Chapter 9: Loss and Gain
She didn't really know if it could be called a dream. Pyra let out a sigh as she looked from the rolling green hillside and to the city beyond. This memory of Elysium, or whatever name it may have had before Alrest came to be if indeed it even had one, was one she always found herself in during sleep. But unlike a dream it didn't feel ephemeral or fleeting, simply aware.
From the hilltop, while the city was distant the smaller town just down the way was in full view. The figures were vague, but people were there, moving about their lives in peace without any worry at all. And one could only then imagine what was beyond this small hovel of a location. Because surely beyond it at that city that continued to stretch on past Pyra's vision, there had to be more people, more life.
But it also came with a dreadful feeling about it. A question she kept asking herself.
"Is there any of this left?"
She couldn't know what the state of this place had become in recent times. Who knows just how old this memory was? She could hold out hope that perhaps something had escaped the ravaging of time and this still remained. Maybe it was a thought she had because of Vaios, that maybe, if this was true, there'd be something better in store later on.
"You're quite the wishful thinker all of a sudden, aren't you?"
"You're not supposed to be here."
Pyra turned, seeing Malos leaning against the tree topping the hill. The man gave a scoff as he stepped off and folded his arms. There was nothing but an aura of danger about him as usual.
"Charming. So, you're making the rules now?"
"You didn't come here to talk about the old days, did you?" Pyra's remark was dry, Malos chuckling at the tone she took. Her dislike was evident, and the man seemingly reveled in it.
"We've snatched Minoth's little brat." Pyra gasped as Malos stepped forward while speaking, a cold expression coming to the man. "Meet me at the place of your awakening. You should remember it well enough. Oh, and come alone."
Vaios jolted awake, shooting upright the second his eyes opened. He put a hand to his face as he let out a groan.
"What did I just see?" Vaios sighed as he looked over to see that Tora, Azurda, and Dromarch were still sleeping. The hotel had enough free rooms they'd all divvied up relatively evenly, with the girls in another room and Vandham taking his own. But as for how pleasant Vaios's sleep had been, what he'd just scene was quite the rude interruption. "Was that just some fever dream, or was it real… hagh, some fresh air might do me some good. Maybe I should check on Pyra too."
As he was throwing on the rest of his clothes, repeated bangs on the door drew Vaios's attention, along with rousing the others awake. Without even giving words to it, a short while later the entire party was outside of the hotel, where a distraught and heavily breathing Cole was along with a member of his troupe.
"Old man, what's going on?" Vandham said, Cole taking a breath to collect himself.
"Iona… she's gone! It… must've been them!" As Cole spoke, Vaios's eyes widened, and he immediately looked around, a hand clenching when he saw Pyra was nowhere to be seen amid them.
"I have a bad feeling about who "them" is." Vaios said, Cole nodding as he saw the young man was catching on.
"After you left, Malos… and some other guy paid me a visit."
"Dammit…" Vaios's hand went tighter as that confirmed it. What he saw couldn't have just been something cooked up by the unconscious mind if that was the case.
"Who was the other guy?" Nia said, though considering recent events she also had a rather good idea of who it was.
"Didn't catch his name. But he had red glasses." Cole answered, Nia clicking her tongue.
"Akhos. But what would he want with Iona?"
"I think I have an idea of what's going on." Vaios said. "Nia, Haze, you two see Pyra go anywhere?"
"Uh… no. I mean, I saw she wasn't in the room, but I just thought she was going to the loo or something." Nia said, Haze shaking her head either. And they weren't going to get an answer out of Ursula as the small Blade barely even looked awake at the time.
"Dammit that girl… why's she gotta try and martyr herself like that?" Vaios slammed his fist to a palm as he let out a growl.
"What Vai-Vai on about?" Tora said, Vaios sighing.
"I saw something when I was sleeping. Malos probably took Iona to draw Pyra out. He told her to go to the place of her awakening… so the Olethro Playhouse in the ruins."
"That would be the most logical place." Cole said. "It's far and away from anybody who would cause trouble. You have to hurry; the ruins are at the top of the Great Stairway."
"I remember that much." Vaios said, recalling the images in his mind he had about that place. "It's like that place is some damn crux of fate. Come on, let's not waste time, maybe we can catch up with Pyra if we hurry!"
"Don't have to tell me twice! Fella, take care of this old man for us, yeah?" The others were already running off with Vaios in the lead, Vandham shaking his head with a wry smile as he and Roc then followed. "For a levelheaded twerp, he can sure be a hothead at the same time."
By that same time, Pyra had already arrived at the playhouse. The ancient amphitheater showed its age, the once white stone structures making it up dirtied to grey, cracked and with the flooring of the main stage itself now cracked and scattered about. Waiting for Pyra there was Malos and his Blade, the man with his back to Pyra as he looked out over the cloud sea that stretched beyond them, the first peeks of dawn beginning to show at the horizon.
"Lame. How long are you planning to stay in that form, huh?"
"That's none of your concern. I am who I am. Now where's Iona?"
"Akhos is the meanest son of a bitch I know." Malos turned and gestured off a bit, Pyra turning and spotting Iona, out cold but thankfully unharmed on an upper portion of the stands.
"Heeheehee! Son of a bitch!" Obrona gleefully parroted Malos as she flitted around her Driver, Akhos giving a sigh as he tapped a sword against his shoulder.
"Hmph. I still think we should've sent them a finger or something. But you know best." Akhos shook his head as he sighed, his eyes scanning to the entrance of the playhouse just to be sure.
"You know what we're after, don't you?" Malos said, Pyra letting out a slow breath.
"Jin, is he on your side too?" She said, Malos huffing.
"I exist for his benefit. That's all I'm going to say."
"Really."
"Let's end this. Now."
Malos was covered in a golden aura as his Blade raised a hand to him, Malos's weapon lighting up as he lashed it out. Pyra blocked the blast of wind that followed the slash, though her barrier shattered against the impact. And it only followed suit in the same way, slash after slash being futilely blocked again and again, until Pyra took a glance across the arm.
And as the party was rushing their way up to the playhouse, Vaios stumbled as a sudden lash of pain shot across his left arm. He stopped as he grabbed at it, growling as he looked up towards the brightening passage before them.
"Vaios?" Azurda said, Vaios waving the Titan off.
"I'll be fine. But Pyra can't handle them by herself… but she's just in front of us, I can tell that much. Come on!"
Vaios led the rush up the final part of the stairs, pushing faster than the others. As far as he was concerned, there wasn't any time to waste in this matter, and so he ran, as fast as he could, the distance getting smaller and smaller with each step that was almost a leap up the stairs.
"Well I see I'm not the only son of a bitch." Akhos sneered as Pyra was pushed back more and more by Malos, who looked ticked off with what he was up against right now.
"Still defiant I see. Just give it up girl! You think you can do it alone? Handle that power?"
"I won't use that power! And I won't let you use it either!" Pyra raised her arms and produced a large ball of flame, though Malos didn't look impressed in the least.
"Hmm, you seem to be doing pretty well without your Driver." Akhos noted.
"Hmph, it's like you don't know who you're dealing with!" Malos took a stance as Pyra sent the fireball his way, slashing it away with a quick move like it was effortless. "You'll never be able to beat me like that."
"Well maybe the both of us can!"
"The relic?!"
Vaios came shooting out from the entryway at full speed, Malos bringing his blade up to block as the burning Aegis Blade came at him, the air shifting as Vaios was brought to a stop from his rushing in. Malos growled at the young man as their weapons locked together. Malos's Blade went in to swipe at Vaios, who disengaged and dashed back, clicking his tongue as he stopped near Pyra.
"What were you thinking running off on your own?" Vaios snapped around to Pyra, who looked between overjoyed he'd shown up and sorry about this entire mess. "Well, not like it matters now anyway."
The rest of the party showed up in short order, taking stances with their weapons ready, and Vandham quickly moving up to get Iona.
"Vandham, get Iona out of here, we can take care of these two!" Vaios got a nod from Vandham who then jumped from the stands and got out of the area. Akhos jumped down to Malos's side too, giving Vaios a particularly rueful glare. "How ya' been Akhos? That chest wound doing fine?"
"Just fine, thank you. Though I can't say you'll be so fortunate this time." Akhos adjusted his glasses as he pointed a sword at Vaios. "Malos, I'd advise caution. That other Blade of his can mess with ether flows like Obrona."
"So then it's simple, we just don't let them do it!"
"Don't have to tell me!"
Malos and Akhos charged first, Vaios and Nia deflecting their strikes and attacking back, Tora and Poppi skirting around to try and get shots in with their missile fire, which was blocked by their foes's Blades.
With Malos around it also meant that unlike before the fighting wasn't as uneven, even with the party's addition of Ursula letting Nia mix up how she fought by swapping out Dromarch's ring blades for arm bracers to start punching with. With the present numbers, it meant the fighting was rapid and moved around quickly, while it was also obvious both sides were looking for some kind of opening to have Haze or Obrona use their abilities somewhere in there.
Vaios and Malos were clashing the most often amid the melee, their weapons slamming together in rapid clashes, the two winding up in a weapon lock as their Blades also fired elemental blasts at each other.
"You've gotten stronger, but sadly so long as that girl is in that state, you're never gonna be able to top me!" Malos ground his blade down and pushed Vaios away, going for another lash that Vaios ducked, then getting his footing and tossing the Aegis Blade to Pyra as Haze then lobbed her staff his way. Vaios rolled back up and struck with the staff at Malos, who dodged and parried as Vaios struck at him with twirling motions and jabs.
"Try me Malos! It takes a lot more than raw power to come out on top!"
"Oh I know that damn well!"
Malos's weapon switched to its shield form as Vaios slammed down at him with the staff covered in rapidly spinning wind. The shield was shoved up as Vaios's momentum moved him down, Malos letting out a yell as he then flung Vaios off. Tora moved immediately, getting right where Vaios's arc was carrying him and handing his shield to Poppi. Vaios caught on immediately and spun, landing on the shield, Poppi angling it over and then shoving off. Vaios jumped at the same moment, being flung right across the way towards Nia and Akhos, drawing his own sword as he was coming down.
"You're a bunch of crazy ones y'know that?!" Nia yelled as Vaios came crashing down, his sword slamming into Akhos's as the bespectacled man moved to block the strike, Vaios skidding past and rushing back in. "But I appreciate the save! I'll get Malos off Pyra!"
"Will do!" Vaios stepped away as Akhos slashed at him, the two exchanging slashes while Nia hopped onto Dromarch as the Blade also picked up Ursula and shot off, a roar from Dromarch sending a wave of water that gave Pyra and Haze an opening to return to Vaios as the latter delivered a heavy slash to Akhos, who jumped back after using his swords to deflect the slash.
"I must admit, I enjoyed playing my part in this hackneyed tale, but…" As Akhos twirled a sword, Vaios handed Haze her staff, energy already starting to flow around it as they were anticipating what was coming next as Obrona swirled up into the air with red particles trailing her.
"Teehee! Time for the final act?" Obrona's wings spread out, a red field beginning to spread with her at the center, Haze raising her staff with a light blue field of her own starting to rise out, the two colliding and creating a stop as the two Blades began pushing against each other.
"And that much was expected, of course." Akhos said, Vaios leveling the Aegis Blade at the man. "Obrona and your little priestess are now locked together with their fields. If either one of us enter them then we both know what would happen. Quite the situation, is it not?"
"I'll give you that much." Vaios adjusted his hands as the battle now came to a short halt of motion. Both sides knew the simple fact the opposing field would screw with their ability to get and give ether to and from their Blades. And with the ether channels no doubt being screwed with around the casters, just aiming at Obrona or Haze wouldn't solve anything, because either side would rush to defend the target just as quickly.
It was a stalemate through and through now. What would decide it was who would give first and change who had more dominance of the battlefield, or who would be crazy enough to try and work past the limitations of their Blade being jammed.
"And again, this is where I'll say you'd be a lot better off not in this form!" Malos said, a taunting tone to his words as he paced a bit, clearly impatient with the stalemate. "If you were actually giving it your all, this would be going far differently!"
Malos clenched his open hand, dark energy of the same kind as he'd used during the fight on the derelict ship forming. He lashed it out at the party, all of them quickly moving aside as the dark energy ripped across the ground, leaving a glassed over gouge in its wake. And the brief moment where Haze's concentration wavered to move was the moment Obrona took advantage of, pushing her disturbance field further along, catching the Drivers in it before Haze was able to push back.
"And that's Check!" Akhos clenched a hand to a fist, and the Drivers could feel the sudden dip as the ether flow to them was cut off, their weapons dimming as the energy being sent to them waned.
"Shit… don't look good!" And at the same time, Vandham was returning to the scene, right on time to see the three getting set upon again by Akhos and Malos, but now at the disadvantage of their Blade weapons being weakened. Meaning the upper hand was turned to their foes.
"If I can't use my Blades, then there's a damn good reason I have a weapon of my own!" Vaios stored the Aegis Blade as he dodged Akhos's strikes at him, Malos keeping Nia and Tora preoccupied trying to avoid his strikes. Vaios drew his own sword and struck back, the weapons slamming into each other with a loud ring, and Akhos grumbled as Vaios was able to stand his ground despite the disadvantage it put him at. "What in the Architect damned hell will it take to make you leave us alone?!"
"Nothing at all! We want the Aegis's power for ourselves." Akhos said, striking out and still finding Vaios was able to match his blows, and that odd blue glow was appearing around Vaios again. "It's Jin's desire, you see, to erase all of humankind from the world!"
"Really now?!" Vaios struck back as Akhos slashed at him, Nia coming in and attacking herself as Pyra and Haze both moved, creating a dual barrier as Malos went right for Vaios, now pullng them back to fighting him while Nia kept striking at Akhos.
"Did Jin seriously say that?! Erase all of humankind?!" Nia growled at Akhos as she lashed at him, the man chuckling as he beat her blows aside easily thanks to the advantage being to him.
"My my, surely you knew better than anyone! What humans are really like!" Akhos knocked Nia back as that statement made her freeze a bit, Akhos readying to strike at the girl as he approached.
"Nia, what're you doing?!" Vandham then shot in and grabbed Nia, Roc swooping by with one of the scythes to deflect Akhos's attack.
"You've seen the capital." Akhos continued, a smug grin on his face. "You've seen the ships, weapons, and soldiers. All poised for war with Mor Ardain. Doesn't it make you wanna laugh? Every corner of this world is defiled by such vermin."
"But that's nothing new!" Malos had his own say on the point as he and Vaios locked blades, both glaring each other down. "They haven't changed in over 500 years! Correct that, even longer than that! You're proof of it, relic! You're proof humanity never changes!"
"The hell does that mean huh?!" Vaios struck back and knocked Malos away from him, the man scoffing as he got his footing again.
"Come on, you seriously can't tell?! That body of yours isn't normal. Even with the enhancements that come with being a Driver, you're different than they are. A part of you can feel it though, can't you? Something that tells you you're not the same as them! Telling you that you were made for destruction! It's no wonder Father abandoned them!"
"Will you just shut up?!" Vaios struck again as Malos swung at him, his swing slamming against Malos's blade and sending the man back. Vaios growled a bit as flashes came across his mind, fuzzy as ever, but he was making out Malos's face in them despite it. "Are you sure the thing that hasn't changed isn't just yourself Malos?"
"He's right, Malos. The only thing that hasn't changed is you." Pyra stepped in front of Vaios, the Aegis Blade drawn at the man. "Father didn't want us to destroy innocent life! That's not why we were made at all!"
"Why did he make us then if not for that purpose? Get real!" Malos shot back, Vaios giving a hiss. "That's what we're for! To descend on the world and exterminate all these damned pests!"
"Why are you even assuming anything about that?" Vaios said, Malos glaring at him. "Who in Alrest told you that's what you exist for?! Have you even met the Architect? How would you know what he's planning if he has any plans at all?! You're still exactly the same…"
"Oh, remembering something now are you?" Malos lifted his weapon at Vaios, the young man tightening his hold on his weapon. "Apparently not enough… peh, that's boring. Part of me was hoping you would! Sadly, I don't scar easily, but oh do I remember back then. I remember how damn much I started to hate you after you had the balls to stand against me even as worthless scrap!"
Malos gave a roar, and his entire body began surging with that dark power, enough that the air was rumbling as it rose up around him like a pillar of flames.
"What is that power?! That can't be coming from his Blade, can it?" Vandham said, Nia's eyes going wide.
"Play time's over, let's end it, Akhos!" Malos took a stance as Akhos chuckled his agreement to it. "This time you damn relic, fall into the sea and don't come back!"
Malos's next attack was strong enough that even with Pyra and Haze making a shield together, they and Vaios were all blown away by it and crashed into the stands. Tora and Poppi flying in to attack was met by Malos's Blade getting between them, blocking the shield's deployed drill before slamming them aside, Poppi taking the bulk of the impact as they too were sent slamming into the stands, sparks going across the artificial Blade as she and Tora tumbled to the ground.
Obrona was keeping Roc occupied, though he and Vandham seemed to be aiming for something different. As Akhos has Nia in his sights, he chuckled as he against knocked aside a futile slash sent his way.
"How noble. Next!" When Akhos brought his blade down, Dromarch jumped in the way and took the bulk of the blow, Ursula and her bear partner following suit to defend against the next one. Nia yelled in clear rage at Akhos, though Obrona took that as a chance to land a solid hit on Nia herself, who collapsed next to her Blades when she hit the ground.
"Dammit… this isn't turning out well." Vaios held an arm as he stood back up, Haze and Pyra panting as Malos turned back towards them. "How the hell are we gonna get out of this? More… we need more…"
"Don't think you'll have it that easy!" Vandham yelled from outside of the main field, tossing his weapons to Roc, a swirl of wind following as the Blade lashed his arms forward, bolts of wind ether rushing forward and raining down at Malos and Akhos.
"An attack from the outside?!" Malos growled as he bat aside the shots nearing him, which proved that in truth they were actually rather weak, but, it was giving the party time to try and get clear.
"Ah the lunk is back." Akhos shook his head as he danced around the air shots, smirking at Vandham. "But that peashooter won't help you in this situation. Even if you hit it'll barely register!"
"Bloody idiot! Think I don't know that?!" Vandham then leapt and took the scythes back from Roc, landing between Vaios and their foes, the man standing tall. Vaios stood again as Vandham looked back at him. "You ready Vaios? I got one more lesson for ya. Something else you can do with a Blade!"
And to Vaios's visible shock, Vandham then took the ends of his scythes and drove them both into his body. Sick squelches sounded as Vandham drove them deeper, eliciting a pained groan. But, as he did, the glow of an ether flow began appearing around the man, air starting to shift around Vandham's arms.
"He's channeling the ether from his weapons into his own body!" Akhos said, Malos growling.
"Yeah, nothin' you can do to stop this ether flow. Nothin' at all!"
Vandham charged with a roar, swinging his arm and sending a wave of wind energy forward at Akhos, who was blown away as Obrona's guard was broken. Malos attacked in turn though his fist, coursing with dark energy, was met head-on by Vandham's own empowered strikes. Roc swooped in when Malos's Blade went to attack as well, turning it into a melee between the Blades and their Drivers.
Amid it, Nia started to move forward, but, she stopped dead, gritting her teeth and moving a hand to her chest. Dromarch looked on as he shakily rose as well. Whatever the reasoning was, there was something to that motion of Nia's.
"Vandham, what're you doing?!" Vaios called out, moving to get into the fight himself.
"Move it Vaios! Take Pyra and scram!" Vandham spoke even amid his clashing with Malos, Vaios growling as he gripped the Aegis Blade, a flicker starting to move across its edge.
"But you… I can't just leave you behind! I'm not gonna leave you to die against these guys!"
"Vaios, don't go throwin' your life away for me! You've gotta make it! You gotta get away from here now!" Vandham slammed his arm down at Malos, who blocked and struck back, Vandham blocking in turn and then kicking Malos away. "Live! Live for her! You've gotta make it to Elysium, right?!"
"I promise, I'll make it back alive."
Vaios's own voice flashed in his mind, the grip on his weapon making his knuckles go white as he grated his teeth.
"Like I'd allow that!" Malos shot forward with a slash of his blade, blood splattering across the ground as he rammed it into Vandham, the man stumbling back with his wound oozing. "This is all starting to piss me off, so give it up!"
Vandham raised his hand to start trying to cast again, but Malos strode forward and bat the attempt aside with casual contempt in his actions. Vaios, clearly incensed, yelled as he lashed his blade, a gout of fire flying from it, though Malos's Blade easily blocked it. Malos looked back at Vaios, the contempt for him clear in his eyes before he looked back to Vandham.
"Just go Vaios! Remember, to fight your war!"
And the instant those words had left Vandham's mouth, Malos's blade came down on him. One clean cut across the chest, blood flying everywhere from the wound, and any light in Vandham's eyes immediately went dark. His body fell as the weapons stuck in him faded, and then Roc also vanished, his dimmed core clattering to the ground. And Vaios's face was nothing but horrified, a tear falling and splashing to the ground, the scream that wanted to come out catching in his throat.
"Oh please, what a cliché." Akhos huffed as he adjusted his glasses, mockingly sneering at Vaios as the young man's gaze darkened over.
"Vaios…" Pyra muttered as she looked at Vaios, his form shaking as that blue glow began edging across him again.
"Dammit old-timer… I'm not worth that much. Another person's life… isn't worth any of this." Vaios adjusted his grip, though he stayed silent as Pyra put a hand to his arm.
"Vaios, we can't keep fighting, we have to go!"
"If we run, they'll just follow us." Vaios said, a gleam in his eyes as he looked at Malos and Akhos. "They won't stop chasing us, they'll follow us to the ends of the earth to get you. And how many more people will die before they decide it's enough to get you? I won't… I refuse it. I refuse to allow anyone else to die because of this bullshit!"
"What in the… why is the ether getting stronger around him? I cut off his connections!" Akhos gasped as the glow around Vaios grew into an aura, and as it did the Aegis Blade in his hand lit up again, the flaming edge brighter than it had been even before it lost connection. And Vaios followed up by loosing a blast of flames that raked across the ground as an inferno, Malos and Akhos moving out of the way. Vaios then dashed forward, his blade slamming down on Malos's as the man slashed in return.
"It has nothing to do with his Blades. He's doing this all on his own." Malos said, exchanging a flurry with Vaios before their weapons locked again. "You realize it now brat?! That power of yours is something no human has!"
"What I am doesn't matter!" Vaios roared as he countered and shouldered Malos, the glow from his eyes trailing as he dashed in to continue. "I'll keep fighting for as long as I have to, because I refuse to bend to someone like you!"
"How is he… is Vaios a…" Nia's eyes were wide as she watched the continuing fight, though Vaios wasn't gaining much ground, even if he was able to hold his own in whatever state he was currently in.
"Vai-Vai…" Tora managed to stand too but was still defensively guarding Poppi himself. It was almost all they could do but stand by and watch.
As the clash between Malos and Vaios continued, after a flurry of blows, Malos managed to deflect Vaios's blade, sending it careening to the side and creating a wide opening.
"You're done! This time I'll make sure there's nothing left of you!" Malos's blade was coursing with dark energy as he brought it up, starting to move it downwards as Vaios started shifting to attempt to block it.
"Vaios!" And as Pyra screamed out, something, somewhere, also woke up from a very long slumber of its own.
The glow that shone from Pyra's cores grew into an almost blinding light. The energy around her exploded outwards, shaking up the ground and causing Malos to stop dead as the shockwave hit him, everyone looking back as the swirling gold light around Pyra grew more and more intense. And then her form changed, her body vanishing before reforming amid the golden light. Now it wasn't Pyra standing there, but a girl garbed in white and with golden hair and eyes… and a different name came from Vaios as he saw her.
"Mythra?" And Vaios looked down as the Aegis Blade began glowing too, closing down before also changing form, changing from the single edged red sword into a brilliant white and golden twin-edged one, its form opening and a blade of emerald light rising from it. All of this was feeling familiar to Vaios, more flashes coursing through his mind, and all of it clearly about that girl, Mythra.
"Y-You can't rewrite the act now! It's too late!" Akhos started to rush forward as he readied his weapons, Mythra glancing at him as the emerald gems on her form also glowed.
"Hey idiot! Look out!" Malos shouted, though Akhos didn't catch it.
One may have thought it was finally the sun breaking into down, but the light that suddenly pierced everybody's vision came from much higher. Something from on high rushed downwards, Akhos almost taking the brunt of the first blast. And more only followed, golden beams blasting the ground and leaving craters wherever they struck, Akhos and Malos barely dodging all of them. And one other, far larger blast was then fired, the impact enough that it didn't just leave a crater but destroyed the entire half of the amphitheater behind where it struck, the ancient stone falling to pieces and into the clouds below.
"You awoke at last! Mythra!" Malos though, seemed outright giddy as Vaios edged over towards Mythra, the man's wild grin telling all as he struck again, Vaios blocking the slash as a Blade barrier also formed.
"Mythra… what the hell is going on?!" Vaios said, looking back, and Mythra looked at him with a glare on her face. But her eyes told of something else, there was nothing but relief in them.
"You damn idiot. Why is it you always get yourself into trouble when I'm not around?" Mythra said, and while her voice, like her face, was the same as Pyra's, her tone was much rougher in sound. "And that's not even all I have to say to you. But we have other concerns right now, I can grill you later."
"Geez, same as ever!" Vaios said that without thinking much as Mythra dropped the barrier and he lashed at Malos, Mythra flinching a bit before shaking her head.
"Focus. If you don't focus, then I can't transfer power to you."
"Don't have to tell me twice!" Vaios smoothly dodged as Malos's Blade struck at him, flipping past and easily countering when Malos struck at him, knocking the man away before moving back. "This feels way different than before… heh, but that's fine."
"No, it can't be! My powers are useless!" Akhos gasped as even while he attempted too, the connection between Mythra and Vaios stood strong even with Obrona's field up. "Where is that energy coming from?!"
"Wake up, she's not drawing it from the ether, it's from something else." Malos snapped.
"Not… ether?" Akhos said, having no idea what if anything Malos could mean.
"Mythra, looking good. Things are heating up! This is what I'd call a blast from the past for sure!" Malos chuckled, he and Akhos charging forward again, both weaving around to draw Vaios's attention between them.
"Let's do it!" Mythra got a nod from Vaios, and then she gave a breath… and that was when things seemed to slow down to Vaios.
Malos and Akhos slowed to a crawl, but he could see it clearly, phantoms of them showing where there movements were taking them, all the motions of their steps, and even their weapons as the phantoms drew closer and closer.
"What the…"
"This is called Foresight." Mythra said, answering Vaios's clear question. "It's a prediction of what will happen in the immediate future. Read their movements and find the right moment to counter and strike."
"Heh, so this is what Addam was seeing huh?" Another remark he gave without much thought, Vaios shaking off the edge of confusion he felt about it. "Let's go!"
The pause faded as Vaios fell into his normal stance. He ducked under Malos's middling swing and spun around to slam Akhos as he charged, getting right between the man's twin swords and flinging him to the side with a smooth motion.
"He… how did he dodge that?!"
"Who cares how?! Just get them!"
"No ya' don't!"
Vaios shifted ever so slightly as Malos attacked him again, dancing past the slashes before countering with a few of his own, one cleanly landing and knocking Malos back, Vaios quickly following up with an extra kick that sent Malos rolling to the ground. Obrona charged ahead of Akhos as they attacked again, Vaios twirling around the Blade and catching Akhos's slashes, countering with another clean strike that sent Akhos sprawling back.
Mythra didn't sit idly by either, a golden light appearing in the air before bolts began raining down on Malos and Akhos, though their barriers were just barely able to hold against the barrage while it lasted.
"Th-There's no way! There's no way to break their link! I don't think we're going to beat them!"
"I'm here too!" Haze also got up from the sidelines, Vaios nodding as she readied herself, Mythra giving the other Blade a look before nodding herself. And Malos then laughed, a hand to his face as he looked at the trio.
"This is the true power of the Aegis. Ah it takes me back! I've waited so long to see it again. And with a threesome like that here too, this is just like 500 years ago! Mythra, welcome back!"
"Nia, get yourself and Tora healed up! We can handle these two!" Vaios shouted as the fighting started up again, Nia nodding as she grabbed Dromarch's rings and got over to Tora, who was hurriedly checking over Poppi as the Artificial Blade kept sparking, though she was otherwise fine.
And as already proven, with Mythra's power at his disposal Vaios had a much easier time handling both Malos and Akhos as they came at him. Being able to read their moves seconds before they would even make them meant there wasn't a strike he could avoid or counter, and with Haze running on backup, even if the still present scrambling from Obrona meant she couldn't use her own while in it, her ranged support with wind blasts meant their foes had a deal more to worry about amid their clashes.
Akhos got knocked away from the engagement and kept back by Haze, while Vaios and Malos caught their blades together again. Malos looked positively thrilled as he and Vaios clashed, though he started losing ground during the clash. Vaios dodged another strike from the man, and with a quick move, slammed his sword into Malos's, and with a wrench of the blade as the edges slid across it other and locked into the hilts, the weapon was pulled out of Malos's hand and sent skidding across the ground.
"Uh… hahahaha!" Malos went from surprised to laughing in an instant, looking at Vaios with a twisted grin of both twisted joy and malice. "Now that's something! Look at just how powerful you are now that you're really using the Aegis! Jin had a point! You're plenty dangerous now! And I like it!"
"Well sadly I think we're about done here." Vaios shifted his stance, and Mythra grabbed onto the Aegis Blade as well, Haze retreated as their aura kicked up as they raised the weapon high.
"SACRED ARROW!"
The rain of bolts of light that fell was far more intense than before, Akhos and Malos caught in it, while within short order, the Bladed barriers that had been erected fell away, Obrona and Malos's Blades getting struck right in their crystals after their barriers fell.
"W-What is this?! Akhos!"
"OBRONA!"
Akhos shouted as Obrona faded, her now black Core Crystal falling to the ground, Malos growling as his own Blade vanished, and along with him his weapon as well. Akhos collapsed to his knees as he stared at Obrona's dark crystal, Malos clicking his tongue.
"We've gotta retreat, Akhos!"
"Obrona…" but his companion looked like he was barely thinking of much else, Malos shaking his head.
"No time for that Akhos!" Malos gathered energy at his hand and then slammed a fist down onto the ground, kicking up a massive cloud which, by the time it had faded, left no sign of Malos and Akhos's presence anymore.
With the sunlight of the new day now bathing the area, Vaios looked over as the Aegis Blade disengaged, his gaze stopping on Vandham's body, the young man starting to walk towards the fallen mercenary. Mythra then changed back to Pyra, who collapsed on the spot, Haze catching her as she fell.
Vaios looked back for a moment, then kneeling and adjusting Vandham's head, shifting his hand over and closing the man's eyes. As he stayed kneeled, Vaios stored the Aegis Blade and then drew his own sword, planting its tip on the ground, and pressing his head to the guard. Something had come to mind for him, and right now, for whatever reason, it only felt appropriate.
"As the knight's soul returns to the drifts of the ether, may he, oh noble soul fallen in battle, find rest within the skies above. The time when your blade comes to rest has arrived, so noble warrior, find your peace among the stars, as we carry on your will with our own swords, and swear to move ever further into the dawn you paved a path for."
Nia didn't say a word as she walked over to Vaios. As she got closer, she saw it clearly as he stopped speaking. He was silent as he could manage, but tears were falling from Vaios's eyes as they opened doing his best to hide it a bit as he leaned further into his position. Nia just kneeled herself and pulled Vaios into a hug, letting his soft sobs at least receive something as the girl held him. Dawn had come, but it wasn't a dawn for reverie. It was a dawn of grief. Even if something had been gained, something else had been lost in the process.
And all they could do now was move forward. The words Vaios has uttered had echoed it clearly, and so too did the words Vandham had left them. They couldn't stop here, they had to move forward, they had to fight their war and see it to its end.