Xenoblade Chronicles

Chapter 37 - Egil

Vanea had spent most of the day attempting to gather her courage to speak with her brother, and knew that Shulk and the others would arrive at the shrine soon. As such, she approached Egil with caution, knowing he would want to know of her whereabouts. Egil heard Vanea approach and she saw his body tense up slightly. "Vanea," He growled. "Where have you been?" "Egil, why do you go so far to destroy the Bionis?" Vanea asked, disregarding the question. "We survived that battle. We should have created a new world in which we could live in peace. And we still can…" "The rage of those that were annihilated by the Monado will never dissipate," Egil snarled. "Think not of avenging the dead!" Vanea pleaded. "Think of the living. Please, Egil! I..I don't want to lose you! Are you so resigned to giving your life for this?" "Life or death, I care for neither of these," Egil said. "The agonized cries of our brethren resound within my ears. Until they are silenced, I am deaf to all else." "Egil…" Vanea said sadly. She was suddenly alerted by the sound of footsteps and saw Shulk, Fiora, Dunban, Melia, Riki, Reyn, and Sharla climbing the last slope to meet them. "So, you have finally arrived, Heir to the Monado," Egil growled.. "You are Egil, leader of Mechonis," Shulk replied, his voice deadly calm. "That I am," Egil agreed. He scanned them, before noticing their surprised expressions. He smirked. "Of course. You have never seen me outside my Face - Yaldabaoth. But even if I am without it, you will never defeat me." "Wait," Shulk said, taking a step forwards. "I didn't come to fight you!" "Cowardice?" Egil scoffed. "Then relinquish the Monado and kneel before me." "I didn't come to surrender to you either!" Shulk said. "I just want to know something." "You have my undivided attention," Egil folded his arms. "Ask your question." "I've seen the legends of the Machina right here in the capital," Shulk started. "I think I understand why you want to fight the Bionis. But why send the Mechon to attack the people of Bionis?" To his surprise, Egil chuckled. Unfolding his arms, the Machina man glared down at Shulk with the widest smirk he had ever seen. "I don't see the joke!" Shulk shouted, suddenly angry. "We share the same world! The Homs, Nopon, and High Entia live in harmony, so why not the Machina too?" "Tell me, boy," Egil said. "Are you familiar with the concept of starvation tactics?" "Of course," Shulk frowned, confused. Reyn gave Dunban a look that clearly told the former wielder of the Monado that he had no idea what starvation tactics were. He sighed and rolled his eyes. "A military strategy in which you cut the supply lines, and starve out the enemy," Dunban explained to the red-haired man. "So then you understand that it is the best method in which to insure victory," Egil questioned. "I have no resentment or hatred for the peoples of Bionis. I am simply depleting the Bionis' energy. Striking back at the titan that robbed my people of their lives." "I don't understand," Shulk said. "Perhaps you need me to put things more simply," Egil raised an eyebrow. "All life on Bionis exists purely to feed it's master!" "What?!" "Ether, the base element of all that exists in this world," Egil clarified. "My body, your bodies...you are aware that ether is the foundation of them all?" "Y-Yes," Shulk nodded, wondering where the self-proclaimed Leader of Mechonis was going with this. "Ether is power," Egil explained. "You are the source of that power. All life that is born from the Bionis dies and is returned to the Bionis. Unlike the Mechonis, the Bionis feeds on ether provided by those who return to it. Upon the moment of its eventual awakening, it will require an incredible number of lives." "But that means…" Fiora's eyes widened. "What're ya talking about?!" Reyn demanded angrily. "Are ya sayin' we're just food?!" "It was the Bionis who created you for such a purpose," Egil said defensively. "Not I." "So you attacked Bionis to reduce the Bionis' power supply?" Shulk's jaw dropped. "Correct!" Egil said. "You are nothing more then bugs to be devoured by my sworn adversary. Do not speak to me of your foolish dreams of unity." "Foolish?" Demanded Shulk. "We only grieve for those we've lost, as you do! Machina or Homs, we've suffered the same! Don't tell me it's different!" "Indeed," Egil agreed. "We have both suffered." "So then…" "You doubt my convictions, my reasons?" Egil raised an eyebrow. "In order to avenge my people, I have risked everything. Can you say the same?" "Yes we can!" Shulk said forcefully, clenching his fists. "To get this far...we've fought long and hard!" "And yet," Egil countered. "You do not fight me. Your words are useless. It is only strength that can prevail." "Shulk…" Reyn growled, grabbing his driver. "This whole thing stinks. But he's got a point!" "Agreed," Shulk nodded and unstrapped the Monado from his back and activating it. "Egil, Leader of Mechonis. The lives of the Machina and all that lives on Bionis are one and the same. We won't stop. Not until you realize that!" Shulk leapt for Egil who raised his hand to block Shulk's strike and throw him aside. Seeing the attack, Shulk ducked underneath the swipe and dodged back while Reyn swiped at Egil's feet with his driver. The Machina man stumbled and attempted to regain his balance. Sharla leapt and struck Egil with the but of her rifle, leaving him dazed on the ground. Riki came up and whacked Egil repeatedly, until the Machina stood and swatted Riki away, almost knocking him off of Agniratha. Melia darted in and saved the Nopon before he could and glared at Egil, freezing him within ice and then promptly melting it with a white hot blast of fire. Then she fired off her final elemental, electricity, and slammed Egil into the back of the Meyneth shrine, which had a giant statue of the woman towering above them, her eyes closed. Dunban bounded forwards with his katana poised and ready, but Egil kicked him back with a well placed blow, but out of nowhere, Fiora followed up her brother by slicing and hacking with her blades, green eyes narrowed with concentration. She jumped back as Shulk bounded forwards again, slicing the Monado deep into Egil's shoulder. The Machina man grimaced in pain taking a step back as Shulk pressed the Monado's blade deeper into his shoulder. "How could this happen even with the Apocrypha?" He demanded. "You know Egil!" Shulk said venomously. "You know the reason!" "The power of the will to protect your own?" Egil scoffed. "Is that was you refer to?" He scanned the group, all of their weapons ready to attack if Shulk was hurt. His eyes fixed on Vanea and he growled. "And what of you, Vanea? You would side with those of Bionis and attack me? You have forfeited your right to exist!" "Perhaps," Vanea said calmly, and Egil's eyes widened at his sister's words. "If that is to be my fate, I gladly accept brother. As would any of the villagers." "So the few remaining members of my people have now betrayed me," Egil looked down before snapping his head back up, smirking. "How...interesting." "You're wrong!" Vanea said, her calm demeanor vanishing instantly. "The villagers and I...we just wanted all this fighting to stop! Egil...all we wanted was to live with you in peace. Nothing more than that!" "Nonsense," Egil said coldly. He looked down at Shulk and seized him, lifting the Homs into the air. "There will never be peace until the Bionis is destroyed!" "Brother!" Vanea screamed. Egil glanced down at the Monado still stuck in his shoulder and chuckled, apparently amused with it still being there. "Your blade…" He said. "It did not cut deep enough." He then cast Shulk aside like a rag doll, and he hit the ground painfully. Fiora rushed to his side, but Egil raised his hand and his Mechon, Yaldabaoth, appeared from below. "The Golden Mechon," Shulk breathed, struggling to his feet. "Permit me to apologize for calling you bugs just now," Egil said. "You proved to be a worthy adversary after all!" He spread his hands and jumped into the Mechon. The armour closed up, sealing Egil inside. "Shulk!" His voice roared from within it. The Mechon began to stomp towards them and they all instantly scattered, watching out for Yaldabaoth's tail which could easily throw them off of their feet. Shulk ran laps around the Mechon, and briefly was reminded of Xord and his huge electrical hammer. He had no time to reminisce about old times, as Yaldabath found him and aimed a huge ether attack at the blonde. To Shulk's surprise, Reyn jumped into in the way and the ex Defense Force soldier screamed in pain, dropping down on one knee and collapsing unable to move. Shulk hadn't noticed, but a similar fate had befallen both Sharla and Riki, and Melia was about to have the same problem. Dunban, however, pushed Melia aside of Yaldabaoth's tail and was swatted aside. He hit the ground with a scream of pain while Yaldaboath swung around, backhanding Melia into Dunban and sending them both flying backwards. Fiora managed to attract Yaldabaoth's attention to herself but grimaced in pain, trying to hold in her scream as the tail slid across her arm, injuring it. Fiora grabbed onto it out of reflex her breathing uneven. Shulk wasn't sure how, but blood seeped through her fingers from the Golden Mechon's blow. Taking advantage of her weakened state, Yaldaboath attacked Fiora sending her skidding across the pavement. She was now reduced to a struggling wreck like everyone else. That left only Shulk standing. How?! Shulk thought as he parried the wide swings by Yaldabaoth with the Monado, each impact numbing his arms to the point where it was nearly impossibly to move them. How is Egil so strong now?! Yaldabath noticed Shulk's now sluggish movements and used the same ether attack he had used on Reyn, throwing Shulk into the air and making him land somewhere near everyone else. He tried to hold in his cry of pain, but failed as all the wind was knocked from his body as he hit the ground. He felt all the strength leave his body and was reduced to a feeble Homs, gripping the Monado. "Prepare to die!" Egil growled, raising his hand in the air. A crackling ball of ether appeared there, growing in size every second. "Shulk...no...Zanza!" "Zanza?" Shulk muttered, moving one of his arms to help him sit up. He saw a flash of gold and white and Fiora was standing front of him protectively, still holding her arm. "I…" Her face was contorted with pain, but she managed to arrange it so she didn't show it. "I won't let you kill Shulk!" Her chest peice began to glow brightly, surrounding them all with a protective shield with red streaks running across it. "You…" Egil growled. "That light...So you have returned...Our grievances have come and gone, but you are willing to lay down your life to prevent me from achieving my dream? You were the one who said we would live together! Lady Meyneth!" "Yes..." Fiora agreed. Unlike last time, it was mostly her voice that rang out with Meyneth's chiming in. "Meyneth, the villagers, everyone loved you. That is why they wished to live alongside you. It's all so clear now. To Meyneth and to me." "I waited…" Egil said. "Waited until the day that you would awaken once more and create a world full of light...But you are nothing more then a traitor! To me, to all those who worshipped you, and to our fallen brethren!" "Please, you have to listen to me!" Fiora begged. "Egil!" "I will not listen," Egil turned away from Fiora, his hand still raised with the crackling ball of ether sitting in Yaldaboath's palm. "Your words mean nothing. You have sided with my sworn enemy!" He swung around, and the ether attack began to glow brighter. "And gods can never exist alongside mortals!" He roared. "Meyneth!" He fired the crackling ball of energy and in a last ditch attempt, Fiora stepped forwards. "Egil!" The attack came swinging down, and the shield shattered upon impact. Shulk screamed in pain as it hit him, feeling it burning his flesh. However, Meyneth seemed to have protected him, as when the light faded he was unscathed and Fiora's wound had healed. However, Egil was nowhere to be seen. His voice rang out through Agniratha, and probably the entire Mechonis as well. "Mechonis, it is I, Egil!" He shouted. "I, your devoted servant, offer my body and mind to replace Meyneth as your new soul! Take my spirit and be reawakened, Mechonis!" Shulk turned around as the Data Center began to glow brightly, washing over Agniratha. The ground began to rumble and his eyes widened. "We have to run!" He shouted. "Get out of here! The whole city's gonna come down!" Electricity began to spark along the tower and everyone managed to get to their feet and began running as fast as they could towards the transporter. "Shulk!" Reyn shouted after him. "Run where?!" "We have to get out of the city!" Shulk called over his shoulder. "Get as far away as we can!" As they reappeared in shrine terrace and ran back the way they came, Sharla became aware that Gadolt was nowhere to be seen. She paused and looked around wildly, an icy cold feeling numbing her body. "Gadolt!" She shouted his name in hopes he would hear her. "Where are you?! Gadolt!" "Sharla!" She spun around and saw Reyn standing behind her. "What're you doing?!" "He's gone," Sharla's voice cracked. "He's not here anymore!" "There's no time!" Reyn insisted. "We have to get ourselves out!" "No!" Sharla screamed. "I have to find him! Gadolt!" She started back towards the transporter, but Reyn grabbed onto her wrist. Enraged, Sharla ripped her arm from his grasp and slapped Reyn across the face. "Pull yourself together!" Reyn said, unfazed by the stinging in his cheek. "Remember, Sharla, we've got a job to do! What's gonna happen if the Mechonis starts moving?" "But!" "What's gonna happen to Juju and Otharon?!" Reyn cut her off. "Gadolt's a Homs soldier. He wouldn't have hung around here to die. He would've got out." "Alright," Sharla looked away, and Reyn grinned. "Come on!" He took her hand and they sprinted after everyone else, catching up a few minutes later. By then, the Data Center had exploded, sending a wave of destruction cascading towards them. "Shulk!" Reyn shouted, turning his head to look at it. Riki panicked and began to run faster, speeding on front of everyone else as fast as his small Nopon legs could carry him. It was futile, as the light flew towards them, Shulk grabbed onto Fiora in an effort to protect her, when a shadow crossed all of them and Jade Face jumped into the way of the attack. Sharla's eyes widened and she let out a silent scream. "Gadolt!" "I'm glad...I'm on time," Gadolt said weakly, smiling. "I-It's you…" Reyn breathed, his eyes wide. "Gadolt!" Sharla called his name, tears starting to swim in her eyes. "I've fulfilled...my promise," Gadolt said, and Sharla remembered the mining base and how she had made Gadolt promise to meet her and Juju outside of the Colony. And he did...He met them outside of the colony. "No…" The first of the tears began to fall as Sharla reached out towards him. He offered her a smile from where he was riding on his Mechon's back, before it was vaporized in the light. His last words floated over them and Sharla's eyes widened. "Live...Sharla…" Reyn held her back as Sharla attempted to grab onto Gadolt, save him from the horrible fate that was to befall him, but it was too late. Agniratha exploded.