Chapter 17

I froze. There...! I used Time Slow and managed to move so that the bullet shot from the gun grazed my cheek. I leapt away from Dickson. "Zanza, huh?" I grunted. "This escalated quickly."

"Andrew, what's wrong?!" shouted Shulk, rushing by. Dickson growled slightly, turning away from me.

"Nothing," I replied, keeping my eyes on Dickson. "Hmph." I rushed off, impaling a Mechon with Stab Strike. "Mumkhar is-" I froze. FREAKING SPOILERS!

"Mumkhar? Who is that?" asked Shulk, using Air Slash to defeat a Mechon.

"Uh... nothing!" I replied, blocking an attack. "Shulk...!"

"Back Slash!" He took it down. "Also... what was up with you and Dickson?"

"Nothing to worry about," I grunted, as Shulk used Enchant again.

"Everyone, regroup!" he shouted, and the six of us all got into a line facing the Mechon.

"There's no end to them!" grunted Reyn, shoving a Mechon down with his Driver. "Where are they comin' from?"

"I can take the smaller ones," breathed Sharla, cooling her Rifle. "But the rest will be like fighting Xord all over again!"

"If only the Monado would work on these things!" exclaimed Shulk, frustration oozing out from his face.

"Focus, Shulk!" shouted Dunban, struggling against a Mechon.

"Look out!" shouted Reyn, tackling his childhood friend. Shulk and him barely evaded an attack from a Mechon's scythe. I ran up to it and used Slide Edge to get on top, slaying it from there.

I leapt off with a breath. So tired... I think I overused my Soul form... I panted, heavily.

Another Mechon rushed at Shulk and Reyn, who were currently down in the grass.

"Reyn!" gasped Sharla, as her Rifle finished cooling. She shot down the Mechon.

Mumkhar laughed. "Look at you all!" he sneered.

"Look at this... metal brain!" grunted Dickson, close to the faced Mechon. He sends a blast of Ether at Metal Face, who blocks it with his claw.

"That it, gramps?!" smirked Mumkhar, the Ether flickering among his claws.

Dickson spat on the ground. "Running out of ideas here."

That guy wants to kill me, I thought. Dickson... but if I say anything like that... what'll happen to the storyline?

"You may be able to block a projectile..." Dunban ran up to Mumkhar. "But... can't you block this?!"

He swung at Mumkhar, blade grinding against a claw, sparks flying from the fierce clash.

Mumkhar laughed some more. "Tell me!" He threw Dunban away, and Shulk rushed to him. "What does it feel like to be such a pathetic hero?!"

"Are you OK, Dunban?!" gasped Shulk, sweat visible and running down his face.

"Aw... does it hurt?" mocked Metal Face. "I bet it does.

"It hurts because the Monado won't work for a bunch of losers... LIKE YOU!"

"That last part is something I say!" shouted Reyn, using War Swing to destroy a circle of Mechon around him. However, then Enchant wore off. "No..."

Mumkhar swung at Dunban, who leapt back, the attack not touching him. "What... what are you?!" panted Dunban.

"Save it... I ain't interested.

"You little maggots need to learn... when you've been stepped on!"

Mumkhar began to form a massive ball of energy, aiming it towards us.

"That light..." breathed Dunban. "Everyone! Fall back, now!"

"Won't change a thing! I'm gonna wipe you out... once and for all!" roared Mumkhar.

Just before he launched the energy ball at us, green lightning struck, and a Mechon fell.

"What?!" yelled Mumkhar, the ball fizzling out. He glared upwards. "A Telethia?!"

The Telethia flew high, then descended, shooting out some more snazzy green lightning, destroying more Mechon.

"Now's our chance!" shouted Shulk, leaping onto Metal Face and swinging the Monado. However, it was sunk into Metal Face's armour a bit.

"What...? You'll pay for that!" shouted Mumkhar, beginning to raise a claw.

"Shulk!" shouted Reyn, running forward. I tried to concentrate but my focus slipped.

"ROAR!" Mumkhar swung his claw at Shulk, but Reyn got in the way with his Driver. The weapon ground against the claw, but it shattered, and Metal Face's claws sank into Reyn's body.

Shulk gasped. "Another one..." His eyes pulsed as he saw his friend. "REYN!" he screamed.

Reyn threw up blood from Metal Face's attack. "UGH...!"

"NO!" screamed Sharla, shooting a healing round into Reyn, though it barely did anything.

"Reyn!" shouted Dunban, rushing forward.

"Ha ha ha! DIE, ALL OF YOU!" Metal Face swung his other claw at everyone else.

"RAH!" I felt darkness flood my senses, time slowing down. I rushed at the faced Mechon, and my blade met with the claw.

"RED COAT!" howled Mumkhar, as we clashed. "An Outsider!" Everyone was forced back as he generated a shockwave.

"You're the reason why Monado boy isn't dead!" laughed Mumkhar. "So... you're first!"

With Defensive Reversal I screamed, getting the next claw attack with equal force. The area around began to break apart from the power both of us wielded. Time Slow expired as we clashed, multiple times.

"He's... he's going toe-to-toe with that Mechon!" exclaimed Dunban, disbelief in his voice.

"REYN!" screamed Shulk, and I could somehow sense Sharla and Shulk healing the Homs, though to little effect.

"RAH!" Mumkhar unleashed a ball of energy like the one earlier, and I let out a grunt. It was massive. So massive. If I dodged, it would easily wipe out everyone else.

"So long... Red Coat!" shouted Metal Face, releasing it at me.

"RAH!" I roared, grinding my claymore against the attack. I heard something begin to crack. Something I held.

At the same time, the ball of energy was cut apart.

"RAH!" Mumkhar swung at me, and as I blocked, my blade broke in two.

"UGH?!" I reverted to normal as Mumkhar forced me back. "Damn..."

"You got lucky, kids...!" growled Mumkhar. "Next time... your heads are mine!" The thrusters on the bottom of his body kicked in, and Metal Face flew off.

"YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY!" screamed Shulk, racing after the faced Mechon, light pulsing from the Monado.

"Shulk!" grunted Dickson. "You gotta know... when to call it quits."

"But...!" Shulk paused at the cliff, watching Metal Face fly off.

"Dickson's right, Shulk!" grunted Dunban. "Let it go. We'll get another chance. Besides... Reyn is heavily injured."

Shulk panted for air, as rain continued to fall. He ground his teeth together. "Fine..." The Monado stopped pulsing light.

"That thing saved us..." breathed Dunban, looking at the Telethia above. "Whatever it was."

"Guys, Reyn's wounds won't stop bleeding!" exclaimed Sharla. "And we don't have the supplies to treat him at the camp! The best I can do is close these wounds a little bit!"

Dickson breathed out. "No choice, then. We're gonna have to return to Colony 9."

Thanks for reading!