I'm back! So yeah this story came out later than I thought but here it is.
I love the Tales series so I had to write an original story with them that came to me after listening to the opening of Tales of Vesperia several times. I'm one of those who thinks there is a timeline to the Tales series and I will one of these days I will figure it out. This is the first instalment to that timeline. Maybe this is a spoiler but whatever. This story is sortakinda setting up Vesperia to be the prequel to Tales of Symphonia. So read this probably long story if you're interested.
Also I know other people have taken the title Ring a Bell for their Vesperia fics and I promise I didn't steal that from them! This story has been sitting in my computer for over a year. I only took it because this story was inspired from the song but also because a bell will play a role.
I'm giving way too much information.
Disclaimer: I only own the characters that are in this prologue. The characters you all really wanted to read about are going to appear next chapter plus my ocs. Read, enjoy, and review.
Prologue
The world, Terca Lumireis, is on the verge of destruction. Everyone knew this since it was right in the sky. The Adephagos. It feeds off aer, the very source to power blastia. Though they had become key in daily life by providing fire, water, and more importantly barriers to protect the cities from monsters they played a role in bringing the catastrophe. And it wouldn't stop until it suck every last drop of aer out of Terca Lumireis; even if it meant converting all life into aer.
The whole world was in turmoil as every man, woman, and child tried to escape the inevitable. To cites that had a barrier and knights or guild members to protect them.
No sane person would be in the middle of Keiv Moc in a down pour of rain. Except maybe a young woman who was on the run from the Knights of Zaphias.
For over a year she had been hunted down by the Empire. She managed to escape their grasp on several occasions but she was getting tired of running. She recently lost the Imperial Knights but they caught her scent once again in Dahngrest, home of the Union that ran all the guilds on Tolbyccia.
Underneath the simple commoner clothes, which were now covered in blood, was light leather armor making it much easier to navigate through the forest of Keiv Moc. Her hair came to her chin and she even had a cluster of long bangs running down the side of her nose that refused to me moved to one side of her face. With her hair wet and plastered on her face it looked like her hair was the color of night. Though her bangs annoyed her it was her eyes that really did. They were amber but one of them had a little green around the pupil. It wasn't very noticeable unless someone looked directly at it but it irritated her. On her wrist appeared to be a bodi blastia, the type that enhanced the users fighting abilities as well as convert the aer into magic. The rusty, monster-bloodied sword she held thumped against the overgrown tree branches as she ran like she was still being chased.
Even if the knights could find her trail in the forest she doubted any of them would actually follow her into the monster infested forest. But she couldn't risk if one of them were after her. If they were here she would have no hope. She could outwit the knights easily and even to an extent beat them in a fight. But she wouldn't have a prayer against the Empire's secret knights. So she kept running and stayed high on the road like tree roots.
You don't have to outrun them forever, Ren. Just a little more and this will all be over, she told herself. Fatigue was setting in but with her objective all most over it gave her a little more strength. But there wasn't much left in her.
As Ren came near the end of her branch, she leapt on another one only to lose her footing on the wet wood and fall to the soggy ground below. She didn't move for a while. Her body was worn-out from days without sleep, chilled to the bone from the rain, and severely injured from all the monster encounters. It just refused to move, her body demanded rest.
Maybe…I can close my eyes for just a few minutes, she reasoned as her eye slowly closed. She wanted so badly to given in and sleep in the mud.
After no time at all, the buzzing sounds of monster wings approaching caused her body to push past the extreme and push herself out of the mud. She gathered the sword that fell a little ways from her and continued running.
Living for the next little bit was her only goal, after that she really didn't care if she lived or died because once the Adephagos was gone from the sky she would be all alone in the world. It was pathetic really; her only friend was what appeared to be a blastia on her arm. Pretty soon it and all the others will be turned into spirits to help defeat the Adephagos.
Very few knew about the spirit conversion and Ren happened to find out that little bit of information by pure accident. But Ren knew it was happening soon because the thing on her wrist told her. Though it appeared to be a blastia it was really an apatheia disguised to look like one. Her grandfather had told her it had been passed down their family for generation. "Never leave it alone, Ren." He told her.
Apatheia were crystalized from of aer that are left behind by powerful creatures, which were called Entelexeia, when they die and blastia were made at the expense of the Entelexeia. That part sickened Ren when her grandfather told her.
But Entelexeia's conciseness was supposed to die with it but the apatheia she had somehow still possessed it since it talk to her. But it could very well just be its memories she was hearing since sometimes it spoke complete nonsense. Like one time it said it was a lovely day out and it was raining. Maybe it just likes that kind of weather, she honestly wasn't sure. The only thing she was sure of was that this apatheia had been the only thing that has stayed by her side no matter what.
Up ahead, the voice warned her. Her head shot up in time to see two large beetles flying toward her.
Gripping the hilt with both hands Ren quickened her pace and once the one in front was close enough she jumped forward with the sword up cutting the insect in half, making its guts and blood land on her. She barely managed to evade the second one but its razor-sharp pincer cut deep into her cheek. Turning sharply she managed to stab its underside and it fell to the ground.
Standing there panting, the sword felt heavy in her hand and the tip hit the ground with her death grip still on the hilt. There was probably no telling how many monsters she had killed so far and there were still tons left. There are more coming, the voice said again. Even though Ren wasn't sure if the apatheia really was talking to her it always was right when it came to enemies. So she began making her sluggish pace forward.
She wondered if she should climb back up the trees for safer measures. But she decided to stay on the ground since she doubted she had the strength to climb back up. Hopefully it wasn't too much longer until the spirit conversion.
Just a little more, she reassured herself. Finally she reached as far as her legs would go and she collapsed to the muddy ground. Before her was a large tree that had tiny green particles gushing out of the ground from its roots. Ren was amazed when she realized she had made it to the center of the forest. She knew it was the aer krene in this area.
But very quickly she heard more monsters approaching her.
"For once I would like some rest before I'm forced into a fight," Ren said out loud as she pushed herself into a sitting position to face the upcoming monsters coming for her. There were a lot, most being bug type.
Holding out her hand, a white magic circle formed underneath her. "Eternal light, ever true and undefined, grant this wanton sinner before me the majesty of thy judgment," she chanted. An orb of light manifested in her extended hand and flew above the monsters' heads. "Ray!"
Beams of light shot out of the orb and struck each one of the monsters. Most were dead but some fled, deciding to wait for her to die before they ate her.
Her arm fell heavily down and Ren rested against the bark of the tree. Though it was rough on her back it still felt wonderful to rest just like the soggy ground did just moments ago. Looking up rain filled sky she knew she would die soon. There was no way she could make it out of this forest in her state and even if by some miracle she did there was no doubt she would have pneumonia. Death held no fear for her; in fact she was getting a little tired of living anyway. Once the apatheia was turned into a spirit there was nothing else for her to live for and she would take the secrets that were held in her body with her to the grave. She smiled at the thought of being reunited with her grandfather and meeting her mother and father for the first time.
She wouldn't be chased or hunted like some animal anymore. There would be no more pain. She wouldn't be alone anymore. Death was sounding like a long last friend.
Suddenly, the air shifted and the apatheia began to glow brightly. It's time, it said.
She looked down at the crystal on her wrist and a feeling she hadn't felt since she watched her grandfather die returned. Her chest tightened and there may have been a few tears but with all the rain it was hard to tell. "Thank you…for everything," she whispered to it.
No…thank you…Goodbye. As soon as it said that the light grew brighter and suddenly it shot out of the crystal and into the sky. More began to follow after it like shooting stars and soon the whole sky was covered with them.
Had Ren not been in such pain or given up on life, she would have thought the sight as beautiful. The monsters didn't seem to care for the spectacle either as another wave of them were circling her.
"You want me, well come and get me. I've no strength left," she said weakly. As if understanding what she was saying they began moving toward her, but hesitantly as they seemed unsure whether she was going to attack again.
As the monsters made their slow progress, Ren reached into her pocket to pull out her most treasured item. A soft and gentle sound echoed in her hand; a small silver bell. It was the last thing she had of her family. She clutched it to her chest and prayed I'll be with you all soon; please wait for me.
But then her eyes shot back open as she felt the mana in her body seemed to gather all in one place in her body. It wasn't painful but it certainly didn't feel comfortable. She happened to look up in time to see one of the many shooting stars heading right for her. The ray of light struck her in the heart causing the concentrated mana to go haywire in her body, like it was using the inside of her body for a punching bag.
A scream of agony escaped her mouth as a bright light filled her eyes. Then like popping a balloon all of it was released from her body leaving her completely drained.
The light slowly faded and her eyes were returned to the dark and rainy forest but this time all the monsters were gone. She wondered if she had done it until she realized there was a source of warmth in her lap.
Slowly, Ren began to look down and what she saw startled her. It looked like a fox curled up on her lap but it was oddly colored and it had three tails. It was the same size as a fox but its fur was a yellow, paws were dark purple, and the three tails were a spectrum of green and blue. Out of fear for what it was she didn't dare move even if it was possible for her to do so. But the thing raised its head, which caused her to flinch. It opened its eyes revealing dark but intelligent eyes staring at her.
"You're Ren, the one who carried my core all this time, right?" The fox asked.
She was hallucinating, she had to be. The cold and the loss of blood were making her brain hear and see this…thing. Right now the monsters were probably chewing on her bones.
"I asked you a question. I never knew you to be daft, Ren," it said again.
Her muscles relaxed, which she hadn't realized she'd been tensed up, as she looked the creature over again. Hell, if this was a hallucination she might as well play along. "How do you know my name?"
It chuckled, "We've traveled together all your life, I should think it common courtesy to at least know that much about your companion."
She gasped at the realization and quickly raised her arm to examine where the core was. It was gone. "Are you saying you were the apatheia?"
"That's correct, though…I'm not quite sure how that happened. But somehow it is because of you that I am alive again."
"Well…do you have a name?" She had asked it several times when it was still an apatheia but it would never give an answer.
"I'm sure I did when I was once an Entelexeia but I don't remember it. Perhaps you should give me a new one," it suggested.
Ren groaned at that, she hated being put one the spot and coming up with a name no less! She wasn't creative at all! "It's your new life, why don't you pick your own name?"
Shacking its head it said, "No, I prefer you to do it since it's because of you that I have this new life."
She was trying to think of a name for this thing but only common, boring names like Henry or Jake came to mind and they didn't seem appropriate for this multi-colored, talking fox. But like everyone else this thing would probably leave once it got what it wanted so why should she care about his name? So she said the first odd name that she thought of, "How about Verius?"
"Verius?" It repeated, sounding very unsure. But with a heavy sigh it said, "Very well, from this point on I'll be known as Verius." The fox curled back into her lap and she just stared down at him.
"What are you doing?"
A yawn escaped the fox's mouth, "You are far too injured to move from this spot and without me who will keep the monsters from thinking you're dinner?"
It…or Verius wanted to help her? Why though? What was in it for him? Sure she gave him a name but was it really that big a deal? "After that, what will you do?" She asked him.
"Whatever you plan do because the two of us are bounded together. But that's not the real reason, it's because you are my only friend," he answered her.
Friend? She hadn't heard that word in so long. Was Verius being sincere about it? She had always thought of him as one when he was an apatheia but he didn't really get a say till now. But a form of companionship was something she always longed for. Maybe this was her chance.
Gradually she stretched her hand out toward him. When she was just inches from his head her hand recoiled slightly in fear her might not want any contact but continued her advance until her fingers felt his fur. It was soft and warm against her numb fingers and she gently began stroking him like a cat.
For the first time in a long time, and probably the last, she let the walls she had built around her fall completely down and let fatigue do with her whatever it wanted because she was going to put her trust in her longtime friend. It took no time at all for her eyes to become heavy and fall completely asleep.
There was a dream, a very simple one but it was nice because she had almost forgotten how wonderful they could be.
/~/~/
"So it's started, huh?" A man with graying hair and a white lab coat said out loud as he walked into the basement lab under Zaphias's castle. Nearly everyone was unaware of what was underneath their feet, only his staff and of course the very person who gave them their orders knew about this room. It was rather dark but the three other researchers didn't bother lighting any candles because their instruments gave enough light for them to do their work.
He rather like the lab the former commandant provided for him and his team to do research on aer and blastia. It was secluded so people wouldn't bother or distract them and there were just so many resources at his disposal. Sure he didn't like working for the former commandant, Alexei, but he was a valuable tool for his real employer. That's all the former commandant was; a tool. It had been so easy for his employer to manipulate that fool into raising the Sacred Shrine of Zaude. It still made him laugh how Alexei thought he was the one pulling the strings when really he was just another puppet.
"Yes doctor," the one female research answered. "The spirit conversion is in effect. Very soon all the blastia will become useless."
The older man would be lying if he said it would be devastating to their research if all the blastia were gone. Don't get him wrong, it was a little disheartening because he had spent more or less his whole life experimenting with them. But he would rather live than die at the Adephagos' hand. On the plus side, all aer was being converted into mana which would help with their next project much more.
He strolled past her and stood in front of a large test tube that was taller and wider than he was and it gave off an eerie green glow. In the center of the tube was a small krityan child floating in the tube. His eyes were open but fully devoid of any emotion or life. After the "incident" this child's body went into self-preservation mode and he hasn't been responsive to anything. "What's the state of Subject Six's condition?"
"Same as he is everyday Doc." A man at the terminal said. "Steady pulse and no responses."
Of course, he should really stop asking that. If something did change his staff would immediately notify him. It had just become routine.
Running a hand through his hair he gave a frustrated sigh. Just what were they going to do with this child? The first experiment preformed on him was a complete failure and even if it wasn't it would be soon. From what he was told, Subject Six went into a state of shock after something traumatic happen and the only reason they were keeping him was so they could get the data from him. But they couldn't if he remained in this state and he was sure this new commandant, Sytho, or whatever his name was, wouldn't appreciate this sort of thing.
Either way it was time to move shop. Hide all the research and move to a more public lab. That last part was what he dreaded the most but that was their employer's wish, hide in plain sight, and they must comply with it. But he still wondered what to do with the boy?
As he began to oversee all the data being transferred the room suddenly grew brighter. For a split seconded the doctor thought the knights were on to them and had come to raid them but he realized that wasn't it.
In the corner was the apatheia that Alexei had acquired when he had captured the princess. Of course, if blastia were being turned into spirits then why not apatheia too? They were basically the same thing. The crystal suddenly began to float in midair until it was in front of Subject Six's tube. Suddenly the light grew brighter, like a flash bomb had gone off, and blinded all of them. Though he couldn't see he heard glass shattering and running water.
Soon the light disappeared and they were left in the dark. All their blastia were now useless so there was no more power for their equipment and so there is no more light. He came prepared though. In his pockets, he brought candles and matches. He pulled them out and lit them.
It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting but soon he saw that his researchers were on the ground fearing something was going to explode, which wouldn't be the first time that had happened. Then female researcher suddenly gasped causing everyone to look at what was wrong.
It was the tube that Subject Six was in; it was broken with him lying on the floor. The doctor and his team quickly rushed over to the body. The whole floor was wet from the liquid in the tube and it was still running from it. Before any of them could grab hold of him Subject Six's body began shift. Very slowly he pushed himself until he was in his feet. He was completely unstable and it took some time for him to find his center of balance after some swaying. But soon he stood as if he were still in the tube.
Half of his team's mouth fell as they witnessed the first movement Subject Six has done in a long time. The doctor was the only one that had snapped out of his senses and moved closer to the boy. Moving the candle closer, the doctor saw that while the boy's expression was passive his eyes weren't quite as lifeless like they were in the tube. But there was something off about this child. He'd have to run some test to be certain but that seemed to be the case. He smiled at the possibilities that could happen if his hypothesis is correct.
But first he had to find out how alert Subject Six was. He got eye level with the boy and asked him, "Can you tell me your name?"
There was long pause and just as the doctor was going to give up on him, the boy answered in a lifeless tone, "Vael."
He speaks! The doctor couldn't believe his luck! With this new development there were so many possibilities with their new plans. This new world was certainly going to be interesting
