Xenoblade Chronicles

Chapter 38 - Junks Flight

Kallian watched in horror as the Mechonis released a bright beam of light that slammed right into the Bionis' shoulder and went for miles. The prince's eyes widened in shock. A sign? He thought, remembering Alvis's words before he left on a spare Havres to find Shulk. "Yes," The seer had said. "If a catastrophe were imminent, it would naturally be preceded by a sign." "It can't be," Kallian gasped, spinning around to face the Mechonis. He pressed the button in front of him, trying to keep his voice from sounding too panicked. "Convey these orders to all troops! Pull the front line back to the Bionis' arm! All units, withdraw from the front at once!" The Imperial Guards at his side frowned and exchanged a look with his partner. "Sir, are you sure?" He asked. "Victory is in our hands, Your Highness!" The second guard pointed out. "We must strike the final blow!" Kallian hunched over the railing, a tick going on in his right eye. "Do you not realize where we are?!" He demanded. "Sir?" "Listen to me," Kallian spun around, glaring at the Imperial Guards. "We are on the sword of the Mechonis!" Panicked screams came from below as the valley began to rumble. Nopon slammed their biters into the sides of the baskets they were riding in. "Calm down! Calm down!" Dunga called, trying to ease the soldier's worries, but to no avail. The sword continued to vibrate and eventually began to shift. "It's moving!" Someone shrieked. "Are we too late?!" Kallian demanded, and looked down, closing his eyes. "Melia, be safe…" He stared down at his panicking men and spread his arms, shouting at the top of his voice. "All units retreat! Immediately! The Mechonis is about to awaken!" From his Havres, Dickson watched as the force turned to flee. He fired an angry bullet at the Faced Mechon that was clinging onto his Havres with his gun and cursed. "Dammit," He growled. "I was counting on you, runt." He spurred his Havres forwards, towards the Mechonis as the Faced Mechon fell. * * * Shulk's vision regained color in the air. He was surrounded by a red glow that was keeping him and the rest of his friends suspended in midair. He had his arms wrapped around Fiora, her head resting on his shoulder. "W-What's happening?" The medic asked. "Looks like...we're floating in midair!" Reyn replied, equally as shocked. Shulk glanced down at Fiora who began to stir, her chest peice glowing. "Fiora…" He glanced down at her. "Are you doing this?" "Lady Meyneth," Vanea knelt as best she could while in the air. "You have awakened once more." "This light…" Shulk released Fiora and she opened her eyes. They were a deep red and she turned to face him. "Was it you who saved us when we fell from the fortress? Meyneth? Where's Fiora?" "It's okay," Her eyes flicked back to green and Fiora spoke. "I'm here too." Her eyes were suddenly red again and she looked away, scanning the group. "After all that occurred in the fortress, my soul was exhausted," Meyneth informed them. "But I was revived by the cry of a young Homs. By his wish to protect you all." Her eyes fixed on Sharla who had tears stains on her cheeks. "Gadolt…" Sharla cried, grabbing her arms as the tears started again. "If he had not acted as a shield, I would have been unable to save you," Meyneth said sadly. "I am sorry." "Gadolt saved us," Reyn said. "Now he's…" He clenched his fists, clenching his jaw angrily. Shulk heard a shifting above it and snapped his head up to look at the titan towering above them "The Mechonis!" He pointed towards it. "Where's Egil?" The Mechonis suddenly rose, throwing out it's chest and roaring. "Shulk!" Egil's voice came from within the titan. "Do you hear it? The awakening of the Mechonis. This is my pain. The pain of my people, echoing through the millennia!" The Mechonis' arm began to move, grabbing on to the hilt of the sword, joining it's other hand there. The allied force scattered in terror as they attempted to flee from it. Mobile Artilleries cascaded down the valley as the whole sword tipped as the Mechonis yanked it upwards and out of the Bionis. "Fall to your deaths!" Egil's voice came again from within the Mechonis. "Worthless insects!" "Stop this!" Shulk released an anguished cry. "Kallian and the others are still on the sword! Our friends are going to die! Stop!" He watched in horror as Defense Force soldiers, High Entia, mobile artilleries, and weapons of all sorts fell from the sword and tumbled through the air towards the endless ocean. "I'll kill him!" Reyn promised. "That murdering monster is gonna pay!" "O-Otharon!" Sharla stammered, raising a hand to her mouth. Fiora suddenly clapped her hands to either side of her head, her breathing becoming erratic and labored. "Fiora?" Shulk shot her a concerned glance. She shook her head. "Sorry…" She whimpered in pain. "I can't...do it." The aura around her began to fade and she dropped from the sky. "Fiora!" Shulk said her name again, grabbing onto her wrist and pulling her up so he could wrap his arms around her. The bubble that was keeping them suspended in midair suddenly vanished and everyone screamed as they fell towards the endless ocean as well. Shulk expected to feel water, but he didn't expect to hit the ground with a painful thud. He closed his eyes tightly as all the wind was knocked from his body. "That hurts!" Reyn complained as he managed to sit up. "Where are we?" Shulk asked, releasing Fiora and glancing up. Before him stood Miqol and Linada, the latter of the two looking very relieved. Miqol, however, was chuckling. "That was close one," He shrugged. "But we made it!" A silver haired-man walked out from behind the Machina man and gazed upon them with a warm smile. "Alvis, "Shulk breathed. "You are aboard Junks, the Machina ship," Alvis informed them as the group managed to struggle to their feet. "It was he who informed us that you were in danger," Linada said. "I am glad we found you in time." "Thank you," Shulk said gratefully. He didn't know what would have happened if they dropped like stones into the endless ocean. Suddenly, Dickson dropped from a Havres and smashed Reyn face-first into the ground again. "Hey!" He beamed like nothing had happened, slinging his arms around Shulk and Fiora's shoulders and sticking his head in between. "What a stroke of luck. You're still alive!" "Dickson!" Dunban chided his old friend, prying him off of the two. Linada herded the group inside as Junks sped back towards the Hidden Village and landed safely in the water. "What happened up there?" Miqol asked. "We heard Egil screaming and something exploded way up there!" Reyn laughed and Shulk proceeded explained what had happened to them in Agniratha. "So you were unable to stop Egil…" Linada said sadly. The smile slid from Miqol's face and it was replaced by a deep scowl. "Sorry, Father," Vanea hung her head, noticing his reaction. "I have failed you." "Vanea, there's not need to apologize," Linada told her. Miqol shifted and sighed heavily, looking like he wanted to say something but didn't. "So what do we do now?" Dickson asked. "At this rate, that blasted Egil's gonna destroy Bionis." "Alvis," Shulk turned to his fellow visionary, ignoring Dickson's question. He was too concerned for Otharon and Kallian to care. "What happened to the allied force?" "I informed His Majesty of the possibility that the Mechonis would awaken," Alvis assured him. "His Highness is wise. He will have acted to minimize casualties." "That's good," Shulk felt like a huge weight had just been lifted off his shoulders. Brother…"Vanea said sadly, before a bright light made them spin around. It seemed Meyneth was back. "There is still time," She informed them. "Fiora?" Shulk caught himself. "No, you're…? "The Mechonis and I exist as one," Meyneth explained. "Egil is using ether energy absorbed from the Bionis to force it to move. There is still time before the Mechonis fully adapts to the ether." "Egil is at the core of the Mechonis," Vanea informed them. "He will be controlling it from there. Only by destroying the core will you be able to stop the Mechonis." "But how are we to get there?" Asked Dunban. "The Mechonis Capital is destroyed." Vanea turned to face Miqol, who observed his daughter with a curious expression. "Father, how much remaining energy does Junks have?" She asked. "Don't worry," Miqol replied. "I made sure to fill her up." "On the back of the Mechonis is a huge cooling duct," Vanea said, finally answering Dunban's question. "We should be small enough to enter the control core section via the duct's heat transfer conduits. Junks can take us as far as the duct." "You have our gratitude," Dunban said. "We must go there at once." "Then let's get a move on," Reyn smashed his palm with his fist. "This one's for Gadolt." "Hear hear," Dunban agreed. "Too right," Sharla nodded. "Gadolt's wishes live on through me. We will fight to the end." The group fell silent and after a moment, Alvis glanced over at Dickson, who had a wide smirk spread over his face. Vanea finally decided that the tension in the room was too much, and led the group outside. It was then that Fiora's eyes returned to their normal color. "When you are ready to depart for the Mechonis, let my father know," She told them. "I will prepare the vessel." "Understood," Shulk nodded. "Oi! Look at that!" Reyn called from where he had been looking up at the Bionis. "What the?!" Vanea glanced anxiously above them, where the Mechonis was shifting, making loud creaking noises that could be heard from where they were standing. "There is little time left," She said hurriedly. "We must stop Egil this time. It is in your hands, Shulk." "I know," Shulk said grimly. He didn't like it, but agreed. After they had gathered up supplies from the Machina, it was sundown. Shulk was surprised the fight with Egil had only taken about an hour or so, but he knew that they couldn't lose this fight. They had to defeat Egil, no matter what. Otherwise, their whole world would be destroyed. As Junks prepared to leave, the Mechonis took a step forwards, readying itself for another blow against the Bionis. Kallian watched from his Havres, with several Homs clinging onto its wings and a few more up front by the driver. Around him, Homs were grappling for a hold on either the Nopon's orange birds or the High Entia's Havres. Kallian didn't regard any of this as he watched the Mechonis take a step backwards. "Do my eyes deceive me?" He murmured. "The Mechonis is moving." "Oi! You!" A shout came from Kallian's left and he glanced over briefly to see Colonel Vangarre clinging onto one of his soldier's arms. "I'm warning you! You'd better not drop me! Let me go, and you'll be doing sit ups for the rest of your life!" "Y-Yes Colonel!" * * * Junks, at long last, rose from the small lake in which it was sitting in and shot towards the Mechonis at a rapid pace. Shulk knew they didn't have time, knowing that if they lost this fight, if they were killed by Egil's hands, it would all be over. Their world would be annihilated by the Mechonis' sword, killing every Homs, Nopon, and High Entia. It didn't matter to him that he was just food to the titan. He just wanted to save the world he had known all his life. Junks sped off towards the Mechonis, ready for the final fight with Egil. * * * Fiora stood on Junk's deck, watching the clouds and sea zip by. She released a contented sigh and heard the door open and close. She thought it must be Shulk, but was faintly surprised by who she saw standing next to her. "Vanea?" "I am sorry," Vanea said sincerely, hanging her head. "For Lady Meyneth's will to be realized, I had no choice but to use your body. Even so…" "Actually, I'm grateful," Fiora examined the gold and white Mechanical armor with a smile. "Thanks to this body I got to see Shulk and the others again." "Where is Lady Meyneth now?" Vanea asked. "Shall I call her?" Fiora asked. "She is usually asleep. Maybe she just doesn't want to disturb me." She paused before continuing, pressing a hand to her chest. "It's an unusual feeling. Two hearts in one body. It's not every day you get to experience something like this." "I see," Vanea nodded. "That is a great relief." "It's as if I can see into her heart," Fiora closed her eyes. "We each know what the other's thinking. But it's strange. It feels like there's a part of my heart that's hidden. It's the part that holds Meyneth's feelings, and I can't see them." She shrugged indifferently and opened her eyes, giving Vanea a wide smile. "I suppose it's only natural," Fiora said. "Everyone had one or two secrets, right? But I know how much she cares about this world. That's why I'm happy to let her use my body." "Fiora," Vanea was slightly taken aback at her words, but returned the girls smile with one of her own. "I think Lady Meyneth is glad that she met you." "Yeah, I know." "We should head inside," Vanea glanced nervously over at the Mechonis. Flying Mechon units were coming into view. "Come on, we'll be safe inside." The two ran inside, just before the Mechon attacked. As Junks maneuvered through the beams of ether energy, throwing its occupants every which way. When if finally stabilized, they were nearly around the Mechonis' back. "Shulk, good news from His Highness," Alvis informed the blonde, entering the room. "The allied force retreated in time. Casualties were kept to a minimum." "Glad to hear it" Shulk said, relieved. "That's great news," Sharla agreed. "All areas are being prepared for evacuation," Alvis continued. "We can only hope they make it." "We won't let 'em down," Reyn promised. "This is one fight we can't afford to lose." "Heropon Riki all set!" Riki promised. "Riki bounce some heads!" "We'll go with you," Dickson said, indicating himself and Alvis. "Can't beat strength in numbers." "Really?" Shulk was pleased they were going with them. "You're a tough old-timer," Reyn grinned. "What's this?" Dunban raised an eyebrow. "The old fossil wants to tag along? As long as you don't slow us down." "Let's see who makes it through the battle!" Dickson retorted. Then the skies began to get rough again. Miqol managed to maneuver them through the worse of it, but only managed to get inside the duct. There they spiraled and swerved, throwing nearly everyone on board Junks in all directions. At long last they slowed to a stop inside the Mechonis, taking them one step closer to Egil.