Chapter 35

"NO!"

A piercing scream and what felt like a massive blast of Ether washed over me. The Telethia was sent staggering.

I saw Melia's eyes flare yellow.

"Huff!" panted Shulk, as a red aura surrounded him. "SMASH!" he roared, managing to run at the Telethia.

I could only watch as Shulk also used Buster at the same time, cutting the beast cleanly in two with the enlarged blade as it was sent flying through the roof.

"Whoa," I grunted. "Ugh..." If I moved even an inch, pain would overwhelm all my senses. Even my sense of smell, somehow.

"Huff! HUFF!" gasped Shulk, before he fell. Shulk hit the ground with a dull thud.

"Huff!" Dunban burst through the door like Shulk had earlier. "Huff!"

There was a sudden blinding light, and feminine words coming from someone who wasn't Melia.

That High Entian... is she still alive?! I thought. How?! I cut her throat! She should be dead!

"Unh..." Melia looked at Shulk, Dunban and I. "Why... did you come?"

"Look, Melia," I groaned, as hurt came through my senses. "You saw that Telethia. Without Shulk and I... there is no doubt in my mind that you would be dead right now."

"Then that is what happens," she responded. "I knew that death was a possibility when I entered the Tomb."

"Ugh..." Shulk opened his eyes with a groan. "M... Melia... the Monado... it gave me a warning..." He got to his feet with Dunban's help. "That... huff... you were... in danger. I'm... glad we... all made it."

Melia looked away for a moment. "That person... has escaped," mused Melia, leaning heavily against a wall.

She then took in a deep breath and looked at us. "Shulk... wait. Where is... Riki, Reyn and Sharla?"

Dunban grunted. "Riki and Sharla are back in the big room," he spoke. "Reyn... well..."

"He's dead!" Shulk tightly closed his eyes. "He's dead... and... I couldn't save him..."

"Oh." Melia took half a step back. "I... I am sorry for your loss. For the loss of Reyn."

"Okay," I replied. "Can we leave? I... want to not be in pain, thank you very much."

Shulk looked at me, and he gave a heavy sigh. "Yes," he spoke quietly. "Let's go."

A small bit of hurt entered Melia's eyes as Shulk began to move away.

...

Melia moved away from the rest of us. "I will have to report to my father," she spoke.

"And I will go with Her Highness," added Alvis.

Dunban nodded. He was giving me a piggyback ride. "Alright. Stay safe, and stay sharp."

"Yes,." Melia looked at Dunban for a moment too long before she and Alvis moved away.

Shulk yawned. "I just... want to rest for a long time," he groaned, as we came to the teleporter.

In the room was a gruesome scene.

A large break in the glass room.

Riki was on the ground, deep gashes in his body. He whined.

"Ah! Shulk!" he gasped. "Sharla... Riki think Sharla in big trouble."

"Oh, no!" Shulk staggered forward as fast as he could.

Her body was on the table, staining it deep red with her blood.

"Oh... no..." Shulk's eyes turned blue. "Hah! Light Heal!"

Coming closer, over Dunban's shoulder, I saw that it appeared that Sharla's stomach had been scraped out.

Though her actual stomach itself was nowhere to be seen.

"Unh..." A low moan came from her.

"Sharla! Are you OK?!" gasped Shulk, panting as he used Light Heal as quickly as he could do in rapid succession.

"YOU CAN DO IT!" shouted Riki, bathing all of us in the healing Art. I felt awful with pain, but I somehow knew that all my bones were no longer cracked or broken.

"Let me down, Dunban," I grunted, and I managed to unsteadily stand on two feet.

"Huff..." Sharla's breathing slowed. "I..."

"Don't talk!" demanded Shulk. "Huff..." His eyes changed from hope to despair. "I... I can heal you!" His own breathing became uneven. "I... I won't... I won't let you die!"

"Shulk... I'm sorry..." Her voice was almost non-existent. "But...Reyn...

"Something... came in here... and took... Reyn..."

Her head fell back.

"Sharla?!" gasped Shulk. He put his head to her chest. "No... her heartbeat...! It's still there! I... I CAN SAVE HER!"

"Shulk..." Riki bowed his head, as sadness came into his facial expression.

"AAAH!" screamed Shulk, as the Monado's beam turned white. Completely white. He stabbed Sharla's body in the heart.

"Shulk!" exclaimed Dunban. "What are you...?!"

Somehow, the massive gashing wound in Sharla's body closed, the colour returning to her face. "What...?"

"Huff... Sharla..." Shulk fell to the ground again, and passed out for real this time.

She touched her stomach area. "I... I thought I had this massive cut..." She paused. "What happened?"

"Let's say that the Monado is a bit more unique then all of us were expecting," I replied.

Dunban looked thoughtful. "Indeed..."

"Riki happy!" declared the Nopon, bouncing into the air. "Sharla all safe!"

She gasped. "I... I remember now," she spoke. Alarm flared through her eyes.

"A faced Mechon took Reyn's body."

There was silence in the room.

XenoBlade's story just became even more of a messed up.

"A faced Mechon?" echoed Dunban. "Was it one that we have encountered before?"

"No... it... ah..." She held her head. "I... I just thought... I knew that Mechon. It seemed so familiar..."

Oh god, please tell me it's not Gadolt, I thought. "Can you heal us?" I asked. "Shulk and I are still hurting."

"Oh..." She shot into the air. "Heal Round," spoke Sharla, and the Ether particles slowly healed the injuries.

"Hey... what is that?" asked Dunban, looking outside the room and the large cracks in it.

"What are you looking at?" I questioned.

Sharla's grip on her rifle tightened. "Mechon."

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