Author's Preface: Now we shall be returning to the wonderful world where most of the rest of this story's events are going to take place – Aselia. It's going to be a few chapters before Auldrant makes an appearance again. This is a few days after the events of chapter 1, but later in the day from chapter 2, just so you know. Therefore, chapter 2 had occurred days after chapter 1… I also found out after putting up for the world to see that I left out the name of the chapter at the beginning of the previous… Oops. Thanks again for rants and reviews, many of which were not posted here, but on the Tales Series Forums. (Love you all!) And now, chapter 3 begins!
The annoying, yet required disclaimer: I own nothing… Everything in this chapter is owned by Namco or Bandai-Namco. (Well, except the sea monster… That was a figment of my imagination.)
Chapter 3: Arrival
News just happens to really spread quickly, doesn't it…?
That's what Lloyd thought as he saw the Otherworldly Gate come into view. Hundreds of people had gathered on the tiny island. It was only days ago when a new prophecy had been revealed and was beginning to take effect. Now, all these religious individuals were gathered on an island that was too tiny to fit them all. For what, Lloyd almost forgot… That is, until he heard, "The coming of the third chosen is almost upon us!" and remembered instantly. Lloyd had his own reasons that were probably different than anybody else's as to why he was here – Colette and Zelos.
Keep holding on, Colette… He thought. I'll make sure the third chosen will save you and Zelos! I just wish I knew how the news spread to so many people so quickly! Lloyd had been hoping that he would've been the only one there to greet the new chosen, but he was dead wrong. Lloyd closed his eyes and sighed pathetically. The sheer number of people on the island was ridiculous! The other individuals on the boat Lloyd had taken couldn't even get onto the island, it was so jam packed. Lloyd, not giving up, edged his way onto the island and into the crowd. He tried getting to the center of the island by pushing his way there.
The middle of the island was empty. This area stood inside a bunch of giant stones and everybody knew that once the third chosen arrived, this is where they would end up appearing from.
A high-pitched noise broke the random chatter. The time had come. The third chosen was arriving. At this point, Lloyd had worked his way up to almost the front of the crowd. The sky above the center of the Otherworldly Gate had turned white. Lloyd looked up at this light. Suddenly, a blinding pillar of light came down from the whited-out sky. Many people gasped or looked away, but Lloyd used this opportunity to get closer. However, when he tried to push by two people at the very front, he fell down inside the stone circle. He stared at the ground for a few seconds and uttered the word "Ow…" under his breath.
When he looked up, Lloyd saw a figure begin to appear a few meters away. Lloyd got to his feet, looking rather embarrassed. Just then, the white light that had formed the third chosen began to fade. The chosen's colors and features began to appear, now. In less than a minute, the third chosen's features were fully formed. Lloyd took a good long look at this new individual. The third chosen was currently lying face down on the ground. It was a young man, no older than himself, Lloyd figured, considering he himself was seventeen. He had long, red hair tied in the back with a yellow hair band, a white coat with some sort of insignia on it that was trying to peek out beyond the long hair, gray pants, and maroon shoes. Lloyd blinked. Then, he decided to walk over to the newcomer.
"Hey…" Lloyd said once he was standing over the red haired individual. The young man looked up, and Lloyd noticed his big teal-green eyes. Lloyd extended a hand to the new chosen, who used it to stand up. "My name is Lloyd Irving. What's yours?" The red head smiled at Lloyd.
"My name is Luke fon Fabre." Luke looked around at murmuring individuals, still standing behind the stones. "So, Lloyd…" He tilted his head slightly for some reason. "Where exactly am I?" Lloyd put a hand on Luke's shoulder.
"Welcome to Aselia, Luke!" Lloyd grinned. He already could tell that he was going to like Luke. Suddenly, a raucous rant screeched from the crowd of onlookers. The crowd then flooded in around Luke and Lloyd. Just then, Lloyd was knocked over in the rampant rush, and looked up just in time to see Luke's vibrant red hair vanish out of sight. Lloyd swore that Luke was trying to call for him, as he thought he heard his name being called by a voice that sounded like Luke's. However, by the time that Lloyd stood up, many people had loaded onto a giant ferry that Lloyd seeming failed to notice earlier, which was pulling away by the time Lloyd got over to where the boat was.
Uh, oh… Lloyd thought. This can't be good… My one hope to save Colette and Zelos is now gone… Where could that ferry be going?Lloyd sighed, and then he walked over to the middle of the gate and pulled out his Wing Pack and took out his red Rheaird and hopped on, hoping to pursue the ferry. His Rheaird moved faster than the ferry, and he eventually caught up and cruised a little distance above the boat, looking for Luke's conspicuously red hair that Lloyd had to admit to himself looked a lot like Zelos'. Maybe this similarity was what had attracted so many people… Unfortunately, Lloyd could not find anything remotely close to the vibrant color of Luke's hair on the deck of the ship.
However, Luke was indeed on the ship. He was being practically mobbed by crowds of religious people. Twice Luke tried to get Lloyd's attention and failed miserably. "Dammit!" Luke swore after his second attempt failed.
"Is there something wrong, Chosen?" A priest asked him. Luke spun around angrily.
"Yeah!" Luke fumed. "Two things, actually! One, why is everybody calling me 'Chosen'? I have a name, y'know! It's Luke! Two, I can't seem to get the attention of Lloyd, and he's the only one I REALLY want to talk to right now! Everybody just leave me alone!" Luke had half of a notion to get into position to jump off the ferry, but he knew that if he died here, he'd be dooming his home world of Auldrant and, just as importantly, Tear. Instead, Luke let out a reluctant sigh and rested an elbow on the ferry's railing, propping up his head. He looked over the side of the boat and was staring at the water.
"HEY!! Luke!" Luke looked up when he heard his name. It was Lloyd who had called him from the flying machine of his. Lloyd waved to Luke, who smiled and waved in return.
All of a sudden, the ferry stopped rather abruptly, causing many people, Luke included, to fall over (Luke fell backwards onto his head and began to rub it). A giant sea monster had grappled the boat. Lloyd had to double-take when he saw the boat stop. Many people were yelling in fear, but Luke was making his way over to the monster's head to attack. He climbed his way onto the top of the boat's railings.
"Look! The chosen is going to jump!" Somebody said. More people gasped. One of Luke's hands held onto a flagpole to prevent him from slipping, while his other hand unsheathed his sword – the Key of Lorelei. After taking out his sword, Luke jumped off the boat to attack the monster.
"Die!" Luke yelled as his sword impaled the monster as it screeched in pain and began to sink back into the water. However, in his heroics, Luke forgot to take into account that although he could swim, he only could swim not very well and would probably drown before reaching dry land. Uh, oh… Luke thought. Now what?!?
"Luke! Take my hand!" Lloyd was still flying on his flying machine, extending a hand to Luke. Luke smiled and took it, and in one fluid motion was seated on the machine behind Lloyd, holding onto Lloyd's shoulders in order to prevent falling off.
"Thanks!" Luke said. Lloyd beamed. As they ascended back into the views of the ferry passengers, they were greeted by loud cheering. Voices were saying things like, 'he really is a chosen!', 'the chosen saved us!', 'that was spectacular!', and 'the chosen is all right!' People cleared a spot on the deck of the ferry for the Rheaird to land. Both Lloyd and Luke were greeted warmly. In about five minutes, the ferry pulled into a harbor and people began to load off. Unfortunately, Lloyd and Luke were separated once again as the crowd swept up Luke and left the boat.
"Hey!" Lloyd said. First, he needed to put back his Rheaird, which he did. Before he knew it, the crowd was filing into Meltokio. Just then, the gates began to close. "Don't close those gates yet!" Lloyd yelled at the closing gates, but they shut completely right in his face. This can NOT be good… Lloyd thought, and then banged on the gates futily.
Author's Footnote: The reason at times the Rheaird is called the "flying machine" is because the paragraph is from Luke's perspective and Luke doesn't know what a Rheaird is... yet. He'll learn later, though. Please keep writing reviews! Thanks for reading!
