Book: Finale

Chapter XXVIII

"Mythra, with me," I barked while walking through the hall of Anastasia's.

She opened the door drowsily and walked out. "Waylon it's four in the morning, what do you need?"

I grabbed her by her hand and by the time she blinked we were in the grassy, yet chilly field that was outside of Tantal.

She shivered a bit. "Alright I'm awake, it's cold though."

"You could always wear pants, or leggings. You want a pair of black leggings?" I asked.

"That's gross and would clash with this whole white thing I've got going on," she snapped back.

"Well what if you covered that area on your chest up? It'd make it a little warmer," I suggested.

"Stop telling me what to wear! Ugh, men," she complained.

"I'm only trying to help, but fine. But you're not allowed to complain that you're cold!"

She huffed. "What's the deal, Waylon?"

I pulled my sword. "I want to spar before we go fight."

She immediately summoned her own sword, the golden glow was almost blinding. "I'm not going easy though."

"That's fine."

I rushed her and we clashed, sending a large wave of energy out over the land. She threw me off and went for her own attacks, which I parried with ease. I shot out a few waves of energy, which she deflected with her own, sending more out towards me.

I raised my hand and a blade shield appeared, deflecting all of them.

We clashed for a bit longer, parrying and jumping around.

"Not bad," I complimented.

"Thanks, you're not so bad yourself. You going to tell me the real reason we're out here yet or not?" She saw through me.

I rushed her.

She jumped back. "Ray of Punishment!"

I slid underneath the sword strike and pulled her to the ground with an Anchor Shot.

I slashed my sword downwards, allowing a small Siren blast to head straight for her, she shielded it before jumping up.

"It's about Cereza," I finally started.

She flew at me and our swords slammed into each other.

"What about her?" Mythra asked.

"Are we sure killing her is the right thing to do?"

She balanced herself in the air on our two clashed swords before back flipping off and hurling a beam of light towards me.

"What do you mean?"

I slashed the beam into nothing.

"I mean something's not right. Poppi seemed to notice this when she fought her, and Cereza seemed to respond to it, and she showed emotion in our last fight, what's the deal?" I explained.

"So do you think she's coming around? And even if she is, would it be right for her to get off scot-free with all that she's done?" she said, rushing me.

I blocked and threw her back, firing a beam in her direction.

"I don't think she's changing her viewpoint, I think she's... remembering a part of her through us. Do you ever notice how she seems to have two separate personalities?" I pointed out.

She dodged the beam.

"Yeah, sometimes she seems cheerful, but in a snap she turns serious and terrifying, what about it?"

I pulled a double spinning edge, she parried once and back flipped away from the second one.

"I have a theory, I don't think she's entirely her."

"Photon Edge!" she shouted as she sliced at me.

I flung my sword, knocking her's back, I jumped towards her, caught my sword, then slashed at her, she rolled out of the way.

"What does that even mean?"

"It means I think her actions aren't her own. Like Malos and Amalthus. But I also think she's fighting it, like Shulk and Zanza," I blurted out.

"Who?"

"Never mind that," I corrected.

"Lightning Buster!" she attached.

She attacked fiercely, but I parried just as fast. She went for a spin kick at the end, but I caught her foot, throwing it to the side. She did a side flip, landed, and then struck again, which I narrowly dodged. I tripped her and she landed into me, and she just kinda hugged me.

"Look, do what you think is right, I can't tell you what you should do. But..."

"You think it's a bad idea?"

"I think you should approach it cautiously."

"Agreed."

"You two looked amazing!" Rex said, walking towards us, we had been so focused that neither of us saw him or Pyra approaching.

"Oh? We were just talking is all," I laughed as we both let go of each other and stood apart.

Pyra giggled a bit. "Do you always spar when you have serious conversations?"

"No...," Mythra started.

"But we definitely always have a serious conversation while we're sparring," I joked.

We stood and laughed for a bit.

"I'm glad you're here actually," I said.

"Oh? What's up?" Pyra asked.

"Could you guys help us gather some cool potatoes?" I requested.

"Yeah, that'll be easy peasy!" Rex bragged.

I turned to Mythra. "You mind?"

She rolled her eyes. "I guess...," she said sarcastically.

"You don't have to," I started.

"I'm just kidding, lighten up. Let's go," she laughed.

We spent the morning collecting potatoes, and once we got back to Tantal, I had Mythra and Pyra cut them up into very thin slices.

I filled a pot with oil, set it to a boil, and deep fried the slices. I pulled them out and added some salt and served it up to everyone.

"Wowie! It very good!" Tora exclaimed.

"Wow, this is pretty good...," Nia added.

"What is it?" Mythra asked while scarfing down the whole plate.

I handed her a napkin. "Those are potato chips, potato chip," I laughed.

"Wait what?! But why would you call me that?!" she questioned.

I laughed and she interrupted me before I could answer.

"If you comment on how I taste I will slap the empathy out of you," she warned.

I laughed even harder. "It's because you're eye and hair color are potato chip-colored, it just felt too perfect."

"Wait so if she's a chip then what am I?" Pyra asked.

"Definitely salsa," Rex mused.

All of us began laughing uncontrollably.

"We got chips and salsa," Nia repeated.

Mythra snorted and we looked at her, and she immediately threatened to slap so we immediately went back to eating.

Soon we were all geared up to go.

"And you're sure we can't go with you?" Nia asked nervously.

"Yeah! Tora can take Cereza even without Poppi!" he challenged.

"Pride comes before the fall," I laughed.

"Ok Gramps," Rex laughed before turning back to them. "We'll be fine!"

"Don't do anything reckless!" Azami said.

"I'll keep him in line," Mythra responded.

"Be safe you two. If one of you dies I'll beat the other!" Nia cautioned.

And with that, we once again went to the Land of Morytha, it was as sad as I remembered it.

The trip there seemed like an eternity, ironic considering we were there in the time it takes one person to blink.

Cereza was already standing there, looking up into the sky.

"Took you long enough," she complained.

"Sorry, traffic was a nightmare," I joked back. This wasn't the time for jokes, but I wanted to lighten the mood just a bit.

Cereza smiled. "Funny. You ready to end this?"

I drew Mythra's sword, Rex drew Pyra's.

"Are you sure this is what you want to do?" I questioned.

"Absolutely, wouldn't have it any other way," she said, drawing her own sword.

"Oh? Why not Malos' Monado?" Mythra asked.

"I will fight as I was intended to." she answered simply.

"Well, then let's end this," I said.

Cereza rushed me and I parried her with ease, she was fighting with a different tone than she did before. It felt as if her goals had entirely shifted.

"Elemental Shift," she said, as her entire color scheme changed to blue, she shot out a large amount of heavy water attacks at Pyra.

Rex blocked them, but it did cause his sword to weaken.

"One of my original arts, impressed?"

"Water shouldn't weaken my power!" Pyra exclaimed.

"Her dark element is the strongest form of darkness that exists, it doesn't surprise me that any element she changes to will be given the same effect, keep attacking," I explained.

She rushed Rex, who expertly pushed her back, I went in behind him and hit her back.

Her element changed back to dark and she smiled.

"Shadow's Eye," she said, immediately we couldn't see her anymore.

I realized she had gone pure stealth and I felt for her, I could feel her emotion, but... there was something else in her mind too...

She immediately tried to puncture Mythra's core crystal, but I blocked it.

"Who's Serena?" I asked.

Her eyes widened and she took a step back.

"Someone who died a long time ago," she growled before slicing at me.

I parried the attacks and then toppled her with an Anchor Shot. I passed my sword to Mythra.

"Lightning Buster!" she exclaimed, aiming at Cereza's core.

I both tripped and caught Mythra.

"What the hell?!" she exclaimed.

"You didn't even try to dodge it," I pointed out to Cereza.

"This isn't a fight," Pyra gasped.

"It's a suicide," I concluded. "Why?"

Cereza got up. "I'm not committing suicide, I'm trying to kill you!"

"I don't need this empathy to tell when you're lying," I replied.

She gasped, as if recollecting something.

"Did you know I met Addam?" I asked, picking up her thoughts.

"He told me that he killed himself to seal you away, I didn't believe that. What really happened? Because I'm feeling fondness for him in your memories."

"I don't have to tell you anything because you're going to die!" she screamed as she charged me, I simply blocked it with a blade shield.

"Am I?" I said, throwing my sword to the ground. "Prove it."

She glared at me. "What's wrong with you?!"

"Waylon are you crazy?!" Mythra shouted, running towards me.

I surrounded Cereza and myself in a complete blade shield, no one could enter, no one could leave.

"Prove. It."

She took her sword hilt and knocked me across the face.

I went down and my nose began bleeding.

"Have I proven myself?"

I got up and looked her in the face. "Mythra's hit me harder than that."

She hit me again, and again, and again. All non-fatal.

"Waylon!" Mythra screamed.

I stood back up.

"Oh you really are a masochist aren't you?" Cereza questioned.

"Kill me. Take my piece of Ontos. Isn't that what you want?" I asked.

"I- I-," she stopped.

"You killed Addam, didn't you? And yet even when I told him all of the things that you had done, he wouldn't tell me. He didn't want me to hate you, just to be aware of your power. What did he see in you?"

"How could I ever know how he felt?!"

"Because I didn't get this empathy from nowhere. It's you, isn't it? You're the source of these powers."

She stayed silent.

"Who?" I asked.

"Who?" she repeated.

"Who is really behind the destruction of this planet? Who is it that's really pulling the strings?" I interrogated.

She winced. "You've already spoken with her, but I won't reveal her name."

"And why is that?"

"If I were to tell you, she'd kill me! And then I'd never get the chance to do what I was sent here to do!" she shouted.

"Cereza, if you can't tell me who it was then I'm going to kill you. At least this way you can act as Addam would've wanted you to. Not this false hope you were given," I argued sternly.

"STOP READING MY EMOTIONS!!" she screamed, I dropped the blade shield and jumped back as she released a shock wave of power.

Mythra threw me her sword.

"THIS WORLD HAS ONLY BROUGHT ME PAIN! PAIN IS ALL I DESERVE! YOU WANT TO KILL ME, GO AHEAD! I'M TIRED OF THIS!" she shrieked as she let loose five hundred years worth of rage at me, which I continued to parry.

Eventually she got to the point where she could no longer sustain her own energy, and she collapsed on the floor, and began crying.

"I just want to be happy... I want to be Serena again..." she cried.

I grabbed her and picked her up, and then hugged her.

"Then let me give you a real hope, something you can hold on to. You don't have to hurt anymore," I calmed.

"I can never go back...," she sobbed.

"Look at yourself, Serena. You're not Cereza anymore."

She looked down at herself and realized that she had once again retained the form of a child. She really wasn't Cereza anymore...

"I- I don't think I can be happy anymore, you've already got Mythra, what can I possibly hope to be as your blade?" she said.

"Well, if you can't find happiness with us, there's always a mostly unexplored brand new continent stretched out in front of us for you to find something that will."

Rex chimed in. "There's so much to explore! The world has become our gem, so much opportunity is there, I'm sure you'll be able to find someone you can truly find comfort in."

Pyra spoke as well. "And while I get that memories are always a burden..."

Mythra butted in. "You could always stick around for another five hundred years and find some weird salvager to help you out. Worst case scenario wait a few more months and some random guy will accidentally resonate with you. Beat him up a few times and he'll be your best friend."

Serena laughed a bit. "I think that only works with retard masochists like this one," she said, gesturing to me.

I rolled my eyes. "Oh for the Architect's sake I am not a masochist guys."

"You are definitely a masochist," Mythra laughed.

Rex agreed and Pyra nodded.

"Well whatever then," I laughed.

"What about the Ontos pieces?" Serena asked.

"I don't think they're anything to worry about anymore," I responded.

"What are the Ontos pieces?" Rex asked.

It never occurred to me that we hadn't actually explained that to him yet.

"The Ontos pieces are mine," a familiar voice spoke from across the room.

"Mòrag!" Rex exclaimed.

"That's not Mòrag!" Serena warned.

"You foolish child," Mòrag stated. "You should've just listened to him and killed him."

"Serena?" I interrogated.

"Mòrag is possessed by the one who sent me into the task of recreating the world!" Serena explained.

"Recreating the world?" Pyra asked.

"Yes, I have met all of you before, I was trapped as the large core crystal monster you fought here before your ascent up the World Tree," Mòrag replied.

"You don't need to do this Meyneth! We can be happy in another way!" Serena argued.

"Silence, traitor. The name I gave you was simply what I called myself in that other wretched dimension, my true name is-"

"Galea," Rex and I said simultaneously.

"How curious. How did you know my name boy?" she asked Rex.

"Your ID card fell out of your body when we killed you," he explained.

"Ah yes, how quaint. This world can never truly be happy because it was made by that fool Klaus, but now that he's dead and the core crystals in the monster I had been have kept me alive, despite my death in the other dimension, I will recreate this world myself. Luckily this vessel has given me the power I needed to accomplish this."

She reached out her hand and pulled a weird crystal out of both Mythra and I.

"It's a shame you never activated these," Mòrag said as they both began glowing a transparent, bluish color.

She launched them directly into Serena's core crystal, shattering it immediately, she fell to the ground, and I caught her.

"Serena!" I shouted.

"It's... It's ok...," she cried. "I deserved this. Just..., please don't let her get what she wants. Please, end this madness. At least... my last moments, were the happiest I could have ever hoped for..."

I glared at Mòrag. All of the hatred I had been feeling now shifted towards Galea.

My golden eyes burned into her very soul.

"This is where you die," I threatened.

Serena got off the ground. "I can... survive for a bit longer without my core crystal, Addam was right when he compared me to the Aegis. Waylon, throw Mythra your sword."

I threw Mythra her sword and Serena through me hers.

Immediately a dark shield, two large dark arms, and a dark sword appeared in her hands.

"Poppi gave these to me, she said to use them when the time was right. I believe she was referring to now, when I was happy." she said, letting out more power than she had previously. "Don't let her connect those pieces."

Immediately I rushed Galea with Serena's sword.

She dodged much quicker than expected before using a psychokinetic push to throw me back. Serena went in, shooting missiles and blocking her attacks with the shield.

Mythra and Pyra both let loose a fully-powered Siren attack and hit Galea directly.

She cackled as she blocked it and deflected it towards us, Serena jumped back and shielded us. I took a running jump over her head as I let out a few dark blasts before throwing it back to Serena.

"Eclipse's Shadow!" she called before making the whole place too dark to see.

Serena threw the sword back to me, and I could see perfectly fine. So I rushed Galea, cutting her across the chest.

"Do you honestly think you can beat me, boy?" Galea cackled. "Try again."

She began picking up debris with her mind and slamming it into me. I went down as the shadow wore off.

"Waylon!" Mythra and Serena both called out.

Pyra went full blast and began slamming into Galea.

Galea grunted as she got slammed back. Pyra kept slashing before Galea summoned Mòrag's scythe. Both Pyra and Mythra surrounded her and began slicing, but neither could keep up with Galea's speed as she knocked both of them back. Pyra handed off her sword to Rex as she flew back and he and I went full force.

"Anchor Shot!" I yelled, pulling her to the ground as Pyra joined with Rex. Serena stood with me.

"Burning Sword!" Pyra and Rex yelled.

"Shadow's End!" Serena and I yelled.

Immediately Galea was surrounded in fire and a powerful darkness wave that cause all of Morytha to quake. We jumped back and Galea stood there.

"It seems I must resort to plan B...," she said.

"Waylon I'm sorry, I can't maintain this form anymore," Serena said. She tossed Poppi's weapons towards me and they returned to their normal colors. "Give these to the nopon and apologize to him for me, I have to go."

She immediately kissed me, in front of Mythra, and then proceeded to turn into ether dust.

"Hey! I did NOT give you permission!" Mythra yelled.

Serena flipped her off. "Kill me then!"

I sighed and then laughed. "Bye Serena."

She winked. "Kick her ass."

I still don't know if she was referring to Mythra or Galea, but I'll never know as she disappeared from this world.

Serena looked around as the world around her faded away, she turned to see Addam standing away from her.

"A-Addam?" she questioned, walking towards him slowly.

"Serena," he replied.

"I'm so sorry! I failed! I failed you, I failed Torna, I failed the Aegises, I...," she started to cry before he silenced her.

"You didn't fail, you just made a mistake."

"But... I killed so many people and..."

"Serena, you got control of yourself and you fought the one who imprisoned you with everything you had! It takes a lot to be able to do that."

"But... what about Torna?"

"They don't need a Torna anymore, they have more land than they could have ever asked for, in the end, this was more important. Now how about you come with me, and we put this nonsense aside," Addam said.

"I- I'd like that," she said hugging him before following him along.

I set Poppi's weapons down and immediately rejoined with Mythra, who knocked me upside my head.

She threw me her sword and we watched as Galea put together all five pieces of Ontos.

"You can fight me all you like, but let's see how that works when fighting him!" Galea cackled as she left Mòrag's body.

Pyra immediately checked her pulse. "Guys, she's fine!"

"Yeah, but are we?!" I asked as a powerful aura began spinning around this bluish-white-colored crystal.

"I thought you said the core crystal would be red," Mythra said.

"To be fair I kinda took a shot in the dark, but I guess a diamond-colored crystal makes more sense considering Pyra has the ruby one."

Immediately the crystal resonated and the shape of a man emerged, his hair

and his eyes were silver, and he spoke in computer-like tone.

"Greetings all, I am Ontos, or Alvis, if you will. It seems that the will of one has ordered me to eradicate and recreate this universe in a manner that they see fit," he said simply.

"I'm sorry, but we can't let you do that, Alvis," Rex replied.

"Oh? So you think that your will is stronger than that of Galea's? Because I'm frankly not convinced."

"I know for a fact it's stronger, I can prove it to you," I said, grabbing Mythra's sword.

"Waylon," Mythra started, grabbing my shoulder. "Do you truly wish to save a world you're not a part of? Are you really willing to give your own life for this?"

"Of course, look in my eyes Mythra, you know how strongly I feel for this place, I want to see it live!"

"Hand me your sword," she responded.

I did so immediately. Pyra took the sword from Rex and they joined hands. We both watched as the two Aegises began to unravel in front of us, both of the swords turned green and their core crystals joined into one bright emerald crystal. The two joined into one and the True Aegis stood before us, holding both swords in her hand.

"Alvis, Pneuma is the name my father gave me. I cannot let you destroy this world and request that this madness stop now. My request is for you to surrender now before I do show you the extent of our will," she said as the affinity lines between Rex, her, and I turned a stunning green. She held up Mòrag and Poppi's weapons and they disappeared. As if she sent them through time and space back to Elysium.

"My, my, and here I thought the Aegis of Life had been discarded from this world. Waylon," he said, turning his attention to me. "Why is it you care for this world? You've mentioned plenty of times that you're from a different universe, so why is it that now you choose to be one with this universe? Is it simply the girl? Or does that feeling run deeper? Regardless, you still have no power in regards to mine, so try as you may, but this can only end one way."

"Why? Because you say so?!" Rex argued.

"No," he said calmly. "Because it is willed so."

"Well then we have no choice, the second Aegis' War begins here, and ends here, if you truly think you can win," Pneuma said.

"Quite," Alvis responded.

"Aegis of Life, behold the Aegis of Creation. I have existed through countless millennia and have never been felled by god or man. I have existed since the beginning, and will proclaim the end. From Zohar, to Weltall-Id, to Ontos, to the Monado. Your power is as dust compared to mine. However, if you truly think that you can prevail, then that hope must be cut asunder in order for me to proceed, behold, the Monado."

Three orbs spun around him, one red, one blue, and one white. The red one stopped to his back left, the blue to his back right, the white right in front of him. A pure white affinity line connected the three, forming an upside-down triangle surrounding him. The three points each became three swords. One was Zanza's, one Meyneth's, one Shulk's transparent Monado, it was the same color as Alvis' core crystal. He reached out and grabbed Shulk's Monado. Zanza's and Meyneth's were absorbed into Shulk's, yet this transparent Monado changed in neither shape nor power. I realized that he was making one thing clear. He wasn't a culmination of being, he was the true Monado, no power was greater, and there was no hope to win.

As he grabbed the sword, it began to glow with the symbol that had slain a god. He slashed it towards us and all of Morytha quaked.

Pneuma grabbed both swords and her light began to glow brighter.

"Genesis Saber!" she yelled as a green aura filled the atmosphere and thousands of copies of her swords flew across the sky, straight towards Alvis.

He smiled. "Monado Shield!"

His sword began to glow yellow and all of Pneuma's swords collided into him, causing a large amount of debris to fly in the air.

When the dust cleared, he was still standing, unscathed.

Pneuma threw her two swords at Rex and I.

"Waylon, can we even beat him?" Rex inquired.

"Not in a million years," I responded. "But we don't have to. We just have to fight with everything we have until he knows that our will is greater than Galea's, this, we can do."

"Positive?" Pneuma asked.

"I don't pick fights I can't win, let's go."

Rex and I both shot our anchor shots at him, which he deflected with his hands.

"Please, this isn't a bar fight. Monado Buster."

He was aiming at Rex.

"Dammit Rex, move!" I yelled before jumping in front of him and parrying it.

"Pneuma! Where's foresight?! He doesn't know his attacks!" I yelled.

"I'm trying! It's not working!" she yelled back.

"What do you mean?" Rex asked.

"I mean I can't see into the future!" she responded.

"Of course you can't," I realized. "Do you understand how it works?"

"Of course, it reads the flow of ether to determine what events will happen next," she said.

"Monado Combo," Alvis interrupted, a second transparent Monado appearing in his other hand.

"Watch your three o'clock Rex!" I warned

"Got it!"

I parried to the left and Rex parried the other. The second Monado disappeared as he focused again with one.

"Rex, hold him off!" I commanded.

Rex jumped towards Alvis and they clashed, moving at speeds only we could see.

"Pneuma listen to me, you can't see the future right now because Alvis is creating one, he does some weird ceremony that allows him to do this," I explained.

"So what do you want me to do?" she asked.

"Your purpose is to alter the ether in a way that can support life, you should be able to alter what he creates if you try!" I said.

"I feel like you understand my power better than I do, but I'll try anyway!" she said.

"No, don't try, make it happen! This world is ours, not his, not Galea's, make that point clear!"

Pneuma focused as she stopped and exclaimed, "I got it!"

"I... I can see it!" Rex exclaimed. "Hey Waylon, Umm... what's a black hole?"

"Shit! Rex get down!" I yelled.

Alvis thrusted his sword into the ground as a large black hole was formed, sucking all of us in and immediately we were in the cosmos, outside of Jupiter to be exact.

"Where are we?" Rex asked in wonder.

I went into my fighting stance. "Welcome to Jupiter, that's for later, now we fight."

Thanks to Pneuma, we were not only able to breath but able to find footing even without ground to stand on. She was using the ether to make it so we could keep fighting.

"A much better setting for this, wouldn't you agree?" Alvis said.

"If I said that I never once thought about fighting a god in space, then I wouldn't exactly be lying," I replied.

I charged as fast as I could and Rex went for the opposite side, he easily parried everything we tried and soon knocked us back.

"Monado Armor," he said as we threw the swords to Pneuma.

"Radiant Slair!" she said as she attacked him, it didn't do much damage.

"Monado Eater."

Rex and I both shielded it, which is a good thing too, because bleeding isn't good, especially in space.

"Monado Cyclone."

"Titan's foot how many of those are there?!" Rex said before we both got thrown in the air.

Pneuma threw us our swords and we reoriented ourselves before we hit the ground, luckily his Monado Armor had run out.

"Rex, now's our chance!" I yelled.

"Right!"

We both joined with Pneuma.

"Infinity Blade!" we shouted in unison as we hit him directly, blowing him back.

"That was... unexpected," he said, getting back up.

"A true driver and blade relationship is something you haven't ever understood, Alvis," I said.

"Don't be so full of yourself, you have not won, not even close," he said.

I looked over to Rex and Pneuma, who were both becoming exhausted, I realized there was only one thing that I could do to turn the tides of this battle.

"Rex, pass me your sword," I demanded.

He did so without a second thought, and I braved myself for what I was about to do.

I took both swords and planted them into my thighs, letting out a scream as I did so.

"Waylon, what the hell are you doing?!" Rex scolded.

"What... I need to," I replied.

I waved my hand and Rex disappeared.

Pneuma looked at me in disbelief. "What did you do with Rex?!" she asked.

I sent him back, Pneuma, I need you to give me the rest of your power, everything you have.

"O-Ok...," she said, giving me a large boost in power, yet she stayed in her Pneuma form.

"Not enough," I replied.

"I can't give you anymore while maintaining this form!" she resisted.

"Do you trust me?"

"Of course... but..."

"Then please, do as I ask. You said it yourself, I understand your power."

She sighed before giving me the rest of her power, Pyra and Mythra were both separated, I immediately sent Pyra back.

"Waylon what are you doing?!" Mythra asked, tears in her eyes.

I grabbed her using ether and brought her to me, my eyes and hair turned green as I held her hand.

"What I need to, protect them for me, potato chip. I'll... see you later," I said.

"No Waylon, do—"

But I had already sent her away.

"Sending your friends away? Aren't they the only reason you've made it this far?" Alvis asked.

I nodded. "They are, which is why I must do this."

"You are truly foolish," Alvis said. "Monado Buster."

He went to strike me, but I caught his blade with my hand.

"What? How?" he asked in disbelief.

"It's like I said Alvis. The true relationship between a driver and a blade is something you never had the opportunity to understand, and that is what I'm using to beat you."

"That doesn't explain how you grab the Monado."

"True, if you want an actual answer...," I paused before responding. "I'm using the Aegis of Life's true power."

"True power? The only power she has is what I created her to have."

"True, you knew that you and Klaus couldn't create a universe in just one attempt, so you created two more Aegises. One of life and one of destruction. You would create, Pneuma would take data on all life, Logos would destroy everything, you'd recreate it, Pneuma would recreate life, editing the data previously created so that life could advance, is that not correct?"

"It is, but how could one such as you know this?" he asked.

"Theories mostly. But, I understood that her true power was recreating ether, so any attack that you make, I recreate inside myself."

"Indeed, but wouldn't that—?"

"Kill me? Yes, it would. Mythra once told me that theoretically if a driver were to use weak arts while a blade was trying to use strong arts, then the blade's weapon itself could rupture from too much energy. Currently I'm sending data to these swords to produce the strongest arts that Pneuma has ever had, however I am not using them, instead they are all being stored into my body and the swords. I'm sending the information the same way another man once showed Rex."

Alvis gasped.

"In other words," I said as my body began glowing green. "I'm about to explode violently enough to destroy Jupiter and probably Saturn, taking you with me."

"I will survive," Alvis argued.

"True, but your core crystal won't, and that will prohibit you from existing in this world, which is all I need."

"So for a world that's not even your own, you're willing for it to go on at your own expense?" Alvis asked.

"Absolutely, this world has given me so much and I refuse to let it disappear! There's so much I love and so much I want to grow, letting it get recreated would be a waste!"

"...Even if it means it grows without you?" Alvis asked.

A few tears appeared in my eyes. "Especially so."

"Well then it appears I was incorrect," Alvis said.

"In what regard?"

"Galea would never lose her life for this world, yet you care so much you'd rather die then let this world perish. You, Waylon, are selfless beyond compare, and I cannot carry out Galea's wishes any further."

I held out my hand for a handshake.

"So if we see each other in hell, you wanna get a drink?" I laughed.

Alvis grinned as he took my hand. "I don't think I could say no."

"It'll have to be a milkshake or something, Mythra ruined alcohol for me."

Alvis took a second to laugh.

"Waylon you dumbass, what are you doing?!" Mythra cried out.

"What's going on?!" Rex asked.

"I think we're about to see...," she responded.

"What do you me—?" Rex was interrupted by a new sight.

As they watched, the entire sky changed from blue to a beautiful emerald color and the entire planet shook.

Mythra began to cry.

Pyra, realizing what had happened, also began to cry.

"What was that?!" Rex asked.

Azami, Nia, and Tora had finally caught up with them.

Azami immediately returned to her core crystal.

Mythra looked up at Rex, not wanting to explain what had just happened. "That... was Waylon."

And so was the end of the fourth driver.

I woke up surrounded by pure white.

"Am... I dreaming?" I asked aloud.

"No, simply in a place outside of space and time," a voice said from behind me, I turned around to see Alvis standing behind me.

"Oh, it's you. Is this hell?" I asked, half joking.

"No, but some people may disagree," he replied. "Tell me, do you know how you got to Alrest?"

"Not really, I just assumed I'd traveled to an alternate universe. Is that the case?"

"No, this is not actually an alternate universe, you are, in actuality, the third survivor of the Conduit's power. You happened to appear very late. The reason for this is your distance between you and the Conduit at the time of the event."

"So are you more powerful than the Conduit?"

"No, I am simply a form of its power, it has made me into many different forms throughout the existence of this universe, in all actuality, I am, in a sense, the Conduit itself."

"So the reason you were brought to this universe..."

"...was because the Conduit did not disappear from this world. Unfortunately Cereza didn't do it as carefully as she should have and split me into five pieces, but I knew it was only a matter of time."

"So when Galea told me that there were six pieces, she was trying to mislead me!" I realized.

"Indeed."

"But that doesn't make sense! How could this universe be predicted by a video game?! The odds of that are..."

"The odds of that happening are the same odds as a planet with both water and oxygen being placed an exact amount away from a star, tilted at the exact angle needed, and moving at the exact speed needed, with the exact amount of oxygen required to not make it a ball of fire in order to support life. The odds are slim, but the chance is there."

"But we had no space station! No war! No Sirens! Why is it all still here if that loud crash was really the Conduit's doing?"

"Because the timeline is going to be, or rather, was fixed," Alvis replied.

"How?"

"It's simple, you are the third god. Klaus, Galea, and you Waylon. I will entrust to you my power, and you will become a much more powerful god then these other two, someone with a passion for the world, who would be willing to die for this world, you will become the next form of the Monado. With me you will travel back and we will fix everything that needs to be fixed, afterwards you will live your life as you'd like until it is time for the Conduit to explode, you will then travel to the place you once were so that you may be rerouted back into the timeline, this will fix everything."

"What about Galea?"

"Let's have a word with her, shall we?"

"Absolutely."

And with that, Galea was brought to the room, in her own flesh.

"Wha? How am I here?"

"Because I willed it," I responded.

"No... you? How?!"

"Your plan has backfired Galea, this world will live on and you must die."

"You think you can speak to a goddess like that?!" she said, pulling out her Monado. "Let's see you handle this!"

She lunged at me, and as the Monado hit me, it melted in her hand.

"What?" she gasped.

In my hand appeared a teal long sword, very long, double-edged, and slender. It resembled Shulk's Monado, only it had handguards and the hole for the symbols was much smaller.

"Is that a Monado?!"

"No, only false gods use the power of someone else, this is my own power, and it far exceeds yours."

"But you're just a petty boy! How could you—?"

"I survived the Conduit, just like you and Klaus. Three universes, three Aegises, three Monado's, didn't you find it weird that there were only two gods?"

She growled. "If you were a simple product of Klaus' wretched world, you wouldn't have been able to beat me! So take pride in knowing that the only reason you live is because you're outside of it all!"

"Hmm... ok, how about this?" I proposed. "What if, in a few hundred years or so, I become reborn into this world, I will have no memory, I will be bred and raised into this world, I will have no idea of your existence and you won't have any idea of mine. Then, and only then, will I beat you again and prove that this world can be stronger than anything that you are."

"Do I have a choice in this matter?"

"It's that or I kill you now."

"Fine, but when I beat you and destroy the Aegis right in front of you, you'll be my slave for all of eternity so you can watch this world burn and live in eternal torment and ridicule."

"Agreed, and when I win you will exist no longer."

"I'm going to destroy your world while you're gone!" she threatened.

"Good, then I'll be able to put it back together."

I immediately reappeared where Rex, Mythra, Pyra, and Mòrag all were.

I landed on my feet and had to reorient myself, which wasn't easy with Mythra immediately deciding to almost tackle me in a hug.

"You DUMBASS!" she started crying. "This is the SECOND TIME you've died this year. You ever stop to think about how I feel? Maybe I should go die sometime, make YOU cry!"

She then proceeded to punch me so hard that I fell backwards and my nose began bleeding. "THAT'S for scaring me!" She kicked me in the ribs. "THAT'S for making me care about you!" And then she fell on the ground with me and gave me a hug. "And that's for not dying."

I coughed. "Hi Mythra, great to see you too. When did you get so emotional?" I laughed.

"Well it's your fault I'm like this!"

"Fine, that's fair. Time to get up though," I said, standing up even with her on top of me.

Mòrag stirred and woke up.

"Where the hell am I?" she asked, rubbing her head.

"Mòrag!" we all shouted with joy.

"Will the person who put me in a dress please come forward so that I can rip their head from their shoulders."

"I think you look quite spectacular if you ask me," a familiar voice said.

"Zeke?!" Rex called.

"We would've been here sooner," Pandora said. "But the king here decided to fall straight into Morytha, it took us three days to climb out."

"My luck won't change, but I see that you have," Zeke said, holding out his hand towards me.

"Yeah, a lot," I chuckled, giving him a handshake.

"Good job chum."

"Thanks Zeke."

"So I hate to burst this reunion, as happy as it is, but I actually can't stay here...," I said.

"What do you mean?" Mythra asked.

"I'm not from this point in time, and yet I am, I have to go back to my point in time so that I can exist now."

"So you're not from another world?" Pyra inquired.

"No, I'm just like Klaus, I only survived the destruction of mine, but I have to make sure everything happens like it should have."

"How are you gonna do that?" Rex interrogated.

My eyes began to glow a multitude of colors, before returning to gold.

"What was that?" Mythra asked.

"It's Alvis, I am his next form, meant to maintain the world."

"But will I ever see you again?"

"Yes, in a few hundred years we will finally destroy Galea, together. I won't remember you, and you won't remember me, but we will. So we can fall for each other all over again!" I winked.

"Do you mind if I go back in my core crystal until then?" she asked.

"Actually I need you to do one thing first,"

"Oh?"

"You need to get with Adenine and KOS-MOS, and anyone who's existed for long periods of time, including Cole. You need to have Adenine write down everything you can remember for the past five hundred years and everything we've discovered. Once this history book is finished, have it copied and distributed everywhere. The manuscript stays with Nia, and every nation needs to keep one under heavy guard. They need to be updated every year, but Mythra won't need to be there for the updates."

"Why me?" Nia asked

My eyes turned blue. "I can see everything, and I know what is to come. Just trust me."

"Mythra," I started. "When you wish to return to your core crystal, go to Nia. Nia, when she comes to you, her core crystal will become your responsibility, guard it at all costs, no one will know you have it."

"I... don't know if I can do that," she argued.

"Trust me, you're gonna be the best thing to ever happen for this. And Zeke," I turned my attention to him. "I need you to take this."

A dark aura appeared in my hands as a core crystal appeared in my hands, it was a dark Aegis crystal.

"Is that?!"

"Malos, yes. He won't remember anything, I've only given him the memories necessary, just as I have done for all blades."

"Was that... Alvis speaking?" Pyra asked.

"We are one, so yes. Zeke, you and Mòrag will be protecting this in the Theoscaldia Palace."

"Mòrag and I?" he clarified.

"Just trust me," I laughed.

I goodbye hugged everyone there.

"Tora," I called, handing him Poppi's weapons.

"Waylon?"

"Cereza apologized, and tried to make up for what she did, this was the best that she could do. If the time comes where you need to be a hero, don't be afraid to leave Poppi with Nia and do what you need to do, it's what she would've wanted. Keep being her hero."

"Of course! Tora heropon for all!"

"Seriously, why am I getting all of this?" Nia asked.

I hugged her. "Trust in me and that I know how this will play out, you will do amazing things Nia."

She nodded, and I went to Mythra.

"Do you think Serena is happy now, maybe even with Addam?"

She rolled her eyes. "Probably kissed him too."

I gave her a quick kiss. "Will you get over that already?"

"Not my fault you kissed a child," she scolded.

"Ok she was a blade, so not actually a child, and she kissed me."

"Yeah but you can move at the speed of light and you didn't bother reacting!"

"Potato chip, she's dead, there's nothing to worry about."

"Hey so if you're from a different time does that mean your older than me?" she asked.

"By a little over one thousand and five hundred years, yes," I answered.

"That makes you a pedophile," she antagonized.

"Says the girl who slept in a bed with a fifteen year old."

"I'm gonna kick your ass," she warned.

"I have a better idea," I said, summoning my sword.

She jumped back in surprise.

"In order to return, I need you to plant this through my heart."

"You want me to kill you?"

"Nah, I just want you to make it to where I can see you again."

"Ok, but you'd better come back!"

"I will, it might just take awhile, wait for me?"

"I don't mind waiting on a woman," she laughed as she took my sword.

Immediately, her core crystal, hair, eyes, and green crosses turned bright teal, the same color as the sword.

"Woah! That's a lot of power!" she exclaimed.

I chuckled. "The sorry I've written is done, now we wait until I can rewrite myself once again. Ready?"

"Yeah, gonna kick you ass for the last time," she winked.

And with that, she planted the sword firmly into my chest.

"Goodbye, Waylon," she said, tears in her eyes as I began fading into dust.

"No, not goodbye. See you later," I smiled before vanishing from the world.

Everyone stood in awe as the sword disappeared and Mythra's core crystal returned to green and she became her old form again.

Pyra's crystal also returned to green.

"Sorry, guess that means no true Aegis," Mythra laughed.

"I don't think we'll need it, not anymore." Rex said.

"Yeah, so what now?" Pyra asked.

"I got some paperwork so I'll catch you guys later," Mythra winked. "I'll see you guys around."

And with that, Mythra did in fact write an entire history book. It took her two years with Adenine and KOS-MOS' help.

The capital of the nation of Alrest was founded in the center of Elysium, this great city full of ever-expanding technology and freedom became known as Torna, commonly called The Golden City.

Only fifty percent of the continent itself was explored, from the capital to the beach with the once great titans, but yet still another area of the land had yet to be seen.

Rex and Pyra went on to focus on the Garfont Mercenary Guild. With their help, every nation was able to prosper, and the Garfont Mercenaries were renamed the Blade Assist Program (BAP). Rex and Pyra both thought it would be much nicer and wouldn't have to sound like they were part of a war, something that Rex still hated. One day, years later, while Rex and Pyra went off into an exploration mission, they disappeared, and were never seen again. Some speculate he died, while others say he simply settled down with a woman he loved, much like Addam did.

Nia went to live on with Dromarch in Fonsett Village. She mostly lived alone, as Dromarch eventually insisted on helping the BAP. She didn't mind though, she loved spreading her knowledge onto all of Fonsett's people, which, as a flesh eater, she was able to do for a long time. She still guards Mythra's core crystal.

Tora eventually had to give up on Poppi, as he had to help people in need, however he did it all in her name. He lived a long, heroic life, fighting and training many of BAP's top drivers. No one could understand how a nopon without a blade could be such a competent driver. Poppi was never finished, but never forgotten.

Mòrag decided against being Special Inquisitor, instead she took this time to rekindle her relationship with Emperor Niall, and even found a certain surprise lover... She loved each day in remembrance of Brighid, and joined the ranks of the BAP, she helped train cadets and used Aegeon, but she never fought again, as she didn't want work to get in front of her anymore. Some commented on her newfound happiness, and those who dared to comment that to her got a punch to the face and about one hundred pushups (And then she'd buy them lunch). Anyone who dared comment on her one arm was taught just how much damage she could do with just one. They usually needed a couple days off afterwards for recovery, even with one arm she stood as one of the strongest drivers of all time.

Zeke became the greatest and most productive king Tantal had ever had. He knew his father had to be so proud... Tantal not only became one of the strongest economies, it also became the world's largest industrial facility. It also still houses the Aegis Malos. He also found a particularly interesting lover, she was Ardanian.

Mythra wrote a personal journal as well, but she wrote it in Brighid's own journal. As a memory to her long lost friend. At the end of the journal "RIP Brighid, the strongest blade I have ever had the opportunity of crossing swords with" can be found in the end.

Four statues can be found in Torna, the capital. One of Serena, one of Zaccharias, one of Brighid, and one of Poppi.

"From life to death, he lived in fear. Just as I did before him. Wishing to be with him forever is selfish and I know it, but yet I can't imagine walking without him. However, I walk without him now, in the direction he sent me. I still see him occasionally, as if he's watching over me. I long for the day that I can return to my crystal and simply wait, but I'm not done yet. I trust he'll be back, and I'll be waiting. From your potato chip, I will keep waiting. Til we meet again, you will always be The Fourth Driver. Can't wait to hear your voice."

-Mythra's Journal

~~~~~The Fourth Driver~~~~~

Readability Level: 11th-12th Grade

Time Taken: 12 Hours

Please do not use without permission. All artwork is not mine and credit goes to the artist.