After leaving the infirmary. I followed lora outside and found a titan in the form of a huge gray dragon. Not as big as other titans. But still can squash me if he decides to step on me.
"Good to see you awake young man." the titan said.
"...who are you?" i asked.
"This is my nuncle. Azurda." addam replied.
"Nuncle?…i'm not gonna question it." i said.
"I was also the one who caught you." azurda said.
"Really? Thanks." i said.
"The king wants to see you kaku…follow me." addam said. I did what he asked. And found myself at the meeting table. Alongside my allies the tornan king. And his brother. Zettar. I never liked this guy. He's the kind of clown who complains but doesn't do anything.
"What good was your militia? They could not halt malos, and the seal would have been lost if not for this barbarian." zettar said. Pointing towards me. See how much of a barbarian i am. When I shove my foot up your ass.
"I have no excuses." addam said. His head downwards in defeat.
"Addam…" lora said worryingly. I slammed my fist in the table.
"Don't take that from this high and mighty pansy!" i yelled. Shocking everyone.
"Pansy!? How dare you!" zettar yelled.
"How dare me? How dare you complain about addam's militia when you did nothing! When malos was attacking, where were you!? Probably hiding in a ditch with your robes soaked in your own urine!" i yelled.
"Kaku!" lora yelled. Zettar turned his head to the king.
"Majesty. I beseech you to lay them low. So that people may have faith in government!" zettar yelled. The king opened his eyes.
"Brother, your advice is wise." the king said.
"Please, wait a moment. Addam only sought to protect your realm." lora begged.
"Silence! Is your voice more important than the king's?" zettar asked. With a shit eating grin.
"Her's is more important than yours. You cowardly asshole." i said.
"You damn barbarian. I am above you! Your nothing but a lowly wondering marauder that addam took pity on who's only valuable trait is swinging a sword around like a gogol!" zettar yelled.
"And yet the people respect me more than you. The only reason you're here is to humiliate addam. Because of your petty jealousy!" i yelled. Zettar's face contorted into pure anger.
"Why would i be jealous of that boy!?" zettar yelled.
"Love and admiration from the people. Next in line for the crown. I've heard what people say about you zettar. Nothing good. And instead of admitting you need to change. You just blame addam for all your misfortunes. Face it. Addam is more worthy to be king then you'll ever be. Because you're a petty and jealous coward!" i yelled.
"Your majesty! This man has disrespected the royal family! Order him to be executed!" zettar yelled.
"What?" jin asked.
"No!" lora yelled.
"Truth hurts doesn't it bitch?" i asked. Not an ounce of fear.
"Let's see you be so smug when your head rolls!" zettar yelled. An vile grin on his face.
"There will be no execution…this man has said nothing but the truth." the king said.
"Majesty?" zettar asked.
"Look first to yourself, i bid you…surely addam sailed the ship into a rocky reef. But if he were the bow, you were the stern." the king said.
"Y-your majesty, those are bitter words. It was addam's vanguard that let slip malos!" zettar yelled.
"Would our army have succeeded with certainty, brother? It is as the young man asked. In our hour of need. Where were they?" the king asked.
"W-we set the defense of the people as our highest goal, your majesty." zettar said. I faked a sneeze.
"Sorry. I'm allergic to bullshit." i said with a grin. angering zettar even further.
"While addam's militia flew, though rashly into the breach. And the brave dragoons of noble hugo wagered there lives as mere trifles for our nations sake. It unfolded thus. If honor took it's natural course, the sons of torna should have stood their ground." the king said. Zettar lowered his head in defeat "mark their honor above their frailty. You saw the battle with your own eyes. Didn't you brother?" the king asked.
"I-i did." zettar replied.
"And how did you think it?" the king asked.
"Words can scarcely describe it. It was unlike any human struggle. I fear i could not report it justly." zettar replied.
"Indeed brother. It was a fight beyond our ken i too saw it with my own eyes. Our tornan crafts of war would have been doubly doomed against malos. It would be folly to assume that our army could do what addam's could not." the king said. Zettar lowers his head even further. I love seeing that petty loser get crushed. "Noble hugo.…my brother forgets grace and gratitude. Our nation hangs over doom like a ripened fruit. You and yours are our final ray of hope. Will you offer us aid again to avenge ourselves on the aegis." the king said with a bow.
"We came with that very intention, your majesty. Didn't we, prince addam?" hugo asked.
"Yes…your majesty. If it must be so, i will expend my life for the future of the land of my forefathers." addam said. The king nodded and looks toward me and lora.
"While were here…your names are lora and kaku, is it not?" the king asked.
"Huh? M-me? Yes." lora replied.
"Kaku's my name. Yep." i replied.
"Your work impressed me deeply. Yet you two are no knights. Bear no peerage." the king said.
"Yes…i'm from a settlement in the distant borderlands. I serve with a mercenary band." lora said.
"As for me…my home is far out of my reach…i can't really go back…guess i'm just a part of lora's legion now." i said.
"I knew you both as warriors…and i must thank you for keeping the seal out of malo's reach. Good lora and kaku. I would like to recognize your valiant labors. The title of knight of the realm. It is yours if you accept it." the king said.
"Lora! Kaku! Congratulations!" addam yelled.
"I can hardly believe it…me?" lora asked.
"About time our efforts got recognized." I said with a smile.
"A title is only decoration. Learn that from me." addam said.
"I hope it will raise both your spirits. Kaku. lora." hugo said.
"This day. The people of the nation shiver in the darkest of shadows. Cast by mighty malos. But i bid you seed a flower of hope in this shadow mired land." the king said.
"I hope that i can." lora said.
"We shall annoint thee as lady lora and sir kaku tomorrow in the plaza before the palace." the king said. And thus the meeting was over. Addam took us all to a place called torna's womb. At first i thought this was going to be disturbing. But instead. It was a technological chamber with several green pods…all had blades in them.
"What an incredible place." lora said.
"It's the matrix of our titan. When the time comes. This is where blades become reborn as titans." addam said.
"So titans were once blades?" i asked and then smiled. "Once a comrade in arms…becoming the land beneath our feet. And becoming our home…that's awesome." i said with a smile
"It's nice to be here again. After 800 years." azurda said.
"Were you born here too, azurda?" Haze asked.
"Mhm! I was a blade born from the tornan titan. Of course. I don't have any memories from that time. Once a blade becomes a titan, they can live without being bound to a driver. One day, they may become the very ground beneath their childrens feet. And watch over them." azurda said.
"And their bond becomes eternal." addam said. I looked over to a corner and found something glowing the same glow as a core crystal. I walked over and picked it up.
"What's this?" i asked as i held up the object i found.
"That is an overdrive protocol. With it. You can transfer a blade to another driver. No memories lost. Be careful not to lose it. It is a very rare item." azurda said. I handed the overdrive protocol to lora."
"I'm not giving up my only blade…either we can sell that for a huge amount of gold. Or we wait until we actually have a use for it, it's up to you lora." i said. After discussing our next move. We went to bed. I overheard a conversation between lora and jin. But i didn't stick around. It was a conversation meant for each other and no one else. The next day arrived. Me and lora received medals from addam. And thus we both became official knights of the realm. And tornan drivers.
"Ok. let's make some memories." lora said with an all too precious smile. As the people congratulated us i saw zettar talking with some blue skinned man…every fiber of my being was telling me to kill him…his soul reeked of arrogance and nihilism…
"Kaku?" lora asked. Looking at me worryingly.
"I'm…i'm fine." i said. After doing a bunch more helping…i swear this adventure would be alot quicker if we didn't have to help every moron and furball we came across. After that tedium. We discussed our plan. Malos is most likely aiming for the tornan titan's core. It would show up at a far away mountain ridge. Even if malos doesn't have the seal. He'll find some way to destroy it. After all, we've seen his destruction first hand. He'd probably have done it if he didn't think our fight with him was fun. It will take some time to gather the troops so once again it was time to head to the inn. Unfortunately. There was something hard we have to do…this is our most dangerous mission yet…so we have to leave the kids behind.
"This sucks! House sitting in the capital? I wanna go with you!" milton yelled. Tears in his eyes.
"Here we go…way lame…" mikhail said.
"The battle ahead is unlike any we've known before. Please remember that." addam said.
"Jin. can't you tell them? I swear we won't get in the way!" milton yelled. I got on one knee and grabbed milton's shoulders.
"This is our most dangerous mission yet…we don't want you mik getting hurt…i promise. We'll be back before you know it…tell you what? When we get back. We'll grant you one thing. Anything you want." i said.
"You…you promise?" milton asked.
"I'm many things…but a liar isn't one of them." i said with a smile. Milton rubbed his eyes. Smiled and nodded.
"Ok…kill malos. And bring addam back! No matter what!" milton yelled.
"Yeah…we will." i said. After that. I went to bed…dealing with drama is not something i'm good with.
Jin pov.
"Hmm. surprisingly diligent." mythra said as i writing my note.
"Need some help?" i asked. Mythra put her tea cup on the table and sat down.
"Nah. just killing time." mythra said.
"If you want to talk, i'm not sure i'm your guy…maybe you should try kaku?" i asked.
"Normally i would. But he's asleep. And not even an earthquake would wake him up." mythra said. She looked at what i was writing. "Keeping a journal, huh? Brighid's into it too. Is that like a thing now?" mythra asked.
"Who knows? I am what i am. And so is she." i replied.
"You know when your driver dies, you'll return to your core. It feels kinda futile." mythra said.
"There's nothing strange about wanting to know who you used to be, once you reawaken." i said.
"You can't be sure that you'll even find it though, right?" mythra asked.
"Even so…nothing's for certain. But it's its some hope at least." i replied.
"But what's the point?" mythra asked.
"To keep the bond with your driver alive." i replied.
"The bond?" mythra asked.
"I guess that's a little difficult for you to understand…maybe if kaku was your driver." i said. Mythra blushed.
"W-w-what's that supposed to mean?" mythra asked flustered.
"Unlike with you and addam. There's a true connection with you and him…it's a shame that an overdrive protocol won't work on the aegis. Kaku would be happy with you by his side. That i know for certain." i said mythra's face became redder. She took her tea cup. And got up.
"This was an interesting conversation. Bye now!" mythra yelled. She left the room. Her face red.
"Hmm…i see why kaku does to me and lora now…the reactions are amusing." i said as i got back to my note.
The next day/ kaku pov.
As we left the capital to head towards the mountain. A black robot much bigger than the other tin cans showed up. And blasted a laser right at the ground. No doubt hoping to hit something vital of the titan.
"What the hell is that!?" i asked.
"It's a siren! A powerful artifice. I should know. I've got one myself." mythra said. Her crown thingy. I never knew what to call it. Glowed and soon another siren appeared this one in mythra's colors. white and green appeared and attacked the other one. A battle began between those two sirens.
"Good job mythra. That i'll keep torna from being destroyed for a bit. But to insure torna's safety…we have to cut the head off the snake. Malos need to die. So let's go." i said everyone nodded. We reached a cave system leading further in. the place was crawling with oversized bugs no pun intended. After reaching the place where malos was. We saw the sirens still fighting. After reaching the staircase we had a chat first.
"I know it's too late to be having cold feet…but do you think we can actually win?" haze asked.
"No doubt. Kaku has beaten malos before. He can do it again." lora said.
"That is if we can trust him…sorry to have eavesdropped but i heard your conversation in the infirmary. Are you sure you can trust him?" addam asked. I looked to the ground.
"I trust kaku." mythra said. Surprising everyone.
"Mythra…i'm not human. Nor am I a blade. To this world. I'm as alien as can be. And before i met lora. I hated every living thing. I was no different than malos. Even so, you trust me?" i asked.
"Regardless of the past and what you are, you've proven to be on our side. That's more than enough reason to trust you." mythra said with a smile. I smiled back.
"Thank you mythra." i said. I was ready for this…the final battle. Let's go! We approached malos
"You got here fast. I'd thought you jump ship along with the rest of the rats." malos said with his sword over his shoulder.
"Tornans are braver than you think malos! Nobody here is scared of you." mythra said. A flight of those damn machines came approaching.
"Considering siren is busy. I had to get creative to destroy this titan. In ten minutes my gargoyles will finish charging and blasting this titan with everything they've got." malos said. i cracked my knuckles and summoned my sword.
"So i we've ten minutes to kill you." i said. I charged at malos connecting swords. "Then let's finish this! I'm sick of looking at that shit eating grin on your face douchebag!" I yelled.
"Love that killing intent! Bring it on!" malos yelled. A couple of gargoyles landed to support malos.
"I'm so sick of these tin cans." i said. While the others kept the gargoyles were busy I clashed with malos. Unfortunately those ten minutes were up.
"Shit!" i yelled as i saw the gargoyles preparing their attack.
"That all you got?" malos taunted. I replied by kicking him in the nuts. And smashing his face in to the ground.
"Kos-mos!" i yelled. She tossed me her cannon. I smashed it on malos face. "Eat this! X-buster!" i yelled. I blasted malos in the face with a huge laser.
"I think it's time to break your toys. Ophion!" mythra yelled as her green gems glew. And soon the gargoyle were devoured or blasted by a giant metal serpent. Unfortunately more were hiding behind the clouds.
"Are you serious?" i asked. Alright i was done. As the gargoyles flew towards us i jumped up high and readied my next move "atomic flare!" i yelled. A giant blast of nuclear energy surrounded me as the gargoyles were reduced to ashes. I fell back to the ground and pointed my sword at malos. I breathed heavily.
"Any more of those tin cans you want to throw at us?" i asked.
"Nope…that was the last of them. Well except siren." malos said as a huge laser hit ophion right in the head. Sending it back into the sky sea.
"Ophion!" mythra yelled. Jin clashed sword with malos.
"You…got something to say?" malos asked. They pushed each other away.
"Why the damn bloodlust?" jin asked as he sent multiple ice spears at malos.
"I said before jin….some things are just to born to be a plague among others…this asshole is one of these plagues." i said.
"Like i said the humans built the bonfire. All I did was help them light it." malos said. I blasted him away with a freikugel.
"Yeah yeah, the dumb flesh bags are doomed to destroy themselves. Just shut the hell up and fight." i said.
"Come on kaku! Where's all the rage a few minutes ago!?" malos yelled as we clashed blades. No pun intended.
"Your not worth my anger anymore…you can taunt me like a child all you want…the only reaction you'll get from me is an eyeroll." i said. We pushed each other away.
"Well let's see what reaction i get from you and my partner when i do this!" malos yelled. As siren's pushed each other away. Malo's aimed a laser not at mythras's siren but at…the capital…milton…mikhail.
"NO!" i yelled. As i jumped up high and blocked with my sword the force of the laser was too strong…but i won't let this bastard destory torna…my home…my friends….mythra. i won't let him harm any of it release restraint!
Lora pov.
I thought kaku would have been vaporized. But the laser was dissipated. and kaku…transformed. His skin was black with purple marks all over. He grew horns like a demon. And wings like an angel. Both giving off a light blue heat. He charged at malos's siren. His sword increasing in length. And with one slash. The siren was sliced in two and exploded. He came back down. The concrete beneath him cracking and breaking. Malos came at him with his sword. But kaku metal part with one hand. And squeezed it it until it broke. Malos was shocked by this. But he didn't have time to react. As kaku stabbed him through the stomach. Malo's energy flowed into kaku's sword. Like it was draining him of his power. Kaku threw him into the sky. And pointed his sword towards malos. The blades color turned from light blue to dark purple. A huge laser fired from kaku's sword.
"Damn you kaku! Damn you mythra! Damn you all!" malos yelled. As he was vaporized.
"Kaku you did it!" mythra yelled. He turned to her but he looked at her with empty hollow eyes. "Kaku?" mythra asked. To all of our shock he slashed her. Her energy flowing to his sword. Mythra fell to the ground. Her appearance changing to be a girl with short red hair. And red clothes. He charged at me next. Only to be blocked by hugo's shield.
"What are you doing kaku!?" hugo yelled.
"DESTORYDESTORYDESTROYDESTORYDESTROY!" kaku yelled. He's completely lost control of himself. Becoming a beast hellbent on destruction. Hugo's shield began to crack. And before i could move in and stop him the shield broke. And kaku grabbed hugo by his neck. There was a loud crack as aegaeon and brighid disappeared. The core crystals fell to the ground. He came at me. But before his blade reached me. A nodachi pierced through his chest.
"Forgive me kaku…" jin said. Kaku smiled and turned his head.
"Jin….thanks." kaku said. Jin pulled out his sword. Kaku reverted back and fell to the ground. Torna had been saved…but that didn't make us feel any better. Hugo was dead. And there's now one lingering question…what will happen to kaku…the wound jin inflicted healed…but addam is afraid of him now…after the report was giving to his majesty…it was decided that kaku's sentence would be put in cryo sleep. Of course zettar wanted him to be executed but that wasn't his call to make…kaku may have lost control…but he still saved torna. So his sentence was final. To everyone's surprise…mythra. Now calling herself pyra. Volunteered to be put to sleep with him…the king allowed it. Considering the fear people have for the aegis thanks to malos…before addam left…i decided to use that overdrive protocol kaku found…i transferred haze to him…she understood what we all did…kaku needed someone right now…through all of this he said nothing…his eyes were empty and filled with guilt. Pyra left with a bow. Kaku finally said something…
"Hugo…mythra….i'm so sorry." kaku said. As tears went down his face as he continued walking…all of us wish that we could do something…hopefully when his sentence is over. We can help him heal…but i still had my duty to torna…it didn't take long for conflict to happen again. As indol was planning an attack on torna…why…i don't know but we still had to defend it…
mythra pov/the dream.
After we were all put into pods aboard that ship that now sunk into the cloud sea. I find myself in my memories of my home. Elysium. Pyra walks besides me.
"How long do you think this is going to be?" i asked.
"The sentence was fifty years." pyra said. She sighed. "Mythra there's someone you need to talk too." pyra said she lead me to the other side of a tree. In the shade was…kaku. But he looked so….empty
"Kaku…" i said. No response except him just looking at me. His eyes are just as empty as before. "I saw everything through pyra's eyes…you didn't even defend yourself. Why?" mythra asked.
"Because i didn't care what my sentence was…an animal need to be either locked up or put down." kaku said in a monotone voice.
"Don't talk about yourself like that!" i yelled.
"But i am! I killed hugo! I almost killed lora! I even almost killed you! People i cared about! I came at all of you like some rabid animal! I lost control of myself! I don't deserve anyone's care…I deserve to be utterly alone." kaku said, tears going down his face…i hated this…i hated seeing kaku break apart like this…he was the strongest of us. Not just in battle. He was there to support others when they needed it. He helped others became better…that i know for a fact. He certainly helped me…and now it's my turn to help him.
"Kaku…you lost control…that power you unleashed…it was beyond even i could conjure…i mean. You sliced an siren in half! That kind of power would make anyone lose control. But thank about the good you did. Because of you. Torna was saved…milton and mikhail are alive…everyone in torna was alive! You saved everyone! Something…i couldn't do. I just stood back and watched as that laser fired…" i said. As i said my foresight activated. Showing me not the future…but an alternative timeline…one where kaku wasn't there…that laser did hit. Killing milton. And i lost control…the battle got out of hand to the point where torna was destroyed…hugo died blocking the blast…and pyra was created through me having a breakdown…seems like hugo was doomed from the get go. and i'm not complaining about pyra. It's nice to have a sister. But kaku…this guilt was originally mine to bear. He saved me from this guilt. And now i'm going to help him through the pain…the fear…just like that salvager did for me originally.
"Kaku." i said. I pulled him into my arms. "If you didn't lose control. I would have…and i would have had the pain your feeling now…i'll be by your side from now on…okay?" i asked. I felt his arms wrap around my back.
"I'm sorry mythra…i'm so sorry." kaku said as he continued to cry…helping him recover from this is going to take alot of time and effort…meh…i've got fifty years…probably way longer if that vision was any evidence..
500 years later.
In that room where kaku and pyra sleep. A young salvager opens the door…a young salvager whose fate was about to change because of this room…a 15 year old boy named rex.