Well well well, I'm glad there's still people wanting to see another chapter. I was asking myself if this fic was too serious, or annoying because the timeline is already known by almost everyone on this site. I mean, there will be no big surprise. I'm redoing the game after all. But it's so fun to stop on every thing that happen during the game. I hope you'll love this chapter.
Rar and then, chapter three! I take a little line here to tell everyone that it's very likely that the lyrics all the character are saying here and there won't always be the right ones. I didn't took notes about all the game when I redo it. I'm sure I'll have to begin another game in no time, to keep up the fic. I play faster than I write.
CrystalSteele: Thank you very much. Well, if that's not too serious for you, I'm glad to say that another chapter's been done. Have a nice time reading, hoping to read another review of you soon!
Sylphethe cat: Oui, j'ai vu ton commentaire pour les coulisses de tales of symphonia. Il va falloir que je bosses sérieusement si je veux avoir une chance d'avancer chacune de mes fics. Je suis contente que tu me suives dans BK. Je suis désoler qu'en France, il ne soit pas encore sortit. D'ailleurs, j'espère que ça ne te pose pas trop de problèmes dans la lecture de ma fic, parce qu'il y a quelques détails, qui ont rapport à BKO. Le jeu est génial. Je préfère le système de combat du premier, mais j'ai gagner le deuxième. Et beaucoup plus vite que le premier d'ailleurs. Pour l'instant, je trouve qu'il est quand même plus difficile à faire que l'autre. Mais c'est un super jeu. Un incontournable selon moi. Je te souhaite de pouvoir mettre la main dessus bientôt. Sur quoi, je te souhaite une bonne semaine et bien de la joie jusqu'au prochain chap. Ciao!
The monster within
A true hero… or maybe not
They had decided to go see the Moonguile forest ruins together. They had already beaten a saber dragon together. And as so, they now knew they could make a good team. A really good team. The boy and the girl. He in blue, and her in red. Almost pink, but I would say red. Two contraries. Two total opposites. That perfectly matches together. They fit.
Okay. Now that the intro is done, let's say things as they were. This ruins didn't even look like ruins, so I knew there was something strange there. And then, the pool began to riddle, as if something was... Inside. And it came out all of a sudden. Something just like a serpent. And I think to myself… what the hell? This pool's too small to held something that big in it. Man… I'm sure Kalas doesn't even care. All he wants is to fight and become greater and greater to be able to beat Giacomo.
Hum, maybe I should tell you what was exactly in that pool? It's simple. It was the bigger serpent I'd ever seen. He talked to us, his moustache softly moving around his mouth like two white herbs lost on a burned land. He was all blue and grey. And the eyes? I didn't remember the eyes. He was just big and I suffered for him just by guessing how hard it was to live in that little pool when he was that big.
Kalas and Xelha didn't have a second thought for this beast. After all, they had to fight with it. Well, she did have some second thought, like, how did this monster get here. But he didn't take time to think. He just took out his sword and attacked. Have I told you already that I think this guy is cool? Yeah, oh, alright then.
This fight was a long one. Kalas and Xelha were still beginner at fighting. And that thing wasn't anything. Swords and spells swung and shine everywhere, as the lord of the spring, not less, used laser's attack and threw his tail, which was as big as his head, so many many packed and living fishes in one piece, over my spiriter and the lady in red.
As so, they had to use a lot of recovering items. How I like yellow bananas at time like this…
-Here, take this, said Xelha after having used a bunch of bananas over Kalas.
-Thanks, he replied simply before to draw his knife and sword and defeat the lord of the spring for good. The beast fell down, almost over my two fighters, but they jumped away, so that it fell between them.
Slowly, the blue and grey serpent vanished as a male and strong voice told us that we had Malpercio's blessing. Or something like that. Then, a strong light blind us three, before that a big magnus floated between the two teenagers, shining like pure gold. Xelha gasped in surprise. And Kalas was almost hypnotized by that thing. He took it in his hands, without knowing what would happen. He shouldn't have.
The spring begun to shine too and birds of light flew away from the water, in thousands. Then, the same annoying voice came in, talking about something on the end of the world. That girl in white. I couldn't believe it at first. One of the brown leaves I could see in their both minds fell into the water and leave a circle of blood behind her. The voice said that a gate had been opened. To what? I didn't stick to that detail. Kalas's heart was pounding and Xelha shouted on him when they got back to the Moonguile ruins.
-What were you thinking?! Don't you know that Malpercio is a wicked god? Where do you come from to…
-What?! I don't know a thing about that god you're talking about…
But, a little scared by her angry look, he let the magnus fall on the ground, hoping that nothing worst or strange would happen. The shimmering magnus loose some of his light, and Xelha gasped at new, before she get the time to scolded Kalas a little more. A pink ray came out from the pendant she carried on her neck and pointed far away. Was it before or after the leaves? The ray pointed so far that it must reached another island. The light disappeared.
"What's happening here?"
I don't know, but I'm going to find out right away.
He didn't get to do it. Before they could exchange another word, a bunch of imperial soldiers came out of the bushes and surrounded us. The Goldoba was flying over our heads –their heads, I know- and he jumped of it, to fall right in our face. He. Giacomo.
-You! Hissed Kalas, ready to draw his sword to attack. I wanted to tell him to hold on, but a soldier did something before I could talk.
He caught Xelha by behind. He submitted her to his grasp and upped her in the air, so she couldn't touch the ground anymore. She struggled against its hold but Giacomo was smiling and there were too much soldiers.
-We finally got you, you thief, he said, his eyes sparkling with pleasure. This man must love to see other people suffering.
-Let go off me! she yelled. The soldier laughed and Kalas turned to face him, holding his sword tightly, his teeth clenched. My spiriter didn't love to see people suffer. And Xelha was almost a friend now. She was a vulnerable girl. She needed him.
I thought of that woman who'd said he was going to meet someone who would need him. And that he would end by needing too. Maybe was I true when I thought it was her? But in that case, he really had to do something, and fast. His heart was beating so fast right now.
-Let her go, he ordered. His legs were running, but we were totally surrounded. A soldier knocked him in the back and Kalas stopped in the middle of his run, while Xelha was calling out his name. Giacomo had already disappeared from our point of view and with this, the young boy fell unconscious, totally desperate and angry against himself. No, not again! He said before to lose hold of everything.
"Kalas! Kalas, can you hear me?"
Yes, I can, Selene. Glad you're okay. But, I can't move. I'm just… paralyzed. And tired…
"Don't surround to that feeling, there could be another monster that came up to you and…"
I can't move. I wasn't able to help Xelha, do you think I can help myself right now?
"Don't be that hard on yourself. They said she was a thief."
Yeah, but she didn't look like that.
"I see. Even paralyzed, you're still on it."
And what do you mean exactly?!
-Squeak, squeak!!!
Oh, I knew that noise. It was Meemai! He squeaked two or three more times next to Kalas before my spiriter get a hold of himself and get up. He massaged his neck, which did sore from that hit this soldier gave him. Yeah, he'd looked like a true hero like this. I could see the scene in my mind again and again.
-Let her go, with the sword open, ready to give death, and the killer's eyes, and, most of all, the fury to see a man attacking a girl already weakened by a fight with a giant serpent and so frail looking. It would have been something if he had got time to free her from that soldier. But anyway, even now, I can't see a way for them to get through that much imperial soldiers. And then, in my memory, that man kicked in Kalas back and he fell on the ground, beaten. What a hero, truly…
-Meemai! Seems I was still needing your help, he whispered, happy to see the greythorne in the back of his heart. I hope I won't have to be save like this by you too many times.
-Squeak, squeak! The little thing shouted as he jumped at the same place.
-What, you wanna come with me? Well, why not. Here, jump in my cape.
Meemai obeyed and hide himself in Kalas back, stroking his sore neck with his soft skin. My spiriter felt a little better. But he had still lost a chance to fight with Giacomo. And he couldn't guess what those imperials will do to Xelha. Well, he actually could, but just like me, he preferred not to guess.
-Well, let's get out of that forest.
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As we entered Celbarei, we immediately meet with the doctor Larikush. He looked quite upset. Kalas didn't understand at first. But the reality appeared to us promptly. A thing as big as the Goldoba! The villagers must have seen it as it went in the forest.
-The mayor want to see you immediately, Kalas, the doctor told us. He then walked away, to the mayor's house. My spiriter had no choice, but to follow.
And so we did. To get scolded a great deal by an old man… The rest isn't very clear in my mind. Kalas's heart was pounding like a bomb ready to explode. Giacomo was near. The possibility to avenge his grandfather and brother was almost just next to us. There wasn't any time to lose.
-What have you done?! Didn't I tell you to be careful and not to go in the Moonguile forest? The youths are all reckless!
-Well, what was supposed to happen anyway in those woods?
-We don't know, but it's a forbidden place. And above everything, an empire ship just passed over our heads, directing towards the forest. What have you done!
This man was really angry. And Kalas had to hold himself not to punch him in the face. We don't know, but it's a forbidden place. What a pity.
-Do you know something about a shining magnus or on an evil god named Malpercio? He asked, sure not to get a coherent answer.
-No, we don't! And you should get away from this village before I get really angry. Because of you, everything's wrong. The milk has turn as bad as hell. Our animals are getting crazy and the Moonguile forest is more dangerous than ever. The empire ship now is in Perkhad and we're stuck here, with nowhere to go!
-What the hell? It wasn't all because of my doing…Selene?
"Don't worry about it. This man must be only getting too old. Let's wave him goodbye and leave."
I agree. Let's go.
-Well, mister, I'm sorry for that, but if this ship had went in Perkhad, I must go too.
-So you're with the empire? Pretty well then, you're not welcome anymore here! The man yelled, his eyes almost popping out of his head in fury.
-Alright, alright, I'm getting out anyway, replied Kalas as he turned his back on the mayor and his wife.
Larikush said his first words since we entered this damned house.
-Kalas, before you leave, you should come to visit me. I will have something to tell you.
-Okay. I will.
That spiriter always was nicer with people that had saved his life. What a strange habit… I'm just kidding you know. We exited the wooden house to see that everything looked like always in the hamlet. Maybe the mayor was overreacting a bit. Or maybe I couldn't tell the difference because I haven't been there for my whole life. Well. It didn't mind. We had our goal. It was to get in Perkhad, on Giacomo's eels, as soon as possible.
If Larikush wanted to meet with Kalas, then, we should grant his wish. Why not, anyway?
Hey, Selene, this old woman wasn't that much curved over her plants the last time we came here, didn't she?
"Now that you mentioned it, that's right, she looks weaker than the last time."
This is strange. Maybe the doctor will gave us some clue about all of this.
It was a good thing that Kalas went to see the doctor. If he hadn't, we would have had to come back and beg for a way to get through the Nunki valley. But, it's not the point right now. We first decided to save our progress and go pray at the church, so that Kalas could raise a level or two. If he wanted to beat Giacomo, he would have to be stronger. Damn stronger.
I will take the time here to entertain you with the glorious things that are saving flowers. Okay, said like this, it can sound kinda strange and even stupid. But, the fact is that, when you spent all your time traveling and fighting, you can get very, very tired. Now, now, just let me get to the point. When you're tired, you're weaker. When you're weaker, you're easier to beat. And when you're easier to beat, you can get beaten. And (it's the last one, I swear!) when you get beaten, you loose your mind. As so, you find yourself force to redo everything you've done so far to finally be beaten again. And again. And again. Until you made it. Unless you save in a saving flower.
You see? They must be the greatest things ever made on earth after Kalas! Ahahah. Well, now, I should leave you quiet with those saving flowers for a while. But I truly love them. Oh, I should say that I truly like them.
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-So, there's something in the way, preventing anyone to pass through the valley, summarized Kalas.
-That's it. Our hamlet is going to end before long if the villagers can get to Perkhad to sell their pows and mountain apples. If you could help us by bringing to explosives there, where those rocks are blocking the way, to make them explode, it would really save this place.
"And anyway, if we wanna get through this valley, we can't without those explosives."
-But I can't carry something that much heavy! Kalas protested.
-That's why I'm giving you those empty magnus where you can absorb the essence of anything.
"Ha, I understand."
You're completely lost.
"No, I do understand."
Not at all.
"Kalas, this is not the time!"
Well, it's always the time when you wanna tease me.
"You like it when I tease you!"
Okay, okay, calm down.
"Now, take this empty magnus, those explosives, and let's go to the Nunki valley. I hope there will be trees at new. They'd burned them all the last time…"
What are you saying?
"Nothing."
I didn't even know myself where this memory came from. But I knew that it was the truth. Someone had burned all the trees in the Nunki valley before. I was sure of it. I couldn't see what it meant.
Kalas raised his shoulders carelessly, took the essence of those explosives and then prepared to exit the doctor house. But, before he get out, he stopped, as an idea as just popped into his mind.
-Tell me; doctor Larikush, where did you get those explosives? Things like this only came from the empire.
-Well, sometimes, people from the empire can pass by and at those times, we're trying to exchange things that could be useful with them.
What a strange coincidence, still, that those explosives were there, in his possession, as the whole hamlet needed that a path was made at new through the Nunki valley. This man wasn't clean. Wasn't there somebody somewhere in this whole world that wasn't hiding me something?!
-Squeak.
Oh, I see, Meemai. And maybe Xelha. I spent a little while thinking about that as Kalas made his way back to Celbarei's exit. I came up to a deceiving conclusion. No, not even Xelha wasn't hiding me something. Only Meemai was true. Great. I think I'm gonna get to love the greythornes even more than I already did.
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The Nunki valley really is a nice place. There are a lot of monsters. Things like dogs with a whip-looking tail. And, well, they look more like panthers made up with a poisonous tree, but anyhow. There's flying creatures too. Just fun, anywhere you can put your eyes. But Kalas didn't mind. We had to get through this valley as fast as we could. Giacomo won't wait for us to get him. And Xelha was in danger.
But the first thing that I saw in the Nunki valley wasn't a monster or a chest hiding a precious magnus. I saw a little river running between rocks and two natural walls of stone. Trees were growing over those stones and a fallen one was making a sort of gate between the two sides of the river. Kalas take some minutes to get the view perfectly in mind to move. Then, I saw the monsters. And I understood why there weren't birds singing neither here. Remember how disappointed I was not to see some in the Moonguile forest? I still am.
We advanced on the rocks, well, Kalas ran as I follow him spiritually, as ever. There was a small waterfall in front of him and he realized that it was going bigger, then smaller, bigger again and smaller at new. So, we could jump over it. He. Yeah, sorry. He.
He tried to jump on the cliff road while the waterfall was at the smallest flow. But he missed his shot and was drained back down the cliff into the river. With clenched teeth, because this water was cold, he got back on the ground.
-Argh, I'm soaked! He hissed.
I would have nodded if I had a head. He shook his own head to take away some drops of water. It didn't work and he looked damn furious now. I didn't ask if he was okay. He was angry, so he was alright. He just remarked that we will have to be more careful while jumping over that cliff. I agreed. Then, he get back on the cliff and jumped another time. This time, guess what, it works. And it better have. Other way, he would have maybe turned crazy and begun to attack the stones with his sword.
"Calm down Kalas. It's not like if the waterfall has done it on purpose."
I'm sure she did.
"Kalas!"
Let's keep on advancing.
"Okay. As you want."
Then, we get to the rocks that were in the way, simply blew them up. A guy -who wanted to pass but couldn't and just stood there like an idiot- thanked us a lot. Kalas didn't listen a bit. He was in a hurry. We were in a hurry.
So he follow the path, until a beast attacked us. We fight together, me saying where was the enemy before it could attack and Kalas swinging his blades like a knight. Or a very performing razor… Then, after some more minutes of fights, we saw the end of it, in a small tunnel on top of another hill, just behind a big waterfall.
"This place's pretty."
Really? I'm glad you liked it, but I hope I won't have to come back to train or something. I have no time to lose.
"I know. So, what are you waiting for to enter that tunnel?"
I'm not waiting. It's time to eat a little. I wanna be all ready when I arrived at Perkhad.
He's cool when he wants to. But as I know, as I'm always with him, he don't want all the time. To tell you more, he almost don't…
Selene? What are you doing?
"Me? Hum… hehe…huh…" Sheesh.
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We were finally at Perkhad. And, I would like to describe it a little, but Kalas almost immediately turned himself to face me, or well, for everyone else, he was facing empty air. Nothing visible. I will jump over the message I met in his eyes for now, because it's hard for me to remember what they've said.
You see, to entertain you about everything that's coming now that we're in Perkhad, I must first tell you a little about this city. There's not much to tell anyway. It's a white and purple city. White because of the house, all in stone, with flowers next to the windows, or no windows at all. Purple because of the clouds. It's nice and seems a little like a mysterious place. But, with a leader like Rodolfo, it's hard to stay mysterious. And anyway, for now, what really counts is what I saw in Kalas's eyes.
I realized that he doubted about me. And I doubted about him too. He did talk, trying to tell me how we could trust each other. He said that it would change something on our strength. The more we trust each other, the stronger we will be. Well, I answer that I get it and had trust in him. He smiled, reassured. But it was half a lie.
I still doubt now Kalas, and I have every right too now that you've betrayed me. But I'm still looking for your trust and for your sake. I'm still looking for you, even if I doubt, about you and myself. Everyone doubts one day or another. We have to carry on if we want things to change. Things aren't right now. So, I'm looking. And I'll keep on until you'll come back. Or until I'll die. But I can't die. I'm a guardian spirit. So, I'll always be looking. I'll always be there. Trust me.