Tyrea still did not like Seer Alvis one bit, but when he approached her first, she supposed she would hear him out. Maybe he was finally going to come clean about some things, the rat! That may start to get him on her better side, just a bit.
She watched him carefully as they approached what had to be the exit of the cave. He definitely looked like he was ready to get something big off his chest. But he also looked like he was delaying it, almost scared to let it spill.
Fine, then. Tyrea would push him along!
"Well then?" She gave him a look, hand on her hip. "Do you have something to say to me? Finally reveal whatever that secret of yours is?"
"Ah, not exactly." Alvis shook his head. "While I would love to say it now, I simply can't. I was thinking about it, but… All will be revealed soon enough."
"What does that mean?" She frowned at him. "Are you planning to stab Egil in the back and abandon us soon? Your vagueness is doing you no favors right now!"
Alvis shrugged. "I cannot say more than I already have said, really. But know everything I do will be for the sake of Egil's success. I… want to see him succeed."
"I'm not sure if I feel sick to my stomach hearing that because I believe it or find it to be a bold-faced lie." Tyrea made a face as she tried to work it out. "How do you do that?"
"It's a talent of mine." He put a finger to his lips. "Now we have to see if you develop the skill to counter that or not."
"You little…" She shook her head with a sigh. "Well, whatever. Just know if you turn on us I'll be the first in line to shove my foot up your arse!"
"I'll be waiting to see if that day ever comes, then." Alvis gave her such a cheeky smile she wanted to punch him. "Though you'd have to catch me first."
"Oh, I'd easily catch you!" She poked him in the side, as hard as she could. "I'm faster than I look!"
"As am I!" Alvis returned the poke, just as hard. "We'll just have to see who's hiding more speed."
"I'll be watching you so closely you won't have a chance to step away after a betrayal before my foot strikes true!" Tyrea huffed and picked up her pace. "For now, though, just try and keep up!"
"Ah, I see the assassin has a competitive side!" Alvis chuckled, also picking up his pace and passing Tyrea with ease. "Let's see how far that can take you, hm?"
She huffed as he easily began to put space between them. For a moment she swore he was almost gliding rather than walking, but it had to be a trick of her eyes. Didn't make Alvis any less annoying, though.
Betrayal or not, he was getting a foot up the arse at some point…!
The cave was now behind them and Egil couldn't be happier. He was already feeling sense return to him fully, and he felt he could actually keep an eye on his surroundings. By Meyneth, the inside of the Bionis was a headache and a half… Hopefully this would be the last time he had to spend so much time within it…
For now, he and his group could move towards Colony 9. Shulk was down there, somewhere, and they were going to deal with him. Just how they would deal with him, though? Egil still was unsure… Take the revenge Kallian wanted (and that, deep inside, he wanted as well) or speak to him as Lady Meyneth wished…
He still had no clue what he would choose, even as they came upon Homs. Two of them, both clearly the fighting type, judging by their armour and weapons. Egil was afraid he was going to be captured again when he noticed something.
One of the Homs, the shorter one, had only one arm. The other, it seemed, had been lost. It may not be the best to assume things in a time like this, he knew, but… He couldn't help but think of what Sharla had said as they looked upon Fiora.
"Fiora's brother, then…?" The words came out quiet, but firm. "...We saw her, in Colony 6. There's been progress."
The man's eyes widened, but soon softened at his words. "She's getting better, then? That's… that's good to hear."
"Weird to hear it from weird lookin' folks, though." The larger one rolled his shoulder with a sigh. "...Might be just what we needed though, ey Dunban?"
"Indeed, Reyn." The man closed his eyes for a moment and Egil stayed quiet, the group all watching quietly from behind him.
It was the Reyn fellow to speak again. "I dunno what you lot are, maybe somethin' related to the Mechon? Don't seem too dangerous, though. So maybe… you all could talk some sense into Shulk."
"Talk sense into him?" Tyrea placed a hand on her hip. "He killed the High Entian Emperor!"
"He did what?!" Dunban's eyes widened. "...The Mechon attack affected him worse than we even thought, then…"
"He's a danger." Kallian spoke, frown on his face. "He needs to be dealt with, before he can hurt anyone else."
"We know that!" Reyn snapped before deflating a bit. "He… wasn't always like this, y'know? Used to be real mild and fragile-like."
"The heir to the Monado is mild and fragile…?" Vanea frowned. "Was Zanza like that, Egil?"
"...Not really, no. More a studious type."
"See, Shulk's that, too! Got a real interest in machines…" Reyn scratched his head. "What's this Monado thing, though?"
"I would assume the sword he brought back, shortly before the Mechon attack." Dunban frowned. "Could that have something to do with how he's acting…?"
"There is no could, it definitely is." Egil's voice nearly broke as he spoke. "It happened to my friend once, and now it's happening to Shulk."
"Then y'need to help him!" Reyn stepped forward. "Y'have experience, right? You should be able to get him to listen and stop! Tell him about that friend o' yours and make him knock it off!"
"I… I'm unsure." Egil could feel the group staring at his back. "I am not the best with conversation, and he may not even listen-"
"Please, at least try." Dunban spoke again, his one hand against his chest. "He was a good boy, my sister… She cared for him greatly, and he cared for her. Please, if you've seen my sister… You will understand that you cannot just kill him!"
Egil closed his eyes, pain in his heart. He understood, truly. Wanting to destroy everyone, even those not at fault for your pain, when you lost someone important. Shulk was a new spin on what Egil had become, and Fiora was simply his Arglas.
It made him sick to his stomach, could he just kill him? Could he do that and move on as if nothing had happened? Could he kill Shulk and, along with that, kill the part of him that clung to revenge so fervently? Or will that just make that make it harder to push that desire down?
Violence begets violence… He could hear Meyneth whispering that upon his heart. The blood of one Bionis being on his hands would drive him for more and more. Would drive him to finally teeter over the edge he had been standing on for so long.
With the people behind him, he simply couldn't allow that. If he wanted to kill his desire for revenge, he would need to try and reason with Shulk.
His eyes opened slowly as he nodded. "Alright, you two. I promise you… I will do what I can to convince him this isn't the way."
