I do not own Tales of Symphonia or its characters. Spoilers for those who haven't finished the game.
Wish upon a Star
"We'll head to the Triet Ruins tomorrow. For now, get some sleep everyone."
Raine ushered everyone to their respective rooms: Colette to one room, Lloyd and Kratos to another room, and Genis and herself in a different room of the inn.
Sitting down on the small table provided in their tiny room, Lloyd worked carefully on the Key Crest, keeping attention to every detail of the runes. The sooner he got it done, the better. After an hour of carefully carving the runes into the ore, Lloyd held it up to the candle, inspecting every inch of it for flaws.
Finding none, he wiped his brow and stood up, satisfied. The door creaked softly as he pushed it open and headed to the Professor and Genis' room.
Knock knock. "Come in."
Raine eyed Lloyd as he entered, leaving the door open behind him, "And what are you doing at this hour?"
"I've finished your key crest Professor," handing the small gem to Raine, he added, "Just get Genis to show you how to use it."
Raine turned the cerulean gemstone around her fingers, brushing its smooth surface, "Why thank you Lloyd. I really appreciate it."
"Anyways, good night, Professor."
"Good night, Lloyd."
Watching the door click as Lloyd shut it behind him, Raine immediately gazed back at the exsphere in her hand, eyes misting.
"MARVELOUS!"
Walking softly back to his room, Lloyd spotted Kratos walking out the door. I wonder what he's up to…But I'm tired… Yawning, Lloyd dismissed the thought and plopped down on his bed, falling asleep almost instantly.
In a few minutes, Kratos entered. Seeing Lloyd already asleep, the mercenary let a small smile grace his lips. Running his hand through his child's hair, he allowed his mind to drift back to his late wife.
Anna…
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High in the sky hidden from view, Welagia, the city of angels was busy. The atmosphere was thick with tension and fear.
Lord Yggdrasil was enraged at something, something that managed to make him furious beyond compare. He was destroying various rooms randomly and could be heard everywhere throughout the city. A few unlucky angels had the unfortunate luck of encountering their lord on his rampage and sadly did not survive to tell the tale.
In the chamber room, Yggdrasil paced back and forth in front of the machine. Glancing up for the hundredth time, he lashed out at another part of the room.
What happened?!
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Lloyd blinked. Huh, is it morning already? Noticing the other bed empty, Lloyd sprang up, throwing the covers off him.
"Aw man, I overslept again?!"
Pulling on his shirt and overalls, he opened the door and ran down the stairs. He skidded to a stop as he spotted the rest of the group already up outside the inn. All heads turned towards him as he closed the inn door behind him. Lloyd could literally feel the many accusing and annoyed eyes burning into him.
Raine sighed, "What are we going to do with you…"
"Ehe, sorry everyone," Lloyd muttered sheepishly, rubbing his head, "I overslept…"
"In any case," Kratos cut in, "we should head southwest, towards the Triet Ruins. We've wasted enough time dawdling."
Lloyd watched their backs as they headed for the city exit.
"What's up with him?"
--
After a couple hours and many curses and more than enough broken tempers and tensions, the group finally arrived at the edges of the Triet Ruins.
"Man, I am sick of this desert." Lloyd hung his head. He was bruised, battered, and hot; his clothes didn't help much with the hot part either.
Genis snickered, "See, you're bored already." Lloyd glared at him, about to retort.
Noishe whined, backing up. "What's wrong Noishe?" The green and white 'dog' was obviously nervous about something ahead of him.
Kratos whipped his sword out, "Be on your guard!" He hissed, "There are enemies about!"
A few elementals hovered above the platform, accompanied by a big fire warrior. How they managed to stay out of sight until they got to that close of a range, well wonders never cease to occur. Already casting a spell, the elemental let loose three fireballs, aimed directly for Lloyd.
Scattering to avoid the fireballs, the group drew their weapons. Lloyd and Kratos took to the frontlines; Genis, Raine, and Colette supporting with long range.
"Sonic Thrust!"
"Icicle!"
"Ray Thrust!"
"First Aid!"
After the quick skirmish, a few bruises, and thankfully no broken bones, noted by Raine, the group relaxed.
"This is going to be a nuisance…"
"What is?"
"Ah, nothing. Anyway, it would be a good idea for you to learn techniques to protect yourself," Kratos stated, not happy with the earlier performance.
"You're in an even more bad of a mood today," Lloyd muttered.
"Quiet!" Kratos snapped, "Your ability level isn't helping."
"Okay now it's my fault, I see how – Ow!"
Raine huffed, annoyed at Lloyd's behavior. Not only was he being rude, he was interrupting a valuable lesson! Speaking out against someone obviously superior in terms of ability in the swords and skills. Disgraceful!
"The theory is simple," Kratos stated, ignoring a glaring Lloyd, "Imagine anything protective when you need it, and gather energy using that thought to solidify your mana. Once you grasp it, it should be easy."
Of course, Lloyd had to try it out, screwing his face up in concentration, "Hum… someone protective." Like mom and dad? Protective energy like… this! "Hyah!"
Lloyd jumped in shock as a translucent green orb surrounded him. After a second, it faded, leaving an awed Lloyd half stumbling.
"Whoa! That was so cool! Let's do that again!"
"Wait Lloyd – "
"Hyah!" Once again, Lloyd was enveloped in a green orb. Grinning from ear to ear, he had apparently forgotten his earlier quarrel with Kratos, "That was awesome, Kratos! Where did you learn that?!"
"Lloyd… you'll run out of mana if you keep doing that."
"Really? Oops."
Raine's eye was twitching from watching the two go back and forth like that. As much as she tried to hide it, she was itching to try it out as well…
"Look Raine! I can protect myself!"
She nearly face vaulted at that. Genis was 'trying' out the technique as well. This was going to be a long trip…
"Hey look, Professor," Colette mused, snapping Raine out of her thoughts, "I didn't know the desert has pretty green things."
"Not many living things at least," Raine replied, "What brought that up Colette?"
"There's a green flowy patch on the stage."
All eyes turned to the platform. Indeed there was a slight hint of green behind the podium. Pale green.
"Is that… hair?" Genis wondered, disturbed. His comment got a few weird looks directed at him.
"Let's go check it out!" Lloyd jumped up on the stage, jogging to the podium, "Whoa, Hey! Are you alright?"
Genis walked up to Lloyd, curious. Peering around Lloyd, his eyes widened, "What's a person doing asleep all the way out here?!"
Colette knelt next to the green haired female. She was asleep sitting up, it seemed. Her long green hair brushed the ground, a few locks rising and falling with her breath. She was both simply and elaborately dressed: a green-white long sleeve shirt and a long skirt with three layers that reached her ankles. Several leather belts wound around her waist, and another belt holding a long sword. Pointed ears were just barely visible through her silken hair.
"Professor, is she alright?" Colette asked, worry clouding her eyes.
Raine knelt down next to her, eyes scanning the girl in front of her, "She doesn't appear to be wounded or unconscious. In fact, she's not even sweating… How did she manage to go unnoticed by the monsters earlier? They were right next to her!"
"… She's waking up," Kratos noted, warning tone in his voice. Colette and Raine stood up, and everyone took a step back, surrounding the sleeping female.
Indeed, the sleeping girl was waking up. Taking a second to look around, she noticed the people above her. Standing up quickly, she stared at each; surprise, shock, and confusion clearly visible on her face and emerald eyes.
Awkward silence ensued for a few seconds.
"Who are you?" Raine asked, finally breaking the silence, "It's not very safe to sleep in the middle of the Triet desert with no shelter and in the middle of the day, no less."
"Desert – I'm in the Triet Desert?!" Seeing the group shift, and stare at her like she was insane, she coughed, "My apologies. My name is Rhea."
"Why are you in the middle of the desert anyway?" Genis asked, curious. Aside from bandits and monsters, nothing living really ventured outside Triet. It was, after all, the hottest place in Sylvarant.
"I… - I was traveling and thought to take a look at the Triet Ruins," Rhea replied, catching herself, "If I may ask…."
"Oh yes!" Colette clapped her hands, "We haven't introduced ourselves yet. How rude. I am Colette, and these are my friends, Lloyd, Genis, Professor Raine, and Kratos," Colette stated, pointing to each respectively.
"Co – Chosen One!"
"Oh? How did you know?" Raine asked, suspicious, "I don't believe our names have reached that far yet." They had reached Triet; even if the Chosen's oracle was notorious, description as to who the chosen and her group was could still be sketchy.
"Ah, um…. It's hard to mistake the Chosen with a Cruxis Crystal around her neck…"
"We should probably get moving," Kratos spoke up, "The heat of midday is approaching and we have yet to release the seal."
"I'm sorry! I forgot," Colette apologized.
"Colette, you don't have to apologize…"
"Right. Sorry." The rest of the group sighed. Colette was … Colette.
"Say, Professor, What's this? It has my family crest on it…"
"Fan-ta-stic!"
"…?"
"Hmm…" Raine knelt down, examining the floor surface, face barely containing the glee in her voice, "Haha! It's just as I thought! This is polycarbonate, developed during the Ancient War to defend against magic! Oh feel the smooth surface! It's wondrous!"
Genis looked away as everyone stared at him, demanding an answer. Shrugging hopelessly, he stayed silent.
"Is she always like this?" Kratos asked, glancing at the weird elf fawning over the piece of the floor, and backing up when Raine walked over to Colette.
"…Well? Is she?" Lloyd prodded, eyebrows raised.
Genis' shoulders dropped, sighing, "I was trying so hard to hide it too…"
Rhea stood off to the side, watching the scene with amusement, her mind finally starting to slow down and make sense as the entrance to the seal opened.
Hesitating, she had half the mind to follow them. Curious and fear equally overwhelming. Taking a deep breath, she just noticed the effects of standing in the desert sun with no shade. Thankfully, her clothing wasn't that stuffy, at least, not quite as stuffy as Lloyd's it seemed.
"Hey Rhea, come on," Lloyd snapped her out of her reverie. She looked at him questioningly, "You can't stand in the sun all day, you know. Let's go in!"
"Lloyd…" Raine started, but Kratos cut her off.
"I don't' see a problem with it. If she can fight, we could use the extra swordsman. If she cannot, then we cannot leave a civilian stranded in a desert."
"Kratos is right," Colette chirped, "we can't leave someone out here if they can't fight."
"Sis! You know we can't just leave her here. She's… you know…" Genis trailed off.
Raine sighed, reading her brother perfectly, "Very well, but you're all too softhearted for your own good," addressing Rhea, "Well? Can you fight?"
Rhea fingered her sword, "I don't know… I mean, I have a sword, but I don't think I'm very versed in swordsmanship to be of much use. I'll just drag you all down."
"No no," Colette smiled, "We can't leave you here with nowhere to go."
"Triet is quite some ways off," Kratos remarked, "It took us almost four hours to reach the ruins by foot. I imagine the way back is just a treacherous."
"Ah, um. Okay then," Rhea replied, staring at her feet, "I'll try to be of use."
"That's okay," Genis reassured her, "Let's all stick together okay? How old are you anyway?"
"I'm seventeen."
"Hey, you're the same age as me!" Lloyd grinned.
"She's probably not on the same level as you though," Genis retorted.
"Yea well, I'm okay with the sword – Hey, what did you mean by that!" Lloyd exclaimed, annoyed.
"Let's be on our way," Raine cut in, voice smooth as ice, "We'll cook out here if we stay any longer."
"Yea right. Cook." Genis muttered.
Smack. "Ow!"
Raine narrowed her eyes as the group headed in. Something was off about the girl, who stepped carefully into the entrance following the others. It's not everyday you find someone in the middle of the desert without scratch or sweat. You can't even get near the desert without sweating somewhat. Yet, there she was, in the middle of the desert smack next to monsters without a care in the world; almost like she had appeared in thin air, which was, of course, impossible. Plus, her mana signature was so close to Colette's that they could've been sisters or twins for Martel's sake. Undeniably, there was something… otherworldly.
Likewise, Kratos also had his own thoughts on the abrupt situation. However, unlike Raine, Rhea did not pose a threat in his mind. Of course, he could easily take on pretty much anyone with his level of experience, but that was beside the point. He had long left behind humanity and emotions, or so he thought. But here appears someone so much like her. Her pale green hair and emerald eyes, so familiar, yet so foreign. And her mana signature, that was unmistakable. Nostalgia stirred, and pain he had long forgotten he had.
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Mithos Yggdrasil stood in the chamber room, staring listlessly at the glowing green flower-shaped image. The Great Seed, source of the world's mana.
It looked perfectly fine at first glance. Beautiful. In fact, it looked and was spectacular in its own sense. But Mithos stared at it as if his soul had been ripped horribly from him.
Martel's soul and Cruxis Crystal that bound it to this earth had vanished.
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Kratos watched Rhea carefully as they fought the various monsters. She was avoiding most of the combat, only swinging her sword awkwardly when forced to engage in battle.
She looked so remarkably like her…. Like….
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Mithos continued to gaze listlessly about the chamber room.
Where are you sis?
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Martel.
There we go. Prologue, Chapter one, whatever you want to call it. Please review for critic or just to tell me what you think of it, regardless whether it's good or bad I would really appreciate it! After all, this is my first ToS story.
