And here we are, the final chapter to catch up with Ao3... from here on out it'll be semi-daily updates like ao3!


Chasing after Shulk, Egil had one thing in mind; save the boy, save him from becoming the next in a line of puppets for Zanza. He was going to save Shulk from the fate Arglas had suffered, no matter what it took. Even if it meant giving his own life…!

And he could feel that Lady Meyneth felt the same. As long as their resolutions held strong, they could do something and break this cycle.

They were near the entrance of Makna when they finally caught up to Shulk. He was clinging to the Monado tighter than before, breathing heavily as he realized he was caught. He turned to look at them, legs shaking.

Egil felt his heart breaking, watching the way Shulk stepped away from them, refusing to break eye-contact. He looked like a caged animal, but they couldn't stop now. No matter how pitiable Shulk seemed, there were words to be said.

"S...stay away!" He spoke first, pointing the Monado at Egil when he took a step closer. "Nothing you say can change my mind…! The voice within me that wants revenge… it…"

"Hm?" Egil kept his voice soft. "What about the voice, Shulk?"

"It's louder than anything you could say to me!" Shulk's voice cracked, but he kept Egil at Monado point. "Another step closer and I won't be able to leave you be!"

"Is that so?" Egil sighed, closing his eyes. "That's fine, I don't have to be louder. I just have to make more sense."

He felt warm, a glow coming over him. He looked at his hands and saw a red light, and knew Lady Meyneth was protecting him. A deep breath sucked in, and he was walking towards Shulk, moving closer than any should be able to in this moment, placing his hand against the red base of the Monado.

Shulk was shaking, but holding tightly. He tried to wrench it free, but Egil held tightly, refusing to let him swing it. Refusing to allow the cycle of violence to continue. Not until he at least said his part.

"My home, the Mechonis… It was once attacked, by Zanza." His voice was soft as he stared down at Shulk. "We lost most of our people, but agreed to peace with those that remained on the Bionis. Agreed to forget about each other…"

Shulk's voice shook as he finally looked up at Egil. "Then why are you here?"

"Because I couldn't forget." He felt his heart squeeze. "Even to this day, I have to fight down the urge to take revenge for my people, for Arglas."

"Arglas…?"

"Zanza…" He closed his eyes, sucking in a shaking breath. "He used to be Arglas, before the Monado took ahold of him. Before he became… what you could become if you don't stop. Please, Shulk… I don't want to lose someone else to the Monado."

Shulk's eyes widened and he looked at the Monado for a moment. "What…?"

"The Monado will take ahold of you, will erase your very being." He shook his head. "It doesn't have to be that way, though. Shulk, please, drop the Monado. We can live in peace again, hand in hand… as your ancestors and the Machina did, long ago."

He watched Shulk stare at the Monado for a moment, and felt like he couldn't breathe. Were his words getting through to him at all? It was hard to tell, but he wouldn't give up. As long as Shulk tried to swing his blade, he would stop him. Until he finally understood.

Shulk finally dropped the sword, tears in his eyes as Egil let it drop as well. The Monado clattered to the ground and Shulk leaned against Egil, letting out a shaky breath.

His words had done it, he'd gotten through to the heir to the Monado… Something he hadn't been able to do for Arglas realized in the form of Shulk. For a moment, he almost wanted to hug the boy… But instead, he stood, one hand on Shulk's shoulder while he cried.

"It's alright, Shulk. We can move on now." His voice was quiet as he spoke, hand on his shoulder. "Let's start by going to see Fiora, hm? I'm sure seeing her progress would be good for you."

"Yeah…" Shulk finally pulled from where he leaned against Egil, wiping away his tears. "That… that would be nice. Maybe we can even… come to know each other."

"I would like that…" He gave a small smile. "We can all come to know each other… and rebuild what has been broken."

Shulk nodded, moving in front of Egil and holding out a hand. Egil would have taken it without a second thought, if not for the appearance of another Homs. Blond hair, braided up, with a bandana across his forehead.

At first, he didn't recognize him, but then, things began to fall in place. There was only one person this could be, one person who would happen across such a scene with such a knowing frown.

"Zanza's… disciple…" The words came out, shaking, but it was too late.

He had pulled his weapon free and a shot rang true, piercing Shulk's chest and making the boy fall limply into Egil's arms. The boy Egil had just convinced to live in peace, killed. All for the sake of what must be Zanza's plans.

Everyone else watched on in shock, no words exiting their mouths. Alvis held Tyrea back as she tried to lunge at Dickson, everyone else too frozen in shock to move. Oka, her head buried in Kallian's leg, sobbing softly out of fear. Vanea, falling to her knees as Linada gripped her arms...

And as Egil looked upon this all, he couldn't find himself doing much more than the rest.

"Long time no see, Egil." Dickson rested his gun against his shoulder as he grinned at the Machina. "Too bad you had to stick your nose in all of this. If you hadn't, maybe the brat would've lived!"

Egil felt his throat closing as anxiety and anger filled his body. He held Shulk's body close to him, shaking every so slightly in rage. Zanza had planned for this, had planned for Shulk's death should Egil convince him. There had been no saving him, there never had been.

Zanza was puppeting Egil around as he had when Egil was younger, in love. Used him to reach a conclusion in which he would win…

"No…" He fell to his knees. "No, I-"

"Get away from him!"