I shouldn't be starting a new story, but this is an idea I've been kicking around for months, and I really wanted to do an AU (alternate universe) so... here it is. It's basically a retelling of the game's story, with a few - okay, a lot - of changes. This is also going to be a little more serious than some of my other recent stuff. To broaden my horizons and junk. Hopefully the result won't be total suckage.

Disclaimer: Holy Spork does not own Tales of Symphonia, its characters, plot line, or locations.

i n f i n i t y

Prologue: The Angel

In the beginning there was nothing.

Then the goddess came,

And planted the smallest seed in the nothing.

And from that seed the world grew.

-The Scriptures of Martel, 1:1

Dirk was puzzled by the strangers.

Though that was no reason to refuse them help. When he had found the man, a small boy about three years old, and that strange green dog... thing at the bottom of the cliff, the first thing Dirk did was try to get them back to his house to treat their wounds.

Dwarven Vow #2: Never abandon someone in need.

Dirk made no demands on the strange man, nor did he ask any questions. The stranger seemed content with this, for he said very little. All Dirk knew about these people came from inference. He knew that the small boy was the man's son, or at least the man thought it was his son. Secondly, the stranger was an angel, though the broad, segmented, blue wings were far from the convention of feathery white wings.

Dwarves were not religious creatures. Dirk was an atheist. Dwarves generally were. So he highly doubted that this angel was a heavenly messenger sent to bring divine judgment. Especially considering that the angel had been severely wounded when Dirk had found him. Whatever had happened on that cliff could not have been good.

Beyond that, everything else was a mystery. Where they came from, who they were, what happened on the cliff...

In particular, there was that... collar the angel wore on his neck.

He thought of it as a collar because he couldn't think of a better word for it. It looked like the kind of collar that a dog or a cat would wear. Dirk didn't know what to make of it. It was made of some white material he did not recognize, and there were some gray symbols or letters on it he had never seen before. Dirk could only assume it was magical in nature, though what purpose it served was beyond him.

Dirk had only noticed it when he had tried to tend to the man's wounds, the pure white material contrasting strongly against the bloodstains on the angel's clothes and skin. When Dirk had tried to remove it, so the angel could breathe better, Dirk's hand had been swatted away, and he had received a glare that contained a barely veiled threat. Dirk heeded the warning, and didn't try to touch the collar again as he bandaged the angel's wounds.

"It would probably be best if you and your little boy stayed here, at least for tonight," Dirk instructed when everyone's injuries had been treated, "I don't mind."

"I thank you for your kindness," said the angel, who was lying on a cot. Only a few feet away the boy was asleep on a cushion on the floor, with the dog-creature curled protectively around him.

"It's no trouble at all," said Dirk, "You got a kid with you, and you're hurt. I can make time. Just make sure you don't do anything to reopen those wounds. I only got so many bandages."

The angel only nodded, wasting no words. He closed his eyes, looking like he just wanted to sleep for three days. Dirk didn't blame him. He left them alone, leaving to go to some other room in his underground home.

The angel opened his eyes when the dwarf had left the room. When the angel was sure he was alone, he slowly sat up, trying to avoid any movement that might reopen his wounds. He could use healing magic, yes, but he had already spent much of his mana at the cliff, and didn't have enough to fix his own wounds if they reopened. The angel was sure his son was safe with the dwarf, but there was something that he needed to check, something he had to know. The Desians had to be gone by now, it should be relatively safe for him to venture back into the forest, to go back to the cliff, even with his injuries.

Though it took him several minutes, the angel managed to climb the ladder that led aboveground, without making too much noise. After closing the trapdoor that led to Dirk's home behind him, he shakily got to his feet, and tried to figure out in which direction the cliff had been. Night had fallen, so he would have the cover of the trees and the darkness. He looked around the small clearing, and then he heard footsteps behind him.

Immediately he realized that leaving the dwarf's home had been a mistake.

The angel felt something sharp prick the back of his neck. He raised his hands slowly to show he was unarmed, staying perfectly still. He could almost hear the smirk as the newcomer spoke:

"Hello Kratos."

A/N: Hopefully that wasn't too confusing.

One day, I'll write something that has nothing to do with Kratos and/or Lloyd. I swear.

I only have a vague idea of where this is going to go, so I don't know how frequently I'll update. But reviews always help. If you liked this, please review. Constructive criticism is always accepted.

Edited on 3/7/08 - Cleaned up, and removed part with Mithos and Martel.