The path to the lower sections of the Bionis was ahead, Egil able to see the path they would walk in due time. Their trek through Makna was finally coming to a close… There was just one little problem.
"It's broken." Alvis spoke, a frown on his face as he looked at the broken bridge in front of them. "And it's the only way into the lower sections of the Bionis."
"This is quite the problem." Egil looked down at the Nopon standing by the bridge. "How long will repairs take?"
"Repairs will be hard…" The Nopon shook his head. "Not have materials we need…"
"That is a problem…" Kallian crossed his arms. "How long will gathering the supplies take?"
"Nopon very much fragile, will be hard to gather." The Nopon looked at the ground. "Will take weeks."
"Weeks?!" Tyrea stepped forward. "We don't have weeks!"
"Tyrea, calm down." Linada chided her. "There isn't much we can do if the bridge is broken, we just have to be patient."
"Linada half-right! Tyrea should calm down, but Oka not normal Nopon!" Oka puffed out her chest. "Friends and Oka will gather supplies, have no scary!"
"Well, I suppose that works." Linada snorted, looking to the Nopon standing by the broken bridge. "What do you need? We'll gather what we can."
"Hode Planks, as many as friends can gather!" The Nopon nodded. "At least twenty should be enough."
"Twenty…" Vanea hummed. "I see. Oka, we will be relying on you to lead us to a source of these Hode Planks."
"Oka ready!" Oka smiled and turned, waving for everyone to follow her. "Come on friends, may take long time so should start as soon as possible."
Tyrea rolled her eyes. "So long as it doesn't take weeks, I suppose I can accept that."
"Tyrea, you're in too much of a hurry for someone without a personal stake in what we're doing." Kallian sighed, shaking his head. "Well, whatever. Let's go."
Egil nodded, moving to follow being the Nopon. "Sounds like a good idea. The less I have to hear Tyrea complain, the better."
"You…!" Tyrea huffed, approaching him. "Are you trying to pick a fight, Machina?"
"Perhaps I am." Egil tapped his cheek. "What would you do if that was the case, hm?"
"I'll kill you! I only have to stay with the Seer and the Prince, what happens to you is not a matter to Alcamoth!"
"If you kill him, we will have a problem." Alvis spoke up, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You're only allowed this opportunity because I wish to follow Egil, did you forget?"
Tyrea paused, before letting out a grunt of frustration. "Fine! But I will not allow him to simply pick a fight!"
"Just ignore him." Vanea sighed. "Egil has a sharp tongue and doesn't know how to control it."
"Vanea…!"
"Now, now!" Linada clapped her hands together. "Let's get going! We're burning daylight here!"
"...Yes, Linada."
Egil had been mindlessly following Oka for quite some time when something felt off. Like there was something bubbling in his heart as they walked through the forest, one goal in mind. Find the planks, get to the lower sections of Bionis, and get revenge.
Revenge that, for some reason, felt strange in his heart. Or perhaps it was the heart of...
"Egil."The Machina stopped at a familiar, motherly voice in his head. "Egil, can you hear me?"
"Lady Meyneth…" He closed his eyes and nodded, the group getting farther away. "I can."
"Egil, there is still time! Please, do not hurt the Heir to the Monado when you meet him." Her voice was filled with panic. "Vengeance is not the answer, Egil! You must speak with him."
"Speak with him?" He made a face, biting the worry forcing its way into his body. "He killed Kallian's father, and injured the man to boot. He could very well bring about a second tragedy of our people!"
"But it is not too late." She was pleading with him now. "He is not yet a victim fully under Zanza's control. You can still save him from that fate!"
"Save him from Arglas's fate, you mean." There was a great pain in his heart, one that was not fully his own. "I couldn't save Arglas, why would I be able to save this stranger?"
"Believe in yourself, Egil…" Her voice was soft, starting to fade. "It is the future I entrust to you…"
And with that, her voice vanished from his mind and he dropped to his knees. His goddess and her blessing… They were with him, through all of this. But she begged him to not do what they set out to do. To not stop what was inevitable the only way Egil knew how.
She was there, protecting him and pushing him away from the only plan he had, all at the same time. Leaving him unsure of what to do as he stared at the floor of the forest. Why did she think he could do anything?
He hadn't been able to back then, why would he be able to now?
"Egil…" Vanea came running back, the rest of the group following after. "What's wrong, are you alright?"
"I… I'm fine." He shook his head, pulling himself to his feet. "I was just… talking."
"Talking?" Kallian tilted his head to the side. "Who were you talking to? You seemed to be quite alone to me!"
"To… Lady Meyneth."
Oka blinked a few times, copying the tilt of Kallian's head. "Who that?"
"She is… our goddess." Egil spoke vaguely, not wanting to reveal too much. "No one to worry about."
But Tyrea had other plans, hand on her hip, she spoke. "The Order teaches of the Bionis having a soul… Is Meyneth the same for the Mechonis, then?"
"How sharp of you, Tyrea." Linada nodded. "That is indeed who she is, though she… wore herself out, in the battle between titans."
"And she is kept alive inside of Egil now." Alvis spoke up, then. "Nothing for us to worry about, seeing as she hasn't gotten in our way yet."
Gotten in their way… but she had just pleaded for Egil to change the course of their plans. Egil frowned, but said nothing, instead walking forward again, ignoring the questions of if he was alright.
He would… have to think on her words later, he supposed. When he had time to himself.
"Say, Alvis." Vanea had found her way to the Homs side that night, as they settled down with only five of the twenty needed Hode Planks. "I really cannot shake the feeling that your voice is familiar."
"Well, of course it is." He blinked at her. "You and I have been companions in travel for quite some time now, after all."
"That is true, but… that's not exactly what I mean." She wrung her hands together, trying to find the words.
"Oh? Then what is it you meant?"
How did she say this without sounding crazy? She was so certain the voice she had heard all the way back on Sword Valley was his. The same tone, the same accent, the same flair for the dramatic and vague… it had to be him!
But what if she was wrong? What if paranoia really just made her attach Alvis and the voice in her head? She didn't want to tell him and be wrong, embarrassed over thanking him for something he never did.
Besides, he was strange, and could see the future, not speak to others telepathically. She was just being ridiculous… But oh! It was too late to turn back now!
"When Egil nearly died, I heard a man. Urging me to place Lady Meyneth within him and save him." She spoke, her voice quiet. "And the man… sounded an awful lot like you."
"Is that so…" He stroked his chin with a hum. "How interesting. The coincidences just continue to grow."
"So it was not you. It's merely chance the voice urging me to save my brother sounded like the man we ran into not long after." For some reason, that was almost harder to believe than what she thought. "That's what you are saying, correct?"
"Correct." He nodded before tilting his head to the side. "Is this an issue, Vanea?"
"No, not an issue… I simply can't believe how many coincidences seem to involve you." She narrowed her eyes. "It makes me feel as if I need to keep a closer eye on you."
"Is that so?" He chuckled. "Feel free to, then. I promise you, nothing will seem odd if you do that for long enough."
"We will see about that, then, Alvis."
"Indeed. I look forward to it, Vanea."
