Chapter 29

And our first visit to Eryth Sea instantly began with an attack by three mean reptile things that look like the reptiles in Devil May Cry 1, in Mission 9 before obtaining Ifrit.

"And a nice welcome from the wild life, too, alright!" I spoke, drawing my sword and meeting a swing from one of the three reptiles, which had a long curved blade and a shield.

"This was not what I was expecting," murmured Melia, summoning elementals above her head. "What happened...?"

"Let's just take them down!" yelled Reyn, grabbing his Driver and rushing after another reptile.

"Uh... Melia, back up Andrew!" shouted Shulk. "And Riki, you too! Sharla, support Reyn! Dunban, help me out!" called the blonde as he unleashed the Monado's beam. "Stream Edge!"

"Andrew, move!" shouted Melia, and I dove out of the way as a massive blast of water hit the monster. "That shield..."

"It's cracked, but it's still so sturdy!" I commented, dodging a wide sword strike. "Yikes!" I moved backwards, and blade met blade. "Hi!" I staggered as the shield was shoved forward. "Oh, this can't be good...!"

"Andrew!" gasped Melia, as the curved blade flashed towards me.

"Hah!" I utilized Defensive Reversal, deflecting the blow. "I'm gonna destroy that shield!" I lunged, using Stab Strike. The shield moved forward to defend, and I switched the Art, holding my sword back again. "Whip Slash!"

"Manifest yourself!" called Melia, and a large fireball burned the reptile. It howled in pain, staggering. "ANDREW!"

"Yeah!" I stabbed, and the reptile raised its sword in instinct. "NOT GOOD ENOUGH!" I activated Time Slow, and my stab pierced through the foe's face, pinning it to the ground. Time returned to normal.

"Die!" I twisted the blade, before taking out my sword and using Cross Slash to cut it. It fell limp, dead. "Yea-"

I was interrupted by Sharla slamming into me. "UGH!" both of us shouted, soon sliding to a halt.

"Ugh...! Reyn!" gasped Sharla. Blood pumped from his body as he lay on the ground, staining the ground beneath him red.

"He can't catch a break with being hurt," I muttered. "Ah!'

The reptile Sharla and Reyn had been fighting stood over the Homs, claws raised to cut into Reyn's exposed throat.

"REYN!" screamed Shulk, as he, Dunban and Riki struggled with the last reptile beast.

"Oh, hell no!" I shouted, morphing into my Soul Trigger state. "HAH!" I lunged forward, my blade's tip just blocking the claw.

However, my blade plummeted, nearly cutting Reyn's throat. "UGH!" I cursed, as a blade stabbed through me. "Crap...!"

The reptile's face leaned close to me, and I could see its beady eyes laughing at me.

"Andrew, get Reyn out of the way!"

I grunted, straining. "Ah... RAH!" I managed to slow time as well, grabbing Reyn and moving away from the reptile, the blade still in me. "Ugh!" I fell to one knee with a gasp, feeling weak, as everything came back all at once. "What...?"

"MANIFEST YOURSELF!" demanded Melia, and a large lightning bolt impaled the beast, pinning it to the ground.

Sharla came over to me. "Andrew... that blade was coated in poison!" she realized, looking Reyn and I over. "Oh, no...!" She shoved a hand in her pocket, and soon got out a small bottle. "Antidote... Andrew, smear a little of that cream on yourself, and you should be fine. Reyn..." She looked over the man, eyes narrowing as she quickly took back the bottle.

"Sorry, Sharla..." he groaned. "Making... making more work... for the medic... huh...?"

"You'll be fine," she spoke. "Andrew, help me take off his armour. It's pierced through it...!"

I assisted her in taking Reyn's armour off, and she began to smear the antidote cream on him, before aiming with her rifle.

"SHARLA! ANDREW!" screamed Shulk. "LOOK OUT!"

I turned with a gasp. I felt sluggish, from the aftereffects of the poison.

The reptile's claws and sword were flashing forward, dropping its shield in favour of the chance of doing more damage.

"Ugh...!" I grunted, using Whip Slash. I managed to block the tip and the claws at the same time. "Damn...!" I was being shoved backwards, against Sharla. She gasped as I began to move her backwards. "Sorry...!" I hissed, through my teeth.

"Tempest Kick!" yelled Dunban, striking at the beast.

"Burninate!" yelled Riki, burning the reptile. However, it still fixed its eyes on me, and I was pushing back, but not enough. Its blade and claws were getting closer to Sharla, and I was barely slowing it down.

"Guys...!" I managed, straining. "Help...!"

Sharla gasped. "No! My rifle!" she exclaimed, and at the edge of my eyesight I saw her drop the gun down a cliff. "NO!"

"BATTLE SOUL!" shouted Shulk, panting. "Huff...! Buster, compressed... and BUSTER!" He unleashed the beam, leaping into the air as he did so. "RAH!" He descended, impaling the beast and pinning it to the ground, the beam returning to its normal length. "Phew..."

"Thanks," I breathed, moving away from Sharla.

"Is he OK?" asked Shulk, crouching beside his childhood friend.

"I can heal him, but... I dropped my gun down there," replied Sharla.

"Oh... I'll go down and grab it," replied Shulk, the aura around the Monado vanishing. "Jump!" He leapt down.

"That was tough," panted Dunban. "Reyn... he gets hurt more then any of us."

"Maybe it a curse!" spoke Riki, looking at the Homs. "Reyn is cursed!"

"Oh, god," I groaned. "I bet that... maybe if I don't say it, it won't happen."

A massive Orluga leapt off a cliff and roared at all of us.

"GODDAMNIT!"

"What were you going to say?!" yelled Dunban, drawing his blade again.

"It's like... every time one of us get injured and it'll take a while to heal, something massive is going to show up that we need everyone ready to combat!" I replied, launching shockwaves from my blade.

"Really? Friends have luck like that?" asked Riki, blocking an attack using his Biter. "AH!"

"In fact, yes, Heropon!" I shouted, using my sword to just block an attack. "Ugh!" I staggered backwards.

"Summon Flare! Manifest yourself!" called Melia, making a fireball crash on the Orluga.

It growled, before roaring and racing at the mage at amazing speed.

"I don't think so!" declared Dunban, getting in the way and deflecting a fist.

Huh... a Faceless would look like this thing if Faceless had faces! I thought, moving forward. "Hah!" I used Slide Edge and got on top of the beast, for it to grab and throw me into Riki. "Ow!"

"Eek!" Riki groaned, and recovered quickly. "Andrew! You okay?!"

"Yeah, yeah. Riki, you'd ought to heal Reyn," I grunted. "Seems like... Shulk!" I yelled. "ARE YOU FIGHTING SOMETHING?!"

"Yeah!" he called back. "A massive... UGH!" There was a sound of a dull thud, and I could see a bit of fire coming from somewhere the cliff ended. "A MASSIVE DRAGON!"

"You have got to be kidding me," I groaned. "God... Dunban, Melia!" I turned and raised my blade. Dunban's blade deflected off it and I caught his anti-Mechon blade. "Dunban... aw, crap..."

The swordsman was punched backwards, and Melia lay on the ground, injured.

"This has been such an awesome visit," I grunted, tossing Dunban's blade to the Homs as he got back up. "Shoot... Shulk is fighting a stinking dragon, Sharla and Riki are trying to keep Reyn alive, and this Orluga is... ARGH!"

I roared, morphing again. "DIE!" I lunged forward, my blade flashing. I leapt into the air as a shockwave concentrated as I swung, and I cut the Orluga in two as the shockwave was forced outwards. "Wow. Cool."

"Is that all you have to say?" asked Dunban, holding a hand to his gut. "Ugh..."

"You guys stay back! I'm gonna have to help Shulk with this dragon," I muttered, taking flight again. "WHAT THE HELL?!"

A big green dragon flew upwards, and I was struck, falling. "UGH!" I landed beside Shulk, who was on one knee. "Ow..."

"Hi..." spoke Shulk, breathless. "I don't... I don't see... Sharla's rifle anywhere..."

"Of course," I groaned, just hovering so I could have enhanced eyesight. "Guh!" I reverted to normal and fell to my knees as well. "That stupid dragon has the gun... oh no."

"What?" Shulk paused, and gave a sudden gasp. "NO! Sharla... your gun... the dragon snapped it in two!"

"WHAT?!" she exclaimed, looking over the cliff. "Oh, no..." she moaned. "This is not good... Reyn's wounds are barely closed, even with Melia's elementals regenerating our health and Riki's healing Art... if I try to move him, he'll bleed to death anyway..."

"Can't Riki use that Art several times?!" I shouted.

"He's already used it six times! There's a limit to how much an Art can be used in a row! So we have to hold out for ten minutes for the Art to refresh!"

"That's way too long!" I grunted.

"Riki use too much," he admitted. "Not good for Reyn."

"The dragon's coming back!" panted Shulk. "Darn it! Dunban, please cover everyone! Melia, cover Andrew and I!" He looked at me. "Ready?"

"Aw, hell no," I replied, growling. "Come on...!" My form flickered several times again, and I finally gave a loud gasp, falling against a cliff wall. "I can't..."

"What's wrong?" asked Shulk, holding the Monado in front of him.

"I... I feel... too weak," I coughed. "Ugh!" I coughed up blood with a groan. "Yay..."

"Then stay back!" shouted Shulk, leaping into the air with Jump still active. "Whoa!" He jumped again to dodge fire breath. "Hah!" He stabbed with the Monado, but he couldn't pierce the dragon's skin. "Darn it...!"

"Unh... Manifest yourself!" shouted Melia, and a condensed burst of water rushed outwards at the dragon, who flew out of the way.

I breathed out. "Ugh...!" I staggered forward with a grunt. "Huh...!" I saw Shulk land on the ground, wincing as he landed. "Are you okay?!" I shouted.

"Kind of," he replied. "My sleeve is singed from that fire breath. I liked this jacket, too... Fiora got it for me..."

"Shulk, look out!" yelled Dunban.

I grunted. The dragon dove for Shulk and I. "Great!" I used Defensive Reversal, but the dragon's claws penetrated my defences and I flew back to hit the cliff wall. "UGH!"

Shulk, meanwhile, was sent whirling through the air from the strike, blocking with the Monado. "Ugh...!"

"Oh no!" gasped Riki. "Dinobeast!"

"A Telethia, too?!" gasped Melia. "No! How can this be?!"

"This is a fine start," I muttered, feeling drained of energy. I supported myself with my sword, feeling power start to rush through me. "Huff... RAH!" I howled, my form changing once again as I slowed time as well.

I flew towards the dragon with a roar, using Whip Slash. A scale on the dragon cracked, and claws pierced through my body. "Guh!" I gasped, using my free left hand to force the claws away. "Ugh...!"

"Andrew!" yelled Shulk, who was on top of the cliff. "Jump is gonna wear off...!" he cursed, leaping through the air. "Battle Soul!" He landed on the dragon's back and screamed, using Slit Edge to stab with all his strength.

"The Telethia!" I groaned, keeping in the air. "It's...!" I reverted to normal, falling. "UGH!"

"Stay still!" demanded Melia, a wave of Ether rushing outwards to overwhelm the Dinobeast. "Now, everybody!"

Shulk grunted, leaping off the dragon. "I think I annoyed it!" he called, on top of the cliff as the Jump Art expired.

"I need to get a new rifle," muttered Sharla. "Riki's healing Art isn't enough to close the wound if and when we get away..."

"Where do you plan to get a rifle?" asked Dunban, who was sweating heavily, cutting the neck of the Telethia off using Blossom Dance. "That was almost easy," he noted afterwards.

"There were Nopon merchants back in Frontier Village," she responded. "Melia, is there a way to return-"

"WATCH OUT!" yelled Shulk.

"That stinking dragon...!" I growled. "I think it wants to cook Reyn for supper!"

"Summon... Bolt!" mused Melia. "Manifest yourself!" she called.

"It's not enough!" groaned Reyn. "Maybe... you guys should leave me-"

"Not happening," interrupted Sharla. "Reyn, you are not going to die!"

I groaned. "This has gone so well."

"Sarcasm no help!" declared Riki. "Hm... Freezinate!"

The dragon flew out of the Art's way.

Shulk gasped for air. "The Monado doesn't work against those scales well enough!" he grunted. "Huff..."

"Huff..." I felt a jolt and energy flooded me. "What...?"

"Happy Happy!" declared the Nopon. "Go, friends!"

"YAH!" screamed Shulk, the Monado's beam extending. "Andrew... give me a boost!" He dashed at me, and I raised my sword for him to jump off of.

"Ah...!" He paused for a moment in the air, and he swung at the dragon. "RAH!"

"MANIFEST!" shouted Melia, causing twin fireballs to descend from the sky to strike at the beast.

"Huff..." I groaned, as my form flickered. "Ugh... RAH!" My form returned to normal. "Huh...?"

"Andrew... you have to rest, regain strength!" called Dunban, who looked exhausted.

"So do you," I grunted. "I've got this..."

Shulk yelled, as a blue aura surrounded his shoes. "WHOA!" He landed quickly with a grunt. "Huff...!"

"Dunban..." I paused. If Time Slow still kind of is like a Talent Art... and if my transformation is like Devil Trigger... "Block!"

"Hm?!" He met my several attacks. "Andrew, what are you doing?!"

"Regaining strength," I replied, moving away from him. I felt a smile come over my face. "HAH!" I leapt off the cliff, running. I changed form in the air and flew at the dragon, feeling a smile on my face.

"Andrew!" gasped Shulk, and I flew low to the ground to pick him up. "What...?"

"RAH!" I landed on the dragon's back as time began to slow down. I dropped Shulk and flew up again. Laughter came up from somewhere deep within. "Ha...!"

The dragon agreed at me, and opened its mouth to breathe fire at me.

"HA HA HA!" I laughed, howling with laughter. All of a sudden, all of this felt so easy.

I lunged, eyesight sharp, using Whip Slash to cut the dragon as Shulk impaled it with Buster.

"DIE!" I used Stab Strike to pierce an eye, twisting my blade. The dragon screamed with pain, and I smiled, a bigger smile now.

"RAH!" Shulk leapt over and stabbed out the other eye. "Andrew!"

"RAH!" I used my blade and slashed, roaring as I cut the head of the dragon off.

The whole body fell, and I grabbed Shulk, returning to everyone else as I reverted to normal.

"Phew," I breathed, sweating. A desire swept over me. I wanted to kill everything, everyone in front of me had to die, everything that existed ever had to die-

I blinked. What was that? I thought. "Huh...?"

"Andrew..."

I saw that everyone was staring at me.

"Hi?" I waved a hand.

"That was amazing!" spoke Shulk. "You... cut the head off a dragon! How did you do that...?"

"Through the powers of plot convenience," I muttered under my breath. "Got lucky, I guess."

"Hm... impressive feat," mused Dunban. "Anyway... Sharla, you need a rifle?"

"That would be fantastic," she replied. "Then..." She paused to get bandages from her pocket. "I could heal him... but for now, I have to bandage him. We're exposed here."

"This is going to be a long day," I grunted.

Shulk finally placed the Monado on his back, the beam retracting. "Yeah." He wiped sweat from his face.

"Could we go back to Frontier Village to get a new rifle?" I asked.

"Perhaps," replied Melia. "I... am sorry. It is my fault Reyn is injured."

"It's fine, Melia," replied Shulk. "Not your fault a Telethia and a dragon happened to attack at the same time."

She paused. "But..."

"Shulk is right," spoke Riki. "It not Melly's fault Dinobeast attack, too!"

"Ah... thank you," she spoke.

Reyn groaned. "Ow..."

By now, Sharla had Reyn's shirt off as well, ruined forever by blood and a large cut.

Across his chest and whole torso were terrible cuts, with tiny amounts of green at the edges of the wounds.

"You Can Do It!" declared Riki, as mystical healing powers wore away at Reyn's wounds.

"His Driver... it's destroyed again," noticed Shulk. "How...?"

"When he bashed the Telethia..." realized Dunban.

"We need to go back to Frontier Village, now," declared Shulk. "Melia..."

She nodded. "Alright..." She led us back.

"Andrew," spoke Dunban, and I crouched down with a groan.

Dunban and Shulk placed Reyn over my back, and the two swordsman supported me.

A beast came at us as we moved backwards.

"To that teleporter, now!" shouted Dunban, and we hurried as fast as possible.

"Huff!" I panted, hearing Reyn's ragged breathing in my ear.

I was too slow. Those wolf beasts coming for us would get Reyn.

And I couldn't just stand back and let that happen.

"RAH!" I morphed, and I had a sudden desire to draw my blade and kill Reyn.

Must kill, have to kill, everything in front of me has to be killed, the whole world is full of sinners and must be killed and-

NO.

I howled, moving forward as fast as I could. Melia led, and we touched a glowing blue orb.

With a grunt I released my form, and exhaustion swept over me.

Next to me were Sharla and Shulk.

"Oh?!" exclaimed Dunga, who was there. "What has happened, my Hom Hom friends?!"

"Chief Dunga," bowed Melia. "Please permit me to explain."

I slowly set Reyn down with a groan. "Huff..."

What is happening to me?!

Thanks for reading!