Xenoblade Chronicles

Chapter 4 - The Mechon Attack

Shulk, Reyn, and Fiora stood frozen in front of the Cylinder Hangar, watching as the carriers dropped hordes of Mechon into the Colony. "How?" Fiora asked. "Didn't my brother destroy them all a year ago?" "Could that defense mechanism responded to the Mechon?" Shulk asked, his heart pounding in his ears. "Let's get back to the Colony!" Reyn yelled and they ran back into the cave. * * * The sirens blazed to life, and the residents of Colony Nine looked around, confused. "This siren...sounds different." "Yeah, isn't this siren two?" "It can't be…" Defense Force soldiers were frozen with shock, as the residents looked around in confusion. Siren two never meant good news. It was rang whenever Mechon were overhead or were sighted nearby the colony. "...The Mechon?!" Someone screamed and the residence scattered in terror, shrieking and going back to their homes. "One large Mechon!" A Defense Force Soldier bellowed in his radio at one of the Anti-Air Batteries. "Ten carriers and an unknown number of units emerging from the carriers!" Vangarre stood on one of the hover transports, listening to the shouting of one of his soldiers, his anger becoming clear as his fists clenched. "You idiots!" He roared. "Why didn't you see this lot until they were right on top of us?!" "But Sir!" The Soldier protest. "We thought the Mechon had all been wiped-Argh!" He was cut off as the large Mechon sent a blast of ether energy hurling at the anti-air battery. The soldier screamed in terror once, and was silent. "Oi!" Vangarre screeched. "What's happening?! Respond!" He angrily slammed his fist into the hover transport and cast his gaze to the sky, where a swarm of Mechon had blackened the sky. "Anti-Air Batteries one to three!" Vangarre yelled into the radio. "Why aren't my targeting systems online?! Don't let a single one into the Colony!" He let go of the radio and grabbed onto a fleeing Defense Force Soldier. "Assemble everyone who can fight!" Vangarre ordered. "Evacuate the citizens to the shelter! Get a move on!" "Y-Yes sir!" The Defense Force soldier raced off. "Fire at will!" The batteries suddenly shot off with brilliant green ether blasts, managing to destroy several hundred falling Mechon. Anti-Air battery two aimed at the largest Mechon, and fired off a blast straight at it. It met it's mark, and the Defense Force soldiers cheered. "We got it!" Their victory was cut short, however, as the Mechon emerged, completely unharmed. "No, wait!" Someone yelped. "Our weapons don't work on them at all!" The largest Mechon suddenly unfolded itself, revealing a Mechon with a metal face, it's mouth seemingly stitched together. The people stopped running in panic to stare up in fear at the new enemy. "What kind of Mechon is that?" Whispered someone "I've never seen anything like it!" "You slackers, fire!" Vangarre ordered. "Shoot it down!" The Anti-Air Batteries shot desperately at the large Mechon, but it dodged with ease, shooting towards anti-air battery three. It's claws raked through it's metal, and it shot away as the battery exploded, The Defense Force Soldiers inside screamed. With most of the Anti-Air batteries inoperable, the Mechon dropped from the sky like rain. The residents screamed and ran in all directions, desperate to hide from the endless force of Mechon, while unlucky ones that cowered behind shops were dragged out into the open by the machine's pincers. Shulk, Reyn, and Fiora made their way to the mouth of the Colony, and Shulk recoiled in disgust. Around him, Mechon were eating up people in their terrible claws or pincers. One man screamed in terror as he scrambled away from the Mechon. His legs were bent at an odd angle, before a Mechon snapped him up, and carried him away. They ravaged the shops, usually eating up several people at once. Hopefully most of the civilians had been taken to the shelter, but the amount still running around in a flurry of panic was too much. Colony Nine would be wiped out before long. Shulk, Fiora, and Reyn took off across the bridge, and Fiora turned her head away as a child tripped and fell, turning around with wide eyes. A Mechon M63 snapped it up in it's pincers, and the child lay limp and lifeless, his neck most likely snapped by the odd angle the Mechon had snatched him. They finally slowed to a stop, and gazed around the Colony. Hardly anyone was still there. "They're eating people!" Shulk said in disgust as he watched and M63 Unit march towards a shop and snag up the shopkeeper and his customers. "It's horrible!" Fiora seemed to be on the brink of tears as she watched. "Is Dunban okay?" Shulk turned to the man in question's house, and with a jolt in his stomach, he realized the door was wide open. "Fiora!" Reyn ordered. "Go and check on him." "O-Okay!" She nodded and sprinted towards her home, entering the brightly lit kitchen. Reyn and Shulk turned as a Mechon M63 unit marched to meet them, it's claws brandished high. "Heads up, Reyn!" Shulk said, drawing his sword. Reyn snatched up his driver, and got in a battle position. "If this thing wants a fight," Reyn growled. "Let's give it one." The two charged into battle, parrying it's claws, following basic procedures to destroy Mechon. Since their weapons were ineffective against the mechanical beasts, all they could do was hope that they could topple it and deactivate it. When Reyn slammed the butt of his driver into the Mechon, and Shulk dashed forwards and swung his sword in a wide arc, the Mechon's eyes grew dim, and it clanked to the ground, deactivated. "Haha!" Reyn boasted. "See? Didn't stand a chance." "It's not that easy!" Shulk said. "We've disabled it, but only for now. It'll reactivate soon!" Fiora came charging out of her home, her face pale and her green eyes wide. "Where's Dunban?" Shulk said, surprised. He had expected Fiora's older brother to come running after her, holding his bad arm and stumbling slightly. "He's gone!" Fiora said, panting. "I can't find him anywhere!" "What?!" Reyn yelped. "He ain't fit enough to face these things!" "Reyn, let's get to the lab!" Shulk advised his friend. "The lab?" Reyn repeated, looking confused, before his face dawned with comprehension. "Of course! The Monado's there!" "Exactly!" Shulk nodded. "The Monado can take out Mechon." The three friends took off through the Colony, weaving around Mechon and disabling the ones that decided to see it fit to cross their path. As they crossed the bridge to get into the Military district, Reyn stiffened up as he heard Colonel Vangarre's roar. "You blasted Mechon! You think you can do what you want in our Colony?!" "The Colonel!" Reyn yelled, skidding to a stop. "The guys!" The Defense Force Soldiers were rapidly losing men to an onslaught of Mechon units. Most of them stumbled backwards and fled, dropping their rifles and drivers as they streamed towards the shelter in one huge wave. "Men!" Vangarre bellowed. "Don't give up this position!" "Y-Yes! Yes sir!" "Run and I'll kill you myself!" Vangarre was cut off as something landed with a heavy thud behind him. He turned around, and saw the metal-faced Mechon towering behind him. Vangarre tried for some sort of laugh. "And what're you supposed to be?" He demanded. "A Mechon with a face?" The Mechon leered at the colonel, almost as if he were laughing. "Grin at me will you?" Vangarre said, the smirk dropping from his face, and replaced by his trademark scowl. He took out the gun that was slung over his back, and fired at the faced Mechon. A powerful blast went off, shooting Vangarre away from it. Winded, the Colonel glanced up towards the faced Mechon and his eyes widened in shock when he realized it was unharmed. "What?!" He gasped as the faced Mechon straightened up,standing behind a line of Mechon chasing his men screaming to retreat at the top of their lungs. "Didn't even dent it!" A Mechon M63 unit broke from the rank, and charged towards Vangarre, snapping it's pincers. As it swung down towards him, Vangarre barely blocked with his gun, and he grunted with the effort of fighting against a machine. A few feet away, screams erupted from a hover transport as Mechon swarmed it and burst inside, eating all the men cowering inside. The Faced Mechon stabbed it's claw through the transport and looked down at the struggling Vangarre, and with one swift motion, he threw the Hover Transport onto the Colonel. Colonel Vangarre screamed. The Faced Mechon re-folded itself and shot off into the air as Shulk, Reyn, and Fiora charged into the Military District, before realizing that the entrance to the lab was blocked. Reyn stopped and fell to his knees, clenching his fists on his lap, his shoulders heaving with suppressed sobs. "The Colonel...The guys…" He choked. "I'm gonna destroy every last one of those damn Mechon!" "Shulk! The entrance!" Fiora gasped, running forwards and putting a hand on the pile of rubble covering the entrance. Shulk stared at it sadly, knowing that the Colonel was probably somewhere under the brick. "No!" Reyn said, slamming his fist against the ground. "We'll never get in there now…" "Wait...Let me think," Shulk paused, thinking, before his eyes lit up. "There's still the mobile artillery!" "Right!" Reyn agreed, getting to his feet. "If we recharge it with those ether cylinders we collected, we can blast our way in!" "It's in the Residential District!" Fiora pointed out. "How will we even get there alive?" "We just have to Fiora," Shulk murmured. "Alright" Reyn interrupted. "This is it! The time to avenge the Colonel and the boys!" Shulk and Fiora noded, and the three sprinted off towards the Residential District, running across the bridge and reaching the square known as Central Plaza. They were nearly across to reach the bridge that would take them to the Residential District, when three Mechon M63 Units, while several M69 Units dropped down beside them. "What the...?" Reyn growled. "Shulk!" Fiora called out. "More from behind!" He spun around, seeing a Mechon M82 unit, surrounded by it's smaller companions. "Reyn!" Shulk called out. "Looks like you and me will have to cut a path through them." "Looks like it," Reyn growled. "Fiora," Shulk turned to his other childhood friend. "Reyn and I will open up a path. Then you can run through." "You two can't do this by yourselves!" Fiora protested. "I wanna fight as well!" "Get through!" Shulk said firmly, locking eyes with her. "We'll be right behind you." "But Shulk…" "A year ago, Dunban and the Defense Force fought hard to protect the colony and all of us Homs," Reyn interjected. "Now it's our turn to repay them." "Please Fiora," Shulk pleaded. He smiled reassuringly at her, before a Mechon raised it's pincers high, and nearly ran him through, if Shulk's reaction time hadn't been so quick. He raised his sword in time to block the attack, and Reyn jammed his driver into it's legs, toppling it. It hit the ground, it's eyes going dim. "Shulk…" Fiora whispered. "Reyn…" "Don't look so worried," Reyn chided as the Mechon was reactivated. "We'll just get rid of these ones! Shulk won't even get a scratch." "Okay, I believe you," Fiora nodded, and sheathed her knives. "Go now, Fiora!" Shulk urged, and she ran forwards, heading towards the bridge that would take her to the residential district. "Reyn!" Reyn turned to Fiora as she called his name. She was inches away from the bridge, but looked at Reyn, obviously worried. "You take care too," She told him. "Of course!" Reyn grinned, and Fiora ran off. "Looks like she trusts me after all," He said, smirking at Shulk, and the blonde almost felt like laughing. "I told you," He smirked, and the two charged, attacking any Mechon to stand in their way. Reyn toppling and Shulk disabling with the finishing blow. "There's no end to them!" Shulk panted as he and Reyn slammed their backs together, watching as the Mechon surrounded them. "You were never cut out for this stuff," Reyn said, equally as exhausted. "You go! I'll take care of things here." "You're too out of breath...to persuade me," Shulk gasped for breath, as the Mechon closed in. "Tell me about it." There was an explosion from above them, and Reyn and Shulk looked up. The tip of the triangle that covered the Central Plaza had been broken off, and now was tumbling through the air towards them. Shulk and Reyn scattered, diving aside as the rock hit the ground, blocking the way into the Residential District. Shulk hit the ground and turned, fear closing in on his heart as his spotted a Mechon about to eat Reyn. "Reyn!" He screamed. "Behind you!" Reyn turned around just in time to block a powerful blow with his driver, and he grappled with the Mechon, pouring all his strength into pushing the machine back. He grunted as Shulk scooped up his sword and ran towards Reyn, with more Mechon coming their way. Shulk hacked at the Mechon, trying to make it release Reyn. "Get...outta here, Shulk!" Reyn managed. "Don't be stupid!" The Mechon increased it's pressure, nearly pinning Reyn down to the ground at this point. "Hold on!" Shulk urged, still slicing at the Mechon uselessly. He felt his throat close up, knowing that if he didn't destroy this Mechon soon, then he would eat his childhood friend. The pincers closed in, and someone yelled. In a matter of seconds, the Mechon attacking Reyn and the rest of the machines surrounding them exploded, their remains clattering on the asphalt. Dunban turned, a brilliant red sword in his hands, as it glowed with power, sending waves into it's user's body. "The Monado!" Shulk breathed, and a grin broke over Reyn's face as Dunban turned his head to look at them. "Sorry I kept you waiting," He said with a grin. "Dunban!" Shulk cheered as he and Reyn raced up to meet him. "Whoa, yeah!" Reyn cheered. "The Monado!" "So this is why you weren't home!" Shulk smiled as Dunban examined the sword. "I thought so!" "This is what I was waiting to see," Reyn said, turning as more Mechon units stomped down the bridge from the Military District. "Ready lads?" Dunban asked, lowering the blade. Together, they charged, yelling into battle. * * * Dunban, Reyn, and Shulk stood, panting as the remains of the Mechon sat around them in a pile. Reyn was admiring the sword slung across Dunban's back. "Nice one Dunban!" The flame-haired man said. It was no secret to anyone in Colony Nine that Dunban was Reyn's personal hero. "You didn't waste any time on them Mechon!" "Shulk!" Dunban said, ignoring Reyn's flattering praise. "Where's Fiora?" "The Residential District," Shulk told him. "We said we'd meet her there." Reyn turned around and stared at the rock barring the path into the District. "Looks like we're going to have to take the long way 'round," Reyn groaned. "Alright," Dunban nodded. "Then we cut through the Commercial District!" "Yes!" There were two ways to get to the Residential District. The first, was to go through the main entrance and go right at the Central Plaza. The second way was by instead of going straight through the main entrance to the colony, you would head right. A few meters from the stairs that would go to Outlook Park, you would encounter a bridge that would bring you to the Residential District. As Shulk, Dunban, and Reyn raced across the entrance bridge, Dunban suddenly groaned in pain and collapsed, releasing the Monado. It skidded across the bridge, and came to a stop, the blade vanishing as the weapon deactivated. Dunban collapsed onto his hands and knees, and Reyn ran up to him. "Dunban!" He called out, squatting beside him. and taking hold of his shoulders. "You can't take any more of the Monado!" "But I must!" Dunban, protested, reaching out towards the sword. "I don't have a choice!" He gagged and threw his head downwards as he retched. But instead of throw-up, blood flew from Dunban's mouth and he closed his eyes tightly, shaking. "Reyn's right," Shulk agreed. "You can't go on like this!" "Shulk!" Dunban said, his voice weak and raspy. "Dunban," Shulk said, his heart pounding. What he was about to do was probably the stupidest thing he had ever done in his entire life. He watched the Mechon stomp across the bridge, and towards them and the Monado, abandoned about halfway from them and the Mechon. Shulk sprinted forwards, his eyes trained on the red sword on the ground. "Hey!" Reyn protested, but Shulk ignored him as he looked at the sword. Dunban and Reyn gasped in shock as Shulk bent down and scooped up the Monado, slicing it through the air and willing for it to activate. "This time…" Shulk said. "It's my turn!" "Shulk, no!" Dunban yelled. "It'll kill you!" "Shulk!" Reyn called to his friend. Shulk grappled with control over the blade, and he screamed in defiance, and took off across the bridge, holding the Monado at his side. A second later, his vision flashed white again, and the world suddenly stopped, and he was running in slow motion. Confused, Shulk frowned, and breathed out, the sound of it echoing around him. "What's...happening?" He asked himself, before spotting a Mechon M69 fire a white hot blast of energy at him. Shulk slowed to a stop and tried to jump over it, but the beam hit him square in the chest, and made him topple over onto the ground. Oddly, he didn't feel any pain, but the world returned to color, and he was back where he was before the vision had occurred. Incredibly confused, Shulk raced across the bridge, and just as he had seen, a M69 fired off a white hot blast of ether energy at Shulk. He leapt aside to dodge it, and it hit a shop back in the Commercial District. "What the…" Dunban gasped as Shulk leapt and destroyed the M69, and he continued, but with another flash of light, he saw an M82 unit attacking him. Shulk ducked over the first, one after hitting the ground, and managed to get to his feet, but the M82 swiped at him with it's other hand, and Shulk somersaulted over the edge of the bridge. Again he felt no pain, and when the world was back in color, he was still racing towards the M82. He dodged the first swipe, and ducked underneath the second, slicing up diagonally and destroying the unit. "Wow," He heard Reyn said admirably. "Shulk's pretty awesome!" "How can this be?" Dunban breathed. "Shulk is using the Monado!" "What was that?" Shulk breathed, looking at the units who were regrouping, most likely noticing Shulk's new ability. "Shulk!" Reyn yelped as Mechon fell from the sky. "More company!" Dunban stood, and took up a katana he had strapped to his side, while Reyn readied his driver. "Reyn! Dunban!" Shulk called out to them as he parried a Mechon's strike. "I got your back!" Reyn promised. "Shulk!" Dunban said worriedly. "Do you feel alright?" "I'm okay," Shulk said. "But there was something strange. Just now…" He faltered, wondering if Dunban had experienced the same thing. "It was as if I could see into the future!" Shulk finished, and Dunban looked at him, shocked. "Is this another power of the Monado?" "See into the future?" Reyn asked. "What're you saying?" "Are you certain, Shulk?" Dunban looked at the blonde seriously. "Yes," Shulk answered after a moment. "I see…" Dunban said thoughtfully. "I remember Dickson saying the Monado had a hidden power. Could this be it?" "What?" Shulk frowned, before he sprinted forwards, destroying several Mechon that had charged to meet them. He frowned as he fought. What did Dunban mean when he said Dickson say something about a hidden power? Did Dickson know something both Shulk and Dunban didn't about the Monado? "Don't think about it now!" Dunban called as if he were reading Shulk's thoughts. "Just believe what the Monado showed you and fight!" "Got it!" Shulk nodded, and together, he, Reyn, and Dunban took care of the rest of the Mechon with ease. They raced towards the Residential District, desperate to reach Fiora. As they crossed the bridge to head to the wreckage of the mobile artillery, the Metal-Faced Mechon dropped from the sky, landing directly in front of them. "It's….massive!" Reyn breathed. "That Mechon.." Dunban said. "It has a face?!" "That don't mean nothin'!" Reyn declared, and Shulk took out the Monado, activating it. "That's right!" He agreed. "Not when we have the Monado!" He yelled and ran forwards, slicing down towards the Mechon, but the weapon bounced off harmlessly. He tried again, only to meet the same results. "The Monado!" Shulk gasped. "It's not working!" The Metal Faced Mechon seemed to wag it's claw at him in the same manner that a mother would do to a misbehaving child. "Oi!" Reyn said, still staring up at the Mechon. "What'd'ya mean?" "How can that be?" Dunban demanded. "The Monado should cut through Mechon with ease!" "What is that light?" Shulk murmured to himself as he examined the red light running through the Mechon. "Other Mechon don't have that. Could...Could that light be why the Monado has no effect?" "Shulk! Reyn! Get down!" Dunban ordered, and both he and Reyn tackled Shulk to the ground. The Metal-Faced Mechon's claws impaled exactly where they would have been standing, if they hadn't moved. "Stay back!" Dunban said as the Mechon pulled back it's hand. "I'll take it from here." "No!" Reyn protested as Dunban ran towards the Mechon. "You can't take anymore!" He chased after Dunban, but the Mechon waved it's claws through the air, and backhanded Dunban and Reyn, transferring some sort of energy into their bodies. They were instantly paralysed, and lay on the ground, unable to move. Shulk looked up as Metal Face stomped towards him, before it hit Shulk with the back of it's blades. He screamed in pain as spasms wracked his body. Paralysis overcame him and he lay helpless on the ground as the Monado deactivated. Metal Face started towards Shulk when something blasted into it, forcing it down on one knee. The Mobile Artillery swung into view, and Fiora took aim once more. "Everyone! Get away, right now!" She ordered, and spurred the artillery forwards. "Fiora!" Dunban gasped. Fiora charged through Mechon, knocking them aside as Metal Face turned, murder in it's red eyes. Fiora yelled as she came thundering down the street towards them. As Shulk fought to get up, his eyes flashed bright blue and his vision washed away. He saw a blast of ether break off one of the guns of the Mobile Artillery. The next second it was slammed into a house and fell to the ground. Then, Shulk saw Fiora hanging in the artillery, her leg at an odd angle, and Metal Face plunging it's claws into the machine. He was suddenly jarred back into reality, seeing Fiora still speeding towards them. "What did I just…" Shulk whispered, before his eyes widened and the full realization of what he just saw sank in. "Fiora! Get back!" "I won't let you hurt anymore people," Fiora ignored him. "We will save Colony Nine!" She fired off the guns at Metal Face, but her attacks had no effect on it's armour. It continued towards her, unfazed by her attacks. It built up an attack -an ether attack- and fired it at the artillery. It blasted off the gun that had just fired, and Fiora hit the side of the machine. She groaned in pain, before her jaw clenched and she fired from the other gun, but again the attacks had no effect. "Fiora! Get out of here! Run!" Shulk tried again, but Fiora paid him no mind. "You want more?!" Fiora demanded, speeding up as Metal Face charged up another ether attack. Fiora yelled and pushed the artillery's nozzle right up to the Mechon's face, and fired off a powerful blast that rocketed both her and Metal Face back. The artillery hit the ground and skidded a couple hundred feet. Fiora threw her hands in front of her face, and lowered them a few minutes later, looking at the smoke. Metal Face emerged from it, the right side of his face burnt off. Fiora squeaked. "How…?" Metal Face stomped towards her and Fiora whimpered as it picked up the nozzle of the artillery and stared right into her soul, it's leering mouth slightly open. She screamed as Metal Face swung the artillery around and slammed it into a nearby house. "Fiora!" Shulk yelled. Metal Face threw the broken nozzle behind him, and looked down at the cowering Fiora. Shulk struggled with the paralysis as Metal Face raised his claws. The blonde attempted to push upwards and screamed. "No!" Metal Face plunged his claws downwards and into the artillery. Fiora screamed once and was silent. Dunban's eyes widened in shock as Metal face lifted up the artillery. Shulk managed to get to his knees and plunge the Monado into the ground to help him up. He looked up and saw Fiora's hand, hanging from the artillery, limp and lifeless. Metal Face cast the machine aside, where smaller Mechon swarmed it. Shulk managed to stand, his breathing labored as he looked at the claws, feeling like the world was closing in on him. Metal Face's claws were covered in blood. Her blood. Anger bubbled up in Shulk as he stared at the bloodied claw, and he pulled the Monado from the ground, activating it. "I'll kill you!" He charged forwards, his eyes almost flooded with tears. He swung the Monado every which way, determined to destroy it. It killed Fiora...His best friend ever since he was little...she was gone...and it was all it's fault. Metal Face slammed his claws down over Shulk, and he barely managed to parry. He forced the claws away from him and as Metal Face swung it's arm away from Shulk, he grabbed onto the knives, ignoring the pain as his hands and fingers were sliced by the sharp edges. He scrambled up the arm, trying to finish the job he had attempted earlier. "Die!" He screamed, slamming the Monado onto the burned side of Metal Face's head. The Mechon whipped it's head around, and Shulk held on with all it's strength, until it succeeded in shaking him off. He tumbled to the ground once more, and Reyn ran over to him. "Shulk!" Electricity sparked on the Mechon's face as Reyn helped Shulk sit up. It stomped towards them, until glancing upwards and realizing that the carriers were getting ready to leave. It gave them a look, as if to say 'until next time' and folded itself up, shooting into the air. "Get back here!" Reyn roared as it followed the carriers away. Shulk collapsed to his knees and the tears thickened in his eyes. "No! " Shulk let out a strangled sob clenching his fists as Dunban stumbled over to the Mobile Artillery, looking into it. Shulk knew there would be nothing left. Fiora was dead, and the Mechon had eaten her. She was gone, and there was no bringing her back.