Hello again. It's me. I'm sure you already know who I am, you've heard me many times before, perhaps for years even after his death. How about we talk again, let me talk again with you. It is such a joy speaking to your tiny-minded human heads, I really cannot describe how I feel when I do.

Do you remember Oryx? Slain, and rightfully so, he was smart and strong, yet weak and foolish. He sought to make himself invulnerable through conquest, an axiom when he was a syllogism, and you rightfully rebuked and defeated him with a sound argument.

But do you not remember what I said? That Oryx is not a simple thing to kill? For you see, a god does not falter so easily. If one plan fails, the next carefully planned schematic comes into play, eternities do not just fly by for a being like him without him ensuring that there is a fallback. He would not be lost so easily.

Now with that said, do you remember the first sword? No, not that of the Iron Lords, nor that of the other races or even your past. No, the first sword of Hive origin to have made its way into the tower without collapsing completely. The sliver of that blade had gone on to create duplicates of more powerful blades, even resulting in mass production of proxy versions. This is not without coincidence.

Yes, each and every sword has a bit of Hive crystals in them, including the first swords. The ones that have the shard of Willbreaker in them. The one that holds Oryx's essence, still alive and well, even though it is supposedly 'purified'?

Now, do you see? He is still there. The light just hides him, it hurts but it doesn't make him visible anymore because it is so bright, to begin with, how can you see shadow when there is only light? Now, what if I told you that the Vex have predicted this outcome?

Do let me know how things turn out. It'll be interesting watching him continue on in a place he shouldn't be in. It's already interesting just observing this new one devour these worlds.

I stood almost statuesquely still next to my companions as they simply indulged themselves in whatever food they wanted to have, while I simply made sure nobody was to make a move on them. Normally, I would've just went ahead and decided to just go and experiment in my own private quarters back home, as I never developed a close connection to any of my fireteam, and they themselves weren't interested in me either. But being in a different world, as well as in a country that's primitive on a cultural level, I wasn't confident that I could just leave them out of my sights. And to top it all off, I had already finished my food, since I tended to eat on a necessary basis, and ate efficiently.

Which left me just being some awkward looking fool standing in the middle of a ball full of adventurers, noble, and the three children; although I would wager Naofumi is no longer one. Just staring at onlookers and listening in on whatever information I can pick up from the nobility.

This must feel awkward for you.

It was probably going to be awkward anyhow in all honesty... beyond being respected massively for being the brains on the field, my classification of guardian never really did well in the social aspect of duty.

You aren't? But you sound normal to me.

My classification is that of a scientist on the battlefield. Scientists, as we all know, are children, as their curiosity is always boundless, and thus most often have trouble acting like normal adults.

You sound harsh on yourself.

I am speaking it as a matter of truth. But scientists are most respected for their knowledge and endless curiosity, as is evident by our findings and inventions. In fact, most of the great scientists of the pre-golden age acted as such, to the point that even their handwriting looks like chicken-scratch, while often having no concept of social norms.

But you-

I had them all look away simply because I still have to respect privacy and consent. Believe me, I have done worse things than stripping a woman naked to the non-sentient and consenting alike. Turned a titan and hunter into a temporary Aegis and Ascendant Sword respectively, because they were to be executed and I bought them out for testing. Further raised the age of consent amongst guardians, after a display where I manipulated the minds of hundreds of Shadows of Yor, throwing them into a very basic mission where only a few shadows had completed the task necessary to survive, while the rest fell to incorrectly wired receptors of both overloaded and broken. Some of which were even turned into people with fresh guardian minds, as to further prove the point.

That... that sounds immensely cruel.

It gets worse. Have you ever seen the horrors of not even feeling death? He was little more than a husk on the battlefield, soullessly attacking his foes with the calculated precision of the Vex, to the point that even the Hive were terrified of what he became.

"Why do you two stare instead of talking?"

I looked to Xena in confusion, before suddenly remembering the villagers. Hm... yes, that's still a mystery to me.

Xena does raise a good question though... I'm almost surprised I never even thought about it. Why don't you just fix it, since you can change easily?

Well, that's cause of the fact that it is still unclear-

Before I could even finish the thought, I heard an arrow whiz past me. I looked back to see a very irritated Itsuki and Motoyasu and casually shrugged them off.

Only to see that a few guards were making for my companions.

I drew my sword, and quickly, my party had realized the situation. I turned back to them as I typed. "Treachery, then? You would disrupt our team composition so early on?"

I saw Crayon Eater's grip tighten as he grit his teeth. "We're you not even paying any attention to us!? We're challenging you to a duel so we can free Sparrow."

I gave him a flat look.

"I don't know what bullshit you are up to," He said as he himself neared us. I looked to Naofumi to see that the guards had successfully restrained his companion, and him, as expected, looking not very pleased about it. "But you're the scummiest liar from an alien world I had ever seen. Trying to make us turn against the King, purposely letting Naofumi assault Myne, him having more money than he even should as of right now when he allegedly has no silvers..."

I stood my ground with a casual stance as Motoyasu continued to stomp forth. "Lying about your muteness and abilities, recruiting a bandit tribe as an army, slaying a dragon and stealing all the loot instead of helping the villagers out, leaving the Second Wave... what the fuck do you take us for!?" As he neared striking distance, he thrust his spear out at my neck, leaving just a few inches between metal and flesh. I attempted to type a response to the threat, only to feel it lightly push at my neck. "Don't you dare try to bullshit your way out of this! You can't swap genders, learn the written language and general history of a COMPLETELY NEW WORLD'S COUNTRY within a few hours, and most paradoxically of all, vocally threaten to kill off said village if they didn't back off! No, you're lying. You're the real demon here!"

My eyes narrowed at that. I looked at Naofumi. "You are still against me, aren't you."

"I still don't believe your intentions back there." Naofumi clarified, as he calmly removed Raphtalia from a guard's grip once the rage in his eyes was clear to everyone, as he stared me down. "Even after you helped me learn my shield,... you can't expect me to believe you. And you're clearly hiding something from us; something that we should be aware of instead of blissfully ignoring it when you hold abilities that aren't even from any of our worlds without explanation. That's why you didn't defend Lute- or fight the Boss Monster as well. You found, or brought something here." Naofumi said as he made his way to Motoyasu's side. "I don't care about Sparrow. I know that she'll come back to you either way. But I want answers. You can't hide your past from us anymore, Mokoto!"

I took a look around me. It seemed that the church, while they kept their initial beliefs, had seemingly sided with Naofumi and the others on this. The King seemed to accept this, as he stared me down critically, trying to make sense of my body's expressions, of which held nothing but indignation. Itsuki seemed to hold nothing but contempt for me, seeing me as what Motoyasu said, a demon. All in all, it seemed as if the tables had suddenly turned, as Motoyasu and Itsuki had made a false story that doesn't contain enough information.

How right they were on the demon part, though.

I broke a grin. A bloodthirsty, almost maniacal grin of sheer ferocity that sent chills down those who saw it, save for the three heroes, who bravely stood their ground. "Fine. You all could use some training... and frankly, you've all pissed me off, interrupting a conversation whilst throwing several accusations and assumptions towards me. Whatever time it shall be, I shall be ready."

Naofumi narrowed his eyes as he grit his teeth. "Of course you're gonna make us work for it."

"Then we're doing it now. In the arena." Itsuki said as he slung his bow. "You're going to face the light, cretin. And it will strip you of your lies and deceit."

"Truthfully, I was trying to make sure you weren't swallowed up by arrogance. But I suppose a physical rebuke is for you, child."

He grit his teeth. "Quit calling me that."

The arena was silent, save for an unnerving amount of tension in the crowd. No doubt they had heard of my immense abilities, of my leadership and, defiance of royalty, and whatever half-baked story the heroes have gathered and made to put me in such a situation. I couldn't blame them, yet at the same time, I was furious with how far they had gone with their accusations, to insult my intelligence in such a manner that I seemed like a fool thinking I was trying to play 3D chess against royalty. The sad thing about this all though?

I wasn't even playing chess. How can you play chess against a foe that you can't see or understand, moreover even seal or defeat?

Yet here I stand, even with all the resources at my disposal. Clueless as to why I am here and what am I to do to stop this force of destruction that is threatening to take the world apart. Clueless as to how I find myself still stripped of my main power on the field, the ability to openly announce and set the stage as well as use my authority to its full potential. Clueless as to where did I go so wrong as to turn the odds against me, to have turned what should've been future allies into present enemies. Clueless as to even when in general, having still struggling with the concept of time even after a couple months of having left the Vault of Glass, still not recognizing that I do not have hundreds of lifetimes to figure out the universe before me even as I continue to forget my mortality.

Clueless as to what even opened that portal, or what am I even in right now as now I am part of what is allegedly the few people capable of standing against the wiping of existence, even as they are against me.

For this whole time, I felt trapped, violated, useless, dysphoric, and most of all, out of place in this world. And these infants would pay to further salt the wounds.

I didn't need to spare a look at my combatants. I already knew Crayon Eater was still as stupid and arrogant as ever, Itsuki too blind to even land his arrows with actual conviction, and Naofumi, as willing to pay me my dues for the trial as he always was. Instead, I looked at the crowd, and within I spotted familiar faces. I could see Raphtalia and Sparrow looking at me in worry while being accompanied by the smith called-

What was his name again? Harder? Derrah? Harred? I tried to recall who the familiar man was, but I couldn't make heads or tails of him. He seemed to worry, yet also hold suspicion.

Erhard, Mokoto.

Thank you, Sparrow. Tell Erhard that everything is fine, there was naught but a misunderstanding between us all. If anything, they will come out stronger after this, and perhaps be more willing to listen to words, if not in the near future.

I only watched for a brief moment to see the exchange be made, before turning back to the would-be heroes. Naofumi placed himself at the front of battle while Motoyasu tailed him, recognizing the basics of having a shield in the party while Itsuki placed himself close to Motoyasu as well. He seemed to recognize that distance was less of a factor here. Good to know he's covered the basics of recognizing your enemy's strengths. Just a misfortune he has nothing for the flaws, and that he hasn't seen it all yet.

It was clear as to the best method at the moment to currently strike them with at that point in time. The only question was if one of them was perceptive enough.

I gave them a simple come-at-me gesture. Nothing brute-like or overly fancy, just a simple beckon.

It was enough for them to start their assault.

"Chaos Spear!" Motoyasu shouted as beams of golden energy shot from his lance, immediately attempting to make a hit on me as Itsuki drew his bow. Naofumi only stood his ground as his teammates made ranged attacks. And unfortunately for them, like water moving around an obstacle, I simply grazed through all the attacks as I simply walked past all of them, only slapping away Itsuki's arrow with my sword, and leaving the crowd stunned with my technique.

However, I was only able to barely dodge the surprise shield throw Naofumi did by teleporting, which he did in the midst of Motoyasu's attacks as a... pie, had flown past me, leaving the other heroes to look at Naofumi in confusion.

The shield hero's shields are certainly a sight to behold... I thought to myself as I heard the crowd collectively gasp at my display of power.

"Impossible..." I heard the Puppet mutter aloud. "Blink is a high-level ability far beyond your levels! How did Sir Mokoto do that?"

"It's just as we confirmed," Itsuki said as he drew another arrow, his eyes focused on me only. "This isn't some normal human we're looking at... we're looking a monster built for destruction."

"On a side note, most army soldiers are built as monsters of destruction for the enemy in most wars." I quickly typed out once I landed on the ground, stabbing my sword into it as I did so before I then pulled it out, and dashed at them at full speed, leaving little time to react.

"Air Strike Shield!" Naofumi had managed to shout as he was able to switch to rope shield in time, constructing a metaphysical barrier that halted my momentum just before I struck Motoyasu, who in turn responded with an attempted stab to my midsection, only to have it pushed away with a simple push as I responded with a telekinetic palm strike that briefly stunned him, before following up with a blast of solar wind that knocked him back to Itsuki.

I then turned my attention to Naofumi, who had swapped to a shield with two dogs on it as he got in front of Itsuki. Naofumi almost seemed to be goading me into it. "Bad poker face." Was all I typed as I then teleport not behind him, but to his right, as he instinctively went left to see if I was anywhere behind him. He was rewarded with a small gash on his back as he stumbled forth, flinching from the blow as I then swept him, before turning to Itsuki and deflecting yet another arrow shot as I turned to Motoyasu, who's eyes seemed to widen, as if realizing something.

To my utmost surprise, Motoyasu ran over to Itsuki, staying behind him. "Itsuki, keep firing arrows, Naofumi, don't get in the way!"

"Oh shut it, you damn womanizer!" Naofumi growled as he attempted to attack me, no doubt trying to latch a balloon onto me. Knowing that he had mostly impregnable defense, I simply decided to see if the Crayon Eater was more perceptive than I initially anticipated.

"Motoyasu, what the hell are you doing?" Itsuki hissed at him, as he drew another arrow. "The whole goal of an archer is-"

"FIRE THE ARROW," Motoyasu ordered, as he did absolutely nothing.

I hummed in thought as I took the bait, ducking as to avoid one of Naofumi's shields as Itsuki fired another arrow, forcing me to deflect once more, and as I anticipated, Motoyasu made to strike. I simply spun as to try and avoid the spearing, but it was a feint, as Motoyasu simply slashed me across the chest, forcing blood to pour out as the lowly armor easily gave into the slash. I then attempted to blink again, and as I did so, I saw Motoyasu catch Itsuki in a hold, before throwing both himself and Itsuki backward. It would've worked in all honesty.

If it wasn't for the fact that I had quite literally mastered this technique, and could read them like open books, it would've worked, but I simply blinked straight above me and fell to Motoyasu with my sword ready to slam down on him. Much to my chagrin, Naofumi managed to get in the way and stop the attack with his shield.

I jumped back and made to try and blink behind him, but I found myself slipping on oil that hadn't been there before, and ended up blinking backward, not landing on my feet due to the unexpected movement and stumbling onto the floor of the arena. I checked my own bar, and as it turned out I was getting dangerously close to yellow, while Naofumi hardly remained harmed, and Motoyasu taking heavy damage due to letting himself get too close. Itsuki of course, was completely safe.

Most impressive. But their advantage isn't forever.

I got on my feet relatively quickly as I narrowly rolled out of the way of a rope shield throw. As I made to try and dash at them, I felt an almost forgotten sensation of exertion, my nerves suddenly lighting themselves on fire as I then proceeded to trip and momentarily lose control, landing face-first into the sand-covered ground before I snapped myself out of the pain, my training kicking in. Then I looked up.

The circle above me had a spine-chilling familiarity to it as I heard the droning of both the Templar and the Vex. I saw distant fog off in the distance as I quickly scrambled to my bearings, jumping up in the air with my Aegis and narrowly managing to cancel the teleport, before dashing away and shooting a shot of pure light energy as Kabr's power coalesced in the Aegis, hitting the Templar smack in its eye and momentarily disorienting its tattered metal body, long enough for me to have been able to make a clean escape as Aeon Bolts and Slap Rifle shots from the harpies and minotaurs stung my being once more. As I turned a corner, I saw that there was a minotaur in front of me.

I ruthlessly slammed into it, sending it flying into a wall and leaving a dented carcass as I jumped up like I usually did, moving through the air to once more block the teleport, as I held the shield up in front of the Templar, who tried to bombard me with a volley of bolts, as the harpies attempted to further wear me down with their almost arrow-like projectiles. I stood strong through it all, and as soon as the circle around me disappeared, I dashed away once more, and as I ran, I inspected the Templar, seeing a crack beginning to form underneath the mainframe. It was vulnerable, perhaps enough to finish it then and there. My freedom was in sight, and their demise was to be inevitable.

I stopped running for the circle and quickly turned to face it, mindlessly smacking a harpy that attempted to self-destruct on me away. With a renewed sense of vigor and happiness, I charged at the beast, mindlessly pummeling into it with all my might even as flesh tore from my body, leaving naught but burnt skin behind. I pummeled it again and again in its weak spot, not caring for the fact that I unintentionally ate metal as I ripped it apart, Vex parts making their way into my vessel's system as I desperately tried to tear it apart so I might survive and not have to die again. But I was no titan.

As I hit its core and severely damaged it, the beast exploded instantly, and a familiar darkness enveloped me, obscuring my vision before I was suddenly brought back to reality. There before me laid the broken and bloodied bodies of the three children that were supposed to be my companions, my fist raised high above Motoyasu as I was apparently smacking him in the bloodied and broken face, lumps and teeth missing as my gaze laid upon him. Naofumi was clutching the side of his chest as he staggered over to me, still attempting to stop me as I saw Itsuki lay unconscious. The crowd was as silent as I was after I had stopped moving, and at that moment, I didn't know what to do.

I removed myself from Motoyasu, before typing once more. "That'll be enough."

"Enough!?" Naofumi said as he spat blood from his mouth. "You nearly fucking murdered us, and fucked up Motoyasu's face!"

I felt something in my mouth. I spat it out to see that I had unintentionally got some of his teeth in my mouth. I looked to Naofumi in annoyance. "If you and your ilk wouldn't be as careless as to think you're all the heroes of this little world, perhaps I wouldn't have been as brutal drilling this lesson into you." I then re-examined the teeth. And as I examined them, my fears were realized as everything slowly clicked into place.

Oryx... you're here after all.

Surprised to see me again?

Naofumi's eyes widened, as did Motoyasu's half-conscious eyes shoot up. While my body ignited, not in flame, not with chills, but in sheer, paralyzing pain, leaving me only able to think with what conscious thought I had left.

I thought we ruined every single chance of you escaping, especially when you made it abundantly clear you hid yourself in the Touch of Malice.

Mokoto? Who are you talking to?

You think I would be as simplistic as you Sky Children? You insult me, guardian. I thought you all admired my power... now, stand back. You are not in control anymore. You've already parted it to ME.

I looked to the crowd before staring King dead in the eyes. I could see my own reflection in it, even from this far. I was covered in the rumored, unholy greenish magic of the Hive, it adorning my body almost like plates of armor as I held a white, burning look in my eyes. "Let this be clear, puppet. You may play your games of politics, and petty affairs of being accepting of a certain 'religion' that has splintered off the original. But... you're not the ruler. You're just second in the top. So you will let us all work as we please with the funding and armory necessary, without input from you or your pathetic excuse of a 'daughter'." Without input, I teleported up to him, my throat burning from all the words. "Or else... we shall use the waves against you, and use the remnants to fulfill our part in this prophecy!"

The King looked enraged as I floated back down into the area, yet also as terrified as the rest of the crowd who were still reeling from my unintentional force of power He glared at me for a while, before mustering up the courage. "What are you talking about? Malty has done no such thing!"

"As of now, not yet." I was forced to chuckle in Oryx's usual tone. I felt my throat spasm in pain from the contractions. "But it is clear that, whatever you two have done to raise her the way she is now, she will just remain a trickster. And a trickster isn't useful when doom leers from behind the horizon."

It was clear that the King was very much insulted. But Oryx held knowledge and intent in our voice, and he made it abundantly clear that we don't have to spare the people from the monsters haunting them. We're doing it because they happen to be convenient enough resources to make fighting the waves all the easier all while maintaining my duty as a slayer of the invaders. So even as he grit his teeth, he eventually relented. "...I understand. Malty shall not enter your party. The rest of the heroes are free to let her in their own-"

"And you will give the Vanquisher," We pointed our sword at Naofumi. "His dues for this wave."

I could see the King ball his fist in rage. "You want me to pay that criminal!?"

We laughed at him. "If he was such a criminal, why was Lute spared from total destruction? Being so close to the wave... and with nobody to deal with such foes... I wonder how the residents survived all that?"

The King's mouth opened slightly. Then promptly closed. He took a deep breath. "Fine... but I shall see if that is true."

"You need not to look for long." I looked at the crowd. I could see several of the church looking on in shock and contempt. Within, I could see the vice-captain, and his troop of guards, spread around the arena, on edge as they watched both the crowd and us. "No doubt his some of his supporters are already here."

Naofumi looked around the crowd to see what I was looking at. I could see recognition, but it mainly seemed to happen when he looked at Raphtalia, who was fiercely struggling to get out of her bindings.

"Our business here has concluded. We have nothing more to say." Oryx finished, and as soon as the burning dissipated, I saw the fog of darkness that I hadn't noticed through all the shock and pain, disappearing as well. I suddenly felt very cold, colder than I ever had been in my entire time as a guardian. And that was enough to cause me to begin to pass out, very quickly. And as I did, my thoughts weren't on Sparrow or Xena rushing to my side, nor how badly I had damaged what were supposed to be my permanent teammates for the Waves.

It was the fact that I was cold to begin with, that concerned me immensely because guardians naturally have heat fields to prevent them from being too hot or cold.

In the subconscious of my mind, I found myself face to face with him. He was there in his throne realm, as I had almost come to expect him to be, floating in the distance in his true form. The King was known to push for every chance at dominating his foes, guardian or not. It was how he worked. He is a being of conquest, of war, and an equally loyal leader of his doomed kingdom, even as they put up a valiant fight to stay alive to the present. Clearly, some grudging admiration on both ends.

So, multiple things. Why are you here, why do you have control over my voice and body, and what do you want?

You're a straight to the point creature, aren't you tattered light? Oryx hummed in thought. I expected such of your kind. You gave me the feeling of a pragmatic sort.

Yes... and I'd like it if I'd learn what you're up to first.

Simple. Continued existence. Even if it means I have to co-exist for the time being.

The time being?

I'll find a way to take control. And then...

Yeah, dream on. The universe is for humanity, not for you Hive scum.

For a scholar, you are awfully blind. You are aware of our plight, are you not?

You made a pact with the Darkness. The Worm Gods.

Then you should know, we had no choice. But that is in the past. Oryx says as he neared, learning in to get his face close to mine. What I want is the right to explore and exert my own existence. You are simply an obstacle that is in my way, a kid to a giant. And yet... there's an insufferable barrier preventing us from doing anything to each other. Which is what I'm here to talk about.

...

You can call me Akka here. Because I have no reason to lie when I say I don't know what is constricting us from fighting over our body freely. But what I do know... is that it is more powerful than us right now. And that we need to act together, become one, in order to push it aside. Or at least prevent it from outright overwhelming us.

Liar. You moved me without permission right there!

Did you? Or were those your feelings towards the insufferable Puppet, fantasies that had laid dormant until they came to mind, allowing me to finally put him in his place?

But you-

You lost control of yourself. Someone had to take the reigns, and so I took it for the time being. And besides... you've been wanting to speak for a while. I only helped you do so since talking is a joint-effort for us.

Listen, you foul beast. I never intended to give you control. You shouldn't even be here! You were cleansed!

I was never cleansed. At least, not in the timeline you're in, if you had even managed it. No, it is not possible for you guardians to do so, for if you cleansed the mighty Willbreaker, you would've been able to make it impossible to even become dark. And yet... you still are.

Timeline? Then that would mean-

You are from the Vault, are you not? Where the Vex have control over time and space... where acausality meets paracausality. And when the Vex stole Shaxx's Razelighter, I had the chance to exert my power after they ripped it of the light.

I paused in horror of the realization as Oryx laughed, his shadow almost concealing me.

You didn't get Willbreaker because the system deemed it the only weapon available... you got it because I MADE IT SO.