Calling the Aegis' retaliation a "show" did a poor job at describing whatever it was that happened next. Without even moving from the Great Stairway, Malos had completely darkened the sky that was visible even through the translucent hide of the Urayan titan. The only thing that indicated that he was doing anything at all was the nearly blindingly bright glow of his Core Crystal. Addam didn't know if the reason he could almost feel it himself was because he was now a Driver, or simply because the Aegis' raw strength bled out from the crystal. He would have believed either.

Whatever it was that Malos was controlling flew into the titan, through the natural holes in its shell—and others straight through the hide—in hordes of what looked like giant flies crowded around the mechanical snake. When Mythra's snake released that beam of light from its mouth, the flies fell in the dozens, down into the titan. Countless more of them continued to fall to the mechanical serpent landing Architect-knows-where, but they continued to come out from the dark sky with no sign of stopping. Finally, Mythra's toy seemed to have had enough and disappeared as quickly as it had come.

Many of the fly creatures looked as though they had flown back up into the sky but two came to land, loudly and ungracefully, next to Malos. Close up, Addam could see that they weren't flies but machines for war. He had seen things similar to them, but nothing in their magnitude and certainly not in their numbers. What on earth was Amalthus thinking when he had awoken the Architect's Blade? What had he brought to Alrest?

"Well? How's that, Driver?" Malos' almost giddy expression looked deranged with so much destruction both he and his counterpart had left in their wake. A dark sword that would have been oversized for anyone but the Aegis formed itself from the ether in his hand and he swung it over his shoulder. "Did that fix your problem?"

Addam summoned every bit of political savvy he could muster to speak without even a hint of the sheer terror he felt down to his core.

"It did. Thank you, Malos."

What had he done? How was he supposed to be the Driver to an Aegis?


"The second Aegis may have done more damage to the Titan than the first did," Queen Eris said. She had come from her audience with the Urayan queen and sat across from him. She reached for the cup of piping hot tea in front of her and blew on it primly. "However, damage to Fonsa Myma and surrounding towns is much less than it would have been otherwise. Especially if the Aegis continued to attack their home. You are lucky that Her Majesty is advocating for you to her husband," she continued.

Her Majesty took a sip.

"I must thank her next I see her then. And I'll tell the Aegis that his Gargoyles were helpful," Addam responded. He looked down intensely at his own untouched tea. It was still warm even though it had been poured nearly an hour ago. Ever since yesterday he felt that he could not stomach much food or drink at all.

Queen Eris arched her brow. "Gargoyle?"

"It's what he calls his machines. He claims that he is the only one who can control them."

Another sip. "I see."

Addam licked his lips. They felt dry and cracked. The air still smelled like ash, even inside buildings, and it did little to help his appetite. "What else did Her Majesty say?"

Her look was dark and accusatory. "Our ship was crushed by one of the Aegis'… Gargoyles . It landed on it when the mechanical serpent shot it out of the sky."

He felt his stomach turn. "I-I'm sorry."

She looked away and out the window. Despite all that had happened yesterday, natural light shone brightly through it. Even more than usual because of all the damage the Aegises had caused to the hide.

Her Majesty's expression came dangerously close to a sneer when she spoke. She had never spoken to him before without looking him in the eye; even with Addam, propriety ruled over any sort of personal grudge.

"Do not apologize. There is nothing that can be done. I have already requested that word be sent to His Majesty informing him what has happened. With the Aegis' attack and another's awakening." Her gaze shifted back to him, her previous expression smoothed into the detached one Addam was used to seeing more often. "We shall await his orders until then. It will depend on if the Urayan king allows another ship to come here at all."

Addam clenched his jaw, looking back down at his tea, tempted to pick up the cup, if for no other reason than to have something to do with his hands. "Of course." He normally didn't mind waiting but it was the last thing he wanted to do now. He wished that he could go home to Aletta now and eat a good meal with family and friends. Not drink tea with a woman who barely tolerated his presence and only came to see him because she needed to remind him to not make any sort of move without His Majesty's permission.

He had seen Her Majesty spend some of her teatimes with Prince Zettar's wife and children. Addam knew that she was only like this with him. And His Majesty. Her husband.

Addam steeled himself before managing out the question he had been wanting to ask her ever since Mythra's attack. "Do you believe that His Majesty thought that something would happen with the Aegis?"

The way that Her Majesty looked at him long and hard was different than she had ever looked at him before. It seemed like she was, for the first time, truly trying to dissect him through her gaze alone. "I believe that he thought something would happen on this trip," she began slowly. "However, I do not believe that he would allow you to go if he truly thought that the Aegis itself was going to attack Fonsa Myma. You–" she looked like she had to bite her tongue before continuing, as if it were physically painful for her to say "–are his only child. Losing you is giving up even the chance at keeping his bloodline from becoming a branch."

That probably was painful for her to say.

The following silence weighed on Addam like a boulder.

"Is that all that you wished to ask me?" Her Majesty asked. Her tone was as sharp and unfriendly as it always was.

"Do you think awakening the Aegis was a mistake?"

She snorted sardonically. It was the most improper noise he had ever heard her make. "I cannot answer that, and certainly not for you." Queen Eris looked away from him and spoke for the second time that day. "Only time can tell you that."

He didn't know why he thought she would have a good answer. Having two beings with seemingly infinite power was something that Alrest had never seen before.

Addam could only pray that it was the right call. And that Mythra's wrath was not simply divine punishment for robbing the Architect of what was his.

"Where is the second Aegis now?" She asked suddenly.

"He… He is in the guest quarters."

Having finished her tea, she set her cup on the table and stood. "Fetch him. The Urayan king wishes to speak with him. And to you. You had better make a good case for us."

Addam stood after her, and bowed his head. "Yes, Your Majesty."


Malos was reading one of the books left in the room. One of its walls was nothing but a bookshelf and he stood in front of it going through its contents. It was more for decoration than anything else but it wasn't like he had anything else to do.

Addam felt guilty for leaving him there by himself but he wasn't sure what else he was supposed to do with him. Especially since he turned down drinking tea with him while he waited for Her Majesty to come back. He tried to tell himself that he was just another person to get to know—after all, he quite liked Minoth's company and he was a Blade—but he didn't know how to act around the Aegis.

Malos shifted his head before Addam had a chance to speak. "Tea sure took a long time," he said. "Was it good?"

"I didn't have any," Addam answered.

He scoffed, then turned around completely to face him. He snapped the book in his hand shut. "What a waste of time, then."

"It was more for Her Majesty's sake than mine. I suppose the only way she can stomach my presence is with tea," he said ruefully. He chuckled again at his own joke.

Silence.

Addam not knowing what to do around the Aegis was not helped by the fact that Malos himself was not particularly talkative.

Malos' expression darkened, somewhat. "Did you come in here to talk to me or because you want something from me again?"

…and when he did speak, what he had to say was never very friendly. Was Mythra like this too?

Addam blanched. "I'm sorry, Malos. Your awakening was not sanctioned and there has been much discussion about it since you stopped Mythra's attack," he said. "His Majesty, the Urayan king, needs to talk to you." He didn't know if he wanted to tell Malos whether or not they were worried that this Aegis would rampage too. How recklessly he handled Mythra had not been reassuring to anyone.

"Sanctioned," Malos repeated. His tone was flat. He didn't even seem to notice the part where he was being called into the audience of the Urayan king.

"Your awakening has caused some…unrest," Addam said. Would the Architect's Blade care about humans' politics? What was stopping him from taking off and leaving?

"I saved you, didn't I?"

"You did and we are all very grateful. There are simply some…feathers that we must smooth."

Malos crossed his arms, shifting his weight to one side. "Why?"

Addam sighed. "I know that the circumstances of your awakening are less than ideal. And that you have no reason to care for our politics, but it is simply something that we must do." He paused. "I… If you truly do not wish to participate, I cannot force you."

"Do you want me to?" He asked slowly.

Addam pursed his lips. "Yes, I… I do. It wouldn't look—"

Malos exhaled heavily. "Whatever. I'll play house with you humans if that's what you really want."

Addam breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you." He already felt his body relaxing. "Are you ready to go now?"

Malos huffed. "Sure. Whatever you want, Driver."

"You—"

"You never introduced yourself, you know," he said suddenly. "Are you ever going to? Blades and Drivers are one in body and soul. I feel like I deserve that, at least." That hadn't come from him organically—it sounded as if he were reciting something he'd known for years. Maybe it was. Was it something that he'd just read, or was it ingrained in him as a decree from the Architect?

"I'm sorry," he said immediately, cringing at himself. "My name is Addam Origo." He held his hand out to him. Even if he didn't know what to make of the Aegis just yet, he still knew that most creatures on Alrest responded well to friendly greetings.

Malos simply looked down at his hand, making no motion to move. Did he not know what it was? Maybe the concept of shaking hands was unique to creatures on Alrest and so he had no reason to know about the gesture.

He looked up at Addam. "It's good to meet you, Addam Origo." His tone was wry and it sounded like he was making some sort of inside joke that Addam wasn't in on.

Addam dropped his hand, not feeling any more comfortable with Malos than he had when he first came into the room. He hoped that the feeling would go away soon. "Well," he said briskly, clapping his hands together. "Shall we meet with His Majesty?"

Realistically, he knew that he probably could talk things out with the Urayan king. He was good at calming people down and talking politics when he needed to. This was just another one of those times. Malos didn't seem like he wanted to rampage like Mythra had been. If he could convince His Majesty of that, then it would be fine. He wouldn't be solely responsible for putting Uraya and Torna in poor terms.