Chapter 63

A breath escaped Shulk as we walked along a relatively straight path, a walkway. "There it is," he spoke, looking forward at the goliaths of the Titans that stood, massive despite their distance from where we stood. "The Mechonis..."

Egil's base, I almost said out loud, biting it back.

"It's so different seeing them from this perspective," murmured Fiora, peering cautiously over the edge, gaze shifting to Shulk afterward.

"We cannot see it from here... but our people are still fighting up there," spoke Melia, looking upward.

"It's hard to believe such large things ever fought against each other." Shulk slowed his pace as he speaks, as do the rest of us with him. "...I wonder how the Machina felt at the time."

"Horrible, I bet... they were probably really scared too," spoke Fiora.

"Sounds like a lot of things in life," I spoke. "...Wonder why it's so easy to hate and do violence than to forgive and forget." Maybe just the nature of human beings?

"A never-ending cycle of hatred..." Shulk looked pensive with the words.

"...If we try, then I think... we can break that cycle," spoke Melia.

"Mm... I wonder..." mused Shulk. "Hatred... is that what's motivating Egil, making him act like this...?" He frowned. "Maybe... fear too?"

As we continue to gaze upward I sensed Fiora's eyes glow red. "Hm... well, we still need to stop him," spoke Shulk. "Alright, guys; let's keep going."

"Right," we spoke, following after him as he quickened the pace again.

"Hah..." I gritted my teeth as I tore my chainsaws out of a Mechon, panting. "...These Mechon never stop coming, do they," I spoke. "Go around, go on a conveyor belt, hah... go down some stairs, press a switch, watch a thing move, see that it triggered a dozen Mechon to move, fight them and climb up a wall and do the same thing... hah... it never ends, does it?"

"Well, complaining's not gonna help out," smiled Sharla, cooling off her rifle. "Though getting this bulkhead to move, I admit, has been demanding. We have to take care not to get exhausted, or we might be in trouble."

"Yeah," nodded Shulk. "You guys all good for now?" He withdrew the Monado, seeing no more Mechon in our immediate vicinity, though the mechanical whirling of the entire area never stopped. "Fiora?"

"I'm fine, yeah," she spoke, withdrawing her blades. "Phew... Andrew is right, though. We've been at this for a while."

"Mm..." Melia casted a water elemental, the moisture wearing at our wounds and fatigue. "Taking care not to overexert ourselves will be important."

"Mm-hm! This nothing!" declared Riki, puffing out his cheek. "Taking care of littlepons at home more tiring than this!"

"My... don't let Oka hear you say that, okay, Riki?" laughed Sharla, the Nopon responding in kind.

"Hah..." I placed my sword on my back, breathing out as we reached another climbable wall. "Alright..." I heaved myself up, quickly making it to the top with a grunt. "Hm...?" I frowned, seeing the hallway in front of me open up into a large room, where a number of Mechon stood at the ready. "...I bet as soon as we enter they'll see us and start a fight."

Shulk nodded, peering in. "Yeah, seems like it. This is the only way though, so..." He grasped the Monado, the beam pulsing outwards. "Everyone ready?"

"Right. Summon Wind," called Melia, staff at the ready. "Then Sharla and I will wait in the passage and support you from here. That sound good?"

"Okay! Riki bash Mechon good!" he spoke, Biter in his tiny hand. "Let's go, Riki's friends! Battle awaits Heropon!"

"Got it, almighty Heropon," chuckled Fiora as we moved forward. "Let's do this."

I drew my sword again and forced the chainsaws to spin again, the Mechon moving toward us. "...That one with the tentacles looks like the one that took Juju on Gaur Plain," I spoke. "You remember that, Sharla, Shulk?"

"Well, Juju's not around to get in trouble here." Sharla aimed, shots destroying one of the tentacles, which flopped on the ground, unmoving. "Here, Shulk- Heat Bullet!"

"Thanks!" he called, lashing out and slicing a Mechon clean in half. "I'm... really feeling it!"

As one of the tentacles lunged for me I used my senses, evading the strike and lashing out to sever it. The whirling quickened, seeming to grow more annoyed. "Hm-" I let my senses wander the area as I continued, feeling how Fiora sliced through a Mechon and Riki would bash another. Admittedly, the perception grew fuzzy near Shulk. "Mm?" I sensed something immediately under me, rapidly ascending. "Shi-"

My greaves formed in time for a tentacle to rush up and grasp my leg, forcing me into the air. "Kh!" I dropped my sword, gritting my teeth. Too far... my gauntlet won't reach. Fine. I grasped the katana and projected a slash outward, sheathing it. "What the-?" I stared as I sensed, at most, a minute cut in the tentacle. The katana can't pierce Mechon armour?

I gasped as I felt the tentacle wind up, slamming me into the ground. "UGH!" I grunted, skidding along the ground, katana leaving my reach. "Ngh..." Groaning, I managed a half-sitting position before a tentacle grabbed onto my head, a painful vice grip. "Argh-!" I willed my gauntlet to form and punched wildly in front of my head, the tentacle eventually letting me go. I hit the ground, clutching onto my head. "Hah..."

"Andrew, you okay?!" shouted Shulk, tossing my sword at me. Using my senses I managed to catch it and force my hands on the handle, stabbing through another tentacle.

"I will be," I spoke, gritting my teeth, rubbing a shoulder before darting for my katana and shoving it in a pocket and activating the chainsaws again. I staggered slightly as I felt a bullet strike my back, the pain from my wounds soothing over. "Thanks, Sharla!" I called, sensing her nod.

"Double Wind!" spoke Fiora, another Mechon falling at her hands. "Hah..." A grunt left her as the drones left her and lashed out at the swarm of Mechon in front of us, leaving deep scratches, some even falling, dead. "Hah... they're still coming," she spoke.

Those drones... remind me of the funnels the Nu Gundam and Sazabi have, I thought, willing the Soul Demon to come into existence, its chainsaw blade ripping large chunks of metal apart with a heavy strike. "I wonder..." I spoke, frowning. "Either Egil's got a ton of funds, or making these Mechon don't cost much." The ones without Faces, anyway.

"Now is not the time to be considering how our enemy creates his army." A break of fire shot out, incinerating the Mechon coming at us before an arc of electricity jolted them. "Focus, Andrew."

"Okay, okay... no need to lecture." I twitched, swinging out of reflex as something flies at me, to cut a Mechon in half. "Huh..." The Demon mimicked my movement, continuing to lash out at the Mechon in front of us.

"Okay... Monado Buster!" I heard Shulk shout, swinging out. The Mechon, as the beam collides with their bodies, release a mechanized scream of sorts before being melted away, leaving half-remnants of themselves as Shulk withdrew his sword.

"Hah... nice one." The Demon faded as I placed my sword on my back. Looking around it seemed that the Mechon attacking us had all been destroyed. "Phew... guess we can keep goin', huh."

"Right. That was good, guys," spoke Shulk. "Let's keep it going." We followed him as he moved, making it to a small hallway that led to a door. "Huh..." He frowned, blinking. "...I think we should get ready."

"What makes you say that?" spoke Melia, a hand twitching to her staff.

"Just a feeling," he responded. "...But I think we're about to face something pretty big here."

Come to think of it... we fight Gadolt, don't we? And he snipes at us while we try to get close enough to engage in a proper fight... "Okay." I willed my greaves to form on my body, nodding. "Let's do it then."

Shulk nodded back to me and looked at the rest of us before opening the door, Monado in one hand as he rushed out. "...Huh?" He stared blankly. "It's a massive corridor...?"

"Ngh-" Fiora fell to a knee with a sudden gasp, breathing heavily. Shulk immediately moved back and crouched by her side. "Hah... I'm fine," she muttered. "Just..."

"She looks very tired," noted Melia. "Should she not get some rest?"

"No, really, I'm OK," spoke Fiora, wincing as she rose back to her feet with some help from Sharla. "Sorry... just needed a second."

"Hm... Riki tummy rumble," spoke the Nopon. "Riki think it best friends stop and rest a little."

"Sounds good," nodded Shulk. "We've been going for a while now, and the Mechon are only getting tougher... we should get some rest whenever we can." His head suddenly snapped forward, eyes widening.

I sensed something rush near us at a quick velocity. What is it-? I grunted as Shulk tackled me, a "GET DOWN!" escaping him as he did so.

A massive burst of red energy exploded near us, damaging the ground as noise burst forth. I hissed as the after blast washed over us, everyone else hitting the ground, seemingly as if a torrent forced us low.

"Is it an attack?!" Melia grabbed her staff, eyes narrowing.

"Was it a vision?" spoke Sharla, arming herself with her rifle with a glance toward Fiora, helping her back up.

"No, it wasn't," spoke the blonde, the Monado's beam bursting free as he armed himself. "It..."

"Shulk?" spoke Fiora, brow furrowing as she slowly grasped her own weapons.

From above three large faced Mechon came out, slowly descending to the ground. I felt some kind of feeling threaten to rise up my throat as I saw them. Three... guess Gadolt's got some help, huh? My gauntlets formed at my will. Sneaking a glance I frowned, seeing them form nicely over my fingers, remaining flexible even as I formed a fist. ...Huh.

"You did well to evade me," spoke the middle one, voice firm, resolute. "Just as one would expect from the one who wields the Monado." The Mechon's eyes, red, flared up with the words.

Sharla stiffened beside me, her breath stopping. "Wait... that voice." She stared, standing still. "Is it-"

"A Face..." Shulk glanced around. "Three of them." He swallowed. "Okay. Guys, we fight. But don't kill any of them, okay?" he spoke.

"...If it's a fight, maybe we should split up and do a 2-on-1 for each one," I murmured.

Gadolt rushed back the long corridor, releasing a roar as he did so. The other two activated their engines and rushed at us.

"-!" I raised my arms in a cross as one of the two Mechon slammed a metallic fist for my body. "GUH!" I skidded along the ground, gritting my teeth as my skin tore under my jacket. "Hah..." I shifted some blood to cover the clothing as I rose up, unsteady for a moment. "Fast..."

"Andrew, you- uh!" Shulk raised the Monado as the the other Face drew a long sword and swung for him, forcing him to block it. "Gh..." He staggered, dashing away from another swipe. "Kh!"

"The 2-on-1 is probably the best strategy," spoke Sharla, looking at Gadolt in the distance. "...If you don't mind, I want to take the one that moved back from us."

"You and Melia take it then," I spoke, keeping my eye on the seeming gauntleted Face, who kept his eyes on us. "From what he said, dodging the attack... he seems to be a long-range fighter, or something like that. You two are good there, so it's best you take him."

"I'm with you, then, Shulk," spoke Firoa, looking at the sword-wielding Mechon. "I... somehow this one seems... familiar."

...It's Dunban, isn't it. I felt my eye twitch. We never did find his body... "Riki, you with me then?"

"Yep! Riki help sidekick Andrew!" spoke the Nopon, the aura of Hero Time surrounding him. "No problem!"

"Hah... alright. Let's get some distance." If we're together fighting'll be tough... he kinda seems to want me, so... I dashed away, the Face following after me as I did so. Yeah... alright. "Let's do it then."

The Face lunged forward, batting aside Riki as he moved with his Biter without a sound, a jet engine seeming to propel his fist as he lunged for me. I kicked out, greave forming, and was thrown back. "UGH!" I skidded on a gauntlet, using my senses to focus on the Mechon as it continued to move for me. "Hah...!" Rolling on the ground I dodged another punch, though it just whipped out horizontally and knocked me away again. "Ngh!" Damnit... I'm too slow to get up and retaliate...!

"Hah! Sneaky!" shouted Riki, the Biter piercing the Mechon's armour and causing a sound to escape it for the first time outside of mechanical whirling or engine pulsing. It lashed out at Riki, who leapt up and dodged the fist with a grunt, running along the arm and striking its face. "-!"

"Nice one, Riki!" My katana won't work... but how about this?! I willed the Soul Demon to materialize as I drew the katana from its sheath, the Demon grasping a similar, enlarged ghastly katana of its own, projecting out slashes as I did the same. Sheathing my katana countless minute slashes sliced at its metallic flesh. So the Demon doubles my projection output and lets me hurt Mechon... okay, then-

A growl came out from the Mechon and it grabbed Riki, slamming the Nopon to the ground, flattening him. He gasped, screaming as blood burst from his tiny body at the impact.

"RIKI!" I gritted my teeth as the Mechon rushed at me, forcing my katana away as it neared within a second, my Demon slamming its fist against it in a brawl. "MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA MUDA!" I shouted, the Demon lashing out and basically coming to a standstill against the Mechon, who countered with punches of its own, the two engaging in a wild fistfight brawl. "Tch...!" I ran forward, briefly casting my senses at Riki to see him use You Can Do It! on himself. Good- I leapt forward and punched the Mechon, my fist sinking a centimeter into its body while my Demon continued its assault. "RARGH!" I concentrated a shockwave around my gauntlets and punched quickly again, this time sinking maybe an inch.

"YOU-!" A deep voice came out and it ascended, my will half a second slow for the Demon to follow. Using that moment he grabbed me and crushed me within his grasp, tossing me at the Soul Demon.

"UGH!" I willed the Demon away as I was thrown away, sensing several ribs being broken as I landed. "NGH-!" Get up- stay down and I'm dead- I accessed the healing side of my soul, gritting my teeth as I felt my body and its internals stitch itself back together. "HAH-" I used my wings to move horizontally near the ground and dodge a fist, grabbing and activating my sword's chainsaw mode and reverting once my wounds were mostly gone. "Phew..." I spat some blood on the ground, metallic tasting. "Hah..." Just hearing the gunshots, shouts and screams from the others, the progress they were making was slow, if it happened at all.

"Bitey Bitey!" shouted Riki, cringing slightly as he hit the Mechon's flesh. "NGH-!" He dove for the ground as a large fist swung out, and rushed over, rolling to avoid another punch. "Hah... Andrew OK?!"

"I'm good, yeah." I kept my gaze on the Mechon, whose head snapped to and fro for a short while. "...This is trouble, though." At this rate... similar to our fight with Virgil. A war of attrition we will certainly lose. "Okay." I nodded slowly. "I'll go all-out and force him to pay attention to me. Then you use all your Arts and break him. Sound good?"

"Yep, Riki under-" Whatever Riki says I don't hear as a leg moved for the two of us. I sensed for its weakest point and assumed the black side of my soul, lashing out with my sword.

"RRGH-!" Straining, I forced an aura around my blade; releasing it, the burst is enough to force the leg back. "PERSONA!" I bellowed, the Demon manifesting again, its own blade a chainsaw. Now. I glared as I used my Talent Art Time Slow, the Demon somewhat sluggish as I moved out and forced my sword to carve along the Mechon's armour. Right- I only slow my perception of time, so the Demon would be slower too-

"UH!" I ascended quickly, away from a swipe of the Mechon's fist, and the Demon swung out, forcing a block from the Mechon. I rushed forward and screamed, driving the chainsaws, ripping and tearing, into the eye. "EAT THIS!" I jammed it in, some electricity and something crackling as I did so, scrapping it in until the eye was done, destroyed.

A howl rose from the Mechon and he punched at me. I rushed back, my eyes widening as I sensed -and saw- fire at the fist. "Huh-?" I grunted as the fire expanded, seeming to burst as it forced me to the ground. "Hah...!" Shit... how do I douse myself?! The Demon lashed out at the Mechon, and it moved back, the attack landing a glancing scratch. "Hah- GUH?!" I collapsed, reverting with the Demon fading as I felt something icy cold strike me, time returning to its normal flow. "Wha...?!"

"Sorry, Andrew!" spoke Riki as he dashed past me. "Only thing Riki could think to do!"

"Huh...?!" Did he use Freezinate on me?! "Riki-!" Gotta back him up... but it'll take a bit to gather enough energy for my soul again! I ground my teeth together, feeling them clatter as I forced my sword into my jacket and willed my greaves to form between my steps as I lunged forward, gauntlets forming too.

"RIKI IS ANGRY!" he spoke, puffing his cheeks and taking a massive punch to the body, bracing himself. "NGH-!" He flew back, groaning, rising slowly.

"-?" The Mechon's arm reacted, some cracks rushing along it. "...Neat trick," he- the voice was likely to be a male- spoke, shaking it and lunging for me. "Not enough though. Sorry."

"Don't be." I kicked out, flipping in the air as we clashed. "Uh-!" Using my senses I raised my arms to take the brunt of a punch, my gauntleted fingers grinding into the ground as I forced myself to slow and halt. "Hah-!" I sent some shockwaves at him, which he punched out of existence. I felt myself shiver as I sensed something... just seem off. What am I... I felt my eyes widen as his engine activated and he lunged forward, punching at my torso. "GUH!" I coughed up blood as I was sent away, only stopping once my back hit some kind of wall. "Buh..."

It hurt. Pain- it hurt it hurt

It hurts.

"NGH..." I felt my arms shake as I felt my hands shift. Man... how the fuck was I so delusional as to find fighting for my life fun? Just 'cause I saw it as a video game? "Hah..." Taking the breath was painful, my fingers lacking strength as they scrambled at the ground. Get up... I looked down to see my leg twisted a way it definitely wasn't meant to be. "...Fuck me."

I closed my eyes, sensing Riki clashing against the Mechon, somehow avoiding taking any blows, though his evasions were growing tighter with each passing second.

Leaning against the wall, I coughed, the movement debilitating to my body. "Hah..." I exhaled slowly. On the flip side... if it's just for a sec- I forced my body to turn white with my soul, forcibly setting my leg back as I felt my body heal, energy returning to me. "Ngh-" I rose slowly as I continued healing, assuming chainsaw mode with my sword. I reverted once I sensed the worst of my wounds mostly restored. "Hah..." Gotta preserve as much as I can... dunno how the others are faring, after all, and that's without considering what I might need to do to take this guy down.

I sensed Riki being thrown at me and dropped a hand to catch him, slamming into the wall as I did. "Kh..." I set him down, seeing him breathing heavily. "Relax for a sec, Riki," I spoke. "Don't rush." If I'm going to get back... it's gonna have to be all facets of my soul at the same time.

Otherwise I lack the strength, the affective range, and speed to take him on. I wiped my mouth. ...A minute at most. Probably less. "Alright."

"Andrew..." Riki waved his arms back and forth slightly. "You... OK...?"

"Worry about yourself." The Mechon activated its engine and lunged forward. I growled, using both sides of my Soul Trigger and wielding my blade, briefly clashing before I moved slightly to the side and we passed. Head-on's no good... he's a hell of a lot more durable than me. "Hah." Quick, think of a musician... or a tarot card, uh- "My Stand... the Fool!" I shook my head as the Soul Demon manifested beside me. ...Forget it. I'm not stylish enough to be a JoJo character anyway.

"...Going all-out?" The Mechon seemed to smile, cracking its mechanical knuckles, fire bursting from them. "Come, then."

I moved forward with the Demon, its ghostly chainsaws deflecting a fist whilst I moved closer and swung, a quick burst of its engine moving its arm to force me back. "Ngh!" I raised my blade as I felt a leg rush at me, bruising my body as I slid against the ground, though by the time I got up with my wings it had healed off. "Hah...!" The Soul Demon shifted back beside me, its own chainsaw blade silent. ...Huh.

The Face released a shout, its engines pumping while an abyss of flame engulfed its fist, surging forward. "Take this!"

"RARGH...! SOUL STAB WAVE: CHAIN!" I roared, the release of the Demon's aura meeting the punch and destroying a part of its fist. The Mechon's arm twitched in a mini recoil, and I stabbed my own sword into his body, the smaller shockwave from my own blade imprinting on his body. Before he can react and get me- "SOUL CROSS SLASH: CHAIN!"

I dragged my blade along his body while the Demon swung out, with the Mobile Suit's engine flaring and forcing him backward. I sensed flame erupt from his leg and moved away, raising my sword in a hasty block and stopping in the air from a heavy blow. "TCH!" Faster! I tapped into Time Slow again as he punched the ground, sensing a fiery shockwave to burst up. I moved back with the Demon, both of us avoiding the attack.

I focused my senses on Riki for a moment, the flames fizzling out before reaching him. "SOUL AURA SLASH: CHAIN!" I spoke, my blade and the Demon's meeting a leg this time as we cut out. Running out of time-! "HRARGH!" Releasing the shockwave the leg was eradicated, causing a hiss to rise from whoever was inside. Running out of Arts...! "Uh-!" I sensed him rear back an arm, instinctively reversing my grip on my sword so it rested behind me. Still have one more shockwave left-

"SOUL AURA REVERSAL: CHAIN!" I struck out; the Demon's own reverse strike, along with the shockwave being released from the combination Art, was enough to destroy the already damaged arm of the Mechon. It crumpled as the shockwave rushed through its body, carving thinly through the armour, and I sensed blood run from the person inside.

I fell back as I felt everything revert, hitting the ground hard. "Hah-!" I coughed, forcing myself to my knees and watching as the Mechon hit the ground. After a moment its whirling stopped, and its cockpit opened up for a man to step out. "...You were on the airship before. With Egil." Gauntlets, fire... this guy's Tyler from Valek Mountain, ain't he. "Hah..."

"..." He said nothing, just settling himself in a ready position, stepping away from the Gundam and cracking his neck.

I briefly sensed along it, noting its destroyed leg, arm, and countless other wounds along its body. "Hah..." I dropped a hand to let the chainsaws stop before shoving my sword back in my jacket, slamming my fists together as my gauntlets formed. "...You gonna come after us 'til one of us is dead?"

No reply came.

I felt a strange urge to laugh bubble up. "Fine, then. Be that way." I breathed out, deep, feeling the sweat run along my entire body, my jacket absorbing it. Know what Shulk said, but... I doubt this guy'll stop so easily. "Maybe the guilt will hurt a little less if I survive this."

He lunged forward, as did I, our fists meeting. He used his other arm to punch out in a straight, and I moved closer to the side so I could dodge. Using my knee I struck his stomach, the greave's top end grazing him, before punching him back. He might be faster now... but less range, too. No engine for bursts of speed, either...

Tyler rolled back with the blow, moving back at me. "Hah-" I raised my left arm in a block for a kick, staggering as a result before fire burst up and he swept my legs from under me. "Ugh!" Forcing my senses at him even as I fell, I rolled away from a stomp, getting back to my feet in time to block a kick, stepping back and raising both arms in a ready position of my own.

He leapt at me with a jumping side kick; I shifted sideways in avoidance, my punch meeting his in an impact that forced us both back. He skidded against the ground, dashing back for me.

I sensed his leap as I punched out, with him moving over me. "-!" Turning back I raised my right arm and took a few punches before he gripped onto my wrist and wrenched me to the ground. "Hah...!" Stopping quickly I moved my leg up, bending it and kicking out to clash with his own kick, getting back up. No good... as it is now we're more or less a deadlock. I can use my soul again, but not for long... maybe a change of weapons, then?

I drew my sword, activating its chainsaws again. ...Kinda feels like we'll get in this situation where we struggle while he pushes it into my chest or something though. Boy that'd be bad. I shrugged, sensing him rush for me again. Gotta be vigilant then-

"Burninate!" shouted Riki, Tyler grunting as the Art lit him aflame. "Lurgy!"

"You-!" He growled, lashing out, Riki avoiding the blows. "Getting in the way!"

I surged forward, cutting out, though he ducked up close and punched me back. "Guh!" Nah... up close my sword's useless.. My senses might help, but- I sighed briefly, withdrawing the sword again for my greaves as I ran back to kick at him. Up close and personal's best here.

He grinned, grabbing Riki and using him to block my kick. "-!" I withdrew my greave just in time, though Riki grunted as I kicked him. "Sorry-" I moved sideways, hissing as he punched for me, my gauntlets forming as I was sent back. "Damnit...!"

Sensing him rush forward I rose back and kicked back, with him using a kick to meet me. His face twitched as we clashed, rearing back for a punch I caught with an open palm curling around it before punching his torso. "Kh!"

"SHORYUKEN!" I moved my fist to his chin and leapt up, with him flying back from the blow. "Hah..." I saw him spit out blood, and I sensed Riki rushing up as I did the same, when I felt myself shiver. Something bad again...?!

"RARGH!" Tyler's skin, from what could be seen, blackened and pulsed. His Soul! "DIE ALREADY."

I gripped for my sword, the property of my weapon deflecting his charge. "Hah... Riki!" I spoke. "Be careful, he's-" I felt my eyes widen as I sensed my sword bend slightly as I raised it for a block, sending me into a wall. "Guh!" Hope my sword's at least partially flexible... or this is big trouble.

"Riki know! Happy Happy!" he shouted, dancing quickly before using his Biter to meet Tyler's strikes, frenzied. "Hah... Heropon never give up! Hero Time!"

"NGh..." I felt my body practically grind on itself, seeming to crack as I slowly separated myself away from the wall. "Hah..." Fight fire with fire, right? "RAH!" I took on the black side of my soul again, chainsaws forming on the surface as I flew over, my blade causing sparks to fly as we clashed. "YOU'RE JUST A PUPPET FOR EGIL NOW, AREN'T YOU!"

"HRAH!" He struck back, a kick forcing Riki to stagger back before we met again, my sword causing cuts along his body as we forced our weapons, our bodies, against each other. "PERISH!"

"RRGH!" I willed the Soul Demon to return as a punch forced me back. Arts should be recharged by now, too! "Soul Stab Strike: Chain!" I surged back, with Egil dodging the Demon's strike. "-!" Not fast enough... too obvious! "HAH!" We chased after him, Tyler kicking out to deflect the demon's sword while raising his arms to block my own slash. "Bastard...!"

"Bitey Bitey!" Riki struck, causing a slight flinch from the Mechon-clad foe, blood running from the fresh wound. "Andrew!"

"SOUL AURA SLASH: CHAIN!" The Heropon sprang back as the Demon and I together lashed forward at Tyler, deep cuts resulting from the Art, blood spurting from his whole body, it seemed. More! "Cross Slash: Chain!" I willed the Demon to jet up and send its blade in a stab as I lunged for him.

"Rrgh...!" He gritted his teeth, using his wings to jet away, though I simply chased, willing the Demon to move over behind him and wait, chainsaw sword at the ready. He glanced back from the corner of his eye before focusing back on me, deflecting each swipe and slash I directed at him with quick strikes.

To minimize the damage the chainsaw deals on contact...?! "Hah!" I let a hand drop from the sword, pulling out my katana whilst pulling the blade away, the chainsaw mode expiring. If I don't have any Arts... guess I'll just have to make some up on the spot! Slashing out, the Demon used its own katana, Tyler descending quickly to dodge the strike. "Jet Cross!"

I lunged at a diagonal angle for him, placing one hand on my katana and drawing it as I passed him, cutting his body before sheathing it, causing the cut to project across his torso. "...Huh?" The Demon didn't follow up?

Focusing my senses I saw that the Demon had already faded. Out of time...! I grunted, snapping my attention back to Tyler as he punched for me, and I lashed out with my katana to counter, briefly sensing along my own body as I sheathed the weapon.

Looking at him, his skin briefly returned to normal before appearing black again. "...You're strong. But." He smiled, and I felt my body shiver as fire exploded from his entire body. "I will kill you."

I felt my own form flicker as he charged, jabbing at him with the end of the sheath to clash with his fist before using a greave to kick at him, a quick block meaning he just staggers away. Hot...! I blinked, sensing Riki leap forward, Tyler hissing as the Biter's whack forced him forward.

I impaled him on the katana's blade, forcing it through where the lungs would be for a normal person, reverting as the flames on his person gradually faded. "Hah..." I gritted my teeth as I felt him violently throw up blood over me, his own form returning to normal. I tried to pull my weapon out, though my efforts only seemed to twist it deeper. ...Oops. "You done?"

He glared at me, a scream tearing out of him as he used his arm to hit Riki, who staggered, narrowing his eyes. "Of course not... Master Egil has me like this for one purpose; to kill you." He reared back his arm. "I won't stop... until you or I am dead."

I let go of the katana and formed a gauntlet to block his strike, sliding back. "Hah..." I felt tiredness suddenly seize my body, and I almost doubled over, staring at him. "Hah..." Damnit... I'm a fucking idiot. All that goddamn murder and killing earlier on, when I loved it... don't think I can stop now, even when I'm sick of it and wanna stop. I felt my face twist into a slight smile. Sick of fighting to the death every time... and I don't think I can stop now.

The cycle of vengeance... violence... and hate's not gonna stop with me.

"So." Tyler growled, tearing the katana out his side and tossing it to me. I caught it, cleaning it on my sleeve before sheathing it, back in my jacket, gauntlets coming back out. "If you don't want to die..." His movements were slow as he breathed out, holding a hand briefly to his body, littered with wounds. "Hah... try and kill me..." He inhaled slowly, rearing back for a moment before his eyes burst with life, seeming to lunge forward with some kind of renewed energy.

"...IF YOU CAN!"

Thank you for reading, as always.