This is a fic on Colette's thoughts when she has lost her soul and heart (after the Tower of Salvation). Please, do not read unless you've already been to the Tower of Salvation, just to be safe.

Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia. Namco does.

See the Light

I'm scared. Where am I? I was standing in the Tower of Salvation, and now, I'm in total darkness. It's as if I actually died...but if I did, wouldn't I be either in heaven or...no! I can't be there! What did I do to deserve to be...down there?

I can run, but I'm going nowhere except deeper and deeper into this dark pit. The longer I stay in here, the more I become trapped inside myself...

I just figured out I'm trapped inside myself. But just who am I? Help...I'm scared...Lloyd, where are you? Where are you? How come you're not here when I need you most? I let a tear slide down my cheek.

I can't blame Lloyd. Though the images in the Tower of Salvation are starting to fade, I still recall I agreed to let this happen to me. I agreed to leave my friends, my caring, wonderful friends, and to be trapped inside this...pit for all eternity. At least it feels that way...

Who is Lloyd? I shake my head, trying to clear that little voice that is slowly draining away all my memories. No...get out of my head...I need my friends! I run through the darkness, hoping to see the light that was not here.

I am stuck, trapped in this endless empty vortex. I want to see Grandmother and Father again...I want to see Lloyd...I need them...but who are they?

No...no...I can't remember who they are! Please, help me...I am calling to someone who doesn't exist in this darkness. I stare at myself, and I see me. But who am I? Where am I? Who are these people that I am calling out to, asking them for comfort and help? Why am I like this? Where are my...friends?

I have so many questions...what is a friend? That little, cruel voice is slowly erasing my memories, my hopes, my dreams...I have to fight it. But I can't...I don't have enough strength. Even these scared thoughts running through my head are slowly draining all my strength.

I cry. I stand in this horrid vortex, and I cry. I cannot find my way out. I am tired...that voice is still slowly eating me away. G-go away...get out of my head...

Who am I? That voice has drained me of nearly everything. All I see are dull shadows...only shadows, no light. Now is when I hope for comfort and light, not standing in shadow, crying my heart out. But that evil voice has nearly drained me of my heart, my soul...

I have to fight this voice. I have to live. I cannot explain this, but I have a feeling someone out there wants me to exist. The voice is trying to pull me down into eternal shadow, and I am slowly letting it. But this will not continue...

It is draining my energy, fighting this voice. Now I know how it feels to battle against myself...but I see memories. Even though the people are in shadows, I can see something faint...

A boy is putting something around my neck. I cannot make out this boy; his image is too hazy. All I can see is his red clothing, and feel a gush of warmth coming from him. The thing around my neck is scratchy, but it gives off the same warmth as the boy. Suddenly, I know that boy will be my light.

I am again being engulfed by the voice. I am too weak to fight, too tired. I cannot continue. Perhaps someone will show me the light...I need to get out of this darkness...but how do I do that, if I do not know who I am?

All I can do is sit and cry. My tears are endless...or so I think. They will end when that voice takes me over completely, and I will be part of them. I will feed off other people trapped in this darkness, slowly drawing them to devastation. I cry and cry. It's the only thing I can do, except think of the fate that is in store for me...

Will anyone save me? I sit here, crying, and wonder this. No, the voice answers, you are mine. You will not escape from me. I have already taken your memories. I will take your soul as well.

I would have resisted this, but the voice, and the shadows have already tired me out. I can't fight anymore...please, light, and come to me to me. Please come, as I need you most now. I am about to be swallowed by shadows, by a cold, cruel voice that wants me as prey...

I cry more, the tears staining me cheeks. I pray again. Please, show me the light. Show me the light...I need you. As I think this, I feel my soul slowly slipping away.

A bright light follows, and I wipe the tears out of my eyes. I see memories. I see a blonde-haired girl turning around, smiling at a brown-haired boy...I see the same girl hugging a large animal...I see the girl sitting on a log next to a silver-haired boy, tasting something...I see her holding the brown-haired boy's hand, scribbling messages into it. I see the girl looking at a group of people. She couldn't cry, but if she could, her eyes would be swimming with tears.

I see me. I, Colette Brunel. The brown-haired boy is Lloyd Irving...the silver-haired boy is Genis Sage...the group of people consists of those two boys, the Professor Sage, Sheena, and Kratos.

As I see this, warmth and happiness fills me. My memories and my soul are returning...I have seen the light when I needed it most.