few meters before rolling against the ground like a rag doll. The young boy he faced had suddenly appeared in his spot with his sword outstretched, indicating that he had attacked him. Link regained his senses to see afterimages of the boy darting around as he struck again, sending him rolling once more.
This was definitely frustrating to deal with as this was practically the Thunderblight Ganon battle all over again. Regardless, dealing with those Blights had prepared Link for almost any battle. And freeing the Champions' spirits were a major plus.
"Atta boy, Rex!" Nia cheered. "You got 'im on the ropes now!"
"Let's see pretty boy 'Perfect Dodge' that," Zeke chuckled.
"Be careful of what you say, Zeke," Mòrag muttered. "It's true that the Aegis's true power can overcome any obstacle, but something tells me our wild challenger is slowly adapting to Rex's fighting style."
True enough, Rex rushed in, thinking the light speed he gained from using the Aegis's true power was enough to overwhelm Link. However, Foresight warned him that Link was going to perform a Perfect Dodge against all odds. When Rex charged forward with a Double Spinning Slash, Link timed his backflip from his first swing to activate his flurry rush.
But Rex was prepared this time as he was able to read Link's rapid sword slashes, repelling each one with his own before Link was forced out of his speed high.
"Not this time," Rex smirked. "Rolling Smash!"
Link sidestepped the blast of energy he sent rolling against the ground as he pointed the Master Sword skyward. This wasn't the most effective way to fight, especially at close quarters, but a part of him didn't want to be one-uped just because he didn't fire an energy blast from his own sword.
As a matter of fact, he subtly recovered health with a handy snack on hand to perform a fully powered Sword Beam. It was a rudimentary projectile attack sent as a slashing crescent wave made of the Master Sword's divine energy. Rex held up the Aegis Sword to block the Sword Beam, only to recoil a bit from the force packed behind the attack.
"I think you're right," Rex mumbled to the Aegis avatar. "His element is definitely light."
"Then let's use a special to counter him," Pneuma suggested. "Darkness, perhaps?"
"Sounds good to me," Rex nodded, holding his sword out to her to grab onto.
Link could tell that they were powering up for a big attack. He had to stop it at all costs. Urbosa's Fury was still usable, so he concentrated as he readied another spin attack. The dome of lightning consumed the three of them, but from his stance alone, Rex and Pneuma knew what was coming. The apparition of the former Gerudo chieftain snapped her fingers as Link charged in to knock them off their feet.
Unfortunately, the attempt somehow failed despite Urbosa's Fury being able to stun even a Lynel as the lightning strikes collided against Pneuma's blocking barrier. Her power must be incredible to fight off the power of a Champion's.
"That was a close one," Pneuma giggled. "I'm ready to go, Rex."
"Hit it!" Rex exclaimed, handing the Aegis Sword off to her.
"Behold the true power of the Aegis!" Pneuma proclaimed as Link soon found himself being swarmed by a handful of smaller copies of the sword she wielded. "Genesis Saber!"
This was it!
"We got him!" Rex cheered as the smaller Aegis Swords went in for the kill.
But much to his and Pneuma's shock, Foresight was unable to warn them of another one of his hidden abilities. A protective dome barrier appeared just before Pneuma's attack could touch him, but unlike the protection the Blades would usually cast for their Drivers, his barrier was dark orange and closely resembled that of a hard stone. In addition, another apparition, this time taking the form of a large and round rocklike creature with a beard, arms, and legs, appeared as though to take the full blunt of the Genesis Saber. Daruk's Protection was clearly rolling along.
That should've been enough to protect him from such a powerful special move, right? Link had underestimated their strength once more as he soon discovered the protective barrier of the Goron Champion easily cracking everywhere before shattering completely. Fortunately for him, the smaller Aegis Swords disappeared, but their power left quite an impression on him as he felt rather weighed down out of exhaustion.
Maybe Link finally met his match.
"At least that destroyed his only protection, and he looks worn out," Rex noted, facing Pneuma. "You ready to try this again?"
"We only get one more shot with this, Rex," Pneuma warned. "We used up a lot of energy with that last one. Even a small fraction of the Aegis's power should finish him."
"Then let's build up that energy for one grand finale," Rex said, charging in one more time.
Though Link felt his health nearly drained from that last attack, even with Daruk's Protection, he had enough vitality to meet Rex on in the clashing of their sacred swords. There was no point in pulling off his fancy tricks like Perfect Dodge as they were on to him. Rex was rebuilding his affinity with Pneuma with each slash. He was biding as much time as he could so that Pneuma could store energy for one more big attack.
"Rex, I'm good to go!" Pneuma alerted.
"All right," Rex backed off and shared his strength with Pneuma as they both held onto the Aegis Sword.
"I'm ending this little scrap now," Pneuma declared. "Nothing personal, brave knight, but you need to learn to talk these things out instead of swinging your sword at the first thing that surprises you." She pointed her sword squarely in Link's direction and had let him have it before he could react. "Star Burst!"
Link found himself blown away by the emerald-green woman's blast, temporarily losing his senses from the jarring hit. That one attack totally obliterated the remainder of his health. It was practically game over right then and there.
Or it would've if it weren't for one last Champion gift.
Seeing as their wild foe appeared down for the count, Pneuma depowered down to Mythra, who then changed back to Pyra at out of fatigue. Likewise, Rex fell over on his knees, tired out from the fighting with the Aegis Sword now returned to its fiery red state.
"Well… at least the swordsman's finally calm, if not knocked out by the Aegis's awesome power," Nia laughed.
"Meh-meh, something floating around sword guy," Tora squeaked, pointing over to Link's body.
"… Not this again," Rex groaned, looking up to see one more spirit, this time in the form of a short fish humanoid girl, coming to Link's aid.
A warm glow covered his body before the lingering spirit of the former Zora Princess smiled and disappeared from him.
"It was my pleasure," her soft voice left those words behind as Link got back, fully revitalized.
"Oh, come on!" Nia griped. "That's totally not fair! He's back to peak fighting shape while the rest of us are still recovering from those bloody bomb arrows and flurry sword strikes of his!"
"Actually, I faced arrows that froze my weapons in ice," Mòrag corrected, revealing that her Imperial Whips were finally thawed out. "But now I can protect you all now that I know his abilities."
"I'll be right there with y—Ow!" Zeke tried to stand, but placed a hand on his aching ribs. "That jolly blighter wounded me harder than I thought."
"Please take it easy, my Prince," Pandoria pleaded. "Remember that we're joined at the hip. Can't have you croaking on me now."
"I know that, Pandoria, but how do you think I feel sitting out this entire fight, leaving it all on Rex's shoulders to handle that guy and his many strange powers?" Zeke questioned. "I couldn't even land a solid hit on him."
"Save your sorrows for another time as he's coming," Mòrag warned.
"I'm here for you, Lady Mòrag," Brighid promised.
"Count Tora in!" Tora chimed. "Tora heal quickly from bomb attack. Tora and Poppi ready to fight alongside Mòrag and Brighid."
"Thank you, Tora," Mòrag managed a smile to the eager Nopon before facing the approaching Hyrule swordsman.
Even with Mipha's Grace fully reenergizing him, Link knew his limits. This sudden fight with these strangers was quite the learning experience. Now he knew they weren't associated with the likes of Ganon, but that left him to wonder if the Sheikah monks really were in charge of this trial despite him not being inside an Ancient Shrine or even next to a Divine Beast.
Then again, stranger things have happened.
Link could tell that the young boy with the sword of fire and light was the strongest out of them all, having obliterated Daruk's Protection with one hit and even fended off Urbosa's Fury the second time he used it. The other members of his troupe were also pretty skilled despite him having dispatched them quickly. The part of him that wanted to see how strong they were compared to him was satisfied. Guess even after a century, he was still quite the reckless individual.
But at least now, even he could tell that they didn't want to fight anymore, so Link at last sheathed the Master Sword and waited for their response.
"Is he…?" Nia mumbled, raising a brow.
"I do believe it's over, my lady," Dromarch nodded.
"Looks like he's finally willing to listen to reason," Mòrag put away her whipswords.
"Aw, but big fight getting good," Tora complained as Poppi reverted back to her α form.
"Hey! Remember that you were the one who started this bloody mess when you crashed into Poppi," Nia hissed. "I'd rather not have to go up against this guy again, but you can throw away your life if you want to." She leered down at the cowering Nopon with a teasing toothy grin. "Just ambush him again with Poppi's missiles."
"M-Meh-meh," Tora whimpered.
"But all in all, it was an incredible fight," Rex smiled, approaching Link. "You're an accomplished swordsman. Who are you?"
"Based from his skills and the way he carries himself, I'd surmise him to be an accomplished knight of sorts," Mòrag explained. "Call it a hunch."
"I'm right there with you on that hunch, Mòrag," Zeke chuckled, addressing Link next. "There's something I've been meaning to ask someone around here for a while, chap. I'm jolly curious about the hierarchy in this golden land if it's an empire or a kingdom, for starters. And what happened to this land that makes it feel so… empty?"
"Isn't that a bit tactless to ask the last one, my Prince?" Pandoria pointed out.
The party caught onto what Pandoria meant as their new friend suddenly looked very somber. The air felt pretty awkward and uncomfortable from that point. From his typical silence and body language, it could be inferred that a great tragedy had happened and that there were probably a few survivors left here.
Link then lifted his head to gaze at a certain direction as a means to answer Zeke's question. The rest of them followed his eyes to see a large castle in the distance. It would've made quite the regal impression on them if it weren't for that ghastly maelstrom of vile Malice energy swirling about the structure as though it owned the place.
"I think I get it now," Zeke muttered seriously. "Our new friend here is the hero this land needs in its most desperate hour. That dark abomination consuming the castle is basically the monster he must slay. That's his end goal and we numpties wound up coming in the middle of his adventure."
"We've got to help him," Rex pleaded. "It's the least we can do."
"Rex, hold on for one second," Nia intervened. "We still don't know anything about this place. And even so, I don't think we can help him the way you want us to."
"But—."
"I'm afraid she's right, Rex," Mòrag sighed, giving him a soft smile. "I know you have your heart in the right place, but remember that this isn't our place to be in."
"They're right, you know," Azurda agreed, fluttering back to their group. "We still haven't figured out how we arrived at this land. That's one of the things we need to discuss so that we can return to Alrest."
"I… suppose," Rex sighed.
He really wanted to help their new friend just because it was in his nature to do so. And it was also part of the Salvager Code. Too bad Rex wasn't old enough to drink, but something told him that their new friend wasn't old enough either. At best, he looked a year below the legal age, but in any case, it was a pleasure fighting and getting to know him.
But then the thought occurred in Rex's head that neither of them knew his name, nor the name of this land.
Before Rex could ask, he heard a relaxing whooshing chime. Before he knew it, he found himself alone in the grassy fields while the area around him felt like it was frozen in time. Rex soon found himself not alone as the mysterious blue ballet dancer he perceived to be their new friend's Blade was floating in front of him. Seeing her up close like this, it was hard for Rex to determine what she was feeling right now as her face was completely impassive like a ceramic doll. But for some reason, Rex was starting to understand the magnitude of his situation as he stayed in the presence of this blue messenger.
Rex then felt someone calling out to him, snapping him out of this reverie.
"Rex?" Pyra prompted. "Are you okay?"
Rex found himself back with his friends, blinking a few times before looking their new friend in the eye.
"I understand now," Rex started, holding a hand out to him. His friends were mystified, yet curious on what he had to share. "This has been a rare opportunity, visiting a world beyond our own. As different as we are, we can't help but share some similarities along the way. As my friends said, we have our own separate paths, but I am thankful that we were able to cross paths this one time, Link. Thank you."
"…"
Link was taken aback at first before relaxing and extending his hand out in response, realizing that this Rex boy must've heard the voice of the Master Sword just like he and Zelda have at times.
"His name's Link?" Nia questioned as Rex and Link shook hands.
"That's… pretty presumptuous to guess one's identity, but it looks like Master Rex might've actually hit the nail on the head given on how our new friend is reacting," Dromarch remarked.
"How did you figure that, chum?" Zeke followed up, amused by the whole thing. "He never said anything aside from the barbaric grunts he yelled when he raised his sword against us."
"Tora think Rex-Rex receive revelation from great power of land Pyra talked about," Tora guessed.
"This is some pretty deep stuff we're delving into," Brighid remarked, smiling in spite of herself. "What do you think, Lady Mòrag?"
"Well, Brighid, there is a reason I was willing to accompany this boy on his adventures even after the Emperor gave me his blessing to act as the Empire's emissary in guarding the Aegis," Mòrag chuckled. "I hope you're starting to appreciate the amazing things we've seen while traveling with him."
"These events truly are memorable and worthy writing in my journal," Brighid nodded. "Though I feel like the future me will find these things completely implausible, like crossing into a new world, for one."
"I promise you, Brighid, that all these things you record in your journal are one-hundred percent true," Mòrag assured.
"Poppi want to remember place in entirety," Poppi α waved her hand eagerly. "Preparing to record digital images of landscape in memory banks."
"Fantastic idea, Poppi!" Tora exclaimed. "Poppi then print out pictures of land's landscape for Tora and friends to remember for long time."
Before they knew it, they saw Link pull out a strange tablet kept in his front waist pouch and pointed it to the dirt road nearby. A construct of peculiar technology formed before their eyes, taking the shape of a horse, but with two distinctive wheels at the front and end. If they had to guess, it was some sort of special vehicle made for one person, possibly two if the passenger was willing to hold on tight to the driver from the back. Despite the ancient aesthetics, it looked pretty advanced.
"Link, are you… leaving us?" Rex asked.
They watched as Link then hopped on the Master Cycle Zero, revving it up as to answer Rex's question. Link just knew that it was time for them to part ways, for lack of a suitable explanation. It was interesting that they happened to cross paths as Link recalled getting a new suit called the Salvager Set not too long ago from red shooting stars, which bore quite the resemblance to the outfit the young boy called Rex wore. He thought about showing it off, but now was no longer the time.
The last thing Rex and the others saw was Link waving good-bye before driving off as they blanked out upon being consumed by red light.
"… Wha… What happened?" Nia groaned, placing a hand on her aching head.
"Seriously, this has got to stop," Zeke agreed.
"Everyone! We're… back," Rex spoke up.
"What?" Nia responded before taking a look around her surroundings.
"We're on Gormott now," Mòrag noted. "We're on the Titan's back and not too far from Torigoth either."
"Nature and greenery of Gormott remind Tora of unknown place with swordsman," Tora described.
"So then… that really did happen," Nia said in amazement. "I thought it was some crazy dream we all somehow shared. An unknown place and… that brutal fight with that swordsman."
"No, whatever took us to that land brought us back to Alrest," Pyra explained. "I still don't understand how and why."
"Poppi still have memory of entire one-time experience," Poppi α announced. "Images of unknown landscape saved, clear and vivid, in Poppi's memory."
"That's all fine and dandy, chaps, but how about we make our way back to Torigoth to recover from this ordeal?" Zeke suggested, placing a hand on one of his sides. "I can still feel the concussive blows that bloke's bomb arrows left on my ribs."
"His name is Link," Pandoria corrected before looking at Rex. "Right?"
"That's right," Rex nodded. "I remember that. And I do know that place we were. It's called Hyrule."
"Ha ha! How do you come up with this stuff, chum?" Zeke chuckled. "Are those just the side benefits of being the Aegis's Driver?"
"Revelation?" Mòrag smiled knowingly.
"Man, how come all the cool stuff go through you instead of us?" Nia questioned. "First you say you saw Link's so-called Blade in a vision. Then you find out his name without him even saying a word. Now this. How?"
"Dunno," Rex shrugged good-naturedly.
"Well, we can debate about these mysteries in the inn," Dromarch suggested. "Shall we?"
"I'm down with that idea," Brighid concurred. "Lady Mòrag?"
"Yes, let's get going," Mòrag nodded, prompting the whole party to move on to Torigoth.
"Tora still has question for Rex-Rex," Tora pulled Rex aside while everyone else went ahead.
"Yes, Tora?" Rex replied.
"Rex-Rex still no say how Rex-Rex know Link and Hyrule name," Tora continued.
"Oh… uh… that's kind of complicated," Rex scratched the back of his head. "It kind of involved meeting this person in my head. As Nia mentioned, I'd say she's the equivalent of being Link's Blade to describe her."
"But… Tora no see anyone else with Link," Tora pointed out. "Rex-Rex say he meet Link's Blade inside Rex-Rex's mind?"
"Like I said, it's kind of complicated," Rex repeated. "If anything, she was like the 'Voice of the Sword' in their world. It went over my head on how the whole thing worked, but that's how I learned about Link's name and his role here."
"Can Rex-Rex describe what 'Voice of Sword' Blade looked like?" Tora asked.
"Sure," Rex nodded. "She's, well, blue. She looked graceful and mysterious and she's actually really beau—."
"What was that?" Mythra interrupted, giving him an annoyed look.
"Wha—Mythra?!" Rex yelped, startled by her sudden appearance. "What are you doing?!"
"What are YOU doing fantasizing about another Blade?" Mythra accused. "So the Aegis is no longer good enough for you? Is that it?"
"What?! No!" Rex shook his head. "Of course I still care about you and Pyra!"
"Hmm… fine," Mythra huffed, pulling away with her arms still folded. "I believe you, but know that I'm not going to have you break Pyra's heart just because you couldn't control your perverted fantasies."
"They're not fantasies!" Rex argued. "And they're NOT perverted! I really did meet—!"
"Whatever, but is quarreling about it really the most effective use of your time?" Mythra pointed out, pointing over to their friends, who were quite the distance ahead of them. "You're gonna be left behind if you don't get a move on."
"Ah! Wait up!" Rex yelled, running after them.
"Tora coming too!" Tora bounced after him. "Poppi, wait for Masterpon!"
Mythra shook her head at the ridiculousness of it all, but Rex's naivety and childishness was what made him endearing to both her and Pyra. But someone had to get him with the program as Rex was being a major inconvenience just by staying behind to talk to Tora.
As abrasive and direct that tactic was, Mythra shrugged it off and casually caught up to the rest of them. She thought about the sword on Link's back as he prepared to take off on his two-wheeled vehicle. Before everything blanked out and they all wound up back on Alrest, Mythra sensed a flash of light from his sword despite it being sheathed, as well as hearing a calming whooshing chime.
Nice to finally meet you too, Fi.
This is me finally jumping on to the Xenoblade Chronicles 2 fandom after moving on from the Xenoblade Chronicles X section. Don't get me wrong, I still love that game, but as I might've mentioned in most of my end notes, my interests jump around all the time.
That, and I've been super busy that I haven't had the time to continue my other stories or write new ones, outside of this, of course. But I figured this ought to be my contribution to both series since Breath of the Wild had the DLC that gave Link the Salvager Set. That was what inspired me to doing this crossover as to making more interesting comparisons, like pointing out on how Fi could be considered Link's Blade, in a way. But I feel like there could be potential interaction between these two series, maybe in the possible New Game content for Xenoblade Chronicles 2 later this year.
Like have Link as a bonus boss to further promote their togetherness like what I tried here, but that's just me.
After finishing the main story, I have a few ideas I want to write, but I'm afraid I might not be able to commit to them because of my schedule. Just take a look at my unfinished stories and you'll see what I mean.
New ideas include a couple of what-if scenarios, such as Nia revealing her true nature from the very beginning and reviving Rex after Jin kills him instead of him sharing a lifeforce with Pyra (with the main pairing being Rex x Nia; nothing against Pyra and Mythra, of course, but I just want to imagine how this could go) and another scenario being Malos becoming Rex's Blade instead. A lot of possibilities can be wrought from this game.
I've also referred to the Aegis's true form as Pneuma out of respect and neutrality. I picked Mythra at the beginning of Chapter 8 because she grew on me around then and I started to use her more often than Pyra for obvious post-game reasons. Who did you choose?
Hope you readers are willing to review this. Tell me how I did with this attempted crossover!
And yes, the title has the initials DLC.