False Gods

Book XI: Burning Sword

Chapter LXXX

She often wondered how he did it, she wanted to be angry, but at the same time she knew him better than that. Waylon has been thrown into circumstance after circumstance, and every time he'd just continue moving on, never once failing to accept the drastic changes in his life. Granted his first six months on Alrest were in jail, so it's not as if he didn't have time to truly understand his new surroundings. However, that was before she knew him.

When she had first met him, he claimed to be from another world. He knew that she contained data on all life in her core crystal, and he had wanted to prove that he was telling the truth by touching her crystal. When he had done so, he somehow became her driver, even though she was already Rex's blade. She had tried so hard to get him to quit. Mythra hadn't wanted a new driver, she was perfectly content with the one she had.

She'd make him spar with her every single day. A driver using the blade's own weapon to spar with was practically them asking to get beat into the ground, let alone the Aegis' blade. She could move at speeds approaching the speed of light, even if he already knew all of her attacks, it was impossible for him to truly counter it. And so she spent every day beating him into the ground, breaking bones, trying to stomp out his will, however he never once broke.

She often wondered what made him stay, and often liked to joke about him being nothing more than a disgusting masochist. But... if she was being honest with herself, that was never it. No, him and herself both had known that if he'd walked out, nothing would have changed. Rex still wouldn't have been able to be her driver and Waylon had already told them that a new blade with powers they couldn't even comprehend had been unleashed. In the end, Waylon simply cared enough about the world to take that pain and abuse just to convince her that he really wanted to save it.

It wasn't the last time he'd show that same devotion, either. He had used her true power to take out Alvis in order to protect that same world. He showed devotion that even the diamond Aegis himself resonated with, and that's when he became Adamas.

And even now, once again, when given the option to do something to protect the world, he chose his own demise in order to save Pyra. That's why she had been so mad at him, for leaving Pyra to the wolves, so to speak. However, Alvis' explanation did make sense. Waylon never prioritized saving the world over the life of his comrades, so that decision to leave Galea alive didn't make sense. However, when you factor in Alvis, who's AI wasn't that far off from a computer, it did make sense on why that decision was made. It was, in essence, the most logical.

In the end, all of that led to her refusal to believe Waylon was truly dead. Although she doubted that he had any idea he'd be giving his life that day, or even had any way of knowing he'd be revived or not. One thing was for sure, however, neither Waylon nor Alvis would've willingly died there if their existence was required to save Alrest from the Conduit and Galea. So, within her heart of hearts, she knew that she'd either save the world with him by her side, or she'd save the world without ever seeing him again.

All hope was not lost, everything from this point on would be solely up to how her new driver decided to progress. However, she didn't want to get attached to him, she didn't feel as if she could.

But if he did somehow convince her to get attached, well... it wouldn't be the first time it happened to her.

Addam, Rex, and Waylon had all convinced her to get a feeling of attachment towards them.

"So, Silas, my blade's in your hands. Show me what you are capable of."

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

Pyra couldn't sleep well that night, she felt too guilty.

Adamas, the old flesh-eater lady, and not to mention countless drivers killed with her blade, how long would she have to live on with the guilt tied to her master's actions?

But they weren't just her master's actions, were they? She played a part in that too, she carried out his orders, just like she was told to. However, she was honestly trying not to think about him too much.

When they had originally told her she was a blade, she didn't believe them, but now, it was more than clear to her that she wasn't some machine created by him. She still, however, felt a sense of duty to him, no matter how many times she'd try to shake that off.

It was these thoughts that convinced her that even if Galea had recreated Alrest, it wouldn't have made any difference. She wondered if she really deserved any of the happiness Silas kept trying to tell her about. She was convinced otherwise, but, at the same time, she selfishly hoped he would be able to help her.

Pyra thought about trying to end herself again, but she decided against it. Not because she thought her existence was any more meaningful than it was previously, but because every time she had tried to do so, someone else got hurt because of it. This, however, only led down a spiral of emotional anguish.

"Whatever you have in mind, please make it worth it...."

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

Malos also didn't sleep, as he was deeply troubled by his own thoughts.

He wanted to tell someone exactly how he felt, but at the same time, he felt as if that was something a human would do, and not something that would be befitting to an Aegis. These last few months had been different than usual. When he had first resonated with Acacia, he couldn't help but laugh at her. She was stubborn, weak, pointless, and her extra power was nothing more than a joke. However, now... well... she'd grown on him.

She had tried countless times to get him to work with her, but she was selfish, just like Violet had described. If it helped her, she'd gladly do whatever it took to get it done, but if it involved something outside of her, she'd gladly look the other way. But now, she seemed to not be held down by that same selfishness.

Jin and him had talked about how humans were selfish by nature, that was something that stood true to this day, even if not every human was like that. It pissed him off to his core when he had awakened to a driver with that same selfishness he so vehemently hated.

However, watching her grow gave him a new outlook on human selfishness. Sure, every human looked to help themselves by default, but it seemed that when they could take care of themselves, they'd look to help those who needed it. So, did the problem lie within humankind as a species, or was it simply because humans were limited by factors outside of themselves?

"Well, you've piqued my interest. So, who will you choose to be?"

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

"And so, the pieces are in their places," Serena told me. "All that's left is to prepare, are you ready?"

I sighed. "What if I told you I wasn't?"

"I'd disagree."

"You would?"

Serena nodded. "You've grown a lot Silas. You know what's expected of you as the Aegis' driver, and you know what you must do. The only one that can realize these expectations is you."

"I... I'm scared, Serena," I admitted. "What if Adonis comes back and takes her away again? What if I can't beat Galea? What if... What if I can't stop the Conduit?"

She giggled while giving me a tender look. "Oh come now silly, if any of those three things happen then suddenly it won't be your problem anymore."

I was taken aback a bit, but she wasn't wrong.

She giggled again. "Oh, don't make that face. The point I'm trying to make is that there's no point in worrying about what'll happen if you fail. As long as you have the means to resist the future laid out in front of you, then do it with everything you have. Make sure that if you fail, you fail knowing you did absolutely everything you could have done. That's what Waylon and Addam both would have done. And Rex too, probably, but I never knew him on a personal level."

"Yeah... I guess you're right," I said with a sigh. "I... feel like I understand Waylon, Rex, and Addam better.... Or, more like I'm beginning to understand them. I, solely, am responsible for what the Aegis becomes, whether they become strength, fear, scared, weak, short-sighted, or broken. Addam left Mythra terrified, Rex left Mythra and Pyra strong, Waylon left Mythra hopeful, Adonis left Pyra broken, and Amalthus left Malos angry, resentful, and sad. It's never been their fault for how they turn out, it's always been left to the discretion of who leads them."

"Well, if you realize that, then there's nothing I have left to teach you," Serena smiled. "It's almost time to wake up, give it your all."

"Thank you, Serena, I will."

Readability Level: 9-10th Grade
Time Taken: 3 Hours