Cat: Ok, I'm tired, but I'll try to do my best and get this done.
Btw, I forgot to mention in the interview. Well, obviously, the white achat is .. white.
Turmalin is a brown-orange stone.
Kunzite is mostly a pale pink, almost white, transparent stone. They originally had a very dark
reddish-pink color, but they lose the intensity the longer the stone is set out to sunlight.
So, it's best to wear that kind of jewelry at night.
I reread some Caught Chapters and the Reviews - I'm so happy about reviews!
And I changed a bit on the Caught Rewrite. So, now, it's the Caught Rewrite Rewrite.
Ahahaha!
Random Fact - Shinobi is Ninja
Shihna unlocked the door to the Tower of Mana and they entered,
staring at the high ceiling and the rows of shelves stuffed with books.
Straight ahead of them was an arch leading to the stairs that would bring them to the top of the tower.
They started slowly on the stairs, not knowing how long they might have to climb them,
the stairs making a turn to one side, then another until finally, they were at the top.
Raine was looking around expectingly.
"What's the matter?" Shihna asked, wondering about the woman's behavior.
"I'd like to see the Priestess of this Temple." was all the silverhead answered and searched more.
"Not all the Priestesses show themselves to the Chosen." Lloyd told her pushing open the big portal,
which would lead them to the altar.
The altar was made out of sandstone, stairs that lead to the altar's top seemed to float in mere air,
nothing to keep them from falling, if the steps would give under their weight.
Collet carefully went ahead, getting nervous as she drew closer to the altar.
The earth shoke and the altar glowed, a golden pattern rising from it and swirling itself into a ball.
They all stared and, closing their eyes to slits, could make out the shadow of a woman in it.
"Asuka ..?" she asked. "Where are you?"
The next second, the golden ball had disappeared and Remiel had taken it's place.
He looked down on them and smiled.
"You have reached your second seal, Chosen." he said and spread his arms. "Receive your blessings
and gain Angel Powers."
Four balls out of light, similiar to the ones from the Fire Seal, flew down to Collet and penetrated her back,
forcing her wings to gush out again.
"Your next goal lies to the east of here. I expect you to do well." Remiel said and bowed his head slightly, before
disappearing again.
"A real angel .."
"What was that, Collet?" Genius asked when the girl came back to them.
"Ah, nothing." Collet smiled and shook her hands at them. "I just wondered what it was like to be a real angel."
They slowly started to descend the stairs, Raine kept looking around, still searching for the priestess.
"It is such a tragedy to not get the research I need .." she sighed when they got to the exit of the Tower.
"The Priestesses have different kinds of duties." Lloyd explained. "All of them have to stay at their
altar and protect it from anyone who might try to infiltrate. But their duty also has written how well the
Priestess has to remain hidden."
"Oh? How come you know that?" Raine asked curiously.
"I am quiet interested in History and Ancient Culture." Kratos told her. "So, he naturally grew up
with much information about those subjects."
"I see .."
Night was quiet aside from the crackling of the flames.
Kratos, volunterring as the first shift of nightwatch, stared into them, lost in his thoughts,
while Lloyd was leaning against him back to back, arms crossed.
Of course, he was pretending to sleep, but it was best to maintain low profile.
Collet, though, turned from one side to another and back,
adjusting and readjusting the blanket to cover her more or less, trying to fall asleep.
"Having trouble?" Kratos asked and Collet started so rough she sat up.
"U-um .. No, not really." she quickly replied. "It's just that the past few days I had trouble falling asleep."
Kratos stirred, nudging Lloyd slightly in the ribs, who had flinched when hearing Collet's words.
A sign to tell him to keep staying 'asleep'.
"Chosen," Kratos said, focusing his eyes on the girl now. "if you have trouble sleeping, you should try
to count the stars. Although a human life is far too short to count them all."
Collet looked at him with her wide, blue eyes and nodded, turning her gaze to the black nightsky.
Minutes went past, maybe even hours, until she lay back down and closed her eyes.
Lloyd sat up, stretching, but remained silent.
He could tell, just like his father for sure, that Collet wasn't asleep.
Her breathing was slow and steady, but it didn't come deep from inside her.
She had just calmed herself down and hoped that nobody would suspect anything.
".. It goes on fast."
Lloyd jumped out of his skin at the sudden sound of his father's voice.
Kratos' eyes were back in the flames, but Lloyd could tell he was talking about Collet.
"Apparently .." was all the boy said, turning his head slightly to look at his parent. ".. It wasn't your fault."
He had changed the subject towards his mother, for he was sure that Kratos was thinking of her.
"If that is what you think." was all Kratos said, but he smirked sadly, which made Lloyd glare at him.
But he couldn't really have a big discussion over the fault of his father's for his mother's death now.
Their voices were sure to get loud - like they always did when the talk came to the subject of Anna - and
it would wake all of them up.
Lloyd didn't like it if too many knew about his personal business.
So, he merely leaned his back against his father's again and crossed his arms with such force, that
he almost felt like was about to break his arm.
Kratos smirked, knowing what his son was feeling right now.
"I will tell you. But-"
"Not now, I know." Lloyd finished the sentence and both remained quiet again.
When Kratos closed his eyes and his head nodded forwards a few times,
it was his sign for Lloyd to take over.
Kratos went a few steps away and leaned his back against a boulder, keeping his eyes closed.
Lloyd looked like he had just woken up from sleeping, but sat with a certain air of assurance there.
Both hoped that no one had woken up, but if they had, they had seen nothing suspiscious.
Raine had the map laid out in front of her, scanning it with her eyes.
"The only holy place to the east would be the Mausoleum." she muttered to herself.
"If we leave within the next hour, we should make it shortly after noon." Kratos calculated,
looking at the map.
She agreed, but nobody made way to leave, since Lloyd was still gone.
They had realized that they were running short of some ingredients, so he had left for Haima
to restock.
Meanwhile in Haima, Lloyd had already gotten everything he had to and was starting to head back.
Although he was still a good way away, he could see everyone else, and was about to hurry up to them,
when he felt a buzzing in his ear.
He quickly stepped behind a boulder and clicked the earring open, holding the end of the chain
with the teardropped shaped pendant to his mouth.
"Yes?"
"Lloyd, I have been trying to contact your father first, but he is not answering. Could it be that he is fataly injured?"
"Yggdrasill-sama," Lloyd said obidiently, bowing slightly in reflex. "no, he is not. Right now he is in close
proximity to the Chosen. Therefore he can't answer, it would blow his cover."
"I see. Well, at least you answered. How is the Chosen progressing?"
"We just broke the second seal and she has already lost sense of eating and sleeping. She is progressing very fast."
"So, you are going to be able to finish the Journey early?"
"Most likely, yes."
"Good, good. I had heard news from Rodyle - you and Kratos destroyed the Asgard Ranch."
Lloyd flinched, trying to calm himself quickly again.
There was no reason why Yggdrasill should get into a rage because of the Ranch.
The Chosen had the closest mana-signature to Martel's since 4000 years. He was about to get his goal.
But he couldn't help but think who Rodyle was again.
Rodyle - Level 558
Grand Cardinal
Most known Location - a floating Island in the Eastern Skies
He closed his eyes and decided to stay with the truth.
"That is correct."
"I know how much you and Kratos had wanted to injure him. I do not blame you."
Lloyd could very easily detect the slight malice in his voice,
certainly Yggdrasill was smirking to himself at that moment.
"Don't worry yourself. I will not punish you, nor Kratos. You are both valuable to Cruxis.
And Pronema had told me that Kvar was doing some shady business with Rodyle - Rodyle won't
get away with anything anymore if he sets one toe out of line again."
Lloyd nodded, knowing what that meant.
Rodyle was probably going to be killed. And most likely it was going to be Pronema who will get
the order to do it.
"I want a status report on the Chosen soon again."
"Of course, Yggdrasill-sama."
It stayed quiet for a while, so Lloyd put the earring back in place and hasted towards the group to rejoin.
When they entered the Mausoleum a strong gust of wind greeted them.
The inside was barely lit with torches put here and there, it was cold and there was a constant breeze blowing.
They had to walk slowly and carefully since they couldn't see the way that well.
At one point, Collet tripped and knocked into something in front of her.
"Chosen, are you alright?" Kratos asked.
"Y-yes." Collet said and put her hand out.
The same sign from the Mausoleum's door lit up and she stumbled into another room,
this one being well lit and a staircase leading towards the next room, where the altar was.
"Your being clutzy is helpful sometimes, Collet." Genius grinned and laughed when Collet
threw a little tantrum.
Lloyd flinched, sensing someone approaching and unsheathed his sword.
It missed, but the blade got heavier and they all stared at the girl sitting on it with legs crossed.
"It's not very nice to greet someone with a sword."
The girl was wearing a tight, green bustee with puffy, seethrough sleeves and similiar pants,
her feet stuck in silk shoes that had their points turning upwards.
Her hair was put into two ponytails to the sides of her head, some thick strands
still hanging over her ears.
"Are you .. the Priestess?" Raine asked, surprised that a little girl like her would have such an important duty.
"Yes." the girl leaned her arms on her knees and her head on her hands. She looked at Lloyd. "And you!"
Lloyd glared at her, not moving a muscle.
She slapped her hands against his cheeks and put her face close to his so that the tips of their noses
were almost touching.
"Don't frown so much!" she grinned and lifted her body, doing a handstand with her hands still
on Lloyd's cheeks. "Cause if you do, you'll get wrinkley when you're old!"
Lloyd remained quiet, a nerve around his eye twitching and his jaw clenched together tightly.
The girl laughed at his expression and jumped, doing some somersaults before landing
swiftly on her feets on the ground.
"Lemme guess, you're the Chosen and her companions?" she asked, looking at them. "And you're here to break the seal."
"That's right." Collet said. "So, will you let us pass?"
"Hmm .. No. Because there is a password before I let you through!" the girl laughed. "And you have to guess what it is."
Everyone wondered how they could guess a password, without having a single clue what it could be.
"And since I'm so nice, I'll give you a hint for every question you ask."
".. Is the password .. a noun?" Genius asked.
"Yes."
That, of course, didn't really narrow it down much, so they continued to ask some other questions.
A few minutes later, Shihna sighed.
"Is the password your name?"
"Nope, it is not 'Sefie'." she answered, giggling.
"Is the password something edible?" Collet asked and quickly put a hand to her mouth.
"Collet?" Raine asked worried. "Are you okay?"
"Yes. Nothing to worry about." Collet reassured her.
The questions continued onwards, until finally,
after what seemed to be about twenty minutes,
Sefie admitted that the password was 'Lemon Frosting' and she let them past,
disappearing in the middle of a somersault.
After breaking the seal, it was much easier to get outside of the Mausoleum.
The dark rooms had lit up more than before and they were quickly out again.
Lloyd caught Collet, who had tripped, in time.
"Are you alright, Chosen?" he asked, one hand on her back, the other holding her hand.
Collet nodded and opened her mouth to say something .. but no sound came out.
Camp was very quiet that night, until Shihna stood up.
"Guys, I've got something to say." she said, everyone turning their heads to her. "The reason, why I
tried to kill Collet .."
"Is because you are trying to save your world." Raine finished and smirked at Shihna's horrified look.
"S-so you knew?"
"No. But it did start to make sense after a while." the woman said. "Why would you want to kill
the Chosen One, who will regenerate and therefore save this land? It must be because you
don't want this land to be saved. So, you must be from somewhere else."
"Hm, your intelligence is really wasted here." Shihna nodded in agreement. "Yes, I come from Tethe'alla."
"The moon?" Genius asked and flinched when Lloyd chuckled to himself about something.
Shihna laughed amused. "No, I'm not from the Moon. .. Actually, I don't get it myself,
but Tethe'alla and Sylvarant are parallel to and affect each other."
"How so?"
"They both need mana." Shihna sighed. "Right now, Tethe'alla is flourishing while Sylvarant is declining.
If you succeed in your journey, Tethe'alla will start to decline."
"It's like an Hourglass." Raine realized. "But it can't be helped. If there was such a thing as
the Eternal Tree from Mithos' Tales we wouldn't have to worry about mana. But we have to
live from the little amount we have."
She looked at Shihna.
"You were sent here to make sure that Sylvarant continues to decline by killing the Chosen.
To save Tethe'alla. And yet .. you are fighting along side us at the moment."
"Th-that doesn't mean I'm going to abandon Tethe'alla!" the Shinobi snapped. "If it were possible ..
if it were possible for Tethe'alla and Sylvarant to flourish .."
Collet, who had been sitting closest to the fire up to now, clapped her hands together and got up,
trotting over to the two Aurions.
Lloyd looked mildly interested when Collet took his hand and started to trace Letters with
her fingers on it.
".. 'I will ask Remiel if I can regenerate both worlds'." he read out loud when Collet finished.
"If that worked, it'd be perfect." Genius cheered and caught Kratos' and Lloyd's gaze. ".. Wh-what?"
"Nothing of importance." Kratos said, his gaze straying to Shihna, whose expression had changed as well.
"You do realize that if it fails" she said and smirked slightly. "I will kill you."
Collet looked expressionless to Shihna and then wrote on Lloyd's hand again.
".. 'If that happens, I will fight for Sylvarant's sake'."
The atmosphere got heavy and depressing after that, but after a while, one by one they fell asleep.
The next morning, they headed for Haima, since Kratos knew of a man who sold
Rides on Dragons to the Tower of Salvation.
Haima was a small village, it was barely even that.
There was a store for food and for equipment, the main attraction being an Inn. The man who sold the rides
was in his thrities a wild hairdo sprouting from his head and thick sunglasses.
He was a bit worried when Raine, who had taken over negotiation, said that they wanted to LAND
at the Tower not just circle it with the dragons.
Of course the man didn't want to endanger his dragons, nor his business, but once he found out that
it was for the sake of the Worldregeneration, he made sure that the dragons they were to use were
the best and he wouldn't charge anything.
Anything to help the Chosen on her Journey.
The downside was that the rides could only be given to them by tomorrow, so they had to spend
the rest of the day in Haima.
Shihna was playing with Corrine, a human-made elemental spirit, and Genius was
trying to have a conversation with Collet.
Kratos and Lloyd stayed at the graveyard a bit away from the Inn.
"Yggdrasill-sama knows we killed Kvar." Lloyd said bluntly, his father not even stirring an eyebrow.
"I assume we are in trouble?"
"Not at all." the boy stretched and leaned against the banister, crossing his arms. "He understands
and is actually quite angry at Rodyle, who told him that."
"Hm .. and Yggdrasill wanted to know about the Chosen's condition?"
"Yes. He was pleased to hear that she was progressing fast."
Kratos turned to his son.
"I'm quite surprised about that myself. Why did it go so fast?"
"Perhaps because her signature is so close to Martel's?" Lloyd shrugged his shoulders without interest.
"I noticed at the Fire Seal that she was having trouble sleeping."
"Hm, well, not much longer and the Journey will be over." Kratos said, his gaze straying along
the sides.
"The sooner we leave for the Tower, the sooner Cruxis will have finished it's goal." the boy
sighed in relief and then gasped.
His senses sharpened and he realized someone was close by.
Collet was standing a few feet away from them, staring with wide eyes at them.
Her hand was clenched over her Cruxis Crystal, the faint glint showing through her fingers.
It was hard to tell which of the three people was most amazed to see the other
person across them.
Cat: Yes, it became faster again.
Yes, I skipped the Water Seal - who cares? The water seal wasn't
important in the manga, anyway.
Of course, now you'll wonder what about Pietro, the unicorn and- hey I had forgotten about the unicorn.
Oh well, I still know how to fix things.
Horray an update after a long time!
