Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia.
Note: M. Hunter Traubel Trainee owns the idea of this fic. It came up during a conversation as a hypothetical question. Seeing as how this could make a great fic, I asked him if I could use his idea and I got his permission to write this.
The One Greatest Weakness
Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End
Here I am. I've lost everything—even the one who meant the most to me—just because of one stupid decision I made. I thought I was an idealist. I thought I was going to save the world. I stared Darkness in the eye, but unlike my friends, I did not prevail. I cowered under the strength I was up against and succumbed to temptation for power. The one person I had vowed to stop ended up swaying me to his side. I realized that I have even I have dark thoughts of my own.
I'm alone. I'm frozen down to the bone—despite what a horrible cliché it is—and I'm surrounded by darkness. This feeling of being so alone is so new to me. This depression, this seclusion—how can someone possibly bear this?
This is how it all happened.
Lloyd beamed and turned around. "All right! We've got the power of Origin now, and the Eternal Sword!" he said, excited.
"We can stop Mithos now," Colette added, also smiling.
Everything seemed so happy. They knew they were about to achieve something that most people doubted would ever happen: reunification of the two worlds. No words could describe the joy that was flowing from Lloyd and his friends. They were about to make history. They were finally going to start making a difference. The world would finally stop being judgemental.
Genis felt something vibrating in his pocket. Before he had a chance to take it out, it flew out on its own. It was Mithos' Cruxis Crystal that he was unable to leave in Mithos' lair when they had defeated him. Genis gasped and it began to glow a reddish color as it floated over to Lloyd. Genis started to panic. He became apprehensive. He knew that he should have left Mithos' Cruxis Crystal. And now he knew something bad was going to happen.
Lloyd whirled around, the white cloth attached to his red dwarven shirt floating behind him, and saw the Cruxis Crystal. "Is that…Mithos' Cruxis Crystal?" he asked.
Suddenly, Mithos appeared. He was different from when they had fought against him; he was slightly translucent. He was like a ghost; you could see right through him.
Lloyd felt his body go numb. He began to panic. He tried to move his leg in an attempt to run over to Genis and Colette but it was frozen in place. All feeling throughout his body was lost. Pieces of Mithos' past flashed before his eyes. He saw Mithos being betrayed by the elves as they banished him from Heimdall because of the war, being discriminated against for being a half-elf. Lloyd thought he was going to vomit when he saw a small, frail child—obviously Mithos—drinking muddy water in order to survive. He felt Mithos' hatred towards humans and elves for the things they did to him. Lloyd finally understood why Mithos loathed the world so much; Mithos had always hoped the ones who hated him would someday understand him, but they never ceased to judge him by his race. There were times when Mithos could only watch his fellow half-elves be slaughtered. The only source of strength he had during those times was his sister, Martel. She always protected him, but in the end, he was unable to protect her as their human betrayer killed her. Lloyd could feel firsthand the desire to destroy everyone that surrounded him.
But he could not let Mithos take his body and use it for his own evil deeds. Lloyd had envisioned a united world of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, and that with time discrimination would vanish. That was his goal. As much as it seemed impossible, he would find a way to accomplish it. And he had promised to do it with the one he trusted and loved the most—Colette.
"Get out of my mind you little bastard!" Lloyd screamed.
"Oh, Lloyd," Mithos said condescendingly with a sneer, the contempt fairly obvious in his voice, "I'm not all that bad. In fact, I can make all your dreams come true."
Lloyd struggled against Mithos' might. He felt his strength decreasing even more. "No! I don't believe you! You liar!" he yelled.
Even though Lloyd couldn't see Mithos—he could only see his friends' worried expressions as they all huddled around him, yelling concerns at him—he could feel Mithos' presence in front of him and he had a feeling Mithos was staring intently at him. "Do you want to become the greatest swordsman in the world?"
Lloyd stopped fighting and stopped resisting Mithos' attempts to control his body. "How…how did you…?"
"You will find that if you cooperate with me, I can make you become the greatest swordsman in the universe," he explained. "I see that you have some desires of your own, even some that you would never tell a soul."
Lloyd began to panic. How did Mithos know so much about him? "Wha…What are you…"
"Let me help you Lloyd. 'Help me to help you,' as some would say. I can make all your dreams come true. I want to make the world better, too, you know. That's what I've always hoped for. I just want Martel to come back, and then I can fulfill her wish, to eliminate all discrimination."
Lloyd wanted to scream in protest against him. His mind told him that Mithos was wrong and was just trying to use him, but Lloyd's instinct was starting to waver towards Mithos' ideals over his own.
"I also want to help you," Mithos continued. "So tell me, what is it that you want?"
Lloyd didn't know what to say. He didn't even know what his darkest secrets were. He also didn't know whether he was really going to side with Mithos. He was fighting an internal battle. Whoever said, "You are your own worst enemy" knew what he was talking about.
"I…I…" Lloyd could only manage to say.
'No. No, I can't fall for this.I have to be strong. I am strong. My friends love me. Mithos hates me. Surely I can see the difference? Mithos is just trying to use me. I can't fall for his trap,' Lloyd told himself, yet he could not help but hesitate and consider what Mithos was asking of him.
"Oh, no need to tell," Mithos said, laughing. "I'll help you. I can make Kratos acknowledge you for your strength."
Lloyd didn't say anything; he merely stayed silent. He didn't know what to say at a time like this. He wanted Mithos to leave him alone, to let him go on with his quest of ending discrimination his own way. He didn't want to be working with the enemy. The last thing he would ever do would be to betray his friends for his own selfish desires.
"You also want to make the whole world see that you are correct?" Mithos went on.
"Y-yes," Lloyd admitted. He wanted to put an end to discrimination. He wanted to make people realize that they were wrong—because they were wrong. How could the world be so blinded by hate?
"I can make that happen, too. Oh, and what's this?" Mithos smirked. "Ah, Colette, I see…Ooh, now that is a naughty thought," he chuckled.
"What do you—" Lloyd started, feeling angry and bashful at the same time. His face became flushed as he tried to make certain thoughts escape his head.
"I can make that dream come true, too," Mithos interrupted. "When one is a lifeless being, you will find that they become a bit more impressionable. She loves you, too, Lloyd. And being a lifeless being would make her follow you to the very end. Just think…two lovers bound to each other forever, never to leave one another. Wouldn't you want that, Lloyd? For Colette to always be truthful and honest to you? She would do anything for you already, after all."
"…Yes," Lloyd confessed.
'No, you idiot! You would never make Colette do anything she didn't agree to! Don't listen to him!' Lloyd screamed inside his head.
"Do you want those other things, too? Recognition? Fame? Love? Glory?"
'Don't listen to him!'
Lloyd hesitated, and then nodded in defeat. Mithos had beaten him. He now knew that the only way to get what he wanted was to give into temptation. "Yes. Yes, I do."
"Then will you let me help you? I can make all those wishes and desires come true. Before your very eyes, you will see Kratos—your own father—kneel before your strength; all swordsmen will bow before your skill. The world will realize that you are right about discrimination. And Colette…by your side forever."
"Yes, yes, please," Lloyd begged. Every word was like ecstasy to him. He wanted—no, he needed those things. He would never be complete without them.
Mithos smiled, a smile so very different from the smiles of Lloyd's friends. Their smiles showed compassion and warmth, while Mithos' smile only showed the darkness of his own soul and the coldness of death itself.
"All right then," Mithos said. "I'll see you in person very, very soon."
Lloyd felt as if he had been dropped from the sky and his feet and just touched the ground. The feeling had seeped back into his body. Everyone was crowded around him, all over him. Everyone was talking at once. He couldn't understand a single thing anyone was shouting at him, all of their weak, worried eyes staring at him. They had no idea what Lloyd had agreed to do. He could not take their sympathy anymore.
Lloyd lashed out with his arms, sending Genis and Colette tumbling backwards into Presea and Raine. Zelos and Sheena looked as if they were about to yell at Lloyd as Lloyd drew both of his swords.
"Back off. Now," he demanded.
Genis stood up and took a step closer to Lloyd. "Lloyd, what are you—" he began.
"Back off," Lloyd said with more force.
"Genis, don't go any closer," Regal advised.
"Mithos understands me. He understands what I want and what I need. I don't need any of you anymore," Lloyd announced. "Goodbye."
Then he disappeared.
I hope you enjoyed the first chapter. Please review! Constructive criticism is always welcome.