Xenoblade Chronicles

Chapter 43 - Melencholy Tyrea

A day had passed since Dickson attacked Colony 6 with the Telethia. Now, the group was focused on preparing for the battle against Zanza. On a stroll around the colony, discussing the best tactics to defeat Zanza with. Reyn was repeatedly insisting that if they hit the god a bunch of times over the head it would eventually knock him out, and then they could deliver the final blow. His suggestion was repeatedly shot down, but it didn't seem to damper his spirits. In fact, he tried persistently to apply that plan to defeating Dickson and Alvis. "No, Reyn!" Sharla exploded after the seventh time Reyn had brought up his plan. "Honestly, Zanza is a god! I don't think knocking him out and then stabbing him through the middle will defeat him!" "You never know until you try!" "We only have one shot at this," Shulk pointed out. "If we mess up, it's all over." Reyn made a face. "But what if we do it to Dickson or-" "No, Reyn!" This was a collective chorus from everyone in the group. Reyn scowled and folded his arms, turning his head away. He obviously wasn't going to give up so easily. He looked away, towards a High Entia refugee and his son, who were clearly having an argument about something. "But Daddy, I saw her!" The boy insisted. "There was a lady, passed out by that big gate!" Sharla had heard him too, and frowned. Does he mean Watchpoint junction? She thought, her brow furrowing, thinking of the gate near the entrance to the colony. "I think you're just over exaggerating," The boy's father replied. "I'm not!" The boy stomped his foot. "There was a High Entia lady, passed out!" Reyn turned back to the group, where Dunban and Shulk were engaged in a tactful conversation, mapping out Zanza's possible attacks and his strategy. "Hey, guys," Reyn said, poking Shulk in between his shoulder blades, making the boy yelp and arch his back slightly. Shooting Reyn a reproachful look, he spoke in an irritated tone. "What?" "Didn't you hear that boy?" Reyn jerked his thumb over to said boy, who was still insisting he saw the High Entia woman by Watchpoint Junction. Shulk listened to the boy ramble on, and his mouth twisted to one side. "Can't hurt to go check it out," Shulk pointed out, turning to Dunban and resuming their earlier conversation, while changing the course of the walk towards the junction. "He's going to have both Meyneth's Monado and his own Monado, so we need to be on our guard," Shulk pointed out. He pursed his lips, deep in thought. Ever since Dickson had shot him in the back, he had been strangely on edge, as if waiting for someone else to try and kill him. Even odder, he didn't seem to think Alvis was actually bad, despite the fact that he had revealed himself as part of the Trinity along with Dickson and Lorithia. "That's right!" Shulk snapped his fingers, remembering the High Entia woman. "We completely forgot…" "Forgot what?" Reyn gave him a strange look. Shulk opened his mouth to explain, when he saw a something lying motionless on the ground in front of him. When they got closer, it was revealed to be a High Entia woman, just as the child had said. "Who's this?" Shulk directed the question at Melia, who would most likely be the one to know her. "Hey," Reyn's eyes widened as he recognized the uniform the woman was wearing. "Ain't she the one who attacked us in the capital?" Melia knelt down next to the woman, who began to stir weakly. "Y-You!" She gasped, her eyes flickering to one person to the next. "Tyrea!" Melia gasped. Tyrea was often seen throughout the Imperial Castle, never without Yumea. Kallian had once informed her of her name, but claimed he didn't know anything else. But he did have quite a peculiar expression on his face when he said so. "What are you doing here? You're hurt." Melia's eyes scanned over the deep red gashes littering Tyrea's face and arms. She was even struggling to hold herself up to glower at them all. "Do not touch me!" Tyrea spat as Melia reached out to help her. "Vile girl!" Melia pulled away with a hurt expression, and let her arm drop to her side. "Watch it!" Reyn glared at Tyrea, who regarded him with the same expression. But it seemed all of her strength had gone from her body. Tyrea collapsed, her eyes shutting and her breathing becoming even. "Tyrea, what happened?" Melia gently shook the woman, but she didn't respond. "Is she...dead?" Reyn asked hopefully. "No," Melia noticed the slow rise and fall of her chest. "It looks like she's just passed out." "Let's get her to the infirmary," Sharla nudged Reyn and pointed to Tyrea. Reyn immediately understood and groaned. "Come on, why do I have to carry her?" He grumbled to himself as Melia moved aside. The red-haired man gathered Tyrea up in his arms and they began the trek back to Junks. The discussion of Zanza had been completely forgotten. Questions swirled around in Shulk's mind. He couldn't help but wonder what Tyrea was doing here, and even worse, why she didn't transform into a Telethia. Based off of the length of her wings, Tyrea should be a pure-blooded High Entia, Shulk thought, his brow furrowing slightly as he examined her wings. So why isn't she a Telethia? Is it so safe to bring her into the colony with the threat of her becoming one? They entered Junks and followed Sharla and Reyn up to the infirmary. Reyn lay her on the bed and Sharla began hooking Tyrea up to the machinery to hopefully get some of her energy back. "Is she okay?" Dunban asked immediately after Sharla straightened up. "Her injuries aren't severe," Sharla motioned to Reyn, who groaned and got her a roll of bandages. Sharla began wrapping them around Tyrea's cuts, which upon closer inspection, weren't as deep as they looked. "When the Bionis awoke, the ether flow around the colony became unstable," Melia said, as if she were reciting her thoughts out loud. "Maybe that's why she lost consciousness." "No," Dunban shook his head. "That's not what I meant." "You mean why didn't she become a Telethia?" Sharla asked. Dunban nodded slightly, and everyone looked to Melia for an answer. The High Entia princess pursed her lips slightly, thinking of an answer. "In order for a pure-blooded High Entia to become Telethia, the ether energy surrounding the Bionis has to be above a certain level," Melia explained. "Luckily, the level of ether energy here is not as high as on the upper regions of Bionis. That may be what kept her safe. Or perhaps…" Melia frowned slightly, resting her elbow on her palm, and raising her hand to her chin in a thinking position. "Perhaps what?" Shulk prompted her. "No...It's nothing," Melia shook her head, but Shulk still was suspicious. Melia was definitely hiding something from them. "Something about this makes me feel uneasy," Dunban muttered, shifting his weight to one foot. "I know what you mean," Sharla agreed. "We'll have to keep an eye on her recovery." She said it as if Tyrea was a bomb, waiting for the right time to explode and kill them all. "Why does she hate you so much, Melia?" Fiora questioned from her place in the corner of the room. "You're both High Entia. Is being pure-blooded really that important?" "Tyrea's birth mother is most likely my step-mother," Melia admitted, hanging her head. "You don't mean...Yumea?" Sharla remembered the High Entia Empress from Kallian's confession about seeing both her and Tyrea in the hallway, plotting to kill them. "Yes," Melia confirmed. "I heard about it from Kallian, after I returned from the Tomb. Mother was the leader of the Inquisitors, a secretive organization operating in the shadows of the imperial household. The group plotted to maintain the imperial bloodline through a clandestine ritual - a ritual where Tyrea was conceived." "And she was secretly raised as an Inquisitor assassin," Shulk summed up, remembering her attack on them while in Alcamoth and the High Entia Tomb. "Hold on a sec," Reyn folded his arms, frowning at Melia. "Are you saying that Tyrea is your's and Kallian's half-sister?" "That's right." "Then isn't she in the same position as you?" Sharla asked. Melia hummed in response, nodding her head. "That is correct." Tyrea's weak voice made everyone snap their attention back to the hospital bed. Tyrea was attempting to sit up, her hands weakly grasping at the machines and wires that were taped to her skin. "Tyrea!" Melia gasped. "You're awake!" Tyrea clicked her tongue and dropped the wire she was currently holding, to glare furiously up at Melia. "I had more right to the throne then she ever did," She said venomously. "Were it not for the consort system that has so polluted the pride of our people...it would have been me, a pureblooded High Entia that would build the future of our people! But you…!" Tyrea's eyes narrowed and a smirk spread across her face. "You are a hypocrite. Just like me. If we are honest, what is the difference? You, too, would take the lives of your own people to protect your bloodline. Melia, you too are nothing but an assassin." She began to chuckle. It was weak, but it had obviously hurt Melia. The girl was looking away from everyone, trying to hide the tears sparkling in her eyes. "You're wrong! I'm…!" Melia couldn't seem to force anymore words out of her mouth. She roughly brushed away the tears that had gathered in the corners of her eyes and Tyrea smirked triumphantly. "I don't buy that for a second," Reyn intervened, his expression cold. "Pride of your people?! How about you're jealous of Melia!" "Do you really think I'd be jealous of her?!" Demanded Tyrea, shooting Melia another glare. "Ain't ya?" Reyn raised an eyebrow, his voice getting progressively more aggressive as he continued talking. "You're envious of her, right? Of how she lives her life. You just want everyone to feel sorry for you for living in the shadows all your life!" "How dare you!" Tyrea spat. "No Homs speaks to me like that!" "I'm sayin' that you'll never have a life like Melia's!" Reyn said forcefully. "You don't have the faintest idea why Melia's been fighting. Even if you'd been born in her place, the Emperor still would have chosen her as his successor! Succeeding the imperial line ain't all about blood. It's about takin' on the will to do whatever it takes, for your land, for your people, when the time comes! Thats what makes Melia different from you!" "How dare you!" Tyrea clenched her fists. "Both of you, stop this!" Dunban ordered. "This is no time for pointless pickering." "He's right," Sharla agreed. "We survivors shouldn't be fighting amongst ourselves. Right," She said briskly. "Time's up. I want the room cleared out." "Yeah, okay…" Reyn turned his head away to hide his burning cheeks. He hadn't meant to go that far. "And you," Sharla gave Tyrea a stern look. "You need to calm down and get some rest." Tyrea growled and turned her head away, acting almost like a small child. * * * It was late at night. Tyrea lay awake with her hands folded on her stomach. The machines hummed unpleasantly around her, and she was becoming increasingly annoyed with the loud snoring coming from a room somewhere downstairs. Unable to stand it anymore, Tyrea sat up, ripping the wires from her skin, wincing each time. Swinging her legs over the bed she stood up and exited Junks, breathing in the fresh air. She made her way out of the colony, her insides burning with anger. What that man had said was inexcusable. She was a pure-blooded High Entia, after all! At least, she thought she was. Tyrea made her way over to Watchpoint Junction, standing in the entrance for a bit. She should have easily used the wings on her head to fly away from this place, but where was their to run? They were all going to meet their end soon enough. Why were those Homs still fighting? The thought of the Homs turned her attention back to the man who had insulted her without a care, but there was one thing she felt beyond all the anger. Guilt. She knew, somewhere within her, that he was right. She had always been jealous of Melia, of her strength, and most of all, her being the successor to the throne. Tyrea shook her head, refusing to believe herself. "Me?" She said incredulously, trying to convince herself. "Envious?" She tried for a laugh, but it soon faded, she cursed under her breath. "I only think of my people." She looked up and saw a shimmering cloud of ether beckoning her towards it. "What is that?" She murmured and approached it . Standing in the middle, Tyrea closed her eyes. The ether seemed to soothe her wounds, and a familiar scent reached her nose. Mother… Tyrea opened her eyes and saw a huge Telethia standing before her. Fear closed in around her heart and she whimpered softly. The ether cloud she was standing in began to grow considerably, and a muffled scream escaped Tyrea's lips. * * * Shulk was awoken in the early hours of the morning by an explosion. Sitting straight up in his bed, he immediately grabbed onto his Replica Monado, following out of his bed in the process. Groaning in pain, Shulk rubbed his head and got up, running outside to find everyone else already there. "What's going on?!" Dunban demanded. Shulk pushed past the group and ran outside, a familiar shriek echoing in his ears. "Look!" Fiora came out behind him and pointed to the colony. Smoke was rising into the sky, slowly curling from a fire at the Reconstruction HQ. And it was spreading. "The colony!" They ran over to the Reconstruction HQ, where a familiar beast was breathing out clouds of ether, setting buildings ablaze. "A Telethia!" The monster roared at them once and began to flap its wings, rising into the sky and shooting off. "Guys!" Sharla appeared beside them, her face pale. "She's gone!" "Tyrea, you mean?" Reyn demanded. Sharla nodded grimly. "Could that Telethia be her?" Shulk narrowed his eyes at the distant spec. " "No!" Melia said sharply, but when everyone looked surprised at her tone, she blushed. "At least...I'm fairly certain. "What?" "There's no time now," Melia shook her head. Shulk frowned. What was she hiding from them? "We must pursue it. It must have gone to where there are high levels of ether." "That would mean either the Bionis head or Makna Forest," Dunban frowned. "If it was Tyrea, I don't think she'd want to go back to Alcamoth," Fiora pointed out. "I think we should go to a place where you've fought Telethia before." "That would be in Makna Forest," Dunban nodded. "So we should take Junks to the lake and go back to the decayed area where we fought the Leone Telethia." Shulk frowned. That wasn't the only point where he had fought Telethia He remembered fighting them alongside Alvis at a lakeside when they had first met Melia. "Let's stop by the lakeside," He found himself saying. "After all, I fought Telethia there as well." "That's right," Dunban said. "I had forgotten about that." "What are we waiting for then?" Reyn demanded. "Let's go!" Upon arriving back at Junks, Miqol looked slightly surprised that they didn't want to go to the Bionis' Interior, but to Makna Forest. Deciding they they had good reason, the Machina chief agreed, and they were there within the hour. They circled around the lake, looking for a good point to land by the lakeside. The whole while, Fiora's eyes were looking over the forest, a huge smile on her face. "I haven't seen this place before," She whispered, putting her hand on the window. "It's incredible…" Riki laughed at her awe, and began to tell her stories about how when he was a littlepon he liked to get swept away by the river. He had nearly died several times, if it weren't for a small island that stopped him from going off of a waterfall that dropped into the endless ocean. Miqol landed Junks near the lakeside and the group pooled out of it. Shulk had barely set one foot onto the ground, when a Telethia dropped from the sky, hitting the ground with an earth-shattering boom. It roared angrily at them, and Melia put one hand on her staff. "It must be Tyrea after all!" She muttered, looking confused. "What do we do?!" Fiora demanded. "Do we have to fight her?" "There's no time to think about it," Dunban said. "Ready yourselves!" The Telethia let out another roar, and Reyn darted forwards at it attacked with a powerful ether blast. Flipping the shield of his driver up, he absorbed the attack and jumped aside for Dunban and Shulk, who both split up. Dunban sank his katana into it's chest, while Shulk moved in to swipe it off of it's feet. Sharla protected both of them with a protective shield of ether, while Reyn and Fiora also moved in. Melia, surprisingly, took the monster's attention with a powerful bolt of lightning that made it's entire body spasm. Melia took the change quite calmly, and darted around with agility Shulk had only seen her use when she was trapped with a monster's attention. Shulk jumped in the way of the Telethia's claws at it came down towards her, and parried with his Monado Replica. Forcing the beast away, he darted backwards and Reyn took control again, as Dunban and Fiora slicing at it's legs, slicing away the heels, and making the Telethia collapse. Shulk took a step forwards to examine the thrashing monster. Melia threw out her hand to stop him, thinking he was going to finish off the beast. "Shulk, I must…" "I know," Shulk nodded, and stood aside for her. Melia placed her hands over her heart and closed her eyes, soft waves of golden purifying ether flowing from within her body. "Stop!" A sharp cry made the group spin around. Tyrea was standing a few feet away, her hand outstretched to stop Melia. "Tyrea!" Melia breathed. "You're safe?" "You do realize…?" Tyrea approached the Telethia and put her hand on its muzzle. "This Telethia is Yumea." "Yumea?!" Shulk repeated, while Melia took in a sharp breath, her eyes widening. "I was pursuing Yumea," Tyrea explained. "Even though she knew it was her fate to transform, she remained faithful to the Bionis." "But why?" Shulk had to fight to keep his slight surge of anger under control. "Didn't she feel betrayed?" "Everyone has their own beliefs," Tyrea replied. "And what they believe is their own choice. Yumea adhered to her path. I pursued her so that I could fulfill her final wish." "Her final wish?" Sharla repeated. Tyrea glanced over at her and breathed in a shaky breath before answering. "Yumea was imprisoned within the Tower of Investigation," She said. "She told me that after she transformed into a Telethia, I was to destroy her as quickly as possible. She wished to sacrifice herself to the Bionis...at least, that is what I believed at first. I now understand Yumea's true desire. That is why I must…" Without another word, Tyrea turned to Yumea and clasped her hands over her chest, closing her eyes. The same waves of golden ether began to flow from her body, but Melia stopped her almost as soon as she began. "This is my responsibility." Tyrea's gaze met Melia's, a flash of confusion flickering over her face. "But Melia...why?" "Father entrusted me with the empire and it's people," Melia pointed out. "What I believe in is the will of those struggling to survive. I have to fight if I am to convey this to the next generation. Besides, Yumea is your birth mother. There is no need for you to carry out such an unpleasant task." "Is the same not true of you?" Tyrea countered. "You may not be of her blood, but you still think of her as your…" Melia cut her off. "This a duty that my father and brother conferred upon me," She said. "Melia…" Melia took a few steps forwards, and again put her hands over her heart. The purifying ether began to flow from her body, and congregated around her hands. This time, Tyrea did not stop her, as Melia raised her hand and pointed it right at the Telethia. The golden waves washed over it and it vanished, a cry lingering in the air as if Yumea was thanking them. There was a moment of silence that followed this, before Melia turned to Tyrea. "Tyrea…I believe you and I are alike," She spoke soothingly but a flash of anger flickered across Tyrea's face. "Alike?" Tyrea scoffed. "Never, vile girl." Melia flinched slightly and grabbed onto her arm as Tyrea spun around on her heels, and marched away from the group with her nose in the air. After a few feet, she stopped and relaxed her position, her fists clenching. "My gratitude in assisting Yumea. I mean…" She paused. "Mother." The wings sprouting from the top of her head began to flap, surprising the entire group. Reyn held in a snicker as she flew off. Shulk had to admit, as amazing as it was to see that the High Entia's wings worked for something other then to define them as High Entia, it did look rather awkward. "Tyrea…" Melia's grip tightened on her arm. "Well there she goes," Reyn cleared his throat loudly. "Is she going to be okay on her own?" Sharla questioned, her lips pursed. "She'll be alright," Dunban assured her. "We and Tyrea share the same goal. Our paths are sure to cross again. "Yeah," Shulk agreed. "You're right." Whether it was before they beat Zanza, or after, he had an irresistible feeling that they were going to meet Tyrea again. "Melia, what did you mean just now," Shulk turned around to face the princess, tilting his head slightly. "When you said that you and Tyrea were alike." "Tyrea must be Half Homs, just like me," Melia turned his head, and found himself gazing after the way Tyrea had gone. It would make sense, as any pure-blooded High Entia wandering around Makna Forest would surely transform into a Telethia. But then again… "But the wings on her head…" Reyn said the exact thought that ran through Shulk's mind. Melia smiled slightly, as if Reyn should have known the answer to the question. "Not all half-blooded High Entia have small wings, only the majority," Melia explained. "Some are indistinguishable from pure-blooded High Entia. "Dominant and recessive inheritance," Sharla breathed. "I've studied this." "So that's why…" Shulk's expression cleared. That was the meaning of Tyrea's lack of a Telethia form. "Melia, do you think Yumea knew this would happen?" Fiora asked quietly. Melia locked her gaze with the blonde girl, who was staring after Tyrea, her eyebrows knitted. "Perhaps," Melia followed Fiora's gaze. "Actually, she had to have known. At least, that is what I believe." "She was Tyrea's mother after all," Fiora glanced over at Melia. "She must have been aware." "Yes," Melia agreed, smiling. Fiora returned it, and the two girls lead the way back onto Junks. After noticing the group's expressions, Miqol grinned. "You ready to go the Bionis' Interior, you lot?" He asked. Everyone exchanged a look, before a smile spread over Shulk's face. "Yeah, we're ready," He said. "Next stop: the Bionis' Interior!"