Disclaimer: Regretfully I have to inform you that Tales of the Abyss does not belong to me.

I have been a fan of TOA for years and having an on-off relationship with it just as long. But this is the first time I managed to gather my courage to actually write a fanfic. Oh well.

The main pairing of this story will be Asch x Fem!Luke with a twist. This is non-negotiable and will not change.

Warnings: Shounen-ai (for now), and possible OOC-ness.

Many thanks to IHaveNoIdea8 for beta-ing this chapter.


Finally...

It's over.

A midst the glittering memory particles, a young boy with vermilion hair stood. In his arms lay his other half. His original.

Asch...

"I kept my promise... I defeated Master Van, released Lorelei. So why—"

Why didn't you keep yours?

"Promise me! You will definitely survive!"

Drip.

Drip.

The tears he had been holding finally flowed down to his cheeks and fell on Asch's cold ones. He could feel his body started to tremble as he desperately held back his sobs.

"You... liar..."

Asch.

Asch.

This wasn't supposed to happen.

It should be me instead.

[Light of the Sacred Flame...]

A warm light caressed his wet cheeks, and he raised his head to face a floating flame in front of him.

"—Lorelei...? You are still here... why? Aren't you are supposed to be in Fon Belt now...?"

[Fragment of my soul... do you wish to save your other half?]

Eh...?

[Do you wish to save the Ashes of the Sacred Flame?]

Did he just—

"Can you...can you save him? For real?!"

[To bring back the dead... that would be impossible.]

He gritted his teeth in order to stomp down his frustration and urge to scream at the sentience for giving him false hope.

[But. To send you back to the past... that is not out of my power.]

... Wha—

Past?

There was a pregnant pause as he felt the gears in his head turn wildly; his thoughts were jumbled trying to interpret Lorelei's words. Finally after a few minutes that felt stretched into years, he swallowed thickly and opened his mouth.

"What...exactly are you implying here, Lorelei...?"

[Are you willing to release me once more? To go through all these journeys once again?]

Once again...

Akzeriuth.

Sheridan.

Rem Tower.

Asch.

Asch.

He looked down to his arms to see a lifeless body and his eyes narrowed down into a determined gaze.

"Send me. Send me back."

If it means I can save them...

If it means I can save him.

I would do it.

[You have to be prepared though, there are certain things that have to stay the same.]

"Huh? What do you—"

The memory particles started glowing and the light slowly engulfed him, starting from his legs.

[Be the light that will change this world, fragment of my soul... and this time—]

And then he knew nothing.

[—please be happy...]