Altered fate

Asch´s POV

That particular day at Akzeriuth has changed everything. Many lives were lost. Many promises weren´t fulfilled. All of that happened, because of one stupid replica. He fell for Van´s sweet talk.

Several months later, he tries to redeem himself? So, he wants to commit a group suicide with other replicas at the Tower of Rem? It´s that dreck´s own decision. But no, that stupid idiot didn´t realize that it won´t bring back the dead. How dare he give up! He stole away everything from me and now he just wants to abandon it? Not likely. Not if I can stop it. I followed dreck and his party to the Keterburg.

Everybody was sleeping, even that Jade, who always made some sorts of stupid implications that I might care for the dreck. Once again, not likely. I just want him to be more responsible. I searched for that stupid replica, but I couldn´t find him anywhere. Where the hell did he go?

I wandered around the town, searching for him. Then I finally spotted a familiar short red hair in the distance. That´s got to be the replica. He was standing on the edge of a bridge, as if he was about to jump. Don´t tell me! He´s really going to jump?" He´ll die for sure! I ran to him, grabbing his hand. " Don´t you dare to jump, replica! You´ve got many things to do, you can´t just abandon them!" Huh? His whole body became transparent and his hand slipped out from mine. What´s the meaning of this? My eyes stared into his, green gazing into green. Then he spoke softly. " My fonons are separating... I spoke with the doctor at Belkend... he gives me two or three more months until the... separation is complete." SEPARATION OF FONONS?! I shook with him. " What´s the meaning of this, you dreck?! When exactly did this begin?!"

He looked away. " It started at the Tower of Rem. Lorelei told me that in order to save Auldrant, I´ll have to die. It´s inevitable." I slapped him hard in the face. His eyes widened as he touched his sore cheek. " INEVITABLE MY ASS! You´re just looking for an excuse to die, aren´t you? How can you be so utterly stupid, replica? " He chuckled and started laughing out maniacally, tears flowing down his face. Has he gone mad? I stared at him. " You don´t understand Asch. We are connected, but you can´t understand me at all. It was Lorelei. He told me about the Eight Fonstone. It tells about the time when all of Sephiroth Trees fall and Auldrant sinks into the miasma. Lorelei... he told me about my bitter destiny." Eight Fonstone? Weren´t there only seven? My replica continued." Lorelei told me, that I´m the key to everything. But in order to do so, I´ll have to be killed by someone. That someone is... you. " I was shocked. " The sword of Lorelei has a specific function nobody knows about. It was created with our fonon frequency. " What? From where did he know that?

"I´m the key to completely neutralising miasma and bringing back Auldrant on the surface. The only way though is to release the same fonon frequency at the same time. The Sword of Lorelei will kill me. You´re the one who will do it. It´s all written on the Eight Fonstone. "

I didn´t believe my stupid replica. " If this a joke, then -" He cut me off. " DO YOU THINK I WOULD BE JOKING ABOUT THIS?! I KNOW DAMN WELL WHAT HAS TO BE DONE!" That startled me. He never before raised his voice while he was talking with me before. My head started hurting. Agh, no... not now... My replica was on his knees. " Asch, believe in Luke. He´s the one who will save Auldrant."

Damn that Lorelei. Whenever he feels like it, he uses my head as an antenna. I don´t think that replica likes it either. " Luke, you know what has to be done."

What has to be done? Dreck stood up and I saw a glimmer in his eyes. What was it? Hate? Regret? Sadness? Or hope? " I´m the Light of the Sacred Flame that will burn forever. Heed my voice, Sword of Lorelei!" He extended his hand and the sword materialised out of nowhere. He grabbed it and turned back to face me. His eyes had a golden color. " He who calls himself Asch, he will release the fonons of creation." It seems like Lorelei borrowed that stupid replica´s body to contact me. He threw me the sword. I catched it. " He who would seek glory must be stopped before it´s too late. Do it, Asch."

I gritted my teeth. Van... he used me and dreck, too. Lorelei left dreck´s body and he was himself again. He looked me in the eyes as if he was thinking the same thing. I lifted up the Sword of Lorelei. That dreck closed his eyes and spread his arms as if he was greeting death. Is he plain stupid? Why would someone sacrifice himself without any second thoughts?

Stab him finally! What are you waiting for?! He clearly wants to die! I stood there, unsure of what do to next. " Luuuuuke! Where are you?" I heard that annoying child´s voice. She probably wasn´t alone. And they were close by. Dreck waited with his eyes closed and he was radiating a warm aura of fonons. Is it that fonon separation thing he was talking about? Why did it only affect him and not me as well? Because he´s a replica? " We´ll have a talk about this Eight Fonstone and other crap some time later, replica. " I threw him back the Sword of Lorelei and ran away. I didn´t look forward and so I bumped into Natalia. " Asch! What brings you here? Did you have another fight with Luke?"

... " Sorta. I must be going now." She stopped me. " Wait! I have to know.. it´s about Luke, isn´t it? Ever since we came back from the Tower of Rem... he´s been different." I wasn´t sure if I was the right person to tell her this, but... damn that stupid replica. He didn´t tell ANYONE else about his problem just ME? " Look, Natalia... he´s dying." She gasped. " Whaat? Luke is... " Guy catched up to us, panting. " Asch, have you seen Luke? I´ve been looking for him." Natalia was sobbing. Guy noticed that. " Natalia? What´s wrong?" Her sobs increased. " Guy... Luke is... he´s... dying."

It would be better not to tell them about the Eight Fonstone yet. And I should probably leave out the me killing him part, too. I have to discuss it with that dreck alone. " I gotta go. He´s on the bridge." With that, I went back to the Albiore and told that young pilot from Sheridan to fly to Yulia City. That goddamn stupid replica wasn´t making things easy. What did he mean that I would be the one who would kill him? Sure, I dreamed of having my revenge... but in a battle one on one. He wasn´t armed. The elder of Yulia City must know something about the Eight Fonstone...

IN THE MEANTIME...

Luke´s POV

Asch refused to do it. He´ll soon understand that saving a planet is worth my life. I think that mostly Guy and Tear would feel bad if I died... but they would settle down after they see the changed world I helped to rebuilt. Sword of Lorelei shined in my hands. I closed my eyes and it disappeared. I heard footsteps. " Luuuke! There you are! Tear and Colonel were so worried about you!" Jade pushed up the glasses his nose bridge. " I didn´t have that impression earlier, Anise." Tear was right next to me now. She touched my face, where Asch slapped me. I turned around only to be punched in the face and slapped yet again. " YOU GIANT MORON! WHY DIDN´T YOU SAY ANYTHING?!" Natalia spat out on me. Guy punched another time, this time even harder. "AM I NOT YOUR BEST FRIEND? WHY DID YOU TELL ASCH FIRST AND NOT ME?!"

Great. Here it comes. I can´t tell them anything. It won´t do any good. " What exactly did he tell you?" Natalia looked like she´ll kill me, so Tear stepped in. " What´s going on? Why did you hit him? " Guy was beyond himself with rage. Whenever he was in stress, he tried to be sarcastic. " Nothing much, Tear. Just that his fonons are separating and that he´ll die." Rest of the group took it differently. Jade´s facial expression didn´t change, Anise was shocked and Tear turned so pale suddenly, that she almost fainted. I catched her. " No, no, no... it´s becoming a reality... why..." She mumbled, not listening to others. Jade shook with her. "Tear, calm down and tell us what you know." She exhaled deeply and regained her composure. "It´s written on the Eight Fonstone. "

"How do you know about it?!" I lost it. Now I´m yelling at Tear. " I´m sorry, Tear. I didn´t want to yell at you." Tear gave me a weak smile. "Oh, Luke... you already have the Sword of Lorelei, am I right?" How the hell?! ... " So your grandpa told you about the Eight Fonstone? " She nodded. "It is something like a plan B if almost all or all Sephiroth Trees are lost and Auldrant falls into the miasma completely... Right now, we are safe... but not for long. It has been written of the Eight Fonstone: " When the Light of the Sacred Flame fades away, all hope for mankind will be lost. He who would seek glory will try to misuse Lorelei. Before the Sacred Flame fades, it has to release it´s power for one and only time using another two frequencies that would be identical to his, using that to restore the world to the way it was before. I... didn´t want to believe it, but since Van started changing the Score, the fate of the world has changed as well. He altered the fate to his liking, Lorelei is in great danger. I think we should fly to Yulia City. My grandpa might tell us more about how to stop it."

Stop it? I smiled, but it was a fake smile. My fate couldn´t be changed. I should have died in Akzeriuth and none of this would be happening. None of it... This world... I would do anything to protect it. Even at the cost of my life. I only need Asch´s cooperation to help me save it.

We checked out of the inn and Noelle was waiting for us in the Albiore. The whole time, I didn´t talk to anybody. I asked them to leave me alone. Guy objected, but in the end, he left me be. Guy... thanks for being my friend. I should say something like that soon to everyone... I don´t have much time left.

We´ve arrived at Yulia City. Tear, Guy and Natalia were worried. About me. It made me feel like I´m some useless idiot, who just causes problems for other people and doesn´t try to fix them. But I´m trying my best. The Eight Fonstone... Sword of Lorelei... Auldrant... Asch... Everything mixed up in my mind. How could a replica save a planet? If Guy could hear my thoughts, he would smack me once more for my so called inferiority complex. I had it. Since I learned that I´m a replica. That the original loathes me and wants me dead.

I gave him the Sword of Lorelei, gave up... so WHY didn´t he kill me? Out of pity? ... I don´t need pity. From anyone. I killed thousand of people. How could I live peacefully with such a burden on my shoulders?

Guy put his hand on my shoulder. " Luke, I wanna talk with you. Privately." I blinked. " Sure, Guy." We went to a less populated area of the city, others went to meet with Tear´s grandpa. " So, what are you going to ask me, Guy? About Eight Fonstone? Or -" He cut me off. " Don´t give up!" His eyes filled with anxiety, he had a hurt look on his face. I looked away. Don´t look at me like that, Guy. I decided that it´s for the best. I can´t... live on either way. My fonons are separating as we speak. Guy shook me with and that forced me to look him in the eyes. " Don´t... don´t give up, Luke! Hope dies as last! We´ll save you! You won´t die, you hear me?! There has to be other way!" I pushed him away. " There is no other way, Guy! I have to die!" Guy was shocked. " But you have some months left, maybe we´ll find a way how to cure you..." I giggled, but it had a bitter sound to it. "I´ll tell you something, because you´re my best friend and I trust you probably knows of this, since she went pale and all that. I hope she won´t tell the others. Look. I have to be killed with Sword of Lorelei. By Asch´s hand. Before my time runs out or all will be lost." Guy was rendered speechless for a few minutes. He stared at me, his eyes showing signs of sudden understanding. "Oh, Luke... why? Why is fate so cruel?" I closed my eyes and imagined the Sword. It appeared and I grabbed it. " Luke, what are you- ?"

I turned and stared at my reflection on it. " Because there is something only I can do. I´m sorry, Guy. When it´s over... Remember me as a hero. That I finally found my true meaning of birth."

" I won´t accept that! Neither will the rest of our friends! Think about our feelings. We all want you to live! Luke, please, don´t do something rash! I want you to live, return to Baticul and everything goes back to the way it was." I ignored his words. They stung like the voice of reason. But I had already chosed what I had to do. And my time was ticking away. I lifted up the Sword of Lorelei, its Jewel shining brilliantly. Do I need Asch to kill me? Can´t I do it alone? Or...

" Guy. Catch." He catched it, his face became pale with sorrow. I spread my arms wide and closed my eyes, like earlier. " Guy... do it. I beg of you. Free me. Free Auldrant. Save our planet and stop Van. " I heard sniffles cries as something heavy fell to the ground with a loud thud. I opened my eyes. Sword of Lorelei was on the ground, Guy had tears running down his face. " I can´t... I can´t do that. Luke... don´t ask this of me. I could never... ever do it. "

Why can´t he get it? I´m the only one who can save the planet. Forget the Sword. I´m going to give him a reason to kill me. " You tried to kill me previously, remember, Guy? Where did your determination go?" He gazed at me and then the slapped me in the face. " Do you really wanna die, Luke? Tell me!" He was right. I didn´t want to die, but at least I could do something to help. " I DON´T WANT TO DIE! BUT WHAT ELSE CAN BE DONE?!"

Guy hugged me. " There. You don´t want to die. We´ll find a way to save you. I promise you, Luke." I found his words so reassuring that I relaxed in his embrace and burried my face in his chest. How long was it since someone embraced me? "Don´t forget Luke. You are not alone. You have me, Tear, Natalia, Jade and Anise. You don´t have to bear all your pain alone. Share it with me, so that the pain won´t be so severe. Got it, you idiot?" Tears started falling down on Guy´s shirt, but he didn´t mind at all as he held me, until I ran out of tears for now.

I didn´t say anything for a long time. We stood there, embracing each other. - COUGH-

We quickly let go and searched for the source of the sound. It was none other than Jade, Tear, Anise and Natalia behind him. "Don´t mind us, please continue. Right, Tear?" Poor Tear turned to him, blushing. " W- Why are you adding my name to your schemes, Colonel?" Jade smiled in his sinister way. " What schemes, Tear? Anyway, we came back to tell you two about the meeting. He wants us to bring you, Luke along. " Me? But Lorelei already told me what I have to do... sorry Guy. But my resolve can´t be changed.

"Let´s go then. The sooner we go, the better." I took a few steps. " Luke, is that the Sword of Lorelei Tear was reffering to? When exactly did you find it?" Gah! Jade and his very observing personality. "I... , well... I ... uh... okay, I´ll say it. Lorelei gave it to me. Not so long ago, he kind of possesed me and simply gave it to me. I don´t know how, so don´t ask. It only reacts to me or Asch, though." Jade pulled up his glasses. " Interesting. I have a theory, but I want to hear it from you, Luke. Tell me the truth."

Okaay. Jade´s a very observing and smart person, so I shouldn´t be so surprised. But should I tell them the whole truth? Guy knows of it, but he won´t tell them until I do so. Tears knows, too. She´s trustworthy, she won´t tell anybody. That only leaves Jade, Natalia and Anise. Should I tell them as well? I was hesitating a lot. "Nevermind. You don´t have to answer me, Luke. As I said, it´s just a theory." He turned to leave, others followed him. Only me and Guy were left on the scene. I sighed in relief. No need to burden them all. It´s enough that I burdened Guy with my fate. "Well, let´s go. " Guy nodded, but he had a worried look on his face. I saw it momentarily before he came closer to me and ruffled my hair. " Don´t worry, Luke. We´ll figure something out. I made you a promise, didn´t I? "

I smiled at him. He´s truly a friend for life. Guy, you know you won´t be able to fulfill this promise, do you? But you said it because of me, to make me feel better... loved. Thank you, Guy. Really, really, really thank you. You´re the only one who believed in me and waited for me. You and Tear... You have both saved me.

We went after others, catching up to them. We headed for the heart of Yulia City, where our fate awaits... They´ll soon discover that I have no choice. I just couldn´t tell them myself about my... path of redemption. It´s too hard. It was hard enough telling Guy. What do I have to do in order to let them believe in me?

AN - Tales of Abyss was one hell of game for me. I beat it three months ago and now I thought, hey why don´t I write a fanfic? As you can see, it had hints od both GuyxLuke and AschxLuke, so yeah, I like love triangles. Plus the drama and tragedy that´s going to happen. I couldn´t get this idea out of my mind. Eight Fonstone is something I made up, because there are only seven, ya? It isn´t canon. Luke already had the Sword of Lorelei because Lorelei gave it to him. More like told him how to get it... n_n

That´s the explanation in short. Leave me a review, would you? I want to know what you thought about it. Other fanfics are going to be updated, soon. So stay tuned for more!