Chapter 30

Something about the second half of this chapter bothers me...

"Andrew, stop!" shouted Shulk, as I used my blade to cut Sharla in two.

"RAH!" At the moment, all I was capable of was killing and roars, in my Soul Trigger state.

"Andrew, sorry, man!" yelled Reyn, rushing in. "Sword Drive!"

I used my left hand to block the blow. "HAH-RAH!" One strike and Reyn fell, head separated from the body.

"ANDREW! STOP!" screamed Shulk, activating the Monado. "Speed... and Buster!" The beam extended as a blue aura surrounded his shoes. "YAH!" We clashed. "Rrgh...! Andrew...!"

"Shulk, you have to stop!" yelled Dunban, drawing his blade. "CUT HIM DOWN! SERENE HEART!"

Shulk gasped, as his eyes pulsed blue for a moment. "No... DUNBAN, STOP!"

"MANIFEST YOURSELF!" demanded Melia, a large fireball rushing at me.

"RARGH!" Under Time Slow I tore out Dunban's heart with my left hand, tossing it into the fireball. Both cancelled each other out in an instant. "RRGH...!" I growled.

"Hm?!" Melia gave a sudden gasp as I stabbed her from the side, piercing both lungs at once. I then tore out my blade, which cut her gut apart.

"What?!" exclaimed Shulk. "UGH!" He staggered as I stabbed him, before I impaled his throat, pinning him to a wall.

"RAH!" I took my sword out and stabbed his face. Shulk's body fell, limp, to the ground.

Looking around at the carnage and destruction around me, I smiled.

"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!"

Laughter flowed outwards from me, uncontrollable. It felt so good, too good, much too good to be real.

...

"Huh." I awoke. But it wasn't a nightmare. It felt too good to be a nightmare.

It felt like a dream.

I got up, placing my sword on my back through awesome straps.

We were all still in Frontier Village, Makna Forest all around.

The desire to kill was overwhelming.

I shook my head, groaning.

"The hell..." I muttered, rising and exiting the village of the Nopon. At the front was Shulk, who was working on a new Driver for Reyn.

"Andrew," he spoke.

"Shulk." He turned away, and I wanted to grab my sword and stab him with it. The rush of adrenaline would be...

I grunted, shaking my head. "Ugh..."

"Is everything alright?" asked Shulk, looking back at me.

"I think so," I replied. "Geez..."

I hadn't morphed since we returned to Frontier Village, but the urge to go on a murder frenzy was overpowering.

"Where is Dunban?" I heard myself say.

"He's practicing swordplay," replied Shulk.

"Alone?"

"I was practicing with him earlier. Even though he used the back of his blade, it still hurt."

I blinked. "Alright." I walked in the direction Shulk had pointed in, and Dunban slashed out at me.

I drew my sword and blocked the attack.

"Is this supposed to be another joke?" I asked.

"No. Nothing wakes you up then a bit of swordplay in the morning," replied the one armed swordsman.

He moved back and I stretched. "Fine." Our swords met briefly, and Dunban forced me back. I dodged his Gale Slash Art and he used Worldly Slash, which I evaded as well.

"Huh." I stabbed using Stab Strike, and Dunban used the hilt of his sword to block. Crap! I pulled my sword back and Dunban swung, with me just blocking. "Huh..."

"Hah! Serene Heart!" declared Dunban, before he rushed forward. "Tempest Kick!"

I blocked with my sword, and he swung, with my usage of Defensive Reversal blocking.

"Good!" spoke Dunban, as he moved back. "You are doing much better."

"Sure," I replied. Sure don't feel like it...

"Hm." Dunban paused to look at me. "That is enough for now. You should probably go wash your face."

"Yeah..." I moved off. What was that? I wondered.

...

"No one's here," I noticed. "This lake... this was where Shulk, Alvis and I fought those douche Telethia. I think?" I paused.

Suddenly, it was irresistible. "RAWR!" My form changed with a howl, and everything turned black as a smile crept over my face.

...

"Ugh...!" I awoke, in a white room. "What...?" I got up, placing my sword on my back.

In the middle of the room was someone wearing a blue jacket, which looked like mine.

"Damn it," I muttered. "You! You're my dark version, right?! Or something?!"

"Hell no!" he replied, turning to look at me. "I'm your Soul. Not your dark self. Those are too cliche to use now."

I blinked. "Crap. I'm going to have to fight you now, aren't I..."

He smirked. "You will." He drew a sword, which looked like mine. "I am you, Andrew. The Soul you. I am manifested and you become me when you use the Soul Trigger state."

"I... become you?" I repeated, as we circled each other. "But... that's a messed up!"

"You're telling me." Soul me paused. "You've drawn my power for too long. I am going to kill you here, and when I do, I'll have control of your body and kill everything!" He lunged.

I grunted, as our blades met. "But why kill everything?!"

"Why not?" Soul me forced me back.

"That sounds like something Jake would say," I grunted.

"Ah, yes. Jake." Soul Andrew looked at me. "An Outsider. Someone who doesn't belong. Like you."

No, really? I thought. "Wait, wait, wait... I've been getting those urges to just kill everyone... because I'm using too much of your power?"

"Yeah, yeah." He moved forward again, and I used Defensive Reversal. "Obvious!" He targeted my back, cutting me.

"Ugh...!" I slid back as he kicked me. "Damn."

"Anyway... I've gotten impatient of waiting, otherwise those urges would just overwhelm your will entirely," spoke Soul Andrew. "So now I will kill you. But if you kill me, then..." He laughed. "I suppose you would unlock the entire potential of the Soul Trigger form for real."

I sighed. "Can't you just give your power to me or something?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Uh... so I can kill things next time I fight?"

"Not good enough, sorry." Soul Andrew and I clashed, with our swords meeting, fierce. "Hm..."

"RAH!" I shoved at him, and he staggered. "Hah!" I used Whip Slash, but my Soul version dodged with ease. "Shoot."

"Well... our abilities are equal," he admitted. "For now. Until... I do... this." He morphed into... himself, I guess. "RAH!"

Now, darkness swirled around him, as a dark aura drifted around his sword.

"Damnit!" I cursed, as he stabbed me. "Good... start..." I mumbled.

"Still sarcastic, I see." Soul me then slashed me away. "BUT THIS IS IT! PITIFUL EFFORT!"

I blinked. "Ugh!" I rose, coughing. "Huh...?" I ducked, and a slash landed over an eye. "Rrgh!"

"TOO SLOW!" Soul me stabbed me. "Embrace my blade... let me become you... it's useless to resist."

I grunted. "Yeah?" I used Time Slow, and he gasped as I stabbed him with Stab Strike. "You are not the boss of me." I shoved him back, and our swords met, several times.

"I'LL END YOU NOW!" he roared, using Whip Slash. I grunted, using the same Art, though he overpowered me. "RAH!"

If I can survive... the shifting of Ether awareness from Time Slow should weaken Soul me! I thought. "RAH!" I met his slash with my own.

Then he was behind me.

"No!" I gasped, as his blade sunk into me again. "Guh!"

"GIVE UP!" he yelled. "LET ME HAVE YOUR BODY! IT'S ONLY FAIR SINCE YOU"VE COPIED ME SO MUCH!"

"Stop yelling," I muttered, before I raised my sword and stabbed him in the face.

Soul me gasped, and I moved away from him, coughing up blood.

"Damn." Soul Andrew cursed. "So... you... can fight..." His form changed to normal.

"So I have your power?" I grunted.

"Yeah, sure. But if you ever just choose to give up... I will be there to control you."

Soul me faded away and I opened my eyes.

I was standing in the lake now.

And for the first time, my mind felt clear.

That was too easy and complicated, I thought, getting out of the water. Geez... lots of exposition... and Soul me is a douche... and I bet he'll be back.

Thanks for reading...