Previously on the Monado Arc...
Sharla's resolve to put an end to what Egil and Brigitte are doing is put to the test when she and her allies begin their climb up the Mechonis in order to reach them. However, they soon encounter Jade Face, which is being controled by Gadolt Gindan, Sharla's fiancé. He can not remember her because of his memories being erased, causing Sharla's guardian animal to be summoned in her heartbreak to stop his blast from killing her and her allies.
Monado Arc Chapter 11: Broken Heart, Tragic Truth
"Sharla... are you there?"
I was floating in space once again, Brigitte's voice was calling out to me again.
"Why... are you calling my name if we're supposed to be enemies?" I asked.
"Sharla..." The voice of the Jewel of the Mechonis muttered. "You have become able to be somebody that not even a higher power was expecting."
"A higher power?" I repeated. "Like the Bionis?"
"Why do you desire to change the future? Why do you wish to act against their will?"
"I do just what anyone would do. It's natural to want to change an unhappy future. If that is their will, then I choose to fight through my pain."
"If that's what you wish, Sharla, then you and Shulk must find your Monado."
"My Monado?" I breathed, reaching out knowing that Shulk must going through something similar.
Suddenly, I found myself in front of Ose Tower on Valak Mountain once again.
"Exactly. The one true Monado."
I walked into the tower, up to the altar, but a figure moved out from behind it.
It was... Shulk when he was a child.
"You can't do that with him." He said. "Because... he isn't here. Not anymore."
I gasped, terrified. My eyes snapped open and I got up on my feet. From the looks of it, the blast had knocked all of us out of our transformations and Gadolt was nowhere in sight.
"Is everyone OK?" I asked as the others got up.
"Yeah, barely." Zellium said. "Thanks to you and the other force that saved us."
Murasaki looked almost offended. "What are you talking about?"
"Didn't you guys see it?" My Pokémon partner responded. "There was a bright aura around me and Sharla, and then there was that light-like wolf. It felt like it was protecting us."
"Impossible!" The purple haired girl screamed. "I've thought the power to summon guardian animals was lost to time! There's no way that was what saved us! There must've been another way!"
"You were protected by the power of Lady Meyneth and a guardian animal."
"Who's there?!" Sae shouted as we all glanced back.
A tall female Machina walked forward before she halted in front of us.
"A Machina?" Melia muttered.
"Are you... Vanea Kinzoku?" Fiora asked.
"Vanea Kinzoku?" Zellium repeated. "Does that mean you're... Miqol's daughter?"
Vanea's eyes slid shut before opening again and looking at Fiora as she spoke. "I am glad you are safe... Lady Meyneth."
The mech pilot returned her gaze, unable to look away.
"Lady Meyneth?" Shulk muttered quietly, looking at the blonde haired girl in confusion.
Vanea kept speaking before he could respond. "That Face was sent to destroy you. I am truly happy you are all right."
"You're lying!" I said, softly but insistently. "Gadolt would never try and hurt us!"
The Machina woman looked at me solemnly. "Sadly his Homs memories no longer remain. The current Faces are nothing more than weapons designed to annihilate all life on Bionis."
I felt tears pricking at my eyes again as I lowered my head. "It can't be!"
"Faces are created by directly integrating the brain stem and metabolic organs of Homs into Mechon." Vanea continued. "Memories and emotion are nothing but a hindrance to an effective weapon. However, the early Faces were experimental. Many retained memories from their former lives. This prevented them from executing their missions effectively. More recent Faces have had all memories of their previous lives completely erased."
"Is that because of me?" Fiora asked, feeling guilty that Gadolt couldn't remember me, causing my heart to break.
"No. It is not your fault." The Machina woman responded.
"Mumkhar's a more likely candidate." Sae theorized. "His attachment to us was really strong. You could say it caused his destruction.
"That Xord guy too." Zellium added.
"You are correct."
"No... it's not true." I muttered, tears running down my cheeks. "Oh... my Gadolt..."
"Sharla?" My Pokémon partner called out to me, reaching up and putting a paw on my shoulder.
I couldn't focus on what was discussed mainly because of my sorrow and despair. I know Egil and Brigitte are doing this to counter the Monado but still, why did they think that this was the only way?! Why does Zanza want us to suffer all of this despair?!
We decided to rest behind one of the barriers for the night. Melia and Zellium built up a fire, and in no time Fiora was at work throwing a meal together, Riki helping her enthusiastically.
I sat apart from the others. Zellium and Sae must have noticed Murasaki looking at me in anger rather than sympathy and decided to confront her.
"Don't you get it?!" Murasaki screamed as she pointed at them accusatory. "This is exactly what Brigitte intends to do with all of us! I went into a month-long slumber to protect her and this is the thanks I get?! It doesn't help that she trusts Sharla over there more than the rest of us!"
"Are you saying that we shouldn't be doing this?" Sae asked in rage. "You do remember why we're here right?"
"Of course I'm aware!" The purple haired girl shouted. "It's just that... I don't think we should even be friends anymore!"
"Why you little..." Shulk's Pokémon partner growled before striking Murasaki with her tendril, knocking her back. "BITCH!"
"I'm only speaking the truth!" The Ultimate Calamity yelled. "If you can't accept that, then why should we be friends at all?!"
Zellium took offense to Murasaki's words and walked up to her before punching her in the face. Causing her to flinch and touch where she was hit.
"That pain is nothing compared to how Sharla feels right now!" He exclaimed. "She's doing everything she can to stop Egil and Brigitte, but we all feel the same way as her! We all believe in her and ourselves, we believe in each other! No matter what we go through, we'll find a way through the pain and keep going! Always!"
The purple haired girl gasped in shock before she looked down in regret. "Forgive me... I've lost myself on Valak Mountain and now here. I'm such a... idiot!"
After the others healed her wounds and getting something to eat from Fiora, we went to sleep. It seemed too soon as the next day, it was time to keep moving in our climb up the Mechonis.
Everything that happened next was a blur to me, but once we got to a transporter in Central Factory, we went through it and Vanea led us through a corridor of sorts and out to a ramp overlooking the capital of Mechonis.
It was easily the size of Alcamoth, if not bigger, districts of metal buildings arrayed beneath the domed ceiling and connected by bridges. But while Alcamoth had a sort of slow and steady rhythm to it, the rhythm of the High Entia's daily life, Agniratha had nothing of the sort, for it was totally deserted.
"So this is the Mechonis capital." Shulk said, gazing out at the lifeless streets.
"Yes, Agniratha." Vanea responded. "The heart of the Machina civilisation."
"It looks so desolate." I said quietly.
"Like there are no signs of anyone living here." Melia added.
"It truly is a lifeless city." Sae agreed.
"Here bad place." Riki said, his eyes narrowed. "Riki want to go."
Zellium looked out at Agniratha thoughtfully. Even though no one lived here anymore, it was still impressive, with it's hundreds of buildings suspended over the drop below. "So the Machina built this whole city? Not too shabby."
"It looks like the buildings have been here for a very long time." Shulk noted.
"Look, Shulk!" Riki exclaimed suddenly.
We turned to look at the Nopon indicating a grey husk of a creature lying nearby.
"Dinobeast!" The caregiver shouted. "Dinobeast eat city!"
"A Dinobeast?" Zellium exclaimed in surprise. "Here?"
All of us followed Riki, staring at the creature. It was most definitely a Telethia, a three-headed monstrosity just like the one we'd faced in Makna Forest. But this Telethia was completely drained of it's color.
"But how?" Shulk muttered.
"It is a Telethia!" Melia exclaimed softly.
"It looks like... it's stone." I said.
"Why would there be a Telethia in a place like this?" The empress asked.
"The fossilised Telethia are what remain of the beasts that attacked the capital in the ancient battle." Vanea explained.
I turned to face her with a puzzled expression. "Why did the Telethia attack your city? Wasn't the ancient battle only between the Bionis and the Mechonis themselves?"
The Machina woman looked at all of us before facing the building rising in the centre of the city, taller than all the others. "The answer to your question can be found in the that tower, the Data Centre. It is better that you see with your own eyes. Only then will you truly understand what happened between the Bionis and the Mechonis."
We made our way to the tower, passing through a corridor lined with strange machines that emitted a low hum. Zellium eyed them uncertainly and scratched the back of his head.
"What are these things?" He asked.
"They monitor the city." Vanea explained, pressing the call button on a lift at the end of the corridor. "Still, it would be best not to touch anything. I cannot say if any modifications have been made since the city was abandoned."
"Zelly very clever." Riki said. "Zelly know better than to touch."
"Well I didn't want to know what'll happen if I did touch one." My Pokémon partner admitted.
All of us stepped onto the lift and Vanea activated it. It carried us up to the top of the tower and as the glass doors slid open, the Machina woman headed for the circular room at the end of the corridor.
Shulk glanced around in surprise, noting the glowing orange displays suspended in the air, not unlike the displays used in Alcamoth. "It looks like the power's up and running."
All of us glanced around, but suddenly Fiora gasped and she closed her eyes.
"Fiora, what's the matter?" Melia asked in concern.
The mech pilot opened her eyes and now they glowed red as she strided forward. "Everyone, follow me."
I knew what was happening, Meyneth has taken control of Fiora's body. She walked up to a pair of circular consoles and placed her hands on them. They suddenly shone brilliantly at her touch, and a glowing model of Agniratha itself appeared in the open space before her.
"What is that?" Zellium asked.
Fascinated, Shulk walked up to the model, reaching out to touch it. However, his hand went through the buildings as though they were nothing more substantial than light.
"It looks like it's here." He said, wondering how this worked. "But it's just an image."
"Really?" My Pokémon partner muttered as he and Riki also walked up to the model of the city. But though he came into contact with a building, his paw just passed right through. "Woah, you're right!"
Delighted and fascinated by the glowing city, Riki hopped up and down before Fiora lowered her hands, but the city remained.
"These are memories of a time long forgotten." She began, and now there was a duality in her voice. Two voices, both of them female, one hers and one belonging to Meyneth, both speaking the same words at the same time.
"Fiora!" Shulk called out to her, taking a few steps toward her.
Sae stopped him and shook her head. "Let it be for now."
"They were left behind by the Machina." Fiora continued, her voice growing fainter while Meyneth's became more dominant. "Before they abandoned this place so that others may know their story."
By the final few words, the mech pilot's voice had completely disappeared and I recognized that ancient care-filled voice. That belong to the goddess of the Mechonis, Lady Meyneth.
"In ancient times..." She continued as he display altered to show the two great titans. "When the Bionis and the Mechonis came into existence, I was born as well. Just as the Bionis had a soul, I came to exist in this world as the soul of the Mechonis."
The display changed again, showing Agniratha. But now people moved along the streets, Machina, some were more clearly shown than others.
"I created my children on Mechonis and acquired this body. They called themselves Machina. And Mechonis was transformed into a world brimming with life. The Machina gave rise to an advanced civilization and built this great city."
"This city?" I said, startled by the scenes on the display, of Machina moving about in their daily lives, running errands, stopping to speak with others.
"It's crazy that it used to be so lively." Zellium said, his voice subdued in an unusual way.
"They lived their lives in peace and harmony. The gentle Machina worshipped me. Life also flourished on Bionis."
The display of Agniratha vanished, replaced by the Bionis before showing familiar landscapes bursting with plant and animal life. And then two Machina, a man and a woman, walked across a bridge and approached a High Entia and a bearded Giant.
"The Machina generously shared the fruits of their civilisation with the peoples of the Bionis." Meyneth said as the display showed the Machina shaking the Giant's hand while the High Entia bowed. Then it backed out, showing the Bionis and the Mechonis facing one another, connected by their arms, which brushed each other gently. "They believed their two worlds would grow, hand-in-hand. Then, a terrible fate descended on them from above."
The scene shifted back to Agniratha, at first as peaceful and lively as before. But then a light grew until it completely obscured everything. The light of the sword the Bionis drove through the Mechonis' left shoulder.
"Is that... the Monado?" Murasaki asked, taken aback.
"But why?" Shulk muttered, unable to understand. "Why would the Bionis..?"
"Wielding the sword of light, the Bionis attempted to destroy the Machina."
In the display, Agniratha shook as destruction rained upon it. Many Machina were blasted away, and the others fled, seeking refuge.
And then thousands of flying creatures entered the city, of many different types and shapes but all with shiny green skin, all with long glowing yellow 'feathers'.
Melia gasped. "Are those Telethia?!"
The Telethia flew at the city, diving down, attacking the terrified Machina.
"I tried to save the Machina and confronted the Bionis. And so..." Meyneth closed her eyes, her voice filled with sorrow. "I confronted Zanza."
"Zanza?!" Me and Shulk repeated at the same time, horrified.
The Bionis swung the Monado toward the other titan, but now the Mechonis caught the blow with it's, no, her hand, and she shoved the sword aside. She had her own blade, now, the great notched weapon that was Sword Valley, and she attacked with it, seeking to strike the Bionis. The Monado crashed against that notched sword in a spray of light, and they fought, their blades clashing again and again.
"The battle waged on and on. Even as our life forces depleted, Zanza and I continued to fight."
None of us could look away. We watched the ancient battle replayed before them, watched as the Bionis and Mechonis fought viciously.
"However, it did at last come to an end." Meyneth said quietly.
The Bionis swung, the Monado smashing through the Mechonis' left arm, crashing into her side. She took a step back as the severed limb fell, and she and the Bionis continued fighting until she slammed her blade into his side and he swung the Monado down onto her shoulder.
And then a bearded Giant cried out.
"The Giant." Melia said softly, recognizing that ancient face from Prison Island.
The two titans fell still, and then the display showed the Giant kneeling, golden manacles forming around his wrists.
"This is when Zanza was imprisoned!" Sae shouted in realization.
"Taking advantage of my final blow to the Bionis, its beings took Zanza and sealed him firmly away."
The massive sword of light wielded by the Bionis shrank, became tiny, too tiny to see against the titan save for the brilliant light it still emitted. But then that, too, vanished.
"However, the battle with Zanza had greatly consumed my life force."
The display showed Agniratha again, the streets torn, dead Telethia and Machina lying in the open. The ragged survivors walked up to an image of a female figure, falling to their knees in exhaustion and pleading.
"I warned the surviving Machina that the Bionis had not yet been destroyed and that one day he would be released."
Me and Shulk gasped in horror before we spoke up in unison. "We're the ones who released him!"
"I then entered a long a deep slumber in preparation for Zanza's inevitable reawakening."
No one moved or said anything. Slowly, the red glow faded from Fiora's eyes, and then the image of Agniratha disappeared completely, leaving the room empty as before.
"It's all clear to me." The mech pilot said quietly, her voice once again her own. "What you wanted to do. Stop the battle between the Bionis and the Mechonis."
"Fiora." Shulk said as he walked towards her. "I see now. It was her inside you."
"Yes." Vanea said. "Lady Meyneth desired a body in which she could be free. And after you were captured by Egil's Mechon before Brigitte came back, it was I who transferred her soul into your body."
The blonde haired girl was a bit confused and she approached the Machina woman. "But why did it have to be my body?"
She met the mech pilot's confused eyes. "Because... you are close to Shulk, the Heir to the Monado and you are useful to Sharla, the Girl who Defies her Destiny."
Me and the mechanic gasped. Vanea had placed Meyneth inside Fiora because of us? No one said anything as we left the room, headed for the lift, and rode it down.
As we emerged outside once more, Fiora shook her head. "It was all because of our world, because of Bionis, that this city was devastated."
"Now I understand why Egil and Brigitte would want to stop the Bionis from reawakening." Shulk said.
"I get it too, but how is killing us going to solve their problems?" I muttered.
"Exactly." Murasaki said. "What happened to the Machina was a tragedy, but we still can't forgive the Mechon attack on Bionis."
"What worries me is the Monado that the Bionis used." Melia said quietly, bringing a hand to her chin thoughtfully. "It's no different from how the legends describe, but still..."
"It must hold a deadly power." Shulk responded with his head bowed.
"But you have used it wisely, Shulk." Sae assured him. "It has not overwhelmed you as it did to Dunban."
"She's right." Murasaki said. "We wouldn't be here right now if you hadn't been using the Monado."
"But it was Zanza who bestowed this sword upon him." I said.
"However, it is not Zanza who now wields the Monado." Vanea said, turning to face the two of us. "It is you, Shulk."
Me and the wielder of the Monado looked at the Machina woman with her face earnest. "That is also the reason why Meyneth chose Fiora as a vessel. So that the tragedy of he who wields the Monado would not be repeated."
"The tragedy of he who wields the Monado?" Shulk repeated.
"Shulk... Sharla... believe." She pleaded. "Believe in the path you have chosen and those who walk it with you. Meyneth once said this of the Monado. The Monado is not simply a unique weapon. It is the light within each and every person in this world."
"Light?" I repeated. "What do you mean?"
"It is the light of life, the will to survive no matter what. Perhaps Lady Meyneth was drawn to your light."
Vanea then turned to face the distant shrine at the far edge of the city. "Beyond there lies the Meyneth Shrine. Egil and Brigitte will be there. Is it still your intention to defeat Egil and Brigitte? That has not changed?"
"We understand the history of Mechonis now." Shulk replied. "If they are willing to listen, we will try to reason with them. But if not..."
"I understand." The Machina woman said quietly. "Then, if that is your decision, so be it. I will try to persuade Egil and Brigitte one last time. But I am prepared for their refusal."
With no other word, she strode ahead.
"Vanea..." Fiora muttered.
"Let's give her some time." Murasaki advised.
"Yeah." I agreed.
We walked back inside the Data Centre and sat down, putting together a meal from our low supplies. As I helped ration out the meagre meal, I barely prevented myself from uttering a concerned sigh. We would just be barely scraping by with meals soon, and the way things looked, we would not have enough to see us back to the Fallen Arm.
All of us fell asleep quickly, drained by what we had learned and witnessed, but it was uneasy rest, and even before daylight filtered into Agniratha, all of us were awake again, cramped and sore and simply weary, weary from everything we had gone through and the thought of what awaited us at the shrine.
We gathered our things and left the building, staring at the distant shrine. Even so far away, it was clearly visible, a great likeness of what appeared to be a Machina woman.
"Now we're going up against Egil and Brigitte." Murasaki muttered.
"Vanea said she'll try to persuade them, but she didn't sound confident." I said.
"We have to go after her." Shulk said.
"But how do we get to the shrine from here?" Zellium asked.
"Up ahead is a transporter leading to the shrine." Fiora said.
"How Fiora know that?" Riki asked, sounding impressed and awed.
"Meyneth's memories." The mech pilot responded. "She tells me these things."
"Do you know how to trigger them?" I asked.
"Maybe... my body itself is the key." She theorized.
"OK. Then let's go." Shulk said.
Fiora took the lead and we wandered through the city, passing fossilized Telethia and ancient Mechon who continued patrolling. We skirted those, trying to draw as little attention as possible. And at every step, we couldn't help but notice how barren and desolate the city had become all because of the Bionis.
"Sharla, what have we done?" Shulk whispered to me at one point.
"We didn't know." I said softly. "How could we? Zanza... Well, we needed the Monado to be released, didn't we?"
He reached back and touched the sword's hilt before gazing at Agniratha, indicating the desolation. "I guess. But Zanza did this."
"Shulk, we have visions of the future." I said with a sharpness in my voice. "We can change the future, no use fretting over the past. All right?"
"All right." The mechanic agreed, a little reluctantly.
Fiora led us to a broad platform before the shrine, but still far from it. The platform was bare save for four spires that glowed blue and in the middle of them was a transporter.
We approached the transporter, silence settling over all of us as the seriousness of the upcoming confrontation dawned on us, but even so it was only the barest hint of a mechanical sound that caught mine and Shulk's attention, something more sensed than heard.
We froze, eyes widening, and then he grabbed the Monado and activated it. "Look out!"
A shot blasted toward us, but Shulk swung and struck it, causing it to explode before it reached any of us. The others turned as something large and metal and green blasted overhead.
"It's him!" I cried out, recognizing the faced Mechon as he twisted and landed on the bare platform, his shoulder cannons quickly rotating into position so they faced us.
I raced ahead of the others towards the Mechon. "Gadolt!"
That's the second time me and Shulk sensed an attack without seeing a vision first. I thought to myself.
"Your mastery of the Monado is... astonishing." The Mechon said, sounding almost awed. "You cannot be permitted to live."
"Gadolt, stop!" I shouted. "Why are you fighting us?! Remember who you are!"
"It's no use!" Zellium shouted. "He's completely under Egil and Brigitte's control now! Remember what Vanea told us!"
"I can't believe it. I won't believe it!"
I forced my way past my Pokémon partner before taking a few more steps toward Gadolt. "Gadolt, please! ANSWER ME!"
Instead of speaking, he took aim and fired. Zellium quickly countered it with a Pyro Ball. I watched as Shulk, Fiora, Murasaki, Melia, and Riki took out their Battle Gems.
"Xenoblade Transformation!" They shouted as light engulfed them and the transformation began.
Shulk's eyes glow blue before he closes them as his body is engulfed in red liquid-like light. It fades away from the feet up to reveal dark red and silver armor with several details encrypted onto it. A horned dark red headpiece formed on his head from the remaining light. Gripping onto the Monado, he slashes at the 'camera', creating his final pose.
A small light shines in Fiora's eyes before she closes them as white smooth-looking Mechon armor attached themselves to her body. Soon after, black armor parts attached themselves to various part of her body mainly at her hands, lower body, and neck. A mint green color came to life on the jewels at her feet, legs, hips, under her breasts, and shoulderblades. White and black armor cover her chin up to her ears and mint green jewels with thick black rims attach themselves to the back of her head. A gold headpiece with a horn attached to the armor at the top of her head and white drones with the insides black and golden rings around mint green gemstones attach themselves onto her back piece-by-piece. A gold chain appears under her chest piece in a flash of light and she opens her eyes before pointing one of her twin blades at the 'camera', creating her final pose.
Small bolts of dark purple lightning shine in Murasaki's eyes as she spins around with dark purple energy surrounding her. The energy takes the form of chains and surrounds her legs, breaking to reveal dark purple leggings covering most of her legs with black rims and a pair of black shoes. The rest of the dark purple energy covers her body, slowing revealing a long-sleeved black dress with dark grey trimmings that reaches her ankles. She throws her right arm outward and one of of her shurikens goes in that direction, creating her final pose.
Holding her Battle Gem to the sky, Melia did some ballet moves as light resembling an aurora spun around her. Starting at her chest and to her hips, the aurora slowly revealed a black, purple and gold armored dress with most of her midriff exposed, a black choker around her neck attached to it, and white and gold talons on her upper back and either side of her skirt. The water she seems to dance on flows up her legs and forms white laced stockings reaching a little above her knees and a pair of black, purple, and gold knee-high boots with silver plating at her ankles and gold soles. As Melia finished her dance, the remaining aurora forms a mainly purple and gold headpiece on top of her head, black and gold cuffs around where her elbows are, and a pair of black and gold fingerless wrist-length gloves. Gripping her staff tightly, she spins it before holding it behind her back while she looks at the 'camera', creating her final pose.
Riki's Battle Gem glows in a blazing aura while he looks at it in confusion until it flies out of his wings in the form of a dragon, catching him off-guard in surprise. The dragon's dust-like breath engulfed him and when he opened his eyes to see what happened, he saw that the dragon's breath has materialized into black and silver armor on most of his body with a red demonic face with silver eyes and a tail like a dragon's, black crescent moon-like markings near his eyes, and a cute mini dragon on his back like a backpack. The dragon goes into him from behind and in what seems like a instant, forming black dragon-like wings over his wings and a helmet appearing like a dragon's head with grey and red hair, red eyes, and a red mouth. He pointed his biter at the 'camera' in a jumping charge, creating his final pose.
They quickly charged in and all hell broke loose. With an angry cry, Gadolt knocked Shulk and Riki aside, and Melia barely dodged a blast from one of his cannons. Zellium tried to protect me, but I was off again hurrying toward the Mechon, my rifle on my back, staring up at him, screaming his name. He fired, too quick for my Pokémon partner to reach me in time to counter the blast, but the shot struck to the right of me, barely missing me.
"How could you do this to Sharla?!" Murasaki yelled. "You're supposed to love her, marry her even!"
"I don't know or care." Gadolt responded. "It changes nothing."
"No!" I shouted. "You always protected me and Juju! This isn't you!"
"I said... I don't know you!" He shouted, sounding almost as though he were forcing the words out. "I have been granted this body of steel so that Egil and Brigitte's will may be done! This body feels great! It's movement is so precise! We are unstoppable, for we are one! Perfect, in body and mind!"
"You don't have to do this." Zellium insisted, gesturing back. "Look at Fiora, she found herself again! Whatever you are, you still must feel pain!"
"Absurd!" The Faced Mechon sneered.
"Then finish us off!" Murasaki challenged. "Sharla as well! We all saw you miss a second ago. Aren't you supposed to be a quick shot? Or did that metal bullshit you call a body mess up your aim?"
The Mechon took a step toward them, clearly furious. "SHUT YOUR MOUTH!"
He fired rapidly, a barrage of shots that struck my friends one after another, too quickly for anyone to shield themselves or dodge, sending them all crashing backwards. The shot meant for me missed me completely and exploded behind me. With tears in my eyes, I aimed my rifle at the Faced Mechon.
"Gadolt, please!" I called out to him. "Don't you remember me? It's Sharla!"
"Wither and die, as all life on Bionis will!" He shouted, aiming his cannons. "Feel our wrath!"
Soft yellow light suddenly began emanating from my body.
"Even after losing all living flesh, a Homs' heart will remain." Meyneth said as she approached me in Fiora's body. "It is still present within this Face."
"Is that true?" I asked desperately, looking at her.
"Yes. It is clear from his actions towards you. The remnants of his heart pull him back."
"Gadolt..." I muttered, bowing my head.
"I will break the curse that allows Egil and Brigitte to control the Faces. I need you to buy me some time."
Upon hearing that, I looked up and approached her from behind as I pulled out my Battle Gem.
"Meyneth, leave this to me." I said.
The Mechonis goddess seemed surprised as my gem turned white and the symbol for Monado Cyclone appeared before it vanished and she nodded her head. "Very well, do what you must."
"Gadolt, I know you're in there." I said, looking at the Faced Mechon. "I will make you know my name! XENOBLADE TRANSFORMATION!"
Clutching her Battle Gem to her chest, Sharla has her eyes closed as light begins to surround her. The light engulfs her upper chest and around her hips, bursting to reveal a black top that covers her breasts and exposes most of her upper back with gold details on her chest, black wing-like feathers on the top, and thick dark orange string creating details on the back, and a black skirt with white and gold trimming and white lace on one side, black and dark orange feathers on the other, and the back reaching her ankles made of black feathers and gold tendrils. Light went down her left leg and her other leg became engulfed in light when it reached her knees, fading to reveal a black legging with small crystal details imprinted on it and metallic black boots reaching near her knees with gold armor on them as well as gold plating, black lace in the middle that was exposed, and dark orange soles. She crossed her arms in an 'X' formation in the sky as black skin-tight gloves reaching her elbows with an black and gold encryption attached to them and dark orange armor around her fingers formed from water-like light. In a flash of light, a cute little black top hat with black lace, gold ribbon, and crystal details imprinted on it attached to a black headband with crystals on it formed. She opens her eyes and aims her rifle at the 'camera' in a jumping leap, creating her final pose.
"Sharla! We'll help as well!" Shulk shouted as the others rushed in to join the fight.
Gadolt aimed at Fiora, who stood with her head bowed, her hands before her chest, completely defenseless. Before he could fire, however, Sae and Murasaki slashed at his legs, then as they took a few steps back, Melia flung out her torrent of white-gold light. Gadolt cried out and stumbled back, and Shulk, who had once again positioned himself behind the Mechon, struck.
The Faced Mechon turned angrily, but then Zellium lashed out swiftly, dodging swipes of the metal hands. Riki charged forward, smashing his biter into one leg and causing him to falter, and then Murasaki struck again.
The Mechon fell. As the others regrouped, I activated my Monado Cyclone, leaving him vulnerable to Fiora's Final Cross. And then she attacked. The red light around Fiora seemed to gather between her hands, growing in intensity, and then she flung her arms out, the light blasting outward and ripping through the green Mechon.
Gadolt cried out, and the Mechon convulsed before he fell to all fours, lightning sparking and crackling over his frame.
Fiora exhaled and closed her eyes, bowing her head. Red light still surrounded her, but it began fading.
"Fiora?" Shulk muttered. "Was that you or..?"
The metal piece affixed to her chest seemed to draw in all the red light. As the last of it disappeared, she opened her eyes, once again her usual green, and nodded. "As for him... he'll be fine. Don't worry."
Everything that happened after that was a blur. Gadolt remembered me but now we had to go stop Egil and Brigitte. He told Zellium that he is a great Pokémon partner for me, he was flattered to say the least.
Anyway, we took the transporter to the Meyneth Shrine. We saw Vanea looking at us with Egil and Brigitte not too far ahead.
"So... you have finally arrived, Heir to the Monado and She who Defies Fate." Egil said.
Me and Shulk took the lead as we passed Vanea and approached the Machina man and the engineer standing with their backs to us.
"You are Egil Kinzoku, leader of Mechonis, and Brigitte Lindholm, Jewel of the Mechonis." Shulk said.
"That we are." Brigitte responded as the two turned to face us. Suddenly, a sly smirk appeared on her face. "Of course, aside from you, Sharla, you have never seen us outside of our Face, Yaldabaoth. But even without it, you will never defeat us."
"Wait." Shulk said. "We didn't come to fight you."
"Cowardice?" Egil said in a sneer. "Then relinquish the Monado and kneel before us."
"We didn't come to surrender to you either." I said. "We just want to know something."
"You have our undivided attention." Brigitte said. "Ask away."
"We've seen the legends of the Machina right here in the capital." Shulk explained. "We think we understand why you want to fight the Bionis. But why send the Mechon to attack the people of Bionis?"
For a moment, neither of them said anything. Then the two of them laughed.
"We don't see the joke!" The mechanic exclaimed. "We share the same world! The Homs, Nopon, and High Entia live in harmony, so why not the Machina too?"
"Tell us, you two." Egil muttered. "Are you familiar with the concept of starvation tactics?"
"Of course." The blonde haired boy responded.
"Yeah." I said. "It's a military strategy in which you cut the supply lines and starve out the enemy."
"So... then you understand that that is the best method by which to ensure victory." The Machina man continued. "We have no resentment or hatred for the peoples of Bionis. We are simply depleting the Bionis' energy. Striking back at the titan that robbed my people of their lives and Brigitte of her friendship with the Jewel of the Bionis that she used to serve."
"We don't understand." I said.
"Perhaps you need us to put things more simply." The engineer said. "All life on Bionis exists purely to feed it's master!"
"What?!" Me and Shulk shouted in unison.
There were sinister smiles on their faces as Egil continued. "Ether, the base element of all things that exist in this world. Our bodies, your bodies... You are aware that ether is the foundation of them all?"
"Y-Yes." Shulk stammered, the horrible truth beginning to dawn on us.
"Ether is power." Brigitte continued. "You are the source of that power. All life that is born from the Bionis dies and is returned to the Bionis. Unlike the Mechonis, the Bionis feeds on ether provided by those who return to it. Upon the moment of it's eventual awakening, it will require an incredible number of lives."
"But that means..." Fiora muttered, eyes wide as realization came.
"What are you saying?!" Murasaki asked. "Are you saying we're nothing but food?!"
"It was the Bionis that created you for such a purpose." The Machina man said. "Not we."
I almost couldn't bring myself to speak. "So you attacked to... reduce the Bionis' power supply?"
"Correct!" He confirmed. "You are nothing more than bugs to be devoured by our sworn adversary. Do not speak to us of your foolish dreams of unity."
"Foolish?" Shulk repeated. "We only grieve for those we've lost, as you do! Machina or Homs, we've suffered the same! Don't tell us it's different!"
"Indeed." Brigitte agreed. "We have both suffered."
"So then..." I muttered.
The engineer pulled out her soft yellow Battle Gem with golden wings as Egil spoke with a mocking smile. "You doubt our convictions, our reasons. In order to avenge my people, we have risked everything. Can you say the same?"
"Yes, we can." Shulk said. "To get this far... we've fought long and hard."
Brigitte's Battle Gem glowed brightly as she spoke. "And yet, you don't fight us. Your words are useless. It's only strength that can prevail. So prove yourselves, prove yourselves to us that you're willing put an end to this war once and for all!"
She was engulfed in light, I could only look on in shock as the light faded to reveal her looking like a completely different person. Her ponytail reaching near her legs and now auburn into silver, wearing a white dress, golden and silver armor, silver armored knee-high boots with golden armor and soles, silver gauntlets with white wrist length gloves, a silver headpiece resembling a crown around her head, and most surprisingly, a pair of large white angel-like wings with gold and silver details on them.
"Shulk, Sharla... I know this whole thing stinks." Zellium said as he took a fighting stance. "But they have a point!"
"Agreed." Shulk said grimly.
All of us drew out weapons and the mechanic took the Monado, forcing it to activate. "Egil, leader of Mechonis! Brigitte, Jewel of the Mechonis! The lives of the Machina and the lives of all that lives on Bionis are one and the same. We won't stop. Not until you realise that!"
Egil gave him a sinister smile before holding his arms out, light gathering at his hands. Pieces of scrap metal flew toward that light, and suddenly the group from Bionis backed into a circle as several Mechon advanced on them. Me and Shulk both used Monado Enchant, violet auras settling over everyone, and then we charged at Egil and Brigitte.
The Machina was prepared and deflected Shulk's attack with his fists and arms. Murasaki charged forward, knocking over a Mechon that had tried to sneak up on us, and then she struck towards Brigitte. But the engineer dodged the attack, striking her swiftly in the face with her flail. She staggered back, wiping away the blood streaming from her nose, and growled angrily.
Riki managed to break out of the circle of Mechon and reach Egil, and he actually landed the first blow, striking his leg. Egil stumbled, but he recovered quickly, kicking the Nopon aside.
"Shulk, look out!" Fiora screamed even as she deflected a Mechon's attack.
He turned, but not fast enough. Egil's backhanded blow sent him crashing to the ground, and in that moment of distraction, the Monado snapped shut.
I shot at Brigitte while she kept blocking with her shield. She tried hitting me by bashing into me with her shield forward, but I shot Metal Blast to stop her in her tracks. Melia managed to get to Shulk, hitting Egil and Brigitte with lightning to buy herself enough time to help Shulk stand. He leaned on her heavily, struggling to breathe.
He forced on the Monado, forced it to activate, and then he and Melia dove to the side as Egil fired several blasts at them. I managed to get out of the way in time and I shot at Brigitte again, hitting her in her right shoulder, causing her to yelp in pain. Riki went in again, but Egil dodged the attack, and then he swatted Melia away as she came within reach. Murasaki swung one of her shurikens at him, but Brigitte turned and struck her.
But she managed to distract the Machina and the engineer, and in that moment me and Shulk ran up and he slammed the Monado through Egil's left shoulder while I managed to pin Brigitte back to the ground with my rifle by hitting her right shoulder.
No one could move, everyone was too stunned. Only me, Shulk, Egil, and Brigitte did. Egil and Brigitte taking steps back as they grunted in pain and me and the mechanic followed, glaring at them.
"How could this happen even with the Apocrypha?" Brigitte demanded.
"You and Egil both know, Brigitte." Shulk said through gritted teeth. "You know the reason."
"The power of the will to protect your own?" Egil said, his voice suddenly betraying the pain he felt. "Is that what you refer to? And what of you, Vanea? You would side with those of Bionis and attack me? You have forfeited your right to exist."
"Perhaps." She said calmly. "If that is to be my fate, I gladly accept, brother. As would any of the villagers."
"So the few remaining members of my people have now betrayed me. The Machina man muttered, looking down before raising his head again and smiling terribly. "Interesting."
"You're wrong!" Vanea shouted, on the verge of tears. "The villagers and I... we just wanted all this fighting to stop! Egil... all we wanted was to live with you in peace. Nothing more than that!"
"Helt skitsnack." Brigitte cursed, straightening to her full height.
I saw her left arm move, but before I could do anything, she grabbed me by my neck in a chokehold, stifling my struggling cries.
"There will never be peace until the Bionis is destroyed!" She shouted as she lifted me easily while I clutched her arm, trying to free myself from being strangled.
"Brother!" Vanea cried as Egil grabbed Shulk by the face and lifted him up with ease.
"Brigitte!" Murasaki yelled.
The engineer glanced away from me to look at the wound in her right shoulder and she laughed coldly.
"Your bullets..." She said as soft yellow ether closed the wound, her shoulder now completely healed. "They did not pierce deep enough."
She threw me to the ground at the same time Egil did the same to Shulk. I flinched as I touched my neck where she grabbed me. A deep rumble suddenly came from below and we all turned as Yaldabaoth rose from below the edge.
"The golden Mechon!" Shulk breathed as he got up before the enormous machine flew over us and landed behind Egil and Brigitte.
"Permit me to apologise for calling you bugs just now." The Machina man said. "You proved to be worthy adversaries after all."
Everything that happened in the next few moments all happened in a blur, but why did everything go this wrong?! We all nearly died when Egil and Brigitte got inside Yaldabaoth, Shulk got called Zanza by the two, I had to summon my guardian animal to protect everyone, Gadolt gave up his life to save us when Agniratha collapsed, Miqol and Linada were warned by Alvis that we were in danger and saved us before we ended up in the sea below, and now it's all my fault! If I never found out about the future of this world, none of this would've happened. I was outside Junks within the Hidden Machina Village on the Fallen Arm, singing to myself with tears in my eyes, thinking about what'd just happened in the capital.
"Because... he isn't here. Not anymore."
I stopped singing when I heard the other Shulk's voice in my mind. Why am I remembering that dream? Why now?! Why can't I fix this?!
"Sharla? Are you OK? You're crying and I've heard you singing."
I turned to face Shulk looking at me in concern. "No, I'm not alright. It's my fault that we're going through this."
"What are you saying?" The mechanic asked.
"I knew all of this was going to happen. A strange game showed me the future which is now the present." I said, tears flowing down my cheeks. "I've prepared like hell to prepare for when it becomes reality, but now... it seems like knowing what'll happen has made thing worse for all of us."
"Sharla... I had no idea that you knew so much beforehand." The heir to the Monado said before he pulled me into a soft embrace. "Look, I'll make you a promise. We'll take down Egil and Brigitte tomorrow, but I promise you that you mean a lot to us and we wouldn't be here without you. I promise that our victory over them will be how I repay you for all that you've done for me and the others. Mark my words."
"Shulk... thank you." I muttered as I returned the embrace. "OK, you better live up to that promise when we fight Egil and Brigitte inside the core of the Mechonis tomorrow."
Once we broke from out embrace, we went to get some sleep for the night as the confrontation between us and Egil and Brigitte happened in the afternoon.
It's time for this war, or Killing Titan War as Brigitte putted it, to reach it's final climax.
Next time on the Disciple Arc...
After several days of keeping the secret, Gonta and the other disciples will reveal their true colors to Sharla and her allies and reawaken Zanza once more. The time has finally come for the Killing Titan War to enter it's final climax and Zanza is about unleash true hell onto each and every person on Bionis to prepare for the destruction and recreation of the entire world as Gonta and everyone else knows it but Sharla and her allies must be taken out first to do so.