I awoke with a jolt at the strange feeling in the back of my mind, "Ah crap not again. " I said before I laid back down and drifted back to sleep. My second awakening was in the predawn light of morning this time my suspicion was confirmed I was in Sylverant. Seeing the silver hair of the other two people in the room along with their clothes I knew that they were none other then the Sage siblings and I was once again a half-elf.
"Oh you're awake I was wondering who you are." Raine said as I got out of bed apparently I wasn't quiet enough.
"Ya about that, listen Raine I'm not supposed to be here in Isellia or Sylverant for that matter." I stated standing and looking down at the clothes that for some reason had materialized on me when crossed over into this world. They were a large black open front style trench coat that had three straps across the chest to keep it closed along with sliver trim around the collar, cuffs, and at the bottom further it had silver runes interwoven with the cloth of the coat. My pants were fairly similar in that they to had silver runes interwoven with the cloth and are also black, same can be said for my shirt. "And for that matter neither should I have these clothes."
"I really need to know who you are and I need to know now." Raine said grabbing her staff as if to threaten me with it.
"Look you don't want to use that as a weapon against me, and to answer your question my name is Henry Schaefer and I'm very well trained in unarmed combat."
"Then how'd you know who I am and where you are?" Raine asked.
"I'm from a world where this is in a game, you, Genis, Iselia, Sylverant, Tethe'alla every thing here except me. That good enough for you?" I stated as Genis finally awoke from the sound.
"So you're like us in more then one way." Raine said somewhat more understanding.
"What are you talking about Raine, more then one way?" Genis asked fairly confused about the yelling and why Raine was putting her staff away.
"You two aren't from Sylverant, and neither am I." I stated coldly.
"Why didn't you ever tell me?!" Genis demanded looking most angry at Raine for keeping the secret.
"Genis you were too young to remember when we left and there is no reason to return." Raine said to her younger brother.
"You still could have told me." Genis raged.
"She's not entirely certain of where you two are from on the first place, and you really shouldn't be yelling right now after all some of the humans of this village, who are extremely inconsiderate, might here you and that would be bad for all three of us. By the way do either of you have a mirror?" I said calmly trying to calm Genis down.
"Oh ya they don't know sorry I forgot." Genis apologized.
"Ya about that I'm going to need a place to crash until I can get back to earth." I said feeling a little bad after seeing the faces of the two residents. "I'll explain after some breakfast, Genis why don't you make some."
"Ok."
"Now Raine where am I to go to talk to the mayor? I'll need to talk to him after I explain everything to you two. Oh and by the way how old is the chosen?" I asked walking over to a chair that was sitting next to a small table.
"I need to go to the mayor's house to talk about something this morning so I'll take you with me, but why do you want to know how old the chosen is?" Raine asked as she sat down across from me at the small table.
"Because I need to know how long I'll have to wait." I replied while I sat down.
"Well she's thirteen why?" Raine replied looking kind of confused.
"That gives me three years; let's see if realm calling works here like it did on earth." I said taking up a small hand mirror that was lying on the table. "Our kind can't grow beards I guess."
"Actually I don't know, but why does the chosen being thirteen give you three years?" Raine asked looking concerned.
"The journey of the chosen starts on her birthday when she turns sixteen, and once this chosen's journey ends I will be able to go home should I choose to go." I said examining my new half-elf face, it was more defined but not quite skeletal and it lacked my token red beard that I'd had back on earth though I still had my shoulder length if curled locks only they were now silver not dark blond which was good because it would help in convincing the towns people that I was an elf as Raine and Genis had.
"So that's when the oracle will come." Raine said.
"Yes and that's when the world shall truly begin to be regenerated." I said as I put the mirror down.
"What do you mean 'truly regenerated'?" Genis asked bringing three plates with scrambled eggs bacon and toast on the over to the table.
"Well it has to do with the hourglass world that we are in but that is something that I shall explain later. For now let us not let this meal get cold." I said as Genis sat down in his chair and gave both me and Raine our plates, and silverware. The three of us ate breakfast without speaking, afterwards Raine told Genis to take care of the dishes while she took me to the mayor's.
It was a brisk yet short walk to the mayor's house and just about everyone looked at me most peculiarly. "I don't care if people in the ranch die just guarantee me that this treaty will protect the people of this village!" Was the first thing that me and Raine heard as we walked into the mayor's house seeing him and Forcystus sitting down at a table strewn with papers seeming to be mocking up some sort of treaty.
"You should be more concerned about your own kind." I said both delegates appeared quite startled at my words.
"Raine I told you to be here a half hour ago." The mayor said looking scornfully at Raine.
"Oh yes you should also treat elves with respect after all where do you think half-elves like the diseignens got their power from, and it's not humans like you." I replied with a cold unrelenting look in my eyes.
"Who the hell are you to tell me who to respect? You insolent newcomer, these are not matters you should concern yourself with." the mayor said as he got to his feet clenching his right hand into a fist and taking an ill-advised sing to try and punch me in the face.
"As I said you should treat elves with respect." I replied while catching his fist I then proceeded to twist his arm until it made a series of audible cracks that was the sign it was thoroughly broken. "You will never learn however this will hopefully teach you not to mess with me."
"Can we get back to the treaty or are you two going to keep fighting?" Forcystus asked looking over at us.
"Yes." the mayor said pulling his hand out of mine and walking back to the table rubbing his arm to try and sooth the pain.
"I need to talk about something with you after this treaty is hashed out." I said to the mayor as he sat down.
Raine then walked over to the table and sat down to help hash out the treaty. In all it took five hours to get the treaty hashed out and in this time I learned that realm calling did in fact work here almost the same as it did on earth only with minor altercations that I had learned last time I was here and a few that I did not know about seeing as Mithos had screwed with this world. "We're done." Raine said as the three at the table got up and the mayor and Forcystus shook hands only this time it was their left hands instead of their right hands which is customary.
"Good now I need to talk to you about building a structure." I said as Forcystus started heading for the door.
"What kind of structure?" the mayor asked looking at me with a puzzled look on his face. "Besides who are you?"
"Well my name is Henry Schaefer, an-"
"Do you mean like the hero Henry Schaefer?" Forcystus interrupted me.
"If you don't mind me bending the treaty a little I will discuses that with you at the human ranch at another time." I said in Half-elven. "But as I was saying to you I'm building a house so I don't have to live with some one else."
"I don't see why you had to tell me that you're the one who is going to be building and living in this house." the mayor replied.
"Well in my home land you have to get a permit in order to build something like a house. But thanks for not having that whole jumping through loops thing to be able to build something." I replied following Raine out the door.
"Not at all." Forcystus said to me as I left the mayors house. "and how do you know this tongue only true followers of Cruxis know how to speak this tongue?"
"As I said we'll discuss it at another time." I said looking at Forcystus with a sly smug look on my countenance. "Shall we get back to your house I'm sure that Genis is giddy as a school girl to know what I said I would explain?" I said to Raine with a soft look on my face.
"Could you run that past me again?"
"Oh well 'giddy as a school girl' is an expression back on earth it's akin to saying that he can't stand the wait and just wants it to be over with."
"Ok that's something I can understand." Raine said as we arrived at her house to be greeted by a giddier then hell Genis.
"So are you going to tell us?" Genis demanded more excited than angry.
"Inside yes."
"Well then don't keep us waiting Genis get out of the way." Raine ordered her younger brother.
As we sat down at a table I began my tale, "Well first off the current state of this world is explained in a game called Tales of Symphonia of course you're not going to understand that until this chosen's journey is over and that is why I know who you both are. However back to my story I was experimenting with a teleportation spell that I had not seen before. Well as I cast the spell it went array, and dropped me here on Sylverant but that was the last time it malfunctioned, when I was here before."
"You have?" Raine asked looking confused.
"Yes 4000 years ago as your calendar says. Ever hear of the Kharlan war well I was there I fought along side Mithos and Yuan and Martel and Mr. Aurion. No I'm not lying in saying that I fought along side Martel. She, Mithos, and Yuan are all half-elves just like you and me yet Mr. Aurion is a human. Now by the looks on your faces I need to tell you more much more however I'm certain that both of you are at least a little hungry as am I so I believe I shall treat you both to a special meal that everyone loves." and so I got up and looked through the Sage's pantry to see if they had the required ingredients which much to my surprise they did so I made them a deep dish cheese stuffed garlic bread crust supreme pizza.
"Wear did you learn how to make this?" Genis asked has he heartedly took another bite.
"Oh it's a common meal on earth I did have to change a few things do to the lack of bell peppers but it worked out well." I replied.
"Whatever you did it tastes awesome." Raine commented just swallowing the last of her first peace.
"Just wait there's something even better but you'll have to wait till tomorrow evening after all it's not really a lunch kind of meal and I'm going to need more prep time. But back to my story well that spell that I told you about well after the war I was finally able to use it again. Only this time it took me back home to earth the strange thing was is that when I returned to earth I had actually traveled back in time a couple decades and my body was changed accordingly. This in a way gave me a second chance at life since it put back to an age at which I had not yet entered middle school and still lived in my favored place.
"So I went about figuring out what I had done wrong the first time I used the spell and of course reliving the things that had happened. A time came after a while when I once more needed to use the spell in a hurry. When that time came I did not have the time in order to cast it properly so I came back here on accident I need time to get to a power level where I will be able to cast it here so I can get home should I choose to go." I paused to take a bite of pizza and a drink of water.
"Wait you said that this 'Mr. Aurion' 'is' a human." Genis paused for me to confirm this which I did with a simple nod. "But he fought in the Kharlan war and that was 4000 years ago so how can he still be alive if he's a human?"
"Well that's because he isn't truly a human and he hasn't been for a long time. You see at the end of the Kharlan war Mithos, Yuan, and Mr. Aurion all under went a process that turned them into angels and are thus alive today despite having been born over 4000 years ago. Yet sadly Martel is not still alive due to the fact that she died at the end of the war. However Mr. Aurion had made a pact with the summon spirit Origin and had him make a sword for Mithos that would have the power to split the world in twain. After gaining this sword Mithos did as he planed and split the world in twain and he captured the asteroid Deris Kharlan in a geosynchronous orbit around this planet that now held two worlds on it occupying the same space at the same time. Mithos also saved his sister's soul and body by placing them inside a great seed that was made by the great Kharlan tree when the tree died. After doing all this Mithos gathered all of the half-elves in both worlds and had most of them under go the angel-a-fying process and thus created the group know as Cruxis. He then proceeded to set up the church of Martel and the chosen's journey as a way to find a new body for his sister. Now of course your wondering how I know that much detail about these things well that's because I helped for you see the chosen's journey does a few things; one it helps Mithos find a new body for Martel, two it helps to keep the two worlds alive, and third it keeps the humans of both worlds at a level of low magitechnology development so that the extremely little amount of Mana that is left in both worlds is not consumed by people using magitechnology. I'm sure both of you know what would happen if the world ran out of mana don't you." as I paused to take a drink of water I saw both nod their heads in agreement. "Well that's really the extent of my story however I do know a lot of things and tomorrow I'm going to go to the human ranch to talk to Forcystus about a couple things and use the commlink that he has to talk to some old friends while I'm there."
"So do you think you could teach me how to make some of the foods of earth?" Genis asked after taking a drink. "Oh and what's a commlink, and why do you need the diseignens to get one?"
"Sure, heck some of the foods are so simple even Raine should be able to make them without making people think that the house is on fire." I remarked with a smirk on my face that quickly left when I was hit upside my head by the talent less chief. "Ok that hurt but on a more serious note I need to build a few structures that will be very close to this one anyway I think I'll start on the design phase. Well to answer your second question a commlink is sort for communications link and they have a device that will let me get one set up without having to use an extreme amount of arcane energy. " I said getting up and taking the dishes over to the sink and starting to wash them.
After I was done washing the dishes I started roughing out what I wanted my living quarters to be and look like. After all I was going to spend some time here. When it came time to eat dinner the three of us sat down and ate surprisingly without speaking to one another. After that I laid down on the floor saying that Raine should be allowed to sleep in her bed and that I would rather not push their hospitality.
The next day I got up made breakfast for all ate my share and left before the others awoke. After leaving the Sage residence I went straight to the Issellia ranch to talk to Forcystus. When I arrived at the ranch Forcystus was outside of the front gate waiting for me.
"So you showed up and early to I guess you have some really important stuff to talk to me about." Forcystus said as he looked up at me as I approached.
"I thought we would be meeting inside your office or do you not have one?" I replied walking and offering him a shake of hands which he accepted.
"Well I have an office it's just that if you had come barging into the ranch it would be a violation of the treaty and would you want that?" Forcystus asked me as he let my hand go.
"Not any more than you would want Yggdrassil angry at you."
"And I don't want him angry at me at all so lets be going I guess."
"Let us." I said and with that we went into the ranch and passing through the many corridors and doors we finally got to the control room and then to Forcystus' office once there we both took a seat. "Your subordinates don't see many outsiders that aren't prisoners do they?"
"No they don't however it doesn't help that you look like the hero Henry companion and friend of Mithos the hero."
"Well I look like this because that's who I am. When you asked me yesterday I was not able to elaborate because the place and time were not right yet there is another reason I am here and that is that I need to talk to a few people. You don't mind me using your commlink do you?"
"If you are who you say you I see no problem."
"Oh by the way how did you know I was coming today?"
"Oh that you may want to ask your friends about that it also doesn't hurt to have a tracking beacon."
"Where's the beacon?"
"On your back it blends in well with the runes on your coat if I didn't know it was there I wouldn't notice anything at all."
"Well that's all well and good but I don't think it's very nice at all yet you knew not who I was and will let it slide this once." I said as I removed my coat and quickly found the beacon and removed it. "Well would you allow me to use the commlink in private and not have the log checked after I'm done due to the nature of what I'm going to discuss. Oh and if you tell anyone who I am I'll show you how I helped end the Kharlan war."
"Very well I have some business in the control room anyway." Forcystus said as he left the room.
As soon as Forcystus had left I got to work setting up a secure link to Deris Kharlan and making sure that the diseignens of the ranch would not be able to monitor what was discussed. "Kratos are you there?" I asked after getting a confirmed link.
The screen then went all fuzzy as the commlink became two way due to Kratos answering me. "Its been a while hasn't it Henry." Kratos answered when his face appeared on the screen.
"Yes it has but I have a question for you."
"What is it?"
"If you remember when last we met I told you as I left this hourglass world that I'm from a world where all of this is in a game and that you would find a love that would die after giving you a son."
"Oh yeah you did. But why did you bring it up?"
"Because I have a way to bring her back but first I believe that Mithos' perverted vision of what Martel wanted must be destroyed before I can give you the aid of having your love live once more."
"Then when shall we start your plan?"
"When the Chosen starts her journey for the renegades shall give you good reason to come down to Sylverant and I shall lay low for a while so that Mithos will be unaware of my activities."
"Very well, you know you're the only half-elf that has ever shown their human side much."
"Well that's because I was human once, and I wish to be human again but that might never happen now. Oh if you could return my amulet to me now that I'm back it would be most appreciated."
"I can and will when would like it?"
"The sooner the better."
"Very well go to the temple of Martel tomorrow at noon."
"Uh I don't have a clock where I am staying and I'm going to be building a few things that require lots of work. So how will I know when it's noon?"
"A priest from the temple will come and get you."
"Very well I'll see you then, for now good bye." With those words I switched off the commlink, and left Forcystus' office.
"You get to discuss what you needed to?" Forcystus asked as I walked out of his office.
"Yes I did and will now be returning to Issellia, and do not need an escort." I replied as I moved towards the teleporter that would take me out of the control room.
"Ah but you aren't going anywhere just yet." Forcystus said as four diseignen swordsmen moved into my path as if to challenge me.
"Thou doth not understand doth thou?" I replied while I stood there calmly, knowing that I had already won this fight. "For I am the slayer of Chuck Norris, the enchanter of Babylon, the right hand of divine wrath, the ice princess. I am he who wanted bronze tube!"
"What are you talking about?" Forcystus had the most confused look on his face.
"I don't really know I'm sort of just staling so you wouldn't think me much of a threat. I shouldn't have said that." I said as I dropped down to the ground swinging one leg out bringing all four of the swordsmen down in one fluid motion. As I came back up Forcystus had charged a spell in his left hand and was ready to fire it at me. Though as he had prepared a spell so had I and I was faster then him and released my spell first.
"ARRRGGH." Was the only thing Forcystus was able say due to the pain of having most of his left arm turned into plasma. At this same time his left side was given third degree burns and charred.
"Now answer me this why did you want to keep me here in the ranch?" I asked standing above the now crumpled into a ball Forcystus.
"You … set up a program … that stopped us … from monitoring … your conversation, and I … wanted to know … why." Forcystus said as he laid on the ground wincing in pain.
"I told you that I needed to discuss something in private and you should have respected that request." I said as I walked on to the teleporter and made it take me outside of the ranch. I then proceeded to go back to Issellia and more specifically back to the sage residence. When I got there I noticed that it was still morning and so I got to work on making the timbers with which to build my quarters and forge. When evening came about I saw that Genis and Raine were coming home I went inside to begin making the infamous ham loaf which is actually quite simple to make yet infamous for its great taste.
"How do you make this stuff?" Raine asked as the three of us ate.
"I would like to know to after all Raine can't cook very well at all." Genis commented.
"Well it's a simple recipe and I will show you both on a day that you don't have to attend the school on that day I shall show you both a number of other dishes that I know how to make. Since a great number of the dishes are very simple in nature even Raine should be able to make those and gradually improve in skill thus gaining the ability to cook more complex dishes without supervision by me or Genis." I replied before taking another bite of food.
"Well I hope that's true for all our sakes." Genis said before being promptly and harshly hit upon the head by his older sister.
"Actually I can guarantee it." After saying this we finished the meal and went to bed me once more sleeping on the floor.
The next day Genis and Raine went to the school and I worked on the house that I was to be living in until the journey was to begin. Promptly at noon just as Kratos had said a priest from the temple came to take me to the temple. "So I am to go into the top floor alone?" I asked the priest once he ha taken me to the temple.
"That is what the angel asked so you must." Replied the priest.
"Very well." I said as I walked onto the teleporter and was taken to the oracle room to be greeted by the one and only Kratos only he was in angel form.
"Here's your amulet I don't see why you want it though."
"It has power beyond that of Cruxis."
"You mean it had that kind of power, but after you left it lost its power. So why bother with getting it back?"
"That's because it still has that power yet when I left last time most of its power was consumed in sending me home yet it still has great power. For when it is worn by one who can bend the energies of the arcane it reduces the amount of energy required for the casting as well speeds the regeneration of the energy needed to cast arcane energies in an organized manner."
"So in other words it's only good for spellbinders like you."
"Yeah but you probably need to return to Cruxis before Yggdrassil get suspicious of why you aren't there after all being an evil lord will do that to people."
"Yes it does but for now good bye." As Kratos said this he used his angel powers and left.
After I put my amulet on I to left the room ignored the priests and returned to Issellia and went back to work on my house.