Chapter 42

Glory to Mankind

I looked at the sky, anxious. Noticing how the green sky never seemed to brighten or darken, I then looked further, seeing how the sky seemed to be experiencing the symptoms of the Flood of Light. Wondering how the Flood of Light could even affect a digital world, I then felt a sudden chill down my spine, as if something terrible was about to happen. "You must let go of your fear. Your behaviour is very uncouth for a Sovereign.", Alvis said. "Sorry. Maybe it's just nerves. But still, I think that something horrid will happen soon.", I said. Then, all of a sudden, a black and dark red portal appeared. Out of it came a robotic woman with short white hair styled in a bob cut wearing a black Gothic Lolita dress. Floating behind her was a white katana. She was also wearing a black blindfold over her eyes. Nervous, I tensed up, only to see the woman bow before me. "Hi, my name's Jack. Who are you?", I asked her. Rising to her feet, the woman said, "Designation: YorHa Number 2 B-Type. 2B for short.". "Nice to meet you, 2B.", I said. "Analysis: subject possesses intense amnesia from head trauma. Will need to remedy.", 2B said. "I'm sorry?", I asked. "Don't concern yourself with that, Your Majesty.", Alvis said. "But I need to know. What caused my amnesia?", I asked. "Conjecture: His Majesty hitting his head very badly after falling from Prison Island following his battle with the Liberators of Aionios.", 2B replied. "Wait, you mean that island near the Bionis's Head, right?", I asked. "Conjecture: correct.", 2B replied.

After a short silence, Alvis said, "2B, it is absolutely great that you're here. You see, an invasion is going to take place very soon and Our Sovereign needs all the help he can get in order to defeat YHVH. I wonder if you remember the pact you made with His Majesty in regard to helping him when the time came.". "Statement: unit remembers the promise one made with His Majesty in regard to providing him an army to resist YHVH's fyrd of brainwashed levies.", 2B replied. "OK, you can stop with the robot speak.", I said, walking over to 2B. Suddenly, 2B then touched my head, stroking it tenderly. "Wait, what are you doing?", I asked before a strange sensation came over me. I then flashed back to the battle I remembered against Shulk, Fiora, Reyn, Dunban, Sharla, Melia, Rex, Nia, Zeke, Morag, Noah, Mio, Eunie, Taion, Lanz, Sena, Matthew, A, Nikol, Glimmer and Na'el. "Wait, this is-. No, it couldn't be.", I said. "Oh, but it is, Your Majesty.", 2B said, now speaking normally. "Was this the battle I fought against the Liberators at Prison Island?", I asked. "It is.", 2B said. Suddenly, I heard Shulk speaking, addressing the other me. "Tell me why! Is this really what you want?!", he asked desperately. "Nothing's gonna get through to him; he's just a heartless machine!", Rex exclaimed. "Fascinating. Is this how badly you wish to erase us, my God?", A asked excitedly. The vision then changed again to the other me talking with Neptune in a room whilst Framme cooked in the kitchen like the domestic Goddess she was. "Is there really no other way?", the other me asked. "No, there isn't. To save our world, you will need to go to Prison Island and stop the Liberators. If you don't, the Flood of Light will consume all and leave a lifeless void in its place. After all, look at what happened to the First before you showed up. The Empty existed there for no less than 100 years before you came to us and fought back against the Sin Eaters.", Neptune replied. "She's right. After all, only you can stop the Sin Eaters from destroying the Multiverse and killing us all.", Rinwell said. "Woohoo there, Smokey Bear.", Corrin said.

The scene then changed again to me waiting in Saxleoh Temple at the altar there. The other me was wearing a very fancy black tuxedo and a white shirt accompanied by a pair of dark blue trousers and a coral tie. In walked Framme, wearing a beautiful white dress. Upon Framme's arrival at the altar, Dohalim said, "Jack Sebastian Arnold, do you take Framme as your lawfully wedded wife?". "I do.", I said. Turning his attention to Framme, Dohalim said, "Framme, do you take Jack Sebastian Arnold as your lawfully wedded husband?". "I do.", Framme said. The other me then placed a black ring with a purple gemstone in the centre on Framme's left ring finger followed by Framme placing a white ring with a golden gemstone in the centre on my right finger. "From this day forth, I pronounce you two husband and wife until death do you part.", Dohalim said, followed by me and Framme tenderly kissing. I then snapped back to my garden, where 2B then said, "Alright, lost memory data has been restored.". "They knew all along, didn't they?", I asked. "Wait, what?", Alvis asked. "They knew right from the start about what YHVH planned to do to the Multiverse. They knew that YHVH would destroy the Multiverse and replace it with a world without freewill where all would worship it endlessly. No creation, no destruction, no life. Just silence.", I said. "That's correct, my liege.", 2B said. "In that case, why didn't they tell me?", I asked. "I feel I am to blame, Your Majesty.", Alvis said. "How so?", I asked. "Well, when you resonated with my Core Crystal and became my Driver, Shulk, who was in attendance, asked me not to tell you about their plans. You see, after you killed YHVH, their plan was to not just crown you as the Sovereign with Framme beside you as your Queen but also have you invade the Multiverse and crush it underneath your heel, to ensure that you would claim the Multiverse as your empire. And I'm sorry I never told you.", Alvis said. "It's not your fault though. It was Shulk's fault for not being honest with me. And I will make him pay for what he did.", I said.

After another awkward silence, Alvis said, "Well then, 2B, do you think it is time to bring over the rest of YorHa?". "No, not yet.", 2B said. "How so?", I asked. "The heroes will be expecting to only face you, Your Majesty. If we don't bring YorHa over, then we can trick the heroes into thinking that defeating you will be very easy. Well, that's what I would do if I was the commander anyway.", 2B explained. I then asked, "OK, so what was that ring I gave to Framme in that flashback?". "That was the Ring of the Maiden. And the ring she gave to you is the Ring of the Sovereign. Both are pseudo-Emblem Rings created specifically for the Sovereign and Maiden- the Ring of the Sovereign being white with a golden gemstone and the Ring of the Maiden being black with a purple gemstone. Both are meant to fulfil and facilitate the Spirit Channelling Ceremony in order to harness the power of the Great Astral Spirit- the Ring of the Sovereign is meant to help the Sovereign act as the main conduit for the Great Astral Spirit whilst the Ring of the Maiden is meant to help the Maiden act as the stabiliser, helping the Sovereign channel the spirit's power successfully and generate the Renas Alma. In this case, you are the Sovereign and Framme is the Maiden.", 2B said. "But over time, the terms of Sovereign and Maiden were also appropriated to be equivalent to the ruler of the Sovereign Empire and his Queen. You are Alphen's successor as the Sovereign and Framme in turn is Shionne's successor as the Maiden. Don't you see? That is your purpose, Jack. You were not brought to Aionios to merely to save it but rather to rule it and lead the Sovereign Empire to glory against YHVH, also destroying both the Sin Eaters and the Flood of Light. You really have no choice but to do it if you are to prevent the Multiverse from collapsing.", Alvis said. "But those are the actions of a cruel and ruthless tyrant, not the actions of a hero.", I said. "Such heroic nonsense. You were chosen to become Aionios's most holy of holy saviours so stop being such a pussy and save the Multiverse already.", Alvis said before he and 2B mysteriously disappeared.

Walking back into the kitchen from the garden, I then suddenly fell to my knees as a violent surge of black and dark red energy suddenly burst forth from my body. As I screamed, I then witnessed another vision- this time of Alphen and Shionne talking to Noah and Mio. "I wonder what will cause him to finally realise that he no choice in the matter.", Alphen said. "Your Majesty, I know he'll be very insistent on refusing, but there is really is no choice in the matter for him. Jack will need to become a cruel and ruthless tyrant if he is to ever stop the Multiverse from collapsing and the only way to do that is by destroying the Sin Eaters and the Flood of Light. After all, that is the only way to save all of us.", Noah said. "But still, dear, we'll need to make him see that.", Mio said. "To be honest, I might have a solution to that.", Shionne said. The vision then faded along with the surge of black and dark red energy. "Seems I have no choice in the matter, huh?", I asked. Getting up on my feet, I then said, "OK, arseholes, I'll play.". Suddenly, black and dark red energy covered my body again as my eyes glowed red. I said, "If it's a tyrant you want, it's a tyrant you'll get.".

The story continues in the next chapter.