After the explosion the group was fine for the most part. Unfortunately for them the attack destroyed the bridge to the next area up and the group was forced to go back inside the world tree in order to continue to go up. On the way up Rex talks to his group about what had just happened.
"I can't believe Amalthus betrayed us. I thought he was on our side."
"I kept telling ya not to listen to Amalthus but because he was also an Aegis driver you chose to just listen to him."
"I'm starting to see why you didn't trust Amalthus. I should've never doubted you."
"Aww Rex it's fine. You just didn't think that he'd have an ulterior motive."
"You're right. What we need to do right now is somehow stop Amalthus from destroying the world tree with the Indol titan. What we need to do is get to a higher place so that we can find a way to stop Amalthus' control over the titan. Mythra, can you find a way to a higher place?"
"Let me check."
Mythra turns into Pnema and logs into a mainframe of the world tree to find a route. After a few seconds Pnema turns back into Mythra.
"There is a dock that juts out just a little bit further up. We can make it there in about ten minutes."
"Alright let's get moving."
"Yeah."
It took the group about twenty minutes to get to the dock due to all the robots that were inside of the world tree. Once the group arrives they are in utter shock to see that not only has Indol been fighting Torna this whole time but that all of the other large titans have also been called forth. To top it all off the Tornan ship is now a giant mech that is spewing hundreds of artificial blades out to attack the oncoming titans.
"Mor Adrain..."
"Tantal..."
"Gormott..."
"Come on guys we can't let this slow us down. If anything we need to work even faster to destroy whatever is causing all of this."
"Right. We must make haste."
"Rex look."
Mythra points at a tower on the Indol titan that is emmiting a green light with ether so potent that it's visible.
"I think that's what we need to destroy."
"I think you're right. But how do we get over there?"
"Rex-Rex use Poppi. Because of Form QTπ, Poppi can carry Rex-Rex and Mythra to titan, drop Rex-Rex and Mythra to attack tower, then Poppi can fly Rex-Rex and Mythra back."
"I am so thankful we built that new form."
"Poppi is very powerful. Can easily lift both of you."
"Good to hear. But it does look like we have to get to the end of this dock."
"It shouldn't be that hard."
In reality it was quite easy. Once the group makes it to the end of the dock Poppi, Rex, and Mythra all jump off the dock with Rex and Mythra holding on to Poppi. Once they get close enough Poppi throws them at full force right at the tower. As they're falling Mythra transforms into Pnema and her and Rex unleash a devastating attack that completely wipes out the tower and control of all blades and titans.
As Rex and Pnema are falling Poppi swoops down and catches both of them and lands them safely on the dock. Unfortunately for them Amalthus still has control over his titan of Indol and he fires another deadly beam right at them. It was to fast for any of them to react and it looks as if they are doomed to be hit. Luckily for them the Tornan Mech quickly flies in the way of the attack and tanks it for the group.
"I can't just let you lot die. I thought you were pretty fun."
"Mik? Mik is that you?"
"It sure is. Have ya missed me?"
"But why would you save us?"
"Because of my hatred for humanity."
"What?"
"You all remind me of back then. To me you all have given me hope that humanity isn't completely doomed with people like you living in this world. Hey Rex was it? I believe your the person we've all been looking for this whole time. I'm glad to have met you all, even if it was as enemies. Now go! Get out of here. You must stop Malos and bring peace to this world."
"Mikhail, I'll do my best!"
With that the group runs towards the world tree to continue there journey towards the top. On the way they hear a loud thud against the tree and a few moments later a giant explosion that is felt throughout the entire tree. For a moment Rex looks back and says quitely to himself:
"Thank you."
As the group is running through a long corridor they make it to the end where they find Jin waiting for them.
"Jin, where's Malos?"
"I told him to go on ahead."
"But I thought that was your goal the entire time."
"I have a new goal."
"And what would that be?"
"Stopping you right here and right now so that I will finally learn what makes you all continue to go on with your journey."
"Well thats a simple solution. But I suppose you want to learn it through combat right?"
"Something like that."
Jin transforms and readys his blade.
"Come at me boy, show me what keeps you going!"
"So be it."
Mythra transforms into Pnema and the battle begins.
The fight with Jin is a long and bitter struggle with Jin constantly bringing the temperature down to zero degrees and constantly moving to fast for everyone and absorbing there attacks. Even though Jin is throwing everything he has into the fight in the end Jin falls to the sheer power that is Pnema.
"Gaaagghhh"
As Jin begins to cough up blood Rex decides that this is enough.
"I believe that is enough."
"Kill... me..."
"What?"
"I said... kill... me..."
"No."
"But why... not?"
"You don't deserve to die."
"What do you mean?"
"You must stay alive and repent for your past mistakes. To me you were just misguided. You never really wanted any of this and I feel like I can show you the way but only if you trust me."
Suddenly Jin gets a flashback to Lora saying something similar to that and feels a warmth in his heart that he hasn't felt in centuries.
"I..."
"Jin?"
"Jin!"
Everyone turns there heads to see Akhos and Patroka running towards Jin with looks of worry on there faces.
"Jin are you ok?"
"All of you back off!"
"Akhos... Patroka... there fine."
"What?!"
"I said... there fine."
"But Jin, they're our enemy."
"Maybe... not."
"Jin..."
"Hey you! I think your name was Nia? Get over here and heal Jin."
"I don't have to take orders from you Patroka."
"Please Nia. Heal Jin for us. He's all we have."
After looking to Rex and everyone else Nia decides to heal Jin.
"Thank you."
Suddenly a large tentacle pierces Patroka in the chest and drags her away to everyone's horror. What they then see is almost indescribable at what this tentacle monster is until it speaks.
"I will not let you progress any further."
"Amalthus? Is that you?!"
"Yes Zeke my boy, it is I Amalthus! I am the architect's divine messenger and his angel of destruction! I shall not let you meet thy holy father."
Amalthus then proceeds to crush Patroka's core crystal and tosses her body aside.
"He's completely lost it!"
Akhos looks traumatized at seeing his sister get violently murdered right in front of him. That trauma turns into a boiling rage as he attempts to defeat Amalthus. Amalthus easily catches him with his tentacles and squeezes him extremely tight to where it feels like he'll crush all of his internal organs. Amalthus then tears the core crystal right out of his chest and throws him across the room. Amalthus then throws the core crystal hard enough onto the ground to shatter it.
"That... hurt... a lot more... than I was... expecting...Gaaagggkkkhh."
Akhos begins coughing up blood.
"If... I was... still a blade... then..."
Akhos eyes fade and close. Akhos has passed away.
"AKHOS!! AMALTHUS! YOU BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU!!!"
This is the angriest Rex has ever seen Jin and he is floored by it. Rex snaps out of it and rushes to Jin's side.
"What are you doing boy?! This is MY problem."
"You think I'm NOT going to help you?"
"That kindness is gonna get you killed one of these days."
"You can nag on me all you want later."
Jin felt reminded of Lora again and he felt somewhat reassured by that.
"Fine but don't get in my way."
"Alright, you've got it."
With that the group engages Amalthus. The fight with Amalthus is a tough one but the group barely manages. Amalthus tries to use a last ditch effort attack to finish everyone off.
"If I can't win this fight... then NOBODY CAN!!"
Amalthus then begins to merge with the world tree to try and destroy the entire world tree.
"You fool! You left yourself wide open!"
Jin runs right in front of Amalthus and begins charging his strongest attack imaginable. An attack so powerful that it puts his body at major risk.
"COSMIIIIIIIIICCC FREEEEEEZZZZZEEEE!!!!!"
Jin blasts the strongest attack he has ever released straight at Amalthus. The blast is so cold that it is ten times colder than the vacuum of space. The blast kills Amalthus quite slowly as Amalthus hangs on for a few moments before uttering his final words.
"Father... I have... failed you."
Amalthus has passed away.
Everyone looks over at Jin who is looking off into the distance as he begins to turn into white ether.
"Jin..."
"Rex I have one question for you... What do you find most precious in this world?"
Rex thinks about it for a moment and gives his answer:
"The most precious thing in this world to me... is the people around me. My friends, my family, my community, heck the entirety of Alrest. It's all those lives that I have touched or want to touch. That is what is most precious to me."
Jin looks over at Rex as he continues to fade, for the first time ever Rex sees a smile on Jin's face.
"You remind me so much of her... Thank you Rex. For showing me the way. I don't have much left but I want to give you one thing before I disappear for good."
Jin shoots a small beam of ether right at Rex which is absorbed into his body. Rex is actually surprised at how warm this ether feels especially when it's coming from Jin.
"That may not help now or anywhere in the near future but it's all I can offer as a parting gift."
As Jin begins to completely fade away all that can be heard is the faint sound of Jin's voice say:
"Goodbye Rex."
"Goodbye... Jin."
to be continued...