The Infinite Chronicles
Act 3: Rebirth
Fun fact, some of the names I use are either Latin or Greek
One week mark lets go
Chapter 9
We all gathered at the deck, which was really just a section of the vessel that was covered in glass. We could see the red colored water rush past us as we ascended heading towards the Viomachinia Titan. "Cool piece of machinery huh?" Avalon said as we leaned on the railing of an elevated part of the deck. "You're talking to the girl who drives mechs every day" I said, still mesmerised by the scenery. Jess soon joined us "Mornin!" she said cheerily. I turned around and punched her in the arm "That's for making me drunk" "Sheesh calm down girl, I've only made you drunk once" she complained. "Ladies, could we not talk like civil beings?" Avalon teased. He was replied with two slaps to his face, "Okay, okay I deserved that" while he rubbed his cheeks. "Hey Gran you awake?" I asked. She was still snoring in her pouch "Hey Avalon?" "Yeah?" "Do you mind telling me what happened five hundred years ago?" I could see the hesitation in his eyes "Very well, so Silverius decided the world, and we chased him everywhere," he began "his main goal was just to kill anything, which he did, he sunk four continents to the bottom of the sea." "Hold on" Jess interrupted "Didn't the old legends say five titans?" "I'm getting there," he grumbled "So anyway, in the last battle with him, it took place on the Chrysafenios titan, he killed one of my closest friends and that's when, when I lost control" he paused for a second before he continued "Regardless I took down Silverius and the Titan. Then I entrusted half of my sword to Vyssini, or Gran to you and entrusted my ship to Corvin." "Hold on," Jess interrupted again "Corvin was fighting WITH you?" "Damn well he was, he was the greatest fighter we had on our team, and the kindest in the land. The fact he's working with Silverius raises so many questions.". "Looks like we're here" I cut the conversation short. "Please grab your items and prepare to leave the ship" a voice from the overhead speakers said "Anything you leave will be thrown away. Thank you for choosing The Ethaos Vessel corporation."
A few minutes later, we disembarked from the vessel. "Ethaos," I mused "Why does that sound familiar?" I received a thwack from the back of my head. "That's the name of the world we live in you forgetful idiot!" Gran yelled at me. "Ah so the little lizard is awake and full of sass" Avalon teased. "You better shut up Avalon before I smack you so hard that even Atlas's armour wouldn't stop it." We ventured more into the city and my jaw dropped "Holy cow" the city was huge for a city that was basically in a living submarine. The noise of vendors clamouring and the smell of food from the nearby stalls was a lot to take in. "How bout we go find an inn somewhere and then we go explore the city afterwards?" Jess suggested. We found an inn that was cheap and comfortable enough and set out to explore the city. "Viomachnia is a completely industrial city, most machines or weapons are exported from here, and is run by an imperial system" Avalon informd us. As we were walking past to what seemed like a military camp, some nopon got kicked out of the front gates. "You've messed up for the last time scientist!" a seemingly high ranking officer yelled at him. "Steve very sorry and will do anything to make up!" the nopon desperately. "This was your last chance and you blew it!" he yelled "You're fired!" and he slammed the gate shut.
"Hey you okay?" I approached and knelt down to face him. "Steve is very sad but also very happy!" he exclaimed
We were all confused "Didn't you just lose your job?" Avalon asked. "Yes but me very happy because Steve's job was not what me imagine! Me can take you to my house and me explain there." Fast forward to us making our way through many houses and districts and finally arriving at his house. "I believe we haven't had a proper introduction, I am Avalon, this is Hazel and that is Jess and Zero" Avalon said. "And my name is Steve!" he said "Come inside!". We walked inside his house, which was full of machines and messy notes. "So you see me always wanted to be driver so I join military" he began "But silly Machina captain said there was no such thing as nopon driver! Instead, I was put into research and development team because me very smart, but me keep making one too many mistake and then boom! Kick out" he said proudly. "Well that is very interesting to have on your resume I suppose" I said. "By any chance does Hazy or friends have any core crystals?" he asked "Silly soldiers never let Steve touch one". Gran piped up "Well I do have one lying around here somewhere" she rummaged around in her, well I don't even know where she was looking through "Tada! One core crystal!" and she handed it to Steve "Be careful, if the crystal rejects you, you're likely going to have a huge pain and alot of blood coming out of your nose, sadly that happens to most noppon people." Gran warned. "Steve will be fine" he said as he touched it his nose began to bleed. "Meh meh! I need to try again! I almost got it!" he said. "By all means, try again," Jess said. He touched again but this time the crystal glowed. We all gasped as the crystal began to change form. A brilliant blue flash blinded us and when we could see again, a young lady with green hair and some armour stood in its place. "Greeting everyone, I am Grace!" she said. "Hmm I didn't know that you could resonate twice and make it work" Avalon said."I suppose the little nopon is my master?" Grace asked "Yes, me is your Driverpon" he said.
"Hey Steve?" "Yes?" "Since you're a scientist and maybe an engineer, guessing from all the machines here, could you do us a favor?" "Anything for friends!" "So you see, we need a vessel to get to the End zone, could you make one?" I asked. "Why friends want to go there? Very dangerous down there." he asked. "Well I'll tell you if you can keep it a secret". So we told him our story and our goal. "Wowie" he said "Me agree to help friends but on one condition!" "Okay what is it?" Jess asked. "I join your adventure!" he said. "Well you see" I began before I was cut by Avalon "Sure you're welcome to join our party, the more the merrier right?" he looked around, only Zero in the back of the room gave him a thumbs up "Anyway, we'll be here tomorrow to see you again goodnight!" and we all made our way back to our rooms, "So why'd you invite the little nopon to join us?" I asked "If I'm being honest, I'm not really sure, I just have a feeling that he will be useful, besides, back when I traveled with Jackson, we had a decently sized party." "Wait, you and Jackson had a party of more than three people?" I said curiously. "I'll answer in the morning if I remember, goodnight" and he threw a pillow at me and covered his ears with another. "You always look so strange when you sleep" I laughed "Oh yeah why's that?" his muffled voice said "You never take off your hood or cloak." "But I like sleeping in it!" he protested.
The next morning
"Mornin!" Jess's voice came from the door "We've gotta meet Steve soon, so move your asses!" she yelled. "Yes mother!" we both shot back. Soon enough me arrived at his funny house full of contraptions. "Friends me have made ship designs!" Steve announced "and thanks to Steve's credibility in the military, we can build ship in a week!" "Cool, but are you sure you can come with us?" Jess asked. "Sure! Steve is now driver and jobless!" he said proudly. "All friends and Steve have to do is travel to nearby place to build ship, house! Commence moving protocol!" mechanical hands shot out of the walls and went around various rooms to grab what seemed like essentials, a folding wardrobe, a folding workstation and many more folding items. And all of that fit in ONE bag. "Wow that was amazing!" I said. "Indeed! Grace are you ready to move!" Steve called "I've only been here for a day and it feels like home and we have to move?" she whined dramatically. So we traversed outside the city, which turned out to be a desert with a lot of sandstorms. "How on earth is there a desert in the middle of the sea" I yelled over the noise of the sandstorms "The Viomachnia titan swims above any of the other titans kid!" Avalon yelled back at me "It's close enough to the sun to make deserts." "How far is this friend of yours Steve?" Jess asked "Not far, only a measly one hour walk" he said before being tumbled by the wind being picked up by Grace. "Master, I think it is better for me to carry you here" she said. "Meh meh! Steve can walk, put me down Grace!' she still carried him most of the way. The desert was really annoying, it had random sandstorms every now and then and visibility was low when we were in the middle of one. Suddenly, we felt the ground rumble under our feet. "Move!" Avalon yelled. I jumped back in time before some giant scorpion burst out of the ground. "Watch out! This thing is a giant Scorpox!" Jess said drawing her knives and jumping right on its back. The creature hissed and arched its back trying to throw her off. "Steve! Go help her distract it" I said catching my sword Avalon threw. I went in with a new driver art I learned "Triple Slash!" I yelled. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see what Steve was wielding. A giant axe was swung around multiple times and it angered the monster. It brought its giant stinger down on Steve but he caught it with the handle of his axe. I was amazed, I thought Steve was just some scientist with no fighting experience but he was holding his own. Jess, seeing an opportunity, pulled her knives off the creatures back and sliced its stinger off. The creature flailed around in pain and threw Jess off its body. While it was distracted, I tossed my sword to Avalon who rushed in and uttered "Judgement Flash!" which did little damage but blinded it long enough for him to toss the sword back to me and I rushed in and said "Piercing Uppercut!" driving my sword into its head and slashed it upwards cutting its face in half. "Hey Steve, how are you good at fighting? No offense" I asked "Steve has trained long time ago when me still littlepon" he said "Dadapon thought it best Steve learn how to fight." "Welcome to the team!" Avalon laughed, patting his back. We all then rested for a while before setting off again.
He watched them laugh and congratulate their little friend and he laughed silently "Soon Aegis Driver, soon" he smiled.
