I'm going to start this author notes talking about the elephant in the room: Rex's age. Most of last chapter comments were about Rex's age and I will explain.
When I played the game they never said about Rex's canonical age, there's was a conversation at the very beginning that Nia said to Rex "Are you twelve?" Is not exactly and it was she teasing him but I didn't completely get it because Rex said that she wasn't any older than him, so I thought that Rex was twelve.
This is a fanfic, a fictional work that doesn't follow the original source because is my imagination. So if I want him to be 12 or 50, I do it because is the story I'm writing. I'm not insulting or complaining about those comments, I just want to write him with that age.
This is not the first fanfic that characters changes ages, they are College Au, child AU, time travels AU, Etc. Au.
Sorry if I confuse some people because of his age, now let me thank you for supporting this story. I was quite surprise of how much feedback I got, Xenoblade 2 is not that famous in this site but I'm glad that this fic got a well reception.
Chapter 2: The legend of the Aegis.
Blades were not like humans, some of them managed to mimic their appearance but they will never be a like human. If the glowing crystal attached to their chest was not enough proof, blades were above people. Heck, even the most regular of regular blades had the strength of two adult men.
So imagine the level of two rare blades clashing. The impact of their weapon pushed every person standing close to them.
Rex stared at both blades, their strength was something beyond his expectations. Kos-mos canons fired bullets incredible fast while T-elos swing her scythe without difficulties. The dark skinned blade had an amazing speed to be able to parry all those blasts, she was a genius, she was better than Bana's bodyguards.
T-elos waited to get an opening to get close to her, so she slowly walked towards her while blocking her attacks. Kos-mos realized her plan so she don't only fired faster she took her distance away from her.
"Kos-mos!" The scythe wielder blade rushed her to her opponent, Kos-mos immediately stopped her attack with her two guns. "Sharp as always, looks like all those years sleeping didn't affect you."
"I'm always prepared for battle, T-elos." The girl kicked her and followed it with a hit of her gun in her forehead. "Stop this foolishness."
She frowned, the previous attack hadn't affected her or at least she hide it pretty well. Changing her stance, she prepared for a new rush-
"Stop it!" But their short battle was interrupted by that boy. "Stop fighting!"
"You again?" T-elos was looking him like he was some kind of annoying bug. "Bygone! You're a nuisance!"
"Understood."
"What?!"
Kos-mos deactivated her battle mode and disdain her ether canons; in other words, she was completely unarmed. T-elos could easily cut off her head, she had the perfect angle to do it but it will be meaningless, a effortless victory.
"What are you doing, Kos-mos?! Fight me!"
"I will not. Master, has ordered us to stop and his orders are absolute."
"Following orders that easily? You just change drivers and follow orders without any doubts?"
"Of course. We're Blades, T-elos. Our whole existence is for the sake of our drivers."
"Tch!"
"Can you both calm down?! Jeez!"
"Understood, Master/ Don't order me." They said at the same time, this was going to be troublesome.
"I can't believe it…." One of the masked individuals was dumbfounded. "Adam's blades…."
Adam like….the legendary hero Adam?! The ones from tales that Odinne always told to all of them before sleep?! He was real?!
The blades moved their eyes to the masked individuals. "You people own us an explanation." Rex said to them with crossed arms.
"Very well, you bonding with these two are enough for us."
"Before you start…" Azurda interrupted. "that symbols of yours…is the Torna symbol, right?"
"Yes…we are the people of Torna."
"That can't be, the Torna Empire was destroyed five hundred years ago and its people died on a Titan that died soon after."
"Some of us survive, Titan." The man answered. "Ever since then we have been looking for the rest of the Aegis blades."
"You been looking for us?"
"Yes and for someone that could wield you….and today look that our quest has finally got results." The man looked at Rex. "Young boy, this may be too much to ask but please! We need your help!"
"W-What are you talking about?!"
"Listen to us. The praetorium is looking for the Aegis blades, we cannot let them have them."
"Wait! What're you talking about?! Why Indol is involve with this?! And what the heck is a Aegis blade?!"
"That will be us, runt." T-elos answered angrily. "The fact that you don't know what the Aegis is shows how smart you truly are."
"T-elos, stop insulting Master lack of intelligence."
"Oi, I'm here…"
"You…You don't know the legend of the Aegis, kid?"
"Of course I know it! The Aegis is the most powerful blade of all. It was made as a gift from the Architect and it was the hero Adam's companion."
"There are half-truths on your story. Is true of the origin of the Aegis and she was Adam's partner, or rather, two of them were." He pointed at the blades. "When the Aegis was created by the Architect, its power was above all being on Alrest. But that same power made it impossible to be hold by a mortal, that's why-"
"The Architect divided the Aegis into twelve pieces, each one having a part of the original power and an element of nature. Then thousands of years passed and now we here listen to that stupid origin story." T-elos finished for him. "It's our story, of course we're going to know it!"
"I-If that's true then why there's no tale that speak of more than one Aegis?"
"The story was changed by the Praetorium so people didn't dedicate their lives to find them."
"Glad that you people didn't get the memo."
"Our people told the truth story behind the Aegis for many generations, Lady T-elos. It is our story as well."
"How is that I know about this now? I was born in Torna!"
"Gramps, you're from Torna?!"
"Yes, I born under the royal palace like many other Titans."
"I see…Azurda, huh? The survival of our people is thanks for the help of…some third party."
"Pardon me, sir." Kos-mos talked to them for the first time. "I appreciate your knowledge but I will ask you to order your companions to put down your weaponry before talking even further."
"Lady Kos-mos, I assure that we don't have any intentions of-
"Then explain why my Master's hand is injured."
All the Torna people freeze in fear, they didn't have a proper answer to said but their silence gave the obvious.
"I repeat: Order your companion to put weapon down."
"…Do as she says." And they did. "Is that enough?"
"No. Explain what happen to Lord Adam."
"Lord Adam died five hundred years ago."
The two blades dind't say nothing, they remain in silence. Kos-mos was impossible to read because of her emotionless face and T-elos…he could have sworn that she wined her eyes for a second before she return to her usual self.
"For that information, I assume that we're currently in the year 3064."
"Yes."
"Sorry, but I want to ask some things about what happening." Rex raised his hand. "Why…were you looking for T-elos?"
"Honestly, we didn't know to who belong those Core crystals. The only thing we knew is they belong to Aegis blades."
"And how do you know?"
"Our leader gave us a radar to localize you."
"Your leader?"
"Our leader is the one who build our radar and is the one who give us the task to find you all."
"And why is that?"
"So that you don't end up in the wrong hands?"
"That's why you people were paying so much for getting them…"
"Yes and money is always a goof incentive for people and speaking of money, you won't get any of it."
"WHAT?! I-I find them! That was the job and you guys shot me for that!"
"And we apologise for that, Mister Rex. But is better that your discovery and their identities remain as a secret."
"I hide for no one, human. IF they dare to attack me, I will exterminate them."
"Can you say the same about your driver, Lady T-elos."
"He can hide if he wants, I will deal with them."
"T-elos. Engaging enemies with a plan is reckless. Your bloodlust can end in the death of our Master and I will not allow it."
"Oooh, I will like to see you trying." T-elos smiled defiantly at her.
"Stop, you two." It was Azurda who stopped them this time. "Fighting each other will get us nowhere or did girls forget what Adam told you back then?"
"Like I care what a dead idiot wants! Or you think that you can take me down, Azurda?"
"You're literally on me. I can throw you away if I want."
"ANYWAYS! We need to know what to do! Fight later, please!"
"What did I tell you about order me around, little runt?"
"Master Rex." The man called for his attention. "Listen to me, the Praetorium is looking for them since their foundation. You cannot let them have them, no matter what. Is too much ask, and even if we start by the wrong, we beg you that you find the other Aegis blades and protect them."
"W-Why me…?"
"Because you're only Aegis driver we find in the last five hundred years…and if there's something we can learn from the past, everything pass for a reason…"
"So…how-how do I find them?"
"Aegis blades had the ability to known when there's another of them close….just travel the world and you will eventually find them."
"But they are twelve of them! How will I do it?!"
"You already have two in less than a day…that's more than we able to do in the last centuries…" The man looked at his partners. "We're taking our leave. Try to keep our meeting as a secret as well the true identity of the Blades."
"Do you honestly think that I'm going to do your homework, human?"
"I hope that you fulfill the role your father give you, my lady."
"How dare you!"
"Master Rex, good luck. Let's go everyone!"
In a matter of seconds all the torna left Azurda's back and returned to their ship. The ship abandoned the place at full speed, leaving the boy and the blades at their own.
Rex turned his eyes to the Blades or rather, his blades.
"Emmm…." He put his hand behind his head and smiled. "Nice…to meet you."
Rex invited the girsl inside his warehouse. Kos-mos was standing before him and staring him with those big red eyes. T-elos in the other hand was sitting on his bed with both her legs and arms crossed.
The glasses girl was giving stares at the robotic blade. She was looking a chance to fight her again but Kos-mos, for the best, was ignoring her.
"Okay….we started bad…so, we're going to start from the start. I'm Rex and I guess that I'm your driver."
"You're not our driver, boy."
"He is, T-elos"
"I refuse to be in charge of another human, specially a little baby who doesn't know a thing about his getting in."
"Okay, why do you hate me so much?"
"Please, don't flatter yourself too much, boy. I despise every human in this junkyard that you so call "home". The fact that our species is only capable of existing by bonding infuriates me to the point of murder."
"But aren't you the hero Adam's blade?"
"Hero Adam?...HAHAHAHHAHAHA!" T-elos burst into a laugh. "That idiot is a hero?! Oh my, that's so stupid! I couldn't expect less from you humans!" She laughed for a while. "Listen, you little runt. Me and Kos-mos were part of his "team" but don't get the wrong idea, the only reason why I was at his side is because he was the only reason why I was living. At any point thought of him as my master or companion, he was just a means to an end. As a matter of fact, my situation remains the same after five hundred years."
Rex didn't say nothing to her, it was obvious was her stance was. "What about you, Kos-mos?"
"I'm a blade and as one is my duty to follow my Master to the end."
"But…what about Adam?"
"Adam Orodou was our former Driver but you are our Driver now, Master. So my loyalty is towards you now."
"I see…."
"That's how she works, boy." T-elos commented. "Kos-mos is not different from a doll, so don't expect her to be expressive. Although, her blind loyalty towards her driver can be very useful if you considerate a doll as a releable partner."
"Hey, don't speak to her like that."
"Or what? Like a little runt like you could make me hush."
"T-elos, if you dare to harm our Master. I will engage you."
"Then I should start, don't I?" T-elos smirked.
"Okay! Just what is your problem?! Since the moment you appeared you haven't be nothing but rude with me and now her!"
"Master, if I may." Kos-mos for the first time interrupted him. "T-elos has the habit of antagonist every person she meets, specifically her Master and other blades. I can recall a similar situation when Adam synchronised with us five hundred years ago."
"I don't antagonise, in order to do so I have to considerate them a treat from the beginning. I actually think of you like nuisances."
"That sounds like antagonise to me." He rolled his eyes. "But…what should I do with you two? If what those people said was true then you girls should be get into hiding."
"Understand."
"No." T-elos frowned. "I'm not hiding from anyone and I don't need the help from a brat."
"T-elos, your attitude is not benefit for us. We do not know our current situation, it is suitable to be cautious to our new approach to humanity."
"Like I care, if they dare to get I will annihilate them."
"Y-you won't kill anyone…right?"
"She will. Since her first awakening, T-elos has murder 53 human beings."
"WHAT?!"
"You're seriously counting that?"
"Alright, I will be your driver."
"I never ask you to be. Do you even listen what I say?"
"Of course, that's why someone needs to be there to stop you of killing more people."
"And why you think I should listen to you?"
"For starters, if you do something to me you will return to be a core crystal."
"And?"
"T-elos, I already worn you that I will let you don't do anything to Master."
"Tch!"
"Have you guys end?" A voice called from the outside. "Sorry to interrupt you, Rex. But I need to talk with this two." Azurda called for the blades, Kos-mos looked at Rex, waiting to get his permission to go.
He nodded with his head, allowing her to left the warehouse. T-elos looked how her "sister" left her behind and frowned again. She said something that Rex couldn't hear and stand up with her arms crossed, mimicking a anger teenager after being force to do something she don't like.
Rex followed them behind, Azurda's head was turned back to engage a conversation with them. The old Titan stared at them in silence, almost nostalgic. "It certainly has been too long since we last meet. Kos-mos. T-elos."
"I'm actually more surprised that you managed to live this long, Azurda. After all, you are a tiny compared to the other Titans." The dark skinned blade answer with her usual rudeness. "To believe that Titan will become a vehicle for a brat is almost sad…"
"Ah, there is that sharp tongue of yours." Rex was surprised that he didn't get mad at her. While he was very kind and paternal to him, Azurda still have some fire when people insulting him or his close ones. "Rex, don't listen get mad with her. She says all this stuff but in reality she is surprisingly caring."
"Huh?!" The tone of the glass wearing blade was full of dread. "I think that age is starting to make you go senile, Azurda."
"While I don't believe that your brain has deteriorated, I agree with T-elos. She is a heartless being that will murder everyone who wrongs her."
"Are you defending me or insulting me?"
"Either way, you both remember what happen to Torna after the attack of O-Ni?"
"Tch, don't make me remember that bitch. I'm still haven't her pay me for last time."
"O-Ni? Who is she?"
"O-Ni is one of the twelve Aegis Blades, the one we have to fight back at Torna five hundred years ago."
"She's also a bitch."
"Language, T-elos. There's a kid present."
"I heard about that tale, if is it real then why she was fighting against you?"
"O-ni had an aversion towards Drivers and Blades."
"Yeah, she was all about "our freedom" and stuff like that. After a couple of fights she started to sound like a broken recorder, I wish that I could give her the final blow. The bitch died before I could get my hands on her."
"Didn't you say think that we were all pestilent?"
"Yes but I'm not the one who destroyed a whole Titan."
"Leaving her aside, what I want to tell you is that things have changed since that day. For starters, Amalthus is the new Praetor of Indol."
"What?! That spineless bastard is the Praetor?! You humans were always stupid, but having him as the Praetor shows how stupid you beings are!" T-elos was screaming her guts out.
"D-Do you know him?"
"Amalthus was the former Driver of O-Ni, the first Aegis driver to be exactly. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to control her power and she went rogue as a consequence. Addam reunited all the Aegis blade he could found to subjugate her."
"Indeed, since he became the next Praetor, Indol become the entity that regulates all core crystal shipments around Alrest. Before knowing that you were inside that crystal we were going to send you to Indol."
"Great, I'm glad that I can trust you. Hope that nothing happen to me when I'm sleeping."
"S-Sorry…"
"I'm telling you all this because of what that Torna person say. Is weird they don't trust Indol and no one is looking for you except this people. Heck, I didn't pass in my mind to try to find you girls."
"Go to the point, Azurda."
"We're heading to Lefhteria. Rex's house is there, we're going to stop there and rethink our plan."
"Oh, do you have a plan?"
"Not yet, at least until we reach Lefhteria." He turned his head towards the cloud sea. "You both should rest, we'll arrive tomorrow. I'll wake you up."
The blades started at their Master, Kos-mos was waiting for an order while T-elos was defying him with her stare. "Don't think I'm going to sleep on the floor. The bed is mine." The dark skinned girl walked back inside the warehouse.
"What about you?"
"I'm waiting for your orders, Master."
Yeah…this was going to be a long night…..
Sorry if the chapter feels a little chopped but it was gettin to long, hope that you people like the story. Now, let me say this: Mahlos won't be on the story. The original Aegis was divided into twelve parts, both Kos-mos and T-elos are part of them. So is O-Ni. I said before that this fanfic will have characters from other games as Blades and O-Ni is part of those girls.
The name has a hidden message that reveals who is the real character that O-Ni is based on. And while O-Ni is replacing Mahlos's role...she is not a carbon copy and she won't do the exact things like he did in the original source. She has her own motives and goals.
And thank you for your support, I'm quite please of the feedback I got