Tales of the Abyss Fan Fiction

Rite of Passage

By Kraven Ergeist

A/N: Finally played through Tales of the Abyss, and now I need to write something.

Back from the dead. Floating, lost, adrift, a mass of fonons buried in the abyss beneath Eldrant, collecting, recollecting, mixing, separating, and finally congealing into a complete picture, Luke emerged, his essence a mix of the impermanent fonons of both his original and replica body, now fused together to form a concrete whole. Unwavering. Steadfast.

Alive.

"Luke!"

Luke had proven himself to Asch. He had proven himself to Van. He had proven himself to Tear, and to Guy and to Natalia, and all his friends who, despite believing him dead, still came to pay their respect to their friend. Van had been right about one thing – Luke was now fully human, had truly earned his right to live. The question now, was…how?

"Tear…"

His voice came out quietly, mostly his own, but with a shade of Asch's edginess. His hair had grown long again, since his time in the abyss. It might have taken him more than the year it had to recollect himself, but for the music of Tear's Fonic Hymm. That sweet melody that she used to sing every day on their journeys together. It reminded him of who he was. What he was. Why he wanted to live.

It was enough for him to push through.

He smiled as he saw his friends gather around him, his arms around Tear as she embraced him.

"You all came…" he pointed out, as though it weren't obvious. The gratitude in his voice made it clear that it was not out of surprise that he made this observation. His eyes met each of theirs with fondness and respect.

He turned his attention to Tear, still embracing him, her namesake still trickling down her cheek.

"I thought you had…" she stuttered, barely managing speech through the heaving sobs that wracked her body, the aching pain in her chest. "We all thought… Oh, Luke…"

He felt her arms tighten around his back, almost painfully, but he didn't mind. Natalia had her arms around his right shoulder, Guy his hand on his left.

"You kept your promise…" the princess wept, shedding tears of her own. "Luke…you came back…"

"You sure kept us waiting…" Guy added, giving his shoulder a squeeze, though Luke could hear the sadness and relief he hid in his voice.

"Natalia…Guy…"

Anise managed to wedge her way into the embrace, wrapping her arms around him from between Tear and Natalia.

"Luke! You big dummy! You had us all worried!" she sobbed, clutching him tightly. "Don't make us wait like that!"

Jade refrained from bodily contact, though he did step closer as he adjusted his glasses. "Indeed. It's not good to keep your friends in suspense. What kept you, I wonder?"

Luke didn't answer. He knew his friends had been worried. He had known that he'd miss them too. But he hadn't anticipated such a wealth of warmth and love at his return. He hadn't anticipated the overwhelming sense of relief that hit him as his dearest friends welcomed him from the abyss, shedding tears of happiness.

"Everyone…" Luke whispered, surprised to find himself crying as well. "It's…it's good to be back…"

His eyes fell on Tear, her eyes swollen and red from crying so much, as she fixed him with a look of such caring and devotion that it startled him. She still had not let go of him, her fingers clutching the back of his jacket for purchase, holding him tightly as though letting go would allow him to slip away into nothingness once more.

"Tear…" he said, finding his voice again. He wiped one of his own off his cheek, and with the same hand, stroked her face, dabbing the tears away. "I'm home…"

xxxxx

A similar reception waited for him in Baticul. Even the now jobless funeral directors contributed to the cheering crowd that gathered around the castle the next day. Luke had nearly missed the ceremony that awaited him because his mother had all but refused to let go of him.

"Mom, please!" he let out a gasp as he rushed for the door, the house attendants hot on his heels, putting the finishing touches on his ceremonial robes. "I'm going to be late!"

He finally managed to make it out the doors. There, Guy was waiting for him. Dressed in his best, he had been assigned Luke's bodyguard for the duration of the ceremony, not that it was truly needed. Anyone who might be thinking of attacking him was grossly outnumbered by the people who were glad he was back. And Luke was, after all, the swordsman who defeated Master Van, though even he did not know what effects his duration within the abyss had cost him. He had not gotten a chance to flex his muscles in the training area yet, and though confident in his ability to fight with the ornamental sword at his hip, he honestly felt better with Guy at his side.

"Your uncle and Natalia are waiting for you over there…" Guy pointed at the edge of the precipice, overlooking the lower levels of Baticul. While there were few onlookers on his level, beside the few nobles and officials and the long rows of palace guards that made up the veritable hallway leading to the lookout point, the vast majority of Baticul's population lay waiting underneath the grand balcony, eager to get a glimpse at the thought to be dead prince.

Word had reached even Luke's ears – while a few naysayers within the court were expressing doubt about his inheritance, being a replica of the original Luke. These voices were greatly overshadowed by the majority of the powerful speakers, including the King himself. With the original no longer accounted for, and witness claims of Asch's essence being absorbed into Luke, little ammunition was left to these naysayers. Luke was, by rite of birth, an heir of the throne to Kimlasca.

As he stood there, bathed in sunlight as the sonorous applause of the people below, Luke waved his hand, smiling as he made out some replicas dotted amongst the masses of people. It pleased him to see them being integrated into society so soon after calamity had almost claimed the world. No doubt an effort on Anise' part to reform the church or Lorelei. Jade, he understood, was also contributing, his fonic research creating a demand for labor that the replicas could offer, and was taking freely in as many cities as could be used.

As he wondered idly where Tear was, he felt a hand slip into his. He glanced to his left, and saw Natalia, smiling forward, her eyes darting to his for a moment, before returning to the crowd, giving his hand a meaningful squeeze, her other hand waving in the air.

Luke smiled.

"…and as we welcome Prince Luke von Fabre into his passage to manhood," the King's voice boomed upon the fonic glyph that allowed him to speak at the necessary volume for such occasions. "We are also pleased to confirm his betrothal to my daughter, Princess Natalia!"

Once again, the crowds erupted into applause. The people's love for Natalia for her dutiful service and caring devotion and their admiration for Luke's efforts in saving the world from the threat of annihilation bringing their cheers to newer levels as the city of Baticul was filled with sounds of mirth.

For the first time since arriving, Luke felt tangible concern. Suddenly, the girl to his left took on a whole new light as this new reality sunk in. She had always been his childhood friend, and they had both loved their city and wished only the best for it and each other…

He felt himself sweating. Was this the King's doing? Had he done this without considering otherwise, thinking it was for the best? Nervously, he glanced at Natalia's face, but she was utterly unreadable. Was she going to pretend that nothing was amiss? Surely, she knew that it wasn't as simple as all that. They both still had the right to make their choice.

Realization dawned on him. Natalia had always favored Asch – he had been the one she had truly grown up with. He was the one she shared her childhood memories with, and while he had none of those memories himself after taking Asch's being into himself, the feelings that made Asch linger on Natalia remained within him. Already the feel of her hand holding his was making his ears warm.

Now that Asch was gone, the only one left for Natalia was Luke. No, Asch was not truly gone – his essence was now within Luke! Whatever it was that sparked Natalia's interest in Asch now resided within Luke. This hadn't been the King's doing – this was Natalia's!

"Natalia…" Luke whispered, giving her hand a squeeze, though with the concern in his voice, he tried to make it clear it was one of inquiry.

"Yes, Luke?" she breathed, her lips barely moving. The look she flashed him revealed contentment and satisfaction, her tone of voice was pleased and delighted.

Was she blind?

"We're still…engaged?" was all Luke could manage. He felt his vision narrow as the weight suddenly landed on his shoulders.

"Of course, Luke," she responded, matter of factly, turning back to the crowd, her smile unwavering. "You promised me you'd help me make Kimlasca a better place."

Luke swallowed. "I did…"

He wanted to say more, but he could think of nothing that would amend his situation, and certainly not here and now, in front of the King and all the townspeople. He felt trapped, unable to escape without hurting someone he cared about.

He scanned the crowds, and saw Jade and Anise on the landing just below amidst a crowd of onlooking replicas. He saw Guy at his right, ever diligent, while Natalia remained at his left, still waving. Despite his wandering eyes, Tear was nowhere to be seen.

As he continued looking, his ears became unable to hear the noise of the crowd around him. He became unable to feel the sensation of Natalia's hand in his or the thundering raucus of the townsfolk. And while a part of him, the part of him that was Asch, longed for the girl at his side, the other part, the part of himself that he had identified with for the past seven years longed sorely for the girl whose melody brought him back from the abyss.

A/N: Trouble in paradise. Stay tuned for more.