"Well I'll be…it's just one blast from the past after another today." cole said as he turned around to see malos and ahkos alongside someone heavily armored. "And who is the walking tank?" cole asked.

"You can call me gearhead." gearhead said.

"You probably guessed. But we're not here for a reunion." malos said.

"Just as well. The aegis's gone already. How disappointing for you "comrade"." cole said. Malos chuckled.

"Still an asshole." malos said.

"Despite the years taking their toll…i'll wager all the doctors in this town are quacks. And all the blades are blunt. Obrona and i…we can fix that stagnant ether flow with a minimum of bother. What do you say? You could still have a lot of good years ahead of you! I mean, i won't deny that there'd be a certain quid pro quo involved. But old man just think of the benefits! Come can't you lend us your expertise here? Do so, and you could live for a long long time." ahkos said. Unbeknownst to them. Iona was listening to the conversation.

"You know my friend. I'm not attached to my life as I used to be. Maybe i had enough!" cole said as he turned around.

"Your little lost souls will be simply inconsolable." ahkos said.

"The kids? No, they're strong." cole said.

"This is becoming a farce. A highly cliched one at that!" ahkos yelled in frustration.

"Enough! He's made it clear that he won't betray those he stood with to save himself. So let's stop wasting our time trying to make him." gearhead said.

"You don't sound too mad…" cole said.

"I can respect a man that will stand by his morals and what he believed in to the very end. Even a bandit like me can see that as admirable." gearhead said as he and the two destroyers left the building. "Why are we still after mythra. We're already providing you with armageddon knight magic. Do you really need more?" gearhead asked.

"You weren't there 500 years ago. Your former boss utterly destroyed me. And I know that power he still used is still there. He hasn't had a reason to use it yet. If i'm gonna stand against that purple angel-demon form of his. Then I'm gonna need all the power I can get." malos replied. Gearhead chuckled.

"Really goes to show why the sanctuary was under the boot of a tyrant for so long. if a mere fragment of that weapon can grant that amount of power. Just imagine what kind of power the whole thing could have granted." gearhead said.

"Weapon? What are you talking about?" ahkos asked.

"The right of lords. One of the two lost relics of the armageddon knights. Bokun used it's power to kill the 25 armageddon arm wielders and use their souls to make him even stronger. However an armageddon knight named blaze found the other. The armageddon blade, and managed to slay him and break the right of lords allowing my former boss kaku alongside the other armageddon arm wielders to reincarnate. All bearing blaze's last name and his family crest. That form that he took against you in that battle…it was him using the power of the right of lords fragment." gearhead said. Ahkos sighed.

"Alright enough of the lore dump. We should talk to that kid who's been watching us. Come on don't be shy. You heard everything we said didn't you?" ahkos asked. Iona came out of hiding and approached them.

"Can you…can you really help grandpa?" iona asked.

"Why of course. We can help that is if you help us, can you do that, for your grandfather?" ahkos asked with a grin.

Kaku pov

That desire to destory…that malice….malos is here! I exited the room and saw pyra trying to sneak away. I followed her without her noticing me to see where she's going. Malos was there in the middle of what looked like a stadium.

"I thought i told you to come alone." malos said.

"I did. Where's iona?" pyra asked.

"Guess you did. If you were mythra. You would notice you were being followed. Isn't that right kaku?" malos asked. Pyra turned around to see me behind her and was shocked to see me.

"Kaku? What are you doing here!?" pyra asked. I slugged her on the head. "What was that for!?" pyra asked.

"For being a reckless idiot. We're trying to prevent this asshole from regaining his power! Yet here you are facing him outnumbered! That son of a bitch ahkos is nearby. Not to mention another of my old crew! And last time i checked pyra! You're considerably weaker than mythra! You're essentially handing him aegis power on a silver platter! What were you thinking!?" i yelled in frustration.

"She was thinking about minoth's brat. Isn't that right ahkos?" malos asked. Pyra turned around to the stands and i saw that iona was unconscious. I then turned to see ahkos on the stands holding his swords with obrona at his side. Who was laughing.

"Son of a bitch!" obrona said laughing like an immature kid who just learned the word.

"Hmph. i still think we should have sent a finger or something. But you know best." ahkos said with a grin. I summoned my sword and charged at the prick. Only to be stopped by something jumping in front of me with enough force to crack the ground.

"Hello…boss." that heavy armor…that russian accent…i know who this was.

"Hello. Gearhead." i said. Gearhead was the heavy weapons expert. If it went boom and was bigger than a person. He was all over it. Add that with that heavy suit of armor and you have a god damn juggernaut.

"Looks like I have the numbers advantage this time. And your bladeless. Strong as you are, a disadvantage is still a disadvantage!" malos yelled as he swung wind blades at me. Pyra blocked but she was quickly getting overwhelmed. As he went for the final swing he was oppressed to the ground.

"You seem to have forgotten something malos…mythra isn't my only blade..thanks for the help haze." i said with a smile as haze did her thing.

"No thanks necessary i'm glad to aid you, lord kaku." haze said. I cringed.

"Don't call me lord." i said. Gearhead revved up his gatling gun. Only to be shot at by kos-mos.

"Is she another blade of yours?" gearhead asked.

"Yep…kos-mos. Gearhead is your target. Blast him!" I yelled.

"Understood. Beginning mission." kos-mos said. She kept gearhead busy. Haze kept her blade weakening up. While me and pyra dealt with malos and ahkos. Haze's ability was being counter acted by oborna's so it became a struggle as to who kept their field up. Despite this. I could tell that malos has gained quite a bit of armageddon knight magic. Considering several of his attacks came with nuclear flame coursing through that sword baton. Between that and his buddies it didn't take long for me and pyra to get overwhelmed. I soon found myself on my knees. Malos laughed.

"Man! I haven't even been fully upgraded yet. And i'm already capable of getting you on your knees!" malos yelled with glee as he approached me. I didn't want to use this power again. But if i don't. I'm toast. And pyra will end up in his hands. And considering how much power my old crew gave him already. No doubt alrest will be destroyed of he regains his power….i have no choice…please. Let me stay in control this time…"adios kaku!" malos yelled as he swung his sword. Before it made contact with my flesh. I transformed into my armageddon lord form. Knocking malos back.

"You forced my hand malos…" i said. This time…i'm in control. Nice to see those 500 years of training paid off. Malo's blade sever came at me. I saw him coming and from one slash of my sword of the wasteland. He returned to his core. As I picked it up. The others came running. Lora and jin went wide-eyed when they saw me. I threw the crystal at lora she catches it "that's malo's blade…i think he'll be useful later once he regenerates." i said. From that alone. They know I'm in control of myself this time. Ahkos and obrona came at me next. Akho's short sword came to my neck. But it bounced off like i was made of steel. I kick him in the stomach sending him flying. I then grab obrona by her neck and slammed her to the ground. I then stabbed her through the stomach pinning her to the ground. I then summoned kos-mos ether cannon and blasted her in the face. Which returned her to her core crystal.

"Obrona!" ahkos yelled.

"Your next asshole…" i said as i walked towards him only for malos to throw a nuclear blast at me i deflected it.

"Hey what are you!?" ahkos yelled. Gearhead picked him up and threw him at malos. Who punched the ground causing an explosion that allowed them to get away.

"An armageddon lord is more than i care to face. But first here." gearhead said as he tossed me a vial of green liquid. It was miracle serum. A powerful medicine that only the armageddon knights can create. As the same suggests. It can cure anything. "If your memories have returned then you should know what that is…" gearhead said as he looked towards iona. "This may have not gone our way. But the girl did keep her end of the deal. We maybe bandits. But we're still armageddon knights…and an armageddon knight always keeps his word…until we meet again boss." gearhead said as he activated his armors teleporter. And warped away.

"Cowards…" i said as i reverted back to my normal form. I fell on my knee. Mythra came to my side. "I'm fine mythra…just need to catch my breath." i said. Lora on the other hand was not too happy with me.

"What were you thinking!? Using that power again!? What if you lost control again!?" lora yelled in anger and panic.

"I know…but I didn't have a choice…malos is stronger than before. He's been infused with armageddon knight magic…if i didn't use it. I would be dead. And pyra would have been in his hands. And considering the power boost he got from my old crew. I dread to think of the kind of power he would have if he regained his aegis powers." i said. Lora sighed.

"Just don't use that power again. Please." lora said.

"No promises…" i said.

"What the bloody hell do you mean no promises!?" lora yelled in anger.

"I promise to only use if it's a last resort, but if there comes a time when i have no choice, i will! What am I supposed to do if rex nia or you are going to be killed? Do i not use the power when it could save you. Because i was too afraid to use it!? Do you know what we call that!? Cowardice! While it's true that i may lose control of myself when I use it. But i'd rather roll the dice then sit back and let a friend die because I was a spineless coward!" i yelled. Lora was silent. But nia came up to me and slapped me across the face. She then ran away.

"My lady!" dromarch yelled as he ran after her.

"What was that about?" mythra asked. We went back to the inn. But nia was still not back. So we decided to look for her. We spent a good three hours searching with no dice. Where did you go you stupid cat? I found a hidden area at the bottom of the stairs leading to the capital. After diving. I found myself in an place that looked like a palace garden. And here was nia and dromarch. Nia had her arms wrapped around her knees. But what was odd was her appearance. Her yellow suit was gone in it's place was a white dress similar to a miko ouitfit. Her ears were much longer. She looked up and saw me and i saw a crystal that was both blue and red in her chest.

"Your…a blade." I said.

"Yes…" nia said.

"Okay cool…now could you tell me why you slapped me and ran away." i said. Nia looked at me with wide eyes.

"You…don't care?" nia asked.

"I worked with a flesh eater in the past. And honestly. As long as you've proven to be on our side…well you can be a demon for all i care." i said. Nia giggled at my joke.

"About what happened…i'm sorry about that…i have the power to restore. Even something destroyed by malos i could heal." nia said.

"Sounds incredibly useful and live saving if the situation calls for it." i said.

"But…i'm afraid…if i reveal my power. That i will go back to the days where i was constantly chased by indol." nia said with fear in her voice.

"So you're saying that you would sit back and let rex die so you can keep running from what you are…if that's the case. Then i'll hand you right over to indol!" i said. Nia looked at me with anger. "None of us care what you are. But I do care about your actions…there's a place among our group for flesh eater's but there's no place for cowards who let her friends die just so she can keep hiding!" i yelled with a sigh. I turned around and began to walk away. "If you want to stay with our group. Fine. but there will come a time where you will have to use that power to save our friends. And when that time comes. You better be ready to do it. If you let someone die because you want to keep running from what you are…then you're just a spineless coward." i said as i head back to the inn to rest. Nia did show up eventually. Everyone was glad to see her. But things were going to be rocky between me and her for a bit…but i don't regret what i said to her. There's a place in our group for cowards.

After returning to the theater. Cole gave us a dagger that belonged to amalthus.

"I'm still not comfortable with going to that scumbag to get to the world tree…but if there's no other choice then screw it…before we head out…here." i said as i handed him the miracle serum.

"What's this?" cole asked.

"It's a medicine that will fix your ether flow…i know i promised to take care of iona when you bit it…but if i can save a friend…then i will." i said. Cole chuckled.

"You really haven't changed at all kaku…very well. Feel free to visit if you want to see another play." cole said. After leaving i explained the history of flesh eaters to rex and the others. After returning. To the village we came with the plan to go to argentum. Then head to mor ardain. Grab some soldier uniforms while we're there. Then head for indol. I was not looking forward to this. Mor ardan is always full of assholes. And i don't know if i can control myself to not rip that bastard amalthus apart. But it really can't be helped.

"This is as far as i go folks." vandham said.

"Yeah. taking care of this village is your war. And our war is not yours to fight. But who knows. We may hire a few times if need be…until then." i said. I gave vandham a two finger salute. And we all headed for a ship to argentum. On arriving a couple of nopons started to say about how rex had a lot of sidekicks. Clearly he's a favorite here. Anything you could want in alrest you could find here. But I decided to pay a visit to the big cheese of this place. Bana. from what rex told me. Bana promised him a hundred grand for this job. But there's no doubt in my mind that the bastard knew what was gonna happen. Salvagers he knew would be killed. But he sent them anyway just to fill his already fat bank account with even more cash…just full on greed.

I entered his office and found no one…damn. He wasn't here. So I decided to trash the place instead. Made sure nothing was intact by the time i left.

"Where were you?" mythra asked at the tables near the inn.

"Just letting out some stress." i said with a grin. I saw pyra sipping on a cup of tea.

"The tea here is lovely." pyra said.

"You can find quality goods from all around alrest. Do you like it here?" azurda asked.

"Hell yeah! Finding my favorite snacks was a nightmare before. But this place i can get it all no problem." i said with a smile. Pyra giggled.

"If there's time I think I'll have another cup later." pyra said. Nia stretched.

"It feels so good to sleep in a proper inn after a long voyage." nia said.

"Yeah feels good to be on familiar shores again." rex said.

"I have to admit. Some changes after 500 years have been rather nice i'm just glad to see jin and kaku again. And making new friends is also a blessing." lora said with a smile. Making jin smile as well.

Mythra pov.

I woke up to see kaku's face...i'm holding kaku's arm…i quickly got up. I noticed i was in the guys side of the inn…i did it again. I'm such an idiot! I quietly snuck out so i didn't wake any of the other guys in that room. I looked back to kaku. He looked so peaceful asleep. As i left the room. I couldn't help but remember back when i first did that...and i laugh. I was screaming and throwing things yet kaku was still peacefully sleeping through it. Despite being in the same room. When kaku's asleep, not even an earthquake would wake him up. I should try some of that tea that pyra was talking about.

3rd pov.

"Where's rex and kaku?" nia asked as everyone sat at the inn tables.

"Training…they should be here…soon." mythra said as she went wide eyed and blushed. Blood dripping from her nose. The reason because kaku and rex showed up. Both of them were sweaty and had no shirts. Mythra's eyes were permanently locked on kaku while pyra and nia couldn't take their eyes off of rex. The training really began to show with the muscle has gained because of it. Dromarch grabbed a tissue for his lady to wipe off the blood off her nose. While azurda did the same thing with pyra. Kaku and rex were oblivious as to why there were getting stares as they downed bottles of water. After that. The group headed for their ride for mor ardain.