ambivalence

When Kallian's eyes snap open, it is to a world of white.

He notes the existence of the surface beneath him. It feels smooth enough to sit on comfortably, yet textured enough to run on without slipping. But the same white greets him when he looks down. Strange.

He stands up slowly, starting when a small hand slips itself into his. Its owner lets out a noise of surprise, then laughs. The sound tinkles. "Did I scare you?"

Sparkling blue eyes gaze up at him. The hand in his gently tugs him forward. "Come on, brother. Father's been asking for you."

"M-Melia?" His voice shakes. What was she doing here? Had he failed to- "Melia, where am I?"

She tilts her head, small wings fluttering, barely forty-two. "What are you talking about, Kally?"

Kally? Kallian hasn't heard that nickname in decades. He blinks in surprise, and the world changes.

—

Kallian was a hundred-and-five. He was in the Audience Chamber, standing before his father.

"Emperor Caspian has deemed it a suitable time to tell you the truth of our race, my son."

"Of… the High Entia?"

Prince Sorean bowed his head. "It may not be easy to accept. But come, we will discuss this in your chambers."

…

Kallian was no longer an adolescent; he had passed the age of majority years ago, and yet the tears streaming down his face were reminiscent of one far younger. The numbness he first felt when he was told of their destiny had grown into painful loathing. Kallian imagined his home thrown into chaos, imagined their majestic city destroyed by its own people. He imagined Melia sobbing, cowering as a Telethia advanced on her, wanting nothing but her ether, her life force. It could have been any Telethia. Stars forbid, it could have been himself.

Kallian would never forgive himself if he allowed anything like that to happen.

Please, Melia. He remembered the words echoing in his heart. Should we transform, strike us down.

When the only evidence of his earlier breakdown was the damp tracks lining his cheeks, Kallian took a deep breath, opened a window, and stared at the city below for what seemed like forever.

—

A mix of fire and electric ether blows over the Telethia's body. Sensations of a fierce, tingling heat bring him closer to consciousness.

"One more wave should do it."

As the last buffet of ether rolls over him, energy seems to burst from within him and he shoots into the air, stretching muscular green wings. The holographic lights at their tips shine like the brightest lamps of… Al… ca…?

The word slips from his memory as quickly as it came to mind. For a second, it seems he hears another voice, urgently repeating what might have been the entire word, but it soon disappears like a snuffed flame.

"I see you are awake."

At that voice, something inside the Telethia responds. He whirls around and dives back to the ground, coming to rest before the speaker. She is tall with long headwings. There is a spot under her left eye. She is dressed in a red garment, her hair in a neat bun.

"Perhaps my name has slipped from your memory. I am Lorithia."

Lo…ri…thia. He kneels before the High Entia whom he knows their kind must obey. "Hail, Mistress Lorithia!"

"Very good, very good," she chuckles. "Oh, I never thought the day would come when you would bow before me."

The Telethia tilts his head, uncomprehending.

"No matter. You are a powerful one indeed, my Telethia. An attack of yours caused much destruction, but drained your energy. That is why we had to replenish your ether. But now, come with me. We must return to my abode." She climbs onto his back. "You will be of great help to our cause."

With a mighty roar, the Telethia that once was Kallian soars towards the entry to Bionis' Interior.

Once, the inside of the Bionis was a dreary green. Ether moved in sluggish streams and rivers, sometimes forming little puddles in hollows scattered about the titan's body. Cold, dry air crawled through vessels and chambers like the breath of some ancient creature, lying in a dormancy that might have stretched into eternity.

Now the Bionis has awoken. The emerald glow of the ether leaves few areas unlit. Selua float over veins and arteries, seemingly immune to the immense heat radiating from all directions. As the Telethia shoots into Bionis' chest, he sees others of his kind gliding amongst cells so translucent they seem insubstantial.

He is barely winded when he lands smoothly on the ground - or whatever constitutes the cardiac muscle Lorithia climbs down onto. They are in an upper chamber of the Bionis' heart, pulsing pink walls enclosing a space free of any other creatures.

"Look, my Telethia. There is life all around us." Lorithia rests a hand on his flank, her expression a curious mix between a smile and a smirk. "This is the life of Lord Zanza, which we will defend and whose regeneration we ourselves will aid in. We will eliminate any impure life that enters, including that group of creatures who dare to defy Lord Zanza."

"Understood. I will show no mercy."

His mistress nods approvingly. "Accustom yourself to your surroundings. The ether here cannot harm you, not when you are with me. It will empower you, but will deal grievous damage to any creature foolish enough to fall into its depths. Remember this when you fight. In four days' time, we shall leave for Alcamoth and survey the results of the Transformation. We shall lend our aid if needed, but do not attack any creature unless I give the command."

Alcamoth turns out to be a beautiful city. Its glass walls reflect the last rays of the dying sun, making it look like a gigantic ether crystal from afar. This beautiful city is now abandoned, a ghost town filled with green shapes that he recognises as Telethia.

The people. They, too, have been transformed! The Telethia jerks at the sudden noise, slowing his flight. The voice comes from everywhere and nowhere, but the shock and anguish it holds are unmistakable.

"Who are you?" he rumbles, confused, but the voice fades as quickly as it came. Lorithia doesn't seem to notice.

They continue into Alcamoth. Without warning, a few bolts strike him in the foreleg. He charges up a far more powerful attack in retaliation, but lets it fade away once he remembers his mistress's words. She flicks her wrist and the offending Telethia cringe back. "Cease immediately! Recognise your mistress, unworthy beasts."

Lorithia steers the Telethia towards a group of buildings at the side of the city. "Ah, here is the Ministry of Research. I can see the Ministry of Investigation from here. For all their intelligence and efforts, they never once glanced at me. Minister Adriel didn't suspect a thing, even when it was discovered that the Whitewing transporter had been connected to the Tomb. I thought that Valois would have done better - where are you going?"

"The palace… it is… important."

"What exactly is important?" At first, Lorithia pays little heed to her Telethia's disobedience, but one suspicion grows. She reaches into his mind with her own and feels a spark. Teal eyes flicker open for a millisecond, burning with a fierce loyalty to that girl -

"We are done here." Lorithia's voice is colder than ice. "Let us return to the Bionis' heart."

Both Telethia and master calm down as they turn and fly into the deepening blue. Lorithia reaches into his mind once again and notes with relief that silence has returned.

—

"So, it has happened…" The sound of Kallian's voice trailed off amongst the waves lapping at Hovering Reef 3. The sky above was azure, the sun golden. The Eryth Sea that he saw was bright and beautiful, so unlike the destruction sweeping over the real world.

"I cannot take control of my Telethia body - at least, not long enough to do anything. I have been rendered a mere puppet by a traitor."

Yumea placed a hand on his arm. He flinched at the touch, but she kept her hand there. "In the end, we are all mere pawns of fate. Every move we make cannot be reversed. Each piece falls from the chess board with its job done and its existence forgotten. But do not lose heart. The grandmaster has been challenged. The game has not yet ended. And a pawn can still be promoted."

"What are you… talking about?"

She took Kallian by his shoulders, made him look her in the face. "Listen. I myself was transformed. I told Tyrea to release me to the Bionis. I would leave her with my Empress Staff. But then Melia came, together with those Homs and that Nopon she left Alcamoth with. Even I, in my Telethia form, recognised what shone from within her. As much as I… hate to admit it, that girl is part of what brings hope to our dying world."

The prince stared at her. "I never expected to hear such words from you of all people."

"You are unable to trust me after everything I did to you and your sister. I am sorry." She turned from him and looked out over Eryth Sea. "But I have left my staff in Melia's hands. You will know of my sincerity when you see her again."

After a minute or so of silence, Kallian spoke again.

"Mother... or whoever you are now… She will not disappoint you."

I see now. My two consciousnesses inhabit this single body. Or perhaps my High Entia consciousness only remains because my own body… is present. Kallian feels slightly uncomfortable at the thought of his High Entia body protruding from the chest of his Telethia self. If he could look around the Bionis' heart while maintaining his consciousness, which pair of eyes would… Kallian shakes his head. He doesn't really want to think about it. He gets to his feet and begins walking in no particular direction.

The whiteness stretches on, an infinite space in the confines of his mind. It has been five days, maybe more, since Kallian was transformed. He has relived memories and even dreamed of his mother. Her spirit is a strange mix between who she had been before the arrival of Second Consort Minthe and who she is now - or was. The thought of her voice and smile, gentle once more, is bittersweet.

Now that I have been trapped in this body, it is extremely unlikely that I will be able to return to my High Entia form. He has tried to fight his Telethia consciousness, but it seems that all his freedom lies in his own mind. However, there seems to be a sort of ether distribution between his own consciousness and his Telethia consciousness. This distribution, as he discovered on his journey to Alcamoth, changes when either consciousness is weakened.

Kallian stops. Perhaps… if it was possible…

He closes his eyes and focuses on the ether within him. Most of it pulses green, some glows blue. Each remains separate, green dominating the scene while blue is packed into a corner. He tries to change and shift the ether around. Suddenly, a few blue ether particles detach themselves from the general mass and move towards the green particles, their colour slowly changing to match. Kallian feels his consciousness waver and quickly draws the blue particles back. I will have to wait until my strength returns before attempting this again.

Kallian's third dream brings him to the Audience Chamber. It is the day before the battle against the Mechonis. The leaders of the High Entia, Homs and Nopon are gathered before him.

"This concludes our final meeting. I thank each and every one of you for your part in our efforts."

The prince watches as they exit the Audience Chamber, some in orderly groups and others by themselves. Chief Dunga has some trouble getting the Nopon back in line, but after ten minutes or so, the hall is empty again. He himself is about to leave when he sees a telltale blue flash at the entrance. So, he stops, waits, and then steps back as a painfully familiar figure emerges from the transporter before him.

"You have done admirably, Kallian."

Eyes once dull with death are filled with life again. The bloodstains that had covered his blue and silver robes are gone. Sorean's expression is usually stoic, even when he speaks to his children, but his smile now is the most relaxed his son has ever seen.

"Father… I am sorry. I failed to protect our people. They have been transformed into Telethia. I can only hope that the half-Homs have been evacuated safely."

Sorean shakes his head. "It is true that you were unable to turn our people from their fates. But do not ignore what you have done for them. You worked with the people to rebuild the capital. You recovered from your loss. You reached out further than any emperor has in generations and succeeded in uniting the peoples of Bionis. Melia herself has come so far. She has learned and experienced much. She is almost ready to lead the survivors. Even now, she and her companions are preparing for their journey to the heart of the Bionis."

"So… I will see her again. But I am not in command of my own body. Lorithia will do her utmost to annihilate them." Kallian looks distraught, understandably so.

"Then you must be prepared. You have realised what happens when your Telethia body is attacked, have you not?"

"This consciousness will grow stronger. Father, are you saying that -"

"Yes. You will know it when the time comes. Your sister is strong, but even I cannot predict what seeing you again will do to her. However, I know that Melia will fight Lorithia for everything she has lost. She will fight to free you."

Kallian's smile is melancholic. "Once I am released… I will pass on, will I not? But it is still better than living in this body, fated to serve Lorithia for the rest of my accursed existence. I only hope that I will be able to speak with Melia before I leave. I must bid her a proper goodbye."

"The cycle of creation and destruction is drawing to its end. To break the cycle, Melia and her companions must face and defeat Zanza himself. Whatever happens to this world, know that they will not give up without a fight." The Audience Chamber begins to melt into familiar whiteness. Sorean too begins to fade.

"We await you, regent of the High Entia. Only you can bring about Lorithia's demise."

"…those Homs are worthy enemies. I and Dickson faced them with a horde of Telethia, but they did not fall before us."

"What did I tell you, Alvis? The ones you took with you were weak. You might have done better with a Havres Telethia. Not one but three High Entia bodies united with the sheer power of the Havres! Mine is the crown of them all." Lorithia laughs at her own joke.

Alvis sighs. "You do remember that the Havres Telethia were destroyed in the explosion he caused?"

"Well, he is a powerful one." She lowers her voice. "Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that this Telethia keeps his High Entia body, but Kallian's consciousness is still present. I believe it was this consciousness that made him turn towards the Imperial Palace when we travelled to Alcamoth."

"Is that so?" The silver-haired man looks interested. "I hear he fought against his transformation for quite a while."

"Yes, that might have caused it. Thankfully, such occasions are rare. Well, I have only to wait here. They will come. That girl will come. How fitting for her to die at the claws of her brother!"

"Brother? Whose brother am I?" the Telethia growls softly, but Alvis does not seem to hear him. He thinks of asking why he has been feeling somewhat weaker lately, and why that voice within him talks a little more now, but he probably won't get an answer, so he remains quiet.

In the white world of Kallian's consciousness, green and blue ether particles swirl in separate haunting dances. Some green particles break away and join the blue. A few float back, but he still feels a sense of satisfaction. He's getting better at shifting the ether.

Ten days after Zanza's return, Melia and her companions arrive at the Bionis' heart. Their battle against Lorithia is drawn-out and difficult. Merging with Kallian's Telethia, she pushes the party members around into the puddles of ether surrounding the battlefield. She summons Nebulae to increase her defence and further damage her foes. Her attacks are dealt and cooled down at a surprising speed, but the seven do not give up, instead fighting harder than they ever have.

Melia's elementals are blindingly bright. Shulk darts in and out of attacking range, his shields flashing on and off while he slashes at Lorithia. Physical arts do little to the Telethia, but Reyn and Dunban strike powerfully enough that they draw the aggro a few times. In terms of attacking, Sharla cannot do much, but her ether shots heal each party member enough for them to continue. Riki dances around, gusts of ice and fire surging from his biter. There is a blonde girl among them who Kallian does not recognise. She fights with drones and twin daggers, occasionally releasing powerful ether attacks. Each blow brings with it a jolt of pain that pushes one more green particle towards the blue cloud. He presses on through the battle, focusing every effort on returning the ether to himself.

Finally, the Telethia weakens enough that Kallian can press his advantage. Particles change sides in a flurry of blue. He reaches out to his Telethia self and confuses Lorithia's commands so that it writhes in pain and bewilderment. As the party's last attacks rain down on them, his aura begins to expand until it finally bursts out of the Telethia, filling the heart of the Bionis. Kallian concentrates on his sister and draws her into his consciousness.

"Brother? Is that… really you?"

Kallian's footsteps echo as he walks towards Melia. His sister falls to her knees and lowers her head as sobs wrack her body. Yumea's staff lies abandoned beside her. "I have longed to see you!"

"I too, Melia." As much as you have.

She looks up at him and opens her mouth to speak, but drops her gaze at the last moment. "Brother, I must apologise. To you, and to everyone."

"Because of our transformation into Telethia?"

"I… am a princess. But I brought misfortune upon the High Entia. I…" Melia braces herself against the floor with a hand, wiping her eyes with the other. It is evident that his sister is unable to face him, so Kallian kneels before her, tilting her chin up with the tips of his fingers. Though her actions are not outside his expectations, her obvious grief and feelings of guilt pain him as well.

"You are mistaken, Melia. The Telethia gene lies dormant within us all. There was no escaping the cursed blood in our veins, sister. It was fate. That is why our father sought to dilute the bloodline."

Melia looks down, lifting a hand to wipe her face. Kallian leans forward and puts a hand on her shoulder. "You are the hope of the High Entia," he says, tightening his grip just enough to reassure his sister of his presence. "You will not transform into a Telethia. Even after the Bionis has reawakened, you can still succeed the imperial line. You have the power to end our suffering. Knowing this, both I and Father were happy to sacrifice ourselves. It was our choice."

"Brother…" Melia's sobbing has calmed, but sadness and helplessness still emanate from her.

"There is no need to fear. After all, this is precisely our wish." He gazes at her for a moment longer, then stands. "In the end, you are the only ones who can stop Zanza."

Melia rises, her staff in her hands. "Yes."

"Now, leave her to me." Kallian turns away, determination filling him. His aura begins to retreat into the Telethia, pulling him with it. Before he vanishes, he glances back at his sister. "You must go. You must accompany Shulk."

Kallian separates himself from the Telethia, his strength rekindled. He locks his former mistress in and turns the Telethia's ether against itself. White light rips and tears through its body as it slowly disintegrates. Lorithia shrieks. "No! My Telethia! You - what have you done?"

"I have done nothing," replies Melia, new resolve glimmering in her eyes as she points the Empress Staff at her. "This is your destiny. Accept it with dignity!"

"My body! No! I was promised immortality!"

Harnessing the last of his power, Kallian gives the ether a final push and the Telethia fulminates. The echoes of Lorithia's dying scream fade as he himself is blasted upwards to hover at the top of the heart, a High Entia once more. The rushing of the ether makes a sound reminiscent of the meteor showers the siblings used to watch together.

"Brother." Melia smiles through her tears.

"Melia." Kallian has little time left, but he is content. He knows now that his sister will heal. Ether leaves him in sparks and waves as he speaks. "At long last I can be with Father. You must now live your own life. The path you forge, the future you choose. That is the hope of the High Entia."

There is a single second that freezes in the passage of time. Melia's heart is torn and mended. Kallian lets everything go.

(Farewell.)

fin.