Heya! Aero here, and I just wanted to make some things known before getting into the story. The entirety of this story is also on AO3, with the same name. It is actually properly split up into chapters over there, so if you wanted to get my individual thought processes on each chapter as I was writing it, I would recommend to check it out over there.

If you have seen my uploads over there, you probably know that I want and actively encourage you to comment with thoughts, critiques, or even silly headcanons or random thoughts. A massive reason why I began writing this in the first place was for community interaction, so please, if you have any thoughts you would like to share, PLEASE do! It genuinely makes my day.

I rely heavily on the actual chapter script of the game for the beginning of the series, but it does not stay that way ! ! I do not claim ownership of the game's script lmao.

This is just what I have written at the moment, I am far from done. I will continue to add subsequent chapters.

Feel free to send me DM's if you have any questions or even recommendations. All thoughts are welcome. I truly hope that you enjoy!

In the murky depths of the Cloud Sea, one's vision is all but obscured, hardly helped by the scuffed visor of a salvaging suit. Despite this, it is a salvager's job to navigate, and locate treasures from long passed civilizations. Being a salvager is not a task for the faint of heart, the shadowy uncertainty found in the Cloud Sea's depths could drive a man mad.

Call me insane, reckless, an idiot, or whatever colorful term you could come up with, but I have grown up surrounded by these clouds, and I find solace in them, almost making it seem like I was born for this job. On my home titans, the Leftherian Archipelago, we made our livelihoods in the cloud sea. We fished, swam, cliff jumped, whatever you could imagine. By the time I was old enough to understand the concept of money, I knew that the best way I could help my family could be found in the depths of these clouds.

Today though, I am just trying to make enough cash to keep food on the table, or whatever passes as one on Gramp's back.

As I descend through the clouds, I notice the skeletal frame of a fallen titan. On the edge of one of its bones, I notice my target: A metal crate, made of tarnished, black metal, about a head shorter than I am tall.

I launch my small, wrist mounted anchor, and it imbeds itself in the bone of the titan. It pulls me forward, and I land on the bone, just in front of the crate, and I place an air balloon on the top of it. As the balloon begins to inflate, the box begins to rise. Before it floats out of reach, I cling on, riding its ascent to the surface.

Near the surface, I find the hook and platform tied to Gramp's crane. As the crate continues to rise with the balloon, I attach the crane to the hook in the surface of the balloon, and swim to the platform above. I turn off the headlamp on my helmet, and press the button on the platform, causing it to pull both me, and my treasure, to the surface.

The crane pulls me up just next to the small, grassy piece of land I call home, and swivels 180 degrees, leaving me able to jump from the platform, and safely onto land.

I sigh. "We really need to buy ourselves a new depth probe. The ping was off by 150 peds to the east, that ain't gonna fly!" I say while removing my helmet, and what remains of my salvaging suit.

An older, wisened voice speaks from behind me, "And what about the treasure, Rex? Is it in line with your expectations, at least?"

I pick up a crowbar, and approach the box, speaking as I walk, "It seemed pretty solid, I didn't even need to reinforce it much. Even with the labor costs, we should be able to turn a tidy profit.

The front of the island begins to shift, a protrusion lifting upwards. As the protrusion reaches its zenith, the giant, draconic head of a titan on its end shifts to face me.

Gramps' head has a rocky appearance, with blue dorsal fins along the side, though his most prominent features lie in the long, lancelike horn on his forehead, and the protrusion on what us humans would call a chin, resembling a goatee. Along the back of his neck, grass grows, flowing down to his tail, near where I am standing and where the crane is mounted.

Gramps says, "Honestly, it takes you two days to run the structural analysis, and yet you can judge the profits in an instant?"

I chuckle, "Don't go raining on my parade, Gramps! You know I am in the salvaging trade for the cash!"

I take a step forward, and slam the edge of the crowbar into the side panel of the crate, and begin to pull with all of my might.

"A little business sense goes a long wa-"

As the frame of the box begins to give way, a large force from inside of the crate launches outward, knocking me back.

Gramps screams in his harsh, raspy voice "Rex!"

"I'm alright, alright, Gramps? I've got this" I say, regaining my footing. "I didn't expect THAT! You been living in this thing, big guy?"

I identify the creature I am facing as a King Crustip, a large, lobster-like monster that lives in this part of the Cloud Sea.

I run backwards, not leaving my back open to the danger in front of me, into the small hut I call a house, and grab my weapon, a trusty, foldable blade that can extend outward. Portable, and not too sharp, but it gets the job done.

I exit the hut, and approach the crustacean. "Don't worry, Gramps, you've trained me well enough to handle small fry like this. I guess we've found our lunch!"

Our world, Alrest, has no land of its own. Instead, we live on the backs of giant beasts known as Titans. In the center of our world, lies the world tree. A massive, towering tree that grows from the bottom of the sea of clouds, and higher than the eye can see.

Legend has it that at the very top of the World Tree, lies the land of Elysium. The only place in this world that does not rely on the charity of the Architects, the creator of this world's servants, the Titans, for land. Word is that there is an infinite, sprawling landscape, with enough space and resources for all of the people of Alrest to live happily.

As charitable as the Titans are, they are far from immortal. Though their lifespans are far longer than any human could possibly hope for, they are beginning to die out. And with the extinction of the titans, lies the death of this world.

Because of this, I have always held fascination in the tale of Elysium, because if it is true, it may be the only hope for this world. Most people have written off the tale as a mere children's story, but it has always been my dream to find the truth in this story. Whether this means climbing to the top of the World Tree, or finding the Architect himself, I have never known, though it has never been anything more than a pipe dream, anyway.

Although, back on Gramp's back, I am more worried about getting my lunch. Crustips may be dangerous to the inexperienced, but Gramps has been training me with this sword for as long as I can remember, and the anchor on my wrist is as adept a weapon as any blade. As soon as I decided I wanted to be a salvager, Gramps taught me to use any possible tool to my advantage, and sometimes, that means launching an anchor at the face of a crustacean. Before long, I have a claw on the grill, and the smell of cooked meat fills the air,

"Ahh, the brazier does my weary old bones good…" Gramps rumbles pleasurably

"Want me to move it, Gramps?"

"No, no, there is good…"

As I eat, a massive, bellowing sound catches the attention of Gramps and I. When I rise from my seat, and walk to the edge of Gramp's back, I see the cause of the sound

A Titan. Breaching the Cloud Sea, the crystal in its chest flickering with light that eventually fades. Gramps and I watch with sadness as the mighty titan sinks beneath the clouds for the final time, dying.

"Not another one….. It's been happenin' a lot lately." I say glumly

"Mm… Moreso than before," Gramps agrees

"I wonder if anyone was living there?"

"It seems not. And if there had been, they would have all left by now."

"Makes sense…." I hesitate for a moment, and then quietly ask "Hey Gramps…. Do you think Fonsett Village will sink one day?"

Gramps responds gently, "It would not be today, nor tomorrow, but one day, yes, it will fall…"

"And you, too?"

"That is how it goes, with us titans. There's no way around it."

"And soon, there will be no space left to live…."

I look sadly up at the World Tree, pondering the legend born in its highest branches.

"So... You titans were born up there, weren't you?"

"Or so they say. For all it's worth, I was born here, on Alrest. My ancestors, though, who can say for sure. "

"Can it really exist? This 'Elysium'? And the creator who is said to live there ..."

"A land of plenty, all atop the world tree… it sure would be nice. If it were true, no one would have to worry about space or resources. We could live in peace, with no need for fighting."

"Sure would be great… even for folks in Fonsett. If the Divine Architect could see us now, I wonder what he'd think."

After I finish eating, I stand up, and decide to change the topic.
"Alright! Back to making money. How'dya feel about a swim to the Argentum Trade Guild?"

"Ugh….. You're planning on selling it now? It's getting towards my bedtime ..." Gramps grumbles.

"Don't play the lazy old man bit with me today, Gramps, there's plenty of daytime left!"

"Kids today, no respect, I swear…"

Despite the old man act, Gramps can move fairly quickly. Within the day, we arrive at the Argentum Trade Guild.

Argentum is a Trade Guild run by Nopon, small, orblike creatures with winglike flaps on the top of their heads, and a surprisingly shrewd business sense. Argentum is maintained by several, smaller titans that float above the clouds. The main ships of argentum are tied to these titans, and float on the clouds. In this way, the trade guild is one of the most portable groups in Alrest, assisting with their outreach and success.

When we arrive at Argentum, we dock at its port. The dockhand, a kindly man named Hirkham, approaches us.

"Why if it isn't Rex! How's business going?" Hirkham yells up at me

I jump down from Gramp's back, with my bag of salvage slung over my shoulder,

"Going alright! Else I wouldn't be here, I suppose."

"Ah, suppose that's true. Which one am I unloading?

"We can leave that until I am done negotiating. Shouldn't take long!"

"Well, mooring is 15 gold per half da-"

I run off before he can finish, chuckling a bit to myself

Hirkham looks up at Gramps hopefully

"No wallet, I'm afraid…."

As I run across the port, I am amazed by the variety of ships I see docked around the area. Titan ships, which are as they sound, massive ships with a modified titan at their core, and even some ships that don't rely on titans at all. Seeing the innovation in these ports makes me hopeful for a future without titans. Maybe we can survive after all? Though the idea of a future without Gramps only saddens me.

As I exit the port, and enter the main building of Argentum, I get lost in my surroundings, as always. Argentum's main hall is a sprawling area, with more shops and merchants than you could ever hope to visit in your lifetime, mostly run by Nopon. I fight the urge to visit Shynini's Accessories to check out that Abyss Vest I've had my eyes on, but I ultimately decide against it. It's not like I could ever have enough gold to afford it, I need to be sending that kind of money back home.

Fighting against more temptation, I head to the central exchange to trade in my salvage. The Nopon at the desk, Melolo, greets me kindly

"Reeeexx! You bring salvage for sell? Come, come! What you bring!"

I empty my bag on the desk in front of her, "This and that. Nothing too much, how much gold do you think I can get for the lot?"

"Meh-meh, I can gives maybe 500 G. "

"What!? That's it?"

"Is life, meh! Still more than I give non-friend. If you bring military supplies, you get good price!" As she says this, she looks to the right, indicating two factions of soldiers obviously trying to avoid each other. "Ceasefire between Uraya and Mor Ardain not keep much longer methinks. Weaponry is hot item!"

I hesitate to respond, and she continues to speak before I get the chance, "Well? What friend think? I make it worth your while!"

I respond meekly, "I've told you before, I stay away from that kind of thing. It's not my style…"

Melolo responds, "Oh is shame! Rex is great salvager, is good way to earn pretty penny! Waste of talent, if you ask me! Anyhoo, where were we?"

I respond, trying to ignore the hurtful comment, "I'll take it. 200 now, you know what to do with the rest. "

"Oki-Doodles! Sending monies to Corinne of Fonsett Village, in the Leftherian Archipelago? Is right?"

"Yeah, that's right"

"Oh, is beautiful thing! Sending monies home at such a young age. Wish own dum-dum littlepon did same. "

"It's coz Gramps doesn't charge rent, ehehe. I'm countin on ya!" I turn and begin to walk away,

"Pleasure doing business!"

Before I've even gotten twenty feet from Central Exchange, I'm stopped by another Nopon and his 2 human bodyguards.

"Hello, Rex!" Says the Nopon

"Pupunin! It's been ages, how have you been!"

"Not bad, not bad. Wife ran out on me, but cannot complain. Rex seems in high spirits. Ah, no, what term… Ah! Peppy."

"Been worse! So, you've got something for me? A job, maybe?"

"Something like that. Ah, by the way… Rex come from Fonsett Village in Leftherian Archipelago, yes?

Fearing something bad had happened, I responded almost too hastily, "Yeah, that's right. Why d'you ask?"

"You should go straight to boardroom of Chairman!"

"Wait, what did I do? Did I do something wrong?"

"Chairman Bana ask for Rex by name!"

"The Chairman? For me?"

"Pupunin has no more information for Rex. If want more info, head straight to chairman!"

Trying not to look a gift Ardun in the mouth, I go straight to the chairman's office, and the woman at the doors open it without even asking for my name.

"Huh, it seems like the chairman really did ask for me", I think to myself

I enter the chairman's office, with my heart beating out of my chest. I lay eyes on the chairman, and it's like the air leaves my lungs.

He is an utterly massive Nopon, with blue fur, a monocle, and clearly expensive accouterments. His wings begin the flap wildly when he notices my presence.
"Thank you for accepting summons! I Bana, Chairman of Argentum Trade Guild."

I try to seem professional, but it's hard to look him in the eye, considering the "personal dancers" at his sides. "It's uh, an honor, sir. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

"Me hear from Pupunin that friend is salvager of some renown.

That being case, I have teensy weensy thing to ask of Rex!"

I tense at the thought of it, "A request straight from the chairman!?"

"Reward is 100,000 gold."

Upon hearing these words, I begin to wholeheartedly believe that I am dreaming.

"A-a hundred thousand?" I almost yell

"Friend hear right!" Bana says smugly, "Actually, that just the advance. Another 100,000 provided upon job completion."

"T-two hundred thousand in total..? I must be dreaming…. I'll do it!" I say, almost trying too hard to seem eager, "I'll use every skill that I possess to ensure that this job is a success! I won't let you down!" I say laughing, almost maniacally at this point

"You agree without even hearing details of job?"

"O-oh, right, what is it?"

Bana lowers his gaze at me, "...You really have skills for this?"

"Of course! I'm a man of my word."

"Meh, if you say." Bana retorts, not seeming to actually care about my aptitude, "Crew will explain task." He turns to the dancer on his right, "Let them in"

The dancer responds promptly, "Sir", and opens the door to the office.

As the door opens, people begin to flow in.

First through the door is a Gormotti Girl, who seems to be about my age. She wears a yellow jumpsuit, and has shoulder length silver hair, crowned with the Catlike ears that are the staple of the Gormotti people. At her waist are two, bladelike rings. Her weapons of choice, I would assume?

The next person, er, creature through the door both dispels and adds to my confusion. Following the Gormotti, walks in what looks to be a tiger. Silver and black, regal and clearly strong, with a crystal shining in a white armored plate on its chest.

"It's a Blade….." I think to myself, not daring to allow myself utter a single word

Third through the door is a beautiful woman with light, blond hair, wrapped up in a bun. She appears to be in her early to mid twenties, wearing light clothing, and a single, oddly placed plate of armor covering her chest, and black leggings. What appears to be a crystalline scythe adorns her back. She smiles warmly at me, but the smile doesn't quite reach her eyes.

Floating on ephemeral wings behind her, comes what appears to be a butterfly-like, humanoid blade. She's small, with butterfly wings that manage to keep her aloft, despite hardly flapping at all. The crystal on her chest is shaped like an insect, with lightning bolts where the wings would be. Her eyes are extremely bright, lacking pupils, with incredibly long, shock-white hair. She's pretty, but almost too much so. Like a poisonous flower, you're inclined to get close, but you know you'll regret it.

Last through the door is a man that commands attention. Tall, with spiky, gray hair, wearing a gray, jagged mask that covers the top of his face. He wears gray, plated armor, with a single, wickedly sharp Nodachi strapped to his back, with a brilliantly shining blood-red crystal shining at its hilt. Due to the mask, it is hard to determine his age, but I would not place him too late in his twenties.

I say in awe, "Drivers? And Blades? Woah! You all look so cool!"

The man in silver, seeming unsurprised even from the sudden praise, responds "So… There's something we want hauled up. There were some current shifts, it showed up in an uncharted area."

"Nice, I like myself a nice challenge." I respond, trying to seem confident

"Bana offer to throw together elite team for this job, but Jin is fickle man. He only want small, elite team, and only from Leftheria. Then, Bana have stroke of genius. Must hire Rex!" Bana adds, rolling the R on my name.

"Hah-ha, you made the right choice!" I say, trying to keep up my confident facade, despite the fact that the small, foldable sword on my waist was starting to feel more and more unworthy of the task

The Gormotti girl teases, "A Child salvager, eh? What, we gonna have to hire a babysitter for this trip too, eh?"

Rage burns inside of me at the tease, "The hell, lady! You seem to be as much of a kid as I am!"

"At least I wouldn't nearly wet myself at the promise of a mere hundred grand!" She jabs,

As I go to make another retort, the tiger steps in between me and its driver. "Excuse me sir, Rex, was it? Please excuse my Lady's discourtesy"

The Gormotti jumps in at her blade's intervention, "Dromarch! What have I told you about speaking for me!"

Before the argument could continue further, the beautiful woman from earlier stepped forward, "Nia, now now, we know better than to make enemies this early on into the mission. I understand your uncertainty, but we're a family here, we don't need to resort to petty bickering."

She places an almost creepy emphasis on the word "Family". I agree with what she is saying, but the way she is speaking seems too controlled, too controlling. I can tell who's really in charge here, anyway.

"You see, this is how we should judge the worth of our allies!"

She lunges forward, her massive, crystalline scythe suddenly in her hands. I am almost unable to react, drawing my blade and barely being able to deflect the scythe as it drags a gash into the carpeted floor of the office.

"What the hell, you madwoman?! What's the point of having allies if you kill them immediately!?" I yell, incredulously

"You aren't worthy of being a part of this family if you can't survive a weak ass attack like that, dear." The woman responds condescendingly,

"Mythra." Jin calls to the woman, hardly breaking his attention from the conversation he was having with the chairman, "Not every group we put together for a mission needs to be a 'family', we just need to get the job done." He returns his gaze to the chairman. "I'm sorry about the floor, Chairman, I expect that you will take the repair cost out of my pay."

"Awww. you're no fun, Jin." Mythra coos,

"My, my, what a lively bunch! Worry not, Jin, have extras for this very reason. Do not want to damage relationships with very lucrative business partners."

"Very well, Chairman Bana, I appreciate your understanding" Jin responds, coldly

"Yeah, I'm sorry too, Chairman.." I say, despite not believing it was my fault in the least.

"Meh-meh, not big deal." He throws a massive bag of coins on the desk, "Here is advance. Use to buy what gear you need, then go to dock on starboard. Bana has arranged excellent vessel for you there."

"You've got it!"

After I retrieve my payment from the Chairman, I turn around to see Mythra's ethereal Blade's face directly in mine, her blank white eyes staring emptily into mine. I leap backwards, startled at her sudden appearance.

"Ah! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there," I say, earnest yet cautiously, "Er, I can't say that I ever caught your name…"

The Blade speaks, yet her mouth does not move, "I am the one known as Phantylia." I can somehow gather that her voice is incredibly bright, high pitched, but It's as if she is speaking directly into my mind. "Your reaction time astounds me, you managed to survive Mythra's attack. It's happened before, but never without injury. Who are you?"

"Uh, I, er, I'm Rex. A salvager, but my Gramps has been training me with the sword since I was a child. It was his idea of playtime. Keeping myself safe was the bare minimum of the requirements he had for me to become a salvager. If I wasn't able to do that, he'd have never let me leave Fonsett."

Phantylia's face brightens notably, a smile growing on her pale face, reaching an almost uncanny depth. "You entertain me. I wish to watch you more. Stay alive, lest Mythra catch you before your time. Perhaps, if you're lucky, you'll be worthy of her 'Family'".

Unsettled at her tone, or whatever passes as one with her telepathy, I respond, "Er, okay, I'll try. I hope we can work well together."

"I hope so as well, Rex. I'll be watching you." Phantylia's wings wrap around her tiny frame, and she disappears, in a burst of light.

Rubbing the stars out of my eyes, Bana's gaze catches my attention. "Sorry, Chairman! I'll get to work, as you asked." I turn, and exit the office, nodding respectfully at the dancers by the door.

As I leave the office, I realize that Gramps is likely beginning to worry about my absence. I choose to take the time to check in with him before I do anything else to prep for my big job. If I just took off on a random ship without telling him, I'd never hear the end of it when I got back.

When I arrive at the pier where Gramps is docked, I tell him about my experience with the Chairman, and the odd experience with Phantylia.

"That about covers it, Gramps, If I do well on this job, we don't have to worry about money for a long time. I'll see ya later, okay? Should be back in a day or two, take it easy!"

Gramps responds, clearly displeased, "That does not 'About cover it' in the slightest! Why would you take a job you clearly know nothing about! You don't even know who your employer is!"

"This job came straight from the Chairman," I say unconcernedly, "What more do you need? Anyway, I'm off, take a nap while you wait!"

"H-hey! Come back here! Reeeeexxx!"

"Ugh, Gramps doesn't need to worry so much." I say aloud, "100,000 G, I could buy a whole new cutting edge salvaging suit. But no, the folks back at home need this money a lot more than I do…. Wait, I can finally buy that Abyss Vest I've been wanting! I can buy it, everything else I need, and still have enough to send a ton back home!" I say, almost too excitedly.

I race back into the main hall of Argentum, and search for Shynini's accessories. I manage to locate the shop in the corner of the building, and approach the store happily.

Shynini greets me happily, "Ah, friend Rex! Good to be seeing!"

"Hey Shynini, you still have that thing we talked about before?"

"Ahh! Rex manage to save up enough money for purchase!"

"Yup! I'll take it off your hands, if you wouldn't mind."

I pull out the pouch that the Chairman, and Shynini's eyes widen noticeably. "How friend get so much G? Manage to salvage some incredible treasure?"

I laugh a bit at the thought, "No, actually. I got a job straight from the Chairman, he gave me 100,000 G just as an advance. I'm buying some gear to prep for the job now."

"Wow-wow, very impressive! Shynini's accessory is sure to protect friend on important job!"

"Aha, I sure hope so. Thanks for the help, Shynini! I doubt this will be the last you see of me."

"Okay, now that I have the gear to keep me safe, I should send some gold back home." I think, "It's time to go see Melolo at the central exchange again."

As I approach Central Exchange, Melolo looks at me quizzically. "Back so soon? Did friend forget something?"

"No, I did not forget anything, per se. Just need to make a cash transfer."
"Did friend find gold on ground? I understand, even if it small amount, need to take what friend can find."

"Aha, no… It's a larger sum,.."

"Larger sum? Like 2,000 G"

"Uh, I'd rather not throw the number around, but, more like a hundred thousand.."

"HUNDRED THOUSAND!?" Melolo screeches, loudly enough for people in the surroundings to possibly hear

"Not so loud…!"

"Oh. Yes. Sorry much. How friend get so much G? Wait, no tell Melolo, don't wanna get mixed up in shady business."

"It's not that big of a deal…."

"Anyhoodles, Rex. Melolo not able to accept such large sum here anyway. Should take directly to courier. All monies Melolo accept here always delivered through courier called Max."

"Oh, OK! Max, I know him. I didn't know he was also delivering the money for me all this time... Huh!"

"Well, this certainly make things quicker! Friend know where to find Max?"

"Yeah, he'll be just through the Argentum Bazaar, right? Thanks, Melolo!"

I walk through the Argentum Bazaar to locate the courier, Max. I've spoken to him a couple times before, and we get along pretty well.

I find Max near the entrance to the Bazaar, standing next to the wall. "Hey Max! If possible, I'd like to transfer some money"

"Why, if it isn't Rex! It's pretty rare for a client to drop off cash in person."

"It's a pretty big sum, so Melolo said to drop it off in person."

"You're quite the guy, you know. Not too many people send cash to their folks every month"

"Haha, it's not that big of a deal, is it?"

"Eh, I'd say so. Anyways, how much do you want to send?"

"I want to leave a bit for myself, so let's say 90,000 G?"

"Whew, that's quite the healthy sum. Haul up a big treasure, or something." Max says, clearly impressed

"Something like that. I took a job from the Chairman."

Max nods his head, "Now that sure sounds like a pie I'd like a piece of. Oh yeah, I got a delivery for you too. Good thing you dropped by, else I'd've had to track you down! It's from that same Auntie Corinne of yours, actually."

My heart brightens, thinking of Auntie Corinne back at home in Fonsett. It's been far too long since I've heard from her, so my heart aches a bit when I think of her.

I take the package from Max, and open it up to take a peak. A familiar smell wafts out from inside the package, and I am immediately reminded of home. "Ohh, it's braised cloud sea shark! Auntie Corinne knows how much I love it, I'll have to dig in later. Thanks so much Max! Can I count on you to get the transfer done?"

"Of course, Rex. Stay safe! I expect to see you back here, safe and sound."

"Haha, I expect you to hold me to it. Thanks, Max!"

"Alright, I got the accessory I needed, and I'm all sorted for food." I think, "I should get an Inn for the night, get some good rest in a real bed before the big job. I doubt Gramps is too happy with me right now, so I should avoid the scolding."

I've rested at Lemour Inn multiple times, usually to celebrate a big find or job, so I find it fairly easily. I speak to Utoto at the front desk.

"Welcome to Lemour Inn! Rest-place of all travelers!"

"I'd like to rest up a bit"

"Of Course! We has rooms free!"

I choose to rest for the night, and have some of the best sleep I had in months. I somehow manage to feel stronger by morning.

"Alright, that's plenty of rest. It's time to head to the meet up point, they'll be waiting for me.

I leave the main building of Argentum Trade Guild, and step on to the Goldmouth Exit Dock. As I approach the meetup point, I notice what ship they have prepared for the job.

"They're using the Maelstrom for this job? That's Argentum's biggest and best ship, Bana sure has deep pockets ..."

"Gawking at a ship, are we now..?" I hear a familiar voice from behind me say.

I turn around to see Nia, snickering at my awe, "What are you, twelve? Oh wait, maybe you are twelve.."

"What's my age got to do with anything?" I defend, "I know a masterpiece of engineering when I see one!"

Nia manages to smirk even more, "If you open your mouth any wider, you'll swallow a fly."

"What's her problem? We're about the same age…" I look down at my feet, and notice where Nia is standing, with one of her feet in a loop of rope. "Also, you might want to watch where you stand, that rope will take your leg off." I say, trying to suppress a smirk

"Wheh!?" Nia leaps backwards, hissing at the rope like a cat

I let myself burst into a fit of laughter, "Gotcha!"

"Why you little-"

"Now whose mouth is hangin open," I tease,

As Nia and I bicker, Spraine, the head of the salvager group on the ship, gets my attention. "Rex, we're heading off. There's no one seeing you off, right? Till then, rest up inside."

"Aye-Aye! Later!"

Inside the maelstrom, I ponder my next actions. "There's still time until my watch shift, maybe I should talk to the clients? I need to see Monell right before my shift starts, though, he won't be happy if I am late."

To pass the time, I decide to speak to the clients. The first ones I find end up being Nia and Dromarch.

"You seem awful quiet, you get seasick or somethin?"

"Course' I'm not seasick!" Nia yells defensively, but she quiets down quickly, "I'm just not used to being on a ship with this many salvagers…"

"Well, if they're wearing you out this soon, you'll be a wreck by the time we arrive," I tease

"I can handle myself, alright!"

To avoid further discussion with Nia, I chose to talk to Dromarch. He bows, or whatever passes as a bow from a massive tiger, and greets me respectfully, a contrast to his hotheaded Driver. "Master Rex, are you prepared to begin salvaging? Do not wear yourself out before the job has even begun. Let's work together to ensure that this job is a success."

"Of course! I'll make sure that I am prepared, don't worry. I'm counting on you."

I wave goodbye to Dromarch, and continue familiarizing myself with the interior of the Maelstrom. I've never considered myself to be a "boat lover", but the Maelstrom is giving me an appreciation for engineering. There are things that amaze me every time I lay my eyes on it, even from the outside, but being on the inside is another matter entirely.

Before long, I end up running into another crewmate. The Swordsman, Jin.

"Hi there! Happy to be working with you." I say, trying to sound cheery

"...You are from Leftheria, aren't you?

"Sure am. Was raised in Fonsett Village. The village is right by the Cloud Sea, so I grew up swimming in the clouds. That's why salvaging comes so naturally to me. I'm pretty confident in my skills, despite how I look."

"Very good."

Sensing that he did not want to talk anymore, I decide to cut the conversation short,

Despite the fact that every part of the ship found ways to surprise me, walking around a ship can only entertain your mind for so long. I decide to find the final pair, Mythra and Phantylia, despite the fact that I was dreading the interaction a bit.

Phantylia notices my presence before I notice hers. Before they even enter my field of vision, my mind lights up with a greeting.

"Blue boy. You've finally found us." I turn around a corner, and see the women standing next to each other, looking over the Maelstrom's railing.

"I have a name, you know. It's Rex, you don't want me to be calling you Butterfly Girl, eh?"

Instead of Phantylia, Mythra responds to me, "Huh, Phantylia's deemed you worthy enough to speak with, dear? How interesting. It takes an intriguing person to gain her attention."

This time, Mythra's long hair is collected in a high ponytail. She's wearing the same, black and white patterned dress with black tights and gold and emerald accents, but yet, her chestplate stands out again. It seems out of place, as it doesn't match the design of the rest of her clothing. While the rest of her clothes are black and white, with gold and emerald scattered throughout, the chestplate is a flat gray. With further scrutiny, I realize it's the same style as Jin's.

Phantylia speaks, but this time, it's different. I can tell that she is speaking to both me and Mythra, rather than a closed connection between me and her. "Ehehe, she's not wrong. I've never even spoken with Dromarch, he's too boring." Her eyes narrow, and a mischievous grin develops on her face.

"Huh, well, I'm glad that we can communicate, at the very least." I say, trying to come across as earnest, "I mainly just came by to introduce myself, I thought our previous interaction was focused on the job, so I just wanted to say hello."

Mythra smiles again, but just as before, it does not reach her eyes. Her eyes are keen, calculating. It feels like she's determining the value of my soul, it's unnerving, like she can see through me.

"Well, dear, it is nice to speak with you in a more casual manner. You certainly intrigued me, being able to deflect my attack. Most people cannot manage to make it out of that situation unharmed, it takes a certain skill set to be able to redirect a scythe. Perhaps you will be worthy of this family."

"A-aha…. You flatter me.."I laugh nervously, "You keep mentioning this 'family', what do you mean by that….?"

She smiles, her eyes cooperating this time, and looks directly in my eyes, "You'll see, if you ever make it to that point, dear. We'll just have to wait and see." When she speaks these words, the emerald accents of her attire seem to glimmer.

"A-ah okay, I hope that we can get along in the future." I say hesitantly, "Um, one more thing, I'm sorry if it's rude, but your chestplate keeps grabbing my attention. It looks like Jin's, but it doesn't look like the rest of your clothing. Is it a design philosophy for your group, or something like that..?"

Her eyes darken a bit, but she makes a clear effort to flatten her expression. "Ah, it's not that, it just covers an old battle scar. I just want to give it some extra, you know, protection. I have not yet had a chance to find armor that suits my attire. Jin gave me a substitute to use until then."

"O-oh, okay, I'm sorry if I brought up bad memories. Thank you for entertaining my curiosity, but Monell will be expecting me soon. He won't be happy if I'm late."

"Alright, dear. Do be careful," She levels her gaze at me, "Someone less understanding than I would not take such prying so kindly."

"Um, okay, thank you." I wave, and climb the stairs that lead to the lookout point.

Once I reach the top of the stairs, I see Monell.

"Huh. You're early, Rex. Usually people are not so eager to start their lookout shifts." He says, seeming a bit confused.

"A-aha, yeah, I may have used my lookout duty to get out of an awkward conversation…"

"Oh well, it's none of my business. I can finally get a breather, think I've earned myself a drink or two. Come and get me if anything crazy happens, I won't drink myself to the point of incompetence."

"Alright, you go do that. I think I'll be able to take care of myself here."

Monell leaves, and I take the chance to familiarize myself with my surroundings. The lookout has a pair of binoculars, and a small seat to sit on.

In the distance, I notice a small, black ship trailing the Maelstrom.

"Hmm, didn't I see that ship back in the port at Argentum? It was next to the Maelstrom… I don't think it's a cause for concern."

A voice behind me says, "Ugh, it's way too cold up here…"

I turn around to see Nia, rubbing her arms to warm herself up.

"It's you…"

"I have a name you know, it's Nia. They've started boozin' below decks, you should join em'."

"Why aren't you there?" I ask,

"It's not that I hate it," Nia looks off to the side, avoiding my gaze, "I just don't need a headache right now, that's all."

"Huh. Good thing you're not a salvager then."

"And why is that?"
"It's a rule in the salvagers code. 'Swim like a fish, and drink like one too'"

"Ugh, sounds terrible. Don't think I will be changing careers."

"Hm. Probably for the best", I say, "You drivers probably make a hell of a lot more cash than salvagers do!"

Nia looks at the clouds beneath us pensively, "So, kid…"

"My name's Rex",

"Hmmph, okay, Rex. Why did you start salvaging in the first place?"

I look forward, gazing at the massive structure in the center of the world.

"That there," I say, pointing at it

"The World Tree? I don't get it…"

"You know, you find all sorts of things digging through salvage. Some of it trash, some of it treasure... but all of it from people long gone. Have you noticed how there's fewer Titans each day? I saw one go under just the other day. It was a pretty big one." I look down, trying to keep myself from getting too emotional, "There must have been loads of animals still living on it… Living space is running out day by day. Sooner or later, we'll be the ones sinking down into the Cloud Sea. But up there... Elysium is waiting for us."

Nia looks at me, and starts giggling uncontrollably. "Pff... Bwahahahaha! Seriously, kid? "Elysium"? Don't tell me you believe that guff! It's just a lie for children, and that there is just an overgrown shrub!" She manages to control her laughter, "So that's, uh...why you're a salvager?"

"If there is a way to get up there, " I say, looking to the highest branches of The World Tree, and then looking to its base in the clouds, "Maybe it's hidden below the clouds. Is it really that crazy?"

"Seriously, though…"

"There'd be no need to fight over dwindling land and resources… No need to worry about our homes sinking away… Everyone could have peace and security. I mean, a dream like that... Isn't that worth believing in?"

"No one can tell you what to believe, but…" she hesitates, as if considering what to say, "Hmm, everyone, you say…"

"What?"

"I've always thought people were pretty selfish by nature, but you…

"Huh?"

"D'you have parents?"

"Nah. Gramps said they died when I was young, so I don't remember them.."

"'Gramps'... Oh, the one you said taught you how to use arts?"
"Yeah, that's the one. He basically raised me himself. He's not like us, though."

"Not like…?" she hesitates, "I'm not sure I catch your drift, but this Gramps of yours seems alright." She thinks on for a moment, and then continues, "And you're alright too, kid. Not too different than me.."

The alarm sounds, signalling that it is time to begin our tasks. We gather in the center of the Maelstrom, and Spraine begins to debrief us on the details of our mission.

"Your target is located inside a shipwreck 450 peds straight down. Searching the wreck while submerged is too high-risk for our tastes, so… we'll be using flotation devices and cranes to lift the hull first. Next, you'll split into teams and explore the interior. Once the target is found, retrieval can commence. If that's clear, let's begin with attaching the floats. Get into position!"

Nia yells from above deck, "We're paying you lowlifes a lot, so don't screw it up!"

"Smug little so-and-so…" I grumble to myself

I walk to the end of the pier, and jump into the Cloud Sea.

Underneath the clouds, vision is difficult. As I descend through the clouds, I see our target. A massive, sprawling battleship.

"It's absolutely massive…" I notice something on the edge of the ship, "Is that the propulsion mechanism? I've never seen one in that shape before, what country made this?"

The crew works like a well oiled machine. Attaching balloons, cranes, and every other tool imaginable to bring this massive ship to the surface. As the ship rises, Mythra and Nia, react to it while watching safely on the Maelstrom

"Whoa, that's massive!" Nia says, surprised

"Good, it matches our reports. But, it's what is on the inside that matters…"

After the ship has surfaced, all of the salvagers meet back on the Maelstrom.

Spraine yells, "Object is secure. Proceed to second phase."

Nia runs to me, actually seeming impressed, "Excellent work! You're not half bad, you know!"

I respond, swelling with pride, "I do this for a living, remember?"

Spraine yells from the side, "All teams, proceed inside with caution!"

Mythra looks at Nia, "Alright, dear. It's time to get moving.

As I wave goodbye, wishing them luck, I hear a voice from my side,

Jin says, "You. With us."

"Me?" I respond incredulously,

"You're gonna drag the kid along, seriously?" Nia says, seeming just as surprised as I am.

Mythra snickers, "Guess he doesn't want you to be the only one, dear"

"Hey!" Nia and I yell in unison, Mythra laughing

Standing on the boardwalk of the ship, there is a large set of double doors, leading to belowdecks. A group of salvagers try to pry the doors open, and a massive force breaks the doors open from the inside. As the salvagers scramble away, trying their best to not be hit by the force racing outward, I am able to identify it as a Lethal Lysaat King, a larger variety of Lysaat which must have made the inside of the ship its domain.

Nia races forward, looking back at me to say, "Let me show you what drivers can do!"

Seeing drivers fight is a marvel. Mythra and Nia move in ways I did not think to be possible. In battle, the Driver holds the weapon, with the Blade standing back and supporting their driver with a stream of light known as an Affinity Link. As the fight goes on, the stream of light gets brighter, and the power granted to the Driver's weapons grows stronger.

As I race to the back of the Lysaat King, I strike the monster with Arts. The Lysaat whirls around, striking me, sending me flying backwards. But, just as the pain registers, it vanishes.

I look to the side, seeing Nia whirling her twin rings in the air, surrounded by green light.

"Whuh- A healing Art?" I blubber, trying to keep focus
"Keep your jaw attached to your head, kid! Focus on the enemy in front of you!" Nia yells,

I notice Nia use an art which staggers the enemy, breaking its stance. "Break!" Nia yells at Mythra.

Immediately after, Mythra sweeps the underside of the Lysaat with the dull edge of her scythe, knocking it to the ground. "Topple!" Mythra yells back.

Taking the opportunity, all three of us strike at once. The Lysaat screeches with a deathly howl, and collapses, crumbling to dust.

"Wow, that was amazing. What was that move you used, Nia? What did you call it, 'Break'?"

"Aha, do you really not know about the Driver Combo, Rex? 'Break' wasn't the art itself, but the effect of the Art I used. It's a combo that drivers can use, although Jin can use it too, despite not being a driver himself. We use it to immobilize enemies, and make them easier to kill. It's an important skill to have, if you ever become a Driver, anyway." Nia explains.

"Huh. Drivers really are amazing…" I say "I'm sure glad you are on my side, Nia. You as well, Dromarch!"

"It is an honor for me as well, Master Rex. You handle yourself well, for someone without the assistance of a blade." Dromarch remarks

"No need to get hysterical, Rex. It was a walk in the park."

"But still.."

"That's enough chatting, kids." Mythra says, "We need to get moving, if we're ever going to make progress."

As we descend through the ship, we find that it is infested with all kinds of different monsters. Crustips, Lysaats, Medooz, any aquatic monster you could think of makes its home down here.

In the depths of the ship, we come across a console that is intended to open up a massive door at the end of the room. I press the button on the console, hoping that it still has the power to open it. The door doesn't budge.

"No juice…" I sigh.

"Hehe, this is where I step in, Blue Boy"

Phantylia floats forward, and places a single finger on an ether intake area, where an ether cylinder would be placed normally. The console begins to glow, and I press the button to open the door.

"Phantylia, how did you do that? It's like you could control the ether in the air?"

I say surprisedly

"You've got that right. I can't control it as well as Obrona, but I can at least control where it flows." Phantylia says with pride

"Who's Obrona?"

"A blade. Our ally, Akhos, is her Driver. She has immaculate ether control" Jin says from the back of the group

I jump, "Jeez, Jin, I forgot you were there. You're easy to miss, with how quiet you are."

"That's my intention. I only get involved where it is necessary." He responds coldly,

"Eh, I suppose that's fair." I reply, choosing to trust his judgement

As we walk through the door opened by the console, I notice something at the back of the room. Before I can react, it rushes toward me, knocking me off my feet. As it enters the light, I see what it is. A massive Aligo, a monster with two muscular front legs, a sharklike head, and a massive fin on its end.

Mythra, Nia, and Jin rush into battle while I regain my footing. Nia races towards the Aligo, and breaks its stance. Mythra sweeps the Aligo's feet out from under it, and topples it. From the back, Jin strikes the enemy, causing it to roar with rage.

The Aligo regains its footing, and begins charging at Jin. Before it can reach Jin, Mythra leaps into the air, and points the end of her scythe at the enemy. Arcs of light race outward from the edge of the scythe, and detonate when they make contact with the monster.

The Aligo flies backwards, and crashes into the wall with a massive crash. The monster collapses into a pile of dust.

"That light…. It was way more than Phantylia's lightning. " I think

I run forward, catching Mythra's attention. "Mythra! What was that last attack? I thought Phantylia's element was Lightning? But that looked like pure light?"

"It must have been your eyes deceiving you. It couldn't have been light. You must have had a weird angle on the lightning's arc" Mythra says almost defensively. While usually, Mythra seemed bright and somewhat cheerful, her demeanor changed. Her eyes no longer sparkled as they did above deck, they just looked dull and stern. "I thought I warned you, don't pry where it isn't necessary".

"O-uh, okay, I'm sorry" I say, startled of her sudden shift in personality

We walk to the end of the room, and see a massive door with a circular crest emblazoned upon it.

As we get closer, Mythra says, "Jin, look at this. Addams Crest."

"Addams… Crest?" I say, curiously

"You. Kid. Open this door" Jin says from beside me

"Me?" I say, surprised at the attention

"This door will only open to one of you people" Jin replies sternly.

"One of me? What do you mean?"
"I'm getting really tired of the constant questions, kid! Just open the damn door!" Mythra yells

I flinch, "What the hell..? You can't treat hired hands like that…"

I step forward, and investigate the door. I find a circular lever on the front, and press it. The emblem on the door glows with a bright blue light, and opens.

"Ah, so that was the release toggle!" I say, and step through the doorway.

On the other end of the door is a hallway, and at the end of the hallway is a door similar to the one I just opened.

"There. Open that door too."

I nod, and open the door.

The door opens, and Jin says "Let's move."

When we enter the room at the other end of the door, I feel compelled to move forward. In the center of the room, Is a pedestal with a sword sticking out of it. The blade is long and thin, and dark blue in color. Its hilt is squared off, with a massive, bright purple cross-shaped crystal embedded in it. Behind the sword, is a glass case.

"Is that… a man?" I say, astounded

In the glass case is a tall, blue haired man with a half mask on his forehead. He's wearing Dark, purplish-blue armor that looks a lot like Jin's? In fact, the mask and sword are reminiscent of Jin's, to an almost uncanny degree.

In the back of the room, Mythra and Jin are talking.

"Look, it's him" Mythra says quietly

"Yes, no mistaking it. That's the Aegis."

As I continue to walk forward, I call back to Jin, "Jin! This sword, it looks a lot like yours!" I lean forward, trying to touch the brilliant purple crystal that continues to shine at the sword's hit.

"Hey! Kid! Don't you dare touch that!" Mythra screams,

Before I can stop myself, my finger comes into contact with the purple crystal, and bright, purple light erupts in a short burst from the sword.

Before I can turn around to apologize, a blindingly cold pain erupts from my chest. I look down to see the edge of a sword pointing through my heart.

"B-but, why?"

"Don't take it personally. It's an act of mercy", Jin says calmly, "At least you won't be alive to see what's coming"

He removes the sword from my chest, and I collapse on the ground. The last thing I see before my vision goes black is Jin flicking my blood from his blade.

[NIA]

As I walk into the room, three things grab my attention. The blue sword, the man in the glass case, and Jin standing in front of Rex's corpse.

I gasp, not wanting to believe what I am seeing. "Jin!" I run up to Rex, shaking him, trying to wake him up, despite knowing it's futile, "Why'd you have to kill him? Why!? What did Rex ever do to you?"

Jin looks at me blankly. His cold, flat eyes examining me. He says nothing.

I look down at the innocent, dead kid in front of me. For the first time since I joined Torna, I hesitate. As much as we bickered, I truly liked Rex. He always seemed to put others first, dreaming for the future, rather than the present. My chest begins to hurt, as if the source of my agony knows that I could be doing something. Should be doing something.

Mythra calls from behind me, rousing me from my thoughts, "Nia. there's no time for mourning, he just didn't make the cut. Call the Monoceros, we're shipping out."

Dromarch nuzzles me warmly, and helps me rise to my feet. I look back at Rex, trying to keep tears from forming in my eyes as I make the call.

[?]

The bell rings, indicating the passage of time. If it weren't for its toll, it would almost seem that time has frozen still. In this awful, beautiful memory, nothing changes. Such is the law of memories. No matter how long you reflect on the past, there is no way to change it.

My brother has ceased speaking with me. It is hard to tell how long it has been since I have last heard his voice. Days? Months? Years? It is all but impossible to judge the passage of time here. The only thing I know, what I know we both agree on…

The time of our awakening approaches.

I sit next to the tree, analyzing the information I gathered when the boy came into contact with my core. Such is the duty of an Aegis, especially the Aegis of the End. It has been many years since I have analyzed the data of another being. It is exhilarating, to gaze upon something new.

"Rex… So this is who 'our' fate hinges upon…"

[REX]

As I gain consciousness, the first thing I notice is the warmth. Surrounding me, embracing me, is a constant heat, radiating from all around me. It's comforting, enough to make you wish you could maintain the feeling forever. As I stand, I take note of my surroundings.

I am standing in a field, with grass surrounding me, stretching farther than my eyes can see. There is the consistent ringing of a bell in the distance, with the only other noticeable sound being the birds chirping in the distance. In front of me, at the top of a hill, is a singular tree. Beside it is a man, sitting on the ground, gazing into the distance.

I climb the hill, and attempt to get the man's attention, "A-ah, excuse me…"

Without turning to face me, the man responds, "It's such a melancholy sound…"

I hesitate, not knowing how to respond.

"It's rang continuously, throughout all these years…"

"Continuously… you mean that bell sound? Is the praetorium nearby…?" I say, looking around us, unable to place our location. "Uh, where are we?"

"This is…. Elysium. The land where, long ago, mankind lived in harmony with their creator. It's where…. 'we' were born."

I step forward, not believing what I am hearing. When I make it to the man's side, he shifts his gaze to face me.

He is wearing plated, blueish purple plate armor, and has long, blue hair cascading down his back. He wears a sharp, angular mask with horns that branch outward. The mask sits on his head like a crown, not reaching below his eyes. On his chest, lies a brilliant, cross shaped purple crystal.

"Is that… a core crystal? You're a Blade?"

The man gazes solemnly at me, seeming almost sad. "My name is Typhos."

"O-oh right, my name is-"

The man smiles, if only slightly. "Don't worry, I know. It's Rex, isn't it?"

"How did you know my name?" I ask, my confusion growing.

The man rises to his feet, standing considerably higher than I.

"Just now, when you touched the sword…"

"Just now..?" I say, having a hard time recalling my recent experiences, "I'm sorry, I can't seem to remember how I got here…"

"You were… killed. Stabbed through the heart by Jin…" Typhos says, hesitantly. He looks off to the side, as if hesitant to look me in the eyes.

I slam my hands on my chest, expecting to feel a steady, constant heartbeat. My chest begins to radiate a bone chilling, penetrating cold as I realize the cause for my constant warmth. My body has gone cold, my skin gone gray with the lack of blood flow.

I fall to my knees, nauseous from the sudden realization. "I-I remember now… that bastard stabbed me! Stabbed me through the back!" I slam my fists on the ground, angry at my failure, disappointed in myself, knowing who I'd be leaving behind. "Dammit! I need to warn them, everyone at the guild is in danger!" I realize the impossibility of my situation. "Shit, I can't do anything if I'm dead! Titans foot! If I wasn't dead, I'd kick that guy's ass!"

I fight back the tears that begin to grow in my eyes, "Gramps… Oh god… What will he do when I don't return? Auntie Corrine, the kids…"

Typhos looks down at me sympathetically, leans down, and places a hand on my shoulder. "Rex, I might be able to help."

I look up, having a hard time believing him.

"It won't be easy. It would be easier to just accept death now, but I have a feeling that isn't what you want."

I shake my head, wishing with all that remains of my heart that I could have a second chance. "What do I need to do?"
"If you were to take me to Elysium, in exchange, I can bring you back."

"Elysium? But, isn't that where we are?"

He shakes his head, "No. This is just a memory. An ancient, half forgotten memory of what once was. I need you to take me to the real place, at the top of the World Tree."

"A memory? So like, an illusion? And, bring me back? What would that entail?" I ask, trying to get hold of the situation.

"I will give you half of my life force, a shard of my core." he says, tapping on the core in his chest, "So that you may be revived, as my Driver. The Driver of the Aegis."

"T-the Driver of the Aegis?" I take a step back, hesitating at the thought.

"What will you do, Rex? The journey won't be easy, but it can be your second chance."

I look around, taking in the beautiful surroundings. It's everything I had ever hoped for. An infinite space, where everyone I love could live happily…

"Is this place really your home?"

"It is."

"And it really exists?"
"Rex, what you are thinking is correct. By coming to this place, you could not only save yourself, but the entire world. Save it from the slow demise that is its fate."

I look around one final time, and make my decision. "I'll do it. I'll take you to Elysium myself, I swear it. Let's do it, together."

Typhos removes the mask from his head, and hangs it from the side of his hip. His hair, unrestrained, falls to embrace his face. He smiles, "Thank you, Rex." He extends his arms by his sides, and the Core Crystal in his chest begins to pulse, radiating bright, purple light. "To finalize our choice, place your hand on my chest."

I hesitate, "H-huh? Uh, if you're sure.."

I reach out to touch the brilliant, purple Core, as I did before with the sword. While last time, the choice ended in death, this time, it will result in life, for all of us.

Light radiates around us, and the warmth surrounding me fades. From inside, I feel the steady rhythm of a heartbeat.

[NIA]

After I called the Monoceros, my doubts continued to rise. "Is this the right choice?Is this what I really want from my life?"

We leave Rex behind in the Aegis' chamber. I want to give him a proper burial, at least take him back to his Gramps, but I know that Mythra would never allow that. I cannot let my feelings cloud my judgement.

Mythra's strength defies her small frame. She hoists the Aegis' coffin on her shoulders, and carries it above deck.

When we make it above deck, without turning to face me, Mythra orders, "Nia, end them," nodding her heads at the salvagers on the deck.

Her order shakes me out of my stupor. "H-huh? End them? Like how" I say, not wanting to understand what she was asking of me, as if me feigning ignorance will prevent what she wants.

"The price for their lives has already been paid in full. The less people know about this family, the better."

"I-I can't do that! These are innocent people, they haven't done anything wrong!"

The light in Mythra's eyes fades. She glares at me, spurring fear like I have never known before. "I don't understand you, have you forgotten the conditions for you to stay with us, Nia!?"

"N-no, but-"

"Dammit, you idiotic child! Whatever, I'll just do it myself."

I try to close my eyes, hoping to be able to avoid seeing what is about to happen.

Before I can avert my gaze, the coffin in Mythra's hands expands outwards, exploding in a rush of light.

[REX]

When I awaken, my body is floating upwards. It shifts to place me on my feet, and an unbelievable strength fills my body, and I thrust my hand outward. A crystal the same shape as Typhos' core crystal appears in my hands. The crystal shines brightly, and the sword from before shapes around it, filling my body with an incredible feeling. Around the blade, a smoky, blueish-purple energy forms, indicating the flow of ether through it.

I thrust the blade upward, launching a wave of energy upwards. It looks like water, but it feels wrong. It emanates darkness, as if the surrounding light from the crystalline lanterns are consumed by its flow. When the water meets the ceiling, it's as if the water moves the metal out of the way. The metal isn't destroyed, it merely bends and flows alongside the water, as if adhering to its will.

I leap upward with a strength I did not previously possess. I launch through the area cleared by the dark water, and land on the deck above it.

I look upwards at a pillar behind me, feeling a familiar presence. I notice Typhos standing upon it, though the inner part of his core is missing. I look down at my chest, and find the missing piece. 'So this is how he revived me…"

I hear Nia scream incredulously, "Rex!?"

I look forward, and meet Mythra's eyes. She is smiling, almost uncannily wide. She breaks into a manic laugh, as if my presence was the most funny thing she had ever seen.

I locate Jin, and thrust Typhos' sword in his direction. "Kind of low to stab a man in the back! And why the hell do you look so much like Typhos!"

Instead of responding himself, Mythra does. "Hahahahaha! Maybe you will make the cut, after all, you brilliantly annoying child!" She steadies her eyes at me, "And to answer your question, it's because your little Aegis is a faker. That mask he adorns isn't the only one he wears!"

"Faker? I don't get what you mean. And either way, I have no interest in this family of yours! If you're willing to stab me in the back, who else knows what you'd do!"

"Oh dear, what a shame." Mythra coos, "I guess I'll just have to pry that damned core from your chest!" Her eyes dim again, and she rushes forward, scythe in hand.

"Typhos! Cover me!" I yell backward, only hoping he could hear me.

He appears directly behind me, and nods. He thrusts his hand forwards, and a golden stream of light emanates from them. I rush forward, sword in one hand, and meet Mythras scythe as I did in the Chairman's room. Only this time, the blade overpowers me, and slashes me across the chest. I scream, falling backwards.

Typhos rushes forward, and catches me from behind. I look up at him, and notice that he is wincing as well, as if he was struck like I was. "Are you okay, Rex?"

"Yeah, I'll live. Were you hurt, too?"

"Yes, but no. I'll explain later."

Mythra teases us, "Oh, Rex, so you're trying to mimic Jin now, too?"

I hesitate, before realizing that I had been holding Typhos' sword in one hand, subconsciously mimicking how Jin holds his sword.

"Rex, just use the sword as you would use your junk sword. If you want to use the sword single handed, I can train you later, but we got hurt because you aren't using the sword how you are used to. We need to make it through this!" Typhos explains sternly.

I adjust my hands accordingly, and hold it how I am used to. It's not the same as my old sword, but I should be able to make it through. "Alright, Typhos. Let's do this!"

Mythra and I rush forward, and clash our blades. With the strength that Typhos grants to me, I can match her strength, and I can do more than redirect the scythe.

As we hold each other off, Nia screams from behind Mythra. "Give it a rest, Mythra! Can't you see that he's just a child?!"

Mythra leaps backwards, and laughs in Nia's direction. "A child? This 'kid' made himself the Aegis' Driver!"

"The Aegis'… Driver?"

As we continue to fight, no one seems to make any ground. It's all I can do to hold her off, but she can't seem to make it past my defenses. She leaps backward, and tosses the scythe backward to Phantylia.

Blank faced, Phantylia floats upward, and thrusts the scythe towards the sky. Lightning begins to rain downwards from above, and I am unable to dodge.

Before the lightning strikes me, Typhos rushes to stand beside me, and thrusts his hands towards the sky. A crystalline barrier appears above us, and blocks the lightning before it can hit us.

"Thanks, Typhos!"
"Of course. We need to keep this momentum!" Typhos nods,

Throughout this confrontation, the Salvagers on the deck have been running around, doing their best to avoid the strikes of lightning, and the blasts from our attacks.

Phantylia continues to try and strike us with lightning, but Typhos blocks every attempt.

I run in front of Mythra, doing my best to extend the flow of ether emanating from the end of the sword, extending its range.

I slash the sword in Mythra's direction. "Take this!"

Mythra leaps backwards, narrowly avoiding my extended range. Phantylia hesitates, as if trying to decide whether to come to Mythra's defense, or to stay on the offensive.

"Go, now!" I scream at the salvagers on the deck. Those who still remained run backwards, trying to get off of the sunken ship.

Phantylia tosses the scythe back to Mythra, and she reels backwards, "I don't think so, kid!"

She runs forward, trying to catch the salvagers before they can escape.

From beside me, Typhos whispers, "Rex, follow my lead." I hand him the sword, and we run forward, trying to intercept Mythra before she can hurt the salvagers.

"Hey! You bully, over here!" I scream at Mythra,

As if startled by the childish insult, Mythra slows, and turns to face me.

Typhos offers me the end of the sword, and I grab it, both of us holding the sword's handle.

We both leap upwards, a massive flow of water emanating from the swords' blade.

"Obliteration Blade!" We yell in unison,

Our sword connects with the pole of Mythra's scythe, and she holds us upwards, holding our weight.

The unceasing flow of water diverts around Mythra, warping and distorting the metal of the ship behind her.

Mythra gazes into my eyes, looking disappointed. "Oh dear…. How can a little one like you… Oh, but your eyes…. I should have known from the beginning."

She throws me off, and we continue fighting, her attention completely removed from the fleeing salvagers.

"I must say, for a fresh driver, you handle the Aegis well" She smirks "However…"

I charge at her, and she thrusts her hand to the side, an arrow of light forming in her palm. She forms a fist around the arrow, and when I reach her, she grabs the blade of our sword with one hand, and punches me with the light infused hand. She rips our sword from my hands, and throws it behind her.

"Urgh-" I fly backwards, slamming into the ground and rolling across the desk of the ship.

Typhos rushes behind Mythra, and picks up the sword she discarded. Before Typhos can reach Mythra, though, Phantylia launches a blast of lightning in his direction. Typhos, predicting the attack, launches a blade of water at her, connecting with the lightning midair. The water changes color, absorbing more light than before, and seems to consume the lightning when they come into contact. The water continues to flow in Phantylia's direction, and collides with her.

Phantylia screams, her voice audible for the first time. She falls to the deck of the ship, her wings no longer shimmering, falling limp on top of her.

She reaches forward, trying to get Mythra's attention. "M-my Ether… H-he took it!"

Typhos slowly walks around the aghast Mythra, and returns to my side. "My power is that of alteration. Just as my water flows, everything that it touches obeys my will. Of course, major changes, like the destruction of matter, are beyond my capability. But commanding matter to move? Or, at the height of my ability, commanding a Blade's Ether to leave it? I can do that." He says, unflinching. "Of course, this effect isn't permanent. You'll recover in about an hour, so you don't need to worry." He says, seeming to look down on Phantylia

Mythra's emerald accessories begin to shimmer, as she screams in rage at Typhos. "You bitch! That's impossible, even Mal-"

"Do not dare to mention my Brother, you witch!" Typhos screams, "For you are the one who forced both me and him into this state!" he continues to glare at Mythra, "All we wanted was to live happily with Addam and the others! You forced his hand!"

Mythra walks backwards, shaken at the sudden change in Typhos' demeanor. As she picks up Phantylia, resting her upon her back, I hear a familiar voice.

[AZURDA]

In the depth of my being, I knew something was amiss. I fly as fast as my wings could carry me, to the place where I knew where my foolish child would have found himself. The place of Addam's deepest regret.

"Rex!" I scream, when the resurfaced ship comes into my view. On the deck of the misshapen, warped ship, I notice many things.

Rex, my child, standing side by side with Addam's Final Hope, Typhos. A girl, about Rex's age, with short, silver hair, riding upon a great tiger, a Blade. A woman with long, golden hair, carrying a small, white haired woman with limp, translucent wings, and a tall, stoic man in silver armor.

"Jin… You still persist" I realize, solemn at the thought, "And is that.. Mythra!?"

Jin gazes up at me, seeming disappointed at my presence.

REX]

"Gramps!" I yell, happy to see the familiar face, When Gramps lays eyes on Jin, his face changes. He opens his mouth, and fire launches from it, directed solely at Mythra and Jin. Jin, taking action for the first time since the fight started, draws his sword. He moves only slightly, and the balls of fire detonate mid air, as if sliced in two. Typhos looks at me, and I notice that he is shaking, breathing harder than before, "Typhos? Are you okay?" I say, concerned for my newfound ally. A-aha, yeah... I'll be fine. I've never Ordered Ether before, and it took a lot more out of me than I was expecting."

As we talk, Gramps continues to rain fire on Jin, keeping him occupied. Mythra is just standing there, looking at Phantylia, hanging on her shoulder. She seems shaken, her eyes wide. A black ship pulls to the side of the boat, and a small door on its surface opens.

As I watch this happen, Dromarch runs to my side from across the boat, Nia riding on top of him, "Rex! This is bad, that's the Monoceros!"

I reply, not knowing what she means, "Uh, am I supposed to know what that is...?"

"It's our ship, with the rest of our crew within it." She says frantically, "If you don't get out of here now, you won't leave alive."

"Why are you helping me? I thought you were with them?"

"Because I don't like what they've been doing on this mission. Them stabbing you in the back was the final straw, I can't handle being with them."

"Nia, who is on the Monoceros that is making you so nervous?" Typhos asks,

"There's no one specific, it's just a rough crowd in general." Nia winces

As we talk, a woman climbs from the door on the surface of the boat, followed by the oddest looking Blade I have ever seen.

The woman has long, immaculately straight jet black hair. She wears a white coat, and strung on her back is what seems to be a massive canon.

Her blade is a confusing, whitish gray, puppet-like being with four arms. In each hand is a weapon, A chroma katana, megalance, greataxe, and shield hammer in his hands, each a weapon normally wielded by individual blades. He wears red, tattered clothing.

The woman walks casually over to Mythra, and begins talking with her. They seem to be arguing, though it's impossible to hear what they are talking about. The uncanny blade never takes his eyes off of us.

Nia hisses in disgust at the sight of the woman, "Patroka!" She looks at me, frantic at the sight of the woman, "Rex, you need to go! Patroka will chew you up and spit you out. Mythra's been toying with you this entire time, you don't stand a chance!"

The woman, Patroka, yells at Nia and Me over the ruckus, "Ooooh, Nia, helping the enemy now, are we?" She unstraps the canon from her back, and aims the canon in our direction.

Typhos steps in front of us, intending to redirect the blast, but from behind Patroka, Mythra screams, "Patroka! Don't you dare kill them!" A mote of light appears by Patroka's feet, and detonates, creating a startling, but generally harmless blast.

"What the hell, Mythra! They're the enemy! She's a traitor," She says, pointing at Nia, "And he took the Aegis! They're only in the way!"

"Yes, but the boy, he has potential. I want him." She says, smiling uncannily, her eyes shining brighter than I had ever seen before.

"Oh dammit all, forget about the damned family for once! We have a job to do!"

As they bicker, Typhos gets my attention, "Rex, now's our chance." he turns to Nia, "Are you coming, Nia?"

She nods, and we all run to the end of the ship. Gramps, seeing us, stops firing at Jin, and swoops down, passing alongside the ship, and we leap on. He flaps his wings, and we take off. Mythra screams, still on the deck of the ship, launching orders at the Monoceros "Fire at the titan! Don't even think about hurting the boy!"

[AZURDA}

Everything hurts. The holes in my wings, how the javelins in my side shift and dig deeper every time I move. But I must keep moving. Rex has fallen asleep, with me having talked him into the belief that nothing bad will happen. Addam's Hope, though, will no longer keep quiet.

"Azurda. You need rest. You cannot keep this up, even with you being a child of Torna. A lesser Titan would be incapacitated by half of these wounds."

"You needn't worry about me, child. You have your own problems to worry about." I say, attempting to sound confident, despite the fact that I know that I cannot come back from these wounds, not in this form, at least. "How is the girl and her blade?"

"About the same as Rex. Shaken, but otherwise sound. I hope that Rex made the correct choice when it comes to siding with them. I've known him for all of an hour, and I can already tell he's kind to a fault. I hope that doesn't turn around to stab him in the back. Not again."

I chuckle. "You've got that right. What spurred you to choose him, anyway? I never thought that I would see you again, not after all these years."

"If I had to guess, it would have to have been your influence, Azurda. First Addam, and now Rex, you seem to always have close ties to my Drivers. At first, I thought it was a necessity. Just the first ticket out of the ship. But now, I am glad to be bonded with Rex, he has a kind heart, and potential for greatness."

"Even now, I see Addam within you. Though now, I notice other influences. Your appearance, it's uncanny. Why Jin?"

Typhos hesitates, thinking upon the reason for his existence. "Make it through long enough to speak with my Brother, Azurda, and he will tell you. It is not my story to tell."

Time passes, and my exhaustion, and agony, grows. It is taking all of the strength I have to keep us in the air, much less comfortable. In the distance I notice a gargantuan, quadrupedal titan. Our only hope.

"Azurda, it's Gormott. You need to land there, you cannot handle anymore." Typhos orders

"On that, we agree." I wince,

push my mangled wings to their limit, and push forward with all of the strength I can muster.

[TYPHOS]

As Azurda crashes into the side of Gormott, I take the only opportunity I have to grab Rex, and leap off of Azurda. We crash into the ground, and I roll into the edge of a tree, and black out.

When I gain consciousness, there's a throbbing, excruciating pain in my head.

"Owwwww- Damnit Azurda, I told you that you couldn't handle anymore! There were several smaller titans we could have dropped on, without the crash landing part…"

I assess my surroundings. Rex is still unconscious beside me, having taken a hit on the tree as well. We are surrounded by life, trees and plants growing bountifully around us, with a massive scar where Azurda's body dragged through.

"So much for me protecting him and Rex from harm…"

I assess Rex's injuries, but I cannot locate anything other than the occasional scratch and bruise. I suppose that if he was in mortal danger, I'd know, thanks to the unique way of our bonding. I decide to let him rest, despite me being worried about Azurda.

Rex stirs beside me, and sits up, trying to make sense of his surroundings.

"Oh, good, you're up. Are you doing okay?" I ask,

"Mmph- Yeah, I guess.. Where are we?"

"A titan called Gormott. You must have heard of it, it's where Azurda took us." I reply,

"Ahh! Gramps, and Nia! Where are they!?"

I point at the scar in the landscape, "If I had to guess, that way. I tried to grab you and leap off, so that we could have a safer landing, but as you can see, it didn't go well." I rest my hand on my head, nursing the throbbing pain that continues.

Rex makes a sympathetic motion to his own head, as if only just now noticing the similar pain, "Owowowow…. We need to go help them, though! Who knows what could be happening!"

"Alright. Take it easy, Rex. Who knows what other injuries we could have that aren't showing themselves."

As we run through the clearing of the scar, we eventually come across its source.

Azurda, laying on his side, motes of light floating from his mighty body. Javelins litter his body, piercing his wings and puncturing many of his organs.

"It is good to see you uninjured, Rex.."

"Gramps!" Rex screams, running to the side of his guardian.

"Azurda! I warned you that you couldn't handle more!" I yell, rushing to Rex's side beside the Titan, "I'm no healer, but maybe if I use my water correctly, I could seal the wounds! Hang on!" Through our connection, I can feel Rex's panic leaching into me

"Please, Typhos, we have to do something!"

Azurda laughs, "You boys are very kind, but there is nothing you could hope to do. I knew these wounds would do me in."

"So, there's nothing we can do?" Rex whines, tears appearing in his eyes

"Weep not, my boy. This is my fate." Azurda says, doing his best to comfort Rex. "No parting is forever, my boy. We will meet again, when the flow of ether wills it."

"Gramps!" Rex begins to cry openly. I don't know how to respond, it's all I can do to keep from crying myself.

Azurda's body begins to glow, and disappears in a blinding flash of light.

Rex falls to his knees, bawling. I join him on the ground, putting my arm around his shoulders.

"I'm so sorry…" I say, not knowing how else to comfort him.

"Gramps!" Rex cries,

rexxx!

"H-huh?" I say, thinking I misheard something. Rex continues to weep.

Rexxx!

"Okay, no, I definitely heard something there.." I think, not wanting to worry Rex, as he continues to sob.

"REEEEEXXXXX!" A tiny voice from within the motes of light screams,

Rex stops crying, if only out of curiosity.

The light fades completely, and a small, white creature with big eyes, fluffy fur, a blue crystal shining in its chest, and with small pink wings becomes visible.

"HUH!?" Rex and I yell in unison

"Gramps…?" Rex says, seeming more curious than sad

"There's no way…"

"See! Can't you recognize me?" The small creature puffs out its chest, and places its tiny paws on its hips.

"No, not really…" I say, trying not to laugh at the sudden change

"I am so confused right now.." Rex says,

"So you see, by maximizing cellular regeneration to retain all vital bodily functions…

I seem to have reverted to a larval stage." Gramps begins to flap his wings, rising into the air.

"I don't think those wings should work, old man. They're way too small for that chubby body." I stand, crossing my hands across my chest.

"I don't think so either, Typhos. I think it's ridiculous, really." Rex mimics my action, turning his head away in mock disgust from the now larval Azurda.

"So I'm 'Old Man' now, Typhos? Are you angry at me, boys?"

"Obviously, Gramps!" Rex and I yell in unison

Rex grabs Gramps and throws him in his salvaging helmet.

I laugh. "Ahahaha! Naughty old men get thrown in the time-out helmet"

Rex smiles, laughing alongside me.

Gramps smirks, puffing out his chest again, "You act as if this is a punishment. I think this is a nice change of pace." Gramps looks down, noticing my core in Rex's chest. "And is that a core crystal in your chest? What happened there?"

"I'll tell you later, Gramps, we have other things to worry about." Rex looks at me, rolling his eyes "Alright, now that we've got Mr. Baby Old-Man figured out, we need to go find Nia. I'm worried about her."

I respond, "Yes, let's. I can sense ether fluctuations in the distance, like a Driver using a blade in battle. Let's hope that Nia can handle herself until we can make it to her."

"Right, let's go!"

As nice as it is to share a laugh with Typhos and Gramps, my heart races from Gramps' supposed death. I am terrified, and despite my outward indifference towards his revival, I have never felt such relief before. I am desperate to help Nia, especially since she seems to be battling something, but I am absolutely exhausted.

Typhos notices my fatigue. "Are you doing okay, Rex? This hasn't been easy on you."

I force a smile and reply, "I'm alright. A bit worn out, but I can keep moving. We need to help Nia."

Suddenly, Gramps pops up from behind me, still perched in my helmet, and smacks me on the back of the head.

"Gramps!"

"You're too hard on yourself, boy! You're pushing yourself again. It got you killed! Don't think I don't know what happened on that ship. Typhos told me everything!"

"I know, I know… but we can't just leave her! She abandoned the life she had with Torna for our sake!"

"Gramps, I have to agree with Rex. I promise we'll rest after we help Nia, but we can't just stop now," Typhos says.

Gramps crosses his arms. "Fine, but I am holding you to that!"

We push forward, with Typhos leading the way since he is the only one who can sense the ether.

As we walk, Typhos suddenly holds out his hand in front of me, stopping me.

"Typhos?" I ask.

"Look, over there." He points ahead, and I see them—Nia, supported by a stream of light from Dromarch, fighting a massive… frog?

"We have to go help!" I exclaim.

"Alright, but I'm taking the sword. You need to take a backseat; you're too tired."

"Huh? You're just as tired as I am! Let me help! We're literally linked—your exhaustion is mine!"

Typhos hesitates, as if he has forgotten that fact. "Oh, uh, right. I suppose you need more experience with my sword anyway."

Gramps leaps up from behind us. "Stop arguing! The girl needs help!"

"Right!" Typhos and I say in unison. I draw the sword from my back and charge in to support Nia.

"We're here to help, Nia!" I yell.

"Rex? What are you doing here?" she replies.

Dromarch shouts at Nia, "My lady, this is our chance to strike!"

"Right!" Nia yells back.

I turn to face the frog, which I now recognize as a monster called a Brog. It gulps, as if it realizes that it is in too deep.

Typhos, Nia, Dromarch, and I quickly dispatch the brog. We can't Topple anything without Mythra, but we managed to get through it.

"So, why are you guys even here—ugh, I suppose that's a stupid question, huh?"

"Indeed," Dromarch nods.

"Seriously, though, it's great to see you all. I was worried."

"Right back at you. By the way, what happened to the big guy who bailed us out? The Titan?"

Gramps pops up from behind me, waving at Nia. "Talking about me?"

"What the—HUH?" Nia exclaims, astounded.

Typhos chimes in, placing his fingers on his temples, "It's a long story; the old man scared the life out of us..."

Nia bursts into laughter, "Hahaha! That must have been quite a situation."

"Understatement of the century…" I reply. "Let's find somewhere to rest; I'll tell you all about it then."

We find a nice clearing, and we decide to set up camp. Typhos, despite being a Water Blade, is surprisingly good at starting campfires. We sit around the fire, and discuss the night's events.

"I see… So you guys are off to Elysium…Listen, I never thanked you, for saving us I mean. Dromarch said that you carried us all the way here."

"We owe you our lives, master Titan," Dromarch says, bowing his head to Gramps.

"No need to thank me. You offered support to Rex when he desperately needed it."

"Don't mention it. So, you titans can regenerate, that's pretty handy."

"You see, this isn't something that just any titan can do. By maximizing-"

Typhos, standing behind Gramps, and having already heard this lecture, mocks him by imitating his bravado,

"Pfff- hahaha!" Nia starts laughing at Typhos

"You can stop, Gramp, no one is paying attention." I say, trying to keep myself from laughing as well.

Gramps puts his paws on his waist, "Kids these days, no respect, I swear…"

[TYPHOS]

As night fell, despite my exhaustion, sleep evaded me. I rise from where I was laying, and walk to a small pond next to where we made camp. I sit down, hoping to be able to get some rest, even if I cannot sleep.

A voice from behind me says, "Still awake, I see?

I turn to see Gramps, who flies next to me.

"I can't seem to sleep. I keep thinking about all the things that happened today."

"I understand, a lot happened, after all" he says, looking into the water, "I just wanted to thank you for saving my dear Rex."

"Of course, he's a good guy, kind to a fault. Someone has to keep him out of trouble."

"I must ask, your goal, is that truly what you want?" "Of course, though I have one other goal, now.."

"Jin and Mythra, you mean"

"Yes. Jin has changed so much. He is not the person he used to be, not the same person Malos admired…."

"He certainly has. And you plan on getting Rex mixed up in this, as well?"

I hesitate, not knowing what to say. Before I can come up with something, Gramps continues. "I don't blame you, Typhos. At this point, I think Rex would follow you to the ends of the world."

He looks down, looking at where my core is missing it's centerpiece. "You've taken on quite the burden as well…"

"I-"

"Promise to take care of Rex?"

"Of course, I intend to."

[REX]

When I awaken, Typhos is still asleep beside me. Nia, though, is awake, preparing for the day's journey.

"We should probably try and find a town, or something. Does anyone have any idea where we are?"
"This is Gormott, a province of the Ardanian Empire. You must have seen the Gormott Titan before?" Nia responds,
"Of course, but only from afar."

"If I had to guess, we are around the Titan's belly"

"Gormott, huh. Wait, Nia, your ears, are you Gormotti?"

"Well done, Genius. Took you long enough."

"Gormott is the land of my lady's birth." Dromarch adds,

"Well, that's reassuring."

"If we wanna find a town, the first step is to get out of this forest.

Keep heading up and we'll hit the plains soon. The town's that way.

"Brilliant," I say as I shake Typhos awake, "Let's get going, we don't have time to waste!"

We continue to walk forward, passing all kinds of creatures and places. The surroundings are beautiful, unlike anything I have ever seen. The place where I grew up, the Lefterian Archipelago, is prominently open air, and has many beaches, a more tropical area. I've never been in a forest, so I am amazed by many things that I see.

After walking for a while, we break the tree like, and come into a little outlook, with a drop that falls into a small pool. From this area, we have an amazing vantage point for the surrounding area of Gormott.

Typhos, standing beside me, says,"Wow, what an amazing view. My brother had been to Gormott before, but a lot has changed."

This caught my attention, "Typhos, you keep mentioning your Brother. I thought Blades were born of Crystals, is it even possible for a Blade to have a sibling? And how would you know that it has changed, if you have never been here yourself"
Typhos hesitates, "Well, he's not my brother in the traditional sense…. But I consider him to be my brother. I'll tell you about him when the time arises, you'll meet him eventually, I'm sure."

Nia looks to the side, places her hand on her chest. She looks sad, depressed even.

"Nia, are you okay? Are you not happy to be here?" I ask
She perks up a bit, startled by my concern "U-uh, yeah! Don't worry."

"Okay, if you're sure."

We continue following the path, and the trees open up into a massive, sprawling plain, Animals roam around the area, and in the distance, I can see a town.

"Over there, that's Torigoth, the biggest town in Gormott." she says, pointing to the town, "I can accompany you until then, but I really should leave you after that. You don't want to be seen with me…." She says while looking down at the side, seeming to regret past actions

"H-huh? Why? I don't care what the others think, you're with us now, you don't need to fear anyone else."

"Fear? Rex, they consider me to be a terrorist. If you're seen with me, you'll be assumed to be one too."

"Nia, I don't care. If I leave you behind now, I'm no better than Torna. You're one of us."

Typhos steps forward, "Nia, I get that you are concerned, but we can handle ourselves. If you're worried about us, we should buy you a disguise or something. If you're caught alone, you'll stand no chance. At least if we're together, we can put up a fight."

"I-I….. Alright, I suppose there's logic in that. I'll stay with you for a while." She says, avoiding eye contact.

"My lady, there is logic in purchasing a disguise. Perhaps we can find something in town?" Dromarch adds, trying to ease Nia.

"Alright, Dromarch, we can look."

[NIA]

It hurts to be home. Rex and Typhos are kind—too kind—but that doesn't change the unease I feel when I look at Torigoth. Typhos talking about his brother didn't help.

"Blades having siblings... Sister, Da…" The sight of Torigoth only reminds me of the time I had with them; the time I spent running away, fleeing the army after they were gone.

When we arrive at Torigoth, Rex and Typhos seem amazed. They're a lot alike, more than they realize. It's not uncommon for a Blade to reflect their Driver, but Rex did not awaken Typhos—his personality was created long before Rex was even born. It's one hell of a coincidence. They wear the same expression while looking around Torigoth, laughing like little schoolchildren at everything. It's adorable.

"It hasn't changed a bit…" I say, reflecting on Torigoth's past.

"My lady?" Dromarch looks up at me, concerned for my well-being.

I pat his head, trying to ease his concern. "I'm okay, Dromarch. Can you keep an eye out for the military for me?"

"Of course, you need only ask."

Rex glances back at me. "You know, Nia, you can rely on us, too. We're here for you."

"Thanks, Rex. I'll try."

His expression brightens, and I can tell he wants to say more, but he doesn't.

"I'll take you guys to the nearest inn, but if I'm going to stay with you, Dromarch and I should really try to find a disguise—" As I'm saying this, we come across a notice board filled with various postings, including wanted posters. One features a picture of Mythra, another of Jin, and one with my name that bears a horrifying likeness of a tiger wearing a wig.

"What the hell is this!?" I exclaim, drawing attention to the poster.

"A remarkable likeness, to be sure," Dromarch comments. "It seems they've gotten our appearances crossed."

I rip the poster off the board and shred it into pieces.

I glance to the side and see Rex with his hands over his mouth, trying his best to suppress a laugh.

"Rexxxx!" I yell as he bursts into laughter.

A loud commotion catches our attention, and we turn to the center of the plaza, where a large crowd has gathered around a single Ardainian soldier. The soldier is holding a Core Crystal and shouting to the onlookers.

"Fie! Who has the courage to heed the Empire's call?" he bellows, emphasizing his message. "Your strong heart today will build a strong Mor Ardain tomorrow! And of course, you'll receive more than just a salary! Pension and benefits are included! Stand out and you could even join the nobility! For the glory of the Ardainian Empire and His Majesty, Emperor Niall! Come now! Who wants to be the hero of tomorrow?!"

"What's that?" Rex asks, looking genuinely curious.

"Driver Recruitment," I reply.

"Driver Recruitment?" he echoes.

"They've recently been recruiting drivers from all over," I explain.

"The pool of potentials is ever-shrinking. They must have run out of candidates in the military," Dromarch adds.

"Potentials? I'm not sure I understand," Rex says.

"Just watch," I say.

A young Gormotti boy steps forward, but three younger children cling to him, holding him back.

One of the children yells, "Don't do it, bro! It's too dangerous!"

Another chimes in, "What will we do if something happens to you? Who will take care of us?"

The youngest child simply pleads, "Please…"

Determined, the boy pushes past them, clearly intent on touching the Core Crystal. "I-I know it's dangerous, but if I can become a driver…"

Before he can make contact, a larger man pushes him aside, knocking both him and his siblings to the ground.

"Outta the way, you pipsqueak!" the man shouts.

Before anyone can react, the man thrusts his arm forward, making contact with the Core Crystal.

A wave of light flows outward, and the man begins to scream.

"Yeah, he's done for." I say, already knowing what a successful awakening looks like.

"Indeed." Dromarch concurs.

The light suddenly ceases, and the man flies backwards, landing on the ground.

Blood flows from his eyes and nose, and he wears a grimace. Ardainian soldiers pick him up from the ground, and carry him away.

The Ardainian soldier who offered the core yells to the crowd, "Aww, all bark and no bite! Anyone else want to give it a shot?"

"Eurgh, what just happened? All that blood…"

"He couldn't handle the Core Crystal's power, so it overwhelmed him."

"That is what happens when someone unqualified touches a Core Crystal." Dromarch says,

"Wait, you need a qualification to be a driver?" Rex says, seeming confused.

Gramps jumps up from behind his head, and says "Perhaps 'Aptitude" would be a better word."

The Ardainian soldier continues to shout, "Now, is there nobody else here ready to test their strength for the glory of the Empire?!"

He fixes his gaze on the boy from before and extends a hand. "Oh! How about you? What do you say? Step forward, sir, with a bold heart!"

The boy rises from the ground with the soldier's help, still accompanied by his siblings. "Don't worry, kids. Your brother is going to be a Driver, and we'll be set for life…"

He walks forward and places his hand on the Crystal. Like before, the light flows outward, but this time it feels different—warmer, kinder.

"There's your 'aptitude,'" I say with pride. The Core Crystal in the boy's hand begins to float upward, and a Megalance sprouts from it. The light surrounding him condenses into a humanoid shape that kneels on the ground.

As the light fades, the shape becomes visible. It's a woman with long, azure hair tied in a ponytail and dark skin. She wears a tiara and a short, form-fitting dress, with golden bangles looping around her shoulders.

The Blade rises to her feet and looks at her Driver. Noticing how the boy's siblings cower behind him, she smiles warmly. She kneels again and offers her hand to the youngest boy. "I am Perun. You are loved by my Driver; you needn't worry any longer. I shall care for you."

The boy's eyes widen, and a smile spreads across his face. "I—I did it!"

His siblings emerge from behind him and start cheering along with him.

"The Core Crystal turned into a... weapon?" Rex asks, still confused about the situation.

"That is how Blades are born, Rex," Gramps responds.

"But when I touched Typhos'..." Rex trails off.

"He's a special case. Typhos is the Aegis, remember?" I remind Rex, pointing out something that should be obvious. "So the usual rules don't apply. All that business with sharing his life force... it's not exactly normal."

"Wait, what does 'the Aegis' even mean?" Rex asks, still puzzled.

Typhos jumps in, "It's just a title that Blades of my caliber were given. Some called us 'Gifts from the Architect'. It's just a title for a supposedly 'Legendary' Blade."

"Wait, 'Us'? You mean there are others like you?" Rex asks,

"Yeah, I've only ever heard of you referred to as the Aegis." I add,

Typhos hesitates, "Uh, well, it's me and my Brother, and…."

"And?" I ask, getting impatient at his hesitance.

Instead of Typhos answering, Gramps does. "Mythra."

[REX]

"Mythra!?" I yell, shocked at the revelation.

Typhos seems dour, looking at his own feet. "So, I suppose, if you squint, Mythra could be considered my Sister." He says,

"A shitty sister, if you ask me.." I say, trying to make sense of it, "For all of her emphasis on that 'Family' of hers, she certainly doesn't treat you well.."

"It's alright, Rex. My brother and you guys are the only family I need."

"Damn right!" I say, "You think highly of your brother, I hope I can meet him eventually."

"I hope so as well. It just relies on him."

"We've been sticking around here for a while, we should get out of here. I know a back way to the inn, so let's go around the Plaza." Nia says

"Lead the way!" I offer.

The back way is an alley that loops around the Plaza. While we walk, the conversation returns to the awakening.

"The whole thing with Core Crystals, touching them to make Blades… it's amazing."

Typhos adds, "We Blades start out formless, anchored to the world only by our Core Crystal. Only the touch of a potential can imbue us with form and being. And it is by those forms we come to be known."

"So you see, my boy," Gramps says, "It is the fated touch of a Driver that allows Blades to exist at all."

"Why does it happen that way, though?"

"And that, is something that no one knows, my boy."

"Blades come in all shapes. Some humanoid, some not." Dromarch says,

"Some say that the shape is defined by what kind of person the Driver is." Nia says, looking down at her own chest.

"Typhos…. He was so lonely when I met him… so quiet… It's such a contrast to how he is now. Was he brought to life by someone else, like a normal blade, too?"

As I think about this, I hear a raspy voice from behind us yell, "Halt, nobody move!"

Three Ardainian soldiers appear behind us, and four more appear in front of us.

"Oh dear, looks like imperial troops…"

"Great, I told you guys to leave me behind!" Nia yells,

"No, Nia! I told you, we're not leaving you!"

A soldier, wearing a larger helmet that sets him apart, steps forward. I assume he is the Captain of the group. "That fugitive in your company is an enemy of the state! A member of Torna!"

"No, you don't understand! She's not with them anymore. She's different!" I shout, trying to defend her.

"That's for the empire to decide. As for you… what is your driver registration number?"

"Uh, 5… 3… 9?"

"Knock it off! Every new driver must register with Indol! If you don't have a number, that means you are an unregistered, illegal driver!" the Captain yells. "You're coming with me! Let's see what the Consul has to say about this!"

"Dromarch and I will fight them off, Rex! Save yourself!"

"Nia, get it through your head! I will NEVER leave you like this!"

"You stubborn little—ugh, oh well. You go left; I'll go right. Now!"

Typhos and I charge to the left while Nia and Dromarch go to the right.

The Captain looks startled. "Wait, you're actually going to resist?"

Despite their imperial bravado, the soldiers don't put up much of a fight. I don't want to kill them, so I don't channel much ether into Typhos' sword. We manage to push the soldiers back, and they become more frantic. "They're… so strong! So much strength from a measly two fighters', they're certainly Drivers!"

Nia turns to me, and yells "Rex! Now!"

We turn to run in the other direction, but before we can make any real distance, a wall of blue flames appears in our way.

"Such a commotion.." a voice says calmly from behind us,

I turn to Typhos, "Typhos! Can't you put out the flames!?"

"I can't! Ether powers these flames, the only way to put them out is to stop the Ether from its source!"

We turn to face the soldiers and notice a striking new figure among them. Standing between the soldiers is a beautiful woman with purple hair that fades into flames at the tips. She has two buns on her head, also ablaze with blue flames. Dressed in a floor-length purple gown with flames at the edges, she wields two thin swords, each with segmented blades, held confidently at her sides.

"Just when I thought that I could enjoy some peace and quiet." She says, appearing displeased at our presence.

The Ardainian Captain looks at the woman, clearly startled, "L-Lady Brighid!

"Brighid? Is she Blade? Where's her driver?" I ask, having never seen a blade separate from their driver.

"My Driver is otherwise engaged at present. I am here alone." She replies, amused by my confusion.

The captain laughs, convinced that we stand no chance, "Ba ha ha! Lady Brighid is the "Jewel of Mor Ardain"! The strongest Blade in the Empire! Even alone, she's more than a match for you! Lady Brighid, these miscreants are terrorists working for Torna. Please lend me your power to bring them to justice!"

Brighid perks up upon hearing the word Torna. "Torna?" She looks at Typhos and fixates upon his Core Crystal.

"Is it true about the Amethyst Core Crystal? Captain Padraig, do not kill them—take them alive."

"Yes, ma'am!" he responds, turning to the soldiers behind him. "Men, grab the you-know-what!"

The soldiers rush off to carry out his orders.

Brighid readies her blades and charges at me. I block her first attack and channel more Ether into my sword. As the energy on the blade intensifies, Brighid leaps backward. From a distance, she launches two large blasts of flame. In response, I raise a wave of water to extinguish the flames.

Behind me, Typhos warns, "Don't become complacent just because we have a technical advantage. Ether works differently than natural forces. While my water counters her fire, if she lands a direct blow, it will hit us much harder than a normal strike."

"Right, I understand," I reply. "She's so strong, even without her Driver."

"Stop yammering! Just get her!" Nia yells, charging forward.

Before she can land an attack, a large net is fired at her and Dromarch.

The net wraps around the Blade and Driver, causing them to fall, restrained on the ground.

"Nia!" I yell.

Padraig shouts, "This is an Ether Net! Try using your precious Arts when you can't draw Ether from the atmosphere!"

Brighid concurs, "Yes, no matter how powerful the Blade, without the flow of Ether, we become quite useless."

This reminds me. "Typhos, can you manage one of those blasts from before? What did you call it, Ether Control?"

"No, I can't control Fire Elemental Ether. No matter how hard I try, it would get canceled out," he responds.

"Dammit! What can we do?"

"Go, Rex! You have your own goal; leave us!" Nia yells.

"I'm not going to do that! I can't leave you here!"

Gramps yells from behind me, "We must go, Rex! There is no other way!"

Before I can make a decision, Brighid interrupts, "There is no escape." She throws her blades outward, and flames branch from them, creating another wall and preventing our escape.

"Dammit!"

In my peripheral vision, I see something small but incredibly fast-moving launch over me. It collides with a pipe above Brighid's head, causing water to erupt and douse the flames, soaking Brighid.

"Ugh, water?" Brighid complains.

"Typhos, now!" I say, offering him the end of our sword's hilt. He grabs on, and we leap upward, a mass of Ether coagulating on the blade of our sword.

"Obliteration Blade!"

The attack knocks Brighid back, and she screams in pain.

Typhos and I turn and run. It hurts to leave Nia behind, but if we tried to free her, it would give Brighid too much time to recover.

As we run, we hear a small voice from the side of the building. A small head pokes out from around a corner— a Nopon.

"This way, friends! This way, Tora will help you escape!"

[PADRAIG]

After securing the girl, I go to make my report to the consul.

"The boy and the Blade working with him got away. However, we managed to apprehend the girl from the wanted poster, along with her Blade!"

Consul Dughall, a loud, large man with a face only a mother could love, presses his large hand to his temple. "Say, Padraig, do you remember what my orders were?"

"Sir?"

The man yells, "I told you to capture the Blade with the Amethyst Core Crystal, do I not? Do you recall me ever telling you to capture some little girl with barely a bounty on her head?"

"Amethyst? Huh," I think.

"B-but sir, she's a member of Torna?"

Dughall's face tenses. He lowers his gaze and speaks to me as if I were a child. "Let me make this clear. Get. The. Blade. With the Amethyst—"

"Um, Consul Dughall, sir—"

"What!?" he yells, clearly tired of my ignorance.

"I—I am not sure what color 'Amethyst' is supposed to be…"

"Architect help me, you dolt! It's purple! Purple!"

"Ohh, purple… so Amethysts are purple…"

"You dunderhead! How many Blades do you see with purple Core Crystals?" he yells, waving his arms like a madman. "How could you possibly confuse that with a little girl and a cat monster?"

"Um, sir? I believe it's more of a tiger…?"

"Silence!" he shouts, and I hurry out of the room to avoid further scolding.

"How am I supposed to know what that means? I can barely afford food, much less jewelry… Maybe I could get a healing Blade to cure my color blindness…" I mutter to myself, trying to shake off the scolding.

As I stand by the door, several soldiers rush into the consulate. I hear them say, clearly frantic, "Consul Dughall, sir! Special Inquisitor Mòrag has just arrived from the motherland!"

[REX]

As we turn the corner, we notice the Nopon peeking out from a hidden door built into the side of the building. I glance at Typhos, and he nods in agreement. We quickly rush through the door just as the Nopon slams it shut behind us.

I turn to face our savior, but he startles me. He is a large Nopon—bigger than most others we've encountered, though still smaller than Bana. He wears dirty blue overalls with a thick belt wrapped around his body, filled with numerous pouches stuffed to the brim with random items. A pair of goggles sits precariously on the top of his head.

"Thanks for saving us! But I have to ask… why did you do it?" I inquire.

"No reason," the Nopon replies with a casual shrug.

"No reason?" I question, skeptical.

"Sorry, that's not true," he says, glancing to the side for a moment before returning his gaze to me. "Truth is, Tora doesn't like those big bully soldiers. I was thinking of testing my shiny new Boom Biter on them when I saw my friends running away. The Boom Biter missed and hit a water pipe, but the results weren't so bad, hey?" He begins to jump up and down, flapping his wings like an unsuccessful attempt to take off.

"Oh, so you were the one who shot the pipe?" Typhos says, looking surprised. "I may be a Water Blade, but natural water is still much better at putting out Fire Blades, especially when we don't want to actually hurt them. Ether tends to… well, you know, explode. You really saved us there, thank you."

"Friends are very welcome!" Tora replies, clearly happy with the attention.

"So, you're Tora. I'm Rex, and this is Typhos," I introduce our team.

"It's nice to meet you!" Typhos adds.

I notice Typhos reaching out his hand, but he stops himself as if restraining an impulse.

"Come, friends! I will show you Tora's home!" he exclaims.

He leads the way, excitedly rambling about the things he wants to show us in his home. I fall back, casting a suspicious glance at Typhos.

"What was that about, Typhos?" I whisper.

"I want to pet the Nopon," he replies earnestly.

"H-huh?" I stutter, struggling to suppress a laugh. "No, Typhos, you cannot pet the Nopon."

"Come on, Rex! His hair looks so fluffy! Just once can't hurt!"

As we laugh together behind him, Tora turns to face us. "Actually, there other reason for saving you."

"And what is that?"

"Will tell everything when we make it to workshop of Tora!" He runs ahead of us, and we sprint to follow him.

Tora leads us to a building, all under the main boardwalk of Torigoth. "So, this is where you live.." I say in awe, looking at the space above us.

"This is just back door, main entrance over there." Tora says, indicating a door that is a lot more visible than all of the doors we came across before.

"Oh, alright. That certainly explains why the soldiers didn't think to follow us down here, they didn't know that door existed.." Typhos ponders at my side

I look to my left, at a ledge where there is no finished wall. "Woah, is that the Cloud Sea? We're so high up!"

"Yup! Tora like to sit and just watch Cloud Sea sometimes."

"Your home seems wonderfully comfortable, Tora. It's a perfect fit for a Nopon," Typhos says, his hand twitching noticeably.

"Mehehe, um… anyway, Rex-Rex..."

"Rex-Rex?"

"Yes, Rex-Rex. Tora wants to explain another reason for helping. You see, Tora has always wanted to make Driver friends."

"Huh! Interested in Drivers, are you?"

"But of course! Tora thinks it's amazing how Drivers and Blades join their spirits together to create powerful combinations! Tora really wants to be the sidekick of Rex-Rex!"

"Uh, you do know my name is just Rex, right? Just one, not two."

"Come on, Rex, let him give you a nickname; it's kind of cute—Rex-Rex," Typhos says, snickering at the thought.

"Not you too…" I reply.

"A double name just shows Tora's respect for Rex-Rex! It's a good thing! You should be proud!"

"If you say so…" I reply, uncertain about the idea. "Oh, all right! If it makes you happy, you can call me Rex-Rex. I just don't know if I've done anything to deserve that yet. But enough with all this sidekick stuff; let's just be friends."

"Really!? Tora will be a friend of Rex-Rex!? Hooray!" Tora exclaims, dancing around the room and waggling his wings.

Before I can respond, Typhos dashes forward and picks up Tora. He sits on the ground with Tora in his lap and starts to pet him like a cat.

"Waaaaa! Tora is not littlepon anymore! No need for grooming!"

"Typhos, I told you not to pet the Nopon!" I exclaim.

"Come on, you can't tell me this doesn't look like fun," Typhos says with a smirk.

I help free Tora and apologize profusely. "I'm so sorry, Tora! I don't know what got into him," I say, shooting a glare in Typhos's direction.

"I regret nothing," he replies, still smirking.

"Alright, Tora, I'm sorry to change the topic, but we're in a bit of a rush. Do you know much about this town?"

"Yeah! Tora grew up here!"

"Do you happen to know where the military keeps its prisoners?"

Typhos's gaze hardens, a far cry from his previous mischievous demeanor. "Rex, you aren't considering…"

"Of course I am, Typhos! We have to help Nia and Dromarch!"

Gramps, having woken from a nap after the War of Pets, says, "I thought you might say that…"

Tora's eyes light up. "Oh, you mean the Driver and Blade you were with before Tora's daring rescue?"

"Yeah, them."

"Meh-Meh, Tora would need to ask the local informant for that..." Tora says, sounding uncertain about how to help. "But before that, food time! All this running around has made Tora hungry. Tora needs food to help Rex-Rex!"

"I'm a bit peckish, too," Gramps adds.

"Can't we eat later? I want to find Nia and Dromarch as soon as possible—"

As I say this, my stomach grumbles loudly enough for everyone nearby to hear.

"Ahahaha! Rex, we can't adventure on an empty stomach. If we need food, leave it to me," Typhos says, reverting to his cheerful nature.

"I can't help it, can I?" I respond, feeling powerless. "I really just want to help them as soon as possible…"

"It's alright, my boy," Gramps reassures me, patting the back of my head. "We'll help them, but we need adequate rest and food, or else we'll just end up locked up alongside them."

I look at Typhos, and he meets my gaze. I can tell he is concerned as well. "You said that you could help with our food problem?"

"Yup! I'm far from a professional, but I can certainly make a palatable meal," he replies, drawing a small knife hidden in his armor and twirling it around.

"Want something flame-broiled, though? You might want to ask Brighid," he adds, winking at me.

"Ugh," I shudder. "I don't want to face her again for a long while."

Typhos looks at Tora, and asks, "Tora, do you have anything that I might be able to use to make something?"

Tora, eager to help however he can, replies, "Just what is in pantry. Don't have much, though, sorry."

"It does not seem wise to go out and buy something right now, so we should try and make do," Gramps adds

Typhos is already in the pantry, taking stock of what we have available, "Glitterspuds, Sumpkins... Yeah! I should be able to make something nice with this. " He shifts his gaze to Tora, "Mind if I use the kitchen?"

Tora responds, "What is Tora's is Friend's! Use what must."

As Typhos cooks, a welcoming smell fills the air. Before my stomach grumbled before, I hadn't realized just how hungry I was. By the time Typhos brings us our plates, I can hardly keep my mouth from watering.

As we eat, the conversation stops. All of us are far too interested in filling our bellies to possibly wish to stop to talk. After we have finished, we all gaze in awe at Typhos.

"Oh man, that was delicious! I never took you for a chef, Typhos!" I exclaim

"So very tasty! Yummy!" Tora says happily

"I'm glad you liked it! I was worried I had gotten rusty."

"Tora is curious, Typhos is Water using Blade, right? How come you waited for Tora to douse Fire Lady Blade before you attack? Could friend not have doused her from beginning?"

"Ether is fickle, my friend." Typhos says, "While yes, I could have just launched a wave of water at Brighid from the beginning, it would have been incredibly dangerous for all of us, and anyone in the buildings next to us. Natural water is far safer, and far less volatile than Water Elemental ether. If I was trying to end Brighid, then yes, I could have gotten the job done with my powers. But, I did not feel that to be necessary. Even the final attack Rex and I used was incredibly weakened, because we did not want to risk a Steam Explosion, or worse."

"Oh, OK!" Tora says, seeming to buy Typhos' explanation.

"Alright guys, now that we have eaten, can we please prepare to save Nia and Dromarch…?

[MÓRAG]

As I exit the ship, the wind threatens to blow my hat away. Despite this inconvenience, I welcome it. The interiors of Ardanian ships prioritize efficiency over comfort, making the cabins quite uncomfortable due to the lack of airflow. As I walk along the boardwalk, I encounter the Torigothian Consul, Dughall. He greets me, clearly displeased by my presence, though he does his best to mask it behind an overly welcoming demeanor.

"Special Inquisitor Mórag! To what do we owe this extreme pleasure?" he says, trying hard to please me. "Had we known of your visit, we could have arranged a more suitable—"

I interrupt him, not wanting to hear him prattle on like an overindulgent puffot. "You know I do not stand on ceremony, Consul. I would prefer that you just do your job."

"Y-your Grace?" he stutters, caught off guard by my attitude. "Surely someone of your standing deserves to be treated as such! You are His Majesty's representative!"

Behind him, I spot Brighid, and the weight on my shoulders lightens. It isn't unusual for us to separate, but it's still a relief to see her unharmed.

"Please allow us to prepare a meal befitting Your Grace. Until then, we would be honored if—"

Brighid interrupts him, seemingly irritated by his incessant flattery. "You made good time. I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow."

I shift my attention away from the Consul, much to his displeasure. He gasps, "L-Lady Brighid?!"

"If we have found the Aegis, then there is no time to waste," I say, acknowledging her surprise. "Though the journey has taken a considerable toll on our engines."

Dughall flounders. "T-the Aegis!? How could you possibly—"

I lower my gaze at him, weary of his constant blabbering and already aware of his deceit. "Is there a problem, Dughall?" I ask, purposely stripping him of his title.

"N-not at all, Your Grace…"

"Good. Now, I hear you have captured a Driver from Torna. I am going to speak with her."

"W-why would you…?"

"Dughall," I order, standing tall above him, "I do not recall asking for your opinion."

"Y-Yes Ma'am, I shall take you to her right away!" He says, stepping in front of me to guide me.

Dughall guides us to the consulate building. Despite the fact I have been to Torigoth before, I welcome the guidance, as it has been a while. I chuckle to myself, "Maybe he'd perform better as a tour guide than a consul.."

When we enter the building, I take the main seat at the desk, despite the fact that it is usually reserved for the Consul himself. I make myself comfortable, almost entirely to make the consul squirm. Brighid stands at my side. "Well? Are you not going to fetch the prisoner, Dughall?"

"O-Of course, Your Grace!" He stumbles out of the room, tripping on his own feet.

Before long, he enters the room, with a small, silver-haired Gormotti girl in front of him. Despite her small stature, she maintains a strong will, fighting back and pulling herself away from him, although she doesn't seem to be trying to escape, merely avoiding the touch of the Consul.

He nearly tosses the girl in front of me, but a soldier standing by the desk catches her before she can fall. He lifts her and gently places her back on her feet. She smiles at the soldier who assisted her, but when her gaze returns to me, it is filled with defiance.

"Hmph," she grunts, looking to the side and avoiding direct eye contact.

"So, you're the Torna Ruffian. I must say, you look quite different from what's shown on your wanted poster," I remark, glancing at a copy of the poster on the desk in front of me. It depicts what appears to be a lion in a wig, a shocking contrast to the young woman standing before me.

"A little different!? Whoever drew that ought to be the one in jail!"

I chuckle to myself, amused by the thought. "Hah, yes, I would be angry too."

"You can drop the friendly act," she snaps.

"Are you not going to name your companions?" I ask, looking at her from beneath the brim of my hat.

"I would hardly consider those Torna goons 'friends'," she replies, her tone dripping with contempt. Perhaps the reports that she defected from them willingly were true.

"It seems there has been a misunderstanding. I'm not referring to Torna, but to your more recent traveling companions—the Driver Boy and his Blade."

"Huh? Rex and Typhos?" she responds, surprised by my question.

"Well, that was easy," I smirk, amused at her misfortune.

[TYPHOS]

When Tora mentioned he had a suitable disguise for me, one that would conceal my Core Crystal, I felt hesitant. My skepticism grew when he revealed an old coat, clearly meant for a young Gormotti girl, complete with spaces for ears on the hood.

"Uh, well, I suppose it would hide my core..." I said, not wanting to hurt the young Nopon's feelings. Then, an idea struck me. "Tora, judging by your outfit, you're a mechanic, right?"

Tora seemed taken aback by my guess. "A-Aha, maybe not exactly a mechanic, but something close, perhaps?"

I recalled how Mythra hides her core beneath a sheet of armor. "Do you happen to have an extra sheet of metal lying around? If we could attach it to my armor, it might be a safer way to conceal my core without drawing attention. I'm afraid the coat might attract more attention than we want..."

"Oh, that's a good idea!" Tora exclaims as he rushes into a small room concealed by a curtain.

I turn to Rex, who is playing around with the coat Tora just brought out. "What do you think, Gramps? Do I look dashing?"

"I don't know, my boy. I think it would look better on me," Gramps responds as he slips into the hood of the coat and attempts to fly, albeit unsuccessfully.

I laugh, struggling to maintain a serious demeanor. "Come on, guys, what happened to Mr. 'We need to save Nia and Dromarch at all costs!'?"

Rex chuckles and replies, "Yeah, yeah, but if we're waiting for Tora to find that piece of metal, we might as well have some fun."

Before long, Tora emerges with a piece of metal that's the perfect size to conceal my core. The color is not quite right, but it will certainly attract less attention than wearing a little girl's coat. Tora helps me cover my core with some pins, and soon enough, the shine of my core is no longer visible beneath the metal.

Rex, now satisfied because my core is no longer in clear view, says, "Alright, let's get going and visit that informant!"

We have Tora lead the way to the informant, as apparently, the informant hides in an alley that may be hard to find for a non-Torigoth resident.

Before we make it to the Informant, we reach the plaza where the driver recruitment event was occurring.

"Did Rex-Rex know they were performing Driver Recruitment here?"

"Yup, I saw it when I was here before."

"Rex-Rex should try too! The chance of success is basically 100%," Tora exclaims, flapping his wings excitedly.

"I'm wanted by the Ardanian Empire right now. It seems like a poor idea to make myself conspicuous."

"Rex-Rex makes a good point… Tora is just excited to see what type of Blade Rex-Rex would awaken…" Tora says, sounding disappointed.

"And besides, I don't need another Blade, do I? I already have Typhos," Rex replies, looking at me for approval.

"Not at all, Rex. While I can handle myself, a wise Driver maintains a regular number of Blades. Every Blade is different, after all. Having a variety of Elements and Weapons is a useful advantage," I say, trying to ease Rex's concerns.

"Huh, I suppose if you are okay with it, then I don't have a problem with making a few new friends. We'll have to see if we can come across any Core Crystals," Rex responds.

Gramps seems to notice something in the distance and turns to face me. "Say, Typhos, has Rex outfitted your weapon with any Core Chips and Aux Cores?"

"No, he hasn't. There hasn't been an opportunity," I reply.

Gramps points to a pair of shops near the alley where we were caught. "There's a Core Chip and Aux Core shop. Should we prepare for our rescue mission?"

I turn to Rex. "Rex, that's a good idea. My blade is sharp, but it can always be sharper."

"Uh, okay. Lead the way," Rex says, seeming uncertain about the choice.

When we reach the Core Chip shop, there are many selections available. I help Rex choose one that would best suit my weapon. "You know, some Blade weapons can even change shape with the Core Chip you use. Mine won't, but be sure that the Core Chip you choose won't alter the weapon's shape so significantly that you can't use it safely," I warn Rex, though he appears a bit overwhelmed by all the information.

At the Auxiliary Core Shop, Gramps explains the purpose of Aux Cores and what they can do. "Oh, so that's what those are..." Rex says, recalling that we found a couple of Aux Cores earlier. He turns to me, "Typhos, what Aux Core would be best?"

"Hmm, let's go with Hunter's Chemistry. We may find better options in the future, but it will make it easier for me to transfer energy in battle."

"I like the sound of that. I always thought that it was weird we couldn't fight to our full capabilities at the start of battle." Rex says, reflecting on his short time as a Driver.

"Alright, I think we've prepared enough. We should go find the informant," I say, turning to Tora. "Want to lead the way?"

Tora flaps his wings and replies, "Yup! Tora will lead the way!"

He guides us down an alley, and at the end, we find a Nopon hiding in the shadows.

Rex takes the lead and asks, "Have you heard any information about a Gormotti girl being held prisoner?"

The informant responds, "I know this, of course, but Turuni is an informant by trade. If you want information, you must first pay for it."

Rex looks at me, as if asking for approval, and I nod. He pays the informant, and the Nopon begins to share the information we need.

"Thanks much for your custom!" Turuni exclaims, greedily grabbing the gold. "Inside a Titan battleship, the Gormotti girl is being held prisoner. Unfortunately, Turuni has not yet received intelligence specifying the prisoner's name. But rumors say a big ship has arrived for the sole purpose of holding one measly girl for execution. The people of Gormott are getting along quite well with the Empire nowadays, so trouble like this is not very welcome! That seems to be the opinion of most Torigoth residents. That's about the extent of the information Turuni knows. Is that enough to satisfy my friends?"

Rex, clearly shaken by the information, can only manage a quiet "Thanks…" in response.

We leave the alley, and I follow Rex as we head back to Tora's house. Rex appears angry and exhausted the entire way back. He isn't taking the news well.

"Rex, are you okay? I know it's hard to hear, but at least we know where to look now."

"We have to do something, but I don't know what! He said she was being held for execution!" Rex exclaims.

"But boarding a heavily armored military ship… It would be no easy feat." Gramps says, pondering our situation

"I guess we just have to mount a full-on attack!" Rex exclaims, seeming certain, despite the poor idea.

"No, Rex! That would put both us and Nia in danger, do you think they would just sit by and watch us take her? We need to be smarter than that." I say sternly,

"Right, sorry," he says.

"We'll figure something out, Rex. We just don't have the manpower to be hasty," I reply.

"Well, if it's manpower we need…" Tora interjects, "I might have an idea."

"Hmm? And what is that?" Rex asks, his attention caught by Tora.

"Follow Tora!" Tora says, leading us back to the room we were in before, covered by a curtain.

"Isn't this where you got the covering for my Core?" I ask.

"Yes! But there's something else precious in here," Tora replies, brimming with pride as he pulls back the curtain.

Behind it stands what appears to be a girl—small and mechanical, but clearly intended to resemble a humanoid. She wears a white cap adorned with a red flower, black pants, and a brilliant red cape. An orange crystal is embedded in her chest.

"Is that meant to be… a Core Crystal?" I inquire.

Tora puffs out his chest and says, "Yes! Nobody has seen this before; it's Tora's secret. An Artificial Blade!"

"An Artificial Blade?" I respond, surprised at the idea,

"I never would have thought.." Gramps states, just as surprised as I am

"Tora have always wanted to be Driver of Blade… But Tora has no potential to awaken Core Crystal."

"No potential? Come on, you've just got to go out and—oh, you did try, didn't you?" Rex says.

"Yes. One year ago, Tora went out and applied to the driver recruitment man."

I remember the explosive reaction of the people in the square when they saw someone without potential. "Oh dear, Tora, you didn't…"

"It was horrible! Tora had a nosebleed for three whole days!"

Rex tilts his head to the side, confused by the severity. "A nosebleed? That's it?"

Tora jumps around, yelling at Rex, "'That's it'!? People can die from loss of blood, you know!"

"Yeah, but from a nosebleed?" Rex replies, still skeptical.

"Anyway, moving on…"

"You seem awful casual about a near-death experience, you know," Rex teases Tora at this point.

"ANYWAY, back to Tora's blade! When it's complete, a no-potential person like Tora can be a driver!"

"Simply incredible… You built this blade from scratch, Tora?" Gramps says, in awe of the young Nopon's abilities.

"It was started by Grampypon and Dadapon. But Grampypon died, and Tora still doesn't know where Dadapon is," Tora says. "But Tora will finish the Artificial Blade! Then Dadapon will hear about Tora's success and come back home, yes?"

"Oh, Tora…" I say, feeling immense pity for our newfound friend.

"By the way, Tora, this blade… it looks complete? What else does it need?"

"Hehehe! All Tora has left to do is buy the missing parts! But Tora is flat broke."

"Oh? Really?" Rex says, suspiciously.

"Not even 1 gold."

"So you're asking for a loan?"

"Not a loan, more like a generous donation!"

Gramps puts his paws on his face. "Just like a Nopon, always shrewd when it comes to gold…"

"B-but if Tora completes the Artificial Blade, its combat capabilities would be a great help on big missions!"

"Well, yeah, if it works, you may have a point…" Rex replies, not yet convinced about the idea of an Artificial Blade. "So, how much do you need…?"

"A-Aha, no more than, say, 60,000 gold…?"

"SIXTY THOUSAND!?" Rex yells. "Do you want a kidney as well?"

I put my hand on Rex's shoulder. "Calm down, Rex. I think we owe Tora a favor after all his help." I take my mask, which hangs off my waist, and offer it to Rex. "Addam made this for me before I was sealed away. I suppose it could be considered a historical artifact. If we sold it, we might be able to make enough money to buy the parts that Tora needs."

"No way! I can't let you sell that!" Rex yells.

"But—"

"No way, I won't allow it. If we're going to do this, I'll pay for it myself." Rex adds, "But if we're going to go through with this, that Blade of yours better be seriously amazing, Tora."

"Of course! That is a Tora guarantee!"

"So, what is it that you need for the Artificial Blade?" Rex asks.

"One Perfect Range Sensor and three Bion Connectors!"

Rex, Tora, Gramps, and I go through the motions to collect the items Tora needs for his Blade. Rex learns that he can get the Bion Connectors by salvaging, which he spends several days fishing out of the Cloud Sea. A resident of Torigoth gives us a Perfect Range Sensor in exchange for clearing out some monsters so he could perform some botany. It was a pain and took much longer than Rex had hoped, but we made it through without breaking the bank. After gathering the items we need, we gather in Tora's house for the Artificial Blade's 'Awakening.'

It is a cold and stormy night, with lightning raging outside. Tora is working feverishly inside a curtained room, and after many hours of waiting, he finally emerges.

"It is done!" Tora exclaims, clearly exhausted yet filled with pride.

"Is it really complete?" Rex asks hopefully.

"Very complete!" Tora assures him. "It just needs an energy charge to activate!"

Gramps urges, "Tora, our friends' execution draws near. Make haste!"

"I know, I know. It's wakey-wakey time for the Artificial Blade!" Tora says as he reaches for a large lever on the wall.

"Wait, Tora!" Typhos yells, startling us. "You can't just call her 'Artificial Blade'; you have to give her a name!"

"Oh, well, Tora actually has thought of a name. It's a very good name," Tora replies.

"Very well then, Tora, introduce us!" Gramps encourages.

"Alright, wake up, Tora's Artificial Blade, Poppi!" Tora pulls the lever, and the house is struck by a bolt of lightning. The walls shake, and when the lights return, Poppi stands upright, staring blankly ahead.

"P-Poppi?" Tora inquires.

Suddenly, Poppi begins to move and starts to… twirl?

" How can I be of service, Master? " she says, lifting her arms and legs in a stereotypical, cutesy manner.

Rex, Gramps, and I are astounded. We don't know how to respond, so we simply stare at Tora in disbelief.

"W-w-wait a minute!" Tora rushes to a console next to Poppi and presses a few buttons. "Erm, forget you saw that! I need to change a few settings, aha…"

"The settings, sure…" I say, clearly not buying what he's saying for a second.

"Th-this time it should be okay. The second time will go best," Tora says while reaching for the lever once more. "Power… on!"

Lightning strikes the house again, and when the lights return, Poppi has returned to a neutral position. Her head turns to face Tora, and she speaks. "Greetings, Masterpon."

Tora's eyes light up, and he yells in celebration, "I… I did it! The world's first artificial Blade, Poppi!"
[REX]

Poppi, our newly awakened mechanical ally, turns to Tora and asks, "Masterpon, what is the current situation?"

Tora freezes, seemingly caught off guard by the responsibility thrust upon him right after her awakening. He glances at me and stammers, "A-aha, Rex-Rex, you explain the mission!"

"Why me...? Oh well," I reply, not expecting his insistence. "It's nice to meet you, Poppi. We are currently preparing for a mission to rescue our friend from the Ardanian Military."

"Poppi will try hard to make Masterpon and friends proud," she says earnestly.

Suddenly, Tora jumps up, as if he remembers something important. "Rex-Rex! If you want to make Poppi stronger, you should try something!"

"Stronger, huh?" I respond.

Tora leads us back to the area where we first entered the building and introduces us to a small machine. It appears to be a device that salvagers use to train kids who are too young to dive.

"You see, Poppi is like a littlepon Blade right now, about as strong as a freshly awakened Blade," Tora explains. "If you ever feel like Poppi is falling behind or not performing up to standard, come play Tiger-Tiger!"

"Tiger-Tiger?" I ask, confused about what he means.

"Tiger-Tiger! It's a game that Grampypon designed for Tora. When Rex-Rex wins, he can win parts for Poppi as a prize!"

At my side, Typhos asks, "Could we just break it open and upgrade Poppi to her maximum capabilities right now?"

Tora looks at Typhos as if he had just suggested slapping his Grampypon in the face. "No! Grampypon would roll over in his grave! We need to play fair; otherwise, he'll haunt us for sure!"

"U-uh, okay. I didn't realize it was that important," Typhos replies.

"Alright, Rex-Rex! Give it a shot!" Tora insists, and I comply.

Tiger-Tiger seems to be an arcade game centered around a Nopon diving in the Cloud Sea. There are directional buttons to move and another button to attack. The goal is to collect treasure chests throughout the stage while avoiding enemies and other hazards. It's not exactly something I would choose to play in my free time, but if it could help save Nia…

"Huh, so every chest you collect corresponds to parts or resources for Poppi…" I say, recognizing its usefulness.

I turn to Tora and offer him the parts I gained from playing the game. "Do you think any of these parts could be useful? We don't have much time to spend diving into this game…"

Tora examines the items and exclaims, "Tank Mod II! This is an upgrade for Poppi. The other parts are better than nothing. We're definitely in a better position to rescue your friend!"

"That's good! But where do we even start looking for her?" I ask, uncertain of our next steps.

Typhos explains, "I took a walk around Torigoth while we were waiting for you to resurface from your salvaging. There is a massive Ardanian ship docked by one of Grandarbor's roots. When I asked some of the local kids, they said they hadn't seen the ship before, so it's safe to assume it's the ship the informant mentioned."

"Alright, could I ask you to lead the way, Typhos?" I ask,

"Of course, just follow me!"

[TYPHOS]

I lead our diverse group of allies to the spot where I saw the ship the previous day. To my immense relief, the Grandarbor's Root is still secured to the ship.

Tora yells, "There's a Titan warship!"

"Mmm. Quite an impressive Titan," Gramps adds. "This is another sign that Mor Ardain is preparing for war with Uraya once again."

"Look! That root goes straight to the ship, just like Typhos said," Rex remarks, smiling at me.

"I'm just relieved that they didn't move the ship while we've been gone," I respond.

"Yes, yes!" Tora agrees.

"We should be able to climb down here," Rex suggests, pointing to vines that descend the cliff face, leading to where the root branches off.

"Understood," Poppi replies, and she leaps off the edge of the cliff. As she approaches the ground, boosters in her feet activate, slowing her fall and delivering her safely down.

"Show off…" Rex grumbles.

I laugh, and we descend, albeit much slower than Poppi, down the cliff. When we reach the bottom of the cliff, the ship's size is much more striking. We walk down the length of the root, and at its end, the ship towers over us, seeming like we could fit all of Torigoth within it.

"Yikes… How are we gonna find Nia in such a massive ship?" Rex asks, feeling doubtful

"If we didn't have Tora, it would be impossible. But now that we have some more allies, we should be able to handle it." I say, doing my utmost to encourage my Driver.

"Of course. Thanks, Typhos."

"Hmm, Rex, could you use your anchor to pull yourself to the ledge?" Gramps suggests, pointing to an opening about 20 feet above us.

Rex aims his anchor at the ledge and launches it. The hook bites into the metal roof of the opening, and he engages the mechanism to pull himself up. When he reaches the platform safely, he removes the anchor and extends it back down, signaling that he's ready to pull us all up.

"Typhos, you first. I'll pull you up," he calls out.

A knot of unease tightens in my stomach. I'm significantly larger than Rex, and no matter how strong he is, I doubt he'll be able to lift me. I turn to Poppi. "Hey, Poppi, could you help Rex lift the rest of us? I'm worried he might fall."

Poppi nods, determination in her eyes. "Of course. Poppi help pull Typhos up." With that, she grabs Tora and activates the boosters in her feet, launching herself up next to Rex.

When Poppi and Tora stand safely beside Rex, she grabs the anchor alongside Rex. Rex nods at me, and I hold onto the anchor. With minimal effort, Poppi and Rex are able to lift me to their level, and I jump onto the platform.

I let Rex lead us through the ship. It is a winding, sprawling vessel with numerous turns and obstacles. The area we entered appears to be a waste disposal chute, and when we reach the end of the tunnel, we find a tank filled with clouds from the Cloud Sea. Some monsters make their home here, but we dispose of them without much difficulty.

Poppi is surprisingly lifelike. She provides Tora with a massive shield—at least, it seems massive compared to him—with a drill embedded in its surface. Sourced from deep within her chest, she supports Tora with an Affinity Link, similar to those used by natural Blades. If I didn't know her origin, I could almost mistake her for just a normal Blade with a mechanical appearance.

"Tora, Poppi is truly a marvel," I say, genuinely in awe of her abilities. "How you managed to create a Blade with such lifelike accuracy, I couldn't possibly understand."

"Three generations of hard work!" Tora exclaims, puffing out his chest. "Grampypon, Dadapon, and I put many years into the creation of Poppi."

"Wow… Poppi, do you remember anything about Tora's father and grandfather? Or do you not have memories of your creation?" I ask the mechanical Blade.

Poppi places her hands on her waist and states proudly, "Grampypon and Dadapon of Masterpon were state-of-the-art inventors. The Ether Furnace used in Poppi is actually a creation of Masterpon's Grampypon!"

"Interesting, it seems you think highly of them as well, Poppi," Gramps comments. "Tora, she seemed more lifelike there, like she was showing more emotion. How is that?"

"Poppi is equipped with state-of-the-art programming," Tora explains.

"Poppi learns from every conversation and automatically improves her conversational programming. The more friends talk to Poppi, the better Poppi becomes at responding!" Poppi adds, as if her own programming is the most fascinating subject in the world.

"Nice, nice! Guess we'd better keep talking to you, then." Rex says, seeming happy at the idea of having another friend.

As we proceed through the ship, we come across many Ardanian soldiers, as we expected, but Tora and Poppi are always able to take their attention before they can do any harm to Rex and me. With Tora taking the enemies aggro, we can take them out efficiently, and safely.

"So, I guess this is what other people refer to as 'Driver Roles'", Rex ponders, "Tora and Poppi don't deal too much damage, but all of the enemies cannot seem to take their eyes off of them."

"Of course, Rex." Gramps says, seeming disappointed that it took Rex this long to notice, "Every driver's role depends on what Blade they are using. Typhos would be considered an Attacker, Dromarch a Healer, and Poppi a Tank."

"If Rex-Rex want Poppi to do something else, should play Tiger-Tiger!" Tora exclaims, "Poppi can change role depending on what Mod she has. You got Tank Mod II last time you played, which improved Poppi's ability as Tank. But there Healer and Attacker Mods available, too!"

Poppi, whom throughout this conversation has just been observing, suddenly tenses. She turns to Tora, "Masterpon, Poppi can sense ether wavelength of Blade. Was friend's friend a Driver?"

"Yes!" Rex exclaims, "Her Blade is named Dromarch. Can you lead us in the Ether's direction?"

"Of course. Please follow." Poppi states confidently

Poppi leads us through the sprawling corridors of the ship. With every twist and turn, Poppi seems to know where to go. Even I cannot sense Ether to such pinpoint precision, everything I learn about Poppi manages impresses me even more. Before long, she stops in front of a door.

"Blade in here." She says, indicating the door we stand next to.

"Alright, Rex, may I have the sword?" I ask, and he hands me our shared blade, "Everyone, stand back."

I pour Ether into the sword, and in a single, swift movement, I reduce the metal door to scrap.

In the corner of the room, lays Dromarch.

I freeze, worrying that I struck him accidentally, "You alright, Dromarch? I didn't use too much power, did I?"

"Typhos, Rex!" Dromarch stands up, seeming pleased to see us.

"Whew, be glad you didn't give him a spontaneous haircut, Typhos." Rex jokes

Gramps pops up next to Rex's head, peering into the cell, "It is nice to see you unharmed."

Tora and Poppi jump in, "It very nice!"

"See, Masterpon? Told you there was Blade in here."

Dromarch startles, "Master Titan... And I'm sorry, who?"

Rex jumps in, not offering an explanation for our newfound allies, "Dromarch, we're kind of in a rush. Do you have any idea where Nia is?"

"Of course, we are in resonance, after all."

[NIA]

As much as it hurt to be back in Torigoth, being imprisoned again hurt even more. It wasn't just the imprisonment itself, but the memories it brought back. The only reason I joined Torna was because of Jin—he cut down the door and offered me his hand.

I hear a crash, and the door to the cell falls apart. As my eyes adjust to the light, I see a tall figure wearing plated armor.

"Jin?"

"Nia! Are you okay?" As my vision clears, I recognize Typhos, with Rex just behind him.

"Rex, Typhos, you…?"

Dromarch slips into the room, lowering his head in shame. "I am sorry for my late arrival, my lady."

I laugh lightly and reach out to pet Dromarch behind his ear. "It's alright. I didn't really think anyone was coming."

Rex steps closer, smiling, his golden eyes sparkling despite the dim light. He offers me his hand. "As if we'd leave you! That's part of the Salvagers' code, you know: 'Always help those who help you.'"

I laugh genuinely this time, my heart pounding in my chest. "That's just like you, Rex." I take his hand and rise to my feet. "Thank you, Rex, and you too, Typhos."

"Of course, Nia. I'd never forgive myself if we had to leave you behind. I've left enough behind in my time; I think I deserve to be selfish."

"Haha! Because putting your neck on the line for someone else is selfish," I giggle.

As we talk, a familiar face and two unfamiliar ones peek in from the doorway. Nopon wearing goggles and overalls appears and says, "Rex-Rex! Tora has found an escape route! Hurry-hurry!"

A-A Nopon!?" I exclaim, incredulous.

Rex laughs beside me. "Haha, we made a new friend."

Gramps, riding atop a little girl's white hat, adds, "Well, I think we've overstayed our welcome here. Let's get going!"

[TYPHOS]

Tora leads the way through the rest of the ship. Behind us, I can hear Rex and Nia chatting. Through our connection, I sense Rex's happiness; it feels deeper than just happiness, though.

"So, a Nopon driver, huh?" Nia asks.

"Not quite. Tora doesn't have the aptitude to be a natural Driver, but he is a master technician. He created an Artificial Blade, and she's amazing," Rex responds, smiling a bit too widely for such a casual conversation.

I chuckle to myself, thinking, "I'll have to tease him about that later."

Before we reach the hangar where we can escape, we encounter a door that is locked by an electrical mechanism. We need to loop around the ship to find the key for the mechanism, which leads us to run into an overwhelming number of guards. It's nothing we can't handle, especially with Nia and Dromarch's assistance, but it's quite an annoyance.

After what feels like an eternity of navigating through the ship, we finally return to the door, and with the key in hand, we are able to open it.

"Not much further to the exit!" Tora yells, pointing ahead with his wing.

Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice calls out, "Not so fast, my dear intruders," and a massive figure steps in front of us, casting a large shadow that blocks our escape.

Nia, now positioned with Rex and me, hisses, "Dughall. Didn't the Inquisitor give you enough of a thrashing?"

Dughall stands in front of us, accompanied by an extraordinarily large Blade. The Blade wields a massive hammer and sports gold-plated, armor-like skin.

"Letting a terrorist from Torna escape would make me look very bad indeed," Dughall says, casting a quick glance at my chest. "Ah, that Amethyst Core Crystal! You must be the Aegis. Much as it pains me to admit, it seems Mòrag was right on the mark."

I stepped back, cursing myself for not keeping the metal plate Tora gave me affixed above my core. Before I could respond, Rex retorted, "So you know who Typhos is, huh? You must be aware of how many of your kind we've taken down, you ratbag!"

Dughall maintains his haughty demeanor as he replies, "Now, now, let's watch our language. But of course I know. Typhos is the most powerful Blade in all of history, with the ability to rend Alrest asunder. Only a fool would know of that power and not seek to claim it! And I am no fool! Therefore, I will claim him as my own! You cannot argue with such logic!"

"Flaw detected in the final step of logic," Poppi says. I give Poppi a high five and step forward in front of the others. "Yes, Alrest may have fallen victim to this power once before, but let me make this clear: I will never allow someone like you to wield it."

Nia says from behind me, "Sorry, pal, you've done enough capturing for today." I toss my sword back to Rex, while Nia and Tora draw their weapons. I take a step back and allow Rex to take the lead.

Now that Nia has returned, we can finally execute at least part of the Driver Combo again, with Tora able to topple the opponent. However, the cowardly Driver in front of us refuses to face us directly. He hides behind his Blade, forcing it to absorb the brunt of our attacks while shooting at us with a puny rifle.

Rex grunts, clearly angry at his misuse of his Blade, "That coward! He's just hiding behind his Blade!"

Dughall responds, goading him on, "What? Does common sense elude you? A Blade can regenerate from any injury! Whereas if I die, my Blade will return to a useless core!"

My rage builds.

Nia yells, "So you think it's okay to use them as a living shield? They may recover, but Blades still feel pain!"

Dughall laughs, spurring my fury even more, "Hahah, how cute. The fleabag thinks we should care about Blades' feelings. Heeheehee, I wonder if YOU can feel pain!

Something long growing within me snaps. Throughout time, my brother and Addam have faced so much backlash from people like him. The people in the country of Torna, claiming that Titans and Blades were tools to use, not appreciate. Treating people who loved us and cared for us to be weak-minded. Calling them Pitiful, despite their empathy for those who could not fight back. The people who chase me, see me merely as a tool in some game. Hurting Rex, imprisoning Nia and Dromarch…

"Rex. Give me the sword." I command

"H-huh? I mean, sure, but what are you going to do?" He says, handing me the sword.

I charge forward, blade in hand, and launch multiple blasts not at Dughall, but at his blade.

When the blasts connect, the Ether surrounding the massive blade disperses. It collapses to the ground, breathing heavily. Dughall stands pitifully, flabbergasted at its sudden fall.

Despite my exhaustion, I step forward and kneel before the mighty, fallen Blade. I gently touch his core, and his life rushes through my mind. Suffering in front of this gnat of a man, forced to feel a lifetime of pain just so that his coward of a Driver did not have to get his hands dirty.

"Dolmes… So that is your name. I'm sorry for doing this to you, but I promise, you shall recover. But not before I deal with your Driver."

"D-Dolmes? What are you blathering about!?" Dughall crows, and takes aim at me once more.

Before he can pull the trigger, before he can even blink, I rush forward and cut the rifle to pieces. I kick him in the chest and send him sprawling to the ground, struggling to stand up. I walk to his side and step on his sternum, causing him to scream with whatever air he can manage to take in. I push the tip of my sword just below his chin, threatening to cut his throat

I rage, "Are you seriously telling me that you never even cared to learn your Blade's name!?"

Dughall flounders, struggling to come up with a response that would quell my anger.

Before he can speak, I continue, "Let me give you a brief history lesson. You see, every Aegis has a role—whether to create life, nurture it, or correct it. It is the nature of the Driver who awakens each Aegis that determines how that Aegis will interpret their mission. My role, that of the Endbringer, is to serve as the corrective force for this world. Fortunately for you, I love this world. I love the people in it and how they have guided me."

I smile at my allies and add, "But it's people like you who make me realize why I have been gifted with this power. It is so I may guide you toward a healthier path. And if you choose to ignore my warnings…"

I lean down and whisper in Dughall's ear, "I may make good on the title of 'Endbringer.'"

I stand, and push harder on the sword, drawing a small amount of blood. ""But you won't force me into that, will you, Consul? Your Blade, as gracious as he is, does not hate you. Know that if he did, we wouldn't be having this conversation. I have half a mind to free him from his suffering and give him to someone worthy of his kindness."

Dughall begins to cry, snot running down his face, looking more like the toad of a man he truly is.

"Become a true Driver. A good Driver. Help Torigoth and guide them into the future. Only someone with your authority in the Empire can assist them. Work to help your community rather than lining your pockets, and be a true Consul. With the assistance of your Blade, you may yet find truth on your path." I try to sound powerful, despite feeling drained. "Am I understood?"

"O-of course…" Dughall stammers, and I lift my foot from his chest. He scrambles to his feet and turns to run. I glare at him. "Are you not going to assist your Blade, Dughall?"

He squeals and yells, "O-of course!" Then he turns on his heels and rushes to his Blade's side.

I turn to face our newfound visitor. "Are these conditions workable, Special Inquisitor?"

The Special Inquisitor wears a smile, and the twin blades at her side are sheathed. "So this is the nature of the legendary Aegis. I must say, your restraint is understated in the legends."

I return her smile, trying to appear amicable. "That is because the legends do not refer to me, I am afraid. My brother is the one they speak of, and he is much more hot-headed than I."

I turn to the Blade at her side. "It is nice to see you again, at least under better circumstances, Brighid. Though you may not remember, you were a great ally to my brother. He thinks very highly of you."

Brighid smiles. "The feeling is mutual, Lord Aegis. It has required quite a bit of restraint on Lady Mòrag's and my part to not bash Dughall's head in. His treatment of Blades is quite unpopular, even in the military state of Mor Ardain."

I wave her off. "Please, Typhos is fine." I gesture for my allies to come forward, indicating that it is safe. "This is my Driver, Rex. Nia and Dromarch, although I assume you've already met, and Tora, with his Artificial Blade, Poppi. Oh, and that's Gramps back there." Gramps pops up from behind Rex's head, waving at them.

Mòrag's eyes widen. "Artificial Blade?"

"That was my reaction too," Rex says, rubbing the back of his head. "But she's the real deal, just as powerful as a normal Blade."

"How intriguing…" Brighid adds, seeming just as surprised as her Driver.

"May I request that we move this conversation to the Consulate? It is far more comfortable there, despite Dughall's stench," Mòrag requests.

Back in the Consulate, Mòrag requests to speak with me privately, at first. I agree.

"So, I know that you broke the law, breaking out your friend like that, but I am under the belief that you have done both Torigoth and Mor Ardain a great service by whipping that Consul into shape. He was performing below standards, and if he shapes up, I won't have to go through the trouble of replacing him." Mòrag states with a cocky smirk, "So, as far as I am concerned, we are even."

"Wow, I appreciate it, Special Inquisitor," I say, not quite knowing how to respond.

"I must ask for one thing in return, however." She says,

"And what is that?" I ask,

"I would like to speak with your brother, the one whom you said the legends refer to."

This request surprises me,

"U-uh, I don't know how to do that. He's asleep, he left me in charg-"

Before I can finish speaking, something loud from within me stirs.

"I can make an exception, just this once, Brother," a voice from within me stirs. I nearly collapse in the seat, the shock resonating from within me

"T-Typhos? Are you alright?" Brighid yells from where she is standing behind her Driver.

My body moves on its own, and my hand reaches out, touching Mòrag Ladair on her forehead.

[Mòrag]

I am in a dark, empty void. It feels like I am surrounded by a starless night, with everything, yet nothing illuminated. I can see my own body fine, as if I am in a well-lit room, but there is nothing around me.

No, there is someone here. In front of me, there is a tall, hulking man. He wears pitch-black armor, with spiky black hair to match. His eyes are dark, yet kind. Embedded in a gold, ornamental pedestal on his chest, is a brilliantly shining Amethyst Core Crystal.

"W-where am I?" I ask, uncertain of how I got here.

"We are in my memory stage," The man responds,

"And who are you?"

"The one you asked to see."

"My name is Malos."

[MÓRAG]

"My name is Malos, and I am the Aegis known as the Endbringer," the man says, his voice heavy.

"Endbringer? Typhos mentioned that was his role as well. That must make you his brother," I respond, assessing my current situation.

Malos smiles briefly before returning to his serious demeanor. "Typhos... He's a good kid, really, but inexperienced. I didn't give him enough of a chance to grow." He glances down at his side.

"Inexperienced? What do you mean?" I ask.

"Although Typhos sees me as his brother, he is an alternate personality I created. He carries my memories and the burdens they entail, but he hasn't had much time to develop as an individual."

"An alternate personality? Why would you do that?" I inquire, utterly confused by the idea.

"Because my personality, along with the role I hold, is intrinsically linked to my power—the power of utter destruction. I had to remove myself from the equation to dilute my power and weaken it to the point where it no longer poses a serious threat to this world."

"So, you consigned yourself to oblivion..." I say, gazing into the emptiness around us, "...so that this world wouldn't fall victim to your power again?"

Malos nods. "You see, the memory stage is not meant to be shared between two people. I can only manifest a single landscape, so I gave it to Typhos. I had the pleasure of journeying with those I cared for, experiencing the world in person…" He looks towards the sky, or whatever passes for one here, his eyes appearing almost wistful. "Typhos only lived a very short time in reality. I could not, and would not, leave him in an empty mindscape with only memories that did not belong to him…"

"You seem protective of him," I comment. "I must say, protectiveness is not a quality I expected from the Legendary Aegis."

Malos smiles bitterly. "Of course. I assume the history books do not reflect kindly upon me."

I nod. "They never portray you as a villain, but often as a cautionary tale about the weight of power. Your experiences are used to warn young Drivers about the burdens of their newfound abilities and what can go wrong…"

"Tell me, what is your opinion of Typhos? And the boy, Rex?" Malos asks, clearly wanting to change the subject.

"As you mentioned, Typhos is inexperienced, as is the boy. They are idealists, kind to a fault. From what I've observed, Typhos tends to take the lead over his Driver and often overuses his own power…" I reflect on the combat I oversaw between Typhos and Dughall, "It's an unusual trait for a Blade."

Malos nods. "That is likely due to my influence. His power is weaker than mine, but he still has the impulse to destroy his target. He is incapable of that, so he overuses the power he does possess…" He hesitates. "...Is he happy?"

"That is a question you must ask him yourself," I suggest, hoping to inspire him to speak with his brother. However, I realize something: "I had assumed that you were watching him, overseeing his journey since his awakening. Is that untrue?"

Malos looks down, appearing regretful. "You see, this is merely a brief waking period for me. My power was not intended to be split or altered. As a consequence, I can only remain awake for very brief moments at a time." He stands straight suddenly, as if remembering something, "Oh, right. You were the one who wanted to speak with me, what did you need?"

"I merely wanted to see the person who the legends referred to. The way Typhos was speaking made it seem like he had nothing to do with the legends themselves."

"He's not wrong. He was born after the stories were finished." Malos reiterates,

Another idea strikes me, "The legendary hero Addam... If you are still alive, he must be as well, no?" I ask,

Malos laughs, "As lovely as that would be, no. Aegises are not bound by the laws of normal blades. We need a Driver to awaken, of course, and their personality influences ours, but past that? We are no longer bound to them. As long as our core is mostly intact, we continue to live on, even after our driver has passed. After they are gone, we may choose our drivers as we wish, as Typhos did with Rex."

Purple light begins to flicker around us, with amethyst smoke circling us. Malos' form begins to flicker, and he puts a hand on his head.

"Damn it… My time is running out…" Malos says. He steadies his gaze at me. "Mórag. Can I ask something of you?"

"You may," I say, not knowing how he will respond,

"Please, watch over Typhos, and Rex. I will never be able to truly awaken until Rex becomes a driver capable of wielding my power. This is a feat that even Addam was never able to accomplish." He says, wincing, as if forcing himself to stay awake was painful, "Typhos is truly just a child. He needs companionship, and someone reliable to lean on. Could I ask you to oversee Rex's training, so that Typhos can grow alongside him? And that so eventually I may be able to join him?"

"It would be my pleasure." I say, resolute in my decision, "The boy shows potential, and I believe that training him to be able to competently handle the Aegis' power would be a benefit to the entire world."

Malos smiles, genuinely this time. "Thank you, Special Inquisitor."

The amethyst light shines brightly, obscuring my view. The final thing I hear before the memory stage fades completely is "Please, give Brighid and Aegeon my best wishes. Hugo was a great friend."

[Typhos]

"Lady Mórag? Lady Mórag!" I shout, shaking Mórag as she lies on the desk.

"What happened!?" Brighid yells, her panic evident.

Mórag takes a sharp breath and sits up suddenly.

I exhale, relieved that she has awakened. "Thank Father…"

"Lady Mórag, are you quite alright!?" Brighid asks, still panicked.

"Peace, Brighid…" Mórag says, raising a hand. "I was merely conversing with Malos."

Upon hearing the name, it's as if time freezes. "Malos? She spoke with my brother? Why would he talk to her but not to me?"

"Malos? That name…" Brighid says, as if remembering something. She retrieves a small book from her dress and begins flipping through it wildly.

Mórag levels her gaze at me and speaks softly, "Your brother is not ignoring you. He only sleeps because he has to."

"What?" I say, shocked.

"From what he told me, your creation fractured his power. It seems he has only fleeting moments of lucidity, which are few and far between. It is not his wish to desert you; he cares deeply about you."

I look down at my lap, struggling to believe what I am hearing. "My existence hurt my brother?"

Mórag responds, "Please, go gather the rest of your friends. There are things I must tell all of you."

[REX]

When Typhos opens the door, the first thing I notice is his expression. He looks shocked, as if he has just gone through something traumatic.

"Typhos? Are you okay?" I ask.

"Yeah, don't worry. I'm okay," he replies.

"If you're sure…" I say as I walk through the door, followed by Nia, Dromarch, Tora, and Poppi.

Mórag gestures for us to sit, and we each find a chair, except for Dromarch, of course.

Mórag takes the lead. "So, I had the fleeting privilege of speaking with Typhos's brother, who asked something of me."

"H-huh? Even I haven't spoken with Typhos's brother!?" I exclaim.

"That isn't his fault; there are extenuating circumstances."

Typhos, standing behind me, explains, "Apparently, when my brother created me, it fractured his power, leaving him conscious only very rarely. It just so happens that this was one of those times." His voice is flat, as if he is trying to contain his emotions.

"Before our time was up, Malos asked me to watch over you," Mórag says, looking directly at me. "He wishes for me to oversee your training because if you grow as a driver, there is a chance that he may be able to awaken permanently."

Typhos noticeably perks up at this news. "You mean my brother can wake up?"

Mórag nods. "Malos believes so."

Nia asks, "So if you're overseeing Rex's training, what does that mean?"

Mórag smirks. "That means I will be accompanying you on your journey. I do not intend to leave the Aegis in the hands of someone unworthy, so I will make you worthy. I hope you're ready, boy."

Gramps says from behind me, "Oohooo, you're in trouble, my boy!"

[πνεῦμα]

My consciousness is dim, a mere fragment of what it should be. My data is corrupted, and I cannot perform my duty as the secondary personality. Although I have an excuse, she does not.

"Sister. The Lifebearer does not get to pick and choose whom to nurture. You are broken, and you need to be set to rights. This is not what Father wants."

My power may be a mere flame compared to her light, but I will do what I must.

[REX]

"So, you're planning to stay with us, at least until you believe that I am worthy of Typhos?" I ask, wanting Mórag to elaborate.

"Yes, or at least until Malos awakens, because he will be able to keep you in check. That is the plan; however, if something unexpected arises, we may need to adjust our plans—whether that means cutting my time with you short or extending it," Mórag explains.

"So, that changes our plan, doesn't it?" Typhos asks. "We were aiming for the World Tree, but if we want to wait for Malos to awaken first, what should our next step be?"

"First, I would request that we go to my homeland, Mor Ardain," Mórag says. "I need to report to His Majesty since he was the one who ordered me to gather information on your current status."

"Mor Ardain, huh?" Nia remarks. "I know you said they were cleared of any wrongdoing for saving me, but what about me?"

"Hmm. Rex mentioned that you defected from Torna willingly to assist him and the Aegis in their escape. Is that true?" Mórag inquires.

"Yeah. They stabbed Rex in the back. It was one thing to run with them from the sidelines, but I wasn't okay with them murdering a child."

Mórag chuckles, "You say that as if you aren't the same age as him."

"Looks can be deceiving, Inquisitor," Nia replies, crossing her arms.

Mórag laughs, "Of course. I believe that if you continue to aid the Aegis and his driver, you may remain free, if only to prove yourself. Consider it a form of community service."

Nia's ears perk up. "You mean all I have to do is stay with Rex and the others?"

"Of course, I would need His Majesty to approve that. All the more reason to head straight to Mor Ardain."

"Alright, let's do it. If it means securing your aid and freeing Nia? Let's go." I say,

Mórag rises from her seat and walks to our side of the table. She offers her hand, and I reach forward to reciprocate. "To our continued partnership." I offer, trying to sound more professional than I really should,

"For the sake of the world," Mórag replies.

[TYPHOS]

"Ugh, I'd forgotten just how uncomfortable Ardainian ships are," I say, fanning my face with my hand.

We sit around a table in the common area of the ship. Despite being labeled as a living area, it feels more like a war conference room, which, in hindsight, it probably gets used for quite often.

"You know, Typhos, you can change out of that armor," Nia says. "Just because you were awakened in it doesn't mean you can't take it off."

"I know, but we just haven't found any clothes that would fit me," I reply.

"Ah, being a biggipon must be hard!" Tora adds, as Poppi hammers on his back, seemingly giving him a massage.

"Biggipon? What does that mean?" I ask, surprised by the term.

"Typhos is very tall," Poppi says, not pausing her massage.

"Yeah, it makes me wonder how tall Malos is," Rex offers.

"He's even taller than Typhos," Mórag states as she suddenly appears in the doorway. "About twice as tall as Rex."

"Jeez, if he's that big, how is Rex even going to carry his sword?" Nia teases.

"Hey! I'll have you know that I'm a lot stronger than I look," Rex defends himself.

"Sure, whatever you want to tell yourself, littlepon," Nia cackles.

Mórag smiles and says, "I suppose that's what I'm here for." She continues, "Rex, Typhos mentioned that you might be interested in using his sword single-handed. What would be the reasoning for that?"

Rex hesitates and laughs nervously. "Well, his sword is a lot like Jin's. If I could use it like he does, I may be able to use it more effectively, or even free up my other hand for another weapon."

Mórag raises her eyebrows in surprise at the thought. "Another weapon? Are you suggesting you may want to drive two Blades at once?"

Rex seems surprised by her shock. "Uh, is that not a thing? I didn't think it was impossible."

Brighid, who appears beside Mórag in the doorway, says, "No, it isn't done. Driving even a single Blade places a very large strain on the human body. Surely you've noticed how hard it is for your body to drive a Blade like Typhos? Driving a second Blade would be tantamount to suicide."

Rex looks at me. "What? All I notice when I'm driving you is that I feel a lot stronger. There's no strain?"

I stop, thinking for a moment. "Could it be possible that our way of bonding has made you more able to handle a Blade's energy? That you have a more 'Bladelike' constitution?"

Mórag and Brighid enter the room and sit down in front of us, both of them fixated on the Core in Rex's chest. Mórag says, "I never noticed it before, but you are bonded differently than normal, aren't you?"

Nia adds, "I wasn't exaggerating when I said that Torna stabbed him in the back. Typhos brought him back from death's door so he could become his Driver."

"Truly astounding. I have never heard of anything like this; I must write this down…" Brighid says, brandishing a small book from where it hides within her dress.

"I see that you still keep your record, Brighid," I say, happy to see that she hasn't changed too much throughout the years.

"Of course. This journal is all I have when it comes to my previous lives," Brighid replies. "There is a lot written about your brother, you know. But my records stop just before the final battle with Mythra. Why is that?"

"I-I…" I hesitate,

"Malos asked me to give Brighid and Aegaeon a message for him, something along the lines of, 'Tell them that I am truly sorry for Hugo. He was a great friend.'" Mórag says,

"Y-yes, your and Aegaeon's driver, the emperor of Mor Ardain, Hugo, was one of the many casualties of the Aegis war. He gave his life to save Addam…"

"Typhos…" Rex says,

"I see. There are records of a short-lived Emperor named Hugo. I did not realize he was on the front lines alongside Addam…" Mórag says,

"That was likely his doing." I say, "He was never one to take credit for his actions, always finding ways to accredit others. He likely requested for the Special Inquisitor at the time to leave out any mention of his heroics if he were to fall in battle."

"Interesting… He must have been an interesting man. I only wish I could have met him." Mórag says,

"He was truly an amazing person. I wish I had a way of introducing you two, he would have been proud of how far his legacy has come."

At my side, Rex asks, "How long until we arrive in Mor Ardain?"

Mórag perks up, "Oh right, that's the reason I came here in the first place. We are almost there."

The Ardainian Titan is a large, humanoid figure. Its back and body are covered in numerous massive Ether ports, and even from the deck of the ship, we can feel the intense heat radiating from it.

"Jeez, I'm sweating already," Nia says, tugging at the collar of her jumpsuit to get some air.

"You know, for someone who told me to change out of my armor, you're wearing an awful lot of clothing as well. Maybe we should look for some more climate-appropriate clothes in town."

Nia's eyes widen, and she stammers, "U-uh, no! I'll be fine; I don't need different clothes, I promise!" Almost reflexively, she crosses her arms over her chest, as if trying to guard it from something.

Rex, always at my side, asks, "Nia, are you okay? Are you attached to those clothes or something?"

"U-uh, yeah! My da gave me these; I like having them…" she says, as though to convince herself of her own explanation.

Before I can question her further, she rushes below deck, disappearing from our view.

"Rex! Come over here! I need to show you something," Mórag calls from the edge of the deck. As Rex moves to speak with her, I quickly follow Nia down below deck.

I find Nia in the living area, alone and panting, her hands covering her chest.

"Jeez, I suppose I should have known better than to think I could evade the Aegis, huh?" she says, her eyes wide with panic as if she feels cornered.

"Nia, are you okay?" I ask, trying to calm her down. "I didn't mean to startle you; I was just trying to make conversation."

"I—I know you and Rex wouldn't want to harm me. It's just that I can't wear lighter clothing. I can't," she replies, her voice trembling.

I notice where she instinctively places her hands, covering her chest just below her neck. I reach to the same spot on my body and find my Core Crystal.

"Oh Gods… Nia, are you…?"

[REX]

"So, this is your motherland, eh Mórag?" I say,

"Yes. I'm sure you must have noticed the state of the Titan, though."

Gramps, flying between us, says "They say that the Ardainian Titan is at the end of its lifespan."
"Harvests have been declining for years. The soil is infertile, and the temperature is only rising. We have developed technology that draws upon the heat for energy, but still, we are running out of time."

"And why're you tellin' me this?"
"I merely want to explain the reason why we have annexed Gormott. We rely on its gentler climate for produce, and eventually, it is where we will need to move."

"You don't need to explain yourself, Mórag, I trust you."
Mórag laughs, like the sentiment is silly, "You know, you're awfully trusting of someone who could have very easily been your enemy."

"I know, but you're not my enemy. You are doing all you can to help us, I think that is enough."

[NIA]

"Nia, I promise, I will keep this between us. No one will know, not until you are ready." Typhos assures, his eyes gentle.

"T-thanks…" I stand up straight, and take a deep breath, "Okay. Rex will be concerned if we don't get up there,

"Yeah. Just be careful not to overheat in Mor Ardain, okay? Its climate is not known for being gentle." Typhos says,

"You don't need to coddle me, Typhos. I can handle myself."
We walk above deck, and Rex greets me at the top. "Oh good, I was just about to come find you. You ready for our audience with the Emperor?"

"Yeah. Let's do this."

[REX]

As we arrive in the port of Mor Ardain, the heat becomes more intense. If we thought it was bad outside the Titan, it amplifies tenfold once we're on it.

"Jeez, Mórag, is wearing that uniform part of some training regimen here? I'm not wearing half of that, and I'm already a wreck," I say, fanning myself with my hand.

Mórag chuckles. "No, I don't think it would be considered training… it's more of a way of life.

We are accustomed to the heat here."

"Ugh. And I thought Leftheria was hot in the summer…"

"Oh, maybe this could help…" Typhos says, pointing above my head. A large orb of water appears and bursts like a balloon, completely drenching me in cold water.

Nia bursts out laughing. "Pahaha! Look at you now!"

"Well, I'm not hot anymore, at least…" I reply, squeezing the water out of my clothes.

Typhos appears to be fighting back laughter. "Sorry, I used too much water…"

"Well, I suppose it would be better for us to be rested and clean before we meet His Majesty," Mórag suggests. "Let's head to the capital. We can rest there, and I'll send word to His Majesty."

"Thanks, Mórag…"

Tora teases, "Rex-Rex look like he fell in puddle!"

"Didn't know puddles could fall from the sky now…" I retort.

[NIALL]

As has become my habit lately, I sit on the throne, listening to reports concerning the situation in Uraya. The circumstances there are dire; however, today I have received multiple reports from Uraya that are unrelated to the war effort.

"Torna… A terrorist organization named after a fallen nation, seemingly focused on stealing Core Crystals," I muse, reviewing a report from a scout in Uraya.

Before I can formulate any solid thoughts, a soldier enters the throne room, bearing a missive. "Your Majesty, the Special Inquisitor has sent a report!"

"News from my sister?" I reply, intrigued as my interest finally piques.

The soldier approaches and carefully hands me the message. I unroll it and read aloud, "Ah, they have arrived in Mor Ardain and request to meet with me tomorrow." A wave of immense relief washes over me, though I do my best to conceal it.

I turn to the soldier who delivered the message. "Arrange for them to stay at Jakolo's Inn for the night. Ensure that she and her companions are provided with full amenities; I expect them to be comfortable."

"Of course, Your Majesty!" The soldier salutes and leaves the room in a hurry.

"The Aegis… If my sister has returned so soon, she must have found him."

[MÓRAG]

As we enter the capital city of Alba Cavanich, before I can introduce my companions to our surroundings, we are interrupted by a soldier.

"Special Inquisitor Mórag! I have received express orders from His Majesty to escort you to your lodgings."

"Already?" I exclaim in surprise. "I didn't expect him to have received my message yet, much

less to act on it."

The soldier appears nervous but maintains his composure. "His Majesty made it clear that your comfort and that of your companions is a high priority, so I did my best to locate you quickly."

I chuckle. "Thank you for your effort, soldier. I'll have to thank His Majesty later."

"I'm sure he would appreciate that, Ma'am! Every time I bring one of your messages to him, he seems noticeably happier."

"Oh, brother…" I say quietly.

"Um, Ma'am?" the soldier responds.

"Yes?"

"If you don't mind my asking, why does one of your companions seem to be soaking wet?"

From behind me, I hear Nia begin to laugh wildly and respond, "His Blade completely doused him for being annoying."

Rex yells, "Okay, now you KNOW that isn't true!"

Typhos giggles, "Is it though?"

"Sky Puddle Smite Rex-Rex!" Tora adds.

"Not you too, Tora!"

The soldier laughs but visibly tenses when he notices Typhos' Core. "I-Is that the Aegis!? I am sorry I laughed, sir! I meant no disrespect!" He raises his hands in front of his face. "Please don't drench me too..."

"See! You've scared the poor guy," Rex says.

Typhos chuckles, "Please, don't worry. I don't drench random people just because I feel like it. I was only trying to cool Rex down."

I nod and turn to the soldier. "They are just playing around. The ship wasn't stimulating enough, I suppose." I smile at the thought. "It seems they are inclined to make a ruckus now that we are in an open space."

"V-very well. Please follow me! I have arranged for your stay at Jakolo's Inn." He turns and begins to walk down the main road.

As we walk, the soldier continues to speak. "His Majesty insisted that you be given full amenities, so you will be able to use the Hot Springs as well." He glances at Rex while still walking. "A word of advice from a native: Be sure to try out the hot springs! They are amazing."

"I concur. Nothing is more relaxing after a long mission," I add.

Rex turns to Typhos, "Want to try it out, Typhos?"

Typhos nods eagerly, "Absolutely! It's been ages since I've had a good bath."

The soldier leads us the rest of the way to the inn. When we arrive, he speaks to the receptionist and then returns to us.

"Alright, the details for your stay have been finalized. Please enjoy yourselves!"

"I appreciate it. You may return to your duties now," I say.

The soldier nods and leaves the building.

"Whew, it's weird being waited on by soldiers instead of being chased by them," Nia comments.

"Let's just hope it stays that way…" Rex replies.

[REX]

"Whew, these rooms are a lot nicer than I was expecting," I say while unpacking the few belongings I managed to keep with me. "As nice as it is to be somewhere relatively comfortable, it's making me realize just how little I have to my name."

Gramps replies, "Yes… Most of what you had was kept in the hut on my back."

Typhos adds, "We should eventually look for a place to establish our base of operations. It's one thing to carry all our stuff around, but it would be nice to have a place to return to."

I look down and say, "It makes me miss Fonsett."

"Addam was always quite fond of the Lefterian Archipelago," Typhos comments.

"I would assume so," Gramps responds. "After all, Addam was the one who founded Fonsett."

"What!?" Typhos exclaims, then quickly regains his composure. "I suppose that makes sense. Since Torna fell, he likely took his wife and settled down somewhere. With how much he loved Leftheria, I can see him doing that."

"Wife? I didn't know Addam was ever married. From what I'd heard, he seemed like an eternal bachelor."

Typhos laughs at this. "I don't know where that idea came from. Addam was the ultimate 'wife guy.' He took every possible opportunity to mention her." He visibly softens as he continues, "His wife was pregnant for most of the Aegis War. He was frantic to defeat Mythra so he could get back home to her."

"Oh, in that case, I'm glad they were able to find a home in Fonsett," I reply.

"Yes, me too…"

"I'll have to show you around there. Auntie Corrine and the kids would love you," I say, trying to lighten his spirits.

Typhos smiles. "I'd like that. Should we head to the Hot Springs?"

"Oh, yeah!"

"These old bones could use a good soak," Gramps says while stretching,

"Gramps, I don't think your bones can be considered 'old' anymore." Typhos jokes

"Aah… Mórag wasn't kidding when she said these were amazing after a long mission," I say pleasantly.

"Rex-Rex, could you wash Tora's back? Tora cannot reach…" Tora asks.

"Aha, alright, furball. Just let me know when you want me to," I reply. I turn to Typhos, who for the first time since I reawakened him is not wearing his armor. "Huh, I would've thought the ornamental part around your Core in your armor was a part of your Core as well."

"Nope. There are exceptions, but most of the time, the clothing a Blade awakens in can be removed freely. And even then, it is rare for a Blade's core to be anything more than the crystal itself. It's uncomfortable to cover a Blade's core for an extended period, and it can be a pain to tailor clothes around a Blade's core. So, most of the time, Blades just wear what they are awakened in."

"Huh, that makes sense," I say, thinking back on our last conversation. "Hey, about Addam… what was he like?"

"Well, I didn't get to know him too well personally. All I know about him comes from Malos' memories. But Malos saw him as a father figure of sorts."

"Oh?" I say, surprised by that sentiment.

"You see, Aegises are born with less inherent knowledge. We may be powerful, but we aren't born with the prowess or expertise in our powers that other Blades have. So, we may need to be 'nurtured' a bit before we can reach our full potential."

"Oh, so Addam helped Malos gain control of his power?" I ask.

"Well, he tried. He was certainly a significant help for Malos. Malos really admired him."

"Huh, that makes sense…"

"You remind me a lot of him, you know," Typhos states.

"H-huh? Why?"

"It's your eyes. They're the same color, and they always shine when you're happy."

"Huh. That's neat, I suppose. I hope I can live up to his example."

"So, now that it's just us guys…" Typhos smirks, "What's going on with Nia?"

"H-huh? What about her?"

"Come on, how do you think I noticed how your eyes shine? You smile a lot around Nia. More than usual. I can feel some of your emotions too if they're strong enough."

My face burns. "U-uh, I don't know what you're talking about…"

"It comes with age, I suppose. Boy makes his first female friend and immediately develops a crush," Gramps teases.

"That's not it at all!" I yell, struggling to tell whether the heat is coming from my face or the hot springs.

"Rex-Rex all blushy-crushy!" Tora laughs.

"Kill me…"

[REX]

I wake up to a knock on the door, feeling more rested than I have since I accepted the job in Argentum. The door opens, and Mórag peeks her head through the doorway.

"Rex, it's almost time for our audience with His Majesty," she says.

"Mmm, okay…" I reply, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. I rise from the bed and begin to get ready as Typhos wakes up from the bed on the other side of the room.

"Hmm, Rex, are you really going to wear your salvaging suit for the meeting with the Emperor?" Typhos asks, sitting up.

"Well, yeah, I don't have anything else to wear…" I respond, feeling a bit self-conscious. "What about you? Are you just going to wear your armor?"

"Yeah. I'm glad I was able to find some clothes that were more comfortable to sleep in, but I don't think His Majesty would appreciate the Aegis appearing before him in his pajamas."

"Yeah, probably not…"

Typhos and I get ready for the meeting with the Emperor. After we are dressed and prepared, we meet the rest of our group in the lobby of the hotel.

Nia, Dromarch, Tora, Poppi, Mórag, and Brighid are waiting for us when we walk down the stairs to the lobby.

"Hey, sleepyheads," Nia says,

"Hey, Nia." I say,

"You are properly rested, I hope?" Mórag asks,

"Absolutely. Remind me to thank the Emperor for his generosity, I needed that." Typhos says,

[TYPHOS]

Mórag leads us through the Alba Cavanich to the Ardainian Palace.

"Wow, that's certainly a palace worthy of a military state…" Nia remarks, gazing at the imposing, spiked structure.

"Yes, it is known as Hardhaigh Palace, and it is where His Majesty the Emperor resides. If it weren't for my presence, you would have no chance of entering," Mórag explains, looking at the palace with pride.

Rex turns to me, appearing nervous. "Uh, Typhos? Have you ever been here?"

I shake my head. "No, not even Malos has. I've had experience with Gormott and the fallen Titan of Torna, but Mor Ardain is new to me. Sorry, but we'll have to rely on Mórag for this

one."

Nia playfully hits Rex on the shoulder. "What, are you afraid the Emperor is going to eat you or something?"

"I don't know… I've just never spoken with an Emperor before…"

"Well, if he's anything like Emperor Hugo, you have nothing to worry about, Rex."

Brighid looks back at us and smiles gently. "You have nothing to worry about, Rex. His Majesty is kind, and from what I've heard, he has been looking forward to meeting The Aegis and his Driver."

"Tora wonder if Emperor can give special parts for Poppi!" Tora says, flapping his wings excitedly

"Masterpon… Poppi thinks idea is unlikely…"

Mórag smiles lightly, "I apologize, Tora. I do not believe that His Majesty would be able to offer any assistance when it comes to Poppi."

"Aww…"

Mórag continues to lead us through the palace and stops in front of an elevator with a glass door.

"Is everyone prepared? This elevator will take us to His Majesty." Mórag says,

"Ready as I'll ever be…" Rex says,

Mórag inserts a key into the Terminal of the elevator, and it opens. We enter the elevator, and it rises, taking us to the throne room.

When the doors open, we exit into an opulent room. Red banners emblazoned with golden emblems hang from the ceiling, with soldiers eyeing us cautiously as we walk down the walkway to the throne. On the throne, rests a small, young boy, wearing a white suit, and a winged crown. At his side, is a tall, imposing Blade, with dark blue skin and blue water-filled tubes sprouting from a silver, metallic, helmet-like structure on his head. I recognize the Blade as Aegeaon, Brighid's twin Jewel of the Empire.

My gaze returns to the Emperor. "He's the spitting image of Hugo…" I whisper to myself

When we reach the end of the walkway, Mórag removes her hat and kneels in front of the Emperor,

"I have returned, your Majesty."

"Please, rise, sister." The Emperor says, smiling at the kneeling Inquisitor.

"Sister?" Nia says, surprised at the Emperor's turn of phrase.

Mórag rises, speaking as she does so, " Allow me to introduce His Majesty the Emperor, and my little brother, Niall Ardanach."

"Woah, Mórag, I knew you were a big shot in the Empire, but I didn't know that you were royalty," Rex says,

Niall laughs, shocking all of us, "Sister, did you not tell them of your origins?"

"No, I did not. It never arose in our conversations."

"Very well, I suppose it is not of much standing when it comes to this mission." He turns to me, and smiles gently, "So this is the Legendary Aegis. I must say, your actions precede you. I hear you made the Torigoth consul wet himself."

I flush, "A-aha, my apologies for that, he really struck a nerve. You see, many people in Old Torna shared his mentality of Human Supremacy… people like him caused Addam much heartache."

He waves me off, "Please, I should be the one apologizing. We should have corrected Dughall long before it came to that point. I am afraid that no one truly liked him."

"Thank you, your majesty. If I may, you remind me almost uncannily of Hugo Ardanach, your ancestor of 500 years past. He was a great friend of my Brother."

"Thank you, I can only hope that I can live up to his example. There were very limited records of his life, it is an honor to have been able to learn about him from my sister's account of your tale. If the time arises, would you be willing to make a written account of what you know about him? I feel it to be a shame that his sacrifice go unremembered."

"It would be an honor, Your Majesty." I nod, "Though I do not believe that I should be the one to write it. Once my brother has awakened, he will be able to give a more firsthand account."

Niall nods. "Very well, but on the topic of your brother, my sister has informed me that he entrusted her with the mission of the training of your Driver." He says, nodding in Rex's direction, "Is this true?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. My brother is of the belief that if Rex can make it to the point where he can control his power, he may be able to use Rex as an anchor to stabilize his true awakening."

"And Rex is alright with this as well?" Niall says, turning to Rex.

Rex nods, "Y-yes! I believe that Lady Mórag's assistance would be incredibly helpful!"

Nia steps forward, and asks, "What should we do now, though? We can't go to Elysium until Malos awakens, so what should we do until then?"

"If I may, I have a request to ask of your group," Niall says, addressing all of us. "I have received word from scouts in Uraya that the terrorist organization known as Torna has been spotted there. I have been told that you have experience with them, yes?"

"All too much, if you ask me.." I say, remembering our experience with them on the sunken ship.

"I worry that they plan to try and aggravate the tensions between Mor Ardain and Uraya. I would ask that you go to Uraya, and work to stop whatever they are planning before they can complete it. This may give you the experience and opportunity that you need to train Rex."

I look at Rex, and he nods, "I believe that this is a reasonable course of action. Torna poses an immeasurable threat to the world."
Niall gazes at me, and continues, "You know something that I do not, don't you?"

"Yes. Torna is headed by the Fallen Aegis of Light, Mythra, whom my brother thought he managed to vanquish 500 years ago. She has taken the name of the Titan she killed, and is using it to spread chaos."

Niall looks down but regains his resolve. "Very well. This just makes it all the more important that Torna is stopped."
"Where should we start?" Rex asks,

Niall smiles slightly, "You must head to the Urayan Titan's stomach, to the home of mercenaries I am using as scouts in Uraya. You must speak with Vandham, the leader of the Garfont Mercenaries.

[NIA]

I've never been to Uraya, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't a bit nervous about the journey—especially since our mission is to reunite with those I abandoned. However, one of us is having an unexpected reaction to our mission.

"Typhos? Did you get any sleep at all last night?"

We are lounging in the sitting room of an Ardainian warship, eight of us gathered around a long table. All of us, except for Typhos, seem extremely rested. Even Dromarch's normally bristly fur appears to glow in the dim lamplight of the room.

Typhos's hair is unkempt; its normally long and flowy quality is tangled and wrapped around his shoulders. His eyes are dim, lacking the usual shine of joy and intelligence they usually possess, almost as if they absorb every bit of light that passes by. Even the light from the Core in his chest seems dampened, like it could flicker and go out at any given moment.

At my side, Dromarch speaks up, "Master Typhos, you seem troubled. Do you feel that our meeting with the Emperor did not go as you had hoped?"

Typhos rubs his eyes and forces a strained smile. "I'm sorry to worry you, but I promise I'm fine. I'm just remembering some things I had suppressed about the Aegis War."

"You know, in cases of war trauma, it can be healthy to talk about it with those you trust. Would you like to share what you remember?" Mórag says, her expression gentle.

"Do not feel pressured to share what you cannot, Typhos," Brighid adds. "We merely mean that some burdens need not be carried alone."

"I didn't see you sleep at all last night, Typhos. You're not the only one who can feel emotions through our bond, you know. You look exhausted," Rex says, his face filled with more worry than I've ever noticed from him.

Typhos takes a deep, shuddering breath before speaking. "In the final battle, it wasn't Mythra who killed Hugo."

Brighid stiffens, her expression filled with curiosity and concern. "Then who did?"

Typhos continues, the light returning to his eyes, though only due to their heaviness with tears. "Our final battle with Mythra took place at the Core of the Tornan Titan. When she battles, Mythra views her opponents as mere amusement, dragging it out for as long as she can."

Tora interjects, "So TyTy got tired and accidentally hurt the Emperor?"

Poppi suddenly grabs Tora, forcing him back into his seat. "Let Typhos continue. According to memories, Typhos wasn't even born at that time."

"Malos was exhausted. He struggled with his purpose and the reason for his power, and Addam had taught him to minimize the destruction caused by his Annihilation," Typhos explains. "But it requires complete and utter control. His power isn't meant to be used delicately, but for the sake of those he loved, he did his best."

"How could Mythra hold her own against both Malos at his full power and the legendary Addam? It would be one thing to defend herself, but I can't imagine Mythra being able to toy with those two," I say, trying to grasp all the information.

Typhos looks up, his gaze locking onto mine. "He wasn't at full power. He could never be, not if he wanted to have someplace to return to."

Rex's eyes widen as he realizes something. "So, in many cases, you are going to be stronger than Malos."

Typhos nods. "I can't destroy like he does, but that also means I don't have to hold back. I can give my Driver all the power they need because they don't have to worry about destroying everything they hold dear. It's everything Malos worked to achieve in creating a power like mine. And on top of that, when Mythra was whole, she had a power known as Foresight. She could read her enemies' movements, she knew what we were doing before we knew it ourselves.."

"What does this have to do with Hugo, though?" I ask.

"After Malos became exhausted, something broke within him. He didn't lose control; the opposite happened..." A tear falls from his eye, splattering on the table beneath him. "From what I can remember, something that I can only describe as Endbringer awoke."

"Endbringer? Isn't that what you said your 'Role' as an Aegis was?" Mórag asks.

"Yes. But this wasn't it. Call it what you wish: Endbringer, Death, Omega, The End. It's an embodiment of the role given to the Aegis—absolute and utter destruction."

"So… Malos was not the one who defeated Mythra?" Rex asks, confusion flickering across his face.

"No. Not only was Malos not the one who defeated Mythra, but he lost. The climax of the battle was fought using the Sirens, the Artifice afforded to the Aegises. Both machines were destroyed, and when it came down to Blade versus Blade, Malos fell, and then IT awakened. It killed and destroyed both friend and foe alike. It was a creature obsessed with balance; for every life it took on one side, one was also taken on the other. It forced Addam to choose—" Typhos' body shakes, racked with sobs, but he manages to continue. "And Hugo volunteered. Mythra's core was shattered, broken into more pieces than should have been possible to recover. But in exchange, it took Hugo…"

"Gods…" I say. "You've been carrying this burden this entire time?" The shard in my chest seems light in comparison.

Typhos shakes his head. "No. As I said, I only recently remembered this after digging through my memories for information on Hugo. I think Malos hid this from me because he was just as afraid of the power that lies within our roles…"

Mórag's face is a mask of calm, concealing any emotions that may be lying beneath. "So, you are saying that once Malos reached a breaking point from holding back his power and came close to failure, an underlying presence awoke? How was this different from the two of you?"

Typhos wipes his eyes and manages to regain his composure. "His form changed; he was no longer Malos." He glances at Rex and then scans the faces of everyone in the room. "He fell, and the structure of his body collapsed into his core. Beneath the armor, beneath the surface, there was pure energy. An avatar of darkness, distinguishable from the surrounding night only by the shine of the Core Crystal at the center of its being…"

"I can understand why you are so shaken, then…" Brighid says, her head in her hands.

Rex looks up, his face crestfallen, "So, not only will awakening Malos not do much good but if we ever get to the point of defeat like he was at the end of the Aegis war…" His hands begin to shake, "A godlike creature with no sense of morality will awaken?"

[REX]

The mood for the remainder of our trip is grim. There's only so much one can do to keep their spirits up after a conversation like that, and we all manage our emotions in different ways. Mórag and Brighid return to their quarters to "write a missive to His Majesty to inform him of the new information." Meanwhile, Nia and Dromarch stay with Typhos, Gramps, and me in the living quarters, while Tora and Poppi go above deck to cool Poppi's drive furnace.

"Typhos, we'll be fine. Even if Malos can't use his full abilities all the time, we are in better shape now than Addam's party was when they fought Mythra 500 years ago," Nia says, leaning on the table with her arms resting on the metal surface. "You don't need to beat yourself up." She leans to the side, rummaging through her bag.

Typhos smiles lightly while nodding. "I know, and we'll be in even better condition once we rendezvous with Vandham and his mercenaries."

"Something still bothers you, child," Gramps notes, concern etched across his fluffy features.

"It truly feels as if I opened a locked box when I searched for information on Hugo," Typhos says, grasping his face and leaning his elbows on the table to steady himself. "There's so much information that I didn't have before, but no context to understand why things are the way they are."

"Is there something in your memories that troubles you?" I ask, grabbing the hairbrush that Nia passes to me from across the table. I rise from my seat and begin to separate Typhos's hair, brushing the tangled mess away from his face. "You still need to take care of yourself. Just because there are some obstacles to overcome doesn't mean you should neglect your own needs."

"Thank you, Rex." Typhos looks down, making it easier to brush his hair. "There are some things I need to sort out myself." He chuckles lightly at the phrase. "No pun intended. But I need to find the truth for myself; maybe I'll ask Malos the next time he is lucid."

"What is Malos to you, anyway? You call him your brother, but if he is your creator, wouldn't he be closer to your father?" Nia asks, her eyes filled with both curiosity and concern.

Typhos hesitates before responding, "I'm not sure. That's one of the things I've been trying to figure out. There's data in my core that undeniably comes from Malos or has been altered by him. But there's also different information that seems to originate from another source."

"What does that mean?" I ask.

"The data that makes up my core isn't solely from Malos. There's data originating from another place, another person, another Blade."

"Another Blade?" I exclaim, surprised at the thought. "Who else could you have been born from?"

Typhos shakes his head. "It could have been anyone; many Blades were present that day. Brighid, Aegeaon, Mythra, Minoth, Jin, Haze…"

Nia's eyes widen. "Wait, Jin? How could he have been there?" She shakes her head. "Isn't he human?"

Typhos's eyes widen in return. "No, he's a Blade. I thought you knew. He must have been awakened a few times since then, though. I assumed one of the other members of Torna was his Driver."

Nia shakes her head. "Jin follows no one, not even Mythra. I can't imagine anyone in Torna being his Driver."

"Then who could his Driver be?" I ask.

The rest of our journey to Uraya unfolds smoothly. After styling Typhos' hair, I insist that he rest. Mórag instructs the captain to slow down, allowing us some much-needed "rest and reprieve" before we resume our tasks in Uraya. Despite this pause, the trip seems to pass in a flash.

We arrive in Fonsa Myma, the capital of Uraya, still emotionally drained from our conversations on board the ship. Although no one mentions it, the atmosphere is tense, and it's clear that we are all uncertain about our next steps. As we disembark, a tall, bearded man greets us at the port.

"So, you're Vandham?" I ask, assuming the person we were supposed to meet would be here.

"Nah, I'm just here to escort you to Garfont. My name's Zuo," he replies.

"Oh, sorry," I say, feeling a bit embarrassed by the mix-up.

"S'alright," Zuo waves me off, easing my concerns slightly. "Uraya is beautiful but vast and easy to get lost in. We'd hate for you to wander off and meet an untimely end before we even start the job."

Mórag stands next to me, while Typhos and the others trail behind. "It makes sense to have a local guide us," she says, scrutinizing him to gauge his abilities. "I assume you're one of Vandham's mercenaries, then?"

"Got that right. You could think of me as Vandham's right hand, though his true second-in-command will always be his Blade," Zuo explains.

"Oh, so Vandham is a driver?" I inquire.

"Yes, most of us are, including myself. My Blade decided to remain in the village, claiming she had some matters to attend to." Zuo continues, "But don't worry; I am more than capable of defending myself even without her assistance." He gestures to a short sword sheathed at his side.

Typhos interjects, "So, should we set off? I don't want to get lost in the darkness if we don't reach our destination before nightfall."

Zuo's eyes widen as he gazes at Typhos' core. "So, this is the Aegis I've heard so much about." He shifts his gaze between the cores in Typhos' chest and mine. "So you must be his Driver, then."

I puff out my chest slightly, doing my best to come across as confident and capable. "Yup."

Zuo's expression turns serious, concern etched on his features. "You're so young. What a heavy burden to carry." He reaches out and places a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Don't worry, bud, we'll take care of you."

I release a heavy breath, "I-I think this is the first time someone has seen me and not seen my inexperience as an opportunity to take him."

Zuo smiles, and turns around, indicating for us to follow him, "I hope that during your time in Uraya, we'll be able to show you that there are some things more important than strength."

Zuo expertly guides us through Uraya, though he insists that we shouldn't linger in Fonsa Myma. According to him, we will have plenty of time to explore the capital later, so a tour isn't necessary at the moment.

"Wow, you weren't kidding when you said Uraya is gorgeous," Nia says, walking beside me.

Zuo laughs warmly. "Most of what we know as Uraya is located inside the Urayan Titan. The Titan's hide is translucent, allowing light to filter through and giving us enough illumination to see during the daytime."

"Wow, I hadn't even considered how we can see while inside the Titan," I reply, taking stock of my surroundings. We walk along a rocky path, with a massive stone wall to our left and a line of glowing trees to our right. "Where exactly are we right now?"

"This specific area is known as the Funnystone Highway. Those trees are a variety of Saffronia Tree, a special ether-infused tree that can only grow here."

"How long do you expect it will take us to arrive?" Brighid, who is walking behind us alongside Mórag, asks.

"I'd estimate about one to two hours. It's not very far from the capital, but there's really no way to get there any faster."

Zuo continues walking, guiding us along the path as if it were second nature. There are many monsters and animals along the way, but they skirt around us as if they don't mind our presence. A couple of them approach Zuo, nudging against him as if he were their owner.

"You have a way with animals, don't you, Master Zuo?" Dromarch asks, his silver fur bristling in the cold wind.

"Ahaha! It's not really me; they just associate me with my Blade, Nim. She can speak to them, so they're hoping she's with me."

"Wow, Nim sounds amazing! Drivers and Blades are so cool!" Tora yells, flapping his wings excitedly while Poppi tries to avoid getting smacked.

"Masterpon, you don't need to get so riled up…" Poppi says, her mechanical tone somehow laced with weariness.

Typhos laughs, which eases my worries about his emotional state slightly. He leans down and picks Tora up, rubbing his head energetically. "C'mon, Poppi! You don't need to worry about him; he's loved Drivers and Blades his entire life."

"Poppi is not worried, just thinking Masterpon is being a bit silly," Poppi replies, placing a palm to her face.

"Why is Poppi being so disrespectful to her Masterpon?! TyTy, you tell her!" Tora exclaims, crossing his tiny arms while being held by Typhos.

I smile, my heart lightening as the tension in the air dissipates. "C'mon, get along, you two. We need you in top condition! We have a big day tomorrow." The smile lingers on my face.

I feel a hand rest on my shoulder and turn to see Mórag standing beside me. "Let them have their fun; this journey has been hard on them." A slight smile rests on her face, and for the first time since we met, I notice how much exhaustion lines her features. She usually hides her face behind her collar and hat, so I hadn't noticed it before.

"Did you get any sleep at all on the ship, Mórag?" I ask, concerned for someone I had always seen as impenetrable and inexhaustible. "This has taken a toll on you as well."

Her eyes tighten, but her expression remains stoic. "You needn't worry about my well-being, Rex. It's nothing I cannot handle."

"He makes a valid point, Lady Mórag," Brighid adds. "This journey has been just as hard on you as it has on them. We must ensure that you get the proper rest when we reach the village."

"That won't be a problem, you two," Zuo replies, gesturing to Brighid and me while walking ahead on the path. "Tomorrow will be a day of rest, so you won't be expected to start the mission until the day after."

As we converse, the journey seems to fly by, and before long, we arrive at the wooden gates of a village. Zuo stops and turns to face us. "This is the village, the place we call home: Garfont Village."

He opens the gate and leads us through the entryway. The village lies in a small alcove, with a hole in the Titan's hide above it, allowing starlight to pour in. The village consists of small huts, surrounded by various shops and businesses, with people bustling about even at this late hour.

A gentle slope runs from the village entrance down into the main part of the alcove where the village resides. At the base of the slope, three individuals wait for us.

On the right is a massive figure resembling a birdlike humanoid, adorned with red and green feathers and a large beak for a mouth. Massive wings sprout just below their shoulders, and a bag of sorts is wrapped around their neck, with a brilliant azure crystal embedded in a feathered, metallic pedestal shining in their chest.

On the left stands a scantily clad woman, with a fur coat draped over her shoulders. Two foxlike heads protrude from a single body that rests in the hood of her coat. Her slightly animalistic face is framed by shoulder-length blue hair, and she also has an azure crystal glowing in her chest. She offers a warm smile when she sees Zuo.

In the center stands an utterly massive man. He wears armor-like green clothing, complemented by matching gauntlets and greaves. His dark skin is marked by a prominent scar that crosses between his eyes, and his silver hair is styled in a mullet.

The massive man in the center roars in a boisterous laugh, and slaps Zuo on his back when we reach the bottom of the slope. His voice is rough, but oddly comforting, "Ah, Zuo! I was starting to get concerned that something had happened to ya!"

"Like I would let a journey like that defeat me!" Zuo smiles broadly and turns to face us. "This is our leader, Vandham." He gestures to the foxlike woman on his right. "This is Nim, my Blade and companion."

Before he can introduce the birdlike Blade, it speaks up. "And I am Roc." The way they say their name is quick, as if they are trying to rush it out. "I am Vandham's Blade, and the only one who keeps him from running off at the first sight of adventure."

Vandham laughs heartily, and I begin to notice that the wrinkles on his face are not only from his advanced age but also from his frequent smiles. His presence is warm and comforting, though a bit imposing. "C'mon, Roc! Don't act like I'm some bumbling novice!"

I take the opportunity to introduce myself. "My name is Rex, and this is Typhos," I say, pointing to him, "though you would know him as the Aegis." I continue, hoping to introduce the rest of our allies. "This is Nia and Dromarch." Nia waves while Dromarch bows. "This is the Special Inquisitor of Mor Ardain and the Jewel of the Empire, Mórag and Brigid." Mórag removes her hat and bows slightly, while Brighid curtsies. "And this is Tora and Poppi." Poppi lifts Tora up, and he waves at Vandham wildly. "Oh yeah, and this is Gramps!" I nudge Gramps from where he naps in my helmet, and he wakes up looking a bit scraggly.

Vandham scratches his chin as he processes the information, a smile forming on his lips before he speaks. "Quite the impressive list of introductions, huh? The Aegis and His Chosen Driver," he says, glancing at me. "Then we have a Gormotti who seems to harbor her fair share of secrets," he adds, startling Nia. "And let's not forget the almighty Special Inquisitor and her Legendary Blade, nearly as renowned as the Aegis himself." Mórag nods, unfazed by the sudden praise. "Lastly, we have a Nopon Driver, quite a rare sight in his own right." He chuckles, "Oh, and a Baby Titan! I'm not sure how you managed to get your hands on one of those."

I scratch the back of my head, chuckling slightly. "A-aha, it's a long story…"

"Ahaha! I'm sure it is. You can tell me all about it over dinner; we have some things for you as well."

My eyebrows raise. "You do? I wonder what that's about…"

Vandham waves us forward and leads us through the village. "You guys took your sweet time. The advance messenger from the Empire had enough time to stop in Argentum before making it here. While there, he picked up a package from Leftheria. He said it was addressed to a certain salvager." He smiles as he pulls a package from a pouch on his hip and hands it to me.

My heart brightens as I read the name on the package, and Typhos speaks up, "Rex, who's it from?"

I smile brightly. "It's from Fonsett! Auntie Corinne sent me something!"

"Don't open it yet; let's eat first," Vandham says. As much as I want to read what Auntie Corinne wrote, I have to agree. I haven't eaten anything since we were on the ship.

Vandham leads us to a small, open-air restaurant and talks to the clerk. He motions for us to sit, and I take a seat with Typhos and Nia, leaving a space open for Vandham. All of us have our eyes fixed on the package in front of me.

"What do you think your Auntie sent you?" Nia asks. "Who is she to you, anyway? You said you didn't have any parents. Is she actually your aunt?"

"Nah, but she's the closest thing I have to a mother. When my birth mom wandered into Fonsett, her final words were to ask Corinne to take care of me…" I look down, the box seeming to weigh heavier in my mind.

"Oh, sorry, I didn't realize that was so sensitive," Nia says, her eyes gentle.

"No, no, it's okay. I don't mind sharing with you, certainly not with you," I reply with a smile. "I don't want to keep secrets."

Typhos smirks at me, and I remember our conversation at the hot springs. I feel my face redden.

"Rex? Are you okay?" Nia asks, her ears twitching.

"Haha, I'm fine," I say, trying to suppress my blush.

Vandham appears, somehow managing to carry four plates in his broad arms. I move the package off the table, and he places three of the plates in front of us.

"Thanks for the food!" I say, both excited for the meal and grateful for the distraction.

Vandham sits down and asks, "So, what's the deal with Mr. Tiny Titan?"

Typhos chuckles and replies, "Mr. Grampyface got himself hurt so badly that he reverted to a larval state. He may not look it, but I knew him 500 years ago."

Vandham chokes on his food. "Mr. Grumpyface?! I didn't expect the Aegis to give people such bad nicknames."

"He deserves it," I laugh as Gramps slaps the back of my head with his tail. I look down and notice Dromarch. "Did you get something to eat, Dromarch?"

He looks back and nods. "Yes, Master Rex, I am quite satisfied."

After we finish eating, our attention returns to the package in my lap.

"Go on, open it!" Typhos urges. I tear off the rope that secures its contents.

Inside lies an ornate velvet box, with a note on top. I remove the note and read aloud what is written:

"Hello, my dear. I hope all is well. I received the letter you wrote. Mor Ardain, huh? And a Driver? Of the legendary Aegis, no less! I always knew you had the heart of a Driver, and I know you can handle yourself, especially with the friends you described. But I still wish such a daunting fate hadn't chosen you." Typhos looks down, appearing a bit guilty, but I pat his hand to ease his guilt.

"I was thinking about how I might assist you, and Vess suggested I send you these."

Nia asks, "Who's Vess?"

"Oh! Did I not mention her? My auntie was quite the adventurous type in her younger years, and Vess is her Blade. She helped take care of me when Auntie Corrine was busy. She has a bit of an obsession with dumplings, though," I say with a laugh, and Nia smiles.

Gramps jumps in, "Ah, Corinne was quite a fiery child. As soon as she reached adulthood, she went off on an adventure. She returned a few years later, Vess in tow, with endless stories of the foes she encountered. Although I doubt the legitimacy of most of those tales."

I continue reading the letter: "Contained in the velvet box are two Core Crystals, passed down in the village since the time of the Hero-Prince, our village founder. You remember him—the one who is depicted in the statue at the center of the village?"

Typhos' eyes widen. "You never mentioned that there was a statue of Addam in the village."

I nod. "Yeah! Addam is a legendary figure in Fonsett. Village folklore says that he became the village's guardian spirit after he passed and that he left some sort of power hidden deep within the village. I'm not sure how much of it is true, though."

"Interesting…" Typhos says.

"Records on the Blades contained in the Core Crystals suggest that these Cores bear Blades of power comparable to the Jewels of the Empire." My eyes widen at the thought, "On the left is a Core titled 'Divine Core Crystal', which contains a Blade of Light wielding a gleaming white sword and an abyssal black sword. On the right is a core titled 'Ebullient Core Crystal', which contains a Blade that is said to wield a Bitball—you know, the type that Vess uses? You used to play Driver with it as a kid." My cheeks flush, and Nia begins to laugh. "She is said to be both a capable healer and a powerhouse in her own right. I hope that they will be a help to you. You can either awaken them yourself or entrust them to your allies; I just want you to be safe. All of our love, Corinne and Vess~"

Nia gazes eagerly at the box as I remove it from the package and open the lid. Inside, just as the letter mentioned, lies a velvet-lined box containing two brilliantly shining Core Crystals. Attached to the lid are engraved metal plaques with the names "Divine Core Crystal" and "Ebullient Core Crystal" inscribed above them. I glance at Nia, Typhos, and Vandham. "Should we awaken them?" I ask.

Vandham's expression grows serious, and he looks at me intently. "It's up to you, kid, but I recommend you think carefully about who awakens them. I suggest either doing it yourself or giving the Core to someone you trust with your life. If these Blades are truly as powerful as your aunt described, handing them over to someone who might become an enemy could be a dangerous mistake."

I nod and gaze at the shining Cores where they rest in their home. Rising from my seat, I call to my allies surrounding me, "Guys, I need some advice." Concern is etched on their faces as they stand closer.

"My aunt entrusted me with two Core Crystals. One is said to be a Light Blade that wields two swords, and the other is a Warrior Healer who uses a Bitball." I look at them. "These Blades could be a tremendous asset, but I'm not sure who would be the best Driver for them."

Mórag steps forward, and speaks, "Rex, if your aunt was the one who entrusted them to you, you should be the sole deciding factor."
"I know that, but I am asking for help from you and Nia, especially." I look down, the Cores illuminating the surroundings with their azure glow. "I don't know if I'm experienced enough as a Driver to make such an important decision."

Mórag sighs and smiles slightly. "Well, if you're that insistent, I could probably use the Dual Swords adeptly. But at the same time, weren't you saying you wanted to learn how to use two weapons? I've never used a Bitball, and I've never been much of a Healer type. If I had to recommend, I would say you should either awaken both of them or awaken the Sword user and entrust the Healer to Nia."

I look to Nia and Typhos, and they both nod. "I can awaken the Bitball if that would make you more comfortable," Nia offers.

I look down at the Cores one last time and nod. I remove the Ebullient Core Crystal from its pedestal and offer it to Nia. She takes it, looking upon it reverently. I set the velvet box on the table and remove the Divine Core Crystal from the place where it has spent countless years.

"I've never awakened a Core Crystal before. Is there some sort of special process?" I ask.

Gramps responds, "Close your eyes and draw the Core close to your chest. Open your heart to it and imagine the Blade that you need, not what you want."

"I'll awaken her second. Take your time; awaken him first," Nia says, smiling gently.

I close my eyes and draw the shining Core to my chest. "You are the Blade my Auntie entrusted to me. I need someone who carries their blades confidently—someone who can guide me into the future. Be the guiding light that helps Typhos and me reach Elysium!"

I feel the energy contained in the Core spread down my clenched fists, and the brilliantly shining light reaches my eyes, even through my tightly closed lids. Time seems to stop, and I find myself in a completely different place. I stand formless in an empty abyss, with a brightly shining light in front of me. Suddenly, the light disappears, and a young man falls from the endless, lightless sky. He lands with his back facing me, two crossed swords hanging across his back. An endless, fluttering feathered cape floats behind him, dropping feathers at an impossible rate. He wears red leather pants and a tight black shirt.

As he turns to face me, I see an oddly shaped blue Core Crystal embedded in his chest. He's attractive, with long, fluffy blonde hair framing his face.

"My name is Corvin!" he declares as he pulls one of the swords off his back. He draws it and launches multiple beams of light from the edge of the sword, which pass through my shapeless form painlessly.

After launching a few barrages from one blade, he seamlessly draws the second blade and launches an even faster barrage of attacks, quicker than my eyes can see. "Your foes won't stand a chance while I'm around!" he yells confidently, launching a massive beam of light toward the now-illuminated stone floor of the abyss. A tremendous pillar of light erupts where the blade struck, temporarily blinding me.

When the light fades, Corvin stands where the pillar erupted. He sheathes both blades and returns them to his back. Looking back at me, a light shines in his green eyes. "I don't mean to brag or anything, but I really am that good!"

He disappears, leaving me alone in the empty abyss. Where Corvin once stood, I now appear, carrying the black sword that he was holding. I begin to move, wielding the sword.

"Am I demonstrating the Arts that I can use with this sword to myself?" I ask.

Information floods into my mind as I visualize attacking with the sword.

- Flash Uppercut: An art that deals more damage to an enemy's front.

- Night Breaker: An art that attacks in a large radius and draws enemy attention.

- Starfall: An attack that inflicts greater damage on enemies targeting me and slams them into the ground.

- Victory Slash: An attack that renders me untouchable by enemy strikes while it's active.

Once my shade finishes demonstrating the techniques, the abyss fades away. I find myself standing back in Garfont, watching as Corvin takes shape in front of me, emerging from the light of the Divine Core Crystal. The Crystal floats upwards, transforming into the black sword I saw in the abyss.

Typhos claps me on the back, grinning widely. "You did it! I knew you had it in you!"

Corvin stands, surveying the people around him until his eyes lock on me and Typhos. "So, you're my Driver, and you're my brother in Bladehood, huh?" He smiles, his light hair seeming to glow. "Don't worry, I'll take care of you."

[NIA]

Seeing Rex so happy puts my heart at ease. Although the sight of the glittering Core in my hands makes me nervous, Rex's smile—along with Typhos clapping him on the shoulder and Corvin boasting about his abilities—helps me push my doubts aside.

At my side, Dromarch begins, "My lady, do you still wish to awaken her?" He nods at the Core Crystal in my hand.

I look down at the Core, pondering the question. Then I turn to Rex and ask, "Now that you have awakened Corvin, do you still want to leave her to me?"

Before Rex can respond, Corvin smiles in my direction and asks, "Huh. Why do you ask for permission? Isn't that Core yours?"

I shake my head. "Both your Core and this one were entrusted to Rex by his family. He decided to awaken you but left this Core for me."

Corvin looks at Rex, and they nod in agreement. "I don't think Rex would go back on his word like that."

"Exactly! I'm not sure I could handle training another Blade. I'll leave her in your hands." Rex waves me off, seemingly confident in his choice.

"If you're certain…"

I channel a bit of ether into the Core, causing it to float gently in my hands.

Rex chuckles, "Show off."

"Please, I need someone who can help me help them. We need hope, we need warmth. Rex and Typhos may be our guiding lights, but we need someone who can help keep that flame burning."

The Crystal shines brightly, blinding me, and just like with Dromarch, I find myself in a completely different place.

In the center of the Abyss, a small-statured girl with white and brown hair appears. She wears a short, white shirt, with many brown orb-shaped objects hanging from her waist. Two red horns sprout from her head.

The girl springs into action, skating around the abyss, steam erupting from the mechanical greaves on her feet. She skates a lap around me, and when she tries to stop in front of me, the greaves catch on the ground, tripping her. She waves her arms wildly but manages to steady herself.

Looking at me, she exclaims, "Crossette's the name! I promise I won't let you down!" She smiles brightly, and fire erupts from her horns, causing firework-like sparks to shower the empty abyss. "Oooooh, I'm so excited!"

Crossette then disappears, and I see an image of myself throwing a bladed ball. Information floods into my mind—arts and motions I never would have thought possible. When the shade of my appearance vanishes, I find myself back in Garfont. Crossette takes shape in front of me, forming from the light that shines outward from the Core, and the Core itself transforms into the Bladed Ball from my vision.

[REX]

The girl who emerged from the Ebullient Core Crystal introduces herself as Crossette, with sparks flying from her horns.

I pump my fists and smile brightly. "You did it too, Nia!"

Nia attaches the Bitball to her back and places her hands on her hips, "Of course I did, Rex! It's not like it was my first time awakening a Core Crystal." Despite her confident attitude, a gentle smile graces her face.

Corvin studies Crossette and offers her his hand. "Hey there! It seems our cores came from the same place, so I guess we should take care of each other, huh?"

Crossette shakes his hand eagerly. "Yeah! I promise I won't let you guys down!"

Typhos shakes his head, still smiling. "Geez, they're going to be a handful, aren't they?"

"Says Mr. Wannabe Kidnap Victim," Nia jokes.

Typhos rolls his eyes. "Yeah, yeah."

Vandham steps into the center of the small circle we've formed around the two new additions and gets our attention. "Alright, kiddos! While this has certainly been exciting, it's late. Tomorrow is a day of rest, so sleep in and get to know your new friends."

I wake up feeling more rested than I have since my stay at the Inn in Mor Ardain. Corvin got up several hours before Typhos and me, citing, "Hey, I just woke up for the first time! I don't need to sleep for hundreds of years again."

I sit up in the soft bed, rubbing the sleep from my eyes. Typhos is still asleep in the bed next to mine, but no one else is in the room. Vandham had insisted on having my salvaging suit washed, so I'm now wearing a set of wool pajamas he provided for me.

I glance to my side and notice two sets of clothing on the side table. On the left is my salvaging suit, washed and neatly folded. On the right is a different set of clothing, topped with a note written in surprisingly elegant handwriting. It reads:

"Heya kiddo. I had your suit laundered as promised, but I realized it might not be easy to move in. I won't tell you not to wear it, but training might be easier in clothes that allow for more movement. I'd recommend giving these threads a try. Rest well, Vandham."

"Jeez, the old goat has a bigger heart than I thought." I grab the clothes that Vandham provided and lay them out on the bed. They are my usual blue, with loose-fitting pants and a long, sleeveless shirt, with a swirling pattern down the body.

Before I can decide whether to wear them, Typhos stirs, sitting up in bed, wearing the same type of pajamas I am. His core shines through the fabric, and his hair is a messy halo around his head.

"You know, I don't think the legends mentioned the Aegis' wicked bedhead," I joke.

Typhos sighs, a gentle smile on his face. "Good morning to you too, Rex." His gaze shifts to the clothing laid out on the bed in front of me. "What's that about?"

"You know how Vandham insisted on washing my salvaging suit? Well, he did, but he said it might be hard to move in. So, he brought me another set of clothing, saying it might be easier for training."

"Huh. He's not wrong, you know. There's no way that suit is easy to move around in." Typhos stands and begins to take off his pajama shirt, and I quickly avert my eyes.

"W-wait," I say, caught off guard by his forwardness, but he doesn't respond. I hear a high-pitched, shimmering sound, and when I look back at him, he's wearing his blue armor again, with his pajamas in a heap on the floor. "H-huh?"

He laughs, bending down to pick up the pajamas from the floor. "The armor comes from my core. Any Blade can remove the clothing they awaken in, but they don't have to put it back on. We can regenerate it from our Core, just like our weapons."

"Huh, I suppose that makes sense. I just wasn't expecting it." I look up, noticing his hair is still a mess. "Don't suppose you could fix your hair with your Core, too?"

"A-aha, that it cannot do…"

I sigh, "Ugh, lemme go borrow a brush from Nia."

After wrangling the beast hiding in Typhos' hair, we finally meet the others in Garfont's Plaza.

We are the last to arrive, and everyone else is already seated at the restaurant where we dined the previous night. Nia is sitting with Mórag and Brighid as they enjoy breakfast.

When Nia sees me, her eyes widen. "Oh, you finally changed out of that salvaging suit?"

I try to suppress a blush. "Aha, yes. Vandham mentioned that it might be easier to fight in something that doesn't restrict my movements as much."

Brighid smiles. "It suits you. Although it does feel a bit strange to see you in anything else."

Mórag nods in agreement. "I concur. Vandham's advice has merit. It did seem difficult for you to be mobile in your salvaging suit." Her gaze drifts to my left wrist, where my anchor still rests. "Though I see that you haven't parted with all of it."

I nod. "I've adapted to using my anchor in combat, so I believe it would be a mistake to part with it."

Brighid nods, as if recalling our single encounter in battle. "Yes, a wise decision. You managed to use it in a way that even I found difficult to counter."

Before I can respond, I hear someone call from another table, "Rex! Over here!" I turn to see Typhos and Corvin sitting together with Tora and Poppi.

I wave goodbye to Mórag, Nia, and Brighid, then walk over to their table. Corvin gestures to an empty seat with a plate of food in front of it.

"Wow, thanks," I say as I take the seat. "Hey Corvin, how have you been adjusting to, well, life?"

Corvin smiles and replies, "It's been great! Everyone is so nice, although Crossette seems to be a lot more exhausted than I am." He points to the receptionist's desk, where Dromarch is lying uncomfortably, with Crossette sprawled on top of him, fast asleep like he's a pillow.

"Uh, is she okay?"

"Vital signs are steady, consistent with exhaustion," Poppi says.

"I wouldn't worry about it. Every Blade awakens in a different state. While I was awakened feeling energized, it seems she just needs some extra rest," Corvin explains.

"Mmm, alright. What do you think of everyone?"

"Mórag and Brighid seem infinitely capable. I'm grateful they will be the ones taking care of your training. Tora is adorable." He rubs Tora's head, causing the little creature to flap his wings wildly. "Nia and Dromarch are kind. I just hope Crossette will be able to flourish with them."

"I wouldn't worry about them, Corvin. Nia and Dromarch are the only reason we've made it this far," Typhos says.

Corvin nods and then turns his attention back to me. "But you. Mórag mentioned that you were interested in wielding two swords?"

"Uh, yeah? Auntie Corrine's letter mentioned that you used two swords, so that was a motivating factor for my awakening of you." I shake my head. "N-not that I wouldn't have awakened you if you didn't use two swords."

Corvin laughs. "Your aunt isn't wrong; I do use two swords." He extends his hand, and two structures of pure light appear, taking the shape of single-edged swords. He floats one of the swords in front of me, and I recognize it as the sword that the Divine Core Crystal turned into. "This sword is known as Halteclere. It is the weapon I can lend to you to use as my driver. It is my only technical 'Blade Weapon,' though."

The projection in front of me shifts to reveal a second sword, a shimmering white blade that looks incredibly sharp. I feel like it could still cut me, even though it's made of light. "And this is called Durandal. It channels a lot of Ether—enough that I'd bet your friend, the Special Inquisitor over there, would struggle to use it."

"Oh, wow," I say, still admiring the floating projections.

"Friend Corvin's power is very pretty!" Tora exclaims.

"I've never seen anything so amazing…" Poppi adds, her eyes sparkling.

"Ahaha, I agree," Corvin says, smiling at the two of them while dispelling the brilliant illusions. "So, yes, it may reach a point where I can let you use both Durandal and Halteclere, but it's going to take a long time—much longer than it will take to awaken Typhos' brother."

"Ugh, sounds about right…" I reply, feeling a bit disappointed. "I wonder if it'll ever be reasonable for me to use two weapons."

"Hmm, how do I explain this…" His face lights up, and he extends his hand again.

A small, animated version of me appears, carrying what looks like a balloon. Next to it, a small version of Corvin appears, also carrying a balloon, but his is much larger than mine.

"The balloon symbolizes Ether. Each person and Blade has their own balloon—essentially their own stock of Ether. In battle…" Corvin flicks his wrist, and an animated version of himself hands a balloon to my avatar. "The Blade gives their Driver their Ether, their balloon. Only those who can carry both their own Ether and that of their Blade can become Drivers in the first place. Does that make sense?"

I nod, trying my best to follow along with his explanation.

"Now, say in battle, the Driver were to lose their grip on either of the balloons. What do you think would happen?"

Typhos and I exchange glances and nod. "Loss of control. Without someone to keep the Ether in check, it would run rampant."

Corvin smiles and nods. "Exactly! You're a natural! Now, regarding Typhos…" He flicks his wrist again, and his avatar transforms into a small version of Typhos, who is carrying an enormous balloon. "His pool of Ether is massive, but because of how you two are bonded…" Typhos' balloon shrinks, while the previously small balloon my avatar holds inflates. "You're able to carry that Ether together. In most cases, Typhos won't even need to hand you his balloon because his Ether is already intermingled with yours."

"So that's why Mórag and Brighid said that Driving two Blades at once is unheard of…" I say, finally understanding what they meant.

Corvin nods. "Exactly. Most people are barely able to carry their own balloon, let alone a Blade's. That's why Drivers are so rare. Driving two Blades is a recipe for… well…" The avatars in front of us burst in a silly, cartoonish explosion of light.

"For a normal person, anyway." My avatar re-forms, the purple core in its chest shining brightly. "Because of Typhos' core, you are both more capable of channeling Ether, or 'carrying balloons,' and your other hand is free for another balloon, since you don't have to carry Typhos'."

"Oh, really?" I ask, hope swelling in my chest.

"But," Corvin emphasizes, his expression turning serious, "you need to be VERY careful. It is still a massive weight. You'll need to train hard if you ever want to be able to do this. And…" He looks at Typhos, "Unless you find another Blade who can carry their own balloon like he does, one of the Blades you Drive needs to be Typhos, or eventually Malos—assuming he works the same way."

"Right, that makes sense," I respond.

"Orrrrrrr…" Corvin drags out the word, leaning to his side to pick something up and offering it to me. "You can just use a normal sword in your other hand, like a normal person."

I take what he's handing me and recognize it as a broadsword with a simple hilt, sheathed in a black wooden scabbard. It's much lighter than Typhos' sword.

My cheeks flush. "I can't believe I never thought of this."

"Rex-Rex is sometimes silly," Tora laughs.

We spend the rest of our day of rest relaxing peacefully. For the first time in what feels like ages, we enjoy each other's company without the fear of capture, a looming threat, or the burden of truth weighing on us. Crossette sleeps for the remainder of the day and wakes up early the next morning. Gramps mentions that it's unusual for a Blade to need so much rest after awakening, but it is not unheard of.

Once night falls, Corvin puts on an elaborate light show for the village children, pretending to fight off illusory monsters and save the day. He emphasizes the power of his ever-sheathed sword, claiming that it can only be drawn to save the world in its time of need.

Nia, Typhos, and I stand on the sidelines, watching as Corvin flies around the roofs of the village huts, his cape fluttering with exaggerated bravado. The children gathered in the village center watch in silent awe as Corvin is chased around by a false draconic enemy—a snake-like creature with purple metallic scales, with the "Unholy Demon King" riding upon its massive head.

"His ability to create illusions like this is truly amazing," Nia says with a gentle smile. "I've heard of evasion-focused Blades being able to create minor illusions to throw off their enemies in battle, but this is truly a sight to see."

"That enemy's likeness is remarkable…" Typhos remarks, concern marking his brow.

"That's not quite the reaction I was expecting from you, Typhos," I say, surprised by his concern. "Is something about that illusion bothering you?"

The Demon King orders the dragon to strike, and the draconic foe opens its mouth, a frill of skin unfurling behind its head as it breathes a stream of light at Corvin. He dodges, and the beam of light collides with the surrounding cliffside, resulting in a massive—but harmless—explosion. Corvin then closes the distance, drawing Durandal to sever the enemy's head, effectively quelling the "scourge on the world," as he puts it.

The children erupt in raucous cheers, and Typhos' words are nearly drowned out beneath their joy, though I manage to catch what he says:

"How does Corvin know about Ophion?"

I couldn't get Typhos to elaborate by the end of the night, but he no longer seems bothered by the presence of the beast known as "Ophion." He simply commends Corvin for his ability to create such illusions, expressing hope that Corvin can entertain children the way he does someday. We all slip into a deep, healthy sleep, feeling both rested and fulfilled by the day's events.

I wake early in the morning to a harsh knocking on my door. Still half asleep, I groggily respond, "W-wuh? I-I'm coming!" I rush to the door and open it, greeted by the sight of Roc and Brighid.

"Apologies, Rex, but it seems Vandham and Mórag have both decided to oversee your training. To accommodate the extra time needed for this, you'll need to wake up earlier than we originally expected," Brighid explains, not appearing too pleased about the arrangement either. "Please wake Corvin and Typhos, and prepare yourself. I hear the café sells wonderful coffee."

Roc crows, spreading their wings confidently, "Early bird gets the worm!" They then cackle at his own joke.

I return to the room and rouse Corvin and Typhos. Typhos' hair is, yet again, a kapibas nest, and he wears a "Where time is now" look on his face. Corvin somehow wakes up looking better kempt than he did when he went to sleep. I go about my rounds of taking care of Typhos hair, and afterward, we all agree that coffee is a good idea.

To our surprise, Nia, Crossette, Poppi, and Tora are already waiting for us at the café, Nia nursing a coffee, her expression both tired and content. Tora is analyzing Crossette's greaves, chirping in amazement at the structure of the mechanics, while Crossette and Poppi play together, clapping each other's hands together in a rhythm, probably a game of sorts. Vandham, Mórag, Brighid, and Roc are seated at a table nearby, locked in a conversation that seems serious.

Nia smiles warmly when she sees us. "What's up, sleepyheads?"

I wave in response. "What's got you up this early?"

"Crossette woke up super early this morning. I'm sure she could have handled herself, but I didn't want her to feel alone," Nia explains. Tora suddenly screams in joy when he finds something he likes in the greaves, and Nia laughs at his reaction. "Tora and Poppi were already up doing some routine maintenance. I don't think that kid ever sleeps."

I take a seat next to Nia, while Typhos and Corvin sit across the table from us.

"Do you have any idea what those four have planned?" I ask Nia, glancing at the group on the other side of the area, still locked in intense conversation.

"I haven't been able to gather much, but it seems like Mórag has latched onto the 'Dual Blades' aspect of your wishes. She seems interested in training you in the Ardainian 'Azure' style," Nia replies with a shrug. "As for Vandham, I have no clue what he wants to do."

I look down at the ordinary sword that I have sheathed at my hip. "Where did you get this, anyway, Corvin?"

"I asked Vandham if he had any extra light swords," Corvin shrugs. "Turns out that one has been gathering dust in the storehouse for a while, so we had it sharpened for you."

"How you guys had time to do that, I will never know. Between the extra clothes, the sword, and his offer to train me, I already have a lot to be thankful for when it comes to Vandham."

"You're not going to feel that way for long, kiddo," Vandham says, having risen from his seat across the pavilion and approached without my notice. He takes a seat next to Corvin. "So, Mórag and I have finalized the details of your training."

"From how you're talking, it sounds like it's going to be pretty rough, huh?"

Vandham laughs. "You said it, kid. Mórag over there is going to handle your swordsmanship. She's a little too excited to introduce you to their traditional swordplay. Meanwhile, Roc and I will be focusing on your ether control."

My eyes widen in surprise. "Ether control? Why is that?"

"Because, according to what the Inquisitor told me, that Malos of yours will only manifest when you can control his power, not just his sword," Vandham explains. "Don't get me wrong; Mórag can handle herself when it comes to ether, but what makes her so deadly is her swordplay. Roc channels a lot of ether, just as much as that Aegis of yours, if not more. I'm the one most experienced in controlling such a large amount of ether."

"Right, that makes sense…" I say, though his comment about Roc surprises me, "Roc sure sounds amazing. I've seen beast-type Blades, of course, but I've never seen a Blade quite like them."

"Yeah, they're an odd one, for sure." Vandham smiles, looking back at his partner where they still sit with Mórag and Brighid, "Reliable as can be, though. Haven't let me down a single time, in the 40-odd years we've been bonded."

Typhos interjects, "Uh, Vandham? I was wondering if I could make a request."

"Shoot, kid. What's bothering ya?" Vandham says,

"I was wondering if you'd be willing to train me, too. I'm confident in my swordplay, but I've always felt that I've lacked with my Ether."

Vandham's eyes widen, "I've never heard of a Blade needing to train with their Ether."

Typhos shakes his head, "I don't know if it's an Aegis thing or a me thing, but I wasn't born with the inherent control that other Blades are born with. Even Malos needed to train with Addam to not let his destruction run rampant. I'm in a better place than Malos was, it's not like I can't control my Ether, but I would like some more experience."

"That's fine with me." Vandham rises and calls out to grab everyone's attention. "Alright, kiddos! Anyone who wants to participate in the first edition of Ol' Vandham's crash course on Ether, follow me!"

I look to Nia and Tora. "Do you two want to come with me? Having you there would make me feel better."

Tora looks up from the greaves. "If Rex-Rex wants me to, sure!"

"Eh, why not? Maybe I'll learn something too," Nia shrugs.

We follow Vandham into a fenced-off area of the village, filled with training dummies and a couple of odd mercenaries honing their weapon skills.

"So, who all is here to learn?" Vandham asks, taking stock of the small group.

"I suppose I could benefit from learning how to use Crossette's Ether," Nia says, with Crossette nodding in agreement.

"Same here with Typhos and Corvin," I add.

"Tora is just here for emotional support!" Tora exclaims.

"Okay, let's see here…" Vandham looks at the Blades present. "So we've got a Water Blade, a Fire Blade, and a Light Blade, eh? How do you normally use your Ether?"

Corvin starts. "Well, I use mine to launch energy blasts and create illusions." He flicks his wrist, and an identical version of Vandham appears next to him, except with Roc's head in place of Vandham's.

Vandham erupts in laughter. "Well, I'll be damned! That's one hell of a skill, kid."

Corvin continues, "In certain situations, I can also use it to heal and dispel enraged states in enemies."

Nia leans in, whispering in my ear, "Damn, is there anything this guy can't do? Doesn't exactly seem 'balanced'."

"Hmm, it seems like you have a handle on your abilities. We just need to ensure the kid can use his," Vandham replies.

He turns to Typhos. "What about you?"

Typhos conjures a ball of water and manipulates it in the air with movements of his hand. "I can summon water and even control natural water to some extent. The water I summon is a byproduct of Malos' destruction, so I can use it to 'wash away' physical objects and alter them somewhat." He thrusts his hand forward, launching the orb of water at one of the practice dummies. When it strikes the dummy, he twists his wrist, causing the orb to spiral. The dummy saturates completely with water and begins to warp, becoming a distorted mess.

He summons another orb, this one much larger. "My water seems to absorb light; I'm not sure why, though. I hope that isn't indicative of something bad."

Tora speaks up, startling the rest of us. "Why is water that absorbs light a bad thing? Doesn't the bad Aegis use light Ether?"

Typhos' eyes widen. "I—I never thought of that…"

"Hmm, well, that seems like a good place to start," Vandham nods. "Okay, Corvin, do you think you could fire off weak blasts of light energy?"

Corvin nods. "Of course. I can make them sting, but not much more."

"Perfect, that'll be our first exercise, then," Vandham smirks. Only then do I realize how grueling this is going to become.

Vandham has Typhos and me stand side by side, with Corvin on the opposite side of the courtyard.

"Okay, kids," Vandham begins, standing between Corvin and the pair of Typhos and me. "Corvin, you will launch a few blasts of light at Typhos and Rex, and their job will be to summon their Ether and intercept the blasts before they hit them."

Corvin bounces around a few times, cackling to himself. "Eheehehe, this'll be fun."

Vandham directs his gaze at Typhos. "So, how would you block an attack like this normally?"

Typhos thrusts his hand forward, creating a crystalline barrier. "Like this?"

"Yup, thinking inside the box. Now, let's step just outside it." Vandham nods. "That power of yours has a lot of applications. You can use the water to absorb the light or find a different way to block it. It's up to you."

"Hmm…" I ponder, recalling how I've used Typhos' Ether in the past. "Oh, here!"

I pull Typhos' sword from my back and channel Ether through the blade. Instead of using it to strike, I swing the sword in a slow, deliberate circle, keeping the flat of the blade facing Corvin. I focus on the Ether flowing from the sword, imagining it not following the blade, but breaking free from it as I move. As I complete the motion, the Ether begins to separate into a thin, shimmering sheet, like water pulling away from the blade, forming an unstable, bubble-like barrier that hovers unsteadily in the air.

Vandham grins. "There we go! That's a good start!" He looks at Corvin and nods.

Corvin draws back his hand and thrusts an open palm toward us. A small, fast-moving mote of light rushes forward, colliding with the sheet of Ether. The sheet absorbs the light but begins to thrash violently, eventually exploding in a blast of water, completely drenching Typhos and me.

"It was a good starting point, but the problem was that the sheet of Ether was too thin and spread out over too large of a surface area," Vandham explains. "If you want to create something like that, it should be thicker and more localized. But that also requires you to be able to do it on the fly, with a quick reaction time."

The remainder of our time with Vandham follows a consistent theme. Typhos and I devise new ideas to counter the light, but the water absorbs it and then drenches us. After spending several hours on this, we manage to enhance our ability to manipulate the ether in space, albeit just a little. Eventually, we decide to call it a day.

It's around noon when we choose to stop with Ether, but instead of resting as we expected, Vandham orders us to prepare for the road.

"Huh, what are we doing now?" I ask, feeling utterly exhausted from the morning's events.

"We're going on patrol. We still need to track down those Torna goons, and how else should we do that but through hands-on experience?"

Corvin throws his arm around my shoulder, nearly knocking me to the ground, "C'mon Rex! We can't let a little exhaustion take us down!"

"A-aha, alright…"

Our whole group joins us for patrol, although it feels more like a glorified tour around the Titan. Vandham is surprisingly knowledgeable about the area's history, so for every question we ask about our surroundings, he has an average of about 10 minutes of history and significance to share about each landmark.

Our first day of patrol ends with a whimper instead of a bang. Nothing more than the occasional misbehaving anlood catches our attention, a far cry from an Aegis.

By the time we make it back to Garfont, we're all starving, so we decide to meet up again at the restaurant where we ate on our first day here, after freshening up.

After taking a shower, I find myself sitting with Vandham, Mórag, and Nia for dinner.

"How is Rex's training with Ether going?" Mórag asks.

"Well, he's certainly creative," Nia jokes, playfully jabbing me with her elbow.

"He certainly has no shortage of offhand solutions for any single problem," Vandham explains, "Though he could use some help with the execution. He has potential."

Mórag nods, her gaze returning to me. "I won't put you through too much, considering how much you've been through today, but we should work on your swordplay tonight as well."

I nod. "I'm feeling a lot better now that I've eaten. Are you going to come too, Nia?"

Nia shakes her head. "Nah, I promised I'd help Crossette bake something. She insists that she's a good cook, but something tells me I should supervise…"

I laugh. "Alright, good luck with that."

She sighs. "Let's hope I don't need it."

I meet Mórag in the area where we trained with Vandham earlier in the day. When I arrive, she is analyzing the training dummy that Typhos distorted, a puzzled look on her face.

She looks up at me and asks, "Do you know what happened here?"

"Oh, yes. Typhos did that; he was trying to demonstrate how his water can alter things."

She nods and replies, "Let's hope he never has to use it on a living being."

I shudder at the thought. "Yeah, that doesn't seem pleasant."

Mórag looks down, seemingly deep in thought, and asks, "I must ask, what is your fixation with using two swords? You've seemed to desire this for some time."

"Well, I suppose it all goes back to Addam…" I say.

Mórag's eyes widen. "The Hero-Prince?"

I nod, reflecting on my childhood. "Back in Fonsett, the place where I grew up, there's a legend. It says that the village founder, the Driver of the Aegis, wielded two sets of dual blades. The first set consisted of a thin blue sword and a massive black sword. The appearance of the second set has been lost to time, though apparently, they are still hidden somewhere within the village."

Mórag listens intently, never taking her eyes off me. "So, it's just a childhood fascination with folklore?"

I shrug my shoulders. "I guess? Every kid in the village grows up hoping to find the legendary swords left behind by the Hero-Prince. I realize now that the Blue and Black swords likely referred to Typhos and Malos, so I probably just remembered my childhood fixation on the swords after I awakened Typhos."

"Interesting. I wonder if there are any other accounts of those tales elsewhere. Would you mind if I asked His Majesty to have someone look into it for us?"

"O-of course! I suppose if anyone would have records of that time, it would be Mor Ardain," I say, surprised by her offer.

She leans down and picks up two wooden training swords that she must have previously discarded and offers them to me. "Shall we?"

"The Azure style is incredibly effective because it has been refined over countless years and perfected by generations of highly trained, exemplary drivers," Mórag begins as I stand in the center of the training ground. She circles me, scrutinizing every aspect of my posture and stance. "There are six different Azure forms, and it is the responsibility of Brighid's driver to master all six," she continues, still circling me.

"That sounds brutal…" I reply.

"Thankfully, you are not Brighid's driver, so I do not expect you to master all six."

I exhale in relief. "By Addam above, that's a relief…"

"If you can master even one form, I will consider your training to have been an overwhelming success. However, at this point in time, I do not believe that any Azure form would truly suit you." Mórag continues, "You have always preferred heavy, powerful swings. There is merit to this approach; it can make you an unstoppable force in certain situations."

I nod. "Okay… If I'm not going to learn that Azure style, what are we going to work on?"

"We should start by trying to adapt the skills you are already experienced with for use with two swords."

Mórag has me demonstrate every skill I currently possess. Whether it originated from Typhos, Corvin, or that old junk sword I used to train with, Mórag insists that I perform each one repeatedly. By the time we even start the actual training, I am already exhausted.

After observing my actions, Mórag's attention is drawn to the anchor on my wrist. "You use your anchor as a weapon, yet you don't utilize the rope it's attached to?"

I glance down at the anchor, my constant companion for several years. "Uh, I suppose? I use it to pull myself closer to an enemy sometimes and to increase the speed of my sword."

Mórag sighs. "Learning to use the anchor is a lesson for another day. The easiest adaptation would likely be that art you called 'Double Spinning Edge.' You would be striking the enemy four times instead of just twice."

She tosses two training swords to her sides and steps confidently toward a training dummy. Spinning in a circular motion, she sweeps the swords across the dummy's sides. Continuing this movement, she steps forward and strikes the dummy again in the same manner. After completing the move, she leaps backward, creating distance between herself and the imagined enemy.

She looks at me and says, "Now you try. It shouldn't be too much of an adaptation for you."

I glance down at the wooden swords in my hands and nod. Taking a step forward, I remember the motions I've practiced since I was young and whirl around, striking the dummy. I follow through with the motions of the second series of strikes.

"My footwork wasn't as established as yours," I admit, "but…"

"That's to be expected. It's the small details like that which will improve with experience. You will get better over time." Mórag explains, "Let's call it there for tonight. Rest well, Rex."

I return to the inn where we are staying and clean myself up for the second time that night. I collapse into bed and fall asleep as soon as my head hits the soft pillow.

Two weeks go by with this exact formula. Either Vandham or Mórag will train me in the morning, we patrol the Titan until nightfall, and train with the remaining expert after dinner. Nia joins me for Ether training occasionally, but most of the time, it's just me, Typhos, and Corvin one-on-one with our trainer.

Our patrols bear no fruit. No one we encounter has even a sliver of information on Torna, and we find no information that could point us toward something of interest.

I wake up at our usual time and get ready with Typhos and Corvin. Nia suggested braiding Typhos's hair before we go to sleep so that we won't have to wrestle with it every single morning.

Corvin calls from across the room, "Hey, Typhos, do you want one of us to take out the braid?"

Typhos looks in the single mirror we have in our shared room and shakes their head. "Nah, I think I'll leave it in for today. It might be easier to manage."

I shrug. "Maybe. If you change your mind, let us know."

We leave the inn, expecting another day of training and patrols waiting for us in the training area. Instead, we find Vandham and Mórag speaking by the village gates, with the rest of our group milling about nearby.

Vandham grins brightly when he spots us and waves us over. "How'd you fancy being mercenaries for a day?" they ask, still grinning.

"I mean, sure, but what about training?" I ask, confused by their enthusiasm.

"Eh, the best training is experience!" Vandham explains, their voice as loud as ever.

"Don't worry about it, Rex," Mórag says with a light smile. "Consider it a day off, if you must. Vandham is right; some things can only be learned by doing."

I nod. "Alright. What's the job we're doing?"

"We got a job to check out a strange energy effect up by the Titan's blowhole. I figured it might be a nice idea to show you how Titans work."

"Alright, sounds good to me."

I walk with Nia and Tora as Vandham leads us through the now-familiar area of the Urayan Titan's stomach.

"Tora, how have you been entertaining yourself here? Nia at least has a new Blade to train with; you must be bored out of your mind," I ask.

"Rex-Rex doesn't need to worry! There's actually a group of mechanics in Garfont! Tora has been working on Poppi with them," Tora replies.

"Huh, I suppose Tora will always find a way to work on Poppi, huh?" Nia laughs.

We continue walking until Vandham stops abruptly, ending our conversation.

"That was fast," I say, surprised at how close we are to our destination from Garfont. As I walk around Vandham's hulking frame, I gasp in surprise at what they were blocking.

"An Ether Miasma. Take it this is your first one?" they say.

"An Ether Miasma?" I ask, confused.

"It's a load of poisonous waste spewed by the Titan's guts. You know when you get gassy? Kind of like that," they explain.

Suddenly, at my side, Nia asks, "Erm, is there a way through this thing? I don't see a way around it."

Roc crows, startling us. "What do you think I'm here for? Buncha hatchlings, I tell ya!"

Roc's feathers glow brightly, a green energy being generated from beneath them. They flap their wings, and a powerful gust of wind sweeps through us, almost knocking me off my feet.

"Whoa!" I regain my footing and look up, seeing the Miasma disperse with the force of the wind.

"Woah, I don't know if I've ever seen Roc in action before," Nia comments, smiling gently at the Blade.

Vandham smirks, his chest puffed with pride for his trusty companion. "Nothing to it for ol' Roc! Let's get a move on!"

With that, Vandham and Roc lead the way as we venture into an area we haven't explored much before.

"Hey, Vandham, what was this place called again?" I ask, racking my brain to recall the name.

"This here's known as the Great Blowhole." He gestures upward, pointing to a gaping hole in the titan's hide.

While I'm trying to soak in the surroundings, Mórag's attention is laser-focused on what's ahead. "Vandham, do you reckon that could be a suitable target for what we discussed earlier?"

I follow her gaze and spot a lone Ardun lurking nearby. Vandham nods and then turns to me. "So, ol' Mórag was saying you could use some ideas on how to put that anchor of yours to better use."

I nod, the memory of our earlier conversation fresh in my mind. "Yeah, I could definitely expand my horizons on its usability."

"Hand that here, then." I unfasten the anchor and pass it over. Though the anchor could wrap around my whole forearm, it's barely large enough for a couple of Vandham's fingers. He takes aim at the Ardun, steadying himself as he prepares to fire.

He launches the anchor, but instead of aiming directly at the Ardun's hide, he targets just next to the Ardun's leg. Just before the anchor flies past the Ardun, he yanks it, causing it to wrap around the leg instead. He locks the anchor in place and pulls even harder, knocking the beast off balance and sending it crashing to the ground.

"Whoa, you toppled it! I never thought about using it that way!"

"The trick is to pull it taut at just the right moment." He hands the anchor back to me, and I fasten it back into place around my left wrist.

The Ardun charges forward, now clearly enraged by the attack.

"Now you try!" Vandham calls.

"Alright!" I draw both Typhos's and my steel sword and step forward. "Jeez, these are a lot heavier than the training swords."

"We'll back you up. Just focus on trying out that Topple Art," Nia says, smiling at my side.

I nod. "Got it."

Mórag draws the Ardun's attention, and Nia charges in, slicing at the Ardun's heels with her rings. Once I see the opening, I sheath my steel sword and aim the anchor at the beast's legs. I fire it off and pull the wire taut, wrapping it tightly around its leg. With all my strength, I yank, and the Ardun tumbles to the ground.

Corvin, standing at the sidelines, yells, "Rex!" He tosses me Halteclere as Vandham rushes forward, crashing into the Ardun. Wind Ether whirls around it, sending it hurtling into the sky.

I return Typhos's sword to my back and draw Halteclere. The techniques I learned from awakening Corvin race through my mind.

I charge straight at the writhing monster and swing to the side. I kick upward and slam Halteclere's scabbard into the Ardun. "Starfall!"

A tremendous burst of Ether strikes the Ardun from above, and it plummets harshly to the ground, disintegrating into a cloud of dust.

"Whew, I'm glad that worked…" I sigh, feeling the adrenaline ebbing from the fight.

Vandham claps me on the back, laughing heartily, "Damn kid, you're a natural! Never thought you had a Smash Art up your sleeve!"

"A-aha, it's like my body just moved on its own…" I reply, still catching my breath.

"Listen up, kid. Drivers use Arts, but it ain't just about the powers your Blade gives ya. There are Arts that tap into your own strength, or exploit your enemy's weaknesses. Lots of options out there." He gives me a firm pat on the shoulder, glancing over at Corvin and Typhos, "A Driver's job is to be smart with their Arts and keep their Blade safe."

I tilt my head in confusion. "Protect my Blade?"

Vandham nods, his expression serious. "Yeah. It's a two-way street, kid. You gotta be aware of the power flowing outta them. Don't waste it; channel it through your Arts and keep 'em safe. If you can do that, then you're a true Driver, kid."

"Do you really think I'm cut out for this?" I ask, uncertainty creeping into my voice.

Vandham scoffs, as if it's a dumb question. "Of course you are. That move from earlier? With the anchor? It took me five years to learn that." Vandham smiles, his eyes gentle. "You got it just like that." He snaps his giant fingers to emphasize his point.

"I think I'm gonna spew," Nia smirks.

"Biggipon is scary, but also really nice!" Tora flaps around, circling Vandham.

Vandham roars with laughter, and I can almost feel the weight on my shoulders lighten. "You sussed me out, Furrypon!"

Maybe this fight is possible after all.

We continue our journey through the Titan, doing our best to keep up with the mission. Without any incidents, we arrive at an area I remember being called the Soulcrown Summit, and something catches my attention.

Vandham tenses, his voice steady. "Just as I thought…"

I finally make sense of the scene before us. "A Titan? So, that strange power effect they detected… This must be the cause."

"A very dead Titan, and I would wager it didn't die from natural causes," Gramps states with certainty.

A heartrending screech pierces the air, sending a jolt of terror through my veins.

Our group's attention shifts to the center of the small plateau where we stand. There, in the middle, is an enormous Arachno. Its red eyes blaze with anger, saliva dripping from its gaping maw.

Barely obscured behind the hulking creature is a massive, demonic-looking humanoid Blade. A Core Crystal shines brightly in the center of its obsidian, armored chest.

"The Arachno has a Blade?" I exclaim, surprised by the possibility.

"STUPID STINKY SPIDER HAS A BLADE?!" Tora rages, his fur standing on end.

"Oop, our Nopon has become an Urchon…" Corvin jokes, roughly patting Tora on the head.

Mórag sighs and places her fingers to her temples. "Are we truly at the point where we feel confident enough to joke in the midst of battle?"

"Ahaha!" I draw my ordinary sword alongside the one granted to me by Typhos. "Let's get this Blade an actual Driver, shall we?"

Typhos steps up to support me. "That's the spirit!"

Tora clashes with the Arachno, feeling personally offended by its ability to resonate. With sheer rage, he drives his attack into the Arachno's carapace with a fervor that would make even the toughest warrior tremble.

I run alongside the enemy, struggling to hold back my laughter. "By Addam, remind me to never get on Tora's bad side!"

Typhos covers his mouth, tears welling in his eyes as he fights to suppress his own amusement. The Ether link between us remains as strong as ever.

When I reach the side of the enemy, I take a step forward, recalling how Mórag taught me to wield these swords. I whirl around, bringing both swords down hard against the Arachno's underbelly, which remains exposed beneath its armored shell. The Ether channeling between the blades whirls around me, forming a riptide of energy that tears through its soft flesh, giving me enough momentum for another spin.

"Double Spinning Edge!"

The critical strike fills me with energy and bolsters my confidence to maintain the assault.

I press on, chaining my attacks together as the spider's screeches echo around me. The cacophony of noise lulls my mind into a trance, making the swords feel lighter in my hands as the Ether link between Typhos and me strengthens.

The only thing that stops me from moving further is the death rattle that shudders through the Arachno's body as it collapses into itself, the ash sticking into the blood that lingers on the blades of my swords.

The first thing I notice is how far away everyone else is, standing with their mouths agape on the other side of the plateau. Vandham is the first to break the silence; he nearly doubles over with laughter.

"Jeez, guys, I think the kid is cut out for this!"

"Whuh?" I murmur, confused by their reaction.

"Rex-Rex is terrifying."

[TYPHOS]

For the first time since we've met her, I see Mórag smile openly. "An exemplary display of your progress as a Driver, Rex," she remarks.

Rex looks at me like a Krabble caught under a wagon wheel and whispers, "What did I do?"

"Pahaha! I think he zoned out," I explain to the others.

Tora jumps around, flapping his wings in excitement. "Rex-Rex looks like a tornado! He kept spinning around with water everywhere! Tora will be getting water out of his feathers for hours!"

Vandham beams and says, "I think the kid finally got a handle on canceling his Arts into each other. If I had to guess, that Double Spinning Edge Art of his unlocked the capability of stamina regeneration when it lands a critical strike."

Rex scratches his head in confusion. "What does that mean?"

Mórag chuckles. "It means that if you aim that Art correctly, it may be possible to chain it into itself."

Corvin pats Rex on the head, adding, "You know, you could do the same thing with me if you got used to evading attacks."

Rex looks down, clearly feeling a bit discouraged. "Yeah, I really do need to train with you more…"

Corvin takes a step back, surprised by Rex's reaction. "I didn't mean to make you feel bad, man. You have a lot on your plate as it is."

Crossette skates over to Nia and hands her something. When Nia realizes what she's holding, she exclaims, "Oh hey, guys, we forgot about this!"

Our attention shifts to the item in her hands, and I recognize it as a Core Crystal. "Oh right, the Arachno had a Blade," I say.

"The poor thing wasn't able to put up much of a fight," Brighid adds with a hint of humor.

"Huh, I don't think I managed to see what weapon it was using," I say, struggling to recall more than its appearance.

"I believe I spied a Megalance," Dromarch states, scrutinizing the Core in his Driver's hand.

Rex looks intently at the Core. "Why is it black? Isn't it supposed to be blue?"

Vandham steps forward and plucks the Core from Nia's hand. "When a Blade loses its Driver, it winds up like this."

"So… it's dead?" Rex wonders, his eyes still fixated on the Crystal.

"Nah. It'll start glowing again after a while. Then, a new Driver can resonate with it. But…"

Rex cocks his head to the side. "There's a but?"

"Aye, its memory shall be completely wiped. It will be reborn as a new Blade and shall not remember anything."

"Wow…" Rex looks up at the Core, seeming to pity it. "It must be rough losing all your memories like that."

I glance down at Rex and realize just how young he is. It's hard to fathom the weight that bears down on him. "Memories can be painful as well. They can be a heavy burden…"

Rex's gaze turns to me, maintaining his empathetic expression. "Typhos…"

"It's not all bad! We do not forget absolutely everything; some things remain," Crossette interrupts, her voice as cheerful as ever. "And besides, a Blade can live forever as long as the Crystal exists. We get to experience all sorts of times and meet all kinds of people."

Corvin pats Rex on the shoulder. "Time will pass, no matter how much we might wish it wouldn't. It is all we can do to enjoy ourselves while it is happening."

I smile at Corvin. "That's right. That almost seems like something Addam would say."

Corvin dramatically sweeps his cape behind him, sarcastically acting high and mighty, "Great minds think alike, I suppose."

Vandham cackles, rolling his eyes, "Let's get this job done before Blondie's ego gets too big for that skull of his." He approaches the fallen Titan and thrusts his entire arm into its body. The body begins to glow, fading into motes of light.

I shudder. "Brings back bad memories," I playfully bump Gramps's head.

Vandham removes his hand from the Titan's body, his massive fist clenched around a shining Crystal.

Rex's eyes widen. "That's..."

Tora yells, "A Core Crystal!"

Vandham nods. "Well, that's where they come from—out of Titans. This one's brand new and ready to resonate. It's like a big steak right before you take that first bite. It'll probably end up bonding with a bunch of Drivers..." He sweeps his gaze across our entire group. "Every time the Driver dies, it'll forget everything and return to its core. Eventually, it'll resonate with a new Driver. Drivers dying, Titans dying... The Blade just keeps on living through it all. It's a never-ending cycle, an eternal history. As mortals, we'll never truly understand."

Rex's eyes are wide with awe. "It's amazing..."

Having completed our job, we return to Garfont for a well-deserved rest. Mórag says we don't need to worry about training tonight, so we choose to rest and recover instead.

Rex and I sit on a bench in the Training Area, applying medicine to recover from our shared wounds. Vandham trains with Roc, holding a single scythe in the hands of both Blade and Driver. Their attacks clash with one another, the wind threatening to topple over the nearby dummies. The rest of our group mills around nearby, playing around or training in their own ways.

I rub a cotton swab dipped in salve that Nia gave us on one of Rex's wounds.

He winces, "Owowowoww..."

"C'mon, hold still."

"Hey, pain is pain, isn't it? What about you? Are you hurt?"

"It's just a scratch…"

He grabs the swab from my hand and thrusts it onto a scratch on my leg.

"Ow! Hey, you did that on purpose!"

We continue to bicker until I feel a strong hand on my shoulder. I turn around to see Vandham, his eyes fixated on the wounds that Rex and I share.

"What is this?" His eyebrows are tensed, his expression concerned. "I don't know why a Blade would be stuck with a bunch of wounds. And they're exactly the same as his!"

I am forced to explain the nature of our bond and how we were bonded in the first place. Vandham listens intently, his gaze never leaving our wounds.

"Absolutely incredible. I've never heard of such a thing." His eyes shift to the angular core in Rex's chest. "I thought it was just some sort of accessory."

"Vandham, you know that's not my style," Rex defends.

"Blades are supposed to heal up right away, no matter what the wound. If the crystal's intact and the Driver's alive, nothing can touch them. So why is he all bashed up?"

Rex shrugs. "That's just how the chips fell, isn't it?"

Vandham scoffs, shaking his head. "What it is, is a problem. It means that if one of you kicks the bucket, you both do."

Rex shakes his head, his expression stern. "You said that a good Driver always protects his Blade. I'm never going to let that happen."

Vandham presses his hand to his temple. "It's never that simple, kid."

Rex stands, his expression resolute. "Typhos saved my life—brought me back from the dead! I'm not going to die, and I won't let Typhos or anyone else die either! I've got to live for everyone's sake! For the world's sake! At least until we make it to Elysium…"

A familiar voice from ahead speaks, though the figure is obscured by Vandham's hulking frame. "Elysium? You know we can't allow that."

A wave of terror shoots through my chest, and I stand up from my seat, moving around Vandham.

In the center of the Training Area stands Jin, sword drawn. He holds it to his side in a reversed grip, the tip hovering just in front of Dromarch's Core.

Nia screams from across the Training Area, her face filled with horror. She and Crossette rush over, Nia clutching her bitball tightly in one hand.

Dromarch roars, but it's not directed at Jin. "My lady! Stay back!"

Jin shakes his head, disappointment evident on his face. "I expected better from you, Nia. You awaken a new, more powerful Blade, and you conveniently forget about your older one?"

Before any of us can react, a pillar of light appears in the center of the courtyard. Corvin appears, both Halteclere and Durandal drawn. He charges forward, and Jin swiftly pulls his sword from Dromarch to block Corvin's strikes.

Corvin roars, his face contorted in rage. "Taking a hostage!? Do you have no honor?"

Jin scoffs, appearing more annoyed than threatened. "Honor? Says the man who fights while wearing a human's leash." He strikes with lightning speed, faster than I can see.

The strikes cut into Corvin's form, and his appearance fades into azure light.

Jin rolls his eyes. "So much bravado from a man who fell so easily."

Rex yells, panic leeching into his voice, "Corvin!"

"Are you talking about me? I think you've got the wrong idea."

Jin's head whips around to face the voice, his eyes widening. "An illusion?"

"You know, I expected better from you, Jin. I've heard so much about the leader of Torna," Corvin replies, standing with Dromarch and Nia on the other side of the Training Area. "That wasn't even one of my better tricks." He winks at Rex

I walk forward, summoning my sword. "That's enough, Jin. You wouldn't have taken a hostage if you really wanted to fight tonight." I don't even try to make my voice sound friendly. "What is it that you want?"

Jin scoffs. "Your friend is a pain in the ass."

"Says the man who resorted to taking a hostage!?" Vandham roars.

"Calm down, old man. The Aegis is right; I'm just here to talk." Jin rolls his eyes, as if the hulking figure in front of him isn't worth his time.

Rex, now standing at my side and brandishing his steel sword, says, "If you wanted a decent welcome, you should've appeared with that sword sheathed, asshole."

"Fine." Jin sheaths his sword and throws up his hands in mock deference.

"Bit too late for that, don't you think?!" Crossette yells, now approaching the man. "You threatened Dromarch and insulted Nia! What makes you think we are going to trust you?!"

Jin takes off his mask, handing it on a belt from his waist. A subconscious gesture that I recognize as one that I also perform.

I take a step back, the sword in my hands fading from my grip. "You know. You never forgot, did you?"

His forehead, previously obscured by his mask, is now revealed to bear a brilliantly shining crimson Core Crystal.

Rex sheaths his sword, his gaze fixated on the Core in Jin's head. "Addam above, what is wrong with that Core?"

"That Core…" Mórag, her swords still drawn, ponders. Her eyes widen. "No, that's impossible! Every Country on Alrest had the practice outlawed!"

"No, Mórag," I say, my body shaking, "He has existed long before the Titans knew this was an issue."

I find myself laughing, ashamed of myself, "I should have known. Your mask."

Jin lowers his gaze at me, "So you've finally realized?"

"Lora made you that mask. It was never a part of your Core. If you had ever returned to your Core, that mask would have been lost countless years ago."

"What are you saying?" Rex asks,

"Jin never returned to his Core. When Lora, his last driver, died, he consumed her flesh and became a Blade without a Driver, capable of living on without her." I explain,

Mórag nods. "A Flesh Eater."

"Are you done with your science lesson, Aegis?" Jin asks,

"Is that all I am to you, Jin? The Aegis? I think you know that we are connected beyond that." I spit,

"That is what I am here to ask. Why? Why do you bear my appearance?"

"Oh, maybe because Malos was forced to watch as the body that used to be his brutally murdered one of his friends? How watching the power which he feared so much be used to slaughter someone that he cared for?"

"What does that have to do with me?" Jin says, his tone annoyed,

"When Malos thought of control, of precision, who do you think he thought of, Jin?" I yell, anger lining my tone with venom, "Were you not the one that Malos admired the most, Jin? Loved, even?"

Jin's eyes widen slightly, but his face remains stoic.

"When Endbringer awakened, the data stored in every Blade on the battlefield's Core Crystal was observed. When Malos was trying to make a Blade with both control and power, who do you think he first thought of, Jin!?" My voice cracks, but I maintain composure. "So, let me ask you again, am I just the Aegis to you? Or am I something else?"

Jin takes a step back, his face finally begetting a bit of emotion. Shock.

A tear falls from my eye, my voice resonating with another that comes deep within. "What am I, Jin! Tell me!"

[REX]

The abyss spreads. It moves out from him, the light from our shared cores the only light visible. It envelops us, consuming the surrounding area and everyone standing within.

When I open my eyes, I realize my body is no longer my own. We stand on an elevated plateau, the ground beneath us composed of hewn stone. I feel tall, much taller than I'm used to. In my right hand, I grip an amethyst crystalline sword, its light brighter than anything I have ever seen radiating from within.

I take stock of my surroundings. The stone plateau is directly in front of an enormous Core Crystal, which is clearly damaged beyond repair. The azure light shining from within it flickers, indicating it is on the verge of going out. Beside me stand two Drivers and several Blades.

To my right is a woman with short auburn hair, a braid wrapped around her clenched fist. Next to her is another woman of the same stature and appearance; the only difference between them is their hair color and choice of attire. A voice from within speaks, a timbre deeper than I have recognized previously, "Lora and Haze." In front of them, with his sword drawn, stands Jin.

On my left is a short young man who wears a feathered crown atop his short navy hair. He confidently brandishes an ornate pair of sword and shield. The same voice states, "Hugo." I ask myself, "Like, Mórag's ancestor 'Hugo'?" Behind him stand Brighid and Aegeon, weapons at the ready.

Standing directly at my side is a tall, dirty-blonde haired Blade with a Core Crystal tinged with pink, wielding two dagger-like weapons I have never seen before. "Minoth. Praetor Amalthus' Blade, now turned against him."

The stone plateau in front of us crumbles to dust, and in the valley below becomes visible from where we stand.

Destruction reigns in the valley below. A tall man with black hair clashes with Mythra, two massive pieces of metal and ash lying behind them. He fights valiantly, waves of darkness surrounding him as he attempts to pierce Mythra with every strike. However, he is losing ground. Mythra skillfully dodges and cuts through the waves of darkness using a massive, pure white sword.

Before I can even formulate the thought to rush down the crumbling mountain to assist him, Mythra's sword sprouts from the man's back, and I finally get a proper sight on the man when he turns to face me.

As he crumbles to the ground, the Amethyst Core Crystal in his chest shining brightly as the body surrounding it disappears into a brilliant purple light, absorbing into the Crystal where it now floats in space.

A voice that isn't mine rips from my throat. "Malos!" A wave of energy emanates from the Amethyst Core Crystal floating before Mythra. She collapses to the ground, her hands on her temples, screaming in what looks to be pain.

Finally, a familiar voice speaks from my right. "Rex?" I turn to face it and see Haze, though the color of her eyes has shifted. Her once-amber eyes, which she shared with Lora, are now a deep brown. Her form flickers, briefly replaced by Nia's.

I look to the left, and for a moment, I see Hugo's form replaced by Mórag's, and Minoth's replaced by Vandham's.
"I never wanted to see this place again," Jin says, his attention now turning to face us rather than at the battle.

"What is this?" I ask, my voice melding with the voice I heard previously,

Jin looks at Lora where she stands, her horrified gaze locked on the battle, longing lacing his features. "A memory."

Hugo, no, Mórag asks, "Why aren't they moving?" Indicating Brighid and Aegeon behind her,

Jin shakes his head. "No matter how much we wish we could, nothing we can do will change the past."

Another burst of energy from the floating Core Crystal catches our attention again. Mythra's screams rise in their volume and pain.

A shadowy figure becomes visible surrounding the Core Crystal, a haze of lavender light intermingled with personified darkness. A chain of darkness wraps around Mythra's waist, and it begins to walk towards us, stepping on the air as if it were solid ground.

Our positions now different from the memories' original positions; the figures from history separate from us, retaking their original positions.

I now see the person whose role I was fulfilling. A tall, muscular man with silver, casually messy hair.

I know him, I always have. There's a statue of him in the village where I grew up.

"Addam."

Nia, still standing next to me, eyes widen. She returns her gaze to the smoky figure who walks in the air, Mythra limp on a leash of darkness. "So that must be… Endbringer?"

Endbringer reaches the plateau where we stand, ash and amethyst light falling from its shadowy figure. He releases Mythra and throws her to the ground next to Addam.

Addam sputters, the sword in his hand seeming to brighten. "Malos? What happened?"

The shadowy figure looks down at Addam, his faceless gaze seeming to bear down on the man who I had only ever seen as invincible.

His voice rings out, seeming almost sourceless, "Your resolve is insufficient."

Addam takes a step back, stunned at his words, "Excuse me? What did you do to Malos!?"

"You care not for yourself, yet you do not have the conviction to bear this world's weight." Endbringer continues, his voice flat and deliberate, "You seek the power of The End, yet you have not the will to make the necessary sacrifice."

Mythra's body rises, her body strung on shadow-like strings in the air beside Endbringer.

"So I will make you choose." Endbringer's gaze bares down on Addam, the sword in Addam's grip ripping from his hands and floating into the shadows that make Endbringer's palm. "You wish for the Lifebearer's threat to this world to End? Then you will offer a life in exchange."

Addam sputters, fear lining his features, "W-what?"

"There must be Balance. As the one who wishes to control this power, you will choose."

Addam's eyes are wide, terror shaking his body uncontrollably. "Please, don't make me."

"YOU WILL CHOOSE."

Addam falls to his knees, tears falling from his eyes.

Hugo looks back at Brighid and Aegaeon, and they nod in sync. Hugo walks to Addams's side and places a gentle hand on his shoulder. Addam looks up at him, terror registering in his face as he realizes what Hugo is trying to do.

"This weight should not be borne alone. Allow me to carry some of the responsibility, my friend."

"Hugo, no." Addam sputters,

"You have to see her. My country will live without me." Hugo smiles gently. "A child should not be left without a father."

"But you'll die!" Addam's gaze whips to Brighid and Aegaeon. "What about them?"

"They will live on. Blades always will." Hugo looks up at Endbringer and calls to him, "I, Hugo Ardanach, Emperor of the Empire of Mor Ardain, offer my life in exchange for the Aegises."

The monotone voice of the End rings out, his voice shooting terror through me even now. "With this exchange, the balance will be maintained. May the fate of the world be held in stride."

The surrounding battle fades away, leaving the five of us standing alone in an empty abyss. An amethyst light glows in the distance; despite the lack of conventional illumination, I can see my friends beside me with perfect clarity.

Mórag steps forward, her voice echoing in the stillness. "So, I have returned. Has Rex's progress been sufficient, Aegis of Darkness?"

A tall man appears in front of Mórag. I recognize him as the one I saw fighting Mythra in the memory. He is massive, easily as tall as Vandham and nearly as muscular.

His presence is imposing; his face is angular and intimidating. Despite his fierce appearance, he smiles. "His progress is evident, Lady Mórag. I appreciate your assistance."

I step forward and reach Mórag's side in just a few strides. "Are you Typhos's Brother?"

He nods and reaches out, playfully ruffling my hair. "You don't need to worry. I don't bite, I promise."

Vandham walks up beside me and gives my shoulder a reassuring pat. "So, you're the big guy we're working towards, huh?"

Malos nods. "I am. But we are not quite at that point yet." His gaze shifts behind us, focusing on the man in silver. "Jin. I assume Typhos made his opinions on his creation clear?"

Jin replies, his voice stern, "He had more questions than answers, and I don't understand your motivation for that vision. It wasn't exactly pleasant to recall."

"Typhos's emotions and Rex's progress as a Driver are what caused me to awaken in this moment; you just happened to be there. I couldn't trust that you wouldn't try to stab Rex in the back again while I was showing him the past."

Jin rolls his eyes. "So I needed babysitting, is that it?"

Malos wraps his arms across his chest, staring disapprovingly at Jin. "If that's what you want to call it, then yes."

Nia interrupts them, cutting them both off. "Okay, we get it. You hate each other now, but you used to not hate each other. What do you mean by 'We haven't reached that point yet'?"

Malos smirks, his gaze flicking between us. "You've got a spirited one, don't you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" I ask.

Malos puts his hand to his face. "Ugh, you're denser than Addam." His gaze returns to Nia. "Rex's progress has steadied my existence in this world. I certainly feel stronger now than I did when I last spoke with Mórag, which allowed me to show you my memories. But I am not yet at the point where I can join you in reality."

I nod. "Right, okay."

Vandham interjects, "How much more do you think the kid needs?"

Malos shakes his head. "I'm not sure. The idea of using Rex as an anchor was nothing more than an educated guess, I'm relieved that it is working at all."

"So the only way we can know for sure is to keep training him and hope that you'll awaken eventually," Mórag says, thinking on the idea.

A storm of purple light begins to surround us, and Malos' form begins to flicker.

"Thank you, Mórag and Vandham. I leave Rex in your capable hands." He turns to me and pats me on the shoulder, "The weight of the world need not rest on your shoulders alone. Those you trust can bear the weight alongside you. Endbringer believes in Equality, not Equity. Life is not balanced one-to-one. This is why there are 3 of us, so that no one mind or principle has utter control. Believe in yourself and the ones whom you trust."

The amethyst light overtakes us, and the Memory Stage fades.

When my consciousness returns to my body, I find us back in Garfont. Corvin stands in front of me, waving his palm in front of my eyes and yelling, "Hellooooo, Alrest to Rex? What's happening here?"

I step back, shaking off the vision from the Memory Stage. "I-I'm okay. Malos wanted to show us something."

Corvin cocks his head, confusion written across his face. "Okay… What do we do with Mr. Grumpyface, then?" He jabs his thumb behind him, pointing to Jin, who still stands in the center of the training area.

"I have no desire to harm you any more than I already have. Mythra will inevitably disagree, but I will leave you in peace for tonight. Goodbye." With that, Jin disappears, leaving us standing awkwardly in the training area.

"Well, I guess he handled himself," I say, turning to Typhos and noticing him by the fence, wiping his eyes.

"You okay, Typhos?" I ask. "That was hard on you."

"I'll be fine. I just need to lie down; I'll feel better after some rest."

"Okay, I won't be long behind you," I assure him. Nia and Corvin offer to walk Typhos back to the Inn, and I let them.

Mórag, Vandham, and I gather in the center of the training area, all of us needing a bit of closure after what we just experienced.

"Typhos didn't exaggerate when he told us about that experience on the warship," Mórag begins, taking off her hat and letting her hair down, running her fingers through it. "That was not an experience to remember fondly."

"You could say that again. It's no wonder he was so torn up about it," Vandham agrees.

"Endbringer… I truly hope we never reach a point where we have to face him."

"A truly horrifying figure. The day his power is needed is one I hope never comes," Mórag confides, her hair now falling freely on her shoulders.

"Never thought I'd see the illustrious Flamebringer let her hair down," Vandham jokes.

"Don't expect it again…" Mórag replies, her tone weary.

"I think we need some rest," I say, rubbing the exhaustion from my eyes. "Can we sleep in tomorrow? I think we could all use a day off."

"I concur. A true day of rest is long overdue." Mórag says, "Do you believe this to be reasonable, Vandham?"

Vandham laughs, though it lacks its usual energy. "Absolutely. Rest well, kids."

We spend the next day resting, accomplishing nothing productive. Typhos and I sleep until the sun is high in the sky, a stark contrast to the days when we would wake up before its first light.

Our spirits remain tender but optimistic. We do our best to get through the day without letting yesterday's events affect us.

During dinner, we all sit close together. An unspoken understanding passes between us: We should not be apart. We gather around the largest table at the restaurant, relying on one another for the stability we crave. I sit with Typhos and Nia across from Vandham, discussing mundane topics that hold little significance.

"So, what are we going to do tomorrow? Just the usual training and patrol routine?" Nia asks, swirling the food on her plate with a fork.

"So your goal is Elysium, right?" Vandham replies, addressing Nia's question with another.

"Yup. That's our ultimate goal, anyway," I say.

"Well, there might be someone in Fonsa Myma who has information on how to get there," Vandham adds.

I drop my fork in surprise. "Really? That would be a great help!"

Vandham nods. "He's a good friend of mine; I could introduce you."

"That would be amazing!" I exclaim.

Vandham agrees, saying, "Then we'll do that tomorrow. We'll head to Fonsa Myma and see if we can get in some training on the way."

We arise early the next morning, feeling considerably more rested than the day before. Typhos hasn't mentioned his experience with Jin or elaborated on what he meant, but we don't push him.

We meet Vandham by the village gates. He waves and calls out in his boisterous voice, "Just letting you know, it's a good way to Fonsa Myma. There will be quite a few monsters on the way there, so make sure you're all kitted out before we leave!"

I turn to Typhos, and we nod. "I think we're all good!"

"Well, let's get a move on then!" Vandham replies, taking the lead and guiding us through the area.

"It's been a while since we went to Fonsa Myma," Typhos says, recalling the one time we were there.

"Yeah, we've never had much of a reason to go," I reply, glad to see my friend in higher spirits.

We exit the cave that Garfont leads us into and step into an area called the Cobalt Cliffs. Before we can continue, a voice echoes through the surroundings. "Hahaha! I guess all that talk about the Aegis was true!"

"Huh? Who are you?" I call out into the open area.

A cloaked pair steps out from behind a large rock; one of them carries an utterly massive sword on their shoulder. The larger one is tall, much taller than me, but still shorter than Vandham and Malos. The one beside him is small, and the only thing visible beneath her hood is a large pair of circular glasses.

The larger one speaks, "That's a heavy burden you have there. Are you sure you can handle it, pipsqueak?" He gestures dramatically, emphasizing his point with flourish, mirroring the small woman beside him. "See sense; step aside and let the big boys take charge."

He whirls around, striking a pose with dramatic flair alongside his companion. "Come on, yield the merchandise!"

I look to Vandham. "Huh, do you know this guy?"

Vandham shakes his head. "Nope, never seen him before."

The assailants throw off their cloaks, revealing their appearances. The man is a large, gray-haired, muscular figure dressed in a flowing, robe-like outfit that leaves the center of his chest exposed, complemented by an out-of-place eyepatch. The small woman is a Blade, with turquoise hair and a mechanical-looking azure core. She wears a short, purple flared shirt and matching shorts.

I scrutinize the man's appearance. "Are you…?"

The man strikes a pose, clearly expecting us to recognize him.

"Nope, I don't get it," I admit, giving up on trying to identify him.

The man sighs. "You really are a bunch of rinky-dink, bogus, two-bit, no-mark Drivers, aren't you?"

He approaches us, taking dramatic, exaggerated steps. "Behold the mighty… Zeke! Von! Genbu!" He flexes, and every action is mirrored by his Blade companion. "Bringer of Chaos! Wielder of the mighty Eye of Shining Justice!"

I cock my head to the side, confused by his flamboyant antics. "Huh?"

"Mostly known as Zeke, or the ZEKENATOR!" He spreads his hands wide, drawing attention to his Blade. "And this is my Blade, Pandoria!" The Blade poses, mimicking her Driver's haughty persona. He draws the sword from his back and swings it around, wielding it as if it were made of paper despite its mighty size. "And this is my sword, the Purple Lightning Dreamsmasher!"

"You truly are far from home, aren't you, Prince Ozychlyrus of Tantal?" Mórag says, now standing at my side. "Or would you prefer if I referred to you as 'Thunderbolt Zeke'?"

Zeke sputters, his confident bravado now deflated. "F-Flamebringer? What are you doing in Uraya?"

"Mórag, you're telling me this goon is a prince?" Nia asks, clearly amused.

"Quite the infamous one, at that. He goes by many names, one of them being 'The Prodigal Prince.'"

"M-Mórag! Give them my entire lineage while you're at it!" Zeke exclaims.

Mórag shrugs. "Sure. Your father is King Eulogiminos, your mother is Queen Isolde, who has sadly passed from this world—"

"I was kidding, Flamebringer!" Zeke yells, his face turning red.

"How do you know this guy, Mórag?" I ask.

"We were childhood friends, of sorts. Our mothers were good friends, and Mor Ardain has a working relationship with Tantal. We spent a lot of time together as children."

"I still have dreams about Mórag's mother's Sand Salmon Casserole…" Zeke interjects, his mouth watering. He quickly regains his composure and adds, "But that's beside the point! I'm here for the Aegis; hand them over!"

Mórag laughs, as if Zeke's demand is the most ridiculous thing in the world. "No, you're not."

Zeke sputters, "Mórag! Let me do this, at least!"

Mórag smirks, waving her arm in a dismissive gesture. "Sure, all right. Do as you wish."

I laugh, the tension from his supposed threat dissipating. "So, let me guess, we fight, you lose, and you leave."

"Hah! You'll regret your confidence, kid! Pandoria!-" He looks to the side and gasps in horror when he sees Pandoria is distracted, locked in what seems to be an intense gossip session with Brighid.

"And then, my Prince is attacked by the boar and is launched off a cliff! It took two days' worth of fishing to get him out of the Cloud Sea-" Pandoria gossips,

"How does he survive that?" Brighid laughs,

"His head is naturally buoyant." Pandoria shrugs,

"Pandoria!" Zeke yells, absolutely mortified,

We break into a fit of laughter, and Zeke yells, "Y-you'll regret this! This isn't the last you'll see of me!" He grabs Pandoria's arm and sprints down the path, faster than what seems to be physically possible.

Typhos cracks up in laughter, wiping a tear from his eye, "I guess that's why they call him Thunderbolt."

Poppi calls, "Zeke is cuckoo."

Nia gives the Blade a high five, "You said it, girl."

Our journey to Fonsa Myma passes without incident. When we arrive at the outskirts of the city, we see many ships docked for repair, many of which appear to be warships.

"War with Mor Ardain seems more likely by the day," Dromarch comments, his fur looking more bristled than usual.

"Looks like they've expanded the military program; that's a lot of warships," Vandham says, wincing as he avoids eye contact with Mórag.

Mórag looks disappointed and sad. "I must inform His Majesty. We never wanted this…"

Nia's eyes widen, and she stops in her tracks. "Wait, Mor Ardain doesn't want war?"

Mórag shakes her head. "I would be lying if I said there weren't certain warmongering members of the nobility who desire conflict, but it has always been His Majesty's wish for peace."

"Huh. Never would've guessed. Although, I can't say I've ever been a big fan of how Mor Ardain altered their Titans. It doesn't look comfortable." Nia gestures toward Mórag in a slightly submissive way. "N-no offense."

"None taken, although I must ask…" Mórag turns her gaze to Gramps, who sits in a small hood that I altered into the clothes Vandham provided. "Are the modifications we make to our Titans painful? We always try to ensure their comfort."

Gramps throws his hands up. "I wouldn't know. But I wouldn't worry too much about it, either. If they were unhappy, they wouldn't stick around."

We proceed into the city, trying to stay close so we don't get separated.

"Jeez, I forgot how busy the capital city is," Typhos says, seeming in awe of the area around us.

I find myself looking around with the same sense of wonder. "Yeah, I understand. There's so much going on here."

"It's a lot more bustling than Torigoth, for sure," Nia adds, finding amusement in our reactions.

Crossette skates off towards a sweets shop. "Nia! We've got to try this!"

Nia scoffs, smiling gently. "Jeez, the sweet tooth on that one." She yells back to Crossette, "We can check it out later! We've got business to take care of!"

Crossette groans, "Niaaaa!"

Corvin, who walks in front of us, calls back, "Hey Rex, should we look at Core Chips?"

"Hmm, let's wait until the rush has calmed down. It's a bit hard to navigate," I suggest.

Corvin nods, and we continue to follow Vandham through the crowd. We make our way through the city and climb a set of stairs. At the top of the stairs, we reach an open area with a table set up next to the building. A line has formed in front of the table, where a small blue-haired girl stands meekly at the front.

"What's going on here?" I ask.

"A distribution center," Vandham explains. "Many people in the area are struggling, so the government distributes some resources to the citizens."

The distributor hands a meager ration to the blue-haired girl, calling out, "Okay, that's the last one for the day!"

A man standing behind the girl suddenly pushes her aside, grabbing the ration from the distributor instead. He looks down at the girl and yells, "C'mon! I'm a soldier, busting my ass for this country! That should go to me, not to someone like you!"

Crossette's horns spark, and she shouts in anger, rushing to the girl's side. "Who do you think you are!? She's just a child!" She turns her attention back to the girl. "Are you okay? Do you need any healing?"

The little girl replies, "N-no, I'm okay."

Corvin, now standing beside Crossette, barks at the man, "Isn't it a soldier's duty to protect the weak? It sure as Morytha doesn't give you the right to abuse a common person!"

The man, surprised by their resistance, retorts, "Who the hell are you?"

"Sometimes being an adult means making sacrifices for those who need it more! You're a grown, healthy man. Clearly, you have enough going for you!" Crossette yells, positioning herself between the girl and the man.

The man draws twin rings, the same type as Nia's. "Who do you brats think you are?"

Suddenly, Corvin multiplies, appearing in several places at once, his swords remaining sheathed. In the background, I notice one of the copies grabbing something from Crossette.

The man slashes wildly, every illusion moving and swaying in synchronized movements.

When the man loses his balance, one of the copies moves forward, a brown ball in his palm. He thrusts the ball into the man's chest, and a small explosion goes off. The man flies backward, crashing into a nearby wall.

The illusions fade, and Corvin and Crossette find themselves standing at the center of the area. They exchange a high-five before turning their attention back to the girl.

The girl's eyes sparkle with awe as she gazes up at her newfound saviors. "W-wow! You were amazing!"

Corvin pats her on the head. "It's all in a day's work, kiddo. Now go get your ration."

He glares at the rest of the people waiting in line. "Does anyone else feel this isn't deserved?"

A couple of people quickly respond, "No," and the line disperses.

Once the crowd thins out, the girl approaches our group again. Her eyes roam around until they settle on Vandham, and her face lights up with recognition. She runs over to him, a bright smile spreading across her face. "Mister Vandham!"

Vandham lets out a hearty laugh, leaning down to get closer to her eye level. "Well, if it isn't Iona! You've grown quite a bit. How is Grandpa Cole doing?"

The joyful expression on her face dims, and she looks down at the ground.

Vandham winces and gently places a hand on Iona's small shoulder. "Ah, not so good then."

I step up beside Vandham and ask, "Who's this?" I lean down next to him, and Iona's eyes are drawn to the Core in my chest. A glimmer of light returns to her eyes, if only slightly.

"What a pretty color…" she says, smiling gently.

Vandham laughs and stands up alongside me. "This is Iona. That friend I mentioned takes care of her."

"Would you mind taking us to Grandpa Cole?" Vandham asks, and Iona nods enthusiastically, nearly toppling over in her excitement.

We follow her into a nearby building, and she leads us to a small back room.

Vandham calls out, "Comin' in, old fella!"

He kneels to enter the doorway, and our group follows behind him. Not everyone can fit, so Nia, Mórag, and their Blades remain outside.

"Crikey, still collecting junk, aren't you?"

"Watch it, you bruiser! Don't make fun of an old man's hobbies!" an older man replies, turning to face us. His skin is wrinkled, and his hair is light—once maybe blonde or even orange—but now it's impossible to tell.

"Some greeting for your old comrade!"

"Comrade?" I ask, curious.

"Yeah, I was a freelancer before I started the firm. We tore up quite a few battlefields in our day!"

Cole laughs. "Sure did. And thanks to your bleeding heart, we almost never got paid!"

"Hahaha! Says the guy in the theater troupe! You can't be raking in too much dough either."

"Hmmph. So, what can I do for you, old friend?"

"Cole, you're old enough to know how to get to Elysium, aren't you?"

Cole's eyes widen. "Elysium? But why? Why would you want to go there?" His gaze flickers across the room, landing on Typhos's Core. "That Core Crystal! You… you've returned!"

Recognition flashes on Typhos's face, and he steps forward. "Minoth?"

"So you haven't forgotten. I almost thought you would after all these years."

"Minoth? Isn't that…?" I ask, looking at Typhos.

Typhos smiles. "Yes!"

Cole's expression darkens. "Though, I suppose if you've come all the way here, something must be stopping you from going there right now."

Typhos presses his fingers to his temple. "It would take hours to explain…"

Cole waves him off. "Don't worry about it. A long time ago, there was a man who climbed the World Tree and even met the Architect."

"Wait, really?" I ask, intrigued.

"Yeah. I'll tell you about it, but I'd like to have a word with him—the Aegis, I mean."

[TYPHOS]

"I must say, when Vandham mentioned that he had a friend who might know how to get to Elysium, you weren't the person I had in mind, Minoth," I say, looking around the small room that Minoth had led me into. Books are stacked precariously, with unfinished manuscripts littering every open space. "I see you finally made something of your beloved stories."

"You could say that," Minoth replied with a laugh, his voice rough and worn. "Though, I left the name Minoth behind a long time ago. These days, I go by Cole."

"Oh? If that's what you prefer," I say, still taking a cursory glance around the room, fascinated by how much he has accomplished over the years.

"However, you won't like the route you'll have to take if you follow my advice," Cole remarks, observing my interest in the surroundings.

"Yes, I assumed as much," I reply, finally focusing my attention back on the man in front of me. "Amalthus, right?"

Cole nods and pulls something from a drawer, handing it to me. "You remember the laws of his Sight, correct? He cannot see anything related to himself or his Blades. So as long as you have this…"

I look down at what he is handing me, my eyes widening in surprise. "Your Blade weapon?"

"Present it to Amalthus if you want to curry favor or keep it on you if you wish to deceive him. I have no qualms either way. Get the information you need and get out. Do not trust that man any further than you can see him."

"Thank you, Cole. I appreciate it." I say, smiling as confidently as I can manage,

"That boy…He reminds me of a certain someone." Cole says, indicating the door separating us from Rex,

I nod. "The resemblance is uncanny. Even if not in appearance, in spirit. His name is Rex, he has a good heart."

He looks at my Core, where it is separated, and nods. "Malos, has he been lost to this world?"

I shake my head. "Very nearly, but no. That's one of the only things keeping us from just heading straight to the world tree. We want to have his power before we do so. It'll be a second before he's able to join us, though."

"Sounds about righ-" Cole's words are interrupted by a coughing fit, racking his entire body with harsh, rasping breaths.

I rush to the door and open it. "Something's wrong with Cole!"
Iona, waiting on the other side of the door with Rex and Vandham, yells, "Grandpa!", rushing into the room.

"Old man! You gonna be okay?" Vandham calls, seeming concerned, but like the situation is not entirely unexpected.

"I'll be fine." Cole manages between coughs, his gaze turning to me, "If you want me to explain the situation to the boy, come back anytime."

I nod, turning to Rex. "Let's go. We have everything we need; let's let the old man get some rest."

I turn to Cole as we exit the building. "Take care of yourself. I'll try and make sure we visit before too long."

"Don't go out of your way on my behalf." Cole waves.

[MYTHRA]

"Jin, that pain in the ass. We could've had the Aegis already if it weren't for that bleeding heart of his," I say, standing in front of the theater.

"I suppose it wouldn't have been much of an interesting tale had he just taken him," Akhos replies, smirking as he adjusts his glasses.

We enter the building, snapping the cheap locks holding the doors in place. "Such feeble defenses when you're up against an Aegis," I remark, walking through the empty theater.

"Judging by the Ether signature, he's down this hall," Akhos says, leading the way through the dark corridors of the unlit theater.

We come to an open door, where a faint light spills into the hallway. A pathetic shell of a man leans over a desk in the corner of the room.

"Well, I'll be. Just one blast from the past after another today." He turns to face us, his expression blank.

"Why, hello, dear Minoth," I greet, sweeping a loose strand of hair from my shoulder. "I hear you had a meeting with a certain someone earlier tonight."

"I'm afraid I cannot help you, dear 'Comrade.' The Aegis is already long gone."

A faint presence appears behind me, attempting to hide in the doorway. It seems Minoth still has his urge to take in strays.

"What a shame. But we may be able to help you," I say, intentionally loud enough for the girl lurking at the door to hear.

"Obrona and I could fix that stagnant Ether flow of yours," Akhos chimes in, laying it on thick. "You could have a great deal of years ahead of you. 'Old man' is merely a state of mind."

Minoth laughs bitterly. "I suppose you'd know. But it's a shame that I am not as attached to my life as you hope."

"What about your little ones? The 'family' you've put together?" I ask him.

"They're strong. They can make it without me."

Akhos, his patience wearing thin, presses on. "C'mon, old man! Think of all the benefits! All the children you could help and inspire!"

Minoth shakes his head, his expression resolute. "There are others who can play my role. I merely occupy the stage."

"What a farce," Akhos retorts. "Break a leg, old man."

We step out of the room, closing the door behind us. I walk down the hall, pretending to notice the little girl for the first time.

"Oh, my. What do we have here?" I say, turning to face the girl hiding at the end of the hallway.

"My, you don't need to be shy, little one," Akhos encourages.

The little girl steps out of the shadows, looking up at me with hope. "Can you really help Grandpa?"

I kneel, offering my hands in a mock embrace. "Of course, my dear. In exchange, I only need a bit of… cooperation."

[REX]

I wake with a start, suddenly uncertain of where I am. Once my mind clears, I recognize my surroundings as the Urayan inn where Vandham took us after meeting with Cole.

I turn to my left, expecting to see Typhos asleep in the bed next to mine, but it's empty. "Huh. I guess he woke up early?"

I quickly get dressed and prepare for the day ahead. When I exit the room, I see Vandham speaking with Cole in the doorway of the inn.

"Calm down, old man. What happened?" Vandham asks, concern etched on his features.

"It's Iona! She's gone! It must've been... them..." Cole sputters, gasping for air.

"Who's 'them'?" I ask, patting Cole on the back.

"Mythra and some other guy. They came to visit me after you all left last night."

"Mythra was there?" I take a step back, surprised.

Nia, now standing next to me, asks, "Who was the other guy?"

Cole shakes his head. "I never caught his name. He had blue armor and red glasses."

Nia curses. "Akhos." She looks around, taking stock of our group, which is now joining us in the lobby after overhearing our raised voices. "Wait, where's Typhos?"

"Is he not here? I thought he got up before me," I say, glancing around the lobby for him. "Has no one seen him?" I ask, but receive no response.

"Did he figure out what was happening with Iona?"

Cole considers it for a moment and nods. "Knowing those two, that's not impossible."

"Typhos... Why did you think you couldn't ask for help?"

"I think I know where they would have gone," Cole begins. "The Olethro Ruins."

"The Olethro Ruins?" I ask.

"It's where Addam led his Army of Resistance from. It's also where the Aegis awakened."

I turn to Vandham. "Do you know where this place is?"

"Of course. Who do you take me for, an amateur?" Vandham replies, though his expression remains stoic.

"Lead the way!" I urge, and Vandham takes off, with Roc following close behind.

He guides us through Fonsa Myma until we quickly arrive at the base of a massive set of stairs. Vandham charges up, and we follow closely behind.

About halfway up the steps, a sharp pain jabs through my shoulder. "Ah!" I lose my balance and almost slip down the slick stone stairs.

"Rex, are you okay?" Mórag calls out.

Without looking back, I yell, "I'm fine! Typhos must be fighting on his own."

We sprint up the steps, and as we near the summit, the sounds of battle fill the air.

A familiar voice calls out, "You'll never get your hands on Malos' power! And I won't let you hurt anyone else to get it!"

I hear the sound of rushing water, which abruptly stops.

"Oh, my dear, you know you can't stop me like that."

At my side, Corvin asks, "You ready?"

I nod, and he hands me Halteclere. I draw the steel sword and prepare for battle.

When I reach the top of the stairs, I immediately charge at the familiar figure of Mythra.

"Well, maybe we can!" I shout.

I dive in from above, bringing both swords down on Mythra, but she blocks my attack with the pole of her scythe. She grins, laughing maniacally. "Yes! I knew the boy would come!"

She throws me backward, and I manage to land on my feet next to Typhos as the rest of our group exits the stairwell. "You okay, Typhos?"

He nods. "A little worse for wear, but overall okay."

I glance back at Mythra, finally taking stock of our other enemies. A black-haired man with red glasses stands beside a floating, humanoid Blade with golden wings. Mythra is paired with Phantylia, though her hair is unkempt and she looks exhausted.

"Vandham! You take care of Iona!" I call,
"Got her!" I turn my head to the stands of the amphitheater-like area we are standing in and see Vandham cradling an unconscious Iona.

I charge towards Mythra, Corvin close behind.

Our weapons clash, though my training with Vandham and Mórag has put me in a much better spot when facing her. Light flickers around us, but I am making no ground. I just haven't trained enough with Corvin.

I jump back and hand Halteclere back to Corvin. "You'll be better off fighting with this."

Corvin nods, and I draw Typhos' sword from where it hangs on my back.

I return to battle with Mythra. Before I can close the distance, a bitball is launched at Mythra, colliding with her in the face.
She recoils, "Ouch! Who the hell aims for the face!?"

"Thanks Nia!" I call, aiming my anchor at Mythra's foot.

The anchor fires, and I pull it taught, wrapping it around her ankle. "Topple!" I call, yanking with all of my might. She collides with the ground, her head snapping harshly against the hewn stone.

Vandham seems to materialize out of nowhere, falling from the sky with twin scythes in hand. He drives both scythes upwards, launching her into the air. Corvin appears behind her, driving Halteclere into her side. "Smash!"

She collides with the ground, screaming in pain. Before we can continue our assault, a blast of light shoots outward, sending us sprawling.

Mórag and Tora are facing Akhos, Mórag being more than a match for Akhos. Flames whirl around them, the heat haze distorting her form, making it seem like she is in multiple places at once.

Mythra's face is a mask of pain and anger, her hair a mess around her shoulders. "Okay, that's it. I am done." She tosses her scythe aside, a cracked emerald Core Crystal appearing in her hand. Around it forms a chipped, destroyed sword, with an immense flow of pure light shooting from it.

Akhos, face reddened with anger and exertion, calls out, "Obrona! Let's cut this tale short."

Obrona cackles, "Is it time for the final act?" She floats high up into the air and spreads her wings, red particles appearing in the air around her.

Mythra disappears. She appears in front of me, slamming the hilt of her sword into my head. I fall back, collapsing onto the ground.

"Rex!" Corvin charges Mythra, drawing Durandal. He slashes in a multitude of strikes, each faster than I can see, but somehow, Mythra avoids each one. In a single, fluid motion, she cuts into Corvin, sending him flying.

I hear a scream, and look to the side, to see Mórag being pushed back, Phantylia launching blasts of lightning in her direction while Akhos whirls at her with dual daggers, the flames on the ground sputtering out.

"H-how?" I rise, albeit unsteadily, and attempt to channel Ether into Typhos' sword.

There's no response.

"Rex. The Ether, it's gone!" Typhos sputters, flicking his hands through the air, trying to summon his water.

"Something is going on with Mythra, too. I've never seen anyone dodge Corvin?"

"You see, Blades draw their power from atmospheric ether energy. They send their power to the crystal, where it manifests… But...what if we were to interrupt the flow?" Akhos coos,

"The power is draining out of my weapons!" Nia calls, holding both her Bitball and a ring in each hand.

"It's no good, I can't transfer power, my lady!"

Multiple orbs of light appear next to each of our feet, and they detonate. Every single one of us is knocked off our feet.

Typhos sputters, "T-that's impossible. You shouldn't have this much power. You should be dead, much less able to use any amount of power!"

"Y'know, I thought the same thing at first," Mythra says, taking clear pleasure in his pain. "And, I think I was, at first, anyway."

"How?" I ask, "Death isn't supposed to be something you can come back from." I wince, pain from the explosion returning,

"I'm not entirely certain what brought me back, but if I had to guess…" Mythra rips the sheet of armor from her chest, revealing the shattered, damaged Core Crystal beneath it. "A power that was entrusted to me as an Aegis, the power to regenerate over time. I am the lifebearer, after all."

"Then why? If you were given another chance, why are you chasing after Typhos?" I yell, rising to my feet.

"Maybe it's because I want to? There are a lot of people who have qualms with this so-called Aegis." She points the end of her sword beneath my feet, creating another explosion that sends me sprawling.

"I think, this is where I will start." She points the sword at Typhos, and a ray of light envelops him. A scorching pain surrounds me, burning into me.

"AAAAAAH!" We scream in unison,

"Rex!" Vandham calls, but his voice sounds distant. Like a single droplet of rain during a hurricane, his voice is drowned out.

My chest feels like it's being torn apart from the inside out, energy branching out from the Core Crystal in my chest.

A pulse of energy blasts outward, and Mythra stops the attack. When she gets sight on us, she begins to laugh. "How pathetic do you look!? What happened to being the Aegis' Driver."

Vandham rushes to my side, standing over me. "You will not harm him any further!"

I reach out to him, my voice cutting through my throat, echoing despite our open aired surroundings. "N-No, Vandham, run!"

He turns around, looking at Typhos. His eyes widen, terror lining his features.

Typhos form is fading. The outer layer of his body is falling off in flakes, leaving emptiness in its place. Lavender light and ash begin to fall from the wound. His eyes flicker between their usual light purple and an empty, void black.

The pain spreads out from the Core in my chest, enveloping my body in a cold agony.

I feel it reaching out, longing to connect with its other half. Its voice rings out in my head, "Why fight it? This is the only way for you to win."

Mythra bellows in laughter, blasting Vandham to the side. "So, the true star of the show is coming out to play." Her grin spreading ear to ear, her hair almost seeming to glow, she says, "Come out, Endbringer! Come dance with me, dear little Brother!"

The world slows to a stop, the world around me turning to a dull grayscale.

I find myself standing above my own body, an ephemeral spirit separate from the mangled body anchored to the ground.

I call out into the empty surroundings, "Give it up, Endbringer! I'm not going to sacrifice anyone for this threat to be vanquished! You didn't even finish the job last time!"

"You mistake me, Addam's Future." A voice echoes from the surroundings, the grayscale world around me fading away.

The abyss surrounds me, though instead of the amethyst light I expect to find in the distance, there is now a vibrant emerald.

Standing in front of me is an avatar of verdant light, an undamaged emerald Core crystal in the center of its being.

"W-who are you?" I ask, my confidence fading. "Y-you're not Endbringer."

The figure laughs in a gentle, comforting timbre. "No, that I am not. Though, if we were to use that etymology, the title of Lifebearer would be fitting."

"How? Why?" I ask,

"The how isn't important." The figure shakes her head and continues, "I'm here to present you with a deal. An exchange of sorts."

I start, but she interrupts me, "Don't worry, I won't require life in exchange." The form flickers for a moment but returns to normalcy. "Human life, anyway."

"What do you want? And what are you offering?" I ask, still skeptical of the figure in front of me.

"If you promise to kill Mythra, I can suppress Endbringer within you. While it would offer you immeasurable power, it is my understanding that you dislike his… 'Requirements'"

"Okay.. But why? If you are Lifebearer, why would you want me to kill her? Isn't that counterproductive to you?"
"Mythra is an active detriment to the message of the Lifebearer. She has the urge to kill, to rule over a group of people whom she deems to be her 'family'. That man has twisted her beyond proportion."

"Okay… I've never been the 'killing' type, though." I say, doubting my own resolve.

"I have not finished." Lifebearer continues, her voice monotone but oddly comforting.

"If you agree to this exchange, I can offer her to you."

"Huh? What do you mean?" I ask,

An emerald storm starts up, The Lifebearer's form flickering.

"Rex, you must give me your word. You may either take these boons, in exchange for stopping Mythra for good, or you may be left to your demise."

"F-fine! If it means moving forward, then yes. I'll kill Mythra, if it comes down to it."

The figure chuckles, "That will have to do, then. I wish you well, Rex."

The abyss fades, leaving me back on the ground in Olethro Ruins. The burning pain in my chest is gone, and I look to the side to see Typhos, fast asleep and clearly injured, but nothing more.

I look up to Mythra, to see her frozen in place, a face of agony stuck on her face. After a long moment, she collapses to her knees, screaming in pain.

Her core shines, looking like it could explode. A brilliant verdure light launches from her chest, then descends in front of me, floating in space in front of me.

A chipped and slightly cracked emerald Core Crystal floats in space in front of me.

"W-what's that?" Nia murmurs, covered in wounds from the battle and constant explosions.

I reach out and touch the Core.

I'm standing on the hill in Elysium, the warm wind blowing across my arms, soothing my mind and my soul.

I turn around and see a girl walking up the hill. She wears red and black, with short, red hair. Two long capelike attachments to her clothing flap in the wind behind her as she walks up the hill. As she gets closer, I notice something.

The bottom of her hair is scorched and burnt, dropping small pixels of emerald light from her head with each step. Her left hand is made of green light, seeming to almost lack solid form. A crack descends from below her left eye down her jawline.

Despite all of this, she's pretty. She walks with a gentle grace, yet strong confidence.

When she reaches the hill's zenith, she stands next to me, and I turn around to look into the distance alongside her. After a quiet moment, she says,

"My name is Pyra, what's yours?"

[Τυφῶς]

I drift alone in a sea of unconsciousness. The pitch darkness around me flows, seeming to nip at the border where my consciousness meets the void.

"Why must you continue to resist?" Finality hisses into my mind, his words laced with malice, "Your resolve is insufficient."

I try to rage, to fight back against the dark tide that envelops my mind.

"That man's weakness has infected you. You rely on the laws of this world, leaning on them as a crutch." His voice shifts to a slow, deliberate whisper. "Just as She who Bears Life was corrupted, He who Signals the End has fallen as well."

My efforts to combat his hold fail. The strength that once supported me no longer heeds my call.

Suddenly, the tide around me swells, threatening to drown the meager hold my consciousness maintains. But just as quickly as it rises, the waves calm.

An emerald light shines from above, illuminating the darkness surrounding me.

A calmer, feminine voice speaks, "And this is how you choose to solve your problem? You would drown your own emissary in the tide?"

The light descends from the empty sky, stopping just above my chest. It branches out, forming arms that gently lift me from the depths below.

A crystalline barrier of shimmering emerald arises beneath us, and I am placed gently on my feet upon it. My body is illuminated by the barrier, making my form visible. A Core Crystal floats beside me, and in an instant, a body becomes apparent.

She is shorter than I am, with short turquoise hair. She wears a tight azure bodysuit with twin capes fluttering beside her. The emerald Core Crystal in her chest shines brightly, keeping the tide at bay around the sides of the platform.

"You would tie yourself to a form? Limit yourself to your connection with your vessel?" The voice of the End inquires,

"I think that you would find yourself less rigid if you chose to do so." The woman extends her arm, gazing down at the body she has formed.

"We were created to embody single purposes. Rigidity is the single boon we have over our counterparts, sister."

"Boon? Morality is not shaded in black and white, brother. This very reason is why we are only meant to oversee our other parts." The woman continues calmly, her gaze now steadied in front of her, gazing into the abyss in front of her.

"Your empathy blinds you, sister."

"And your scales control you. You are proving the very reason why primary control was given to the ones with personality. The truth lies in shades of grey."

I find my voice, sputtering out, "W-who are you? Why are you here?"

She turns to me, smiling gently, "You needn't worry, as it matters not, child. I shall remain here, and keep our brother entertained."

"Can you at least tell me your name?" I beg,

"Just as our sibling is the beginning, and you lay at the end, I am she who stands in between. Both everything and nothing." She places a gentle hand on my shoulder, "You will rise. Take care of our sister for me."

My consciousness stirs to the sound of flames.

[REX]

Elysium fades away, and I find myself back in the Olethro Ruins. The emerald Core Crystal now floats in my hands, glowing brightly. Suddenly, a crimson hilt forms around the Core, connected to a golden handle. At the other end of the hilt, a golden blade flickers into place.

However, the blade looks wrong. It is filled with holes, dulled and chipped, with verdant light spilling from the empty spaces in the broken sword.

As I stand there, Pyra begins to materialize from the green light surrounding me. She looks exactly as she did in Elysium, her hand and feet replaced with emerald light.

She turns to face me and offers me her shining green hand. I hesitate but eventually take it, my apprehension fading as I realize it feels solid. With surprising strength, she hoists me to my feet.

"Is your sword broken?" I ask, my gaze falling on the short, damaged blade in my hands.

Pyra nods. "The appearance of both my form and the sword is due to the damage Mythra sustained in the Aegis War. Don't worry; it won't affect my performance."

"That's not what I'm worried about! Are you in pain?" I say, my eyes darting to her shattered Core Crystal.

She laughs softly, "No, I assure you, I'm fine."

"What did you do to her!?" Akhos exclaims, rushing to Mythra's side as she struggles on the ground.

Pyra's expression hardens. She glares at the pair before her. "I would assume that having a significant portion of your Core's data ripped away wouldn't feel pleasant," she states coldly, her voice devoid of any emotion.

"What?" a quiet voice from behind us asks, and I turn to see Nia. She is covered in wounds, her hair a scorched mess from the explosions.

I rush to her. "Are you okay?"

She nods. "I'll survive. But where did she come from?" she asks, indicating Pyra.

"It's a long story," I reply, shaking my head.

"Ugraaahhh!" Mythra screams, rising to her feet. Motes of light surround her, flickering and bursting in disorienting flashes. "Akhos?"

Akhos takes a step back, horrified at the sight of his ally's condition. "Yeah?"

"They die."
Akhos nods, drawing the daggers from his side. "If that is what you desire." He tries to speak confidently, but his voice reveals his uncertainty.

Mythra charges, her damaged sword in hand. Before I can react, the sword in my hand disappears, flickering into Pyra's grasp. The broken swords collide, flames and light clashing in the air.

I turn to Nia. "Pyra and I will handle this. Go see if you can heal the others."

She shakes her head violently and points to the sky. Obrona is still floating there, the crimson motes of light indicating that the Ether field remains active.

I quickly look back to Pyra, who is still unleashing flames from her sword, creating a massive blade of pure heat that compensates for the lack of a sharp edge.

"Pyra!" I call out, and in response, she kicks Mythra in the chest, sending her flying back to the edge of the ruins. Pyra leaps back to stand at my side.

"How are you using your Ether? Obrona is making it so that only they can access it."

She glances back at Typhos, who appears to be beginning to stir. "You mean he couldn't?" Confusion creases her face.

"No, of course he couldn't," I reply, surprised by her question.

"I can see why your friends struggled in this field, but Typhos should have been fine. An Aegis doesn't need to rely on Ether."

Mythra recovers from the strike and charges toward us, a manic look in her eyes.

Pyra's focus returns to Mythra, and understanding dawns on her face. She smiles, "In fact…"

Pyra drops to her knees and thrusts her burning sword into the ground. Despite its dull edge, the blade sinks up to its hilt in the solid stone.

"Flames of Life and Death!"

A wave of heat erupts outward, and the entire amphitheater is bathed in fire. A roaring wall of flame erupts around us, towering high and blocking Iona from view, obscuring where she lies limp on the steps.

Mythra stops moving, eyeing Pyra cautiously.

Akhos sputters, whirling around to look for an opening. "This should be impossible! You shouldn't be able to do this!"

Pyra scoffs, still leaning on her sword. "For someone who prides himself on playing his role so well, you're rather one-dimensional."

"Excuse me?" Akhos steps forward, his earlier apprehension replaced by rage.

Pyra rises, pulling the sword from the stone with an ear-splitting screech. "This final act has dragged on for far too long. It's time for the curtain call."

The flames around her sword flare brighter, and with one swift motion, she spins—launching a searing wave of fire outward.

"Ahh!" I scream as it hits me, knocking me off my feet. I crash to the ground, frantically patting at my burning clothes.

Akhos joins me in my surprise. The flames coil around him, and he howls, stumbling as they consume him.

My panic rising, I continue to pat the flames with my hands. To my horror, the flames catch on my hands and rise up my arms, their gentle heat tickling the wounds on my arms. Despite their heat, my arms don't hurt.

"W-why aren't they burning me?" I sputter,

Instead of searing flesh, the flames dance softly over my wounds, sending warmth through me. As they touch my cuts and burns, a radiant green light fills them, connecting damaged wounds and numbing the pain they were causing.

Flames roar across the stone amphitheater, burning bright and high despite their lack of fuel. They dance along the shattered walls and ripple through the air, and yet, they don't consume.

Instead, they wrap around my friends, swirling like emerald ribbons where they connect with their bodies. Wherever the flames touch, their wounds glow with the same green light as Pyra's hand.

Pyra steps toward me again, her emerald hand outstretched, shimmering in the haze of heat and fire.

"Our wounds… they look like your hand," I whisper, staring at the strange green light binding the cuts and bruises across my arms.

She nods but gives a quiet warning. "Don't overdo it. The flames are only holding your body together—keeping the damage from getting worse."

I reach out and take her hand, and once again, she pulls me to my feet with ease.

"They haven't healed you," she adds softly. "The pain's just been numbed."

Still, a surge of warmth spreads through me, a pulse of energy, like a second heartbeat. My body feels lighter and stronger, as though something inside me has been reignited.

"I… I feel stronger," I murmur, flexing my fingers, the fire dancing across my skin taking on a green hue where it adheres to my wounds.

Pyra tilts her head, offering a faint smile. "Side effect of the flames," she says. "The bindings are stronger than your own body. If you've taken a lot of damage… well, to hold you together, they have to be even stronger."

"So if I'm broken enough…" I say slowly, "…the flames will make me stronger than I was before."

She looks at me, her eyes steady but serious. "Yes," she says quietly. "But don't mistake borrowed strength for healing. If you take more damage, you will die."

Akhos continues to writhe, falling to the ground and screeching in agony.

Mythra laughs and waves her arms. The flames around her and Akhos sputter to a stop.

"Akhos!" Obrona screeches, fluttering next to him, the crimson motes of light flickering around her.

[TYPHOS]

"You must rise, child."The voice stirs me from the darkness, as though speaking from within my very bones.

Flames twist around me, casting wild shadows on the dull stone. Their warmth caresses my torn flesh, though the pain still lingers."Our sister can only delay Mythra for so long."

Memories of my subconscious battle against Endbringer rush into my mind, and the familiarity of the voice that continues to speak to me resonates within me,

"H-how?" I manage to whisper, my throat raw, every word scraping against the inside of my mouth. "I thought… you were holding Endbringer back."

"That I am. I cannot offer you strength, as all of mine is being used to suppress him. I have just enough strength to speak whenever you require guidance."

"O-okay," I breathe, planting my trembling hands against the scorched ground. Stone grinds beneath my fingers as I force myself upright, my arms shaking violently. Gravity weighs upon me with the weight of a mountain, but I push on. "But how am I supposed to fight her?" I rasp. "We tried. We failed. I don't have enough strength…"

"Your strength is greater than you believe, child. You have never truly called upon all that lies within you." The feminine voice coos, gentle and warm, "In this, Endbringer spoke truth," she continues, her tone so soft it's almost monotone. "You chain yourself to the laws of this world… but you forget, those laws were made to serve you, not to bind you. Such is the truth of The End."

I raise my head and drag my gaze along the scorched walls of the amphitheater. "Then show me how to break them."

Her voice laughs, warmth filling my body with every instance of sound."They will bend to your will. Just as your waters may warp the strongest of steel, so too will the laws of nature yield to your flow."

I lift my palm from the rough stone, the cuts and burns I attained from the previous battle shimmering with iridescent emerald. "Our sister has already realized this. Just as her fire scorches our enemies, it nurtures our allies."

I watch as the flames still flicker around the amphitheater, wrapping my allies in their glow, burning with harsh orange yet flickering around them with sparks of green.

She speaks with strength, her emotion now more audible. "Water may erode even the mightiest stone," she continues, her voice steady, yet showing more emotion than before, "but it also gives life to the smallest seed, carving paths where none existed."

"But… I can't call on the Ether," I whisper, my voice tight as the panic creeps back in, echoes of our failed struggle with Mythra pressing down on me. "Obrona is still out there, keeping it from me. She's cutting me off."

"Ether is a pale reflection of what you truly are." Her words strike true, digging deeper than I had thought previously possible.

"You have never needed it." The flames around us flicker, crackling on with continued strength.

"Reach within, Typhos," she whispers, gentle but firm. "Call upon what has always been there. What is yours, not what this world would offer you."

A slow, shuddering breath escapes me, and for the first time since I fell, I stop fighting the current of fear pulling at me.

Instead, I reach down, deeper than I ever dared. Past the pain, past the fear, past the doubt, past every single wall that Malos put up to keep his destruction at bay. Into that well of strength I had long neglected.

And something stirs..