~~Sorry for the long wait guys. Here's another installment of Tales of Reality.

I would like to take the time to thank PyrothTenka for being my beta. She is awesome.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia. Never have, will always want to.~~

CHAPTER 3: You're Just Jealous 'Cause the Voices Talk to Me!

"I know! I'll transcribe the conversations between the voices in my head and send them to you!!!"—David Borenstein

Kyle's POV

I pulled Sera back as Genis took the lead. We were currently heading towards the giant bright pillar of light in the distance, marching through a field of grass with cliffs on one side and the ocean on the other.

"What's going on?" I hissed, keeping her close with the grip I had on her arm.

"Well, we're currently headed towards the giant pillar of light, against our teacher's wishes, to go fulfill the oracle," she cheerfully answered.

I glared at her, "You know what I mean."

She returned my look with a cool gaze and I noticed that her blue and gold eyes were now brown. She held my gaze for a little longer and then sighed. "I can't explain everything now, but I'm pretty sure there'll be time later. As for now... Do the voices also talk to you?"

"A cheerful one named Colette. She's been very helpful."

Sera pouted. "Lucky. Lloyd's as angry as a bull and just as annoying. Just... listen to Colette and follow what she says for now." Her pout suddenly turned into a grin.

I stepped away, letting her go. That grin could mean anything. "What?"

"Nothing. Just admiring your dress." She said as she turned away, lacing her fingers behind her head and quickened her pace to catch up with Genis.

...What?

I looked down at the clothing I was wearing. I wore a cape, split down the middle in front and back over a simple dress. They were both white with blue trimming.

'They're ceremonial robes that have been used by the Chosens of Regeneration for centuries. It's tradition that they be worn on the Journey of Regeneration.' Colette explained.

I felt slightly better, but it still looked like I was wearing a dress.

'I'm sorry.'

'...What?'

'You're being forced to wear something that you don't want to. It's my fault that I agreed to wear the robes and promised Grandmother that I would wear them on the Journey!'

'No... It's okay. It's not like you knew that a guy would suddenly possess your body just as the Journey of Regeneration started.'

'But still...'

'It's okay, Colette. Really, Sera was just taking a jab at me 'cause you and I get along better than her and Lloyd. Don't fret about it,' I wasn't; at least until I got the chance to change clothes.

"Hey!" Genis called from ahead, at the base of a hill. I jogged to catch up and saw a set of stairs leading to the top where I could see a dome-like building emitting the very bright pillar of light. Did I mention it was bright?

"So, the light is coming from this temple..." Sera breathed in wonder.

"Then that means that an oracle is going to be conveyed. Colle's going to be the Chosen of Regeneration."

"Why does it have to be so bright?" I shielded my eyes as I looked up at the temple. A moment of awkward silence followed my comment.

Genis looked up at the temple in surprise, "Hey, there's a lot of commotion up there."

Sera and I looked up, listening for the noise that Genis had been able to hear before us, "You're right..."

Something stumbled to the top of the stairs and Sera took a step forward.

"Chosen One!" the person called out.

'It's the Pastor!'

He started to stagger down the steps, but lost his footing and fell. Sera ran forward and stopped the man halfway down. Genis and I ran up to where Sera was kneeling, holding the Pastor by the shoulders.

"Hey, are you all right?" she asked.

The Pastor struggled to sit up and look at me, "The Desians broke the non-aggression treaty and attacked the temple..." he paused to cough, "Chosen One... quickly... the oracle..."

I nodded. "I know."

"Be careful," he relaxed against Sera's arm and his eyes lost focus. "I regret that I will not... be able to pro...tect... the... Cho...sen." He fell limp against Sera's arms.

"Pastor!"

Sera just closed her eyes and shook her head, laying him on the ground.

"No!" Genis cried out. He started tearing up, but furiously wiped his eyes. I clapped him on the shoulder and Sera draped her arm over his shoulder and squeezed, giving him a sideways hug.

'Poor Pastor...' Colette's sad voice pulled me away from the moment and I could focus on the task at hand. 'We need to go to the temple!'

Sera's head suddenly snapped up and she glared up at the temple. She started to go up the stairs but Genis called out to her.

"Lloyd! There are Desians in there!"

Sera stopped her ascent and turned to look at Genis, "We promised Frank that we'd accompany Colle to the temple. I am not about to stop here."

'She's right. It's my job to accept the oracle on the day of Prophecy.'

I repeated what Colette had said and started leading Genis up the stairs after Sera, "C'mon, Genis. We can't let him have all the fun."

Genis sighed in defeat, "I'm worried about Raine, so I'll come too."

'Dwarven Vow #1: Let's all work together for a peaceful world,' Colette chimed up.

'What's a Dwarven Vow?' I asked as we climbed the stairs.

'They are the laws by which dwarves live.'

'Why would a bunch of humans know them?'

'That's because Dirk is a dwarf!'

'Dirk?'

'Lloyd's father. They live in the forest west of the village, past the Human Ranch.'

"Run, Colle!"

I looked up when I heard my 'name' and saw that we had arrived at the temple. There was an older lady at the entrance, surrounded by a couple soldiers and a man with weird brown spikey hair.

"Lord Botta!" one of the soldiers yelled. The man with the weird hair looked behind him to the guy who had just yelled, "There he is!"

The leader turned completely around and glared at me, "Chosen One. Your life is mine!"

"You and what army, Desian?" Sera asked. So these were the desians...

"Desians?" one of the Desians sneered, "...Hahaha!" Or maybe not.

"What's so funny?" Genis asked.

"Well then," the other Desian grinned, "Die at the hands of the Desians you so hate. Get them!" They charged towards us and Sera pulled out her blades to meet them head on.

One charged directly at me, and I pulled the chakram out of their hiding place.

'Use Ray Thrust. Focus your mana into the chakram and throw it.' Colette instructed.

I jumped out of the way of the Desian's attack and did as Colette told me.

"Ray Thrust!" The chakram glowed slightly, and I threw it at the guy. It shot towards him, faster than before, and clanged as it hit him in the helmet. He stumbled to the side and before he could regain his balance, Genis hit him with Fireball.

He staggered back into the other Desian, who was trying to catch his breath, and they glanced at each other.

Sera stepped to my side a little out of breath. She glared at the Desians in front of us, holding her swords at the ready. I hoped that it was the adrenaline coursing through her that made her grin like she was enjoying the battles we encountered. That grin really creeped me out.

The ground shook and the Desians grinned at each other before running off while we focused on not falling over. I was able to noticed that the Botta guy had also disappeared before the ground shook again. A grunt from the stairs lead us to look behind us.

A huge head, about the size of an over ripe watermelon with beady eyes, rested on top of the body of a body builder. A helmet, with what appeared to be the horns from a boar attached to it, protected the large meatball of a head. One arm looked to be as big around as my waist. The man climbed the stairs, revealing more of his spandexed self and shaking the ground with every step he took.

We backed away as the towering figure reached the top steps. Genis clutched my cape nervously as Sera got ready to defend herself.

The man, who had to be seven feet tall, swung the large hammer in his left hand to his shoulder and the ball-and-chain in his right hand to land on the ground next to him, "Do not get in our way!"

The giant charged at us and I grabbed Genis before jumping to the side while Sera jumped to the other. The hammer landed in the spot where I had just been standing and the giant, with a little effort, picked the hammer back up to swing it at Sera.

Sera flew from behind the giant to the other side of the area. Sera!

"Lloyd!" Genis cried out as he pushed himself out of my arms and ran to her side. She picked herself up and was using her swords to get to her feet when a grunt behind me alerted me to the presence of the large thing that had knocked her over.

Colette shrieked as I jumped to the side, narrowly avoiding the loss of my head. I stumbled as I worked to keep myself from falling flat on my face while running from the giant.

"Fireball!"

I glanced back to see the giant batting at the various spots on his person that had burst into flame.

"Ray Thrust!" The attack hardly did anything, unless annoying the giant counted as something.

He charged at me again, and again, I started running like a chicken with its head cut off. I nearly stopped when I realized that I was running toward Sera.

"Demon Fang!" A large bolt of energy whizzed past me and hit the giant. He stumbled and fell forward, the displaced air launching me into the fence behind Sera and knocking the air out of me.

I grasped the fence to keep my self from falling over, getting a nice view of the cliff I had just narrowly avoided plummeting down. The grass at the bottom looked really soft, but I still didn't like the idea of falling.

An "ugh!" told me that Genis had also been swept off his feet.

Which only left one person to fight with the giant. Sera!

I turned around, trying to catch my breath at the same time as I searched for my friend. Genis was lying on the ground a few feet away and Sera was jumping out of the way of another swing of that annoying hammer.

I stumbled to Genis' side, my breath slowly coming back to me. He was picking himself up as I kneeled beside him.

"This guy... is really strong," he gasped out.

'Lloyd!' Colette's voice rang out in my head.

I looked over my shoulder and gasped, trying to get to my feet. Sera had just jumped out of the way of the hammer again, but hadn't seen the ball-and-chain come out from the other side.

"Se-"

"Lloyd!" Genis was also struggling to stand up next to me.

I closed my mouth and didn't finish what I was going to say. She was Lloyd to everyone here. I couldn't call out to her like I normally would.

Time slowed to a crawl as Sera finally registered the fast approaching giant ball of iron coming at her head and turned to look in its direction. Her eyes widened and of all the times that my friend could freeze up and lose all brain functions, it had to be then.

I was finally able to wrench my knees from the floor and start running forward just as Sera started to bring her swords up to block, but I knew it was too late for both of us. Nevertheless, I pumped my legs as hard as I could.

I watched, my heart falling to the very pits of my stomach, as the ball-and-chain made its agonizingly slow arc through the air towards my best friend.

A flash of purple obstructed my vision and there was a clang.

I skidded to a stop right behind Sera. I grabbed her arm and pulled her back against my chest in a quick hug, confirming that she was still alive.

"Who...?" she was shaken up and a little bewildered, but she would be fine.

I looked up at the man who had knocked the ball-and-chain away. His back was to us, so all I could really see was the purple cape that was cut in the same fashion as the one on my back and the messy auburn hair that fell just above his shoulders.

I glanced past him to see the giant that had just been knocking us around like croquet balls scrambling to get back on his feet. My eyes flew back to the back of the man standing in front of us.

Was the difference between a bunch of kids and one man that great in this world?

He glanced over his shoulder at Sera and me and looked us over coolly with crimson eyes.

"Get out of the way."

~~Before I forget, I'll mention that there are now very short bios on Sera and Kyle in my profile for anyone who's interested.

Review incentive is a pic of Colle.~~