Part One: The Dark Colossus Falls.

The world was a barren waste, a nightmare that could not be awoken from. For as far as the eye could see, ruins were scattered across the land and sky. Streets were torn asunder while buildings had long ago collapsed upon crushed bricks. Vast chasms of earth split the ground in every direction, giving rise to massive chunks of ground while others fell into an empty void below. Various shapes lurked this hellish landscape. Some lumbered through the broken land, one shuttering footstep at a time. Others however, laid prone on the ground, still as a corpse, waiting for something to pass on by.

These were no humans, but…they once had been.

But among this desolate place, there stood an area in particular. Rising far beyond even the blood red mist that engulfed this land on all sides, there was a spire.

It felt unnatural. A place once home to one of the few final bastions of humanity left. Now, it was a warped reflection of what it had been. Its halls filled with the damned, poor souls reduced to a state of unending torment. The valiant defenders stood no chance, and were slaughtered to the last man. Their white armor now sat, stained in blood as the same fate awaited them. It was approaching, like a sickening illness. Never out of sight, lurking in the background for its own moment to pounce.

But at the very height of this putrid tower, stood a singular man.

Though to even call him such would be a grave insult to humanity everywhere.

"A pity…Those who are too weak to keep up with the speed of progress do not deserve to live!"

He was the cause of all this carnage. The architect of all the pain that splattered the floors of the spire.

This thing was a hulking figure. Tall and covered from head to toe in ominous black attire. Metal adorned his chest, his arms, and even the entirety of his head. A series of pipes were attached to the sides of his neck in addition to the large three on the left side of his chest. One arm was hidden by the remains of a checkered cloak while the other bore a massive greatsword in his grip.

No hint of flesh could be seen across his entire body, including his head. This intimidating vestige resembles a metal skull, with a frowning brow, and a single glowing eye.

He stood, proudly in the center of a massive chamber. A large walkway, almost like a bridge through the final floor of his revolting spire. There were no lights, only massive windows on every wall that glowed ominously due to the mist outside.

The blood of his sacrificed pawns laid at the man's feet. Even still, he could not be bothered. They had served their purpose well. As did every step along his path to his ultimate goal. It was so close that he could practically taste it. The true culmination of all his wants and desires, the reality he sought to bring forth into this tired world.

Juzo Mido, the Arbiter of Ruin.

"You bastard! After all you've done…Just how many more lives are you willing to sacrifice!?"

A roar of anger cut through the sick, putrid air of Mido's Spire.

One young man, with a massive two handed sword charged toward Mido with hate radiating off his lime green eyes.

This man was tall, the tallest of his companions. He had long red hair tied up in a ponytail, a two cylinder gas mask on his face, and a massive coat hanging off his shoulders. This coat was primarily black and yellow, with a large collar around his neck. The rest of his attire consisted of a skin tight t-shirt and combat pants adorned with pouches and pockets.

His anger building, the young mange dragged his massive sword across the ground as he ran straight for his hated foe. The sword carved a massive gash in the food as he ran but the weight of the blade seemed nonexistent to its wielder.

As yards between them turned to mere feet, the man jumped at the imposing figure of Mido. He used both hands and brought the massive sword down upon his enemy, sparks clashing as metal clashed against metal.

Sword however, did not meet flesh. Mido, effortlessly, blocked the massive sword with his own. His revolving, glowing blade stopped the young man's without budging. It's owner barely spared his attacker a glance, as if he was above his notice.

Instead, Mido scoffed and lifted his other hand.

Ichor, blood red energy flowed out from the appendage and collected around Juzo's hand like a blade. It was black, almost like a shroud of rotten, twisted blood collected into a sharpened point like a scalpel.

With vicious ease, Mido dove his hand toward the young man's chest, to gouge out his heart once and for all.

"We will stop you. After all they've done for everyone…The Successors will not have suffered in vain!"

Before the Ichor blade could pierce his chest, someone else intercepted the grievous blow.

Akin to a blur, another young man appeared between Mido and his attacker.

This figure was yet another young man. He was shorter than his companion, with untamed black hair, red eyes, and his own gas mask adorned to his face. Unlike the more combat heavy attire that his friend wore, his attire was far more professional in its appearance. He wore a red and black dress shirt with a white collar around his neck. In place of a large coat, he also wore a large cloak on his left side, somewhat similar to Mido.

In one hand, the new arrival deflected the madman's attack with his sword. It was a one handed, simplistic blade that shattered the Ichor collected around Mido's hand.

While one hand saved his companion, the young man slammed his other palm into the Mido's midsection. The blow did nothing to budge the indomitable bulk of his foe, the man's fingers suddenly began to glow a hint of red.

An explosion suddenly rocked the madman, sending his frame sliding backwards. Fire had erupted from the young man's hand and smashed into his enemy with the force of a small cannon firing at close range. And the young man didn't relent. After the first, several more fireballs launched themselves at the lunatic in a quick barrage. Each orb roared with a raging flame, as well as crimson Ichor as they flew across the ground and homed in on their target.

But once more, the attacks didn't strike true.

As Mido came to a stop, he raised his head and swiped through the air with his free arm. More Ichor collected around the appendage and smashed the fireballs away before they could ever reach him.

"What swill."

A black cloud, like a living shadow, suddenly appeared behind Mido's head.

Emerging from it with a sword already in mid-swing, was a young man with white, gelled back hair.

He wore a large white coat with a red interior, a more casual suit with a black dress shirt, a black and white striped undershirt, and a necklace around his neck. A large scar also adorned the left side of his face, leaving a mismatched patch of skin above his eye.

As sudden as he appeared however, Mido was fast. He clashed with his white haired attacker, twisting around to meet his sword before it could skin into the madman's neck. Unlike the others however, this foe was unrelenting.

Vanishing and reappearing, not unlike a ghost, Mido was assaulted with a barrage of attacks at lightning speed. His slick attacker swung his sword with swift and dangerously sharp skill, poking and prodding every crack he could find in the madman's defenses.

Try as he liked however, Mido was a stone wall. He swung his greatsword with speed that nearly caused a backlash due to its sheer size. The Onyx blade clashed again and again with his attacker, beating back most of the blows before any real damage could be done. Some slashes did scrape his armor but Mido was more than just size, he had speed as well.

After what felt like a blur of black against white, Mido caught his attacker's sword with his free hand.

Fingers tightened around the blade, like a vice grip. Realizing that he was caught, the white swordsman relinquished his sword and dove backwards before Mido could crumple him into the ground with an overhead swing.

But it was too late. As the young man tried to escape, Mido stretched out his palm and pointed it at the boy.

Unlike before, Ichor did not gather around the man's hand like a blade or a claw. No, this time the red fluid swirled into the palm of his hand. It gathered between his fingertips, forming an orb of vicious red miasma. The Ichor swelled, like a growing sun in the palm of the madman's hand. It started around the size of his fist, then expanded nearly twice its size, and then again until it nearly reached the size of its owner's torso.

With a flick of his finger, Mido launched the unstable mass of Ichor at his opponent. The orb was slow, but persistent. It grew in size as it traveled, heading directly for the young man before he could get out of the way.

"Enough, Mido! We won't let you do this!"

Several loud cracks pierced the air.

Numerous blasts of Ichor shot through the air and slammed into Mido while his back was turned. Most erupted into a crimson blast as they made contact with his monster's undefended side. But, some of the bullets sailed past Mido all together. These bits of crimson soared through the air and struck the orb chasing after the white swordsman.

The two sources of energy collided in a literal eruption of blood. It exploded like a popped blister, raining down Ichor across the ground. The bullets tore through the orb and detonated it before it could reach its target.

Annoyed, Mido turned and glared at the culprits with his lone eye.

Near the back of the band of interlopers were two women. Each was armed with long rifles with bayonets attached at the end.

The first was a rather young looking girl. She was short, the smallest of the group with blonde hair, a bearskin cap atop her head, and large green eyes. Her attire consisted of a large fur-lined long coat, a black corset, purple stockings, and a lavender shirt underneath.

Next to her was a much taller, more shapely older woman. Her hair was white and had scars across her face, much like the white swordsman. She wore a much more damaged, ripped red dress and a black corset with the addition of thigh high boots. Around her neck was a large white cloak of some sort, made of white features and steel roses. She also wore a necklace, one that appeared similar to another one of her comrades had…

"Pests…"

Tossing the swordsman's blade aside, Mido sets his gaze on the pair of women. Annoyance building, he waved his arm toward the pair. Ichor gathering, three intense blasts shot through the air, faster than even the bullets earlier. With a trail of Ichor following behind them, the blasts flew across the chamber with utmost speed. They completely ignored the duo from earlier, instead bending toward the girls like rabid hounds.

The pair, realizing what was coming, tried to back off and returned fire at the crazed madman. But as accurate as they were with their rifles, the orbs zipped back and forth to avoid their shots.

As if driven by Mido's own pettiness, the orbs rushed toward the girls, faster than they could avoid….

"Save them…"

…only for the orbs to shatter, swatted out of the air by a large, mechanical stringer.

Out of the red mist, born of the orb's destruction, a final figure emerged.

He was around average size, not the shortest or the tallest of his companions. Over his head was a large white hood that extended past his shoulders, along with red strips of fabric that hung down from his shoulders on each side of his body. Everything below the hood was a mix of combat attire and armor. His shirt was a tight fighting black ensemble with belts across his torso. Both hands had fingerless gloves while his pants were more of the military variety with the addition of armor covering his lower pant-legs.

His gas mask was more simplistic than the others. It had a smooth, more curved surface with a single cylinder attached to its side.

In his hand was a sword, though different than the others wielded so far. It was sleek, thin and had an unnatural glow throughout its frame from the handle to the edge of the blade. The weapon looked as if it was still being forged with an interior still made of molten metal that hadn't lost its shape. Compared to his allies, his sword looked more like a stretched out combat knife than the complex weapons they used.

Gray eyes narrowing, the hooded figure crouched down and shot forward like a bullet, the red fabric fluttering as he charged across the chamber.

Mido rolled his 'eye', and several more bolts of Ichor were sent cascading toward his hooded foe. As the projectiles neared however, the Revenant slid his hand across the surface of the blade. Fire erupted from the internals of the weapon and bathed the entire sword in wild flames. Pulling the sword back, the white hood showered the air with a wave of heat. The orbs vanished amidst the fire, leaving naught but embers in his wake.

Disappointed, Mido raised his massive greatsword, prepared to clash with yet another annoyance in his way.

Two shapes however, would not allow it. A mop of red and white hair appeared on either side of Mido and struck in rapid succession. The taller of the pair brought his two handed sword down upon the madman's weapon and pinned it to the floor. All the while, the white hunter, his blade recovered, stabbed Mido's remaining arm and pulled it away. No gathering of Ichor would save him this time!

"Do it now!"

Finally, with his foe effectively disarmed, the Hood lunged forward. He pulled back his sword and aimed it at Mido's exposed chest. The blade's tip aimed high and slightly toward the left. One and only target in mind…

His heart.

"Begone."

Suddenly, a tremor shook the highest point of the Spire. An eruption of Ichor exploded from deep within Mido's chest. Like flood, the red substance flowed in every direction akin to a outstretching shockwave. Both Red and White swordsmen were sent tumbling by the sheer force of the wave. Only one, the Revenant in the white hood withstood the torrent of blood, blocking it with both hands as it flowed past him.

Unfortunately however, his sword did not reach its target.

Mido remained, undaunted by the explosion. The monolith of depravity glared down at the white hood, eye flaring as he lifted his greatsword high.

The Hood did the same, and lunged forward with blade in hand.

Sparks sprang to life as the two swords clashed, showering the chamber in a dazzling light show. Mido pressed down, using his indomitable strength to smash his foe flat across the stone floor. But despite all appearances, the hood remained as he was, longsword bearing the brunt of the bastard's greatsword.

After a moment of holding up such immense weight however, the Revenant lunged. He dove forward, blade sparking against Mido's, and shot toward the monster like a blur.

Instantly Mido raised his free hand, Ichor gathering in his palm.

To counter, the Hood did the same, only with fire gathering in his own, not unlike his comrade.

Flame and Ichor met in a resounding flash. Fire ate away at the red substance while the blood sought to devour the raging inferno. For several seconds the opposing forces fought against one another before finally, they erupted in a mighty explosion.

But through the smoky aftermath, the two Revenants pressed forward. Both the Hood and the Mido cut through the cloud of ash, their blades meeting once more with a resounding clang of metal.

Again, and again, and again.

The pair clashed repeatedly like two buzzsaws bouncing back and forth, swirling and slicing at each other with unrelenting ferocity. Mido's massive greatsword smashed portions of the floor like a sledgehammer against concrete. His foe was the opposite, constantly on the move, dodging out of the way and striking back with quick jabs. Each hit sent a cascade of sparks and Ichor into the air, showering the chamber in both light, and shadow.

As their onslaught upon one another grew in intensity, so did the cloud of Ichor swell between the two fighters.

It was like a storm, a variable mist forming between the two with each slash of their weapons adding to the cloud. The remaining Revenants looked on, their eyes wide as the intensity of the battle grew.

The air grew thick, visibility fading as the crimson cloud grew. The other combatants were reduced to spectators, watching as the two fighters disappeared into the fog of battle. In moments the only thing that could be seen was the glow of their eyes and the sparks erupting from every strike.

Everyone had their grudge against Mido, some more than others. Several of the Revenants were twitchy, itching to jump back into the fight. But as the battle continued on, their opportunities to jump back in dwindled.

What had been an all out fight against this monster, was now a duel to the death.

However, there was one oddity.

Deep within the thicket of blood, some spotted a strange light. It was bright, almost like a star peeking out from within a din of clouds or a shard of ice reflecting in the depths of a cavern. Some could even compare it to something more crystalline…

Nevertheless, whatever it was, it sat between the two fighters. Neither paid it no mind of course, or perhaps they hadn't even noticed it. Too busy they were, trying to lop each other to pieces to notice a strange glow sitting at their feet.

But it wasn't a simple glow. As the fighting raged on, the light began to expand. What was once a small flicker of light, swelled in size. It grew brighter, brighter, and brighter still. Almost matching the swords with every time they clashed., the light began to overtake even the cloud of Ichor. It banished the darkness and slowly overcame even the two fighters in its bright light.

Shouts filled the air, the Hooded Revenant's companions calling out to him as best they could. But the fight has overcome him, leaving him deaf to the world. Not the light, the Ichor, the shouts, or even his own name being called out to him.

All he could see was two things, his sword…and Mido.

As the fighters swung at each other one last time, the light exploded forth. It consumed everything in its path. The Spire's entire chamber was filled with an ethereal light, blinding everyone with such intensity. The Revenants flinched back from such brightness…

But the battle continued, Mido swung his greatsword and the Hood slashed at his neck.

Their weapons clashed, sparks flew…

"...Ryan!"

…and then, nothing.

Elsewhere:

"I'm gonna kill him."

Rex sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"My Lady, don't you think that is a bit of an over-"

"Nope! Nah! It's not, I'm gonna kill him."

It was way too early for this bunch of bullocks.

The sun had yet to fully rise over the Argentum Trade Guild and yet, Rex and his friends were up and awake. Dressed and ready to start the day, both Driver, Blade, Nopon, and Titan strolled through the silent halls of guild with a slight slump to their step. It was odd to see the normally busy ship so quiet. The Salvage deck and bazaar was often filled to the brim with people, going about their day working and socializing. But with how early it was, it was of no real surprise that the place seemed like a ghost town. Everyone was still in bed, dreaming away until the morning wake up call.

In fact, that's where Rex and his friends wished they were, not lollygagging at such an ungodly time.

After a busy day of traveling, helping out, and fighting whatever creepy critter decided to make them it's lunch for the day, the group stopped by Argentum to take a breather and get a bit of a rest. Sleeping on an actual bed wasn't something anyone would object to, plus the warm food sounded really good after the day they had.

And thankfully, the night of rest had gone remarkably well. Sure, Zeke had made a fool of himself as per normal and Mythra came within inches of tossing his sorry but into the Cloud Sea for what seemed to be the hundredth time, but that wasn't anything new. More of the same old, same old.

Once the sun set and the night rolled in, Rex and the others said their goodnight and shuffled off to bed. Argentum had some of the comfiest beds in all in Alrest (or, so Rex claimed, having spent a lot of nights here as a Salvager). Without anyone making a fuss, nor any…unfortunate circumstances such as a Aegis sleepwalking, everyone drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

At least until someone started pounding on Rex's door like a madman.

His eyes snapping open with a crack, Rex groaned and rolled off his bed. The poor boy dragged his feet toward the door and reluctantly opened it to see what the heck was going on.

Much to his confusion, the subject of his earlier than usual wake up call…was a Nopon.

An extra small, round, yellow Nopon with big red eyes.

It was the Nopon Archsage.

He was a particularly strange Nopon, the self proclaimed owner, builder, and operator of the 'Land of Challenge'. A strange, wondrous location Rex and the others had discovered near the Olethro Ruins in Uraya. One day, the Salvager received an odd summons in the mail that directed the group to the ruins, where they discovered a strange crystal floating in the air. Upon touching it, everyone was suddenly transported…somewhere else.

It was a large stone structure, made of pillars and stone floors floating in the middle of the Cloud Sea. Oddly, the World Tree was nowhere in sight and off in the distance? The Cloud Sea seemed to…end into a massive void in the distance.

No one could make heads or tails of the place. Even Pyra of all people pitched the idea that where it was, it wasn't in Alrest at all.

Stranger still was the 'owner' of such a place. The Nopon Archsage was a particularly tiny Nopon who claimed to be far older than Tora and created the Land of Challenge himself. No one particularly believed either bit but what else could they do?

The Land of Challenge was a mysterious place, filled with obstacles and challenges Rex and Co. could use to train themselves for future trials. They even ran into a few new faces, people who claimed to be from places other than Alrest. It was honestly a bizarre place but certainly not the wild Tirkin chase Rex had honestly been expecting.

With all that said though, the Nopon Archsage never seemed to leave the Land of Challenge itself…

…so why was he waking Rex in the middle of the night, looking spooked out of his little Nopon mind?!

"Nopon Archsage needs friend's help! New challengers arrive but no listen the Nopon Archsage! They cause huge mess! Big red mess! Can't deal with it! Please, help friends out, please!"

To put it short, the Nopon spent a good five to ten minutes talking Rex's ear off about some new arrival he couldn't deal with. Of course, Rex spent half that time trying to understand a damn thing the Nopon was trying to say but he eventually got the gist of it.

Naturally, Rex would have been more than willing to help the little weirdo. But waking the boy up halfway through the night certainly didn't help his case.

Especially since Rex was one of the more willing members of his party for such a task.

Everyone else glared daggers at the Nopon once they were roused from their slumber. Even Morag, one of the few members of their little group that might have been up at such an ungodly hour due to being in the military, was ever slightly furious at the Nopon. But even still, she was respectfully calm, if not internally fuming.

Nia and Mythra on the other hand?

Oh, they wanted to throttle the little yellow bumpkin.

The Nopon Archsage was lucky he had hightailed it back to the Land of Challenge before Nia stormed out of her room. If the little guy was still around, he would have found himself on a one way trip into the Cloud Sea via Nia's boot to his bum.

As for Mythra…

"I'm with Nia," the Aegis grumbled, "Next time I see that little twirp, he's gonna be my personal kickball for the next week!"

She wasn't much better.

Honestly, no one, not even Rex was all too happy with their predicament. Dromarch made busy trying to make sure his mistress wasn't going to kill anyone. Tora was getting dragged around by Poppi in a vain attempt to make sure the little guy didn't sneak off back to bed. Zeke and Pandoria looked absolutely dead on their feet. And Morag and Brigid were doing their best to look as professional as possible.

The only one who wasn't suffering from the early rising was Pyra, who still sat slumbering in Mythra's head. The Aegis had the urge to wake her sister up and make her deal with this blundering quest. But, as grumpy as she was, Mythra wasn't that cruel.

Pyra had been awake for the long haul the other day and deserved a bit of rest…

Didn't make Mythra any happier though. She still wanted to send that damn Nopon into the stratosphere for ruining her beauty sleep.

As much as a sour mood it collectively put everyone in though, the group agreed to get the job done, and quickly. The sooner they settled whatever was going on, the sooner they could go back to bed. Looking at the sky, there were a few more hours before it was time to get up. That meant they could still get a bit more shuteye before the grub was on.

No one wanted to miss breakfast on account of a little jerk who's idea of entertainment was watching them get thrashed by giant beasties.

So mustering up as much energy as they could with only half a night of sleep behind them, Rex and the others slowly made their way across the Guild hall, toward the Chairman's office. For some reason, the Nopon Archsage had set up a portal to the Land of Challenge there of all places. Rex really wanted to ask him what that was all about, but he was seriously not in the mood to humor the little guy's antics right now.

His bed was calling to him and they had a fight ahead of them.

Maybe. The Aegis' driver hoped they might be able to settle this without a good brawl. Maybe the Archsage had blundered his way into antagonizing whoever had shown up. With clamer heads, they might be able to get things to even out without having to smash their heads together.

He also had a sinking feeling that wouldn't be the case…but hey, a boy could hope.

Either way, upon arriving, the group made their way over to the strange crystal that marked the entrance to the Land of Challenge and got on their way. Transportation to such an odd realm was never the most pleasant of experiences. It didn't hurt or anything but it was more akin to stepping through a normal door and popping out somewhere completely different.

Always sent a chill up Rex's spine. And one look at Dromarch and Nia's frazzled hair meant he wasn't the only one.

"Alright," Zeke grumbled, lifting his massive Big Bang edge onto his shoulders, "Who here needs a good walloping?"

Behind Rex, resting in his Salvaging helmet, Azurda popped his head out and shot the man a flat look, "Must you always go looking for trouble?"

"Hey, I'll have you know the Zekenator needs at least seven hours of sleep for my natural roughness to take hold! Any less is an utter travesty."

Pandora popped out from behind her Driver and nodded, "He's right. My Prince needs his rest. He looks dreadful without it."

"Oi! I didn't mean it like that!"

Rex shook his head at the trio's antics and stepped forward. The Land of Challenge was truly a strange place to behold. Upon every arrival, the location was the same. A large, ancient looking platform surrounded by pillars and connecting arches. The stonework looked ancient but was surprisingly in tip top condition, like time was frozen in this strange place.

Even with all the constant fighting and challenges, the place looked no worse for wear. Rex swore during one particularly hard fight. Morag and Zeke had scared the grand with a massive explosion and bolt of lightning. Stone was shattered and the fire raged for hours on end. But give it a day or so, and everything was right as rain again.

Rex scratched his chin. Maybe one of the Nopon had somehow repaired it? Wouldn't be the weirdest things…

As he pondered, Rex caught a glance of Poppi and her Driver, Tora. The latter was…literally rolling the Nopon like a ball. Apparently he had fallen asleep right before they arrived.

Okay…maybe not the Nopon then.

Continuing forward, Rex focused on the platform they had landed on, and stopped, "Um…Mythra?"

The Aegis turned, momentarily distracted by Zeke's antics, "Yeah? What is it?"

"Was that…ever here before?"

Mythra blinked and turned to face where Rex was pointing, "What are you talking about-oh."

"Okay, thats new."

Rex nodded, "Good, glad it wasn't just me."

Poor boy thought the sleep deprivation had made him start seeing things.

In the middle of the stone platform was something strange. A large, black and red cloud of some sort. Rex honestly couldn't find the right words to describe it. It definitely wasn't anything like the ones in the Cloud Sea, nor any sort of cloud in the sky. In fact, he wasn't even sure it was a Cloud. To Mythra, it looked like some sort of very thick fog or mist of some kind…though, that did not explain any of the black or the red.

Slowly, the rest of their companions stopped making light of Zeke's looks and noticed the cloud as well. Much like the Aegis and her Driver, they too looked utterly baffled with what they saw.

"Um…is that what we were woken up to deal with?"

Morag narrowed her eyes, a sense of unease crawling up her back, "I…would believe so. But how to go about it…"

"Couldn't we just blow it away?" Dromarch noted, "It doesn't seem like it could be that difficult."

Rex could agree with that. Together, they could all just smack the thing silly with their attacks and blow it right off the platform. If it was just a cloud, it would be like dispersing a dust storm or something. Shouldn't be that hard after all.

Still, one thing was bugging the boy, "But, didn't that Archsage guy say there was someone here?"

He had been half asleep at the time, sure. But Rex was certain that he heard the Nopon mention new visitors at least a couple times. He couldn't confirm it due to the little jerk running off before the rest of his friends could give him a piece of their minds (mostly Nia and Mythra), but regardless, something felt off.

"Ah, who cares." Mythra shrugged, dismissing the thought, "Let's just get this done and go back to bed."

Despite her Driver's own uncertainty, the rest of the group was more than up for that plan. A quick swing of their weapons, and they'd be back in their rooms at the inn in no time flat. Quickly enough, everyone drew their weapons, eager to get this done.

"Wait."

All but one Blade however. Nia was surprised when her companion, Dromarch, didn't step up to the plate like the rest of them. In fact, the tiger-esque blade did the opposite. His gaze flinched at the sight of the fog and took a hefty step back.

"Does anyone else smell that?"

Nia glanced at her Blade, confused, "Wot?"

"The air is thick with something…" he grunted, nose wrinkling, "It's like…blood."

The Gormotti stared at her partner, a bewildered look on her face. But after a few seconds, Nia took a small whiff of the air. Almost instantly, the poor girl dropped her ring blades and clutched her nose. A painful hiss escaped her lips, unable to hold it in.

"The bloody-! What is that?!" she cried, "It's like someone shoved a bloody rage to my face and held it der for a whole damn week!"

It wasn't an inaccurate description. A moment later and the rest of their companions suffered a similar reaction. Sure, they didn't have as acute senses as Nia and Dromarch, but the stench was still overpowering. The Land of Challenge reeked of blood. Copper hung in the air like the rankest of smells and everyone was hit by it like a boot to the head.

"Are you flipping kidding me!?" Zeke grumbled, pinching his nose, "As if this could possibly get worse-!"

Just as the words left the Zekenator's mouth, something stirred.

Across the large, circular platform, the mist began to shift. Ever since Rex and co. had arrived, the mist was a strange oddity, sitting silently at the far side of the platform. It didn't spill over the sides of the structure, nor did it creep forward like a lurking fog. The bloody mist remained exactly where it was, still as a stature.

Until now that is.

Abruptly, something erupted out of the mist. Like a shooting bullet, it shot out of the mist and tumbled, fumbled, and flipped its way toward the center of the platform.

Two metal boots slid to a stop, dead center between Rex and the fog itself.

The Driver blinked. It was a guy.

A young man to be precise. He was a fair bit taller than Rex himself, more closer to Mythra's height. Hunched close to the ground, the stranger wore a large white hood, combat boots, gloves, and had a long thin sword in one of his hands.

And he was covered, head to toe, in blood.

His hood was splattered with the stuff, a red thick ooze dropping off his clothes at every point. Wounds covered the entirety of his body. Slashes up his pant legs, gashes across his shirt, cuts along each of his forearms. Almost the entirety of his body was bleeding in one form or another, and with it, was more blood than most people could stomach.

Rex flinched, eyes wide at the sight. He hadn't ever seen so much blood before. Sure when they killed some critters in the wild, that was unavoidable. And then there was that time at the Olethro Ruins with…

The boy shook his head. Now was not the time for that!

"H-hey!" he called out to the bleeding newcomer, "You ok-okay?! Need some help?!"

It was a stupid question. The moment he said it, Rex wanted to smack himself upside the head. Heck, Nia and Mythra would likely do it for him, and he'd let them. But he couldn't help it, all that blood?! Didn't exactly leave him with the most confidence here.

Thankfully, and much to Rex's relief, a voice answered him.

"Oh, he will need far more than just some help I'm afraid."

But it wasn't the one he was hoping for.

Eyes were drawn to the mist yet again, and the sound of thundering footsteps.

Out from the dense fog, a second figure emerged. A tall, looming man covered in black and gray armor. In one hand he held a massive greatsword, and the other was hidden by a torn cloak. Metal and tubing covered his upper body while a mask completely obscured his face. The only thing anyone could notice was a single eye staring out through the demented looking mask.

Almost casually, this new stranger brushed away the fog. It dispersed with naught but a touch, the black and red mist fading until little slivers was all that remained.

"I must say, this is rather surprising." the armor noted, "Where have we ended up? I can't say I'm familiar with it."

The single, glowing eye glanced up, "And this sky…my word, not since before the Collapse have I witnessed a sky like this."

"Where have you taken us…Successor?"

A fist slammed into the stony floor, followed by a guttural hiss.

Near the center of the platform, the white hood raised itself up from the ground and glared a piercing gaze at the armored man. A pair of gray eyes flashed red for but a second, but the intensity never faltered.

"Mido-!" the boy, his voice raspy and torn, growled at the man.

The others glanced at the taller figure, a name finally matching the frightening visage he bore. This man, this Mido, rolled his eye at the hateful tone that was spat his way. He waved it off, almost as if ignoring a pouty child's temper tantrum.

"Oh come now," he chided, "Look around! See with your own eyes. Where we are, somewhere new! Beyond the mist! Like fate has seen fit to reward me early after all my hard work."

The rage burning in the boy's eyes slowly cooled. Like ripping a band-aid off a rather stubborn wound, he tore his gaze off the towering Mido and glanced at the world around him.

He stopped. The sneer on his face faded away, replaced by a gobsmacked expression.

Like a spring, he shot upright and turned in place. His eyes became wide as dinner plates as he looked all around him. The ground, the landscape, the sky…oh the sky. A nice, blue cloudy sky. In Vein, the sky was typically always visible but it was tainted. The Red Mist always lurked on the horizon. No matter where you were, it was visible. In frozen wastes, the cityscape, even Mido's damn tower. That red fog always persisted…

But now, it is gone. No hint of that accursed blood fog anywhere. The sky was nice and bright, the calmest blue he had ever seen. Or at least, the bluest he could remember…

Speaking of remembering, he hadn't the faintest idea where they were. This certainly wasn't the Crypt Spire, or anywhere he could place in VEin. Admittedly, his memory wasn't the greatest but even he would remember a place like this.

It was nothing but stone, sky, clouds and…

Unfamiliar faces.

Ryan turned, his gray eyes scanned the crowd behind him. They weren't his friends…

Not a single one of them looked familiar in fact. Each person looked wildly different, wearing strange outfits he had never seen anywhere in Vein, and even stranger weapons. It wasn't just the people though. One of the strangers looked like a strange…fuzzy round creature…

And was that a cat? An actual cat, not a Lost shaped like one. Why was a cat here?!

His wonderment steady began to slip into bewilderment. None of this made sense. He had been fighting Mido just moments ago. They were on the highest floor of his damned Spire. It had taken hours to get up there, through the rabid Lost and the turning Revenants suffering within the Spire's walls. And even after they climbed their way up to the utmost floors, they still had to deal with that duo he sicked upon them like his trusty guard dogs…

The mere thought of that fight made his blood boil. Several of his friends had numerous close calls while fighting them…

'Yakumo, Louis, Jack, Mia, Eva…'

Ryan turned, his eyes blazing once again, "My friends…where are my friends Mido-!?"

"Not here, obviously." he scoffed, "Seems they were left behind. Hm, how fitting…"

Underneath his mask, the boy gritted his teeth, "What was that!?"

"Oh come now, even you must realize it!" Mido snapped, his patience running thin, "They were left behind, because they always will be! Bound by Gregorio's pathetic little vision, by the Red Mist! They've made it clear that they will never see the true future in front of us! They would rather sit, content in their tombs while humanity marches forward-!"

Ryan slashed his sword across the ground, cutting Mido off, "Matches where?! To their graves?! You saw what those monsters did when the Mist fell, they were slaughtered, torn apart!"

"They died because they were weak! Our time within that caged playpen stifled our potential, you know this-"

"Stop!"

Ryan stood, trembling. His eyes fell from Mido and landed on his bloody fist. Fresh Ichor dropping between his finger tips.

"You…keep going on about Potential, how much Revenants have…" he muttered, "But…that's all they are to you! Potential! Subjects, experiments, lab rats-!"

In the back of his mind, Ryan saw…vestiges, visions of faces. Some he knew, some he only saw glimpses of in memories. Smiling faces, slowly beaten down until they couldn't take it anymore. Some died, others became lost…

He saw a young boy with blonde hair, willingly sacrificing himself for his sister.

Another was a young girl, wearing a beret cap, willingly giving herself up so her friends, and the person she cared the most for could live.

Finally, there was a nurse, a scientist, and a sister. She too made the same sacrifice but not for a singular person. She sat, entombed for everyone, providing the one thing every Reverent needed to stave off their inevitable end…

"Just how many…"

Knuckles crackling, Ryan glared at Mido with a blazing fury, "How many will it take before you're satisfied!?"

Such a question filled the air with a chilling silence. One one made a move or made a sound. Off in the back, Rex and the others were equally quiet. They were utterly confused, out of the loop regarding anything that had been said. But, both Drivers and Blades could read the room, and the implications sent shivers up their spines.

Rayn looked furious, practically twitching with anger.

Mido on the other hand?

"All of them."

He laughed.

This joyless, mocking spat of a chuckle. It spewed from his mask like he was getting a bad taste out of his mouth. There was no mirth, no humor, nothing actually funny the way he laughed. In fact, Mido sounded more insulted with that little chuckle, like the question was so absurd, that he just had to laugh.

So he did, right in Ryan's face.

"I would give, all of them, to spur our evolution to its highest point," he mused, "Be it Revenants, the Lost, every single pathetic spec in Vein. Once the Blood Mist finally fades, each and every one of them will do their part to drive us to even further heights."

He stared at the boy, right in his eyes, "That includes you, Jack's little posse…and even that little attendant of yours."

"..."

For a moment, Ryan grew quiet. His head drooped forward, hiding his eyes beneath the rim of his hood. Both arms slumped to his side, limp as noodles.

"Fine. If that's the case…"

From the Revenant's still form, something began to rise. Thick smoke, black as coals drifted into the air above the boy's head. The copious amount of blood caking his body began to dissolve, almost as if evaporating. Every hint of the red substance adoring the lad's form turned into a thick, red miasma and swirled around his meager frame.

Suddenly, he stomped forward. One boot slammed into the stony floor, almost cracking it. His knuckles popped, fingers tightening around the hilt of his sword.

Ryan snapped up, glaring across the platform at his hated foe.

Only his eyes weren't Gray nor Red.

They were Blue. A dark, piercing Blue.

"...then I'll end it."

Like a bullet, Ryan took off in a fearsome rush, charging across the platform. His boost slid across the ground as he made a beeline for the masked bastard before him. The miasma flowing off him looked similarly to a cape, flowing with him with every step he took.

Halfway toward the madman, Ryan kicked off the ground and leaped through the air. He lunged, sword speeding down and smashed the glowing blade into Mido with an echoing clang.

Unfortunately, a massive greatsword blocked it.

Mido swiped his blade sideways, repelling the boy's attack. As his boots touched stone once more however, a looming shadow overtook Ryan's.

Mido was not stationary in this battle. His long legs strolled toward and he unleashed large, arching swipes with his greatsword. The massive blade was insanely long in its reach, especially with its internal blade unsheathed. Compared to Ryan, Judgement Edge was easily at least as tall as he was, if not more.

Ryan bounced backwards, avoiding the first swipe. His sword swung forward and deflected the second. But as a third overarching swing fell upon the Revenant's head, it too was stopped. But not by Ryan.

"What's this?"

Above the boy's head, two large red blades shot out of the miasma and caught Mido's sword before it could fully descend. Each blade was slightly translucent, almost as if they were constructed from a liquid substance. Despite their looks however, Mido found the blades solid. Try as he might, his sword would not decent, and sparks showered the Revenant as he tried.

"Curious," Mido mused, "You have more tricks than I thought."

Scowling behind his mask, Ryan slammed his boot into the madman's chest and kicked him backwards.

Mido's massive bulk slid only a few feet back but it was enough to free his sword. Judgement Edge crashed into the floor with a sickening crunch, shattering a stone or two in the process.

A fireball suddenly formed within Ryan's palm, just as soon as his foot sent Mido flying back. Her let loose an angered shout and fired, blasting three orbs of flame through the air. Each slammed into Mido's massive bulk, erupting in a fiery explosion.

Through the smoke however, a massive slash of Ichor tore through the ash. Mido, unharmed, strolled forward and slashed with his massive sword, again and again. Each swing generated a thick, black scythe of Ichor that shot through the air like a bullet. The blades were massive and easily sliced trails through the stone floor as if it were butter. No telling how a living body would fair instead.

Eyes widening, Ryan ducked to the left, then to the right, and even dropped to the ground to avoid a horizontal slash in his direction.

Regardless, Mido trudged onward. His Ichor was seemingly endless as he fired scythe after scythe at the boy. And even if his attack seemed to miss, it simply meant the madman was one step closer to closing the distance.

After several near attempts at his well being, even Ryan began to notice this. As another bloody blade made to lop off his head, the Revenant narrowed his eyes. He quickly ducked out of the way and rolled into a run. His feet carrying him, the boy ran side ways as another blade tore a chunk out of the ground. Thinking fast, he made for Mido's left. His off arm was there, so swinging that monster of a sword would be more difficult that way.

However, Mido was a clever bastard indeed.

As the boy rushed his left flank, the madman snapped his fingers. Thick, black Ichor flickered between his fingertips for just a brief second before vanishing.

Ryan continued to run, unaware of any snapping. He crouched down, boots digging into the rocky floor and launched himself at Mido's exposed side. He gathered Ichor, channeling it into his sword…

Black dots suddenly filled the boy's vision.

Dozens upon dozens of pulsating, black orbs appeared all throughout the platform. Flickering balls of Ichor, sizzling like a lit fuse.

"Dodge this!"

Mido clenched his fist, and instantly, the Orbs stopped sizzling. Before Ryan could even blink, every tiny orb throughout the platform shrunk inward and turned bright red.

They detonated, erupting in bright red explosions all at the same time.

Half of the entire platform was engulfed with a chain reaction of detonations. Red fire flowed in every direction, Ichor flinging itself off the sides of the platform, and ash flooding the air. Each explosion sounded with a loud popping crackle, with every one of them being reminiscent of firecrackers but at three times the average size.

Mido watched with satisfaction as Ryan was engulfed from head to toe in the explosions. Normally he could command the orbs to follow him around like a sort of seeker this way, the boy's foolish tactics were thrown back in his face.

Now all he'd have to do is clean up the mess and make his next move-

"Mido-!"

Out of the cloud of ash, something shot forward and slammed into Mido's side. Ryan, covered in soot and burn marks, slammed his sword into his foe's off hand. Bright red Ichor followed around the blade's edge, coating it with an intense sharpness.

A flurry of five strikes slammed into the bastard Revenant, each swing packed with the blade itself and the Ichor trailing behind it. Ryan moved like a blur, hitting Mido as fast as he could before a counter could be made.

Mido couldn't believe it, what was he even seeing?! He quickly raised his arm, hoping to deflect the blows. But five simultaneous slashes dug deep into his armored flesh, leaving deep gashes throughout his skin. How could this pest survive such devastation without a hint of wounds? Those explosions should have taken off a rm at the very least! Tougher, larger Lost would have been obliterated in a heartbeat!

Flinching back as the brat's sword cleaved his forearm in half, Mido pulled back Judgement's Edge and channeled yet more Ichor into the blade. The black and red substance coated the entire outer shell of the sword, and even much of Mido's forearm as well.

He took a step back, pulling the sword as far as his reach could take him…

Then, Mido cleared the platform..

Like phantom from some old horror tale, Mido blitzed from one end of the platform to the other. Behind him trailed a large excess of Ichor, the substance exploding the moment it left the Revenant's side. His path of destruction cut a deep, erupting path across the platform, with successive explosions following behind every step he took. Everything in front of the hulking brute was eclipsed in Ichor and vanished in a crackling boom.

When Mido finally came to a stop, he let out a huff and flicked the excess Ichor off his blade.

There was nothing left behind but a few drops of blood and a few scraps of…

In a flash, Ichor erupted behind Mido. He snapped around, eye wide. Ryan, materializing out of a fountain of red, lunged at the surprised Revenant and delivered two devastating slashes into Mido's chest.

The strikes cleaved a crossed pattern the thick armor, staggering the monster once more.

Furious, Mido raised his hand and blasted a bolt of Ichor into Ryan's face. The boy braced himself and was sent tumbling back by the blast. Yet still, he staggered upright. His chest heaved, his breathing haggard, but still he got up and readied his sword again.

Mido saw red, "You insignificant worm!"

Rage spilled forth from the man's throat, just as the blood gushed from his chest, "I will not be bested by some mindless, empty headed Successor like you! I've worked too hard, sacrificed too many, for you to make me stumble at the finish line!"

"You sacrificed nothing." Ryan hissed, "All you've ever done is force others to make the hard choices. They've done more for the world than you ever hoped to."

"You're Nothing."

-Crack-

Several agonizing seconds passed in absolute silence.

The hulking, armored Revenant stood still as a statue. His mask tilted slightly to the side, his neck bending with an audible crack. It was like the grand designer of all of Vein's misery had been replaced with one of his Hunters. Those emotionless robots who did the madman's dirty work whenever he wasn't around to do it himself.

But internally, something snapped.

Mido's fingers tightened around Judgement Edge. His fingers gripped the blade so hard that blood began to seep between the cracks in his fist.

"Nothing…am I…" he finally spoke, naught but a whisper, "Then…I'll show you…"

Ichor exploded forth from Judgement Edge. A literal fountain of black and red ooze sprang froth from the massive blade. It raged like a inferno, swirling and twisting around the blade, making it large, large, and larger still. Soon, the entirety of the blade from its tip to the end of its handle was several times larger than Mido himself.

A for the man himself, his only visible eye now flared a deep, bloody red, while the empty left socket bled tears of blood.

"I'll reduce you, your friends, that attendant, all of it! I'll render all of it to Nothing!"

In the face of the raging, Ichor choking blade and the deep, guttural roar directed his way.

Ryan sighed, readied his sword, and narrowed his eyes.

"No. You won't."

Two Revenants stood, eyes glued to one another. Mido, the brutal puppet master of Vein's misfortune. His armor now adorned with savage gashes, his Ichor raging out of control like a rabid beast. Hate radiating off his singular eye. He was not unlike his own experiments, the last thought going through their minds before the end, a last sputter of hate toward the man who ruined them.

And Ryan, the Successor of the Blood. Emotionless, quiet as the grave. His body was covered in burns and cuts but his hands remained steady. Neither anger or hate flowed through his deep blue eyes.

Just a chilling determination to put this all, to an end.

"RRRAAAAAAAGH!"

Mido thundered forward, exploding off the ground with an eruption of Ichor at his feet. He screamed, the deepest, guttural roar anyone had ever heard coming from his twisted maw.

His massive, bloody blade cut a tide across the landscape, twisting and searing everything it passed over. The Ichor warped and burned anything it came in contact with. It was like a rampaging force of nature let loose upon the world. There was no focus, no direction, and not a bit of need radiating off that blade, nor its owner.

Only a deep feral fury. The urge to kill, everything in its path.

Ryan however, did not move. Boots planted on the ground, and sword tucked under his arm, ready to strike.

Like a tidal wave, Ichor flooded his vision as Mido made a beeline straight for him. The sword was less a blade and more like a roaring flood ready to consume him. To make him vanish within its depths with one mighty swing.

Even still, he didn't move.

Across the boy's face, his re-breather began to change. Gone was the smooth purifier mask attached to his face. The metal warped and shifting into something new. New tubes and wires sunk deep into his neck while the surface stretched and grew into a more fearsome shape. In place of a stylish gas mask was something far more vicious looking. It bore teeth, glowed ominously with Ichor swirling within, and growled with every breath he took.

Ryan exhaled, steam pouring out of holes in the new mask.

Then, he moved.

Red Ichor burst forth just as Mido's sword came down. The clash of stone and metal erupted into a cataclysmic amount of Ichor on the spot. The entire platform was practically consumed by it. In the distance, even Rex and his friends had to shield themselves from the oncoming shockwave. Thankfully, Ether shields did the job but that was far too close for comfort in their opinion.

As the smoke cleared, Mido stood alone at the center of the platform.

The formally regal and undaunting Revenant was hunched forward, gasping for air. His arms felt like they were made of lead and his sword refused to budge. The latter was due to Judgement Edge being quite embedded in the ground. The force of his strike alone had nearly buried the blade up to its hilt in the stone platform.

Surrounding him was a light fog of miasma, the leftovers from all the Ichor he drained with that one attack.

Even still, Mido struggled to lift his head up and look around. His lone eye scanned the area, looking for any hint of that brat. He waited, slowly anticipating another sneak attack. It wouldn't happen again, he was sure of it. He was prepared this time.

If that brat was alive, the second he saw that hood he'd be as good as…

Pain?

Both a familiar and unfamiliar notion to the Revenant. He had inflicted it upon others for so long, an unfortunate but completely necessary part of his experiments. But when was the last time he truly felt it?

Mido glanced down, his eye widening.

While the madman has focused on his surroundings, he paid no mind to the state of his own body. As he looked at himself, Mido witnessed the sight of four, red Ichor blades puncturing his armor. Two were sunk deep into his shoulders, while another pair were impaled on his thighs, rendering both his legs and his arms useless.

And there, right in front of his chest, a white hood materialized from nothing, appearing seemingly out of nowhere.

With a sword, piercing Mido's gut.

"H-how?"

Ryan glanced upward, silent.

Suddenly, yet more pain exploded from Mido's chest. Blood spewed from the center of the Revenant's torso as a large, mechanical stinger shot through his rib-cage and exited the other side, right below the man's chin.

"Hurgh-!"

Without a word, Ryan retracted both his sword and the mechanical stinger. The large, Ichor covered blade slithered back out the man's torso and slid behind its owner, connected by an equally long mechanical tail. It flicked the excess blood off itself and disappeared behind Ryan, vanishing into his attire from whence it came.

At the same time, the blades of Ichor, the ones impaling Mido, shattered to dust. Witnessing it was akin to watching glass break.

Each smooth sickle cracked down the middle and broke apart into tiny shards of Ichor, before fading away in a wisp of smoke like they were never there.

As all the implements wounding him were gone, Mido staggered on his feet. From head to toe, his body was covered in cuts and bruises. Wounds gushed blood, staining his cloak red with escaping Ichor. His ones imposing statue had been reduced to a broken hobble as he tried to remain on his feet. But regardless of the pain, he refused to fall. Not now, not ever! He wouldn't be bested by one measly Revenant!

He would kill this-!

A sudden crack filled the air, and Mido's right side suddenly felt…oddly uneven.

Glancing down, the madman gasped, "N-no-!"

His arm was gone. From the elbow down, the limb had snapped off like a weak twig. Half his arm was still on the ground, clutching his greatsword like nothing had happened. But a chill coursed through the madman as he saw the state of his flesh, where blood should have been gushing on both sections of the lost appendage. It should have been red, flayed muscile with a bit of bone poking out. But instead...

It was ash.

Mido's entire forearm had turned to ash. Where once there was metal and armor, it was naught but ash. And it wasn't just his arm. Mido glanced at the rest of himself as the horror began to sink in. Portions of his entire body were changing. Every cut, every stab wound, every gash…had begun to flake away and turn a chillingly dull color.

The Revenant lifted his remaining hand and watched as his own fingers turned stiff and cold. Warmth left the appendages and left behind nothing but ash.

"No…no, this can't…" he stammered, "I can't be…"

Soon, Mido's transformation wasn't isolated to just his wounds or hands. The ash began to crawl up his legs, his chest, and even his very neck. Everything began to lose its luster, leaving the mighty Revenant a frail statue, crumbling.

"This…isn't how…."

A tired voice sighed, "Enough."

-Slice-

"Just, stop talking."

Ryan shook his head, and flicked the ash off his sword.

Any remaining words Mido might have spoken fell on deaf ears. In a single swipe, Ryan split the man's head in half. Sideways, from the center of his nose backwards, the top of the man's dome slid off his bodily remains and fell to the ground.

There was no sickening thud, or meaty impact.

Juzo Mido hit the ground with a puff of smoke, and vanished from the world.

The sound of ash crumbling caught his ears, but he ignored it. Metal clanged to the ground, like a sword toppling over but he ignored that too. Even as the rush in his veins finally began to calm down, he couldn't be bothered to care.

For several seconds, the boy stumbled forward, one foot after another…until he couldn't anymore.

The adrenaline, the rush pushing his body to its limits was gone. It oozed out of his body like the blood from his wounds. Ryan managed a few meager steps before dropping to his knees near the center of the platform.

Everything felt just…so tired. His arms were cast in stone, his legs burned like nobody's business. Haggard, ragged breaths escaped the depths of his throat. Even his eyes finally shifted back to a more natural hue. Hadn't even enough strength to curl his fingers around the hilt of his sword anymore. His entire body felt drained, and not even in the normal way Revenants felt after a long, trying battle.

Ryan was…just tried.

Climbing up the Crypt Spire was tiring. Killing the monster's twisted experiments, the Blade Bearer and Cannoneer was exhausting. And dealing with the big bastard himself, Mido, was a whole other can of worms. But now, everything dead and buried before him, Ryan wanted to put his head on the ground and just sit there for…however long it took.

But as Ryan fought the urge to just fall flat on his face, a tired, pained thought occurred to him.

Just…where was he?

The concern brushed past his brain earlier but he paid it no mind. That twisted, unrepentant monster was right in front of him. Mido's self righteous, assured voice was a mocking strain on his ears. Ryan hadn't wanted to listen to half the dribble that came out of his twisted mouth, let alone pay mind anything he might have said. But now Mido was gone. Deader than he honestly deserved.

That just left Ryan…lost.

Lost and tired.

The Revenant could barely keep his head up. He was exhausted, his entire body felt like it was ready to rebel if he even tried to do anything strenuous. The only upside was that he wasn't feeling too thirsty. In any other situation he would have found that odd but with all the Ichor Mido was throwing around, he wasn't going to complain. The only thing his body was urging him to find was a bed.

Lord knows where he could find one of those...

"Hey, um, scuse me?"

A new, unfamiliar voice rang through the Revenant's ears. Pulling a not so insignificant amount of strength into his aching bones, Ryan lifted his head and turned toward whoever had spoken to him.

Surprisingly, it was a kid. Some young kid with brown choppy hair, gold eyes, an odd crystal in his chest, and what looked to be some sort of diving gear on. With how tired he was, Ryan hadn't noticed anyone sneak up on him, let alone a kid. He must be really out of it. Thankfully, unlike most Lost or just...anyone in Vein, the boy didn't open up their conversation by trying to stab him in the face or anything.

Instead, he offered Ryan something.

"Need a hand?"

The Revenant stared at the boy, unblinking. Maybe his brain was working on emergency power because Ryan couldn't think of a damn thing to say. For the entirety of these brief seconds, he glanced between the boy's face and his hand. The kid had an expression that looked somewhere between spooked and cheerful. It was amazing he hadn't flinched away from the half dead corpse staring at him.

But after a few more moments of staring, Ryan let out a sigh.

"Yeah," he mused, "A hand would be nice."

An:

Well, this is gonna be a bit different.

So, Xenoblade Chronicles 3's DLC came out, which was insane. I also recently returned to writing and need to get back into the rhythm of writing the characters of XC2, and I played Code Vein recently. So, this little conundrum came out of it!

Just to make things clear though. This is not going to be a run through of XC2's story, changed up with Code Vein stuff or another. Its more of a interconnected series of one shots. This chapter is pretty much the starting point. No future chapters will be set before these points, but after this? Anything is fair game. For both XC2 and CV.

Also, the Successor is wearing the Prayer Shawl and using the Blazing Claw, just to make things clear.

Also, anyone have any ideas? I have plenty of my own but if you have your own? Shoot it my way. Want to see the Successor awaken any specific Blade? See some of the other Successors make their way over to Alrest? Horrors perhaps? Or just silly antics between the two vastly different worlds? Maybe even a appearance by Cruz? She is still in the Successor of the Blood's head...somewhere. Either way, got your own ideas? Pitch it, I'll be listening.

But that aside. How did you like it? If people enjoy this, I'll be adding more to it as time goes on.