Wild Attack of Monster Spider and Monster Blade!
Rex and Rana's group are still following Vandham through the path as the boys are learning so much from this man, discovering things they never knew before, and wonder what else they are going to learn next.
"So, Risty, you were raised in that village?" Rex asked.
"Yeah, been there ever since I was around five to six with my parents though they died two years later." Risty explained.
"I'm sorry for your lost." Rana apologized hopefully to make Risty feel better.
"Thanks, but that's all in the past and I learned to move on." Risty shrugged.
"But Risty is never the type of woman to ever forget about them even when they're no longer around anymore, you could say that makes her a big softy." Swan stated with a wink.
"I think you need to shut that mouth of yours before I shut it for you." Risty glared at her Blade.
"You know, seeing you two interact like that feels like you two had a deep history." Rana commented.
"That's because I've known her for the past eight years since I resonated her, and she was a big pain in the ass." Risty chuckled with a smile.
"But despite the differences, you two still work together as one like true friends." Pyra believed.
"Sheesh, try to make us look sappy, why don't you?" Risty asked sarcastically.
"Hey Vandham, where exactly are we going?" Ymir asked.
"You'll see it when we get there, which is probably now." Vandham answered as they stumble upon a large creature that appears to be already dead.
"Like I thought." Vandham said as everyone stops.
"Whoa, is that…" Rana paused shock.
"A Titan, and a dead one as well." Cattleya finished that sentence, feeling sad for the majestic creature.
"So, that weird power effect they clocked, maybe this is the cause?" Rex wondered, shock of seeing a dead Titan up close like this.
"Yeah, sure looks like it." Vandham nodded.
"I'll hazard it wasn't death by old age either." Azurda said popping out from Rex's helment.
"You're right, this one still looks like it could live on for at least a few more centuries." Risty stated.
"Might have been an accident, on the other hand, it might have been attacked." Azurda theorized of what could have happened to this Titan.
"But what could have possibly taken down a Titan?" Ymir wondered.
"I think that answer is about to come to us!" Agata jumped in fear.
The reason for Agata feeling scared right now is because a large spider like creature is crawling towards them most likely to eat them, and right beside the big spider creature is another creature that appears to be more humanoid and monster looking as it growls at them.
"An Arachno, I always hated those damn things." Risty glared.
"Memem! Look at what giant spider monster has with it!" Tora pointed at the humanoid monster creature.
"Is that… A Blade!" Rana shocked.
"There's no doubt from seeing its Core Crystal, that's definitely a Blade." Cattleya said looking serious right now.
"Seems like this Titan dying off has stirred up something else!" Vandham said.
"Does anyone know what kind of Blade that is or at least heard of that one." Agata asked.
"Not all Blades are known though I do feel like I've seen that Blade before, I think the name was… Wulfric." Nia tried to remember if that is the same Blade she seen before.
Wulfric is huge and powerful, resembling an insectoid demon. He has two long, curving antenna, spikes lining his arms and legs, and a segmented tail. On each shoulder, he has a sort of exhaust channel.
"Hold on, I thought Blades couldn't go around without a Driver resonating it." Rex confused.
"Questions for later, right now we have to fight those two monsters." Vandham brought out the dual scythe weapons.
"He's right, we need to crush these bugs." Risty pulled out her mace and Swan got in her fighting stance.
The Elder Arachno screech loud as the giant spider monster and Wulfric charge together against the heroes in the attempt to destroy them.
"We should split up to take them on each." Rana suggested.
"Good idea, one team will deal with the Elder Arachno while the others keep that Blade from helping out." Vandham nodded, thinking Rana is doing good thinking like a Driver.
"Rana, how about you take the Wulfric?" Rex asked.
"Sure, I can do that." Rana nodded.
"Nia, Dromarch, Ymir, Agata, you guys help me and Cattleya deal with the Wulfric." Rana commanded.
"Sure kid, I can spare some time to deal with a hot shot for that." Nia grinned.
"It would be an honor to fight along your side." Dromarch smiled.
"You can count on us to watch your back." Ymir said feeling confident as she holds Agata's spiky axe as the blade woman nods.
"That leaves the rest of us to deal with the Elder Arachno." Pyra stated.
"Tora and Poppi will do very best to assist Rex-Rex!" Tora promised.
"Roger, roger!" Poppi nodded.
"Then let's get to it before they could do some serious harm to others if they are let loose." Swan pointed out.
(Music: No Scared, ONE OK ROCK—Zankyo Reference)
Rana and his group are charging at Wulfric while Rex's group deals with the Elder Arachno.
Wulfric roars at the incoming new pray as he charges at them swinging his sword to clash against them as Rana swung the spear fast to parry it past him, then Nia jumps above the boy doing a spin attack to push him back.
Dromarch jumps in letting out his sonic roar attack forcing the black monster Blade back several feet while Ymir runs around on her left, she swings upward at the Blade though he saw this coming and blocks it with his sword then kick her down.
"Weak." Wulfric mocked the little girl as he gets ready to swing his sword down on the girl.
"Oh no, you don't!" Cattleya jumped high with her head above her head.
The giant sword wielding mother Blade comes down to strike down hard at Wulfric though he manages to just back to dodge it, he slams down his sword to unleash a big straight line of fire at her only for Agata to block it with the forcefield move.
"Agata!" Ymir threw the spiky axe back to the Blade who caught it.
Agata charges at Wulfric making them clash their weapons against each other, he slams down his sword for another fire attack only for Agata to jump away and Cattleya is riding on top of Dromarch for a charging that struck on the side.
Meanwhile, the Elder Arachno charges in to attack but Tora blocks its path with a rock attack from his shield pushing it back a few feet, then Poppi flies in attacking around on all sides. This made the spider monster angry as it goes up a little then slams down its pointy legs at Risty and Swan who were able to block them with the mace and leg-brace.
"Allow me to remove the weight, ladies." Roc offered and flew in with an upper wind attack forcing the Arachno to stand up for a moment.
"Vandham, I got the front, and you got the back!" Rex suggested.
"Heh, go right ahead, kid." Vandham smirked.
Rex unleashes a strong flying fire slash attack that forces the Elder Arachno to fall backward though its back would never be able to touch the ground because Vandham is right behind it, and he swung both scythe blades with a power Arte wind attack causing it to go forward again.
"Poppi, give monster a painful back massage!" Tora ordered.
"Roger, roger!" Poppi flew faster than punch on the back so hard that she made a tiny crack on the shell making the Arachno screech in pain.
"Pyra, you're turn!" Rex tossed the Burning Sword into the air.
"I won't let you down!" Pyra determined as she jumps high and caught the sword into her hand.
"Pyra, use your flame on Swan's legs. You're going to love what's going to happen next." Risty smirked.
"Trust us!" Swan added with a little shout.
"Okay, if you say so." Pyra nodded, deciding on to trust those two bandits/friends to do whatever they need to do.
Pyra launches a couple of flaming slashes at Swan who smiles getting that exciting feeling this is going to be hot, in a bad way for the giant spider monster, as she jumps and spins around fast with her legs outward to catch them onto the greaves causing them to burn up, in an awesome way.
"Now onto you, Risty!" Swan tossed the greaves at her Driver.
"Oh man, we haven't done that move in a while. Hope I haven't forgotten on how to do it." Rsity smirked.
Risty pierces her mace onto the ground before jumping to caught them on her legs and look down to find herself right above the Arachno.
"Grand Stomp, Fire version!" Risty launched herself down and stomped so strong that she forces the Arachno flat down on its belly.
"That was amazing!" Rex cheered.
"Quite the move you two have." Azurda complimented.
"Thanks, though our move is usually her light element. I added the fire part to the name." Risty explained.
"And it was a glaze of glory to witness!" Swan smirked.
"Don't rest just yet, that thing is still kicking." Vandham alerted as the Elder Arachno is getting back up.
"No way, it can still move after taking on an attack like that!' Rex shocked.
"These buggers are always the hard ones to kill, but they also have weaknesses like its underbelly for instance. We attack the belly again and we can take it down." Vandham explained.
"Then we'll let you handle setting it up for me and Pyra." Rex said.
"Now you're thinking like a Driver." Vandham impressed and look over to Rana's group seeing they are doing well against that Blade too.
"Okay Roc, wind up and make it a big one!" Vandham ordered as he tosses the scythes back to Roc.
"Oh, I'm gonna make a strong wind, alright." Roc grinned and caught his weapons.
Roc focus his power summoning a mighty wind around the Elder Arachno creating a tornado to lift it up about twenty feet into the air, then he charges in for a slash attack causing it to flip over for its belly side to be facing upward.
"Let's go together, Pyra!" Rex said running up to the tornado.
"Ready when you are, Rex!" Pyra smiled running alongside him.
Nia just blocked an attack from Wulfric being push back then turn to see what Rex's group is about to do.
"Rana, things are about to be done over there." Nia informed.
"Then we better finish this too!" Rana determined.
"We can help with that!" Ymir nodded.
Nia, Dromach, Ymir, and Agat charge together attacking Wulfric nearly the same time to keep him distracted for Rana and Cattleya to perform their special move together.
"ENOUGH!" Wulfric shouted in rage and push them all back with a flaming blade attack.
But the others didn't mind because they have done their job as Rana and Cattleya have just finish charging up and aim the Giant Slayer sword right at the enemy Blade.
"Giant Slayer Charge!" Cattleya and Rana charged together landing a powerful strike onto Wulfric who was helpless to defend against and being sent flying.
"Burning Sword!" Rex and Pyra shouted together and thrusted down unleashing a powerful stream of fire right at the belly of the beast causing a big explosion.
The smoke cleared showing the Elder Arachno laying on its back dead from that attack while Wulfric just landed knocked out right to the giant spider monster.
(Music End)
Rana's group ran up to Rex and the others as the brothers high-five each other seeing their work well done.
"Well done, Rana. You really pulled your weight more than usual out there." Rex complimented.
"You were pretty awesome yourself." Rana chuckled.
"I am glad to see everyone is okay." Cattleya smiled as she looks at the party group, all still in one piece.
"Hey, look!" Tora pointed at Wulfric.
Everyone turn to see Wulfric is glowing for a second then turns into a Core Crystal.
"The Blade returned to its core." Rex surprised.
"That answered my question earlier." Rana said.
"Meaning that monster was in resonance with Wulfric." Pyra realized.
"Tora cannot resonate, stinky monster can resonate. Not fair!" Tora complained.
"Hey no, little brother, have you forgotten that you're already a Driver of the world's first artificial Blade." Ymir reminded and gesture to Poppi.
"Yes, Masterpon has Poppi." Poppi said with her hands on her hips.
"Oh, Poppi!" Tora smiled.
"So, that's what happens when loses its Driver." Rana said looking at the Core Crystal.
"That's right, if the Driver dies then the Blade winds up like this." Vandham informed.
"So, is it like dead?" Rex asked.
"Nah, the crystal'll start glowing again after a bit of time then a new Driver can resonate with it." Vandham explained.
"That's true, any Blade can be resonate with a new Driver, but… there is a price that is unfortune to be paid." Cattleya mentioned looking sad at the moment.
"Price, what do you mean, momma?" Rana asked feeling concern.
"She means the Blade's memories will be totally zapped. It'll be reborn as a new Blade, won't remember a thing." Vandham revealed that part.
"Really? No memories at all, everything that the Blade has done with the Driver will be lost forever!" Rana shocked.
"I'm afraid that's how it has and always will be the fate for us Blades." Dromarch stated.
"That's rough… To have all of your past wiped out like that." Rex looked down at the Core Crystal feeling sad for the Blades as they would be forced to lose the memories of their previous Drivers when being resonate with the new ones.
"But memories can be… painful as well. They can be a terrible burden. And a Blade can live forever, as long as the crystal exists. It's just as well, Eternity is a long time to collect bad memories." Pyra stated.
"Pyra." Rex concerned for the way Pyra is talking right now.
"I'm sorry. I was just thinking, sometimes being able to forget is a… blessing." Pyra proclaimed.
"I don't know, sounds very lonely to me. If we end up forgetting things, then what would be the point moving forward." Rana stated which caught Pyra's attention.
"C'mon! Let's get finished up here!" Vandham reminded everyone they're still on a job as he walks up to the dead Titan.
The dead Titan's body started to glow while Vandham took out a certain, special object as he goes back to the group showing this to everyone.
"A Core Crystal!" Tora excited.
"And a fresh one too!" Ymir amazed.
"What?!" Rana and Rex shocked and confused at the same time.
"Duh, the Core Crystals comes out from Titans making them brand new to be resonate into this world." Risty explained.
"Think of it like a big, steak, right before you take that first bite. It'll probably end up buddying up with a bunch of Drivers. Every time the Driver dies, it'll forget everything and return to its core. Eventually, it'll resonate with a new Driver. Drivers dying, Titans dying, the Blade just keeps on living through it all, it's a never-ending cycle. An eternal history." Vandham explained deeply.
"That's really sad, but it's nothing that we can do about it." Rana exclaimed, understanding this even though he doesn't like it.
"Yeah, and us mortals will never be able to understand." Vandham stated.
"But it's always important that the Blades can still go on as our legacy for the next Driver to pick up the torch." Risty believed.
"It's incredible." Rex commented and Pyra walks up to the glowing dead Titan praying it before the Titan vanishes, and this got him thinking about something.
"(But… Pyra already had a body when we found her. Could her old Driver still be alive somewhere? No, I don't think that's the case…)" Rex thought tried to figure out what makes Pyra the exception to the rules.
"Come on, we done our job here. Time to head back." Risty said and everyone walks back to the little camp town.
KO a new chapter is done and hope you all enjoy it!
The group has taken care of the spider monster that was surprisingly partnered with a Blade which I'm still confuse of how can a monster be a Driver, but the Salvage Brothers have also learned a lot more about Blades going through the endless cycle of their life.
KO comment, favorite, and follow through of how this story will go!