"The sword was actually Cor's. When he was younger, my dad was supposed to challenge Gilgamesh but refused. So Cor decided to take the trial himself. He couldn't defeat him but managed to get out alive. No one had done that before, but he lost his sword in the battle. When I defeated Gilgamesh, I was given the sword.

"He wasn't hellbent on killing Shields. Just finding the one strong enough to be able to kill him." He sighed a little and closed his eyes. "There's more to it. More I don't understand myself. But it was somethin I had to do." Gladio had needed to prove to himself, as much as anyone else, that he was still strong. After Ravus defeated him, Gladio had had doubts. But now he knew it was within him, the strength needed to be Noct's Shield when the time came.