Chapter 6

I blame sudden addiction to Fallout 3...

I was on Valek Mountain. Everyone was fighting Mumkhar when he harshly clawed Shulk like Wolverine clawed Raiden in their Death Battle. He fell, and everyone rushed over to him.

What is this? I vaguely wondered as Mumkhar approached Dunban from behind and killed him.

"NO!" gasped Shulk, struggling to raise the Monado. "Guys, I'm fine! We have to get him-"

Mumkhar laughed, throwing Dunban's body at the party. "All of you are gonna end up like this guy."

Wait, I thought. Mumkhar never killed anyone in the game, and this is a dream... I blinked. "Huh."

"Do you see?" I turned to see Alvis. "This is what is going to happen at Valek Mountain, despite the Monado II."

"Uh... you don't seem surprised to see me," I commented. "Besides, I'm an outsider. What can I do?"

"I have seen a new future," he told me. "All because you have entered this world, Andrew. This wasn't supposed to happen."

No, I thought. You don't say? "But... Shulk can use the Monado to foresee the future, and attempt to change it, right?"

"Ah. That's the word," spoke Alvis. "He can attempt to. However... you have knowledge of everything that can happen. You can foresee the big events a long time before they happen, while Shulk can see what happens in battle."

I blinked. "What are you trying to say?" I growled as Alvis chuckled. "What's so funny?"

"You ARE a bit dense," he mused. "Well... you and Shulk have to work together. Only with the two of you will everyone manage to survive the whole journey. Besides... you know what I am, don't you?"

You're a Monado, I thought. "Okay. So, are you telling me that they'll all die before reaching even Valek Mountain?"

"Before even meeting Melia," he replied. "In fact... because you're here, Reyn is fated to die against the the Arachno Queen in Tephra Cave, despite Shulk awakening Monado Shield. You will have to act quickly."

Okay, I thought. "So you're telling me that because I'm here, I screwed everyone up so badly even the Monado can't help?"

"I can't foresee that future anymore. Besides, there is no more time for talk, you-" Suddenly Alvis vanished, and I was left on Valek Mountain, left to consider what I had learned.

...

"Ugh..." I woke up and got to my feet. What kind of dream was that? I thought. Geez, why can't I have a simple life? Instead, now I have to face enemies as fierce as stairs... not revealing spoilers... yet. He probably wouldn't believe me...

"Great," I muttered aloud. Right now, I was leaning against a tree. I stiffly got up. "Well. That was interesting." I walked off, and soon came to the entrance to Tephra Cave.

"Hey, Shulk, you look pretty down today," noticed Reyn. His voice came up to me, and I blinked.

Yay, joy, I thought, hiding really quick. The two came to the entrance, and I hid in a shadow.

"Well... I thought that Andrew might... well... never mind." Shulk sighed. "I wish I knew him better."

Well, to live through this journey you're apparently going to have to know me better, I thought. Maybe it's better if I came out clean now... not like I have anything to lose... I emerged. "Shulk!" Eh... this is probably a bad idea...

Shulk looked at me. "Andrew." One of his hands gripped the Monado. "What...?"

"Hi?" I stood as Shulk's hand drifted from his sword. He walked calmly up to me. "I bet you don't trust me." Even though you make really quick friends of all the other party members...

Shulk paused. "I think I can. I don't think you're the kind of person that can be trusted, anyway." He extended a hand.

"Uh... I don't do handshakes," I spoke. "But do you mind if I join up with you guys? You want revenge on that Mechon, right?"

"That's putting it lightly," growled Reyn. "Shulk and I want to destroy it for what it did to Fiora."

Shulk lowered his hand. "Right. At the moment, Reyn and I are going to go through Tephra Cave to try and get to the knee of Bionis. If you want to come along, then let's go."

"Sure," I responded. I followed Shulk and Reyn as they entered Tephra Cave, entering a door that wasn't open before.

We ventured through the cave, with so many paths and twists that I couldn't be bothered to count them all.

"Oh..." Shulk paused, and I almost walked into him. "Bodies..." he breathed. He sounded incredibly sad.

"Let's bury them," suggested Reyn. Shulk nodded, and the two quickly buried the bodies of what I suspected were merchants.

"Alright..." Shulk stood up again. "Let's go on." He led Reyn and I down some more, and finally stopped. "Let's... stay here tonight."

This is the part where we all get ambushed by those dang Arachno, I recalled, as Shulk and Reyn quickly made a fire.

"I'll keep watch. You guys ought to get some rest," suggested Reyn gruffly. "We'll take shifts."

"Sure." Shulk lay down next to fire, placing the Monado next to him as he curled up.

I carefully placed my sword next to me as I lay down next to the fire. How am I ever going to get back to my world? I wondered.

Though I thought I couldn't sleep, the exhaustion from running all day finally caught up to me and I slept.

...

I was awoken abruptly by a startled yell and a loud grunt. I grabbed my sword as I stood, seeing all the little Arachno surround us.

Shulk was panting, and realization dawned in his eyes as he looked around. He grabbed the Monado as he got up, releasing the beam of the blade. "Arachno..." he breathed.

He had a vision in his sleep... I thought. With all the Arachno pressing in on us, we came back to back.

"Oh, this went great," grunted Reyn, sarcasm nearly spilling over in his voice. "A LOT of spiders."

I sighed. I hate spiders. They creep me the hell out. "Let's just kill them so we can do other things."

"Agreed," responded Shulk, as he extended the beam. "I'll start, then you and Reyn go. Alright?"

"Sounds good," I responded while Reyn grunted, Driver at the ready. "Let's do it."

"Here I go!" shouted Shulk. "BUSTER!"

Thanks for reading! Oh, and Happy New Year!