Disclaimer: I do not own the Tales of Symphonia, including the characters Mithos, Martel, and Kratos.

So Long and Goodnight

The Prequel to Tales of Symphonia

Chapter 1: Attack Against the Thunder Blade

Mithos watched the man stare at them. He was pointing his gun at Kratos' head and even though he was far away, a man with this type of appearance made Mithos think he was quite accurate when he wasn't close. The man's eyes were as black as the night sky and his hair was equally dark.

"Mithos, stay behind me," Kratos cautioned.

"But teacher—" Mithos protested.

"We don't know what this enemy is made of," Kratos interrupted, becoming slightly irritable.

"Please, let me help you," Mithos insisted. "After all, you're the one who's been training me this past few years. I'm better than an average fighter!"

"Yes, I acknowledge that your strength is growing," Kratos said, "However this is not your average enemy."

"Enough talk!" the man demanded. "I have orders to kill you both."

"But why?" Mithos asked, being but a naïve child. He was only twelve after all. It was to be expected.

"Mithos, remember the war I spoke of a few days ago before sending you back home?" Kratos asked, keeping his eyes on the man in front of them, his sword drawn and at the ready.

"Yeah," the student replied.

The man smirked and moved a few steps to the right, as if he was beginning to circle the two of them. He continued for another three steps, and then suddenly stopped. Kratos moved, as if lining up with him, and Mithos adapted as well, going back behind Kratos.

"Well, remember what I told you about an increasing hatred of the half-elves?" Kratos said, shifting his foot, becoming just a bit uneasy. The man continued to circle them. It was as if he was playing with them, as the fox's fun before the kill.

"Yes, I do." There was no way Mithos could not remember. That familiar scream he only heard in his nightmares was always followed by a disturbing images of people murdering him.

"Well, it has gotten even worse," Kratos explained, "because now the humans have all drawn together and created a war."

"But you said the other day they already had an army and it wouldn't do too much damage—to Heimdall at least—and that we could just ignore them!"

"Well…I lied. It's been getting worse and worse with each passing day ever since a year ago. It all started many years ago when half-elves came into this world. They were not accepted with humans or elves, so they became outcasts. The humans became scared of the half-elves, especially a human parent with a child having only half of the parent's human blood. Half-elves are more similar to elves in most cases because of their appearance in most cases—not too much of yours though—and mostly the lifespan of a half-elf. They can live for hundreds of years while a human can barely live to be one hundred. In addition, half-elves, besides having human blood but also containing elven blood, can use magic unlike normal humans.

"With these unknown abilities and 'eeriness', humans over the past decades have become more and more afraid of the half-elf race. Fear escalates into tension over time and an increase in tension leads to war, as we have now," Kratos concluded.

"Exactly correct," the man said, "in everything. I didn't expect much less from you though, Kratos."

"I have many pressing questions to ask you," Kratos said. "First of all, what business do you have here?"

"I'm just doing my job. I'm working," the man replied curtly. "Can't you tell?"

The two of them had not noticed the insignia on the man's jacket; it was the new emblem for the human side of the war, the Kharlan War.

"You're working with…" Mithos started, beginning to tremble.

"I see then. Well then, that answers a good deal of my other questions," Kratos stated.

"What other questions?" Mithos asked his teacher.

"What or who he is after, why he is concerning himself with us, things like that," Kratos replied.

"Oh."

"That's right," the man said. "We humans have decided we've had enough of you half-elf scum and human traitors! So we've taken it upon ourselves to get rid of you now."

"I see…" Kratos commented. "I had heard of the massacres beginning, but I couldn't believe it."

"Massacres?" Mithos exclaimed.

"Does this boy know anything?" the man asked impatiently, sighing. "Didn't you hear about it at all?"

"Teacher, I don't understand," Mithos said, looking up at Kratos.

"I didn't want to tell you this, Mithos, but…just a week ago a few cities held executions of half-elves. Meltokio began the carnage by shooting every half-elf in their city and any strolling just outside of the Meltokio gates."

"That's…that's…" Mithos struggled to get the words out, not believing the world could be such a cruel place.

"And Sybak recently spewed bloodshed on most of the half-elves residing there, even some of the scientists," Kratos continued. "There are only a few still living, but they must stay in the basement in their labs all of their life."

"Why are people doing this?" Mithos asked, losing control of his wavering voice, it beginning to squeak.

"Because it's people like you who need to perish!" the man said. He began to pull the trigger.

"Wait!" Kratos yelled.

"What is it?" the man yelled back impatiently.

"What is your name?" Kratos requested.

"Rai, the Thunder Blade," he replied. "It's not like it matters if you know or not anyway. After all, you're both going to die right here, along with any of your kind in your village!"

Mithos gasped. Kratos clenched his fists. Rai saw their anger and chuckled.

"How long are you fools going to be so impudent?" Kratos said, his voice suddenly escalating. Mithos glanced up at him and saw his face transformed with anger. He didn't know anything about Kratos' past so he didn't know how it hurt him so much.

"Oh, Kratos," Rai laughed, "it's not like you weren't one of us at one time."

"I was a young fool then," Kratos said. "I know I was a dog of the military, and I regret what I did when I worked for them. I saw human cruelty at its fullest. That is why I have decided I'm going to make up for that."

"How? By babysitting a half-elf? You think being nice to one half-elf makes up for killing some?"

Mithos glanced up at Kratos again and took a step back. Kratos bowed his head and closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry I never told you, Mithos," he said. "I've kept so much from you. I won't blame you if you'd rather get another mentor."

Mithos was hesitant. The man he admired so much killed his people. Could he ever forgive that? Well, perhaps he was a different person at that time. The Kratos he knew now would never do that. "No," Mithos said firmly. "I'm staying with you. I can't believe you ever did that, but you're different now."

"Thank you, Mithos…" Kratos said.

"All right, sorry to cut the small talk short," Rai said, disgusted at a human and half-elf acting like this together, "but I've got a job to fulfill."

"You think you can beat us all by yourself?" Kratos said. "Insolence. As if you have the audacity to do such a thing."

The man known as the "Thunder Blade" smirked, showing his yellow teeth. "Well, if you're so confident, come and get me."

Kratos glanced back at Mithos. Mithos knew he was concerned for him and that he was trying to formulate a plan that would put Mithos in the least danger. "Don't worry about me," Mithos said, stepping forward. "I'll be fine. Demon speed!"

Mithos took at incredible speed. Kratos could do all he could to keep from smiling. That young boy never ceased to surprise him. His courage grew when he needed it most, and that's what counted. Kratos realized he could rely on Mithos just a little. But he would still keep an eye out for him, always protecting him.

"Double Demon Fang!" Kratos released two shockwaves at Rai, and then ran straight for him, seeing Mithos trying to get to Rai's side. They had the same plan in mind: overwhelm him up close and don't let him have time to shoot that gun. Hopefully, he had no other weapons, but Kratos knew differently.

Mithos saw Rai do a flip over the tremors coming for him and knew he wouldn't be able to have enough time to block an attack with just a gun. If he could distract him from using the gun, he had a chance. Mithos also jumped up into the air and swung his sword at Rai, who ducked just in time, and as the two of them landed, Mithos immediately used a Sonic Thrust. Rai figured something like this would happen and decided to reach into his jacket. Suddenly, there was a gold, silver, and blue long sword in his hands. He blocked the young half-elf's attack and then kicked him in his side. Mithos felt the wind come out of him as he sailed through the air into a tree.

Kratos leapt out of nowhere and swung his sword at Rai. However, Rai sidestepped the attack and retaliated, slashing back. Kratos ducked, the blade only narrowly missing him. He felt a bit of lighting from the blade touch him on the shoulder, sending him a painful shock. This isn't good, he thought, So this is why he's known as the 'Thunder Blade.' I'm going to have to make sure not to touch the blade at all.

Rai did not falter. He struck Kratos again with the blade, not only slashing him, but also electrocuting him. Kratos felt as if his strength had suddenly been sucked away, as he was left lying on the ground.

"Teacher!" Mithos called.

Kratos clenched his hands, willing away the pain, and getting back to his feet. He blocked Rai's next attack, and the next, and the next. Kratos applied more pressure to the blade and it skidded along Rai's. Making sure to avoid Rai's lightning infused blade, Kratos turned all around while sidestepping Rai, now facing his back, leaving him open to attack. Kratos slashed him quickly twice and stabbed him quickly in the back. Rai flinched from the sudden pain and flinched again when Kratos withdrew his sword.

"This is over," Kratos said.

"Not quite, heh, heh," Rai chuckled.

Rai had hidden the gun so Kratos would not notice it. Unfortunately for Kratos, the plan had worked. Suddenly, Kratos heard a gunshot, and then he felt immeasurable pain in his left leg, where the bullet had entered. He screamed at the sudden pain and fell to his knees, clutching his leg just as any other man would.

"TEACHER!" Mithos screamed.

"You're next, kid," Rai threatened, turning to him and pulling the trigger.

Mithos froze for a moment, but got it together, just in time by using Demon Speed to dart to the side, almost getting hit. He dodged the next few shots doing the same thing, but the bullet got closer each time; once, Mithos swore it grazed his skin. He knew the next one would hit unless he acted fast. It was time to go in headfirst. Hopefully, Rai would assume he was a scared little boy and wouldn't expect it.

"Demon Speed!"

"That won't work, little man…The next shot is going to hit the mark."

Suddenly, Mithos was up in Rai's face. He smiled and countered with a, "Is that so?" and knocked the gun straight out of his hands, sending it skidding across the grass and so far that it ended up in the lake. Mithos smiled.

However, Rai was not nearly as pleased as Mithos was. He elbowed him in the gut, connected to Mithos' face with an uppercut punch, and stunned Mithos with the lighting from his blade. Mithos' sword slipped away from his hands and then he fell to the ground, seemingly lifeless. Rai grabbed some of Mithos' hair and pulled him up, forcing the young boy to look into the assassin's eyes. They reflected hate, abhorrence, and abomination. Rai's bangs fell into place in front of his face, and the rest of his long hair hung out in front of him.

"You've got to be good enough to play with the big boys," Rai laughed. "Sorry, kid. You're just a squirt."

A little smile sneaked itself onto Mithos' soft face. "Hurting me is one thing, but hurting my teacher is another."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rai said, becoming confused. He thought Mithos would be begging for his life, not back-talking him. Was this kid insane?

"If this is what the human military sets against us half-elves, then I say bring it on," Mithos challenged. Before Rai had a chance to react, Mithos kneed him in the face.

Rai instinctively let Mithos go and fell backwards, only to see Kratos, pointing his sword at his throat.

"Don't you ever touch Mithos again," he growled. "He's my student, and a friend as well."

Rai forced out a laugh. "You always were the strange one, Kratos. If only the others knew about great Kratos Aurion befriending a half-elf."

"If you tell them anything at all, tell them this."

Kratos impaled Rai right in the stomach. Rai dropped to the ground and laid there still and motionless.

Mithos ran over to Kratos. "Teacher, Teacher! Are you all right?" he asked, in a panic.

"Yes…" Kratos said, taking a deep breather. "Yes, I'm fine. Thank you, Mithos. You did very well, and you had plenty of nerve. Not only are your skills improving, but you've learned how to set aside your fears, so you can concentrate."

"Thank you," Mithos said.

"Let's go," Kratos said abruptly, quickening his pace to Heimdall.

"What?" Mithos asked, being forced to jog to keep up with Kratos.

"Don't you want to save the other half-elves of Heimdall?" Kratos asked, giving him a look. "Like, Martel, for example?"

"I completely forgot!" Mithos exclaimed, becoming ashamed that he forgot about the danger his sister was in now. "Teacher! C'mon!"

FINALLY! It's done! Wow, sorry to keep everyone waiting. I meant to write this right after the prologue…but I…didn't…(looks away) Don't hurt me! Forgive me! Aaaaaannnyway…I hope you enjoyed Chapter 1, I will have Chapter 2 up sometime…sometime…well, I'm not going to lie to you and say soon, but I'll try to get it done quickly.