Chapter 31

Yay... it's been ONE WHOLE YEAR since this fanfiction began...

And this ain't half done yet... enthusiasm...

(Note: This chapter we get into Alcamoth. And I'm not so happy with this one near the end...)

"Andrew!" greeted Shulk. "Huh..." He tilted his head. "You look and feel different."

"Do I?" I replied.

He nodded. "Less... how to put it... haunted, I suppose."

"Alright." I grunted watching as Reyn and Dunban's weapons clashed, sparks flying. "Practice?"

"Yeah. We have to get stronger to get to Prison Island... and to defeat that faced Mechon," declared Shulk. "So with that in mind..." He drew the Monado. "Ready?"

I drew my blade and blocked his slash. "I guess."

"Good!" He moved back. "Because I figured out that after a compressed Art wears off, it takes a while before I can use it again. So..." A blue aura came around his shoes and his whole body. "Hah!"

"Two Speed usages?!" I grunted, and he sped around, evading any attack I could've done. "Whoa!" I leapt away from his swing, just scratching an ankle. "Huh..." I activated Time Slow and our weapons met several times.

"You've sped up?!" he grunted, moving around. I held my sword over my shoulder and blocked his slash from behind. "Wha-"

"No." I turned and used Whip Slash, with him blocking as the impact throws him away. "You got slower."

"Makes sense!" Shulk's shoe aura faded away, and a green aura replaced it. "Come on!" He leapt up, as the beam extended, the aura around him fading away. "BUSTER!"

"Now you're way too slow," I commented, dodging the stab he thrust at me. "Huh!" Time went back to normal as he landed on the ground again. This could be...

A massive roar burst out from the nearby trees.

Shulk's face changed as the Monado's powers wore away. "What is that?!"

I turned. "Damn," I muttered. "It was a fairly calming day..."

"Mechon?!" exclaimed Dunban, sweat dripping down his face. "Damn! A dozen, at least!"

A smile came over my face. "Bring it!" I laughed, as they came forward, knocking over all the tress in their path.

"Not more Mechon!" grunted Reyn, and Sharla rushed out from Frontier Village.

"Everyone, we just have to fight them!" shouted Shulk. "They're coming right for Frontier Village, and we can't let that happen!"

Or we could, I thought. But you won't because you're the main protagonist...

"Huff... Battle Soul!" shouted the Monado's wielder, and Enchant came forth over all our weapons. "Let's go!"

"Riki go!" he declared, rushing forward. "Riki defend Frontier Village!"

"Yeah, furball!" declared Reyn. "Let's do it!"

I laughed. "Let's rock!" My form changed, and it looked like the air distorted around me. "RAWR!"

"Hey, Andrew," spoke Soul me. "Come on... it's just Mechon! What are you becoming me for?"

"To have some fun," I muttered, lunging forward. One swing and a Mechon fell, the explosions seeming to ride along my sword as I cut all the rest in two.

"Andrew. An Outsider..." I felt a sword pierce through my body. "You're too slow."

What...? "Rrgh!" I slashed at the foe, who was just gone. "Huh?!"

"Come on..." Someone in front of me used a blade, swiping at me. I felt a large cut in my shoulder.

"What's happening?!" gasped Shulk. "Why is Andrew getting hurt like that...?!"

"Come on," groaned my Soul self. "This is boring. This is an Outsider, I bet. Let me control you and it'll all be over."

"No," I muttered, sword held back in Defensive Reversal. The swordsman struck, shattering my blade with one stroke.

What?!

"Too weak. Is that the extent of your Soul?"

There were five loud human sounds behind me.

I turned. Everyone was on the ground, bleeding quickly to death.

"See?"

"UGH!" I threw up blood as the sword pierced my gut, and I growled, slowing time.

"Heh..." The foe moved back as I tried to grab his sword. "A little faster, eh...? But not enough."

I panted. "Who are you...?"

"An Outsider, no duh," he smirked. "If I'm more serious... let's just call me Zulf."

I coughed. "Why are we referencing Bastion from Supergiant Games now...?"

"Because you're weak, and because I can." His form flickered as a devilish smile came over Zulf's face. "Hope you can keep up..." He grabbed something off one of his legs, placing his sword on his back again.

Nunchaku?! I thought, flying into the air to dodge a few swinging strikes. "Ugh...!"

"Eat this." Zulf's form changed completely, looking like Dante's Cerberus Devil Trigger state if the markings on his body were red instead of blue. "RAH!"

He slashed and used his nunchaku at the same time. My form turned back to normal, as did time, causing me to fall.

"Damn!" I groaned, hitting the ground. "Ugh... why are you doing this?" I managed.

"To have some fun." The tip of his blade cut my throat, the lightest of cuts, as his form reverted to normal as well. "I want to see you suffer before I kill you..."

Bastard, I thought. "Well... you've got me now."

"Hell yeah," he smiled. "And I have this." He slammed his nunchaku into the ground, causing flame to strike, forcing me into a tree.

"Ugh...!" I coughed. "Well... this is yet another situation that has escalated quickly, hasn't it..."

"And I haven't used my power to slow down time yet!" laughed Zulf. "All Outsiders can slow down time, and morph into their Soul self, a bond developed through excessive usage of the Time Slow. All because of Lord Zanza..."

"That douche?" I grunted. I gasped as his blade pierced my body again. "Ugh...!"

"But you're different. Outsiders have been coming into this world for ages, and all have fought for Lord Zanza," declared Zulf. "All got their power from him.

"But the instant his truly realized that you wouldn't be of help to him, he stopped giving you powers. So that Simon dude... I've killed him now."

"But... my stories..."

"Don't think you're so special. If we are even dreamt of, Outsiders can materialize. Usually in this world, but it can also be any world or universe they want."

"Ugh... RAH!" I morphed again. "Well..." I grasped his sword, which he pulled out. "Guh...!" I rolled to evade his slash, just. "I... will not... LOSE!"

"Ha..." He glanced at my sword. "Let's make this more interesting, then..." He picked up the two halves of my sword. "Come at me." Somehow, he mended it, tossing it back. "Believe you can beat me?"

"RAH!" I lunged, and slowed down time. He did as well, as he was still more quicker then I was. "Rrgh...!"

"Huh." I fell to my knees, sword broken again, everything rushing back to normal.

"Huff... huff..."

"Much too slow. Left hand is a constant weak spot... having right eye closed most of the time when in direct sunlight... you're full of holes, Andrew."

I grunted. "The hell...?"

He smirked. "Come on... this ain't even exciting. Dickson lied to me!"

I groaned, rising. "Dickson...?" I looked at him, as the blade flashed to cut me. "Ugh!" I staggered back from the injury.

"Make me regret leaving you alive," he spoke. "Because..." He cut across my chest. "Someone else is coming for you."

I collapsed, everything turning black as laughter filled the air.

...

"Hey, Andrew!" spoke Shulk. "Geez, you were out for a long time." A long bandage trailed along his left arm.

"Ow." I arose, from lying on the ground. "What happened?" I somehow got up from the bed.

"You were unconscious, and we were all bleeding out," he replied. "Then Melia came along, from the top of the tree. She got the Nopon's chief to help us out. It's been about two days."

I leaned against a wall. That Zulf dude... someone is coming for me? What does that mean?

"Andrew. Here." Shulk handed me something, long. "I saw that your sword was broken, so I made a new one, after buying one off of a Nopon merchant. It's all shiny now."

"Thanks," I replied, placing it on the straps on my back.

"Huh... you've got a ton of bandages," spoke Shulk. "You were more seriously hurt then any of us. That was bad."

"Yeah...?" I moved out. "Ugh." I paused at the harsh sunlight that greeted my eyes. "Damn... we were decimated this time."

"Yeah," admitted the Monado's wielder, moving outside. "But how do we get stronger?"

"Fighting, of course," I replied. "Where are Reyn and Dunban?"

"HAH!" I drew my sword, holding it over my shoulder, blocking the one armed swordsman's attack. "Nice instincts."

"It doesn't help you when you shout before you attack me, either." He leapt away. "And Reyn's behind that tree."

"How about 2 against 2?" suggested Dunban, as Reyn moved out from behind the tree. "Andrew and Shulk against Reyn and I."

Shulk nodded. "Alright. The Monado can't hurt Homs, anyway," he spoke, drawing it. "Who are you going for?" he muttered.

"Doesn't matter," I replied, stretching. I felt more bruised then ever, if that was possible. "Ow."

"Okay. I'll take on Dunban, and WHOA!" Shulk raised his sword against Dunban, who stabbed for him. "Wasn't ready!"

"You must always be ready on the battlefield, Shulk!" yelled Dunban, pressing the blonde. "RAH!"

I blinked, and my sword interrupted Reyn's bashing attack with his Driver. "Huh..."

"SWORD DRIVE!" roared the Homs in front of me, and I readied my sword in a reverse grip.

I nullified the Art with my defensive Art, and stabbed with Stab Strike. Reyn switched his Driver's mode, defending.

I swung several times, feeling the energy build up inside me as Reyn blocked. Finally, he pushed back as I slashed, and I staggered.

"GOT YOU!" shouted Reyn, as his Driver rushed forward to strike. "Bone Upper!"

Eww, I thought, using Time Slow. I rolled around him, and stabbed my sword forward, lightly cutting his cheek. I let time return to its normal flow, and he staggered forward, not hitting anything.

"Huh?" grunted Reyn, turning. "Aw, man... Andrew...!"

"Game over," I replied, turning. "Remember? We agreed back in Colony 9 that if we got injured in any way, you're out."

"Yeah, yeah" he grumbled, placing his Driver on his back.

Shulk was moving around Dunban, with two usages of Monado Speed active. "Can't keep up?" he spoke, easily dodging Dunban's attacks with ease.

It almost looks like he's using a really slow form of Tracer's Blink, I thought.

"SOARING TEMPEST!" roared Dunban, and landed after the Art. "Huff... huff..."

"That was fast," noted Shulk.

"Hah!" yelled the swordsman, in front of me.

"What a bore," I muttered, as he stabbed with Gale Slash. "That it?" I nullified the Art with a block.

Our swords met several times, and I rolled away as the older swordsman swiped with his blade.

"Serene Heart," spoke Dunban. "Alright... ready, Andrew?!" He moved forward with a wide slash, and I used Whip Slash to overpower him. "Geh!"

I used my left hand to grasp him by the throat and push him to the ground, lightly cutting the swordsman's cheek as I did so. "That's it."

He breathed out. "That was a quick maneuver," mused Dunban.

"Yeah, yeah." I arose, letting him arise. "Can we... just go on?"

"To Eryth Sea? I hope so..." muttered Shulk. "Last time... a Telethia and a dragon attacked us, remember?"

"No duh," I grunted.

"It should be safe," spoke Melia. "I... was once in a situation similar to that one, long ago."

A story you'd probably share with Fiora when she comes back! I thought.

"OK. Is everyone ready to go?"

They all nodded, and Melia led us back into the massive tree the Nopon used as a home.

...

"Dammit! Those wolves are still here!" I groaned, drawing my sword as one lunged at me. "Huh. There's seven of them."

"Perfect! Everyone, take a wolf each!" shouted Shulk, drawing the Monado. "Huh...? The Monado... isn't affecting it?"

Are these secretly Homs or something like... Keaton in Fates?! I thought, as the wolf I was fighting with had my sword in its mouth. "That's funny, pal." I changed my form, and tore out my sword. A simple slash and it fell, dead.

"ANDREW!"

"Oh, god, no," I sighed, as something massive came closer. "Why is Eryth Sea so infested with massive monsters?!"

"Something changed," mused Melia, as the wolf before her fell, dead. "Is this an omen...?"

There was something that looked like a demon. It howled and lunged at me.

I flew up to the demon, and slashed once. It fell, dead.

"That was far easier," breathed Dunban, withdrawing his sword.

"You mean, there weren't as much stuff," replied Sharla, adjusting her rifle with a look of disdain.

Shulk breathed out. "Anyway... Melia, before anything left attacks us, can you help us get through Eryth Sea?"

"Of course," she replied, placing her staff... on her hip? There are straps there too?

I placed my sword on my back. "Then let's go," I growled.

...

"Now, we take this transporter here," spoke Melia, turning to all of us.

"Where's it gonna take us?" wondered Reyn.

Definitely not to a place where we will be forced to be held captive, I thought.

"Step on it and you will see," replied the female Ether magic user, stepping onto the teleport. Then she was gone.

"Whoa!" gasped Reyn.

"That's interesting technology," mused Shulk. "If I could figure out how it works and compress it into a smaller form, we could go all the way from here to Colony 9 in... however much time it would take for this teleport to take us that far."

"Hm... well, let's go ahead," spoke Dunban, stepping after Melia. He too, disappeared.

Reyn muttered as he and everyone else stepped forward.

I let out a sigh and followed.

We all stepped forward and four High Entians appeared from another teleporter. They all moved forward.

"Who are these guys?" asked Reyn aloud.

"Are those wings on their head?" murmured Shulk, quiet. "They... must be High Entia!"

All of the soldiers bowed. "Welcome home, Lady Melia," one spoke.

"Lady?!" repeated Dunban.

Does this lower your chance of... let's say showing her... uh... your sword? I thought. DAMN LEMON FANFICTION HAS CHANGED ME! CURSE YOU, FIRE EMBLEM: AWAKENING!

Shulk looked thoughtful, from thinking about the teleporter. "Huh?" he spoke.

Melia nodded, before she stepped forward. "Thank you, captain," she told him. "These Homs and this Nopon are my guests."

What does that make me? I wondered.

She continued. "See them safely to the guest quarters. Give them anything they need."

"As you wish, my Lady," spoke Captain Wing. Yeah, let's go with that.

"What's going on?" asked Reyn.

"Melia is-" I stopped. SPOILERS, DAMN IT! WHY?!

Shulk turned towards me. "What is Melia, Andrew?" he asked.

"You'll find out," I replied, with a slight groan. But first...

"Well... for one, I have no idea," interrupted Sharla.

"Melia..." He turned towards her. "Are you...?"

His eyes flashed blue and they turned back. "Melia."

"I cannot speak now," she responded, closing her eyes. "But... I will fulfill my promise."

"I understand," replied Shulk.

"Do you?" I asked out loud.

"Not really," he admitted. "But... we all trust one another, so that's enough."

That's funny, I thought, half smiling.

"I will arrange an audience with the Emperor," spoke Melia, turning towards us. "Will you wait?"

"Of course," replied Shulk. "We won't move an inch."

"My thanks." The princess bowed. She then walked into the teleporter and was gone.

All the guards followed.

"'Lady Melia,' he says," mused Dunban.

Shulk scratched his head and Dunban turned towards him.

"Shulk, you thinking the same as me?"

"Whatever her position is... Melia won't let us down," replied Shulk firmly.

"I'm sure you're right," responded Dunban.

Sharla suddenly gasped out as five guards came from the teleporter.

I found my sword drawn just in time to deflect a slash. "Hi," I spoke.

"More of these guys?" grunted Reyn, one hand on his Driver.

"Come with us," spoke one soldier, who hadn't drawn his weapon. "We do not wish to harm you."

"Andrew, let it go," spoke Dunban, as the soldier in front of me drew his sword back.

"I don't want to," I muttered as the sword in front of me stabbed. I nullified the impact with a simple block.

"Andrew, this could ruin Melia's reputation," whispered Shulk, as he leaned in close. "I'll buy you some root beer later."

I sighed, withdrawing my sword. "You know how to bribe me already."

...

The five soldiers escorted the seven of us, to a place an hour later.

"Idiot birdbrains!" muttered Reyn, as the soldiers left us. "A fancy prison is still a prison."

"What happened to Melia?" wondered Sharla. "I don't see her locked up here with us."

"Exactly!" replied Reyn. "She is in on this!"

"Shulk... any thoughts?" asked Dunban.

Shulk was in his thoughtful pose. "Melia... won't let us down.

"She promised to bring us to Prison Island, after all.

"And... she's not the kind of person to break a promise."

"Even though we met a week ago?" I asked. "People can behave in nasty ways, Shulk. Maybe she hasn't shown us her true colours yet."

"I know what her colours are," responded the blonde. "And I know... she's not going to betray us."

"OK, Shulk," sighed Reyn, sitting down. "You win.

"I believe you. And if you believe Melia... no arguments from me."

With that, we all settled somewhere in the room, relaxing. Riki flopped on the ground and began to snore gently, while the Homs all sat at the table and rested.

I grunted. "So... about that root beer..."

A smile came over Shulk's face. "You're always so simple, Andrew." He walked over to a vending machine. "Here you go." He dropped some gold inside and picked up a root beer, passing it to me.

I opened the bottle and drank the liquid inside. Tasted like A&W, which was the best pop ever.

...

A few hours passed, giving all of us plenty of time to sleep and relax and generally be lazy.

Until two High Entian soldiers appeared.

"You are to be interrogated by the divine seer. Stand back," spoke one of the two, before moving back.

Alvis walked forward, a sly smile on his face.

"Alvis?!" exclaimed Shulk. "What...? What are you doing here?!"

He smirked. "I see... so that is why you're here."

"What?" responded Reyn.

Shulk stepped forward. "Is Melia OK?!" he asked, urgent. "We didn't mean to cause her any trouble."

"Rest assure, she is fine," responded Alvis. "The reason why you have been detained is not because you are outsiders.

"It is because you have the Monado with you."

Shulk stepped back. "What...?"

"You see, the Monado and the High Entia go back many years," he spoke. "Millennia, in fact."

A slight gasp emerged from Shulk's throat.

"Leave everything to me," responded Alvis, before he move away from the seven of us.

"I shall see to it that you are not held for long.

"We cannot have the saviours of Our Highness be treated as criminals now, can we?"

He paused by one of the guards. "Free these people," he spoke.

"I shall take responsibility for their actions whilst inside the capital. They are now guests of the imperial family."

"Sir!" responded a High Entian.

"I am required to report to his Majesty," spoke Alvis, looking at us. "Otherwise I would escort you around the capital.

"Use this room at your leisure.

"You are free to roam the city or rest. Farewell."

"Hold on, Alvis!" exclaimed Shulk, moving forward. "I need to ask you-"

"Be patient," replied Alvis.

Get rekt, I thought.

"I know what you wish to ask. You will learn in time, so be patient."

With that he was gone, the two guards following.

"So..." Shulk turned towards all of us. "Wanna explore?"

"Nah," I replied. "I'd rather stay here. Rest. Hopefully rest enough so I don't feel so bruised."

"You wish," replied Shulk. "But if you want, you can stay."

"The life of the rich!" commented Reyn. "So where are we going?"

"Anywhere but here," replied Sharla instantly. "I'm bored of this stuffy room."

"Riki find Melly for Shulk!" declared the Nopon, before he started to waddle off.

"Riki, wait!" called Shulk, reaching out to the Heropon.

"Your Eminence!" spoke a guard.

"What guard want?" spoke Riki, pausing.

"If you're after Alvis, he's gone," spoke Dunban.

"WHAT?!" yelled the guard. "Where... WHERE IS HE?!"

"Stop shouting!" I replied. "It hurts my ears."

All the party members stepped forward.

"What happened?" asked Shulk.

"We received an SOS for a small squadron repairing a transporter at Eryth Sea," spoke the guard. "But the communication was interrupted.

"And now, all contact has been lost."

Oh no, a crisis, I thought. If only there were just heroes willing to help you...

"Sounds like they need our help!" declared Reyn.

Shulk nodded.

"Riki and Shulk go help! Riki and friends help people in trouble!" declared the Nopon.

"Of course," replied Shulk. "We'll be happy to help out."

"But you're outsiders..." replied a guard.

And I'm one of those, in a super literal sense! I thought.

"Soldier man not worry!" spoke Riki, flying on his arm things. "Heropon Riki here to save the day!"

"It is most appreciated," replied the High Entian. "We need all the help we can get."

With that the two guards left and everyone go ready to go.

"Gonna come now, Andrew?" asked Shulk.

"Nah," I replied. "I'm comfortable here."

"Hm... perhaps I ought to stay here with you..." mused Dunban.

"It should be fine," I replied. I yawned. "Yeah..."

"No. I don't like the idea of any of us alone," spoke Dunban. "Everyone, I'll be staying here with Andrew."

"Sounds good," replied Shulk. "We'll be back in a few hours, alright?"

"Yeah," I muttered, as the four of them left.

"So... why not go?" spoke Dunban. "There'll be much to do that will require the art of the sword."

"Yeah," I replied. "But it's relaxing here, and there'll be more things happening in the afternoon."

Dunban looked at me. "All of these days are usually quite busy," he spoke.

"Yeah," I replied, sitting as Dunban looked outside the large room.

All of a sudden, there were loud sounds from outside.

"Hm... there's Melia!" noticed Dunban. "What is happening here? I can't hear what's happening..."

I yawned, standing. I stretched with a grunt. Dunban was silent as he watched what happened in Alcamoth.

"Done yet?" I asked, as he tore himself away from the window.

"I suppose so," he responded. "Something... important happened, I suspect."

"Hey, guys!" spoke Shulk, bursting through the door. "Huff... that wasn't too hard."

"Yeah, it was pretty easy!" declared Reyn.

"All thanks to Heropon Riki!" spoke the Nopon.

"Nuh-uh, furball!" replied Reyn. "You didn't even do a whole lot!"

"Reyn wrong! He the one who no do much!"

"Listen, you...!"

"Guys, please." Sharla breathed out as she entered the room. "Why don't we take a bit of a break?"

Instantly, swords pierced through every single Homs and Nopon in the room. They all fell down.

"The hell?" I stood, grabbing my sword. "Damn it," I muttered.

"Hello, Andrew." The person in front of all the other six people removed her mask. "I am an Outsider, like you."

"Did you do some magic or something and replace those damn guards who are supposed to attack us later?" I wondered.

"If you wish to put it that way." She lunged forward, swinging. I blocked her attack. "Can you take on six Soul users and time manipulating humans?" She smirked. "By the way... I am Celistia. I will kill you."

"Ha!" I felt a laugh come up. "Bring it!"

I rolled as six swords stabbed through the air, all of them scratching me. "Phew..." I breathed out and slowed time. As two of them rushed forward I felt a smile come over my face. I used Whip Slash and cut both their throats at once.

"NO!" screamed another, and three more lunged forward. I waited with Defensive Reversal, and I countered, making all of them stagger.

"This is a real bore!" I spoke, slashing. All of them transformed into demonic states, and met my slash. I slid away. "Come on..." I morphed and slashed, cutting their bodies and swords all in half.

"If that's all you've got..." Everything sped back to normal in my perception. "Then there's no way you'll beat me."

Celistia smiled. "Is that what you think?"

"Yes." I swung and our swords met. I grunted.

"Foolish boy." She cut my shoulder as she forced me back. "I will end you." From her grasp a second sword materialized.

"That ain't fair," I muttered. "But fine. Whatever." I slashed, and she cut me while blocking my attack.

"RAH!" I slowed time again, but so did she. She constantly cut me mercilessly, even if they were light.

I can't defend against her! I thought, moving back. "Hah!" I used Aura Wave to send shockwaves she evaded. "Go figure."

She moved forward. "This is boring! Zulf said you had potential to match him one day!"

"That's cool, dog." I rolled from her stab. "Ow." I paused, morphing before lunging. "HAH!"

The blade in her right grasp broke from my slash, and she stabbed me, her own form changing to something similar to mine.

I gasped, feeling myself tremble. What...? Am I... fearing her?!

"RAH!" She kicked me backwards. "Well?! Where's your fighting spirit?!" She lunged, cutting me as I moved back.

"Huff..." I slashed, and she stabbed my body, making me flinch. She then cut me, forcing me back.

This is hopeless, I thought. I can't win. I-

"LET ME TAKE CONTORL!"

"RAWRGH!"

"Do I have the option to say no?" I asked.

Soul Andrew smirked. "Watch. I'll end her."

I watched as he began to fight.

Too bad that one of the party members was going to die while I fought this person.

Thanks for reading...