Chapter 8

In Memory of Akira Toriyama

Approaching Garreg Mach Monastery, Chrom sighed. "What are you so sad about?", Sumia asked. "Sumia, I feel that Odin's Dominant is still rejecting both himself and his true purpose. If only he awakened as the Dominant of Ifrit, then maybe he would actually see his purpose to our Lord as the Holy Vessel. Besides, you know as well as I do that he will need to give in and embrace his true nature eventually.", Chrom replied. "I know, but we don't know yet how to trigger him into embracing himself. Not that your wife Cordelia or your children Lucina or Severa would know either.", Sumia said. "Indeed.", Chrom said. As the two entered the monastery, they caught the sight of a group of 6- a man with long black hair and red eyes wearing a red coat; a man with short and spiky dark brown hair wearing a bloodstained haori and grey skin covered in scars; a woman with long white hair tied in a ponytail and blue eyes wearing a green hakama and a dark blue kimono; a man with short green hair and green eyes wearing dark green and crimson robes with a golden trim; a woman with long and spiky brown hair and pink eyes wearing a black minidress; and a woman with short brown hair and brown eyes wearing a dark gold and navy kimono and dark red clogs. As he noticed Chrom and Sumia come in, the man with spiky brown hair growled, "Oh look, the Crown Prince of Archanea has arrived.". "Nice to see you too, Chiemon.", Chrom said to the man with spiky brown hair. "Oh please, with you here, I take it awakening Odin's Dominant was unsuccessful.", the man with short green hair said. "Indeed it was, Lord Yasuhiro.", Sumia said. Turning his attention to the white-haired woman, Chrom said, "Shousetsu, what do you know of Leviathan the Lost?", only for Shousetsu to reply, "To be honest, I haven't tracked her down yet but I believe her to be in Mysidia.". "Well, that's not cryptically vague at all.", the man with long black said. "I'm sorry, Chenggong, but if you know how to track Eikons, then please tell me.", Shousetsu said. Chuckling, Yasuhiro then turned around to face the woman with long spiky brown hair, saying, "Dorothea, do you have any idea about when the Waxing Moon Vessel will be ready to complete the Ascension Project?". "Well, there's the matter of powering it up with suitable…alternatives to the Heroic Spirits normally required to power up the Vessel; I'm just waiting for such an alternative to present itself first.", Dorothea replied. "I see. Well, we'll need to find that alternative soon.", Chiemon snarled. Looking at the brown-haired woman in the dark gold and navy kimono, Chenggong then said, "Dayu, do you know if the Eikons could potentially serve as substitutes for the Heroic Spirits?". "Well, in order for that to occur, we'll need all 9 of them: Phoenix, Garuda, Ramuh, Titan, Bahamut, Shiva, Odin, Leviathan and Alexander. And we don't know where Alexander is.", Dayu replied.

Suddenly, Strange burst in. "Doctor, what's got you so worried?", Yasuhiro asked. "The Mothercrystals - they've been regenerated.", Strange said, panting heavily. "That's great news, actually!", Dorothea said. Then, Alastor came in, brimming with blue energy. "How is the Strength Force, Alastor?", Chenggong asked. "Well, if I had to say, I'd say it's quite wonderful.", Alastor replied. "Remember, you have Barry to thank for making you the Strength Force's second avatar after Alexa.", Chrom said. "Oh, I'm sure he knows that I'm very thankful.", Alastor said. "Anyway, how is the Hazbin Hotel?", Yasuhiro asked. "Well, after those Exorcists attacked us, we managed to repel them and rebuild the hotel, though Charlie, Vaggie, Niffty, Husk and I have Angel and Cherri to thank for that.", Alastor replied. "That's good to know.", Shousetsu said. "Anyway, Alastor, do you know if the Mothercrystals can be used as substitutes for the Heroic Spirits during the Waxing Moon Ritual?", Strange asked. "Well, I don't really know, Doctor, but I think we can use the Mothercrystals as substitutes; however, we might need to do some finagling in order to do so.", Alastor replied. "Well, as long as we are able to eventually use the Waxing Moon Vessel to complete the Ascension Project, it doesn't matter what energy source we use.", Yasuhiro said.

Meanwhile, Artoria walked into a stone chamber with a stone altar in the centre. Sighing, she walked over to the altar and stroked it tenderly, making sure to lovingly caress the marble that the altar was carved from. "I knew I'd find you here, my love.", Gilgamesh said behind her. Turning around to face him, Artoria walked over to Gilgamesh and tenderly kissed him. "So, how is he?", Artoria said. "Well, he seems to be doing better than I expected. I mean, we are talking about a man who was incessantly tortured and then dumped into Cyber Space to rot. I don't blame him for thinking everything is his fault even though it isn't.", Gilgamesh said. "Regardless, Odin's blade remains dull and brittle. It must regain its keenness if it is to regain its strength. Still, if he refuses to take his place as Sovereign even now, we will have no choice to make Yuito the Sovereign instead.", Artoria said. "Oh, I might be able to ensure that Jack will succeed Alphen.", Gilgamesh said. "I know you will.", Artoria said, glowing with a nauseously radiant aura. Ivy then came in, only for Artoria and Gilgamesh to look at her. "Am I interrupting something?", Ivy asked. "No, Madam Consul.", Gilgamesh said. "Please, just call me Ivy.", Ivy said. "That won't do, Madam Consul. Z picked you for a reason; regardless of what it is, we have to respect it.", Artoria said. "If you insist.", Ivy said. "Incidentally, how is your connection to Bahamut?", Gilgamesh asked. "Well, given that I am part of Moebius, I didn't expect that I would still be able to tap into portions of his power. But maybe that might be because of my own ancestry from the Motes of Light being the purest in my generation.", Ivy replied. "Only for Flynn to steal Bahamut from you.", Artoria said. "Though to be fair, anyone connected to a specific Eikonic bloodline can awaken as that bloodline's Eikon.", Ivy said. Suddenly, Shania came in. "Madam Consul, what do you have to say?", Gilgamesh asked. "Z is calling. He requires the Chosen and their allies to gather in the lobby of Garreg Mach for a special broadcast.", Shania replied.

Gathering in the lobby, Artoria and Gilgamesh watched Z's broadcast with anticipation and bated breath. After the broadcast ended, Artoria sighed as Alastor poured himself some tea. "What's eating you, Artoria?", Chrom asked. "Chrom, when you entered Cyber Space, did you notice anything weird?", Artoria asked. "Come to think of it, I did. I noticed several distortions, as if YHVH did all he could to change the Cyber Space beyond its intended purpose. Then again, the Dream Cradle had been turned into the Nightmare Void at that point.", Chrom replied. "It's just that I think Jack experienced something when in Cyber Space that caused his trauma to resurge. Of course hitting his head on those rocks underneath Prison Island did him no favours but maybe YHVH did something to him in Cyber Space that reinforced Jack's trauma.", Artoria said. "Indeed, when we managed to track him down, he had apparently been in Cyber Space for 169 loops with the 169th loop in particular being the last one he went through.", Chrom said. "So you're saying that YHVH forced Jack to relive his past 169 times?", Artoria asked, horrified. "I wouldn't put it past him.", Chrom said. "Still, to think that Jack was forced to relive his past 169 times, with the loop resetting every time he turned 18 in that digital prison. I wouldn't blame him for becoming so traumatised; I know I would.", Alastor said. "If that's the case, then Jack must become the Sovereign so he can enact his kingly vengeance on YHVH for making him suffer so much.", Shania said. "You sound like you know him.", Sumia said. "Well, I suffered under an abusive mother myself. It was only after I joined Moebius that I gained the power to stand up to her.", Shania replied, a red infinity symbol glowing in her right eye. "So, you're marked with the crimson darkness, huh.", Alastor said.

Gazing upon a purple crystal in Origin, X said, "You know, Mr. Void Crystal, it's a good thing Aoko never told Jack about you, otherwise he would have tried to absorb your power. Not that he can get in here anyway but even if he could, he wouldn't be able to draw on your power.". Chuckling, X then formed a red scythe in her hands, gazing upon it lovingly. X then said, "Oh, Leviathan, we will find you. Just you wait.". Dismissing the scythe, she walked into a chamber featuring a decadent four-poster bed with a red satin quilt and a crimson silk duvet. Looking at the sleeping Rita, X stroked her hair before walking out the chamber into a lavishly posh lounge. Sitting on a couch, X then noticed a fabulously delicious chocolate cake surrounded by four chocolate eggs. As her mouth watered, X then heard Niffty say, "Oh, they're not for you. They're for Our Sovereign when he finally awakens and returns to us.". "Incidentally, do you have any record of Jack in Aionios at all?", X asked. "No, but I remember that he played with Charlie one day when they were kids. Then again, he was never seen again after that one day.", Niffty replied. "Strange. I thought he was born in Aionios and raised to be Our Sovereign; maybe my mind is playing tricks on me.", X said. "Or it could have been another Jack and the World is confused by having to distinguish and differentiate between both of them.", Niffty said. "You may be right.", X said. "Incidentally, what does that cake do?", Law asked, walking in. "Well, I believe it was baked especially to turn whoever eats it evil. After all, you ate one of them when you were reborn as one of the Chosen.", Sophie said. "I'd say you actually awakened as one of the Chosen.", Diamant said. "Regardless, whoever eats it has no need to worry about being a good person after doing so.", Miyabi said. "I hope you're right.", Dunban said.

Looking a giant computer screen, Sakuya said, "Neptune, do you know where the Earth Crystal is?". "I do. It should be at the Sunleth Waterscape. Why'd you ask?", Neptune replied. "I don't know. I just have a feeling in my bones that something terrible is going to happen.", Sakuya said. "Oh, you mean Jack finding the crystal and using it to grow stronger?", Noire asked. "Wait, what?", Neptune asked. "Aoko told me to tell you that Jack is going to draw energy from the Four Crystals and use the power to grow stronger by mastering Niten Ichiryu. Or so I heard.", Noire said. "If that's the case then we need to stop him.", Asbel said. "I highly doubt that.", Wells said, walking into the room. "What do you mean?", Sorey asked. "Well, if I had to guess, I'd say Jack's approaching the Sunleth Waterscape right now.", Wells said. "Wait, so you're saying Jack is about to start another Incursion?", Vert asked. "Yep.", Wells said, smiling.

The story continues in the next chapter.