Xenoblade Chronicles 2: The New Future

Chapter 12: A Drift in Time

Art done by (reddit handle) u/peachdelta

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After running aimlessly for some time, I decided to stop and calm myself down.
I was breathing rapidly after that self made marathon.

This forest was vast, to say the least. I was lost and I didn't know where to go. Just the fact that I existed in this unknown timestamp of the timeline was, itself, a big threat.
I convinced myself to avoid any kind of interaction with humans or blades.
I wasn't confident enough to do the right actions to affect as little as possible the timeline.

I regained my composure and sighed in disappointment.

"Well... The only way to get out of this situation is to move forward." I told to myself.

Then, I realized that I was holding something in my right hand. I looked the object and I identified it was Kevin's weapon. I inspected it and it was glowing a little brighter compared to when I picked it up.

"(Weird...)" I thought.

Then I remembered I was holding the other piece of his core crystal. I tried looking around and I didn't find it.

"Ugh, I lost it! Good job idiot." I complained to myself.

I got angry to myself because I wasn't capable of just taking care of a mere piece.
I turned around and looked at the path I came from. I sighed and decided to backtrack to look for it.

Before I started walking, I heard a big explosion. The boom sound was something I recognized immediately.

"No way..." I whispered.

I was afraid that my thoughts were actually right. I quickly moved through the trees and bushes and headed towards the direction that the sound came from.

I approached a cliff and what I saw confirmed my fears...

I saw Lora, Jin, Addam and my past me, fighting each other.

"How in the damn world I ended up in Torna!? What the hell!?!?!?" I said. I felt a lot of emotions mixed together. I felt angry, confused, scared, helpless and alone.

All of my memories from this era came back immediately.

"I... I-I-I..." I said. I couldn't believe this was happening to me.
All of those negative memories... Why was destiny too cruel? Why did I have to go through them again?

I couldn't bare the thought and I started crying again. The emotions linked to these memories overwhelmed me. I could not help myself but to cry.

"Wh... Wh... Why?" I complained while crying. I tried to cry as quietly as possible.

I backed up a little, fell to the ground and a constant stream of tears came down from my eyes. I felt alone, powerless and ashamed of myself...

I blamed the core crystal for bringing me to this era that I wished it never existed. I started to have negative feelings towards it - the most powerful being hate and resentment.
But not only that, I started to hate myself too... I caused more destruction and barely saved any lives... Why? Just why was I brought here again!?

"You!!!" I heard Addam's scream. It interrupted my crying.
I tried to wipe out the tears and clean my face using my arms and hands.

I approached to the bush and made a small hole so I could see through it. I saw Addam amazed by the fighting style of Lora and Jin - the fighting style that was common back in our time...
Funny how a broke girl and a blade invented that fighting style.

I saw from far away their (or rather our...?) conversation. I was amazed by the contrasting personalities of Jin. He was such a soul back in this time but... Later he will become something else.