When morning broke, everyone met up to have breakfast. Everyone that is, except for Robyn who wasn't present.
"Where's Robyn?" Lora asked while she was looking around.
"Haven't seen him since last night. Lady Lora, you were with him last. Where was the last place you saw him?" Dromarch asked.
"The last time I saw him was just before I departed into my room in the inn." She answered.
Suddenly, Theory gasped and had her hands on her mouth.
"Maybe he was kidnapped!?" Theory asked loudly.
"I'll try to find him!" Lilika yelled before she was about to leave.
"Actually…there he is over there." Rex said while pointing.
They saw him coming their way and sat by Jacu and Vale. He looked tired.
"You okay buddy?" Zeke asked.
"Yeah, what's the matter?" Lora asked when she went to him.
"I'm fine just…" Robyn was saying before coughing a lot.
"Robyn!? What's wrong!?" Pyra yelled while they backed away from him.
"A…lot of…ACK…screaming." He choked while coughing a bit more.
"Water?" Praxis asked. He nodded while looking at her. "Leave it to me." She said proudly.
She and Dromarch used the power of water to create clean and healing water for him. He chugged it down and felt his throat heal up.
"Ah! Thank you! Much better!" Robyn yelled while feeling his throat feeling good as new.
"No problem!" Praxis yelled proudly.
"Robyn, His Majesty has given me this to give to you." Mòrag said while tossing him a gem to him.
When he caught it, it was a sapphire that was in the shape of a cross, exactly like that of Lilika's. He began to realize that this was a Driver's Core Crystal.
"Is that…A Driver's Core…!?" Lilika yelled when she saw it.
"A Driver's Core?" Robyn asked her.
"Is that what they're called?" Rex asked with a raised eyebrow and ate some eggs.
"It just…needed a name. It's because the crystal is for the Driver when he or she becomes a Blade." Lilika answered.
"Got it. Wanna give it a go?" Rex asked him.
"Well…" Robyn said while looking at the crystal.
"What's the matter, Lord Robyn?" Haze asked.
"Just thinking about the consequences of the worst scenarios. But…might as well see what I got. Patroka…?" He asked her.
"With pleasure." Patroka said while getting up and getting in front of him.
"Want to go again, Akhos?" Lilika asked her boyfriend and Blade.
"You bet!" Akhos yelled before their roles were reversed once again when Lilika activated her crystal.
Robyn was about to activate his crystal, but he stopped himself when he saw his hand. It was trembling before him. He felt his heart pound from it.
"Still afraid?" Lilika asked while she took notice of his behavior.
"More like nervous." Mòrag said while taking the shaking hand.
"Why don't you wanna be a Blade?" Finch asked while waving her arms around a bit.
"It's still new to me. Okay…enough being a wuss." Robyn said while getting himself together and getting serious.
"Can't wait to see what happens! We're so lucky to see Drivers becoming Blades!" Kasandra yelled as her excitement skyrocketed.
"Yeah. And besides, how bad can I be?" He asked before he activated his crystal.
"You'll be fine! Trust the luckiest Blade in Alrest!" Kasandra yelled as the crystal glowed brighter.
"Might not want to tempt fate!" Dromarch yelled while the crystal got too bright.
Robyn watched as the crystal began to shake in his hand. It then shot to his chest, and it was shown to be upside down. He screamed as it began shooting out electricity out of the crystal. He was consumed from the electricity to the point when he was no longer visible within a ball of electricity.
"I feel like we should be concerned!" Vale yelled.
"Wh-what's he becoming!?" Nia yelled while preparing her rings.
"Looks like a lightning Blade!" Zeke yelled while shielding his eye a bit.
"Oh! Just like me!" Pandoria yelled with excitement.
Just then, the ball began to get smaller. Mòrag took notice that a boot revealed itself…and her eyes widened.
"Wait…something isn't right!" She said as she held her chest while her heart began to beat faster.
"What's wrong!?" Lilika asked while going to her.
"His boots…they're heels!" She yelled as Robyn's legs were shown with boots up to the knees.
Jut then, Robyn's hands began to reveal themselves, and he was wearing fingerless gloves, and his hands were rather dainty with slightly long nails.
"Oh no! Kasandra! I think you might've jinxed it this time!" Zeke yelled with concern.
"Wait…is he becoming a chick!?" Finch yelled with even more confusion.
"I…think…" Rex said while backing away.
As the orb continued to get smaller, her head was revealed. Her hair was long, and jet black that stretched down to just beneath her chest. She was now wearing a buff covering half of her face and was wearing a hat with a long feather. When the orb vanished, she had a long black trench coat with three belts around her new hourglass figure. She had two scabbards on her waist. She wore leather pants with multiple functional pockets.
She slowly opened her eyes, and they were now red, resulting in the transformation ending.
"That crystal turned Robyn into a woman doesn't make sense!" Agate yelled while still processing all that has just happened.
"Wait…wha…what…? What the!?" Robyn yelled as her voice was high-pitched, and rather seductive sounded. She began to inspect herself.
"Well…this was unexcepted." Dromarch said.
"I'll say. So…what's your weapon?" Patroka asked Robyn.
Robyn reached out and summoned her weapon. Two swords were summoned, and she attached the tangs together to create a double-bladed sword and channeled electricity.
"I'm a Fire Healer…wonder what you are?" Lilika asked when she summoned her lance.
"He's…or rather she is a Lightning Tank." Zeke said.
"I think Klaus still had a major grudge with me 2000 years ago. I'm going with, 'this is payback' or something. Now that I'm thinking about it…I think it's because he thinks I was gonna take Lilika's heart before he did." Robyn said.
"That's possible." Lilika said while thinking about what the case with Klaus against Robyn could be.
"I certainly can't imagine you using this again in the future." Brighid said while still having a hard time realizing what was going on.
"Actually…maybe this could come in handy. But for now, ready Patroka?" Robyn asked while tossing her swords.
"Right!" Patroka yelled when she caught them and began twirling them around.
"Ready Lilika?" Akhos asked her.
"You bet!" Lilika yelled before taking her stance.
"Fight!" Tora yelled.
They began to fight. Robyn began channeling ether to Patroka, and she was amazed at how well things are going. Lilika kept her eyes on her so she wouldn't be in a panic, but it wouldn't be the case. Just then, Robyn slowly cracked a smile under her buff as she slowly got used to her form.
After about half an hour, they finally took a breather.
"How did it feel to be Drivers again?" Lilika asked the Flesh Eaters.
"Great! I do miss it." Akhos said.
The four of them touched each other's crystals, and they reverted back to normal. Robyn's and Lilika's crystals popped out of them, and they caught their respective crystals. Robyn was happy that he was back to his old self and in his uniform.
"Never had I thought this would be the case." Robyn said.
"How did it feel?" Floren asked him.
"The transformation? I didn't feel anything after my body was in that orb of electricity. I lost all nerve systems for a moment. When I was slowly being released, I regained it. As that form…I got used to it." He answered.
"And you think it may come in handy?" Mòrag asked.
"Maybe." He said.
"Robyn…YOU TURNED INTO A WOMAN!" Lilika shouted at him as if he didn't even notice what had happened to him, causing him to flinch.
"WHOA! Calm down! Besides, I know that. You know that. Everyone knows that. Why did you think I was inspecting myself when you guys pointed that out to me after I transformed?" Robyn asked while regaining himself.
"Fair enough." Lilika said while she recollected herself. "Anyway Akhos, I remember back when you lost Obrona, you were pretty broken. Sorry for your loss back then. But, when I go Blade, I want you to always be my Driver." She said to her boyfriend, causing him to groan a bit.
"Will you use the Driver's Core again?" Haze asked Robyn.
"You know what…screw it, I will." Robyn answered.
"Hope you know what you're getting into Robyn." Jacu said while thinking about the things that Robyn mentioned when Lilika went Blade for the first time.
"Anyway! Onto a different subject. What should we do with Torna?" Robyn asked.
"Addam was the last Prince of Torna, and when the war took place, he was going to be a father. I have no clue as to who his descendant is now." Mythra said while they thought about it.
"Rex seems to bear several similarities to him, so it's possible Addam was his ancestor." Lora said while looking at him.
"So in other words, Master Rex could be king? What do you think about that idea, Master Rex?" Mayonaka asked him.
"M-me!? I was thinking maybe either Robyn or Lilika." Rex said.
"I have no ambitions to be a ruler…save as a figurehead." Lilika said while completely denying that offer.
"Whatever you say, Ms. President." Akhos said.
"Well…maybe Lora could help in a way." Robyn said.
"Who SHOULD rule Torna? Maybe Robyn might be onto something." Lilika said while thinking about it.
"What do you think, Lora?" Jin asked.
"Yeah! Tora is interested!" Tora yelled while they all looked at the Tornan Driver.
"Well…I don't much like getting tied down to one place. Maybe I'd be better off as an informant or as a high-ranking Driver to the nobility." Lora said while slightly blushing as she was put on the spot like that.
"An excellent idea." Zeke said.
"So…what now?" Patroka asked.
"According to my databanks, we have all the time on Alrest." Poppibuster said.
"Why don't YOU take the mantle, Zeke? You're a Crown Prince after all!" Floren asked his Driver.
"Me? Well if my dear pops ever take me back, then no. My place is with Tantal." Zeke said.
"Perhaps an answer will come throughout the day." Brighid said.
"Let's just enjoy the day, take a long-needed break after everything these past weeks." Praxis said.
"Yeah. In fact, I should get going. I have been invited to a tea party with a Blade named…Sheba, I think it was?" Theory asked herself while trying to recall the name.
"I wanna go, too! Why don't you bring along your Driver?" Praxis asked her.
"Robyn!? Well…if you are okay with being your Blade form for a while since this is a girls-only invite since she wants to start her very own entourage." Theory said while looking at Robyn.
"Well…I guess that's an excuse to get used to this Blade form." Robyn said while looking at the Driver Core Crystal.
"Have fun!" Lilika yelled.
Mòrag grabbed Robyn and kissed him passionately. After she broke the kiss, she hugged him tight.
"Just…don't do anything…stupid." She begged while holding him tight.
"Don't worry. The World Tree was the last time for that…I hope." Robyn said.
"Anyhow, shall we make way for a scene of us two somewhere?" Akhos asked Lilika.
"Of course, Akhos." Lilika said.
"Well…guess we do whatever we want. Break!" Rex yelled.
Everyone began to go their ways for the time being. Robyn used his crystal to transform himself into his Blade form and left with the Blade sisters.
"Shall we?" Akhos asked.
"Yeah!" Lilika yelled.
They went off to the nearest café in town and they began to have a cup of tea with some cake.
"Oh, perhaps a quick wardrobe change is needed." Akhos said before standing up. He closed his eyes, and his body was encased in electricity. After it faded, he reverted to how they met.
"How's this?" Akhos asked her.
"Much better. Does that make you feel comfortable?" Lilika asked him.
"Lots. That generator was somewhat heavy." He said while stretching his back.
"I see." Lilika said.
"So anyway, I did have an idea about who should govern Torna. Given his track record and how much he has sacrificed, I think Robyn would be a pretty good candidate." Akhos said.
"You're right." Lilika said before eating some cake.
"And since you govern the World Tree, perhaps…" Akhos said before taking a swig of tea.
"Maybe the both of you could establish a peacekeeping haven for everyone like how Torna used to be hundreds of years ago. The Titans revolve around the World Tree, and Torna was the sight of how everyone, including Blades, used to live in harmony. A council of the kingdom's leaders could establish treaties and talk about issues." Akhos explained more.
"That's…not a bad idea. I'll see what Robyn thinks about it later. But…" Lilika said before looking away for a moment and getting a bit upset.
"Honey?" Akhos asked while getting concerned.
"Akhos…are you okay with us? I just thought about something pretty dark. I'm completely human, and you're a Flesh Eater. Humans…at least I know, live around 90 years, or rarely over 100 years; I'm pretty sure people like you live a little over 500 years. So, your time will come far after I'm gone. I don't want that. I want to grow old with the one I love, not grow old while you appear to not age a day." Lilika explained while getting a bit emotional.
Akhos froze a bit from that.
"Whoa…I guess I didn't think about that. Hmm…" Akhos said before going into thinking.
"I will grow old without you. You will have many lovers and descendants before your time in this world is over. I want more for you than that. I will die, and my Blades will return to their Core Crystals…I want them to always have good Drivers who treat them as their precious partners, as Lora views Jin and Haze. Is there nothing we can do about this?" Lilika asked.
Akhos reached over and cupped both of her cheeks.
"I have two ideas. Everyone may not like it, especially Robyn. You…could become a Flesh Eater like me, and we'll live out the rest of our lives. Or…you die first, then…I'll take a bullet through the crystal and die with you." Akhos said.
"What!? Akhos…would you truly be okay with assisted suicide because of me? Plus, my Core Crystal is not always a part of me." Lilika asked with her eyes wide.
"Yes." He whispered.
"You don't have to go that far for me." Lilika said while taking one of his hands.
"I want what's best for us." Akhos said.
Suddenly, a large lightning bolt shot down near the abandoned factory.
"What was that for!?" Lilika yelled while she shot up and glared at him.
"That wasn't me!" He yelled while he looked in that general direction of where the lightning bolt struck.
"Shall we investigate?" Lilika asked.
"Let's." He said before leaving to go check it out.
When they reached the sight of the lightning bolt, they saw Zeke and his Blades helping out what appeared to be a young girl that was channeling electricity from a circular generator on her back. She has yellow eyes and hair in two frizzy buns, due to being frazzled by electricity.
She has pale skin, two small red horns, and a yellow frizzy tail similar to her hair buns. She has a six-ringed ether halo attached to her back, which spins when she channels her power. She wears a short grey dress with metal attachments and matching wrist cuffs and a red cape, and purple and bronze high socks. She has a pair of needles which she sometimes uses to direct her energy. Her core crystal is shaped like three interlocked water drops, revealing her to be a Blade.
"Huh?" Lilika asked when they saw her.
"Zippy, zippy zappy!" The girl yelled while channeling electricity.
"That's it! Stay with it!" Zeke cheered for her.
"I'm doing it! I'm doing it!" The girl said. After channeling enough electricity, she was about to explode. "Kkkkkkaaaaaaaaaaa-BBBBBBLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAAAAAMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" She screamed as the electricity blasted out of her.
"YES!" Zeke shouted happily.
"Driver! I did it!" The girl said to her Driver.
"Congratulations, Electra! Excellent job! Thank you both!" The woman said to them.
"Well done with the additional help training Pandy!" Zeke yelled.
"Yep! Thank you, my Prince." Pandoria said before kissing his cheek.
"What's going on!?" Akhos yelled.
"Just helping someone control her power is all." Pandoria answered when they turned to him.
"Oh?" Akhos asked while kneeling down to Electra.
"I…accidentally hurt someone without meaning to…I don't want to do it again! Now I have full control over my powers!" Electra yelled.
"That's great! You got a name?" Akhos asked her.
"I'm Electra! This is my Driver!" She said while going to her Driver.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Akhos." Akhos said.
"Nice to meet you too!" Electra continued to yell.
Suddenly, another lightning bolt, this time it was massive, struck nearby. It caused the whole capital to shake.
"WHOA! Now, what!?" Lilika yelled while she tried to maintain her balance.
"Wait…ROBYN!?" Zeke screamed.
"Oh no…LET'S GO!" Lilika screamed as she had an idea what was going on.
"HE'S IN DANGER!?" Akhos shouted before sprinting off towards where the lightning struck.
Upon reaching their destination, they saw Robyn fighting what appeared to be a Dark Rare Blade. Robyn was using her swords to counter a large scythe. She was struggling to fend her off, until she used another lightning bolt on her, giving Robyn the chance to kick her away and get some distance.
The Dark Blade was a short, dark-skinned woman with waist-length white hair and blue eyes while also wearing glasses. She wears a helmet with a visor and an armored dress with a pleated skirt and high-heeled boots. The front of her helmet has something written in small yellow text. She had purple holographic blades appear around her torso and waist. Her overall color scheme is black and purple, with gold inlays and blue highlights. She had a cyan Core Crystal on her chest that featured three circles connected to each other, revealing her to be a Blade.
"Do you really think you can win? I don't need my Driver to defeat you!" The Blade said.
"Listen toots! I'm my own Blade, and you won't take me that easily!" Robyn sneered while aiming her sword at her throat.
"Robyn! What's going on!?" Zeke yelled to her.
"I was just enjoying some tea with some acquaintances. Sheba, who was hosting it, began to talk sour towards my 'Driver' and I was about to leave until this gal crashed it and started attacking me. I was able to convince her to take it out here, and here we are." Robyn explained.
"I've got your back!" Lilika yelled.
"She's after me and my power!" Robyn yelled while she and Akhos joined him.
"Who the hell are you!?" Zeke demanded from the Blade.
"The name, weaklings, is T-elos." T-elos answered while glaring at him with her eyes.
"Who will be the Driver, Akhos?" Lilika asked.
"Let me and Pandoria take her!" He said.
"Agreed!" Zeke yelled.
"Guys! Be careful! She's more dangerous than you think! Time for more swashbuckling!" Robyn yelled.
T-elos began twirling her scythe like a baton and prepared to strike once again.
"You don't know what you're getting yourselves into." T-elos said with a sinister smile.
"We can take her, my Prince." Pandoria yelled while channeling ether to Zeke.
"Bringer of Chaos!" Zeke yelled before charging in.
The three Blades attacked T-elos. She proved to be a deadly and clever Blade, dodging, and striking back with ease. During the skirmish, the rest of the gang arrived when T-elos got into another lock with Robyn once again.
"What is the source of your power?" T-elos asked her as her anger grew.
"Simple, bitch. Just look at my chest." She sneered at her.
T-elos looked at her chest and saw the Driver Core Crystal that was upside down shining brightly. T-elos gasped a bit from it.
"You're…an Aegis!?" T-elos yelled a bit.
"That's right! Bet you thought there were only two huh? HYAH!" She shouted when she kicked T-elos away.
"Robyn! Didn't I tell you not to do anything stupid!?" Mòrag yelled with frustration.
"Sorry! This just happened!" Robyn yelled when T-elos regained herself and chuckled.
"It'll be quite a feat when I destroy you!" T-elos yelled while preparing to strike again.
From there, Robyn began to realize more about what she was talking about.
"Well then…you can tell your Indoline forces that you have returned empty-handed. Let's see how you handle this!" Robyn said while she began to glow.
She then took her swords and used her ether power to make them spin fast like a turbine engine. They glowed bright, causing them to partially shield their eyes a bit, even T-elos squinted from the sight.
"This power…! Is Robyn…!?" Mythra yelled when she realized that the power that she was seeing was the power of the Aegis being used.
"HAS SHE GONE MAD!?" Corvin screamed.
"I…have no clue who awakened T-elos, but whoever it is might not see her after this!" Lilika yelled while preparing for the worst.
"SURGE FLASH! FIRE!" Robyn screamed and a blast of electricity blasted at T-elos.
T-elos used as much of her ether as she could to create a barrier to shield herself. After a bit, it began to strain her.
"PYRA! MYTHRA! HELP T-ELOS!" Rex shouted, fearing what was gonna happen.
"Got it!" Pyra yelled.
"Let's go!" Mythra yelled when she and Pyra got in front of T-elos and created a barrier that'll counter Robyn's blast.
"I need no assistance from peons like you!" T-elos said before she began to channel more power into her.
"Hate to break it to you. But that power will kill you, and you are without your Driver!" Corvin yelled, but it was futile.
"Frame output at maximum!" T-elos yelled.
T-elos began to move her hands around her torso and had them by her head. A zipper on her chest slightly opened and a small black orb emerged. She launched it above the shield Pyra and Mythra created, and it flew towards Robyn.
"Ultimum Teneritas!" She yelled once again before placing a couple of fingers on the center of her helmet, causing the orb to detonate in front of Robyn, stopping the attack and sending her flying backwards. The buff she wore burned away, revealing her whole face with a slightly pointy nose and crimson lips.
"Robyn!" Pyra and Theory yelled.
"Are you okay!?" Mythra called for her.
She slowly got up and grew angrier at T-elos. The Dark Blade shot towards her and slammed a foot onto her torso.
"ARGH!" Robyn shouted in pain.
"HEY! RELEASE HER!" Mòrag screamed at her in pure rage.
T-elos chuckled before looking down at Robyn.
"Hmph! This doesn't concern you. Now then…surrender to me, Aegis!" T-elos demanded while slowly pressing harder onto her. Robyn began to chuckle a bit at her. "Something you find funny?" She asked her.
"Simple…just that thing on your leg. Allow me." She said with a sinister smile and grabbed it.
She then shot electricity through her body.
"AAAAHHHHH!" T-elos screamed in pain as she was electrocuted all around her body, causing her to stumble backwards when she released her. "That was a dirty trick, Aegis! ECHIDNA!" She shouted before rushing back towards her.
Just before she reached her, someone grabbed her from behind and got her into a Full Nelson.
"Not this time!" Jacu yelled while holding her tight in that form.
"Let…me…go!" T-elos demanded while struggling to break free.
"Hey Haze, don't you think you should…well…?" Jin asked her.
"Oh! Of course, that thing I do, suppressing Blades and their power. I got this." Haze said while taking her staff and activating it.
She began using that power to suppress T-elos. She felt as if gravity began to increase on her body. Jacu released her and she fell onto the ground, and her scythe vanished. Robyn slowly went to her and held her chest while going to the gang.
"Are you okay?" Theory asked her.
"I think so. Then again, she destroyed my favorite/only buff from that blast and damaged my clothing." Robyn said while touching her mouth.
"What…are you doing!?" T-elos asked madly while looking at Haze.
"I am simply restricting your abilities with my own. No Blade can resist my power." Haze answered.
Mòrag dug into a pocket and activated a communicator.
"I need a few guards near the abandoned factory with ether nets immediately!" She said.
"Roger that!" A soldier spoke from the other line.
Jin slowly approached T-elos and aimed his sword at her neck.
"Now who sent you?" Jin asked with a threatening voice.
"I don't see why you need to know! But I'll humor you. I was sent by survivors of the Praetor's forces." She answered while still trying to get up.
"Amalthus!?" Tora yelled.
"Yes, you furball." She said while glaring at him.
"I should've known his loyal servants were still out there." Rex said while in thought.
"I told you enough! Now let me go!" T-elos demanded.
"I don't think so!" Mòrag growled.
After a while, a few guards arrived, and one had a special gun at the ready. He fired it at T-elos, trapping her in a yellow net, exactly like the ones that trapped Nia and Dromarch. One of them gagged T-elos and they dragged her away.
"Good riddance." Theory said.
"Agreed." Vale said.
"Well, since that's over, wanna go back to Olethro Ruins so we can try to find Obrona?" Lilika asked while looking at Akhos.
"Sure." Akhos answered.
"You know…I've learned something from this experience." Robyn said before reverting back to normal, this time with some wounds.
"What did you learn?" Lilika asked.
"That a Blade always puts their lives in danger just as much as the Driver does. Though in our case…we can be our own Blade AND Driver. So now, we can return the favor by putting ourselves in their shoes for a change like you said." Robyn answered.
"True. But you and I are different. We have to battle alongside a partner to access both forms." Lilika said.
"Um…did you not see that fight? Robyn fought on his own without a Driver, and he almost put a hole through Mor Ardain! Maybe you can do that too." Patroka reminded her.
"Maybe. But to be fair, he and I are still learning about what the Driver's Cores can do for us." Lilika said.
"Maybe we can try it out at Uraya?" Akhos asked her.
"Sounds good." Lilika said while smiling. She then turned to her Blades. "Everyone…will you come along?" She asked them.
"Of course!" Takibi yelled.
"Alright then!" Lilika yelled.
"Be careful, especially if what T-elos said was true." Mòrag said.
"Don't worry. Bye!" Lilika yelled before they ran off back towards the capital and made their way to Uraya.
To be concluded in Pt. 2
