Chapter Text
"Farewell, Zarc!" Marth shouted as he performed the final attack of Millennium Twilight, inflicting a devastating wound upon the Greed Lord.
Zarc howled in pain as he felt his bones break, his veins bursting. It was clear that no amount of healing magic would save him from death. He had taken too much damage, had expended too much of his power trying to defeat the demon prince. Damn it all. This wasn't supposed to happen. He was supposed to use the life essence of Zane and his Harbingers in order to free his master from his prison. How could things have turned so wrong?
He turned to the altar where Zeta was imprisoned. "I am sorry, Master. I have failed you." Hold on. Something didn't feel quite right. Perhaps it was because he was close to death, but Zarc could have sworn that he sensed something off from the altar. He soon found himself smiling. "I see. So that's it."
Meanwhile, the Dark Swordsman fell to his knees as the dark aura around him intensified. He quickly let go of Excalibur, putting an end to the literal conflict within him, however that didn't put a stop to the enormous amount of pain he felt across his whole body. As for Lunaris, he still kept his grip on it, but it had reverted back into Lunara. Everything hurt. His chest, his arms, his head. He felt pain in places he didn't know he had. His vision was dark. He could barely see anything that was a few feet in front of him. His hearing was shot. The most he could hear was the pounding of his heart. Even breathing was difficult as he was coughing up blood. So this was what happened if you tried wielding a holy sword and a dark sword at the same time. Had he held Excalibur for a moment longer, it might have actually killed him.
On top of that, Marth was having a hard time suppressing his curse. This wasn't surprising. After all, every time he uses it, the harder it becomes to control, even if he only used it for a brief moment. He could feel the curse vying to take control of him. It was relentless. He didn't know if he could muster the strength to resist it while in his current condition.
"It's okay, Brother. You've done enough. You can rest now."
He felt an arm wrap around him. Weakly, he turned to see who the arm belonged to, which happened to be his little sister. Her face was wrought with worry. He always hated to see that. She kept talking to him, her voice barely even a whisper. However, it was just enough for him to latch onto and regain control. Soon enough, he managed to suppress the dark power, causing his hair and eyes to return to normal and his black aura to fade away.
"Thank you, Sister," Marth said slowly after he found his voice again. His breathing was still unsteady, and he was still in a lot of pain, but they had suddenly become more manageable for him. "You saved me again."
Kisara smiled back before pulling her brother into a warm embrace. "I could say the same to you. You're always getting hurt for my sake. I'm always worried that one day it'll cost you your life and I'll be left alone. I couldn't bear it if I lost you."
Somehow, the Dark Swordsman found enough strength in his left arm to return the hug. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere."
They stayed like that for a brief moment as Kirito and Asuna approached them. The Black Swordsman's shoulder wound was finally gone. There wasn't even a scar left behind. That was a relief. Sinon was missing, but that was because she had gone to get Yuuki's team to let them know it was over. After giving their congratulations to their leader, the couple then turned their gazes to the Greed Lord, who was stumbling backward with every step.
"So what now?" Kirito questioned as he and his girlfriend took defensive positions in front of the siblings. "You planning on making one last ditch attack to take us down?"
Zarc let out a weak chuckle before shaking his head. "As tempting as that is, I don't even have enough strength to swing my blade or cast a spell to try it. I underestimated you all, especially Marth. To think that he was the Wrath Lord all along."
"Wrath Lord?" Asuna said with a raised eyebrow, keeping a close grip on her rapier. "What are you talking about?"
"He-he. Where's the satisfaction of me telling you the answer. I'm sure you'll learn what it is if you are the same Harbingers my Darkfallen so revile. This is not over. You have only won the battle, not the war." Zarc's heel was dangerously close to the edge of the tower. If he took one more step, he'll fall.
Realizing his intent, Marth shouted, "Wait. Stop!"
Kirito rushed forward while reaching out towards the demon lord, however he was too slow. The Greed Lord gave the quartet one final sneer before leaning backward, allowing himself to fall off the tower and plummet to the ground.
The Black Swordsman glanced from over the edge and watched as Zarc made no effort to slow his descent. Instead, he crashed into the ruined city, disappearing from sight.
"Damn it," he cursed under his breath. "Right when we were finally getting more answers."
He wanted to fly down and search for the Greed Lord, but he knew there would be no point. No one could survive a fall like that. Besides, if Zarc somehow survived, Zophia was large enough for him to easily slip away. By the time Kirito even reached the city, the demon lord would be long gone (again, if he was alive). This was beyond frustrating.
"Marth! Kirito! Asuna! Kisara!"
The quartet turned around, the girls helping the demon prince to his feet, and they saw their remaining guild members hurrying over to them. Yuuki in particular had more spring in her step than usual. It wasn't surprising to see her tackle Marth into a hug, nearly knocking him over had Asuna and Kisara not been there to catch him. The Dark Swordsman flinched as his body was still very sore, but he soon felt a dampness on his chest, but it wasn't from any bloodstains.
"Yuuki?" he asked slowly.
Sure enough, the Absolute Sword was crying. She kept a tight grip on him, as if afraid that he would disappear if she let go. It was rare to see this side of her. She was always so cheerful, so full of energy. In fact, that was part of why he loved her, so to see her in tears sent a pain in his heart.
"I was so scared," the purple-clad fairy said in a hoarse voice. "Earlier I had this strange feeling that you were in danger. I'm sorry, but I disobeyed your orders and saw your battle with that monster. Sure, you were holding your own, but I was terrified for you. One slipup, one single mistake, and you could have been killed."
"I saw your battle too," Klein admitted. "I've never seen you move like that before or fight that hard. It was like you became a totally different person."
"We were all worried about you, Marth," the Cait Sith archer added. "We all wanted to help, to back you up, but none of us could move. We were…worried that we'd just get in the way."
Marth could see the regret coming from all of his guildmates. He honestly couldn't blame them for feeling this way. This wasn't the first time he risked his life to protect his guild, his family. Usually, Kirito and Kisara were right beside him, but this was the first time he had to fight by himself to keep them all safe. Lunara gave a brief flash of purple light while remaining in his right hand, as if in protest. Okay, not exactly by himself.
The Dark Swordsman wrapped an arm around his girlfriend, catching her off-guard. "Don't worry about it," he said softly. "I'm the one at fault. I'm sorry for worrying you, everyone."
Kirito gave his partner a brief nudge on the shoulder, cracking a slight grin. "Hey at least we all survived. We're still the only guild with a zero-fatality rate. It's all thanks to you, Leader."
"Heh. I see your sense of humor is back. You and I both know I'm not the only reason our guild is so effective. I'm not so arrogant to take all the credit."
The Alfheim Warriors all shared a chuckle. However, the mention of fatalities brought a sudden jolt to Marth's heart. How could he have forgotten? This wasn't a true no-fatality victory. One person had lost their life in this battle. He turned his attention towards a certain Driver, who was surrounded by his own comrades, as well as Shulk and Reyn, while he laid in a pool of his own blood.
"Sorry, Xander," was all he could say.
They were losing him. It was clear for all of the Origo Mercenaries to see. Their leader was dying, and there was nothing they could do to save him. Even when combining her Healing Arts with Dromarch, Nia still couldn't heal that chest wound. It was just not strong enough. She wasn't strong enough. All she could do was watch as Xander's lifeforce continued to fade away as she knelt behind his head, her knees stained with from the pool of blood.
"This can't be happening," the Gormotti thought to herself. "Not again. I'm seeing someone else dying again."
Kos-Mos was uncharacteristically pleading with her Driver to hang on, to not return to the Architect's embrace, all while she herself started to dematerialize. It was strange to see someone so robotic now full of emotion and tears streaming down her face. It won't be much longer until she reverts back into a core crystal and forgets her beloved master. Ethan wasn't holding himself well either. He was practically making a waterfall against Poppi's chest over the loss of their leader. Azurda was saddened as well. He muttered something about how he should tell Xander's family about his passing, which made Nia's heart ache. Like all the Origo Mercenaries, Xander had his fair share of secrets. He never talked about where he came from, though given his physical traits, it was clear he was a mix of Leftherian and Ardanian. Given that he only had issues with going to Mor Ardain for mercenary jobs, did that mean his family was there? Were they on bad terms or something? The Gormotti Driver couldn't think of many reasons for why her leader had been so vehement on not going to the Ardanian Titan. But now, she'll likely never know.
As for Jin, he was the most composed mercenary in the group. He had only been a member of their team for only a year, but even Nia could tell it was tearing him up inside. It was no surprise, given his backstory. While he still had not gone into more details regarding his involvement in the Aegis War, it was clear that he was familiar with loss. Who knows how many people he had seen die before him, sacrificing themselves so that others could live?
"Damn it," Reyn said in frustration. "Isn't there anything we can do?"
Shulk clenched his jaw tightly while squeezing the handle of the Monado. He had to be taking this worse than everyone else. After all, Xander only got this fatal injury protecting him. Why didn't he stop it? Nia had seen him change the future before, right when he saved Kisara from certain death. Why didn't he do the same for Xander?
"I couldn't do anything," the Homs engineer spoke in a sad tone. "My vision didn't show me Xander getting hurt. And even if it did, Zarc was so fast, that I wouldn't have been able to react in time to stop him."
Nia then realized that she had said those thoughts aloud, making her feel instantly guilty. It wasn't right to blame this boy on her leader's death. She had seen with her own eyes just how strong Zarc was. Even when he was holding back, the Gormotti couldn't even keep track of his movements. Only the fastest members of the entire team were just barely able to keep up with him.
The life of a mercenary wasn't one of peace. She knew that from the start. It was rare for even the most hardened of mercenaries to die of natural causes. Most of the time, they met their ends in battle. It was inevitable that Xander would die in such a way, but Nia never imagined that it would happen this soon. This just wasn't fair. He was still young. He shouldn't be dying this early in his youth, in this broken realm. Was there anything Nia could do to save him?
There was one thing she could try. One last trick up her sleeve. A power that she had slumbering within her. A power that she obtained through tragic circumstances. After her Pa had died, she sealed it within her out of despair. This wretched power had caused her so much pain and grief. She had constantly been on the run with Dromarch because of it. It was only thanks to the timely arrival of Klaus that she was here now, a member of the Origo Mercenaries.
At first, Nia treated her new comrades coldly, pushing them away whenever they tried to get close with her. If they knew the truth about her, there was no doubt in her mind that they would turn on her, likely even kill her in the worst case scenario. However, as she continued to fight alongside them, those fears have been slowly disappearing. It was largely thanks to Xander. He respected her privacy, more so than the other mercenaries. He always gave her the option to leave if she didn't feel comfortable staying with them. He gave her a place to call home when she had nothing. To see him like this, it gnawed at her heart. She could feel her tears rolling off her cheeks.
The scars in her heart ran deep. Was Xander truly someone that she could share her deepest secrets with? Would he be able to accept her for who she is? It was a gamble. A dangerous gamble. However, if the Driver of the Aegis was willing to put his faith in the prince of the demons, then perhaps he would accept someone like her. She took a moment to collect herself.
"Hey guys…" she started to say, only for a certain someone to interrupt her.
"Mythra," Klaus spoke up in a hasty tone. "There may be a way for you to save him. It's something that only an Aegis can pull off."
The Light Blade had been silent this entire time, her head resting on her Driver's chest. Weakly, she sat up and faced the older scientist. Her eyes were red and puffy from all the crying. "What do you mean?" Mythra questioned, her voice hoarse. "What can I do?"
"You already know it. It's practically ingrained within your very being. Or perhaps, within your very core."
Nia raised an eyebrow at that. What in Alrest was Klaus talking about? Did the Aegis have some special ability for reviving the dead? She didn't remember hearing about that in the stories she heard about the legendary Blade. Whatever she was missing, Mythra seemed to catch on, as her eyes quickly widened in realization.
"You're right," she said slowly. "There's still that. I might be able to save Xander with that."
Without going into further detail, Mythra pressed two fingers onto her core crystal. It then lit up with a brilliant show of emerald light.
Why did he feel so cold? He had no strength at all in his entire body. He couldn't even lift a finger. Everything was black. He couldn't see anything. He couldn't hear anything. He was just…floating…in an endless void.
What had he been doing before? He couldn't remember. Everything was a blur. Whatever it was, he felt that he had something important to do. But what was it?
"Xander!"
A faint voice pierced through the darkness, symbolized by a star of beautiful emerald light. It sounded familiar. Who did that voice belong to? Why did it make him feel so sad?
"Xander!" the voiced cried out once more, louder this time.
The green light grew brighter, its warm embrace enveloping Xander's body. Slowly, he could feel his strength returning to him, but he still felt so weak, so tired. He just wanted to rest, just for a second.
"Don't go! Please hang on, Xander!"
That was a different voice that spoke up, it symbolized by a white star. Again, this wave of sadness crashed against his heart. He knew that voice. Just hearing it gave him this strong feeling of nostalgia. It was the voice of someone he held dear. Someone who had stayed by his side for as long as he could remember.
"Kos-Mos," he muttered, the name sounding so natural on his tongue.
The white star morphed into a figure. It was female, but most other details were obscured in its blinding light. The most Xander could make out was her pastel-blue hair. The figure reached out and took his right hand. Slowly, she began to lift him up, towards the ever-expanding green light.
"Just hang on, Xander!" the figure said quickly. "I won't let you die. I swear it!"
He couldn't give a response. He didn't have time to, as the emerald star consumed them both.
By the time his vision returned to normal, Xander found himself standing on a grassy hill. At the base of the hill were countless trees, the leaves all a healthy green. The sky above was a bit cloudy, but it was a brilliant blue. He could feel the warm kiss of the sun's rays upon his skin.
Where was he? This landscape didn't look familiar to him. Was he on some undiscovered Titan, or in another alternate world? His thoughts were interrupted by the crisp sound of a loud bell. It wasn't just any bell. It was the bell of a church. Was he near the Praetorium? That can't be it. This landscape looks nothing like the Indoline Titan.
Confused, Xander turned around, towards the top of the hill. It was the direction where the bell's ringing was coming from. At the hill's peak was a lone tree, thin but no less strong. There was a figure standing under it, obscured by its shade.
"Perhaps she knows where I am."
He no weapon with him. There was no telling if this figure was even friendly. However, he had to take the chance if he wanted to find the answers to his questions. Steeling himself, he began marching up the hill.
As he drew closer, he could more clearly make out the details of the figure by the tree. Brilliant golden hair. A form-fitting white dress. Black leggings. He knew this person. It was…
"Mythra!" he shouted in disbelief, putting more spring into his steps.
He ran to the top and sure enough, it was indeed the female Aegis who was there. She had her back turned to him, her left hand placed upon the trunk of the tree beside her. She looked vulnerable, frail. It gave Xander this strange feeling to wrap his arms around her, to shield her from all harm, but he managed to restrain himself.
Mythra seemed to be gazing at the sight before her, on the other side of the hill. It was a sprawling town. The architecture looked well-built but it was nothing like the buildings he had seen from any of the other nations. Just what was this place? As he pondered over this question, the bell continued to ring.
"It's such a mournful sound," the Aegis suddenly spoke up, her voice melancholic. "It hasn't stopped. Not even after all these years."
"A-are you referring to that bell?" he asked. "Are we near the Praetorium or something? Just where are we Mythra?"
"This is…Elysium. The land where mankind once lived in harmony with their creator, a long time ago."
Elysium?! This was the legendary land of the Architect?! Xander found himself reeling at the realization. While he wasn't a devout follower of the Indoline Church, he did believe in the existence of the Architect, and to some extent, the sacred land of Elysium. According to legend, it was a bountiful land where there was no fighting, no famine. Everyone lived there in luxury, until one day, the Architect cast the humans out, condemning them to live in Alrest where they struggled to survive. That was until their divine creator took pity on them, and sent down the Titans, allowing mankind to live on their backs.
When the mercenary leader had told the Alfheim Warriors about this so they could understand more about his world, Marth quickly chided it as religious propaganda. The Dark Swordsman mentioned that it was very convenient how the reason for why humans were kicked out of Elysium was a mystery. In fact, he even commented that there was no mention of Blades anywhere in the story. It was rather fortunate that none of the Origo Mercenaries were devout believers, or that they were in Indol, otherwise Marth could get in serious trouble for heresy.
Xander initially took that as Marth just trying to stir up trouble since he was a demon, a race of beings who typically oppose followers of the church. However, after pondering it in private, he did have to concede that the demon did bring up some good points. Xander never questioned the Praetorium's teachings since he was taught them at a young age. They were ingrained in the world culture of Alrest. Marth, on the other hand, was an outsider. He wasn't from Alrest, so he would notice things that others wouldn't, and what he did brought up some valid questions.
He could partially excuse the lack of a clear reason why humans were banished from Elysium. It wasn't uncommon for certain details to get lost in the flow of time. However, given how important Blades are, it was strange how the Praetorium's teachings barely give them a mention. At best, they were interpreted as gifts from the Architect to help with mankind's survival while at worst, they were the humans' slaves.
But he can worry about that later. Right now he needed to figure out what was going on. He needed to know how he got here.
"Um, Mythra, do you have any idea why I'm here? I can't seem to remember how I got here."
The Aegis lowered her head. He didn't see her face, but it was clear she was distraught over something.
"You were…stabbed in the heart…by Zarc. He killed you after you took the blow to save Shulk."
"Stabbed…through the heart…" Xander paused as he tried to process the information he just acquired. Slowly, he brought his hands close to his chest, right where his heart was located. He didn't feel any stab wounds there, but he did notice something was missing. The lack of a heartbeat.
It was at that moment that everything came back to him. How could he have forgotten? He and his friends were fighting that crazed demon lord who wanted to sacrifice them all to free his dark god. They could barely even scratch the Greed Lord and right when he was about to kill one of their teammates, Xander…
"Damn it," he said in frustration. "So that sick feeling I got back in Zophia was right. I was going to my death. I knew I would suffer this fate eventually, but I never imagined that it would be this soon."
Then there was Kos-Mos to worry about. If he died, she'll be returned to her core crystal. If that happens, she'll lose all her memories. All the times they spent together, both good and bad, erased in a single moment. When she awakens again, she'll pretty much be a brand-new Blade, with Xander practically nonexistent to her. Talk about a cruel fate, especially for someone he cared so much for.
As if reading his thoughts, Mythra said, "It doesn't have to end here. There's a way for both you and Kos-Mos to survive."
"What? But I got stabbed through the heart. I'm no medical expert, but there's way to treat that. I was dead the moment that sword stabbed me."
The Aegis turned towards him. She looked more composed than before. Her eyes were filled with a determination that was more fitting for her than sorrow. "Maybe, but there are ways to defy death," she said, gaining more confidence with every word. "Right now, Kos-Mos is fighting to maintain her physical form. She doesn't want to forget you. As her Driver, don't you feel some desire to return to her?"
Uh, she did know how that last sentence could be wrongly interpreted if taken out of context right? She made it sound like he and Kos-Mos were lovers, when they were most definitely not. Still, there was no denying that there was some truth to her words. Even now, he didn't want for things to end here. He didn't want to leave Kos-Mos, Mythra and the rest of his friends in such a tragic way. If there was a way for him to continue travelling with them, he would do it, without hesitation.
"You're right. I don't want things to end like this. What's the plan?"
Mythra smiled. She looked a lot prettier like that. More radiant. Ugh, why was he thinking this now of all times? In fact, why was he even thinking of this at all?
"Now that's what I expected to hear from my Driver," she said confidently. She cusped her core crystal in her right hand, which seemed to be pulsing. "I'm going to give you half of my lifeforce. That should be enough to revive you."
"Wait, what? You can do that. Is it even safe for you to do that?"
"Logically, no. Blades are not supposed to do this. However, I am an Aegis. The usual rules don't apply to me. I don't care if this could even cost me my own immortality. I refuse to let you die!"
"Hold on, did you just say losing your immortality? Are you really sure you want to do that? There's got to be a better way. I don't want you to sacrifice so much just for my sake."
"I don't care!" Mythra protested in a forceful tone, catching him off-guard. "You're Addam's descendent. I failed him and all of Torna when they needed me the most. I will not do that again. No matter what you say, I will save you, Xander, no matter what it costs me."
There were no words for Xander to say. His voice was stuck in his throat. He never heard the female Blade speak so fervently before. Despite not knowing each other for more than two days, she was willing to sacrifice everything for him. It would be wrong of him to refuse her at this point, and even so, her stubbornness would surely wear him down to the point of acceptance anyway. But he couldn't let her do this without any benefit for herself. There had to be some way to repay her for this act.
"Alright," he said in reluctance. "Let's do it. But there must be something I can do to repay you. I feel guilty taking so much from you without giving you anything in return. Just name it, and I'll do it. Anything you ask."
Mythra cracked a light smile before shaking her head. "I should have expected as much from you. I wasn't expecting anything in return but if that's what you want, then I'll take your offer. I wanted to ask you of this for a while, but there was never a good time. I guess now is as good a time as any."
"Go on. What do you want?"
"Can you…take me to Elysium? This place is just a memory of it, an ancient half-forgotten memory at that. The real Elysium is in Alrest, atop the World Tree."
"I see. So this place is basically an illusion." Xander took a moment to think about it. Going to Elysium will most certainly be a difficult task. No one has ever managed to reach it, not in the entire history of Alrest. No one was even sure if it existed. However, if it really does exist, then it could be the key to saving his world.
The Titans were dying, the available land shrinking as a result. There's been several armed conflicts between the nations because of it. If Elysium was real, and the legends about it were true, then it might allow for everyone to coexist, with no need to fight. It was a naïve idea, certainly a dream that a mercenary like him would never think about, but it was the only way he felt he could make a difference in the world. His mother would want him to do this. His sister and cousin would want him to go as well.
There was no need to question any further.
"Deal," he replied firmly. "We'll go to Elysium together."
"Thank you, Xander." Mythra then lowered her hand from her crystal. It seemed to pulse, almost like a heartbeat. "Now place your hand on my chest."
The Aegis Driver naturally blushed at that. "Uh, what? Are you sure?"
"Just my core crystal," she snapped back. "Don't even think of touching my breasts. If you, I'm gonna slap you."
Xander couldn't help but chuckle at that. It felt…reassuring. He went closer to the legendary Blade and placed two fingers upon the green core crystal. Immediately afterwards, the crystal lit with a dazzling emerald light. He could feel its energy pouring throughout his entire body, congregating within his chest. He was being revitalized!
A pillar of green ether below the duo. Eventually his vision went out and he found himself losing consciousness yet again.
Xander awoke in an instant, taking a sudden breath. He sat up with all haste. He was back in the Eclipse Spire, alive once more. He quickly looked himself over. Curiously, he noticed the addition of a green crystal on his chest, right where his heart was located. It was shaped like an x, yet its emerald hue was strikingly familiar.
"Xander!"
His thoughts were interrupted by a sudden tackle from a white figure. It nearly knocked him over yet somehow he was able to catch himself. It took him a moment to recognize the figure clutching so tightly to him and weeping into his shoulder. After all, how could he ever forget that lovely pastel-blue hair.
"Hey, Kos-Mos," he said casually, wrapping one arm around her waist to help comfort her. "Good morning."
He said that now, but even he could not put to words how happy he was to be back in the land of the living. He didn't even comment that his trusted Blade had called him by his name rather than "Master". That alone made coming back worth it.
"Yeesh. Only you would treat this so casually, Xander," said a familiar voice. "Not everyone just comes back from the dead."
He glanced over his shoulder, which wasn't easy to do with Kos-Mos pressed against him so much. But he could faintly see the familiar cat-like ears and light brown hair.
"Good to see you too, Nia," he said, tossing in a smile for good measure. "I'm sorry that I worried you all."
The Gormotti's face reddened a little. Was she actually blushing? She quickly turned her head to the side, hoping to hide her face from him. "J-just don't pull this kind of stunt again. We can't lose our leader. Mercenary jobs would be so much more of a hassle without you."
"Yeah, like that's the reason you were so frantic over trying to heal Xander."
"S-shut it, Jin! No one asked you for your opinion."
The tiger Blade let out an amused chuckle. "It is refreshing to see this side of you, my lady. Perhaps we made the right choice with joining this company after all."
"Not you too, Dromarch!" the female Driver cried out.
Everyone else burst out laughing. It was as though nothing bad had ever happened. Xander then felt another weight pressed against him. He took a glance to his right to see that a familiar bob of golden hair.
"Thank you, Mythra," he said slowly. "I literally owe you my life."
"Don't mention it," she replied, though it was clear she was barely keeping herself together given her voice and how much she clung to his chest. "I'm just glad you're alright."
"Me too," Shulk added. "It was my fault you even got like this to begin with. I'm sorry you had to sacrifice yourself to save me."
"It was nothing, Shulk," Xander dismissed calmly. "Any one of us would have done the same. It's a relief to see that you're all safe. What happened after I was killed? Did we win?"
Shulk and the others then explained what had transpired after Zarc had killed him. It was shocking to hear that Marth was able to defeat the Greed Lord all by himself, but given everyone's accounts, it had nearly killed the dual wielder in the process. Xander wished that he had been conscious to see that momentous clash though. Supposedly it was a very intense battle, the likes of which no one has ever seen before.
It took him a while to get back onto his feet, mostly because Mythra and Kos-Mos kept holding him down, as if afraid that he would suddenly disappear. Eventually he was able to convince them to let go, largely thanks to Klaus and Jin. They all then made their way to Marth's group, who were standing before the altar where Zeta's prison resided.
The Dark Swordsman himself looked alright, more so than Xander had anticipated. Kisara and Asuna must have patched him up with their healing magic. He had Solaris back in his scabbard while holding Lunara in his right hand.
Suddenly, he noticed something strange. A ghostly figure stood beside the male demon. They were translucent and hard to make out, but he could clearly see her lustrous black hair and matching color dress. She glanced over her shoulder and stared at him with her ruby red eyes. She cracked a slight smirk. He wanted to say something, but the moment he blinked, she was gone, not even a trace of her remaining. Was he just imagining things?
"So that's it then?" Klein questioned. "This gem is Zeta's prison?"
Xander glanced over at the altar. There was that large black gemstone chained to it. It had such an unnatural presence that he could definitely picture it housing the soul of a god. Strangely though, it hurt his head to look directly at it. He had no choice but to look away for fear of his head exploding.
Everyone seemed unsure of what to do. Zarc was dead, so that should mean that Zeta was not getting out any time soon. Did that mean they could finally leave this terrible place and return home? Out of all of them, Marth looked the most skeptical.
Without saying a word, the demon approached the altar and pulled his sword back. A flash of red and the blade shot forward at inhuman speed, piercing the gemstone. It shattered into countless fragments in an instant, leaving everyone bewildered at what they just saw.
"What in Bionis's name are you thinking, Marth?!" Reyn shouted in anger. "Are you trying to get us all killed?!"
He didn't react at all to everyone's outbursts. Instead, Marth maintained his calm composure. "There's nothing here," he said slowly. "It's empty."
"Wait, what?" Azurda asked in confusion. "Are you saying that Zeta has already been released from his prison?"
"No. I'm saying that he was never here to begin with. Ever since we entered the tower, I noticed something odd. I could sense the presence of dark beings, but I could never make out Zeta's specifically. The other monsters could have obscured it from me, but now that we're at the top, the only malicious presence I felt was Zarc's. Whatever murderous intent that came from this gem was merely an illusion."
"But that makes no sense," Shulk spoke up. "Why would the gods of your world construct a prison like this, but leave it empty? This doesn't add up with what we were told."
"No, it doesn't," Kirito added. "This whole island is just one big lie. It was designed to make everyone believe that Zeta was imprisoned. If he was never here to begin with, then there's no telling where he could be now."
"We're missing something," Marth said slowly. "Something important. Something that I had forgotten. Ngh!" He suddenly grunted in pain as he held his forehead in his palm.
"Brother!" Kisara said in worry.
"I'm fine. Just a slight headache. We should leave now while we have the chance. Klaus, can you call your ship from here?"
"Yes. With Zarc gone, the sky around Eclipse Tower should be back to normal. The Galahad should have no issues reaching us."
The Dark Swordsman nodded in acknowledgement. "Good. Call it now. After learning what we just learned, we shouldn't stay here any longer."
A lone figure marched through the ruined streets of Zophia. How long has it been since he had come here? Just walking through these streets brought him some semblance of nostalgia. Sure there were Lemures prowling about, but they were nothing he needed to be concerned about. Even in his weakened state, he was perfectly capable of taking out those poor excuses for cannon fodder. Their pathetic souls weren't even a decent appetizer for him.
Now, it had to be around here somewhere. If his prediction was on point it should be…ah, here. Just around the corner was a body, a humanoid body at that, sprawled in the center of a small crater in the stone street. It was covered in grievous wounds, the gashes piercing through its sturdy armor. It was a miracle in itself that it didn't splatter the moment it made impact. Then again, demon lords were made of much more sturdy stuff than other mortals.
He sneered, chilling the air around him. The events that transpired in Eclipse Tower had transpired largely how he expected. However, even he couldn't have predicted the inhabitants of other worlds coming to help that boy and his rag-tag team.
Regardless, it didn't have much impact on any of his plans. If anything, it helped him turn his attention to the future after these ones were finished. After all, once he finished feasting off the souls of his world, he'll naturally need to find another world to sate his hunger. How sweet will the souls of these other worlds will be compared to the ones of his world?
Ah, but he was getting ahead of himself. He still had need of this tool before him. He couldn't risk losing this piece so soon before the big event. He stretched his arm out towards the broken corpse of the demon lord, a dark power emanating from his body.
"Rise once more, Zarc," he spoke softly. "There are things that I still need you to do after all."
As the dark power radiated off his body and into the corpse before him, the unnamed figure turned his attention to the enormous tower before him. It was small, but he could faintly make out a black figure taking off from the top, heading away from the island.
"Don't die too soon, Zane. You have a very important role in this game. Once it's all over, I will be devouring that soul of yours."
It would be troublesome if the demon prince managed to fully recover his missing memories. If that happened, his entire plans would be in jeopardy. Thankfully, he took precautions to ensure that won't happen. Now then, it was time to bring this fool back from the brink.
Xander had no experience travelling between alternate worlds, but something told him they shouldn't be this bumpy. The Galahad was groaning as it struggled to escape the confines of Temporal Island. It would seem that it was easier to break into this realm than it is to escape. Everyone was holding onto something to try to stay still as they watched Klaus and a few others struggle to get the ship out.
"Damn it," Kirito cursed as he and his partner rapidly typed various commands from their control boards. Apparently, they had some experience with computers. Jin was even helping too since he was familiar with the Galahad's technology as it was a Tornan ship. So was Shulk, given that he was one of the tech people in Colony 9. "We're losing our starboard thrusters. The port ones aren't looking good either."
"Our shields are failing too," Shulk added. "If they go down, the bounded field of the island will crush us."
"Power is dropping rapidly," Jin spoke hastily. "We don't have enough to break free."
The Galahad's shaking grew more violent. The floating island was determined to keep them trapped here. Damn it all. This is not looking good.
"Rrg! Marth. Kisara. Come here at once!"
That voice did not sound familiar. In fact, Xander almost believed he imagined it since it seemed to come out of the cat itself, which was sitting in the middle of the control room. However, given how everyone else was staring at it too, it couldn't have just been him who heard it.
"Did that cat just talk?" Sinon questioned.
"I'm guessing they're not supposed to do that," Ethan guessed, getting a head shake from the sniper.
Rose let out a scoff. "How rude. I am not a cat. This was just a disguise I took to hide myself from Zarc." A crimson magic circle erupted beneath her and her appearance changed to small girl with long golden hair and red eyes. She was garbed in a white and red dress. The presence she had was nothing like the ones Xander felt before. It had the menacing aura of a demon, yet also a sense of grace and elegance. In terms of power though, it was easily on point with Zarc's. Also, despite her youthful appearance, she had the air of someone much older. She smiled, revealing her elongated fangs. "Is that better? I am Roselia le Fay, and I can help you all escape this realm."
"Why should we trust you?" Jin asked. "This could all be a trick so that you can kill us all."
"We're all going to die if I don't help. Now do you really have time to question my sincerity?"
"I believe her," Marth spoke up. "For some reason, I feel like we can trust her."
"As do I," Kisara added.
If someone like Marth was willing to trust in this stranger, than Xander found no reason not to do the same. He watched as the two demons hurried to the young girl. Roselia then materialized a black staff with red crystals decorating its tips. A red magic circle appeared below the trio. Curiously, a much larger one appeared in the view of the Galahad's front.
"Concentrate your mana into the space in front of us," Roselia advised. "It's going to take all our strength to break through the barrier."
"On it!" the siblings acknowledged.
Xander could feel the intensity of their joint magical energy. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. It must be taking a heavy toll on the trio though if the beads of sweat on them was any indication. Thankfully, it didn't take long for the portal before them to stabilize.
"Go now!" she ordered. "We can't maintain this for long!"
"As you wish," Klaus said firmly. The scientist flipped a lever and suddenly the engines roared with renewed vigor. Unbeknownst to them all, Ultor's core, which Klaus was diverting power from to fuel this escape attempt, suddenly gained hairline fractures across its body at the same time.
Regardless, the Galahad rushed through the crimson portal and out of the Temporal Realm. The trip became far less bumpy as a result and the ship seemed to stabilize.
"Alright, now that we're out, which world should we go to first?" Reyn asked.
"Earth!" Roselia commanded. "That's where this whole mess began and I plan to ensure Marth and Kisara's safety above all else. Traveling between worlds is cakewalk for me, so I can help ensure the rest of you get back safely while also returning to my own realm."
"No need," Klaus replied, realizing Ultor's condition. It saddened him to see it like this, but he could tell that it wanted to continue, despite knowing what it would cost. Who was he to deny its wish? "I should have enough power to get to the Bionis and Alrest. I'll just drop you and the Harbingers off on Earth."
"Very well, but don't blame me if you get stranded. I offered to help after all."
They reached Earth with no issue. The Galahad flew into this massive city with tall buildings that seemed to pierce the very sky. So those are the skyscrapers Marth and the others talked about. This was the city that they called home. Tokyo, the capital of the island nation of Japan.
The Galahad was currently invisible, courtesy of Roselia, as ships like it don't actually exist in this world. If people saw it, there would no doubt be a panic. They landed the ship in a large park, which was thankfully empty as it was the middle of the night. After that, they all began to say their farewells to the Alfheim Warriors and their new savior. Interestingly enough, all of the players had changed into what Xander assumed to be civilian clothes. Their weapons were gone and some of their hair and eye colors changed. Sinon's hair turned brown and her eyes became gray while also wearing a pair of glasses. Her cat ears and tail were gone as well. Yuuki's hair became the same color, but her eyes were a lovely amber. Asuna's blue hair became a chestnut brown, as did her eyes. As for Kisara, her hair was now a beautiful snow white while her eyes remained bloodred.
"Man, I thought we were goners back there," Klein said in relief.
"Eh, it all worked out," Yuuki replied with a cheerful smile. "It's a shame we're back to our normal selves though."
"That's all because you were severed by the spell Zarc used to summon you all to Temporal Island," Roselia explained. "You all have a certain aptitude for magic and that spell somehow allowed you all to assume what you might call your 'combat forms'. I can teach you all how to use magic before I make my way back home."
"Thanks, Roselia," Kirito said politely. "We'd appreciate it. Now we won't have to worry about being defenseless if this happens again. But who are you and why are you helping us?"
The mysterious witch smiled smugly. "That's a secret." She then turned her attention to the departing members of the group. "You all should leave now. My cloaking spell won't last forever and I really don't want to have to wipe the memory of a flying battleship in an entire city."
"Agreed," Klaus replied. "Harbingers, Alfheim Warriors, or whatever you call yourselves, take care."
"Thanks," Asuna said with a smile. "Maybe we'll meet again next time."
"Indeed," Poppi mused. "Despite our circumstances, it was fun adventuring with you all." She and the majority of the Origo Mercenaries then boarded the Galahad.
"Take care, Marth," Shulk added. "Maybe next time you can teach me a few sword tricks."
The Dark Swordsman chuckled. "Sure. I'd be happy to give you some pointers. You and Reyn look after each other." He then muttered something in the engineer's ear, but it was too quiet for Xander to make out. After he was done, Shulk and Reyn then returned to the ship as well, leaving only Xander and his two Blades behind.
"Hey Marth," the mercenary leader spoke up. "You're a good guy. I'm glad I trusted you."
"I'm glad you did too, and I'm glad you're alright. Kos-Mos, Mythra, you might want to keep a close eye on him. He seems a bit too reckless for his own good."
"Oh I intend to do just that," the android replied. "I have no intention of letting Xander out of my sight again. As his Blade, it's my duty to protect him at all cost."
"I'll help out too since he's my Driver too," Mythra added. Her core crystal was missing half of it, curiously in the shape of the crystal on Xander's own chest. It was like a physical representation of the link the two now shared.
"Hey, it's a two-way street," Xander protested. "I'll protect you both too."
Everyone chuckled at that. The trio then said their own farewells right as they heard new voices calling out to the Harbingers. They must be the remaining members of the guild, the ones that got left behind. Xander watched them all reunite as he boarded the Galahad. It brought a smile to his face, seeing the rest of Marth's family.
Returning Shulk and Reyn to the Bionis was no issue. In fact, they managed to drop them off right where they had been taken before, just outside of Gaur Plains. Their farewells were a lot briefer, as Klaus only barely had enough power for one last interdimensional trip.
It was a shame as there was a lot Xander wanted to discuss with Shulk about, especially in regards with the Monado. It was clear there was more to the weapon than it appeared. It almost reminded him of a Blade weapon. However, it would seem those questions will go unanswered.
After seeing the duo off, the Galahad took off before soon finding itself in the familiar skies of Alrest. It was nighttime here, with the sight of Gormott's Titan lazily swimming about in the Cloud Sea below.
"Well that…an adventure," Ethan said after taking a heavy breath.
"Indeed. You don't experience things like that every day," Azurda added.
"How about we all return to Gormott and treat ourselves to a feast," Nia suggested. "I say we more than earned it."
"I'll help cook," Mythra offered.
"No," Jin said hastily. "I'll handle the cooking. I'd rather we all not die of food poisoning after finally returning to our own world."
Xander couldn't help but laugh at that. It was good to finally be home. Despite the circumstances, he was glad that he met Marth and Shulk. They all came from different walks of life and were each walking down their own paths. For a long time, he didn't know what his path was.
But now he did. He turned his gaze to the far-off World Tree, which sparkled in the moonlight. Somehow, someway, he'll scale that monstrous tree and reach Elysium. He'll do it not just to save Alrest, but because it was Mythra's request.
And he was not one to go back on his word, unlike a certain someone who abandoned him and his sister long ago.
To be continued
And with that, the Temporal Island arc is drawn to a close. In a way, I guess you could consider this the prologue arc as now's the time when the main story kicks in. The next chapter will finally show the debut of a character I've wanted to show for a long time now. Who that character is though, well, you'll have to wait and see. See you guys next time!