Hello! And welcome to the Spare Entries Story where you can view the Entries of each chapter from "From Here to Eternity". The entry with the most votes was posted in the actual story and will not be found. This place is solely for you, the readers, to see what else was available for choosing. When a number skips, obviously that's the winning chapter, in this case, Submission Two by Twilight Scribe.
Also I am employing the same method of organization that is seen everywhere. If you want to skip ahead use the control F option, do so and look for "Submission" and the numerical number for which one you want. In this case: Submissions 1, 3, 4 & 5 are available.
~~Kat
Submission 1 By I.K.A Valian
"Lloyd!" cried Genis. "Lloyd, oh no, you can't… you can't be dead!"
Genis threw himself at the frozen body and dragged it off of the pile of wood it lay upon. The frozen body was Lloyd Irving. Genis sobbed as he dragged Lloyd's dead body a short distance away from the wood pile.
"Lloyd…" Genis' knees made depressions in the snow as he fell onto the frozen Lloyd. He grabbed onto the stiff with frost leather jacket the Lloyd was wearing. "I can't believe you're dead Lloyd. It's just not possible."
A man detached from the crowd gathered around the funeral pyre. He moved to Genis' side and kneeled down. The man's hand smoothed the rumpled blue cloth of Genis' shirt as he rubbed the grieving boy's back. Tears dripped from Genis' chin as he watched the unmoving body in front of him. The salty water froze before they hit the snow.
"Did you know this unfortunate young man?" asked the stranger. "He was here for quite a while. He was found in town just before he died. From what I hear his injuries were quite severe. Even the local doctor wasn't able to do anything."
"Why was he on that pile of wood?" asked Genis. He wiped his face on his arm. His tears left a shiny streak.
"That's the funeral pyre," said the stranger. "They were going to burn his body."
Genis opened his mouth to speak, but his voice caught in his throat. After a few more moments of trying to speak, Genis gave up and sobbed some more instead.
The crowd waited, snuggled tight in their parkas and coats. The pile of wood was built up a fair distance away from the city of Flanoir. Thus, the wind was blowing and the snow drifts were piling higher and higher.
"Come," said the stranger, "let us put your friend back onto pyre and we'll send him his Eternal Rest with the Goddess."
"No," said Genis. He shook his head and grabbed onto Lloyd's body again. "Not yet. I'm not ready yet."
The pile of wood suddenly caught fire. The crowd gave a collective gasp. Then the ice below the fire started to evaporate in a huge plume of steam. The ground beneath Genis and the crowd began to shake and rumble.
The sound of a great roaring of water permeated the air. A huge crack suddenly split the ice on which they all stood. Even more steam shot into the air, miles up.
The crowd was thrown and scattered in various direction as the ground beneath them exploded. Genis and Lloyd's body were thrown halfway back to Flanoir. Lloyd's body landed in a pile of snow and Genis bounced off of a melting snowman and into a snow bank.
Before he lost consciousness, Genis saw a huge plume of black smoke and gray ash belching into the air from where the funeral pyre once stood. An angry red glow emanated from beneath the melting ice.
The waters around Palmacosta sloshed and writhed with froth as they receded from the city. Boats big and small were unceremoniously dumped onto the ocean bed. Like an avenging angel of Cruxis, the water then fell back onto the city.
Boats and dock alike were torn to pieces by the torrential force of the wave. Citizens wailed out in fear as they were slammed into building sides, thrown into the air, or simply carried out to sea. Houses were flattened. Trees were ripped free of the ground.
"I call upon the Maiden of the Mist! Undine!"
The horrendously huge wave of water suddenly froze in place. Like a calm stream, the waters receded. Errant trees were laid calmly down. The people, those alive and those drowned, were set down with the gentleness of a mother's caress.
In the center of the mess was a single female ninja. Her ceremonial robes hung from her physique, heavy with water. Her breathing was labored. Drops of water rained off of her to make loud splats on the pavement.
"What in the world just happened?!" she shouted.
A blond girl, wearing all white, ran onto a bridge connected to another part of the city. She stopped at the highest part of the bridge's arc and scanned the area. When she spotted the ninja, the blonde's face brightened.
"Sheena!" she cried. The blond ran as quickly as she could toward Sheena. She deftly avoided the dead bodies, the people groaning on the ground, and the fallen debris. She twirled around a large chunk of rock. Just as she reached Sheena, right as she slowed down, she tripped.
"Whoa!"
Sheena, broken from the spell she was under, blinked, her eyelids dragging themselves slowly across the surface of her eyes. She saw the people lying about, the carnage, the destruction. Memories of the Temple of Lightning and that first failed attempt to make a pact with Volt rumbled around her mind. Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw someone move. Her pulse picked up immediately.
"Is that…" The blond girl pushed up with her arms and lifted her body so that she could get her legs underneath her. Sheena ran forward and helped the blond up the rest of the way. "Colette! What are you doing here?"
"I was on my way for the peace meeting," said Colette. She brushed her white dress off and straightened up. "When I saw the giant wave coming, I ran into the city to try and help people that were hurt. I thought I heard someone summon Undine. That was great timing, Sheena."
"I-it was nothing," said Sheena. A moan arose from someone behind the two women. "Come on, we've got to see if anyone needs help."
"Come this way, Miss Sage."
Raine followed the Mayor of Exire closely. The two of them navigated the extended bridge that led to Maxwell's tablet. The journey to the tablet consumed nearly fifteen minutes, but finally she and the Mayor stood in front of a tombstone.
"I'm sorry for your loss," said the Mayor, "she wasn't in good health recently. I'm told she passed away in her sleep."
"It's quite alright Mayor," said Raine. She brought her hand to her chin and gazed vacantly at the tombstone. "Do you think I could have a moment alone?"
"Of course," said the Mayor. "Just be careful on your trip back across the bridge."
Raine, now alone, kneeled down in front of the tombstone on the soft grass there. She ran her fingers over the lettering engraved on it. The name Virginia Sage shadowed slightly from the angle of the sun. Raine dropped her head and let her hair fall.
"Mother, I'm sorry I couldn't return in time," Raine said. There was no response but for a slight breeze that rustled the verdant grass. "I… I helped regenerate the world. I can't say we've made it better, since half-elves are still persecuted. However, Genis and I will work for as long as it takes to get the world to accept us. And… we're happy." Raine lifted her head and searched the stone tablet in front of her. "I hope that… can give you the peace I wasn't able to the last time we met."
Raine stood up and brushed her coat off. "Good bye, mother," she said, "I'll come to visit again soon. I'll bring Genis with me."
Raine turned and slowly walked away from the tombstone. Her steps were light and soft on the grass. Just as she reached the bridge, Raine's pace slowed to a stop. There was a great black cloud spinning over the main platform of Exire. She frowned.
"That wasn't there when I got here," she said. She started forward again. "I wonder what it could be."
When Raine reached the halfway point, the black cloud suddenly dropped onto Exire. The winds picked up dramatically inside of the town's many platforms. It became so fierce that people were lifted from the ground and thrown into the air.
The constantly moving air howled loud and deep. Raine's bones vibrated from the jarring sound waves, but she pushed into the headwind as fast as she could. Ahead of her she could hear screams emanating from people being launched from Exire by the rampaging funnel cloud.
Raine nearly made it to the end of the bridge when a powerful gust knocked her over the side. She grabbed onto the ledge quickly. The old stone walkway was covered in moss on the edge she'd grabbed. For a few seconds she hung from edge, attempting to conquer her fear of falling while trying to climb back up.
She reached out to grab what looked like a less mossy part of the bridge. Before she could grab it, her other hand slipped. Her fingers grazed the bridge and then she fell. Before the black cloud engulfed her, she glimpsed a bright light that appeared to be angel wings.
A young girl stood next an axe as tall as she. Next to the girl stood a man, tall and broad of shoulder. Both were covered in burn marks, scuffs, and soot. In front of them, the former forest where Ozette once existed was naught but ashes played with by the wind.
"Ozette…" said the girl. "Ozette is gone." Her arm trembled as she lowered her head, letting her pink bangs cover her eyes. "After all the hard work we put into restoring it. You, Lloyd, and all the others. Now it's all gone."
The man placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "I don't know how the fire started," said the man. "But I assure you, Presea, none of us will give up on restoring Ozette, even if we have to replant the entire forest."
The girl smiled from behind her bangs. "Yes… That is something Lloyd would say, don't you think, Regal?"
Regal nodded, but did not crack his serious expression with even the slightest of grins. "I suppose his attitude has rubbed off on me a little," he said. For a while longer, they stood in the ashes of Ozette. "Let us go to Altessa's house. Our Rheairds are there and we'll need to clean up before we head back to Meltokio for the ceremony." Regal paused for a moment. "Presea, I'm sorry."
"We will rebuild," she said. The grasp she had on the axe next to her tightened, the leather of her gloves squeaking.
"Master Zelos, your guests have arrived."
Zelos looked up from the papers in his hands. "Thanks Sebastian. Tell them I'll be right down. I have a few more of these reports to read." Zelos lifted leaves of paper into the air and wiggled them.
"Very good, sir," Sebastian said. The butler bowed, turned, and left the office. He traveled with an air of purpose to the end of the hall, down the stairs, and into the parlor of the Wilder Mansion. He raised his arm and coughed into his gloved hand to announce his presence to the five people in and about the room.
"Master Zelos has told me to inform his guests that he will be a short while longer," Sebastian said. "Please be patient."
The five people watched Sebastian nod, turn, and leave. Presea narrowed her eyes at the coffee table in front of the lounge chair she and Regal sat on. The coffee in the five cups on the table remained where they were when poured minutes before.
"Why are we all here when we could be out there doing something to help with these disasters?" Presea asked.
Genis walked forward into the center of the room, turned, and paced back to his starting position. "I'm worried about Raine. I still don't know where she is. She might have been hurt and is dying somewhere. Oh Martel, I hope she's okay."
"Calm down Genis." Sheena stopped Genis' pacing with a calm hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure Raine is just fine. She can handle herself a lot better than many of us give her credit for."
"I believe we also thought that of Lloyd," said Regal. He glanced down at Presea. "And I believe it was made clear that we're not invincible in Ozette."
Presea's face darkened as she tilted her chin downward. "Yes," she said.
"Oh, Lloyd, what happened?" Colette turned from the casket at the back of the room. She looked at Genis and reflected back at him the sad, guilty look he was wearing. "I just wish he were here too. I'm sure he'd know something."
"The absence of Raine as well is troubling," said Regal. He nodded to himself. "Genis, I do hope she wasn't headed toward the ruins of the Tower of Mana. I've heard that it sank into the earth after a horrendous earthquake that nearly swallowed Luin."
Genis shook his head. "No, Raine said she was going to see Mother in Exire. She wanted to try and heal her. I-"
"Well kiddies, it appears that Flanoir and Palmacosta weren't the only cities hit with massive natural disasters." Zelos frowned as he descended the stairs. His voice deepened as he continued. "It appears that Mizuho, Heimdall, and Exire were also hit by strange phenomenon."
Genis paled. Sheena clutched onto his shoulders in a tighter embrace. Colette frowned.
"However," said Zelos, "there's some good news. The citizens of Exire were saved by some miraculous help in the form of a healer, imagine that. No one died."
"Oh thank Martel," said Colette.
Genis let out a really deep breath. His color quickly returned, but his knees suddenly started buckling. Sheena patted Genis on the back.
Zelos grinned. "You worry too much twerp."
Genis made a face at Zelos, but his eyes reflected the relief he obviously felt.
"Anyway," said Zelos, "after the fire in Ozette, the tsunami in Palmacosta, the volcanic eruption in Flanoir, the twister in Exire, a random and violet attack by an Exbelua in Katz Village, deadly hail in Heimdall, the earthquake at the Tower of Mana ruins, and the blizzard in Mizuho, the total of disasters has risen to ten, counting the drought here in the Meltokio region and the sudden monsoons around Altamira."
"Oh!" Colette turned to Sheena. "Did your people make it out of Mizuho alright?"
Sheena nodded and crossed her arms. "Yeah, it's not like that many people were still there anyway. We've pretty much completed the transfer of the village to a new secret location. The only things damaged in the old village were empty houses."
"Oh good," said Colette.
"That brings us back to Lloyd," said Regal. He stood up from the couch and turned toward the casket. "What was he doing in Flanoir? And what killed him?"
"Ding Dong!" went the bell at the front door.
Sebastian appeared from his hiding spot just outside of the room and opened the door. He seemed to take pause for a moment. Then he backed out of the way and opened the door wider at the same time.
Raine nodded to Sebastian and walked into the Wilder Mansion. Behind her, Lloyd had his head in his hands.
"My name is Lloyd, not Sir Bud," said Lloyd. "Got that, Lloyd. Lloyd Irving."
"As you say, Sir Bud," said Sebastian.
Lloyd sighed. "I give up," he said.
Raine and Lloyd followed Sebastian into the parlor. Sebastian coughed into his gloved hand again and said, "Raine Sage and Sir Bud have arrived."
"My name is Lloyd," Lloyd said under his breath.
"Raine!" Genis jumped into the arms of his sister moments after Sebastian moved out of the way. "Raine I was so worried."
"I'm okay Genis," she said, hugging her bother back. Genis was the only one who didn't noticed Lloyd standing behind her. Everyone else was staring at him.
The coffee cup Sheena just picked up fell from her fingers. It shattered loudly on the hard floor. The sharp sound jarred everyone from their stupor.
"Lloyd!"
"Lloyd!"
"Bud?!"
"Lloyd?"
Lloyd nervously looked back and forth between each of the faces staring at him. He took a nervous step backwards. "W-what?" he asked. "Why are you all looking at me that way?"
"But… how can there be two?" asked Colette.
"Two of what?" asked Lloyd. He looked at Colette quizzically and then turned to Zelos when she didn't answer him. "And why didn't you send me an invite, Zelos? I only heard about this gathering when I met up with Professor Sage in Exire."
Zelos glanced curiously at the casket at the back of the room and back to Lloyd. "Well, Bud, you see…"
"Lloyd?" Genis finally noticed Lloyd standing in the room. Then his face grew pale. "Raine…" Genis tugged on Raine's sleeve and pointed at Lloyd. "Raine, there's a ghost in here."
"What?!" She turned and faced Lloyd. Lloyd turned around and looked as well. All they could see was a potted plant. "Where?" she asked. "All I see is Lloyd."
"I believe that Genis means that Lloyd is the ghost," said Regal. "Though I find that highly unlikely.
"What?!" asked Lloyd. "How could you guys think I'm a ghost?! I'm standing right here, aren't I? I'd have to be dead first to turn into a ghost, right?"
"Fifty-four percent chance that there are two Lloyds," said Presea.
Raine, whose head was turning back and forth between those behind her and Lloyd, spotted the casket. She turned toward it and pointed at the reflective wooden box. Lloyd quickly noticed it as well.
"Hey," said Lloyd, "who died?"
"I thought the note looked rather odd," said Raine. She pulled out a card that had expensive script printed in gold on a thick piece of paper. "This is an invitation to a funeral. And the reason that Lloyd wasn't invited is because…"
"What?" Lloyd asked. "Why wasn't I invited? And why do all of you think I'm a ghost? And who died?"
"Lloyd," said Genis, "the reason you weren't invited is because you're already here."
"Genis, I know I'm here," said Lloyd, "I'm not that dense. I just walked in the door."
"Bud, perhaps you should take a look inside the casket," said Zelos.
Lloyd blinked, looked at the casket, and then quickly shook his head. "N-no thanks. I don't think so."
Raine, however, brushed past Genis. When she reached the casket, she hooked her fingers under the lid and lifted it open. When she saw who lay inside she gasped.
"That's… impossible."
"That is exactly my feeling at the moment," said Regal. "Though I assume there is a logical explanation for all of this."
"Okay, now I'm confused," said Lloyd. "Professor, who exactly is in there?"
Raine stepped back and beckoned to Lloyd. He regarded her for a moment. Then he walked forward. He stopped when he was able to see who was inside the casket.
"That… That's me!" said Lloyd. He pointed at his own dead body. "I'm in there! I'm dead! How did I get dead?!"
"That is exactly what we'd like to know, Lloyd, old buddy," said Zelos. Zelos walked up behind Lloyd and slung an arm over his shoulders. "See, Genis found this… Lloyd in Flanoir, right before the volcano exploded there. He brought you here. I called everyone so that we could give you a funeral."
"This… is my funeral?" asked Lloyd. "I don't get it. How can there be two of me?"
Sheena approached the casket and closed the lid. "Seeing… whatever or whoever that is makes my skin crawl," she said.
Raine turned around, he hand at her chin. "Suppose this is a case of mistaken identity," she said. "That would explain why Genis mistook this man for Lloyd."
"That was my first assumption," said Zelos. "I really didn't want to believe it was actually Bud."
"So Zelos contacted me," said Regal. "He asked if I could do a Mana Trace on the body. I did so and the results were an exact match. The person in that casket is Lloyd Irving, according to his residual Mana."
"How can I be in two places at the same time," asked Lloyd. "That impossible, isn't it?"
"Not necessarily," said Raine. "Remember how the Tower of Salvation could appear in both worlds? The Tower was in the same place, but by the power of shifted dimensions it was in two places at once."
"So I'm in a shifted dimension?" asked Lloyd. "How is that possible? I haven't picked up the Eternal Sword for a year now. Not since I sent Kratos to Derris Kharlan."
"This is all so confusing," said Genis. "Lloyd is in two places at once. The natural disasters. It's like the world is falling apart right after we put it back together."
"Perhaps we should ask Martel," said Presea. "I think she would know what is going on."
"Yuan should be there right now," said Sheena. "According to the Mizuho Information Network, he's been near the Yggdrasill Tree ever since disbanding the Renegades three months ago. Perhaps he'll know something about this as well."
"Alright," said Lloyd, "lets' go."
"What are we going to do about him?" asked Colette. She nodded toward the casket.
"I'll have Sebastian look after him until we get back," said Zelos. "He should be fine."
Lloyd glanced down from his Rheaird. His deep red air vehicle slowed down considerably. The others all noticed and slowed as well.
"Lloyd, what's wrong?" shouted Sheena. "Why did you slow down?"
Lloyd turned to Sheena and pointed down. Sheena looked down at what should have been the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge. It was gone. Wreckage from the bridge was strewn about the area. Some of the pylons that held the bridge up still stood, but not many.
"Oh Mana… What happened?" Sheena cried. "The Grand Tethe'alla Bridge is gone!"
"Add another disaster to the list," said Genis. "I wonder if all these disasters are related to the other Lloyd."
"We won't find anything out here," said Lloyd. "Let's go."
"We're not back together for fifteen minutes and Lloyd's already taking charge again," said Zelos. "It's just like old times."
"He he, you're having fun, aren't you Zelos?" asked Colette.
"You know it my little angel!" Zelos twisted the handle on his Rheaird and the machine took off at breakneck speeds. "Yee haa!"
"Zelos," shouted Lloyd, "wait for us!" Lloyd twisted his own handle and took off. The rest of the gang followed suit, their expressions ranging from Colette's happiness, to Raine's exasperation.
Eventually, the group arrived at the former spot where the Tower of Salvation rose into the sky, the Holy Ground of Kharlan. The ruins from the tower were scattered about the region. Thick green moss covered most of the ridiculously huge chunks of white marble.
"In a few more years, this place will hardly look like ruins anymore," said Raine. She dropped her head and let it hang in front of her. "There's not enough time to see them all."
"We're almost there," said Lloyd from the front of the group. He stepped over a particularly thick root. "This place has really exploded with green stuff. I wonder why?"
"I would assume that is because of the excessive amount of Mana produced by the Yggdrasill Tree," said Regal.
"Mana is the source of life after all," said Colette. Just as she finished speaking, the epicenter of the ruins came into view. Compared to the ruins around it, the center where the Yggdrasill Tree grew was flat and open. A stream trickled by and the grass was thick, but otherwise the area was quite open. Sunlight shone down upon the sapling.
Lloyd walked confidently forward. He reached about halfway to the tree when he slammed into an invisible wall. The group behind him stopped.
"What is a barrier doing around the tree?" asked Genis. Lloyd stepped back and rubbed his nose while he glared ahead of him at the shield.
"I thought that Magi-technology was banned around these areas," said Lloyd.
"It's supposed to be," said Sheena.
"Oh no," said Colette, "If there's Magi-technology here, then the new tree might wither. We've got to turn it off before that happens."
"Relax," said a new voice. "It's not a very large barrier and it runs on a specific type of power that is not entirely Mana based."
Yuan walked up to the group from the right. The side of a house was just visible from where they were standing. Lloyd pointed at the shield.
"Isn't that bad?"
"No, Lloyd," said Yuan, "it runs on solar generated power. No Mana from the tree is used to power it."
"Good," said Lloyd. "Can you take it down? We need to talk with Martel."
"What's wrong?" asked Yuan. "Why do you guys need to speak with her? You know how much Mana that uses up."
"It concerns the natural disasters happening around the world," said Raine. "As well as a certain conundrum that's come up regarding Lloyd."
Yuan turned to Lloyd. "What did you do?"
"It wasn't anything I did," said Lloyd, waving his hands about. "But apparently another me showed up and died in Flanoir."
"I see," said Yuan. "And there's no possibility that it could be mistaken identity?"
"Regal did a Mana scan. It said that the dead body exactly matches Lloyd's," said Genis.
"I suppose…" Yuan looked down at the ground, his brow furrowed. "No," he said, "no that's not possible."
"What do you mean?" asked Lloyd, "What's not possible?"
Yuan looked at Lloyd and said, "I suggest you summon Origin. He would be able to explain this better than Martel. Besides, my passive scans of the planetary Mana levels show an increased strain on the tree as of late."
"Alright," said Lloyd, "in that case, Sheena, can you summon Origin for us?"
Sheena pursed her lips and nodded. She took a few steps away from the group and pulled out a couple Mana cards. "Stay clear everyone," she said. Then she began the summoning.
She dropped the cards, speaking softly the incantation. The cards fluttered to the ground and then, as if picked up by invisible hands, flew through the air around her. Their edges traced out a circle around her, with runes and symbols that glowed. Dark, foreboding clouds gathered over head.
"Source of Heaven, Earth, and everything in between. Ruler of all. I summon thee. Come, Origin!"
The summoning circle beneath Sheena's feet grew in intensity. The cloud over head rumbled. The wind around the tree picked up, throwing dust and dead leaves into the air. Great bolts of lightning flashed in the distance. The ground rumbled. The very air vibrated with power and Mana, circling around Sheena as the summoning continued.
He appeared then. The energy in the air and the clouds seemed to dissipate. The Mana flying about was used up. The sun returned. Before the group floated the four armed Summon Spirit of Birth, Origin.
"For what reason have you summoned me?" asked Origin. His voice was deep and powerful. Sheena swallowed. Lloyd stepped forward.
"Origin, how are you?" Lloyd asked.
Origin turned his head and peered down at Lloyd. "Master of the Pact, for what reason have you and the Pact Maker called me?" Origin lifted his head and looked out into the horizon. "I sense a world in turmoil. A planet besieged by natural disasters. Is that why you have called me here?"
"Not quite," said Yuan. "It appears that another Lloyd has appeared on Aselia. He's dead now, but the other person was an exact Mana match for our Lloyd here."
"Do you think you could help us understand where that Lloyd came from?" asked Raine. "We believe that he may be related to the natural disasters taking place around the world as we speak."
Origin closed his eyes. For several tense moments, nothing happened. The great amount of Mana surrounding Origin swirled idly about his body. Finally, Origin opened his eyes and his expression hardened.
"I have seen this elsewhere," said Origin. "Though it is troubling that this is happening here."
"So you know what's wrong, Origin?" asked Colette. "Can you fix it?"
"No," said Origin.
"W-why not?!" asked Sheena.
"It is beyond my power to do so," said Origin. "The trouble that besieges this planet is not of this world, nor this dimension. The imbalance is greater than my power alone can influence. "
"Not of this world?" asked Genis. "What's that mean?"
"It means exactly that," said Yuan. "The disturbance is from another dimension."
"But I thought that there were only two dimensions," said Colette, "and we put them back together a year ago."
"That was something else entirely," said Yuan. "Now, it appears that another, completely different dimension is affecting this one. I didn't think it was possible for two dimensions to affect each other unless they were right on top of each other."
"So this is similar to how Sylvarant and Tethe'alla once were," said Raine, "only the two worlds that are being affected never were one world in the first place."
"That is correct," said Origin.
"How can we fix it?" asked Lloyd. "There has to be something we can do! People are dying!"
"Normal mortals would be unfit for the task," said Origin. "However, there is one being with the power to do so."
"Who?" asked Lloyd.
"I think he means you, Bud," said Zelos.
"You're the Eternal Swordsman, Lloyd," said Colette.
"That's right," said Genis, "You have the Eternal Sword."
"If Mithos Yggdrasill was able to split one world into two," said Regal, "then maybe…"
"It should be possible for Lloyd to fix the problem," said Presea.
"I can't say I like the idea of doing this," said Raine. "Lloyd could be killed in the attempt."
"Origin," said Sheena, "Can you explain what exactly has to be done?"
"This world is being influenced by the imbalance of Mana in another dimension," said Origin. "The imbalance is subtle, yet its effect is catastrophic. One misplaced event alone, an event that does not happen as it should have, is causing the entire dimension to unravel. The imbalance will continue to grow until it is fixed or the dimension is destroyed. The destruction of one dimension will affect those that are around it. That is the cause of this and other dimension's strife."
"A… whole dimension of people," said Lloyd.
"The Lloyd you have found," continued Origin, "is from such a dimension. I can no longer find the dimension that the dead Lloyd was from."
"Then that means…" Raine's voice was higher than normal.
"Yes, Raine," said Yuan. His brow was creased as he held his chin in his hand. "The other Lloyd's dimension has been destroyed completely. There's nothing left of it, not the people, not the planet, stars, anything. It's all gone. And if I'm not mistaken, then that is what is happening to this Dimension as well."
"The process has started in this Dimension," said Origin. "Though… I cannot tell what the cause is. All things in Time seem to be as they should."
Lloyd clenched his fists and turned to the others. "I've got to do it," he said. "I've got to go out there and save the other dimensions from being destroyed. If I don't then this one… will be destroyed too."
"I was afraid of this," said Raine. She turned away from Lloyd and shook her head. "However… we'll all die if nothing is done."
"It looks like we're saving the world again," said Zelos. "Honestly, we just saved it last year. The least it could do is stay saved until after we're gone."
"Well, actually, Lloyd is already dead," said Colette. "So it seems like the appropriate time."
"Uh… Colette, I don't think that's what Zelos meant," said Genis.
"Master of the Pact," said Origin, "is it your wish to accept the task of setting right the imbalance of Mana afflicting so many other dimensions?"
"It is," said Lloyd. "But I don't have the Flamberge or the Vorpal Sword here. I'll have to get them before I can use the Eternal Sword."
Origin held two of his hands forward. The Mana floating around Origin sucked into the space above his palms. A red translucent blade formed in his right hand. A blue translucent blade formed in his left.
Lloyd's eyes grew as the two swords floated down in front of him. He reached out, and after making sure they were really there, grabbed both hilts. "The… Material Blades!" Lloyd swung them about a couple times. "It's been almost a year now."
Lloyd held the two swords up. They began emitting light and floating closer together. Eventually the two blades came into contact and merged in a flash of purple light. When the light cleared, the Eternal Sword floated before Lloyd. The others behind him all had different reactions to the presence of the mighty blade. Yuan, Zelos, Presea, and Regal watched with stoic faces of granite. Raine and Sheena looked away. Colette and Genis simply stared at the power emanating from the purple sword. The air around the blade warped slightly, as if waves of heat were flowing from the strange metal.
Lloyd grasped the hilt of the Eternal Sword. Then he looked back at Origin and nodded. Origin held out his four arms toward Lloyd. Lloyd held the Eternal Sword in front of him. The sword's glow brightened significantly. It got so bright that everyone present shielded their eyes. When the light died down, Origin and Lloyd were gone.
Submission 3 by Ordinary Fan
It was a starry, cloudless night outside of Iselia. The current Eternal Swordsman and his purple-cloaked father were staring at the stars, sitting near the edge of the forest.
"Lloyd…you really know how to make a father proud," Kratos told his son, as he decided to take a seat on a nearby stump. "Four thousand years ago, Mithos tried his hardest to fulfill his goal of uniting the world's people, only to decide that the best solution was to split them apart entirely. It's simply amazing to think that my own son could not only accomplish a task that a legendary hero could not, but also show him the error of his ways. I've spent so much time observing the world from Derris-Kharlan, and now, I can't wait to live in it with my boy."
"Thanks, dad, but you know I couldn't have done this alone," Lloyd replied. "You, Colette, Sheena, the Professor…heck, I was surprised that even Zelos was there for me when I really needed some help. If it wasn't for my…what was that fancy word for 'group of friends' that Genis taught me yesterday? …Oh, yeah; 'nakama'. Without my nakama, we wouldn't be living in this perfect world."
"…'Perfect World'. Perhaps you're exaggerating, but I do like the sound of that. You're an amazing son, and your future will almost certainly be a bright one, Lloyd. …Lloyd? …Lloyd!"
--
"…Lloyd! Wake up! You know we've got another busy day today!"
Lloyd Irving woke up with a start. After realizing that he had yet another dream about Kratos, he tried to remember what he was supposed to be doing today. His nakama had gathered back together after their oh-so-temporary separation in order to go around the world and make it a better place yet again. One thing he hadn't counted on when it came to merging the worlds back together was the massive environmental changes. The snowy landscapes had become deserts, the plains had sprouted volcanoes…it seemed that his journey was far from over.
Lloyd turned towards Colette, the one that had awoken him. "Ugh…morning already? Five more minutes, and I swear I'll be ready."
"Oh, fine…but don't be late! We were going to start the day by finding good homes for the puppies at the local pound! Those poor little puppies…"
--
"Ugh…you'd think a freakin' savior of the free world would be a little peppier in the morning," Zelos moaned as he relaxed on his couch. The group had decided to spend last night in Meltokio, and of course, why should they sleep anywhere else if a perfectly good mansion is available to use?
"Zelos, you know that Lloyd had a rough day yesterday," Genis told him. "Fixing dams, delivering rations, rescuing those Katz…plus, I think that he still hasn't gotten over Kratos' decision to go back to Derris-Kharlan. He finally found out who his true father is, and then Kratos has to leave almost as soon as he knew the truth…it's gotta be tough on him."
Just then, Sebastian the butler approached the owner of the manor. "Excuse me, Master Zelos, but Master Bud is waiting for you.
"It's about time that lay-about got up," Zelos replied. "But why's he waiting for me upstairs? We're all pals; he can come down and talk if he wants to say something."
"…Pardon, sir? Master Bud is on the doorstep outside," Sebastian said.
"No I'm not," the now-prepped Lloyd said, coming down the stairs.
"…Okay, I'm starting to get a bit ticked off here. I think it's safe to say that SOMEONE's outside. I'd better take a look," Zelos told the others as he walked over to the front door, opened it up…and saw a teenager that was a dead ringer for Lloyd. And he was on the ground, bleeding heavily. "Oh my…Sebastian! Next time there's a guy beaten half to death on my property, don't skimp on the details! And don't just stand there; get the Apple Gels!"
--
There was a flash of light, a surge of power, the feeling of accelerating forward at a quick rate, and then…nothing. Those were the last things the Lloyd lookalike could remember before he wound up on a bed surrounded by strangely familiar faces. Had getting to this location taken more mana than he had thought? Looking at his wounded arms, the doppelganger had a feeling that it would be a while before he was healthy enough to try something like that again.
"Okay, bucko, spill," Zelos told the guy. "Lloyd having a mysterious twin sibling is a highly doubtful situation, so I'm guessing that you're either some kind of evil spy, or that my bud has some pretty nutty fanboys. I'd really appreciate it if you'd tell the truth, since there are four lovely hunnies in this room that I wouldn't let you lay a finger on without good reason."
"Stop it, Zelos; you're scaring him!" Colette ordered, thinking that the Lloyd lookalike's odd expression was a byproduct of Zelos' intimidation. "Now, Mr. Lloyd 2…should I call you that? You could be Lloyd 1, but then that would mean that we've been tricked for whom knows how long…anyways…where was I? …Uh…do you like puppies?"
"Looks like we're getting nowhere fast," Lloyd muttered, as he stepped up to take a closer look at his impersonator. Lloyd was a tad creeped out at just how similar they appeared, but his curiosity was getting the better of him. "Sorry if we're harassing you, but we don't see people like you every day. If you could tell us why you came here, we'd be happy to help you with whatever problem you have."
The other Lloyd looked at him and gave a weak smile. "So…that's what I look like here. I guess not every world is like something out of a comic book. And your aura…you are definitely the one that Origin asked me to find."
"'What I look like here'? 'Not every world'? And Origin asked you to find me? …Okay, I'm even more confused now," Lloyd uttered.
"Everything will be explained to you soon. Just…take this," the doppelganger told Lloyd, pulling some kind of crest out of his pocket and giving it to him. "I have faith in you, me from another world."
With those odd words, the…fake?…Lloyd fell into a coma, his injuries being more severe than the group had assumed. Still curious as to what the heck just happened, Lloyd examined the crest that he had received. He felt as though it was trying to absorb energy, and tried to channel a little of his inner mana into it. The next thing he knew, there was a flash of light, and a surge of power…
--
In a separate plane of existence, separate from the regular boundaries of reality, the Summon Spirits were gathered together. Volt, Efreet, Gnome…even Maxwell and Verius had shown up. Origin seemed to be leading this meeting, as he was standing in front of what appeared to be a giant screen made out of nothing but magical energy. On that screen was Lloyd, our hero Lloyd, tumbling through what looked like a giant, spectral tube of sorts.
"Do not worry, my fellow governors of mana; the Eternal Swordsman has begun his journey," Origin told the others. "As we all know, while his actions were wise, this Lloyd has created a rift in the fabric of time and space due to the continued existence of a Great Tree that was never meant to live. This rift has altered many similar dimensions, causing catastrophes like those in the world that other Lloyd had come from. While the chances of a single person fixing an error in the cosmic balance itself are quite slim, we have witnessed this man's talents firsthand, and I feel safe to say that our trust is not misguided. While it will likely be a pain to explain these details to him and help to guild him on his journey, we shouldn't let his hard work and idealistic visions all be in vain. So, my companions…let the adventure begin."
Submission 4 by Moonshine's Guide
The fusion of two worlds brought both peace and calamity. Mountains stood where plains once were; lakes became dry beds, oceans rose and sank while coastlines shifted. People found new neighbors; monsters found they had new competition. In spite of the great challenges that faced the world and her inhabitants, the denizens slowly began to band together. Palmacosta was slowly rebuilt, and the reconstructions of Luin was finished. Former enemies became allies, allies became better friends. Out of the shards of the old world, a new world slowly emerged. However, not all was well. While the world rocked with the convulsions born from the birth of the new world, another conflict quietly began.
One would not notice this burgeoning calamity, hiding quietly under the detritus left in the wake of the disasters and clashes of the new world. Over time, scholars noted that the earthquakes increased in frequency, rather than ceasing; that the tides were erratic, no longer subject to the laws that had once bound them; of the monsters who grew steadily more aggressive in the months that followed the new world's birth. Desperately, the scientists and researchers of both worlds began to search for the cause of the catastrophes. In the meantime, the heroes who had reunited the two worlds were called forth to help deal with the repercussions of the disasters.
And that is where our story begins.
The town of Izoold was in ruins. The port town had always been in danger from the sea, but never had a disaster of this magnitude struck the town. An earthquake struck Palmacosta, and the shockwaves from the original disaster had caused a tsunami to strike the port town. Hundreds were dead, the warning system designed by Sybak had failed. Miserably.
Raine picked her way through the detritus, attempting to find any survivors. What warning's had come to the small too late, for even if the villager's had been able to flee, there would not have been enough time to travel out of the danger zone. Many of the buildings had been washed away, and the edifices that remained were in shambles. Bodies were scattered around, grim pieces of flesh scattered like confetti at a wedding.
There was little that Half-Elven healer could do. Most of the population had died when the tsunami hit, either by drowning or being crushed by debris. There was always the possibility that someone was alive in this sea of death, and that was what kept the healer going.
She wondered briefly, if the others were having more luck than she. All Raine seemed to find was wood from houses, fish left gasping for breath on land, and bodies lying breathless under and on the remnants of Izoold. Shells crunched under her feet as she made her way along the path.
"Hey Sis! Sis! Over here!" Raine's head snapped to face the direction from where Genis's voce called. There was a desperate note in his voice, one that caused her to immediately start to race to her brother's side.
Genis was kneeling beside a familiar red clad form, his hands pressing against the prostrate form's stomach. From between the half-elf's fingers, blood seemed to spurt out at a dizzying pace. Raine's pace increased, and she began to desperately cast healing spells on Lloyd.
It did no good. The blood kept pouring out of gashes that covered a good portion of the Eternal Swordsman despite of the healing spells Raine used. Genis tried to apply the Apple Gels he had, but…
Lloyd Irving died on the beach, with his teacher and his best friend kneeling beside him.
The two carried his body back to the camp, where the sight was met with anguished wails. The Great Hero was dead. The hero who had saved Sylvarant from the Desians, the hero who had helped to reunite the two worlds, was dead. The news spread through the Izoold team like wildfire, uncontrollable, grief streaking in wake of the news.
Zelos was one of the first to know, having been working in the camp as a healer with his limited healing spells. The rest of the friends were in other locales attempting to help where they were. Other helpers, who had met Lloyd for the first time when the four had arrived to help, mourned as well.
Lloyd's body was laid out on a bed in a tent that was located in the makeshift infirmary. Access was barred to all except to the closet of the hero's friends.
The group, comprised of Raine, Genis, and Zelos had been speaking of who would be the one to tell Dirk, when a familiar voice spoke up, and asked what they were all upset about.
Heads swiveled between the body on the bed and the figure that stood in the entrance to the tent.
Genis reacted first. "Lloyd?" he squeaked, confused.
"Who else? Did you get hit on the head, Genis?" Lloyd Irving, the Eternal Swordsman, asked, looking curiously at his friends. "What's the matter? Seen a ghost?"
Before the boy could do anything else, he was assaulted with questions, who he was, what he had been doing, where he had been, what was his favorite food, his favorite color, how had he gotten that scar, what was Zelos's favorite store in Meltokio, when Genis had gotten his Kendama, what he gave Colette for her birthday, everything under the sun and everything that wasn't.
The Lloyd who stood in the doorway answered the onslaught in a confused tone, trying to figure out why his friends were hounding him so. Only once they were sure that the Lloyd who just arrived was their Lloyd, did the questioning cease. Lloyd himself was confused at his friends actions, until he saw his look-alike on the bed. The three parted for him, as Lloyd Irving, the real Lloyd Irving, approached the battered body that bore a visage that was uncannily identical to the real thing.
"I found him on the beach…" Genis explained. "We thought it was you…"
Lloyd nodded, solemnly, as he examined the body. He was more than a little shocked. It was an eerie feeling, to look down and see a person who looked identical to himself, except… he… wasn't… breathing…
"I'm going to see Origin," Lloyd stated suddenly, twirling around and marching towards the exit.
"Why?" Raine asked, moving to intercept her student, the inquiry echoed by Zelos and Sheena.
Lloyd paused, at the tent's flap. "The earthquakes, tsunamis, the tornados… the Triet Desert become a snowy plain, Flanoir warming up… monster attacks on the rise… Exire's been having trouble staying in the air, and now somebody, who looks just like me! There's something wrong here… and Origin might know. I'm going to go see him and find out what I can do. We reunited the worlds, and now we have to make sure that this new world isn't destroyed."
Raine nodded. "The weather phenomena is unusual… and the death toll is starting to rise. Perhaps we should go see Origin…"
"Professor, you should stay here to help the survivors. Zelos, you too. Your healing skills and your fighting skills are needed here," Lloyd stated. "I'll be fine."
"I'm coming with you," Genis looked up at his friend. "You shouldn't go alone. There are some hard monsters in Torrent Forrest." The young half elf brandished his kendama. "And besides… I want to know why there are two of you. That's twice as much idiocy as normal…"
Lloyd scowled. "Don't say that Genis…" he replied, a slight whine entering his voice.
"I'm kidding Lloyd," Genis deadpanned.
"Hey, you two sure you can handle it? The Great Zelos Wilder will be happy to come and help," Zelos slung an arm around Lloyd's shoulders. "I'm glad you're not dead bud…" The ex-Chosen of Tethe'alla looked over at the body of the look-alike that lay on the bed. "Honestly, if this was a prank, it was not cool. Not cool at all."
"We'll be fine! Honestly!" Lloyd protested. "Genis and I'll get to the bottom of this. Professor, can you handle it here?"
The Professor had shifted her glance to examine the look-alike. "I'll be fine. You two are the ones I worry about…" Her gaze shifted from the look-alike to her brother and her student. "I'll examine the body a little closer. I've heard rumors about a process called fomicry that can replicate a person perfectly… or almost perfectly. Perhaps that is the source of our…" She searched for the proper wording. "Friend here."
Lloyd grinned. "Awesome. You guys take care of the stuff here, and Genis and I'll go see what's up with Origin. Can you tell the others?"
"I don't see why not…" Zelos replied with a shrug. "We're supposed talk later, about the condition of Izoold and Palmacosta. Good luck with Origin."
Lloyd nodded. "Good luck here; you'll need it more than I will." And with those words, Lloyd and Genis departed.
The Torrent Forrest was just as the two remembered it, if only a bit more wild, and the monsters a bit more fearsome. The two made their way through the ancient forest, Lloyd slicing his way through, and Genis blasting his opponents away with his magic.
Even at their best, it took longer than the duo expected, to reach Origin's shrine in the forest's center.
Lloyd glanced around the clearing for a moment. It was here that he fought Kratos… it was here that Mithos had possessed Genis, and had run to Welgaia… the weight of memories pressed upon him for a moment, before the Eternal Hero shook it off. There were things to do.
"Origin, we need to speak," Lloyd stated plainly, standing before the simple stone slab that was Origin's shrine. Genis stood next to him, watching carefully, and keeping a lookout for monsters. With the recent changes in behavior, not even the most experienced were quite able to tell what a monster might attempt nowadays.
"You who possess the right. I have been waiting." In a flash of light, the king of the Summon Spirits appeared, two arms crossed across the Spirit's chest. "This world is dying."
There was a moment of silence, before Lloyd let out, "What?! What do you mean?"
"This world? What do you mean by this world?" Genis asked at the same time, staring up at the Summon Spirit.
"Easy; I shall explain. You know that the world was split into two by the Hero Mithos, and that Sylvarant and Tethe'alla existed on two separate dimensions, correct?"
"Yeah! We learned that on the journey!" Lloyd said. "I thought that reuniting the two worlds would prevent the world from dying!"
"Yes; that would be so, if these were the only two worlds." Origin stated, taking in the heroes's dumbfounded looks. "Watch." He swept one of his hands through the air before him. "I have just touched thousands of worlds with that one motion. Each in its own dimension, but all sharing a mana flow… and when that mana flow is corrupted…"
"The world starts to die," Genis concluded. "So what's causing the corruption?"
Origin bowed his head. "I cannot be sure… there are several possible causes, but I cannot investigate them. I am needed to supervise what remains of the uncorrupted mana, and ensure that the worlds continue to survive until my Avatar can find the source. Lloyd…"
Lloyd had been silent, listening quietly to Origin's tale. "Why didn't you tell us sooner? We could have saved lives if we had set out earlier!"
"We, the Summon Spirits, did not think the problem was as bad as it is. We misjudged the problem. And now, the world shows the consequences of our erroneous actions." Origin explained this calmly, watching Lloyd carefully. "Soon, it will be too late. Lloyd… you must take up arms once more, and travel throughout the dimensions. For the only way to save this world is find the source of the corruption."
Lloyd never hesitated. "I'll do it. But if something like this happens again, I don't want to be left in the dark for so long. Tell somebody, so we can save lives."
Chuckling echoed throughout the small clearing. "Arrogant you are, presuming to tell a Summon Spirit what to do. Nevertheless, you will have to make this journey alone."
"Why?" Genis glanced over at Lloyd. "We were able to do the last journey together…"
"But this time, the Eternal Sword must be used to pierce and travel through the dimensions. And somebody must tell the others of your group what has happened. So lives can be saved." Origin's arms uncrossed. "Lloyd Irving, this will be a difficult journey. You will be alone. You will be unable to tell those of the dimension that you are from another dimension. You will have to figure out what is wrong in each dimension, and set it to rights. Do you accept this task, Lloyd Irving?"
"I do," Lloyd replied without a doubt. "I'll help to save this world again, and help to save the other dimensions. Everybody has a right to live." He glanced back at Genis. "Can you guys handle it here?"
"No sweat!" Genis reassured his friend, pumping his fist in the air. "The sooner you get rid of the mana corruption, the sooner we can get the world back to normal! So come back safely, all right?"
Lloyd smiled. "Of course, you dork. What makes you think I won't come back in any other condition? Will you tell the others?"
"Of course! And once we get everything straightened out here, maybe we could come help you. I'm sure Yuan has something we could use."
Origin had let the two speak for one last time before he stepped back in. "If you are ready, then step forth Lloyd Irving, and I shall show you how to pass through the Dimensions."
With a wave goodbye to Genis, Lloyd Irving stepped forth, and began a whole new journey.
Submission 5 by Baby Kat Snophlake
He could finally breathe, not that it helped his situation. The Trees below him were growing, the ants were revealed to be a packs of spiders, wolves, and humans dispersed around giant squares on the ground that were beginning to look suspiciously like house roofs. He used his newfound clarity of mind for panicking…
He was falling, flailing his arms desperately at the air hoping to catch hold of something, anything that would prevent him from slamming into the ground. As the nearest hope for survival was the Tower of Salvation and not within several miles of him, he was better off hoping a giant hand would swoop out of the sky and grab him.
He was deaf from the air rushing over his ears, but somehow his how heartbeat still hammered loudly enough as if afraid he would forget it was there. Perhaps he could catch on a tree limb, land in the water, or… he'd even take a nice pile of manure if it meant he'd live. But the field below him offered no such promise.
Once he hit ground, he knew it would be a miracle to survive….
The last thing he heard was the townspeople screaming before he crashed spread-eagle into the earth.
All around him villagers gathered, staring down at him, and exchanging puzzled expressions. The red outfit with dark blue pants, the wind-blown brown hair, and red boots... this was Lloyd Irving, the savior of the two worlds of Tethe'alla and Sylvarant. He had traveled the worlds searching for a way to save everyone from the system created by Cruxis where both worlds vied for the same diminishing supply of mana. He was the one leading crusades of peace across both continents now that the worlds had been combined and a new Great Tree was sprouted.
Why then, had he just fallen from the sky?
One woman bent over him, checking his neck for a pulse. Her face had drained of color as she stood up again, her mouth hanging wordlessly open. Everyone else's eyes were on her, waiting, but none of them wanted her to confirm what they feared. She barely whispered when air finally gave breath to her words. "He's… he's dead…"
"Well how can that be?" A fellow villager hollered, finally having recovered from the initial shock. "He's got wings, I've seen them! Why didn't he use them?"
She didn't answer. Another villager chose to reply instead. "Well, maybe he couldn't use them?"
"That's just silly," an older woman said, but she sounded unsure of herself. "His wings are the wings of angels, they can't just fail him."
"Then why didn't he use them?" came the outraged response, but any reply to that was forgotten.
The ground violently shook and clicking pincers and yelping wolves told them they weren't the only ones to notice.
Everyone scattered. The quake shook thatches from the houses, literally splitting them in half. Fences were ripped asunder, nails and poles torn from their holes, leaves and fruit littered the grass at the base of the trees, and every bird in the vicinity took flight. Amidst the screaming were people hollering for their children or barking orders to anyone who would listen.
Only one panic-stricken young woman noticed the wolves were storming right over the Lloyd-shaped pit where his body had fallen. She cowered over him protectively, clutching his shoulders. Her eyes widened with every yard closer the wolves had become until she ducked her head just as a wolf leapt over her. She felt heavy feet pounding into her back, squashing the wind out of her.
"Damage guard!" A wolf yelped, tripping on the new shield that erupted below him. She glanced up. They were still coming with their tongues hanging and their tails between their legs. None of them were baring teeth; in fact, Colette Brunel was surprised to see the fear behind their eyes. It felt like years that they marched around and occasionally over them, treating them like mere boulders they had to hurdle.
What else struck her was the size of the wolf pack. Never had they traveled in one giant herd. Never had they passed by a human village without a sideways glance at dinner. If she hadn't of felt the earthquake before they approached, she would've wondered if they were the cause….
When the pack ended in a sudden break, it left Colette lying over Lloyd's dead body still in a state of shock.
She rose to stand on shaky feet. The ground was still shivering; trees lurched as if pushed around by violent winds from all directions. Giant spiders crawled over the rubble of houses like ants on their hill, scurrying for something they couldn't seem to find. The villagers, however, were nowhere to be seen, but Colette knew they had taken shelter near Martel's Temple. Surely, their Goddess Martel would protect them. Colette only hoped the temple's structure would protect them from the earthquake as well.
It was then that she saw the most spectacular thing… A giant pad-footed beast covered from nose to flag tail with blue and white fur bounded across the grass towards the village of spiders. On its back, half hidden by a pair of giant bat-like ears was a red-clad, brown-haired boy she knew as Lloyd Irving.
The snow-white feathered wings on his back were spread to full length and the sun shining on his face gave him a celestial appearance. Even Noishe's fur seemed to shimmer giving off a faint silver lining. Even with his dead body at her feet, Colette had no doubt in her heart that Lloyd had returned to help them.
But Noishe wasn't dead and Lloyd seemed so… solid….
As Colette watched from a distance, Lloyd leapt from Noishe's back, swinging his twin swords as he tore into the frenzied spiders. Her gaze dropped to the body at her feet. A gentle touch with her foot connected, shoving a solid body sideways. When she glanced up again, Lloyd was still fighting, only now he was flecked with spider blood. Not only that, but he had been bitten in the forearm which was now bleeding from a slit in his clothes.
She bent to pick up the body. He was definitely heavy. She carried him like a large child towards the village. The spiders were scrambling anew; Lloyd killed as many as he could reach, and was now chasing those that he couldn't. Dark stains blotched his clothes. Her eyes fell to the body in her arms, gazing up at her, empty, unseeing. The same young face belonged to both of them, one was definitely dead, and the other was clearly alive. In the distance, Lloyd had dug a sword into the dirt, using it to support himself as he panted. His arm bled freely, but when he raised his eyes to hers, the life within them lit up as always when he saw her.
Until his attention was diverted to the dead body in her arms.
His hand rose unconsciously to his wounded arm, the smile on his face dissipated, and a moment of confusion flashed in his eyes. She stepped closer almost hoping he would have an answer for her. She was happy to see him there, but by all accounts he shouldn't have been standing there at all. She half-expected him to vanish with every step she took. Half-expected him to smile, spread his wings, and fly back to the heavens. She hoped even that he would laugh and declare that he was teasing her; that he had actually dropped the body then came to the village to defend it.
What she didn't expect was a serious face, coupled with his reaching for his arm to pinch his wound, causing his whole body to flinch from the pain, and then staring back at her with panic.
"I-I-That spider wasn't poisonous!" He took a step back, clearly sweating. "I feel fine, really. I'm okay, there's… nothing wrong with me." He glanced at Noishe, exchanging looks with the animal before peering back at Colette who stood fixed in one spot. He whistled to his pet Protozoan, threw his legs over the animal's back, and pushed him into a heavy gallop. They were headed north towards the temple.
[line break]
Lloyd wiped his brow. Whether it was sweat or blood, it didn't matter. Any kind of moisture there meant that he was still alive. His heart was definitely trying to break his ribs, his lungs were definitely filling rapidly with air. But the image of Colette standing there, carrying his own dead body swam in his mind's eye… It was like watching a still picture that flickered with the same scene and never changed. Real life was the background that remained unnoticed. What did it mean seeing his lifeless body? Was it an omen? Was his time coming up? Was he really… about to die?
He glanced over his shoulder. She wasn't following him. Was she at the Martel Temple with the others? Was what he had seen just an apparition? Did that mean that Colette was already dead and she was telling him he was next? He pulled Noishe to a stop at the base of the stone stairs leading to the temple and sauntered up on his own two feet. He wanted to see her peering down the steps at him, smiling as if nothing had happened, but he also wanted her to be behind him laughing at him for the excellent reaction to a prank.
He stepped over forgotten litter, socks, random trinkets, and a shoe that had been left behind in a hurry. None of it belonged to Colette. Nor were there Colette-shaped stumble marks anywhere on the stairs. Surely she couldn't crawl up these steps without falling at least once in the confusion, right?
The ground had finally quit shaking. He was relieved to look up and see the steeple of the temple still reaching to the sky. His nerves seemed to calm with the more of the temple coming into view until the sight of everyone's face peering back at him safe and sound made him pause.
Colette wasn't there.
What did that mean? Lloyd glanced over his shoulder. Maybe she was late catching up. Maybe the front row of people were hiding her, and she was standing farther into the temple? He wandered up a few more steps, hopeful, but he never made it far. The tear-streaked faces staring back at him had gone pale. Nearly everyone stepped back to the temple, holding their breath as their eyes had grown to the size of saucers. One more step forward and they all leapt back as if a particularly deadly snake was approaching.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
Everyone screamed, squeezing into the temple like mice into a too-small hovel. He thought he heard shouting, but he had to have misunderstood them….
"It's a ghost!"
"Oh, dear, Our Beloved Goddess! Forgive us!"
"Goddess Martel, help us!"
"It's the apocalypse!"
This time he cut himself on one of his swords to make sure he bled. Sure enough, blood trickled down his finger as he stared at it. Had they seen Colette carrying Lloyd too? Did they mistake him for that apparition? At least that would explain their behavior, and maybe that what he had seen was real but… it didn't explain why it was there at all.
"Lloyd?"
Any other time that voice would've been welcomed. It was shaky, streaked with concern; any other time he would've turned in a heartbeat to comfort the speaker, but this time, it was more like being dumped into a cold bath in Flanoir, and he shivered just as violently. What would he see if he turned around? Would she be carrying his body still? Was it that the apparition was now talking to him? Was it really Colette standing behind him? His mouth went dry.
"Lloyd?" This time the voice was cracked and barely audible. She was quite afraid of something.
"Y-yes…?" He slowly turned.
Colette stood on a step below him, staring up with a clammy face. Her bangs clung to her and her hair was sprawled disheveled over her shoulders. Her white outfit was covered in dirt, but her arms were, thankfully, devoid of any dead bodies. He grinned. "Colette!"
A hesitant smiled graced her. "So… so it's really you, Lloyd?"
"Yes." He laughed, relief washing away his cold shiver. This couldn't be an apparition if she was so nervous. His laughter died. Why was she nervous? But as he searched her face for an answer, she seemed to recover a little, even breaking out in a wider smile.
"I'm so happy! I thought something had happened to you."
His heart relinquished beating. His mouth formed the words, but his lungs were just as shocked into standstill as the rest of his body was. Colette reached to brush her fingers against his cheek. She jumped upon contact, her eyes widening.
"But… this doesn't make sense!"
"Huh?" was all he could manage.
She sighed, looking away. "I don't know."
He had definitely felt her. She was even beginning to shake, wiping her eyes on her sleeve to hide that she was tearing up. She wasn't an apparition but now he was almost wishing she was. It would've been much easier to deal with than this. "What's wrong?" Though he had a feeling it has something to do with the apparition.
She raised her eyes again. "He felt so real. He was solid like you. He made a hole in the ground. But you are right here."
He was only vaguely aware of the higher pitch in his voice. "Wha…? What did you say? What do you mean 'he was solid like you'?"
"I don't know how to explain it," she said, now looking at him with more confusion than fear. "You just… fell out of the sky."
"I don't understand."
"I don't either!" Colette took his hand, shivered as if expecting not to make contact, and pulled him back down the steps. He stood stiff for a moment, hardly wishing to go with her and find out he really had seen her holding his dead body. She insisted, tugging at him until he moved. When he did though, it was more like he was standing over himself following her. He wasn't being led anywhere; he was following on his own free will, hovering as an observer.
When she stopped, it was at a boy with brown hair, dressed in red and blue, laying rigor mortis on the ground. His eyes were glossy sending further tremors down Lloyd's back. He had the same face as the dead boy, the same hair, the same outfit. As it were, there was no difference between them except life and death, though for a moment even that difference felt the same.
"He's solid just like you are," Colette said. He heard her but it sounded too distant to be coming from beside him. He wanted to kneel down, feel the boy's throat for a pulse, check for straw under the skin, but the face was too real-looking for a joke. He wanted to turn back and run, put as much distance between himself and the body. Why did it look so much like himself?
"M-maybe we can… you know… ask around. Maybe Origin would know… something." He searched for any kind of hint in her face that she was jerking him around, but he only saw the same serious expression that he himself wore. She glanced at him, a flash of hope until she saw his face.
"Are you sure you aren't teasing me, Lloyd?"
"Huh? Why would I do that?" Though the same idea about her vanished with his next heartbeat.
"Oh—o-okay, we'll ask Origin about it, then."
[Line Break]
Noishe squirmed before Lloyd could throw the dead body over his back. He could smell the death emanating from the body and that mixed with Lloyd's usual scent disconcerted him. It was at Colette's insistence and tying Noishe to several poles to keep him still enough to tie the body down.
"Hold still, Noishe." Lloyd said. "We need to bring him with us." Noishe whined, unrelenting with his fidgeting even after Lloyd finished securing his double's dead body. He walked alongside Noishe with Colette, exchanging silent glances between them. Their confusion kept them company the whole trip to the relocated town of Mizuho, though Lloyd's thoughts often strayed to how he would tell Sheena and Origin about the situation. Just flat out saying that Lloyd had a replica, oh by the way he fell from the sky and died sounded like something he would say to earn a stay in a madhouse.
It would help that they had the dead Lloyd with them, but Sheena was bound to react the same way that Lloyd and Colette did. She would think it was a joke they had thrown together. Lloyd was even still peeking under the blanket for any sign of sewing stitches or hay. Instead, what he saw was blood pooling in the lowest points which were now his head, hands, and feet. He was even hoping to just wake up suddenly but he found himself lying awake at night and unable to fall asleep to wake up from anyway. Dreams just didn't last this long…
When Mizuho finally came into view, he greeted it with sick anticipation instead of the hope of finally getting some answers. He and Colette stood at the gates with Noishe who had by now learned a new gait which involved dancing and bucking. A woman in a purple kimono tied with a pink obi came to greet with an eyebrow raised as she watched Noishe twitch.
"Is he seizing?" She asked.
Lloyd shook his head. "No, he's just carrying a dead body. Look, Sheena, we need to talk to Origin."
Sheena put a hand to her hip, tilting her head with curiosity. Her eyes settled on the lump on Noishe's back before flitting back to Lloyd's face. "What are you carrying a dead body for?"
"That's the reason we need to see Origin." Lloyd replied. He finally untied the body and let it fall in a heap to the ground. Noishe took the opportunity to shake free his loose hair and shivers and put enough distance between himself and the body that he disappeared into the trees surrounding the new town. Lloyd ignored him. "You see, this guy just fell from the sky and now he's dead."
"And you want to know where he came from?" Sheena said. She knelt, reaching for the blanket covering him, but Lloyd caught her.
"That's exactly it." He swallowed. "He's umm… he looks just like me."
"What?"
"That's right, Sheena." Colette said. "He's exactly alike, like a double or a-a twin."
Sheena laughed. "You can't be serious. A twin?" She checked both their faces, but they frowned. Lloyd pulled back the blanket on his own, revealing the now reddened face of Lloyd Irving. Sheena couldn't tear her eyes away if she tried. The brown flyaway hair was beginning to matt, and his mouth was hanging open in an eerie silent scream. He certainly looked like Lloyd, but worse yet, he definitely was a dead body.
She finally inhaled, raising her hands for the summoning. There was no sense waiting another minute for the answers they traveled so far to get. "I call upon the source of heaven earth and everything in between. The ruler of all, I summon thee. Come! Origin!"
A bright light blinded them all. When it dissipated a four-armed man was floating above them with short blonde hair, piercing eyes, and red pearlescent wings. He had the body of a human who had worked hard his whole life successfully giving him the look deserving of the ruler of all the summon spirits. He folded two of his arms across his chest, but the others hung at his side as he took in the sight before him.
At first he said nothing, merely switching between Sheena's pale face to Lloyd and Colette's confused expressions, and the dead Lloyd's stare. When he spoke it was an unhelpful grunt.
"Can you tell us what's going on?" Lloyd asked, gesturing to the body. "He just fell out of the sky. Why does he look like me?"
"It seems that someone is interfering with the worlds." Origin said.
"Worlds? Do you mean there are still other worlds out there?" Sheena asked. She checked with Lloyd and Colette as if to make sure they were just as surprised as she was.
"Indeed."
"Well, even if there are other worlds, why does he look like me?" Lloyd asked again. "I didn't find anyone in Tethe'alla who looked like anyone from Sylvarant."
"That's because Sylvarant and Tethe'alla make up Aselia. Beyond this world are countless others with the same name."
"That's kind of hard to believe," Sheena said, but she was giving the body more nervous attention.
Origin nodded. "Yes, I imagine it is. But you see, Lloyd coming here wasn't supposed to happen. Someone is interfering with the worlds."
"You mean another world, somewhere, is missing their Lloyd Irving? While ours is standing right here? How can this be?"
"It's simple, Sheena," Origin said. "Someone picked up Lloyd Irving from another world and brought him here. They are interfering. They need to be stopped."
"How do you stop someone who can travel through the different worlds?" Lloyd asked.
"Send someone after them who can travel through the different worlds as well."
The three humans exchanged glances. Colette cleared her throat. "So umm… who did you have in mind?"
"I was wondering, but I think I know now. I could grant the power to jump from one world to the next to the Eternal Sword." As Origin spoke, Lloyd had a deep unsettling weight dragging his stomach to his feet. "Seems as you know about the other Lloyds and the other worlds, perhaps you would be the best choice."
"N-no…" Lloyd's voice was again, unusually high. "I-I… what would I do? Once I got there."
"You aren't the same idealist who told me he could save Aselia."
"I think that's a fair question, Origin," Colette said. "What would he have to do once he arrived at a new world?"
"Every world is different. For some reason that I have not yet understood, things are going wrong all over. Here is a map that will show you." Origin produced a parchment out of nowhere and released it, allowing it to float gently to Lloyd's awaiting hands. The map lay still momentarily, but as Lloyd wondered why it showed him nothing, what looked like a hologram of a tree grew out from the parchment. The tree was all sorts of colors, red, yellow, blue, and green, and some of them, mostly red, were flashing.
"What is this?" Lloyd asked.
"That is Hand-held Multiple Dimension Coordinate Mark System. It shows you all of the different worlds and what state they are in. The green ones are healthy, the red need your assistance right away. The yellow will eventually become red, and the blue are worlds that are currently unstable but don't require immediate attention."
The red places on the tree gave Lloyd a feeling of foreboding. How was he to save that many worlds? "Is this even possible?"
"It needs to be done. The mana throughout all the worlds is unbalanced. The more worlds that fail, the more unbalanced the mana, and the more unbalanced the mana, even more worlds will fail. Eventually, even the healthy ones will wane until there is nothing left. I am asking you, Lloyd, to travel to these worlds one by one and save them from their crises."
"Can I get some help?"
"I can recharge the Eternal Sword with the mana necessary to send you to another world. But if the mana is weakened and unstable, I will not be able to send more than just you. It is also far better to have fewer people invading a world within which they do not belong. We shouldn't even be sending you away from this world, but someone is traveling from one world to the next stirring up problems. We have no choice but to respond with someone of our own to fix them."
"But that means he won't have anyone to help him," Sheena said. "What if something happens to him?"
"I will know if it does." Origin replied. "Also, Lloyd won't be alone. If he needs help, he can enlist those who are native to the world he is visiting. I advise, though, against choosing another Lloyd Irving or someone who would recognize you for the sake of keeping the trouble to a minimum."
"Wait," Lloyd said. "Not only am I working alone, if I need help, I'll need to be undercover to get it? Are you sure I can do this?"
"If you are having doubts, perhaps I was wrong to ask for your assistance. You are, after all, the one who saved your own world from its crisis."
"But, Mr. Origin?" Colette moved to better see his face. "If our Lloyd saved us, why can't the Lloyds from the other worlds save their own worlds too?"
"Some of them are not as capable," Origin said simply. "Other worlds don't have a Lloyd to help them. They are all different."
Lloyd stared at the hologram tree sticking out of the parchment on his hand. Another spot turned yellow as he watched and his mind drifted to the villages of people in his own world who had to suffer until he could save them; to Marble, an old woman from Palmacosta whom he couldn't save in time and he wound up killing her; to people who had been forced to suffer in Desian ranches where they turned everyone into Exspheres… If it was true that the red spots were worlds where people were suffering… he couldn't just turn his back on them, especially if they had no Lloyd Irving of their own to help them.
With newfound determination he raised his eyes to gaze into Origin's and he nodded. "I will do my best."