After Poppi got her new form the group sailed back over to Fonsett Village where Azurda informs them that the entrance to the third Aegis is underneath the village guardian.
"So your telling me that this entire time I've lived here, this place was actually home to one of the greatest heroes of all time?"
"Indeed. But his tomb can only be opened by a Leftharian."
"Is it kind of like that vessel that we found Pyra in?"
"More or less. Although I must warn you this place is very dangerous. Not only are the monsters down there very powerful but your ether is cut almost entirely off at the bottom."
"Thank goodness for Poppi's new form then."
"Indeed, Poppi feel very powerful. It all thank to masterpon."
"Oh Poppi to nice to Tora."
"Anyways how do I open this thing up?"
"Just put your hand on the crest and hold it there for a moment."
"Like this?"
As Rex is putting his hand on the crest the large stone moves away revealing a staircase that leads into the crusible.
"I guess that worked. Anyways let's go."
"Right behind you."
At first the effects of the ether aren't that apparent but as the group delves deeper and deeper into the crusible the effects start to weigh down on them and are especially effecting Nia.
'Oh wow, Azurda wasn't lying. This wouldn't be a problem in my true form. No don't say that, they cannot know.'
"Nia are you alright?"
Without even realizing it she was breathing heavy and was a bit behind the group.
"O-oh I'm fine. Don't worry about me."
Trying her best Nia acts like she's unaffected and catches up to the group. As they travel deeper into the caves Rex notices that every time the group has to fight a random monster Nia is rather sluggish and slow. Rex begins worrying that if Nia continues like this she might get seriously hurt.
"Maybe we should take a break."
"Yes please."
"Is anyone else being affected by the ether or is it just me?"
"Zeke I think your the only human here who is somehow being affected by this."
"That might have something to do with my core crystal more than anything."
"Wait why would you have a core crystal?"
"Because I am what you call a blade eater."
"A blade eater?"
"You know how a flesh eater is a blade that has eaten human flesh? Well a blade eater is a human who has a core crystal lodged in there chest. You see when I first arrived at Indol I was on the verge of death. Luckily for me the Praetor was out on a walk when he found me almost dead. In order to save my life the Praetor took a chunck of Pandoria's core crystal and put it in my chest ultimately, saving my life."
Zeke pulls his jacket back a bit so everyone can see his core crystal.
"Indoline technology is truely remarkable."
"I know right?"
"Anyways I think we've sat around long enough, let's get going."
With that the group progresses even further into the crusible but Nia starts to feel the effects of the crusible again and starts to feel a bit slow again. Not wanting to cause another hold up Nia trys her hardest to pretend like everything is fine. She's able to keep it up for a while but eventually the ether gets to light for her and she looks like shes about to fall over when Rex catches her.
"I'd say it's high time for another break yeah?"
"You... could say... that again."
Rex notices the strain in Nia's voice and it's starting to concern him.
"I've got an idea, here take this."
"What is it?"
"A mini oxygen tank, usually used for salvaging but it looks like you need it more than I do right now. Your gonna want to puff out your chest, pinch you nose, and inhale deeply. You should be fine after that."
Nia does as Rex instructs and feels a lot better.
"That actually worked. Thanks Rex."
"When I was younger this was one of the tricks I was taught for salvaging. Not useful now but it helps in a pinch."
"At least you had these tid bits. All I learned was 'how to be a proper lady' and 'which spoon to use' and other worthless shite like that."
"Oooohh Nia used to be famous."
"If you want to call it that. My da was the lord of Gormott for a time and I had a sister whom I always looked after. She was always very weak from an incurable disease she got when she was younger. My da spent all his money in the hope of finding a cure for her, but it was all in vain. Da lost his title as lord and my sister died not long after. Anyways thanks for the oxygen, let's get going."
"I want you to hold onto that for the time well being, you need it more than any of us."
"Thanks."
As the group delves deeper into the crusible the group comes across a series of spikes that are blocking the way of the path.
"Well now what do we do?"
"Poppi activate missle hail storm!!!"
"Roger Roger!"
"Woah woah woah! Do you want to bring the whole cave down on us?!"
"Tora just joking."
"Poppi not have any attack like that."
"Don't even joke about that in a situation like this. But how will we get through this?"
Rex walks up to the spikes almost instinctively and touches one. After that all the spikes constrict into the walls.
"Well I guess that works." Zeke shrugs.
As the group travels deeper into the cavern the effects of the cavern are starting to become to heavy for Nia to bear as she feels herself on the brim of releasing her true form.
'No no no! You cannot let that form out! Not here and especially not in front of him.'
"Would you like me to carry you my lady?"
"Shut it. I don't need help, I'm fine how I am."
Nia uses the breather again but it doesn't work as effectively but will at keep her quiet for a little bit longer.
After going through what appeared to be a giant Arachno nest the group makes it to the final corridor right before Addams tomb. As the group continues to walk towards the entrance to the tomb Nia thinks back to her past and how she has lived up to this point.
"Hey Nia? Nia? Nia?"
Nia comes back to her senses and realizes that she froze in place.
"What?"
"You ok?"
"Y-yeah I'm fine."
"Do we need to take another break?"
"N-no I don't, we're almost there aren't we? Let's just get the sword and leave alright?"
"Ok if you say so."
As the group progresses Nia stops Rex.
"Y'know not long after my sister died my da died to. The only family I had left was Dromarch, who was my da's blade. For years me and Dromarch have been on the run."
"From who?"
"From Indol."
"Indol?! But why?"
"Because they viewed me as an undesirable that should be exterminated from the face of Alrest."
That put a lump in Rex's heart hearing that.
"Y'know me and Dromarch used to be thankful for seeing another day rise because we didn't know if one day it may be our last. And at one point Indol did catch us, I was being shipped to Indol to be executed but a man with white hair and a mask saved me."
"Jin. So that's why you stayed with Torna."
"Exactly, for the first time in a long time I felt like I belonged somewhere and then... I met you."
Rex begins to blush at hearing this and trys to think of something cool to say.
"Why are you telling me this?"
"I don't know, maybe to vent I guess."
"Well that doesn't sound like my Nia."
"What do you mean by your Nia?"
"The Nia I know is tougher than that and always more brash in her word choice."
"Hey now don't go talken to me about bein brash."
"See? That's the Nia I know. Listen Nia, no matter what happens I will always be there for you. No matter what. I want you to remember that."
"Always be there for me?"
'No matter what?'
"Yep! You mean to much to me. Anyways let's go. We're almost to the third Aegis."
Those words struck Nia to her very core.
'Thank You Rex. Thank You.'
As the group enters Addams tomb they notice the giant crest of the world tree on the wall of his tomb that looks very similar to the one in Amalthus' throne room. As the group climbs up the stairs leading to the center of the tomb a dark cloud engulfs the entire tomb.
"What's going on?"
Suddenly four dark shadows appear from the cloud and the shadows look ready to attack.
"Everyone be on your guard!"
Everyone gets into fighting position against the shadows. The fight is actually the hardest one they've had yet as it seems that everytime one gets close to death it spawns two more of itself. Combined with the ether being almost nonexistent in the chamber leads to Tora and Poppi QTπ heavily carrying the team in this fight. But even Poppi begins to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of shadows that have spawned.
"Everyone there's to many of them!"
"We cannot give up we must vanquish the enemy."
"We gotta beat all of them chum, there's no way out."
"Rex-Rex, Tora can't hold out much longer."
Nia watches in horror as all of her friends are on there last legs against an opponent who seems to keep getting stronger and stronger with there relentless assault. Suddenly Nia decides that she only has one option left...
"No more... No more... NO MORE!!!"
Suddenly the room gets flooded with ether and everyone turns their heads to look at Nia who is being enveloped in water. Nia emerges from the water in her blade form.
"Nia..."
"...Shes a..."
"...blade?..."
"It's true, I'm a blade."
"...not just a blade..."
"Thank you Rex. I am burdened no longer by my true form. You helped me realize that Rex that I shouldn't be afraid of what I am. Because I have people who love me, and Rex... I love you!"
Rex can feel his heart soar in the air when he hears that. Suddenly Nia summons her own blade and begins to vaporize the shadows with her power while everyone gets healed up. Without even realizing it some of the shadows sneak up on Nia and attack her from behind. When Nia is down and she thinks she's going to be struck by the shadow, she ends up closing her eyes only for there not to be any hit. She opens her eyes and finds Rex in front of her protecting her. Rex takes down the shadows that were going to hit Nia then turns around and extends his hand to Nia.
"Nia I love you too!"
"Huh?"
"I've felt the same way for a while, but I never knew how to say it. Luckily it looks like you beat me to it."
Just to act slick when Nia grabs Rex's hand and Rex starts pulling her up, Nia uses the momentum to pull in and kiss Rex. She can feel the warmth coming off of his face from it and he reciprocates.
"Bet you weren't expecting that."
"That felt... amazing."
"Here."
Nia gives Rex her blade and Rex continues the fight hacking and slashing through the enemies. After a while a voice can be heard by everyone, the shadows disappear, and a bright light shines on the world tree crest. Suddenly a white light envelops Rex. To everyone else Rex stands there motionlessly.
"Rex are you alright? Rex? Rex?"
Nia continues to tap Rex on the shoulder but nothing.
"So... your a blade?"
Nia realizes that the rest of the group is focused on her at the moment.
"Technically a flesh eater."
"Why Nia hide awesome power?"
"Because I was scared of showing the world my true form, to put it simply the world gave me the impression that flesh eaters were an undesirable kind which is why I always felt ashamed of it."
"What kind of powers do you have?"
"I can control water and I'm the greatest healing blade to ever exist. I could even resurrect you from the dead."
"Then that means you... Thank you Nia. You saved Emperor Niall's life and saved Rex's life. I am eternally in your debt."
"Oh no need to do all that."
"On a different note, sooooo you DID have the hots for Rex! I knew it!"
"It's true, I've loved him for a while and I am so happy he feels the same way."
"That kiss was super smooth."
"Yeah well I try."
"I think I'll do you one better."
Everyone suddenly realizes that Rex has come back to them. Rex grabs Nia around the waist, pulls her close, and gives her a passionate kiss on the lips that catches everyone by surprise. When Rex finishes he can see the dark red blush on the entirety of Nia's face.
"WOOOOOHOOOOO!! NICE GOING CHUM!!"
After that Rex turns around and begins to walk towards the podium at the end of the chamber and the third Aegis sword begins to accend from the pedestal.
"That's the..."
"...Third Aegis..."
As Rex pulls out the blade and feels the power of it the blade begins to disintegrate.
"WHAT?!" Everyone shouts in unison.
"We did all of that for nothing?!"
"It has been down here a long time."
"Maybe get to old and turn to dust?"
"Rex, I'm so sorry."
"It's fine. I know exactly what to do."
"Are you sure?"
"I know he's sure, I've seen the look in those eyes once before. You've seen something we can't see haven't you?"
Rex nods his head.
"I see."
"Come on everyone, we've got some rescuing to do."
to be continued...