Chapter Text
Freedom in Chains:
[REX]
Poppi, our newly awakened mechanical ally, turns to Tora and asks, “Masterpon, what is the current situation?”
Tora freezes, seemingly caught off guard by the responsibility thrust upon him right after her awakening. He glances at me and stammers, “A-aha, Rex-Rex, you explain the mission!”
“Why me...? Oh well,” I reply, not expecting his insistence. “It’s nice to meet you, Poppi. We are currently preparing for a mission to rescue our friend from the Ardanian Military.”
“Poppi will try hard to make Masterpon and friends proud,” she says earnestly.
Suddenly, Tora jumps up, as if he remembers something important. “Rex-Rex! If you want to make Poppi stronger, you should try something!"
“Stronger, huh?” I respond.
Tora leads us back to the area where we first entered the building and introduces us to a small machine. It appears to be a device that salvagers use to train kids who are too young to dive.
“You see, Poppi is like a littlepon Blade right now, about as strong as a freshly awakened Blade,” Tora explains. “If you ever feel like Poppi is falling behind or not performing up to standard, come play Tiger-Tiger!”
“Tiger-Tiger?” I ask, confused about what he means.
“Tiger-Tiger! It’s a game that Grampypon designed for Tora. When Rex-Rex wins, he can win parts for Poppi as a prize!”
At my side, Typhos asks, “Could we just break it open and upgrade Poppi to her maximum capabilities right now?”
Tora looks at Typhos as if he had just suggested slapping his Grampypon in the face. “No! Grampypon would roll over in his grave! We need to play fair; otherwise, he’ll haunt us for sure!”
“U-uh, okay. I didn’t realize it was that important,” Typhos replies.
“Alright, Rex-Rex! Give it a shot!” Tora insists, and I comply.
Tiger-Tiger seems to be an arcade game centered around a Nopon diving in the Cloud Sea. There are directional buttons to move and another button to attack. The goal is to collect treasure chests throughout the stage while avoiding enemies and other hazards. It’s not exactly something I would choose to play in my free time, but if it could help save Nia…
“Huh, so every chest you collect corresponds to parts or resources for Poppi…” I say, recognizing its usefulness.
I turn to Tora and offer him the parts I gained from playing the game. “Do you think any of these parts could be useful? We don’t have much time to spend diving into this game…”
Tora examines the items and exclaims, “Tank Mod II! This is an upgrade for Poppi. The other parts are better than nothing. We’re definitely in a better position to rescue your friend!”
“That’s good! But where do we even start looking for her?” I ask, uncertain of our next steps.
Typhos explains, “I took a walk around Torigoth while we were waiting for you to resurface from your salvaging. There is a massive Ardanian ship docked by one of Grandarbor's roots. When I asked some of the local kids, they said they hadn’t seen the ship before, so it’s safe to assume it’s the ship the informant mentioned.”
“Alright, could I ask you to lead the way, Typhos?” I ask,
“Of course, just follow me!”
[TYPHOS]
I lead our diverse group of allies to the spot where I saw the ship the previous day. To my immense relief, the Grandarbor’s Root is still secured to the ship.
Tora yells, “There’s a Titan warship!”
“Mmm. Quite an impressive Titan,” Gramps adds. “This is another sign that Mor Ardain is preparing for war with Uraya once again.”
“Look! That root goes straight to the ship, just like Typhos said,” Rex remarks, smiling at me.
“I’m just relieved that they didn’t move the ship while we’ve been gone,” I respond.
“Yes, yes!” Tora agrees.
“We should be able to climb down here,” Rex suggests, pointing to vines that descend the cliff face, leading to where the root branches off.
“Understood,” Poppi replies, and she leaps off the edge of the cliff. As she approaches the ground, boosters in her feet activate, slowing her fall and delivering her safely down.
“Show off…” Rex grumbles.
I laugh, and we descend, albeit much slower than Poppi, down the cliff. When we reach the bottom of the cliff, the ship’s size is much more striking. We walk down the length of the root, and at its end, the ship towers over us, seeming like we could fit all of Torigoth within it.
“Yikes… How are we gonna find Nia in such a massive ship?” Rex asks, feeling doubtful
“If we didn’t have Tora, it would be impossible. But now that we have some more allies, we should be able to handle it.” I say, doing my utmost to encourage my Driver.
“Of course. Thanks, Typhos.”
“Hmm, Rex, could you use your anchor to pull yourself to the ledge?” Gramps suggests, pointing to an opening about 20 feet above us.
Rex aims his anchor at the ledge and launches it. The hook bites into the metal roof of the opening, and he engages the mechanism to pull himself up. When he reaches the platform safely, he removes the anchor and extends it back down, signaling that he’s ready to pull us all up.
“Typhos, you first. I’ll pull you up,” he calls out.
A knot of unease tightens in my stomach. I’m significantly larger than Rex, and no matter how strong he is, I doubt he’ll be able to lift me. I turn to Poppi. “Hey, Poppi, could you help Rex lift the rest of us? I’m worried he might fall.”
Poppi nods, determination in her eyes. “Of course. Poppi help pull Typhos up.” With that, she grabs Tora and activates the boosters in her feet, launching herself up next to Rex.
When Poppi and Tora stand safely beside Rex, she grabs the anchor alongside Rex. Rex nods at me, and I hold onto the anchor. With minimal effort, Poppi and Rex are able to lift me to their level, and I jump onto the platform.
I let Rex lead us through the ship. It is a winding, sprawling vessel with numerous turns and obstacles. The area we entered appears to be a waste disposal chute, and when we reach the end of the tunnel, we find a tank filled with clouds from the Cloud Sea. Some monsters make their home here, but we dispose of them without much difficulty.
Poppi is surprisingly lifelike. She provides Tora with a massive shield—at least, it seems massive compared to him—with a drill embedded in its surface. Sourced from deep within her chest, she supports Tora with an Affinity Link, similar to those used by natural Blades. If I didn't know her origin, I could almost mistake her for just a normal Blade with a mechanical appearance.
“Tora, Poppi is truly a marvel,” I say, genuinely in awe of her abilities. “How you managed to create a Blade with such lifelike accuracy, I couldn't possibly understand.”
“Three generations of hard work!” Tora exclaims, puffing out his chest. “Grampypon, Dadapon, and I put many years into the creation of Poppi.”
“Wow… Poppi, do you remember anything about Tora’s father and grandfather? Or do you not have memories of your creation?” I ask the mechanical Blade.
Poppi places her hands on her waist and states proudly, “Grampypon and Dadapon of Masterpon were state-of-the-art inventors. The Ether Furnace used in Poppi is actually a creation of Masterpon’s Grampypon!”
“Interesting, it seems you think highly of them as well, Poppi,” Gramps comments. “Tora, she seemed more lifelike there, like she was showing more emotion. How is that?”
“Poppi is equipped with state-of-the-art programming,” Tora explains.
“Poppi learns from every conversation and automatically improves her conversational programming. The more friends talk to Poppi, the better Poppi becomes at responding!” Poppi adds, as if her own programming is the most fascinating subject in the world.
“Nice, nice! Guess we’d better keep talking to you, then.” Rex says, seeming happy at the idea of having another friend.
As we proceed through the ship, we come across many Ardanian soldiers, as we expected, but Tora and Poppi are always able to take their attention before they can do any harm to Rex and me. With Tora taking the enemies aggro, we can take them out efficiently, and safely.
“So, I guess this is what other people refer to as ‘Driver Roles’”, Rex ponders, “Tora and Poppi don’t deal too much damage, but all of the enemies cannot seem to take their eyes off of them.”
“Of course, Rex.” Gramps says, seeming disappointed that it took Rex this long to notice, “Every driver’s role depends on what Blade they are using. Typhos would be considered an Attacker, Dromarch a Healer, and Poppi a Tank.”
“If Rex-Rex want Poppi to do something else, should play Tiger-Tiger!” Tora exclaims, “Poppi can change role depending on what Mod she has. You got Tank Mod II last time you played, which improved Poppi’s ability as Tank. But there Healer and Attacker Mods available, too!”
Poppi, whom throughout this conversation has just been observing, suddenly tenses. She turns to Tora, “Masterpon, Poppi can sense ether wavelength of Blade. Was friend’s friend a Driver?”
“Yes!” Rex exclaims, “Her Blade is named Dromarch. Can you lead us in the Ether’s direction?”
“Of course. Please follow.” Poppi states confidently
Poppi leads us through the sprawling corridors of the ship. With every twist and turn, Poppi seems to know where to go. Even I cannot sense Ether to such pinpoint precision, everything I learn about Poppi manages impresses me even more. Before long, she stops in front of a door.
“Blade in here.” She says, indicating the door we stand next to.
“Alright, Rex, may I have the sword?” I ask, and he hands me our shared blade, “Everyone, stand back.”
I pour Ether into the sword, and in a single, swift movement, I reduce the metal door to scrap.
In the corner of the room, lays Dromarch.
I freeze, worrying that I struck him accidentally, “You alright, Dromarch? I didn’t use too much power, did I?”
“Typhos, Rex!” Dromarch stands up, seeming pleased to see us.
“Whew, be glad you didn’t give him a spontaneous haircut, Typhos.” Rex jokes
Gramps pops up next to Rex’s head, peering into the cell, “It is nice to see you unharmed.”
Tora and Poppi jump in, “It very nice!”
“See, Masterpon? Told you there was Blade in here.”
Dromarch startles, “Master Titan... And I’m sorry, who?”
Rex jumps in, not offering an explanation for our newfound allies, “Dromarch, we’re kind of in a rush. Do you have any idea where Nia is?”
“Of course, we are in resonance, after all.”
[NIA]
As much as it hurt to be back in Torigoth, being imprisoned again hurt even more. It wasn’t just the imprisonment itself, but the memories it brought back. The only reason I joined Torna was because of Jin—he cut down the door and offered me his hand.
I hear a crash, and the door to the cell falls apart. As my eyes adjust to the light, I see a tall figure wearing plated armor.
“Jin?”
“Nia! Are you okay?” As my vision clears, I recognize Typhos, with Rex just behind him.
“Rex, Typhos, you…?”
Dromarch slips into the room, lowering his head in shame. “I am sorry for my late arrival, my lady.”
I laugh lightly and reach out to pet Dromarch behind his ear. “It’s alright. I didn’t really think anyone was coming.”
Rex steps closer, smiling, his golden eyes sparkling despite the dim light. He offers me his hand. “As if we’d leave you! That’s part of the Salvagers’ code, you know: ‘Always help those who help you.’”
I laugh genuinely this time, my heart pounding in my chest. “That’s just like you, Rex.” I take his hand and rise to my feet. “Thank you, Rex, and you too, Typhos.”
“Of course, Nia. I’d never forgive myself if we had to leave you behind. I’ve left enough behind in my time; I think I deserve to be selfish.”
“Haha! Because putting your neck on the line for someone else is selfish,” I giggle.
As we talk, a familiar face and two unfamiliar ones peek in from the doorway. Nopon wearing goggles and overalls appears and says, “Rex-Rex! Tora has found an escape route! Hurry-hurry!”
A-A Nopon!?” I exclaim, incredulous.
Rex laughs beside me. “Haha, we made a new friend.”
Gramps, riding atop a little girl’s white hat, adds, “Well, I think we’ve overstayed our welcome here. Let's get going!”
[TYPHOS]
Tora leads the way through the rest of the ship. Behind us, I can hear Rex and Nia chatting. Through our connection, I sense Rex's happiness; it feels deeper than just happiness, though.
"So, a Nopon driver, huh?" Nia asks.
"Not quite. Tora doesn’t have the aptitude to be a natural Driver, but he is a master technician. He created an Artificial Blade, and she’s amazing," Rex responds, smiling a bit too widely for such a casual conversation.
I chuckle to myself, thinking , "I’ll have to tease him about that later."
Before we reach the hangar where we can escape, we encounter a door that is locked by an electrical mechanism. We need to loop around the ship to find the key for the mechanism, which leads us to run into an overwhelming number of guards. It's nothing we can't handle, especially with Nia and Dromarch's assistance, but it's quite an annoyance.
After what feels like an eternity of navigating through the ship, we finally return to the door, and with the key in hand, we are able to open it.
“Not much further to the exit!” Tora yells, pointing ahead with his wing.
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice calls out, “Not so fast, my dear intruders,” and a massive figure steps in front of us, casting a large shadow that blocks our escape.
Nia, now positioned with Rex and me, hisses, “Dughall. Didn’t the Inquisitor give you enough of a thrashing?”
Dughall stands in front of us, accompanied by an extraordinarily large Blade. The Blade wields a massive hammer and sports gold-plated, armor-like skin.
“Letting a terrorist from Torna escape would make me look very bad indeed,” Dughall says, casting a quick glance at my chest. “Ah, that Amethyst Core Crystal! You must be the Aegis. Much as it pains me to admit, it seems Mòrag was right on the mark.”
I stepped back, cursing myself for not keeping the metal plate Tora gave me affixed above my core. Before I could respond, Rex retorted, “So you know who Typhos is, huh? You must be aware of how many of your kind we've taken down, you ratbag!”
Dughall maintains his haughty demeanor as he replies, “Now, now, let's watch our language. But of course I know. Typhos is the most powerful Blade in all of history, with the ability to rend Alrest asunder. Only a fool would know of that power and not seek to claim it! And I am no fool! Therefore, I will claim him as my own! You cannot argue with such logic!”
“Flaw detected in the final step of logic,” Poppi says. I give Poppi a high five and step forward in front of the others. “Yes, Alrest may have fallen victim to this power once before, but let me make this clear: I will never allow someone like you to wield it.”
Nia says from behind me, "Sorry, pal, you've done enough capturing for today." I toss my sword back to Rex, while Nia and Tora draw their weapons. I take a step back and allow Rex to take the lead.
Now that Nia has returned, we can finally execute at least part of the Driver Combo again, with Tora able to topple the opponent. However, the cowardly Driver in front of us refuses to face us directly. He hides behind his Blade, forcing it to absorb the brunt of our attacks while shooting at us with a puny rifle.
Rex grunts, clearly angry at his misuse of his Blade, “That coward! He’s just hiding behind his Blade!”
Dughall responds, goading him on, “What? Does common sense elude you? A Blade can regenerate from any injury! Whereas if I die, my Blade will return to a useless core!”
My rage builds.
Nia yells, “So you think it’s okay to use them as a living shield? They may recover, but Blades still feel pain!”
Dughall laughs, spurring my fury even more, “Hahah, how cute. The fleabag thinks we should care about Blades' feelings. Heeheehee, I wonder if YOU can feel pain!
Something long growing within me snaps. Throughout time, my brother and Addam have faced so much backlash from people like him. The people in the country of Torna, claiming that Titans and Blades were tools to use, not appreciate. Treating people who loved us and cared for us to be weak-minded. Calling them Pitiful, despite their empathy for those who could not fight back. The people who chase me, see me merely as a tool in some game. Hurting Rex, imprisoning Nia and Dromarch…
“Rex. Give me the sword.” I command
“H-huh? I mean, sure, but what are you going to do?” He says, handing me the sword.
I charge forward, blade in hand, and launch multiple blasts not at Dughall, but at his blade.
When the blasts connect, the Ether surrounding the massive blade disperses. It collapses to the ground, breathing heavily. Dughall stands pitifully, flabbergasted at its sudden fall.
Despite my exhaustion, I step forward and kneel before the mighty, fallen Blade. I gently touch his core, and his life rushes through my mind. Suffering in front of this gnat of a man, forced to feel a lifetime of pain just so that his coward of a Driver did not have to get his hands dirty.
“Dolmes… So that is your name. I’m sorry for doing this to you, but I promise, you shall recover. But not before I deal with your Driver.”
“D-Dolmes? What are you blathering about!?” Dughall crows, and takes aim at me once more.
Before he can pull the trigger, before he can even blink, I rush forward and cut the rifle to pieces. I kick him in the chest and send him sprawling to the ground, struggling to stand up. I walk to his side and step on his sternum, causing him to scream with whatever air he can manage to take in. I push the tip of my sword just below his chin, threatening to cut his throat
I rage, “Are you seriously telling me that you never even cared to learn your Blade’s name!?”
Dughall flounders, struggling to come up with a response that would quell my anger.
Before he can speak, I continue, “Let me give you a brief history lesson. You see, every Aegis has a role—whether to create life, nurture it, or correct it. It is the nature of the Driver who awakens each Aegis that determines how that Aegis will interpret their mission. My role, that of the Endbringer, is to serve as the corrective force for this world. Fortunately for you, I love this world. I love the people in it and how they have guided me.”
I smile at my allies and add, “But it’s people like you who make me realize why I have been gifted with this power. It is so I may guide people like you toward a healthier path. And if you so choose to ignore my warnings…”
I lean down and whisper in Dughall's ear, “I may make good on the title of ‘Endbringer.’”
I stand, and push harder on the sword, drawing a small amount of blood. ““But you won’t force me into that, will you, Consul? Your Blade, as gracious as he is, does not hate you. Know that if he did, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. I have half a mind to free him from his suffering and give him to someone worthy of his kindness.”
Dughall begins to cry, snot running down his face, looking more like the toad of a man he truly is.
“Become a true Driver. A good Driver. Help Torigoth and guide them into the future. Only someone with your authority in the Empire can assist them. Work to help your community rather than lining your pockets, and be a true Consul. With the assistance of your Blade, you may yet find truth on your path.” I try to sound powerful, despite feeling drained. “Am I understood?”
“O-of course…” Dughall stammers, and I lift my foot from his chest. He scrambles to his feet and turns to run. I glare at him. “Are you not going to assist your Blade, Dughall?”
He squeals and yells, “O-of course!” Then he turns on his heels and rushes to his Blade’s side.
I turn to face our newfound visitor. “Are these conditions workable, Special Inquisitor?”
The Special Inquisitor wears a smile, and the twin blades at her side are sheathed. “So this is the nature of the legendary Aegis. I must say, your restraint is understated in the legends.”
I return her smile, trying to appear amicable. “That is because the legends do not refer to me, I am afraid. My brother is the one they speak of, and he is much more hot-headed than I.”
I turn to the Blade at her side. “It is nice to see you again, at least under better circumstances, Brighid. Though you may not remember, you were a great ally to my brother. He thinks very highly of you.”
Brighid smiles. “The feeling is mutual, Lord Aegis. It has required quite a bit of restraint on Lady Mòrag’s and my part to not bash Dughall’s head in. His treatment of Blades is quite unpopular, even in the military state of Mor Ardain.”
I wave her off. “Please, Typhos is fine.” I gesture for my allies to come forward, indicating that it is safe. “This is my Driver, Rex. Nia and Dromarch, although I assume you’ve already met, and Tora, with his Artificial Blade, Poppi. Oh, and that’s Gramps back there.” Gramps pops up from behind Rex’s head, waving at them.
Mòrag’s eyes widen. “Artificial Blade?”
“That was my reaction too,” Rex says, rubbing the back of his head. “But she’s the real deal, just as powerful as a normal Blade.”
“How intriguing…” Brighid adds, seeming just as surprised as her Driver.
“May I request that we move this conversation to the Consulate? It is far more comfortable there, despite Dughall’s stench,” Mòrag requests.
Back in the Consulate, Mòrag requests to speak with me privately, at first. I agree.
“So, I know that you broke the law, breaking out your friend like that, but I am under the belief that you have done both Torigoth and Mor Ardain a great service by whipping that Consul into shape. He was performing below standards, and if he shapes up, I won’t have to go through the trouble of replacing him.” Mòrag states with a cocky smirk, “So, as far as I am concerned, we are even.”
“Wow, I appreciate it, Special Inquisitor,” I say, not quite knowing how to respond.
“I must ask for one thing in return, however.” She says,
“And what is that?” I ask,
“I would like to speak with your brother, the one whom you said the legends refer to.”
This request surprises me,
“U-uh, I don’t know how to do that. He’s asleep, he left me in charg-”
Before I can finish speaking, something loud from within me stirs.
“I can make an exception, just this once, Brother,” a voice from within me stirs. I nearly collapse in the seat, the shock resonating from within me
“T-Typhos? Are you alright?” Brighid yells from where she is standing behind her Driver.
My body moves on its own, and my hand reaches out, touching Mòrag Ladair on her forehead.
[Mòrag]
I am in a dark, empty void. It feels like I am surrounded by a starless night, with everything, yet nothing illuminated. I can see my own body fine, as if I am in a well-lit room, but there is nothing around me.
No, there is someone here.
In front of me, there is a tall, hulking man. He wears pitch-black armor, with spiky black hair to match. His eyes are dark, yet kind. Embedded in a gold, ornamental pedestal on his chest, is a brilliantly shining Amethyst Core Crystal.
“W-where am I?” I ask, uncertain of how I got here.
“We are in my memory stage,” The man responds,
“And who are you?”
“The one you asked to see.”
“My name is Malos.”
