"I've got to give credit when it's due! That was amazing!" Nia complimented Corryn, said boy panting as he laid against the railing. "Indeed. Quite the impressive feat!" Dromarch commended.

"All teams proceed inside when ready!" The captain continued.

"Right then. Let's get moving." Malos sighed, sounding uninterested.

"You're not done. With us." Jin ordered Corryn.

"You're seriously gonna drag him with us? He's tired." Nia said with a lack of approval.

"Kids got powers we could use. He can obviously handle it. Now, let's move." Malos said with a laugh. Corryn stood up and held his head, before walking after them.

"I'm sorry about this. Didn't think we'd need you for the inside job." Nia apologized. "No worries. I didn't expect this to be easy." Corryn replied, going back to staring into space as he followed.

~•~

Corryn literally hadn't done anything but walk for nearly two hours now. The others, being the Drivers and Blades they were, handled the fighting, so Corryn just followed them wherever they went.

Luckily, things were turning up.

"Jin. There it is. Addam's crest." Malos said as they arrived in front of a large steel door with some sort of symbol on a steel circle on the front.

"Open it." Jin ordered Corryn.

"Sure."

Corryn didn't even bother turning his body and aimed his arm at the door, where the symbol glowed a bright green, and it was thrown open swiftly.

Unfortunately, another door of the same kind was right behind it, along with a mist on the ground.

"Go. Open that door, too." Jin ordered again.

Corryn was growing bored and walked over, the moment he stepped into the mist, ether dancing around his legs, as if reacting to him.

"Just as I thought..." Malos muttered in satisfaction.

Opening the door again, with the same result, excluding another door, Corryn's boredom got the best of him, and he continued down the corridor as the others followed from a marginal distance.

Corryn looked around the of the corridor, and saw some sort of pod... similar to a coffin, containing a girl in red black, with reddish pink hair, hands clasped together.

His focus then switched to what was below her, a sword of similar nature plunged symmetrically into the ground, standing up right, with a cross-shaped gem on the hilt.

The gem glew in his presence, and Corryn felt the group closing in, but still out of sight.

But once he sensed them... he sensed the pure power of the sword in front of him. His eyes winded at the pressure being emit psychologically from the blade.

It's value was beyond him...

It was incredibly important...

He could not let them have it...

The sheer force emit from the blade was taking a toll on Corryn's mind, making him hear the beating heart of the girl in the pod.

Corryn began reaching for the blade just as the group began to enter the chamber.

Just as he brushed his finger across the gem of the blade, Corryn turned just in time to stop a blade nearing his heart.

Corryn held the sword back with gritted teeth, his mind's mental damage from the exertion of the mission making him lose power. Fatigue made him falter, and Jin's sword began to close in on his chest.

"This is an act of mercy... don't take it personally." Jin whispered, before steeling his resolve and plunging hard, the sword stabbing Corryn right in the heart.

His eyes widened in pain, but the yank of the blade made his eyes flutter as fell to his side, dead.

The next second, Jin violently slashed the sword to pieces, walking away from his corpse quickly.

"Jin! Why did you kill him?! What did he do to you?!" Nia asked in disbelief, the limp and deceased kid bleeding out before her making her tear up.

'my mom said I had a place in the world... haven't found it yet...' Nia recalled Corryn say.

She bit her lip, remembering not too long ago, that she told him he'd find that place soon. The irony and unfortunate series events made her ball her fists in anger, but bottle it up.

"Let's ship out the Aegis." Malos announced.

•

•

•

A bell rang.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

A bell rang.

The timing became the norm as Corryn awoke in a field of green, hills as far as the eye could see, except for the lone tree atop a large tree to his north.

Beside it, was a lone figure. With no place else to go, Corryn weakly stood up, and began to walk over with his headache still intact...

As Corryn approached, he was growing frustrated with what he remembered. Letting his guard down by lifting such a heavy item wore him out so much that his powers were less effective, and then the blade's urge- call for him, distracting him to the point of his death.

All made him mad.

But less mad at his killer.

He wanted vengeance. It had been a long time since Corryn felt murderous intent, the malice building in his head making his migrain fluctuate.

Almost calming him how focused he was becoming on enacting revenge.

"Such a mournful sound, isn't it?" The woman by the tree asked, Corryn not even realizing he stood beside her now.

"It hasn't stopped. Not... not in all these years." The woman continued.

Corryn didn't have to turn his head to see it was the same woman from the pod, and he deduced immediately by the gem in the aforementioned sword, that she was a Blade.

"...Where are we?" Corryn asked simply.

"Elysium." The woman answered simply, too.

"The land where, long ago, mankind lived in harmony with their creator. It's where... we were born." The woman continued.

Corryn looked all around, but didn't feel anything but her. It was almost like this was just an illusion. Not even the solid ground he stood on matched what his mind felt.

"This is just what it looks like... this is... a memory, isn't it?" Corryn asked.

"Spot on. Your intuition is amazing." The woman said with a small smile.

She turned to him, but he didn't bother looking at her. She decided to walk around to face him, and he glanced away.

He didn't mean to be rude, it's just that he was embarrassed by his height, his head only reaching her bottom neck.

"My name is Pyra." She introduced. "And you're Corryn the Celestite." She added, making him nod.

"So... are we like, dead together or something? Cause I can get used to this." Corryn said taking a seat.

"You're... fine with dying?" Pyra asked curiously.

"Not at all. I want to kill him. Them all." Corryn answered, staring at his feet as he hugged his knees. "But I can't just come back to life. If death is this painless, I'm fine with coming to terms." Corryn elaborated.

"That won't do. I need you." Pyra said crouching down to him.

"How so? Plan to use me like them? Don't forget to discard me afterward." Corryn said with a bitter glare.

"I would never. I simply have one request." Pyra said with a frown, upset by his comment.

"Take me to Elysium." Pyra 'asked' him.

"So, this place actually exists?" Corryn asked, not believing her.

"Yup. As you guessed, this is a memory. An ancient, half-forgotten memory at that. This may not be as accurate as many would like. The real deal, lies in your world." Pyra said now taking a seat as well.

"Yeah. World of the living. I'm still dead." Corryn said with a bored stare at Pyra. Pyra shook her head and smiled.

She suddenly softly grabbed Corryn's right cheek, moving his head around, almost like inspecting it. She used her other hand to open his left eye wider, holding up his eye lid.

"What are you doing?" Corryn asked.

"What I'd like." Pyra stated with a smug grin.

She began making his head sway back and forth, and Corryn's stare got more and more confused by the second.

"Seriously. What's your point in this?" Corryn asked again.

Pyra suddenly placed her forehead against his, closing her eyes and humming. She chuckled and held his face, back away to look him in the eyes.

"Now... do what you want." She said with a genuine smile of adoration.

Corryn continued to stare back, lost amongst her eyes.

Subconsciously, his hand was rising. It began to glow turquoise, just like the gem below Pyra's collarbone, and his trance continued to move him.

But it broke.

He did what he wanted.

Corryn tapped the gem, and Pyra's smike grew even brighter.

"Let's get back out there... Corryn." Pyra said caressing his cheek as the two began to glow.

•

Corryn's corpse rose from the ground, lazily rising with an almost spineless manner.

Corryn felt his life return to him, and a blade form in his hand, the crimson of the sword gleaming in the light of the ship, as Corryn's eyes brimmed with power.

Spinning the blade in his hand, simply grabbing a feel for a sword, having never used one, he swiped it out, where it came to life with green and orange flame brimming with energy.

•

Malos carried the pod Pyra was residing in over his shoulder, finally exiting the ancient ship with his team. Nia was still in distress over the loss of Corryn, unable to think clearly. Dromarch himself was looking down solemnly.

Malos glanced at all the salvagers and Argentum personnel aboard the ship, watching in awe of his team's recovery, paying no mind to the lack of Corryn.

Suddenly, the pod Malos carried combust into flames, making Nia, Dromarch, and Jin leap away from Malos.

"What the hell?!" He yelled, throwing the pod away and jumping back as well.

A massive pillar of fire erupted from her confinement, a beacon of flames swirling into the air.

Pyra leapt from the flames, flipping back and onto the ledge above the entrance to the ancient ship, gracefully landing on her toes with a playful smile.

With an uncharacteristic scream of anger, a massive hole was blasted through the hull of the ship and flipping up as well, his flaming sword flying above him as he landed.

hopping to his feet, he caught the sword and twirled it around his fingers before swiping it out again, ready for battle despite his inexperience.

"Corryn?!" Nia shouted in shock, her happiness not hidden very well.

A green glow was coming from under Corryn's sweater, but his calm attitude was the much bigger focus, despite the fire crackling around him and along the ship.

"Y-You... That damn sword... it can't be!" Malos cursed, growing furious.

"I'm gonna kill you..." Corryn said with a glare. "All of you." He stated with determination.

Dashing forward with his blade reeled back in one hand, Corryn's speed displayed an immense increase as he and Malos clashed swords, the glow in their eyes contrasting each other.

"Sorry, kid. I can't let someone like you claim her power for your own." Malos said increasing his force in the struggle. Corryn let him win and rolled out of the way, letting Pyra take the blade and kick him away.

"Give it a rest, Malos! Can't you see he's just a child?!" Nia yelled.

"A child- with the power of the Aegis!" Malos shouted back, rushing at the two as his blade fell in line.

Leaping into the air, Sever, Malos' blade aimed to stomp down on Corryn, but Pyra blocked with the Aegis.

Malos flew straight for the defenseless Corryn, thrusting his sword at him.

With the reveal that his psychic abilities were decreased on the living, it took all his brain power to fabricate a barrier around his forearms and block a stab aimed at his chest.

A grid of blue octagons was shattered, but luckily parried the sword just enough to graze Corryn's cheek as he leaned away.

Malos snatched Corryn by his neck and threw him down, raising his sword again to stab him, but Corryn rolled backward and flipped back from another thrust.

"Switch!" Corryn shouted, slamming his feet into Sever's face and sliding away.

Pyra spun on her heel and slammed the Aegis into Malos' unsuspecting body, sending him skidding back.

"Everyone, run!" Corryn yelled as he sprinted for Sever, doubting his scrawny frame could actually handle the beast.

"You're finished!" The Blade scoffed, throwing a claw down at him. Corryn rolled past, but stopped on all fours, before rolling back the way he came, dodging the slam of his tail.

Hopping over his body, Sever expected him to land behind him, but earned a knee to his face after Corryn spun around him.

Corryn gave a brief look of triumph, but was kicked into the railing of the ship with a sickening crunch of steel.

Corryn screamed, choking on his voice as he fell from his own indent in the ship.

"Corryn!" Pyra shouted with concern.

"Pay attention." Malos laughed, slicing at her legs.

Pyra used him as a vault, jumping back while slashing at his chest, landing at Corryn's side. He balled his fists in pain and hunched over, his eyes teary from such a foreign sensation.

"Are you okay?!" Pyra asked crouching to his side.

Corryn didn't respond with words, but hopped to his feet and shoved her away, barely blocking another slash aimed at Pyra's head, meaning it was just high enough to graze the barrier he made.

Crossing his arms over his face, Corryn tackled Malos away and flipped over him.

The Aegis flew into Corryn's hand as he plummeted, plunging it towards the falling Malos.

Hearing the clack of metal, Corryn switched stance in midair, spinning his entire body to roll off of Sever, as well as evading a surprise kick from Malos as he flipped to his feet.

Pyra appeared at Sever's side, sending a flaming punch to his stomach as Corryn landed on his back, barely throwing the Aegis in time for Pyra to block a slash from Malos.

"Tch. There's almost no synergy... you think you can kill me?" Malos asked arrogantly.

"I know... maybe not here... or now... but know that I won't die twice." Corryn said standing up with blurry vision. He slapped his face and focused up, standing tall beside Pyra.

"We need to be more coordinated. One attacks with the sword, and the other some other way, then, we switch. Ready?" Corryn asked with a pant.

"Ready. Don't let up." Pyra said before the two bounced on their toes, before taking off for the other Driver and Blade.

The two screamed as they closed in, Pyra starting with the crimson sword.

"Don't get cocky, you little shit!" Malos yelled, reeling his blade back.

Corryn's speed was faster than each of theirs, so he was the first to jump up and send a dropkick at Malos, who blocked with his sword, spinning out of the way so Sever could grab it and swing to a slash.

Corryn leaned under it, tucking his legs close, before rolling under Pyra as she thrust the Aegis at Sever.

Sever weaved out of the way, where Malos' fist shrouded in a dark energy swung at Pyra's face.

Corryn literally headbutt the fist downward, and Pyra twist around, slashing upward and knocking Malos back.

Corryn landed on his face and Pyra yanked him up to see a nasty scar under his bangs. Before she could comment, he charged back at the two with another yell.

Pyra dashed beside him, handing him the blade, before she and Sever slid up to each other.

With a burst of flames, and twinkle of light, Sever was sent back with a golden hexagonal barrier of his own, and Malos rushed past Pyra, and at Corryn.

Sliding under the first slash, Corryn turned and leapt at Malos while calling the forth the power of the Aegis.

With a weak slash to his right, Malos parried. Another slash to his left, Malos parried again, growing bored.

Corryn's eyes brimmed with energy as he reeled back the sword like a rapier, the flames gushing into a singular stream, almost like a thruster.

"Burn in hell!" Corryn yelled thrusting the sword forward with speed and power that threw Malos off guard.

With another twinkle of light, the sword sent a massive stream of flames at Malos, the green surging from yellow to red, burning intensely.

An entire section of the ship was searing, and only fire remained in Corryn's vision.

"How unfortunate." Malos whispered.

A nasty uppercut hit Corryn in his stomach, making him gag, before spitting out saliva and blood in his airborne state.

"How pathetic." Malos continued, grabbing him by the leg, slamming him down against the steel hull.

"How worthless!" He shouted, spinning him around in the fire, before throwing him at the railing again.

With Pyra distracted by, Corryn's savior was Nia and Dromarch, who dashed in his path and caught him in Dromarch's maw.

"I'm getting my ass kicked." Corryn admit, Dromarch landing and letting him go.

He was too exhausted to get back up, and was almost ready to give up and sleep.

"Come on, get up!" Nia said trying to help him up as Pyra fended off Malos and Sever's tag team. "You have to fight as one, with two. You almost had it! Get back in the fight!" Nia said throwing him forward.

Pushing his body to the limit, the sprint Corryn trudged through almost made him trip but watching Pyra get smacked away by a x-shaped ether projectile made him grit his teeth and squint his eyes.

Pyra blocked a slash from Malos, and jumped back from Sever's claw, where Malos was already chasing after her predicted landing.

"Let's end this..." Malos said slashing at her back.

With a sudden jolt of turquoise plasma, Corryn appeared, right at Pyra's back with his hand facing the shocked man.

"I agree. DIE!" Corryn screamed a massive torrent of fire consuming Malos and sending him sliding back to the end of the hull.

Pyra landed on Corryn's back, making her yelp. Having lost all energy, Corryn laid limp with her rear sealing the deal on if he'd fight anymore.

"Oh my goodness! Corryn! You okay?" Pyra asked getting off and lifting his body up.

"I have so many broken bones..." He muttered, weakly lifting his head to show his only visible eye, since the rest was covered in blood.

"Oh no..." Nia said in disbelief, forgetting completely that they weren't exactly stranded after the Argentum ship left...

The massive black ship began to sail beside the ancient ship, an array of rockets lined in a rectangular launcher on the deck.

"Look out!" Dromarch shouted, sliding in front of the two and throwing up his ether shield, blocking the consecutive blasts of fire and flames, with each set of rockets fired, the shield began to crack.

Pyra wrapped her arms around Corryn, Nia and Dromarch grunting as the rapid fire grew to be too much.

Admits the rain of the dark night sky, Nia was flown through the air from the shield finally cracking, as well as Dromarch crashing into the railing.

Corryn flew to his feet and vaulted over the railing, tripping as he ran down the hull of the ship in chase of her falling figure.

Corryn waited until his feet felt planted against the hull of the ship, before flipping off and diving after her, the glow around his body growing dimmer as he transferred the power he was using to move himself, to Nia.

Just before she could hit the cloud sea, a bright turquoise aura enveloped her, keeping her locked in place.

Corryn slammed into a paddle used to move the ancient ship, crashing on his shoulder in agony.

"You're a tough one, kid, but there's only one way... this can end." Malos said leering down at him from the deck of the same ship, relatively unscathed thanks to a dark energy around his body.

The turrets along the black ship began to aim directly at him, and Corryn sighed, not knowing just how much longer he could struggle.

Suddenly, the turrets were destroyed by balls of cerulean blue fire, making Malos ball his fists and stomp his foot on the railing.

"WHAT NOW?!" Malos screamed in pure rage, sick of his lucky blessings.

Soaring through the sky with haste, Azurda spun through the gap between the ancient and black ships, curving back around.

With a sudden swoop down over the ancient ship, Azurda fired a plethora of fire pellets, aimed specifically at Jin and Malos.

Pyra hopped in Dromarch as Azurda coiled around the ship, flying under it and directly to Corryn's side.

Using the last of his strength, be it mental or physical, Corryn screamed as he threw Nia up to Dromarch and Pyra.

"STOP THEM! OPEN FIRE!" Malos yelled again.

Corryn bit his lip, drawing blood and adrenaline. Corryn felt around him as he jumped off the ship, drawing in all energy he could, before releasing it.

Corryn was sent flying into the side of Azurda, off-coursing the projectiles fired after Azurda, but one set slip through, landing on target as Pyra grabbed Corryn.