Chapter Text
The massive stone doors opened on their own, revealing a darkened corridor on the other side. Slowly, the group made their way inside, with Marth, Kisara, Kirito and Reyn up front. The room was much larger than it appeared. The sounds of their footsteps echoed in the darkness. As they marched through, Shulk couldn't help but hold his breath in anticipation. This was the room from his vision. He knew it within his bones. He recognized the pillars scattered about, though his vision was limited because of the darkness. Which means this is where…
"What the?" Nia said in confusion. "There's nothing here."
"Yeah," Ethan voiced in agreement. "It's totally empty."
However, that did little to soothe Shulk's nerves. Instead he turned his attention to the Alfheim Warriors, or more specifically, the ones who were SAO Survivors. The way their stances remained firm and resolute, their weapons raised in defensive positions, gave the impression they've experienced these places before. He could understand why they looked so on edge. After all, nothing was more terrifying than a creature lurking in the dark.
Suddenly a blue flame sparked to life on one of the columns, bringing an eerie light to the darkened corridor. Another flame lit up, then another and another. In mere seconds, all the torches were alight, revealing to all the contents of the room. Located right in the center of the chamber was one large creature with leathery black skin. Its legs were lean and muscular. Resting on its back were a pair of leathery wings. Its head was angular and decorated with horns.
The Homs engineer had never seen a creature like this before, but he could tell that it was stronger than that Queen Arachno from Tephra Cave. It might even be stronger than the Mechon with the metal face. His breathing hastened and his heartbeat accelerated. This feeling, this anxiety. That was indeed the monster from his vision, the one that kills Kisara. Will he be able to prevent that future from happening though?
Right now, the monster was asleep, oblivious to the intruders within its lair. Perhaps they could avoid a fight altogether and just sneak past it. He was about to make the suggestion when the doors behind them suddenly shut on their own, trapping them within. The exact moment the stone doors sealed, the black monster opened its menacing red eyes, fully alert. It rose up, spread its wings to its full length, and cried out an earth-shattering roar.
Almost all of the group flinched at the sound, with some even covering their ears in fear of going deaf. Shulk's own ears were practically ringing like alarm bells from the aftermath. The sheer presence of the creature rendered him immobile.
"What the hell is that thing?!" Reyn cried out in outburst. Even he looked a little uneasy with facing such a powerful presence.
"A dragon."
It was Marth who answered. Somehow, he seemed totally unfazed by the awesome presence of the master of this floor. His gaze was firm, unwavering, unflinching. He brandished his dual swords, the opposite color blades glimmering in the blue light.
"Come again?" Azurda questioned, understandably confused.
"It's basically a giant lizard with wings and elemental attacks, usually fire-based," the Dark Swordsman explained calmly. "They appear lot in mythologies on Earth and they serve as tough bosses in video games."
"Translation," Kirito interjected, "prepare for a difficult fight. This thing's not gonna go down easy."
Well, that was comforting. If even Marth acknowledged the strength of this "Floor Boss", then this fight will be the hardest one so far.
Before Shulk could even mentally prepare himself, the dragon roared again, a faint light glimmering from its mouth. Immediately afterward, it fired a large stream of purple flames at the group. The heat coming from the breath attack grew more intense by the second as it drew closer and closer.
"Incoming!" Xander shouted.
Nearly all of the group scattered, desperate to avoid being scorched by the deadly flames. All except for Marth, Kisara, Kirito, and Shulk. Shulk didn't move because he was still petrified by the dragon's presence, but he had no idea why the trio in front of him were still in front of him. If they continued to stand there, then they'll die with him.
"Get out of the way!" Mythra cried out in warning.
"Hurry!" Klaus added in haste. "There's not much time."
Yet the three remained where they were. However, Shulk noticed that their body language was as firm as ever. They were up to something. That was the only explanation.
At that moment, he felt a strange gust of wind blowing against him. Visible black gales gathered around Marth, stirring up his coat and his long raven-black hair. Meanwhile the purple flames were nearly upon them, the intense heat pricking intensely upon Shulk's skin.
"Stormveil," the demon prince said calmly.
Suddenly, mere seconds before the purple flames reached the quartet, a dome of black wind surrounded them. The heat from the fire was still intense as it collided with the gale, but the flames themselves could only pass over them without so much as a burn.
Shulk found himself feeling speechless. He didn't think it was possible to stop any attack the dragon threw at them, and yet Marth effortlessly blocked its breath attack. However, the Homs should have expected as much, since the dual swordsman was the leader of the Harbingers, arguably the strongest guild from Aincrad save for one other.
The dragon's attack ended after just a few seconds, but to Shulk it felt like an eternity. Once the winds parted, he noticed the trail of smoke coming from its maw, not to mention its feral gaze.
"Listen up, everyone," Marth ordered, brandishing his right sword. "Reyn, Ethan, hold the beast's attention. Asuna, Kisara, and Sinon provide long range support while protecting Rose, Klaus and Azurda. Everyone else, pair up and attack from the sides."
"W-wait," Ethan spoke up nervously as the team regrouped. "Why do Reyn and I have to distract this thing? How do we even distract a dragon?"
"Just attack its front and avoid its teeth and flames," the Dark Swordsman replied nonchalantly. "Not to mention its sharp claws."
"That sounds…difficult," Poppi said slowly.
"Fine. Then you guys focus on blocking its attacks while I distract it. My speed should be enough to evade its attacks on my own."
"I'll help too," Kirito added in a firm tone. "Besides, I can't let you hog all the fun, partner."
Marth cracked a smile at that. "Alright. Now let's go!"
The dual swordsmen broke into a run, charging straight at the large dragon who roared in challenge. Asuna's team stayed in the back, readying spells and arrows. Though a little hesitant (more so with Ethan) the supposed tanks of the group rushed to join the Darkness Duo with distracting the monster. Meanwhile, Xander and Klein formed parties to attack the dragon's sides, with Shulk joining the latter.
The sounds of battle echoed in the air as the fight played out. Marth and Kirito did a good job of holding the dragon's attention, their quick speed and reflexes allowing them to dodge most of its attacks. They made excellent use of the Switch maneuver, where one fighter would parry an enemy attack with a Sword Skill, allowing a partner to jump in and unleash another Sword Skill at the defenseless target.
Unfortunately, whenever they had to use this maneuver, they had to use high-level Sword Skills to parry the dragon's claws and fangs. Their first blocking attempts with regular Sword Skills left them injured, which Asuna was able to patch up with a healing spell. Because they were using their stronger attacks, Marth and Kirito were forced into a longer post-motion delay after they concluded their attacks.
Fittingly for a supposed boss, the dragon naturally would try to exploit such a vulnerability, but that's where Reyn and Ethan came in. While they would occasionally land attacks of their own, which was hard to do because its hide was so thick, they focused primarily on protecting the Darkness Duo from harm.
From Shulk's position, he could see the sweat glistening from Reyn's body whenever he stopped one of those razor-sharp claws with his gunlance, which miraculously stayed intact. But how was that possible? That scrap driver was made from spare parts and needed to be enhanced by the Monado just to block a full-power attack from a Queen Arachno. Now Shulk was by no means a novice when it came to weapon development, but he never designed that gunlance to survive hits from a dragon. Just how was this possible?
The answer came to him when he took a closer look at his best friend. It was a bit hard to see, but there was a faint veil of water surrounding the Homs soldier, especially around his weapon. Of course, Asuna must have used a defense-enhancing spell on him to help block any attacks. Now that he noticed the detail, he could see the same veil around Ethan and Poppi. Talk about impressive.
Marth knew exactly what he was doing when he issued his orders. He kept the healers and long-range fighters to the back, away from any danger, with the exception of Nia and Dromarch since they can't really heal from a distance. Then he had the close-range fighters attack from the sides, not having to worry too much about the dragon's claws or mouth. Despite having only three years of fighting experience under his belt, Marth had the air of a seasoned tactician. It's no wonder the Harbingers became so strong in Aincrad.
Unfortunately, they weren't making much progress with slaying the beast. Its hide was like metal, easily deflecting most of everyone's attacks. Even the blade of the Monado was having some difficulty with leaving any cuts on its flesh. Xander seemed to be doing alright with the Aegis Sword, plus with Mythra's Foresight, he was able to dodge any sudden attacks on the flanking parties.
Speaking of which, even those two parties weren't safe from harm as the dragon would occasionally swing its massive tail around in a circle, knocking back anyone caught in its path. Shulk was able to evade them thanks to his visions, and was even able to warn his teammates so that they could avoid injury as well. The dragon would also unleash a barrage of fire lances from magic circles, which were really hard to evade, even with the ability to see the future. One even grazed Shulk's left leg because he wasn't able to dodge in time, they were so fast.
"Easy," Nia said calmly as she held one of her ringblades over the smoldering wound, the ends of the Blade weapon glowing with ether. He could feel the energy from the weapon stitching his flesh back together.
"Th-thanks," he replied.
"Just doing my job."
They hurried to rejoin the fight. Asuna's team was constantly raining down spells on the dragon while also providing healing for the distraction team. Those spells seemed to have some impact on the black beast, as the wounds they left were decent, with bronze blood gushing out. With that revelation, the Origo Drivers began unleashing special Arts with their Blades, with Kos-Mos and Mythra's Arts being rather effective. Fitting for two Blades who share the elusive Light element. The Alfheim Warriors even switched to Sword Skills that deal elemental damage, though they had to be careful with them because of the aforementioned post-motion delay.
After what felt like hours, it looked like they were finally making some progress as the dragon's attacks were slowing down, becoming less sporadic. Perhaps that vision he had back in the streets of Zophia won't happen after all. Dare he hope that it won't come to pass?
That fleeting desire came to a swift end when the dragon unleashed a dreadful screech, one more powerful than any it unleashed before, stunning everyone within range. A shockwave of power knocked the surrounding teams off their feet.
A purple magic circle surrounded the dragon, a pillar of dark light consuming it entirely. When the light finally faded, Shulk's eyes widened in horror. The beast's appearance had changed. It retained its black scales, but it had the addition of red tattoos that decorated its entire body. The horns on its head were more pronounced and gained more on its neck and spine. It even gained a second pair of wings. The presence around it was more intense than ever. The Homs engineer could tell that this sudden transformation had made the beast even stronger. Adding to that intense aura, all of its injuries have been closed up, much to the group's frustration.
"Damn it," Mythra cursed as she gritted her teeth while trying to get back up. "This thing was annoying to fight beforehand, now it just got even stronger."
"I believe I am experiencing frustration over the current circumstances," Kos-Mos added in her robotic voice. "Master, do you have any ideas?"
"Ngh," the Aegis Driver grunted as his team managed to return to their feet. "Keep on the offensive, but watch for any sudden movements. Its attack patterns might have changed so be careful."
"Okay," Yuuki replied, readying her sword. She wasn't smiling like her usual self, instead her eyes were alert. "This is a lot like the Floor Boss fights from Aincrad. Once the boss reaches a certain condition, its attack patterns change and even get stronger. You might call this its second phase, if you catch my drift."
Shulk partially understood that, but it was enough to get the general idea. The transformation came about because the dragon took a certain amount of damage to trigger it. Still the fact that the dragon was able to heal itself as well as power up, it managed to put a damper in everyone's morale. All of their hard work had been erased within a blink of an eye.
The beast let out a menacing snarl, which sent a shiver down Shulk's spine. Suddenly it lunged its front claws with incredible speed. Marth and Kirito were able to dodge just fine, but Reyn and Ethan weren't so lucky. Thankfully they were able to block in time, but the sheer impact sent them crashing into the stone pillars.
"Reyn!" Shulk cried out in concern as he hurried to his downed friend.
Another vision appeared to the blonde, showing the dragon unleashing a wide-spread ice spell to attack the party. The vision quickly faded as the event came to pass. A biting chill filled the air before the beast roared out, a purple magic circle surrounding it. A veil of jagged ice erupted, catching all the attackers off-guard.
Shulk himself was barely able to evade the ice, but he could hear some of his comrades not being so fortunate. He pressed further, somehow managing to reach his best friend intact, kneeling beside him while setting the Monado on the floor.
"Reyn! Are you okay?"
The auburn-haired soldier let out a wheeze. The impact from the pillar must have knocked the wind out of him. "I-I'm fine. I felt worse from the colonel."
If he had the strength to make a little joke, then he was probably fine. Still, just be safe, Shulk cast a Light Heal Art on his friend. He took a quick examination of Reyn's body as another precaution. Good. He didn't spot any serious injuries. The most he could find were just a few bruises plus a sprained shoulder. That enhancement spell must be responsible for the lack of injuries. Shulk really needed to thank Asuna once the fight was over.
"This isn't good," Reyn suddenly spoke up. "Look, Shulk."
He turned around and gasped in horror. The ice had ensnared Klein, Yuuki, Dromarch, and Poppi (who had taken the attack to protect her stunned Driver), all of whom having serious wounds. It was clear that they were out of the fight. Aside from Asuna's team, who must have been working overtime to patch up their downed comrades with Sinon providing cover with her arrows, the only ones left were Marth, Kirito, Jin, Xander, Mythra, and Kos-Mos. Nia looked alright, but it was clear she had to focus on healing duty while getting her downed comrades to safety.
Reyn was right. This wasn't good. In fact, things had just gotten worse. In an instant, the floor boss had managed to turn the tables on them, easily cutting their forces in half. This was a hopeless battle from the start. Was this where they were going to die? Despair was starting to settle within Shulk's heart as he lost the strength to stand up.
"Sei!"
"Raa!"
Two clear voices rang out. It was from Marth and Kirito. Despite them having lost three of their teammates, the dual swordsmen were still fighting, using every ounce of strength to hold the dragon's attention. They were practically a blur with how fast they were moving, the clashing of their swords against claws echoing crisply. They hadn't given up yet.
"Chroma Dust!"
Mythra, while airborne, fired a barrage of golden light from her sword, each one striking the dragon's back. As she landed beside her Driver, Xander tossed his white sword to Kos-Mos, which suddenly transformed into a large golden blaster shaped like a cross, which she held in one hand while a copy of it appeared in the other. In fact, it looked very similar to Mythra's Core Crystal.
"Gatling Fire!" Kos-Mos called out emotionlessly.
The twin blasters unleashed a constant barrage of ether bullets upon the dragon's right side, easily breaking the thick hide and causing its bronze blood to spill.
"Zero Blade!" Jin cried out before unleashing a rapid assault of slashes with his naginata. Also, was it just Shulk, or did the air suddenly get colder? Yes, the ice from the dragon's last attack was still present and generated bit a of chill, but somehow the air got even colder.
Shulk pushed the thought aside for now. What was important was that everyone else hadn't given up yet. Heck, Klein and Yuuki were trying to get back into the fight, despite Nia's protests as she tried to heal them.
"These guys are incredible," Reyn said in awe. "They've only known each other for about a day and they're fighting as a team."
"Yeah," the blonde replied, his mouth agape.
Just seeing the onslaught before him renewed Shulk's determination. Reyn still needed a few more moments to recover before he could rejoin the fight, but that didn't mean his best friend had too as well. As he reached for the Monado, however, a certain scene began to play out, the very scene that he dreaded to see happen.
Somehow, the dragon managed to isolate Marth from his partner, with Kirito in question trying to free himself from an icy prison ensnaring his feet. Shulk watched in horror as the beast slashed at the Dark Swordsman with its claws, which he was barely able to parry with his dual swords. However, the action rendered him immobile for a few precious seconds. Not letting up on its momentum, the dragon slashed at the gray-clad swordsman with its other front claws.
"Brother!" Kisara cried out in worry. The purple-haired fencer was nearing her elder sibling, clearly intending to take the blow herself.
Panic surged through Shulk's mind. Time seemed to slow to a crawl. If things didn't change, everything will play out exactly like it did in his vision. Kisara will die and Marth will succumb to some sort of dark force. But, was it even possible for him to change the future here? Sure, he warned everyone of the dragon's attacks before, but those weren't quite as threatening as this vision. That vision focuses on two people, not the entire group. It was a major vision.
"Do you seek to change it?" a familiar voice spoke within his mind. He knew this voice. It was the same one he heard in his dream from Tephra Cave, and of the one that brought him and Reyn to Temporal Island. "The future?"
"I do," Shulk responded. "But I don't even know if I'm allowed to do it, especially here. This isn't the Bionis. Everything here feels so different."
"You are overthinking this. If you wish to change the future, then do it. You are the wielder of the Monado. You decide what fate will happen. It does not matter which world you are in."
"Really? Is it really that simple?"
"It can be, if that is what you desire. There is no need to overcomplicate things. So, I ask again. Do you want to change the future?"
Did he want to change the future? Of course he does. What kind of person wouldn't want to change the future if it led to a dark path? Shulk refused to let the future he saw come to pass. With a renewed purpose, he grabbed the Monado, the weapon humming in his hands.
"So that is your answer? Very well. I do hope you survive this. There is much you have to do in our world after all."
Shulk was curious what the voice meant by that, but he had no time to question it. He had to act, and he had to act now. Time was of the essence. Kisara was dangerously close to pushing her brother away from the dragon's claws.
"Raaah!" With a mighty bellow Shulk rushed towards the demon siblings, the blue blade of the Monado igniting into life. He ran, faster than he's ever run before, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He only had one shot at this, so he had to make it count. A yellow symbol appeared on the glassy disc of the Monado, turning the energy blade into the matching color. This was Monado Shield, the very Art Shulk used to save Reyn's life back in Tephra Cave. It was able to deflect the attacks of the Arachno Queen. Now it was time to see if it could do the same against a dragon.
"Hyaa!" Shulk roared out as he swung the Monado in a circle, sending out a wave of ether that spread out across the corridor at lightning speed. The moment the ether reached Kisara, a yellow hexagonal barrier enveloped her, right before the razor-sharp claws touched her body. The moment the blade-like appendages made contact with the barrier, they were instantly deflected, leaving Kisara unharmed. He had done it. He had changed the future!
"Kisara!" he cried out as he reached the siblings, the sister helping the brother to his feet. "Are you okay?!"
"Y-yeah." She looked a little taken aback, which was understandable. She must have thought she was about to die from that last attack. "How did you do that?"
"With the power of the Monado," he answered firmly. "Just like how it grants me visions of the future, it also gives me the power to change it. I refuse to let anyone die. Not again!"
Kisara's eyes widened from his outburst. Suddenly they heard the dragon screech again and readied to block its claws together, only for Marth to block it with his dual swords. Surprisingly, he was actually able to repel it using brute force alone, knocking the dragon off-balance and sending back a few feet. Heck, one of its claws was even cut off.
"You have my thanks, Shulk," the Dark Swordsman spoke in a strangely calm tone. "I owe you my gratitude for saving my dear sister." He glanced over his shoulder to face the duo. His eyes were now a pale yellow. "But now it's time to unleash my real power. That overgrown lizard will regret the day it was born."
"Brother," Kisara called out in concern. "Be careful. Last time you couldn't…"
"I know. I'm just gonna use it to cripple this thing. I can't risk losing control at a time like this. Watch my back, okay?"
"Always."
Marth held his swords up, the blades facing the floor. A dark aura enveloped his body and his hair turned from black to a pale white. With a mighty cry, he swung the twin blades out, sending out a wave of power that seemed to shake the entire room. Everyone had their eyes on him, shocked by what they saw. Even the dragon looked nervous as it took a step backward.
"Myriad…Heaven," the Dark Swordsman muttered coldly, as if his very words became ice. Lunara and Solaris flashed with purple light.
In a flash, Marth rushed forward at the dragon, easily closing the distance between them. He then unleashed a barrage of slashes upon the beast, his movements too quick to follow through. He managed to sever one of the dragon's front legs and left deep gashes in its meaty neck. This was the 16-hit combo, Myriad Heaven, the fourth attack of Marth's Dual Blades style.
Like with all Sword Skills, Marth's body went rigid after the skill concluded, leaving him very much vulnerable to a deadly counterattack. After the final hit of Myriad Heaven struck, he collapsed onto his knees, his hair returning to its usual color and the dark aura around him disappearing. He looked…like he was fighting himself. Unfortunately for him, the floor boss was very much intending to exploit this opening as it looked incredibly furious from that last attack. It opened its gaping maw as purple flames began to gather at the back of its mouth, intending to finish him off with its breath attack.
"Starburst Stream!"
"Mother's Rosario!"
The dragon howled in pain, its breath attack interrupted as two new attackers struck it from the sides. It was none other than Kirito and Yuuki, the latter having recovered enough to rejoin the fight. The Black Swordsman had unleashed his fourth attack of his Dual Blades style, while the Absolute Sword was using a Sword Skill that she created herself. Apparently, it served her well in both Aincrad and Alfheim. The joint attacks threw the beast off-balance, suffering wounds more dire than before.
A flash of blue then rushed past Shulk and Kisara. It was Asuna, her rapier in hand. She got right in front of the dragon, not even flinching from its fierce glare. If anything, she looked more ferocious than the angry lizard. Now Shulk was beginning to understand why Asuna had the secondary nickname of the Berserk Healer.
"Star Splash!" she cried out as she activated the high-level Rapier skill, delivering a rapid series of upon the dragon's face. The speed in which she moved her blade was on par with her guild leader. It was impossible for Shulk to keep up. He just couldn't make out the tip of her blade. What was truly incredible though, was that she managed to take out both of the dragon's eyes, blinding it as bronze blood poured from the fresh wounds.
"Hell, yeah!" Klein whooped in cheer, also recovered from his injuries thanks to the Gormotti. "Nice going Asuna!"
"Mess with the leader of the Harbingers and you mess with all of us," the Berserk Healer said firmly, casually flicking the blood off her rapier, before helping her leader to his feet. "We're not just a team. We're a family."
This kind of implies that their current guild name, the Alfheim Warriors, is just superficial. Internally, Marth and the others still refer to themselves as the Harbingers, the most feared guild in all of Aincrad. Perhaps they simply changed the name to avoid scrutiny, but that was just speculation on Shulk's end. Then there was the fact that not all of the guild's members were here. How much stronger were they if they were all together. Something told him that even the Mechon wouldn't want to face such opponents.
"Alright guys, listen up!" Kirito exclaimed. "Hit it with everything you've got. It's time to end this. Sword Skills, Arts, everything!"
Everyone cheered and rushed forward with renewed vigor, attacking from all sides. The first to strike were Kos-Mos and Mythra, who both unleashed their X Buster and Lightning Buster Arts, crippling the beast even further by taking out a wing and another leg. Next were Klein and Sinon, who both unleashed elemental Sword Skills that left the dragon stunned. Following up were Nia, Dromarch, and Jin, with the former two unleashing Dark Maelstrom, while the latter unleashed a flurry of slashes before following up with spears of ice that embedded themselves in the monster's flank?!
Ethan had Poppi unleash her Noponic Axiom, piercing through the dragon's thick neck. Next were Reyn and Shulk, the former unleashing a powerful Sword Drive into the monster's stomach while the latter followed up with a Back Slash. Asuna and Yuuki were up next, the two swordswomen unleashing a beautiful combination of attacks that looked almost like a dance. After they were done, it was clear the beast was on its last legs as its breathing was becoming labored. It couldn't even muster the strength to retaliate.
"Marth! Kirito! Kisara!" Xander cried out.
"Finish this!" Sinon concluded.
The remaining trio nodded in acknowledgement and rushed together. They leapt into the air before swinging their swords down on the dragon's head, penetrating the skull and slashing the brain. The master of the floor let out one final, weak cry before finally collapsing onto the stone floor, succumbing to death.
They did it. After what felt like an eternity, they finally did it. They managed to kill that powerful dragon. There wasn't much cheer or celebration as practically all of the fighters promptly collapsed onto the floor in exhaustion, the stress finally beginning to leave them.
"Well done, everyone," Klaus said with a smile as he, Azurda and Rose made their way over to them.
"I'll be honest," the Titan admitted. "I had my doubts we would be able to win this battle, especially after that thing transformed, but you all managed to surprise me. I too must offer my congratulations to you all."
Rose just simply meowed, probably giving her own praise to the group. She then went over to Kisara and curled up into the demoness's lap, prompting the purplette to stroke her fur.
"Yeah… We won," Shulk spoke up, finally finding his voice again. It was hard for him to stay awake. He never felt this tired before. Perhaps he had overdone it a little. Still, he couldn't help but smile. He succeeded in changing the future. Perhaps his visions are a warning and that he was supposed to change the outcome of them. Reyn might have been onto something after all.
"I think…there are some things we need to discuss," Marth added, with him leaning against his partner and sister.
"Yeah," Xander agreed. "You first. What the heck was that power you used just now? Was that a Sword Skill or something?"
Shulk was curious about that as well. He had never seen such a display of power before, even from the Monado. The way it managed to scare even a dragon was frankly unnerving. It just didn't seem natural.
Clearly it was a topic that Marth didn't like to talk about given his visible hesitation. However, after taking a deep breath, he began to explain himself.
"There is…a dark power slumbering within me. I don't know why I have it, but it's how I was able to protect my sister the night our parents were murdered. It essentially pushes my strength and speed to the absolute limits, but it's nearly impossible for me to control it, hence why I don't use it very much. Plus every time I do use it, it becomes harder for me to come back, so I only save it as a last resort."
Mythra looked a bit shaken by the revelation. Go figure. Supposedly she lost control of her own power and destroyed an entire Titan during the Aegis War. It's no wonder why she would react in such a way. Shulk could only hope that something would allow the Aegis to find peace. The past can't be changed, but that didn't mean you should let it haunt you.
"Well, regardless, that was really impressive back there," Ethan noted. "At least it gives us one final trump card if things go south." To no surprise, Poppi punched him in the shoulder for his slight insensitivity.
"Now that that's out of the way," Asuna spoke up. She turned her gaze to Jin. "You're not a human, are you? None of the other Drivers were able to do what you just did. How did you summon those icicles?"
The masked swordsman let out a heavy sigh. He glanced over at the ice spears he embedded into the dragon's body, which still haven't melted even a little. "I knew this day would come eventually. I just didn't think I would reveal myself out of a slip-up like that." Jin reached up and removed the horned mask from his head. There, right on his forehead, was a diamond-shaped blue crystal. The exact same crystal that was on his naginata.
Practically everyone was shocked by the revelation.
"No way," Nia cried out.
"You're a Blade, Jin?!" the leader of the Origo Mercenaries exclaimed.
"I am. Five hundred years ago, I fought alongside Mythra in the Aegis War. During that time, I was called the Paragon of Torna, a kingdom that no longer exists. I was also the strongest Blade in the kingdom as well."
"Wow," Klein said in amazement. "That explains why you're so strong. That's incredible. But how are you here? I thought Blades lost their memories when they return to their cores."
"They do, but I never returned to my core. I'm not ready to fully talk about my past, at least the parts that I remember. Basically, my old Driver, Lorna, put me to sleep in a similar manner that Addam did to Mythra. It allowed me to retain my physical form and my memories. About a year ago, Klaus found me and did a partial resonance with me so that I could move about."
"So Klaus is your Driver?" Xander questioned.
"Sort of," the older scientist answered in the Blade's stead, his arms folded across his chest. "However, I am only serving as a temporary Driver. Given the unusual nature of his awakening, Jin is free to resonate with anyone he chooses provided they have the aptitude for it. It is up to him to choose who his next Driver will be, if any."
"I see. Well that explains why his fighting style was so unusual. But wait, he mentioned the name 'Torna' earlier. Is there any correlation between the group that attacked us the night we rescued Mythra?"
"Hard to say," Jin replied. "I recognize Malos and T-elos. Mythra and I fought him back in the Aegis War. Malos is actually another Aegis."
"Wait, what?!" Ethan cried out in shock.
Nia looked equally perplexed. "No way in hell. That Malos is another Aegis?!"
All eyes turned to Mythra, who had her head lowered in shame. It was clear that the mention of this Malos person was bringing about painful memories of hers. Shulk felt sorry for he, but he and the others needed answers to these questions of theirs.
"It's true," the Emerald Aegis confirmed. "Malos and I are Aegises. About five hundred years ago or so, a man climbed the World Tree to reach Elysium, hoping to meet the Architect. However, when he reached the top, he couldn't find Elysium or the Architect. To at least prove that he was there, he took back three cores. Malos, me, and one other. Sometime later, he awakened Malos. I don't know why he did. Maybe for power or something else I'm not thinking of.
"When Malos awakened, he wielded his power without restraint. Destruction for him was as natural as breathing. Eventually, he broke free from that man and began running rampant throughout Alrest. He even awakened T-elos to assist in his rampage. I was awakened by Addam O—" she stopped herself for a brief moment, "Addam, the fourth prince of Torna, to put a stop to Malos's rampage. I gave it everything I had and succeeded in defeating Malos and T-elos." Mythra then choked up. "But not without a price. Three continental Titans fell in the struggle, including Torna. I was the one responsible for Torna's destruction, because I lost control of my power. I sent Jin's home to the Cloud Sea's bed."
Silence befell the group, all of them trying to process the information that they just learned. It kind of reminded Shulk of the Battle of Sword Valley, but on a much bigger scale. It was understandable that Mythra suffered from some sort of PTSD from it. He had seen a few Homs soldiers going through the same thing after the supposed defeat of the Mechon.
"There's more you're not telling us, Mythra," Marth spoke up. "Don't think I failed to notice your little slip-up. Addam O? It's clear you were about to say his last name before you stopped yourself. It wouldn't happen to be similar to a certain someone's last name, would it?"
"Marth, I think you're overstepping your—" Xander was about to say.
"Origo. Addam Origo. He's Xander's ancestor." It was not Mythra who answered, but Azurda.
For the third time today, the group was shocked. So the current Driver of the Aegis and the leader of the Origo Mercenaries is a descendant of a legendary hero from five hundred years ago, who was also the previous Driver of the Aegis. Talk about one heck of a coincidence. In fact, both Mythra and Jin must have known all along, but just chose to keep quiet for their own reasons.
"Figured as much," Marth replied nonchalantly. "Why else would Mythra hesitate to give Addam's last name? Anyway, I think that's enough questioning for now. We should rest before we press onward. Hm?" He paused for a moment.
"Is something wrong?" Kos-Mos questioned.
"Thought I sensed something, but it's nothing. Anyway, rest up for now. We've still got a long way to go."
Shulk didn't argue as he found himself leaning onto Dromarch's fur along with the Gormotti Driver. It took him a mere second to fall asleep. He'll need all the rest he can get. The real battle was further ahead.
To be continued
Wow, first chapter in a long while that is dedicated to one POV. I mainly stuck with Shulk's POV since he is the central character in this chapter. Given how this is him prior to meeting Sharla, I figured I'd go into his hesitation over his visions, especially since he was dragged into a new world with different mechanics and such. I feel like it's natural he would be unsure if he could change the future outside of the Bionis, especially since he's just starting out on his journey. Anyway, we're in the homestretch now. The Temporal Island arc is nearly done. Once this arc is done, I can start working on my Xenoblade 1 story since it'll be set right after Shulk and Reyn return to the Bionis. I'm looking forward to that as I've always wanted to do a Xenoblade 1 fanfic (take a guess who I'm pairing Shulk with). That's all I wanted to say. See you guys next time!