False Gods

Book VI: Prince and Assassin

Chapter XLIV

"Your MO is different this time, Malos," Mythra had asked him. "What are you trying to do?"

Malos could feel the intensity in the air, he looked to the sky and back to the ground. The buildings around him were far more ancient than those of the capitals around Alrest today. Where was this memory from?

"If this is a joke, it's not funny," Mythra continued.

Malos shrugged. "I got bored of it," he replied simply.

"...Bored?" Mythra asked, clearly not understanding what he meant.

Malos looked around, what was this place? He'd obviously been there before, hence this memory.

"Letting Siren have all the fun got old, I mean," Malos clarified. "I wanted to see the humans dance. The dance of death, in the flames of hellfire."

Mythra glared at him. "What do you...?"

"That," Malos said as he turned his head and faced a large tower with a great blue glow coming from the top. "I know full well what the Tornan Titan truly is."

"Torna," Malos now thought to himself. This had happened a millennium ago.

"I've decided... I'm gonna lay that truth bare for everyone to see," Malos continued.

The memories came flooding back to him. He'd used this titan to destroy the Tornan Empire. This is where the first Aegis War happened, where Mythra destroyed an entire titan.

Soon, Malos watched himself fight Addam, Mythra's first driver. He had to admit that she had seemed stronger at this point in time. But soon he picked Addam's brain, curious as always.

"...And you don't understand what humans are," Malos said during the conversation.

"Malos, the all-knowing...," Addam snarked.

"A diligent student, you could say," Malos shot back.

"Then learn this," Addam commanded as Mythra threw him her sword.

This was the first he'd ever seen the Lorathian fighting style. Even at that time he was intrigued. Watching a driver use their blade's weapon was certainly a sight. However he still felt, and said at that time, that he didn't need that. He knew he was more powerful than what any driver could control, including Acacia.

But soon, he was awoken by the sound of a knock.

...................................

Malos woke up and looked around, he was still on that Tantal ship. He found himself, once again, bored. He then wondered where his Siren was, the giant robot Mythra destroyed with her own Siren those long years ago... probably at the bottom of Morytha if he had to guess.

There was another knock at his door, he had hoped it was in his head, but it appeared that that wasn't so.

"Come in," Malos called.

Acacia opened the door and slipped in, silently closing the door behind her.

Malos looked up at her, his interest piqued. "Look who's finally up, you here to scold me again, of do we have a plan? Or maybe you'd like to get into yet another fight? You really know how to rush towards death at record speeds, you know that?"

Acacia nodded. "Yeah... I guess so."

Malos studied her a minute before speaking. "Not that it really concerns me, but why the long face?"

"I've come to apologize," she explained. "I've been a terrible driver to you and to KOS-MOS."

"I don't see how being sorry fixes anything," Malos said simply.

"It doesn't, not on its own, but I want to start in a new direction," she continued. "I've been so caught up in myself that I failed to realize that I had other responsibilities to take care of."

"What do you hope to accomplish, driver?" Malos asked, seemingly annoyed.

"I hope I can convince you not to lose faith in me," Acacia said. "And if you already have... then I hope you'll give me a second chance to fix the mistakes I've made."

"And what makes you think you deserve a second chance? From what I hear decision-making isn't your strong suit," Malos relied.

Acacia sighed. "I don't, this is why I must at the very least apologize. I'm sorry for not being the driver I should be, and I promise starting right now that I will do everything in my power to change that."

"So what is the plan?" Malos asked, completely changing topic.

Acacia recollected herself before continuing. "We have to wait for the stranger to wake up before continuing."

"So you don't have a plan?" Malos asked. "Rough start to this promise of yours, I suggest you fix it if you intend to keep it. The kid's awake now, go interrogate him, get a plan, and then let's get a move on. I'm bored."

Acacia was furious, but she grit her teeth, nodded, and left.

She closed the door behind her. How did he know if the stranger was awake or not? She turned around mid-thought to meet KOS-MOS face-to-face.

"Do you intend to intend on keeping that promise?" KOS-MOS asked, clearly she had eavesdropped.

"I do," Acacia replied simply.

To her shock, KOS-MOS hugged her.

"KOS-MOS! What is this?" Acacia asked.

"You seemed to require emotional support," KOS-MOS said simply. "I also wish to thank you and hope that you do keep this promise, it will benefit your health and fighting ability greatly."

Acacia laughed a bit. "Thanks KOS-MOS...."

Readability Level: 11-12th Grade
Time Taken: 2.5 Hours