-Hangs head in shame- This took entirely too long, but I was soooooooooooooooooo busy last week! And then from Tuesday til today, I was on Thanksgiving break and had absolutely no internet access! The first thing I did when I got back was update for you, my (hopefull still)loyal, and always much loved, readers! SORRY FOR THE WAIT!!!
And the thank you's go to….:
Emi the cookie monster: I will email u the file as soon as technology allows. E-mail issues. Thanks for reviewing and I am so very sorry it took soooooooooo long. I hope I didn't let you down!
KGS: I will indeed! Thanks for the review!
Kitty-Katz-Katz: Lucky doesn't even cover it! -sigh- why do fictional women have the best luck?
Crystalwolfberri:thank you! -chomps on cookie- Since this took an age and a half, I don't deserve more cookies. Lol. Thanks for reviewing.
Mandrakefunnyjuice:From your review on chapter 8: sinned? Lol.-throws holy water- you are forgiven my child, so long as I'm forgiven for taking forever. I'm so excited to get to Lloyd's reactions when he discovers Ada/Anna is his mom. Thanks for reviewing!
SilverandWhiteAngels: ZOINKS! I totally forgot to review your story. I'll do it now! I really did like it. Very nice. Raine needs more love on this site. Hope this is worth the wait. PEOPLE! READ HER STORY!
Eragonfanatic92: Thank you thank you my good Sir/Madame! (sorry. Didn't know which one!)
IF I missed someone, I'll repent! ON WITH THE SHOW!
Disclaimer: If I owned Tales of Symphonia, the theme music would be mostly Linkin Park (original linkin park mind you!) cuz they are just awesome! Random, I know. Oh and the song, Winter Wonderland, belongs to the fabulous Bing Crosby.
Kratos landed some ways away, in the section of the forest he had turned to ash. He was smiling. Smiling for the first time in fourteen years. They had come back to him. The family he had thought was lost forever had returned and was alive and well. And together, they would stop the fallen hero.
"Kratos," said a voice from behind him. Kratos whirled around to see someone coming through the trees.
"Yuan," Kratos said. "What brings you to this place?"
Yuan leaned up against a mangled tree and looked at Kratos, his arms folded across his chest. "I was to deal with Rodyle…but it seems it was taken care of. Somehow." Yuan looked at Kratos accusingly.
"Hmph," Kratos said. "Think what you like, I played no part."
Yuan walked up to Kratos until their faces were barely an inch apart. "Then would you care to explain why that girl suddenly a mana signature you know very well?"
"You are assuming I know what you are talking about," Kratos remarked. "If it is as you claim, how should I know what the cause of it is?"
"Because…" Yuan glared. "The only one who could bring her back…"
"Is her son," said Kratos. "Or do you pretend you know nothing of that."
"I don't deny it," Yuan. "Nor is it the reason Anna Aurion has returned from the dead."
"You seem certain it's her," Kratos said mildly.
"Please," Yuan scoffed. "Do you think I'm naïve? I've seen more than you know."
"Clearly," Kratos said. "Is that why you attacked her in Sybak?"
"You told her it was you," Yuan observed. "Why?" Kratos said nothing. Yuan broke into a gloating grin. "Oh Kratos! Kratos, Kratos, Kratos. Your efforts to protect them…how touching. Especially since you are willingly pushing them right into Mithos's outstretched hands. Do you have no conscience?"
"What do you know of conscience?" Kratos asked. "You watched Anna come to grief and then tried to be of comfort after. Why?" This time it was Yuan who was silent. "Do not act like you have no heart. Martel could tell me otherwise. And I still remember every word spoken the night Anna died, my friend." Yuan looked away, struck by a long since ignored topic. Both of the angels could clearly remember that night, mere minutes after Anna had fallen. It had been the first time in four thousand years that Kratos and Yuan remembered that they were friends.
Kratos lay still on his back, his eyes staring unseeingly at the night sky. Yuan sighed and walked warily over to him. Kratos didn't move or look at his friend and enemy. He just stared, his eyes and spirit reaching for wherever Anna and Lloyd had gone.
"It's the price we pay," Yuan said, looking up himself and thinking of Martel. "We should have long since died, to fade into legends because legends force no one to alter their life. We chose immortality and were consumed by it. And for that, we must be alone."
Kratos clenched a fist. "Choice…"he rasped. "Punishment…" Kratos got to his knees. "Do it…please!" Kratos begged of his friend
Yuan looked shocked. "What? Kratos?"
"Kill me," Kratos said. "Release Origin! Just do it!"
"Mithos knows I'm here," Yuan said. "He would destroy everything if I were to kill you…" Yuan shook his head. "I understand…Kratos…like Anna was the world to you…Martel was everything to me." Kratos didn't respond. "Mithos must be stopped Kratos…but not yet. Not until he can be defeated."
"Why won't I die!" Kratos moaned.
As much as it shamed him to admit it, Yuan was frightened. Never had he seen Kratos in such despair. Broken and begging to die in the rain. "Kratos?"
"None of that matters," Kratos said hollowly. "None of it. The worlds, Mithos, Martel. None of it.
"Kratos!" Yuan took a step closer, trying to think of something he could do, someway to help his friend.
"Just do it!" Kratos yelled. He broke down sobbing, his harsh cries ripping through the air. "I don't want to be here…not without them."
Yuan gasped. Never had he understood just what Anna had meant to Kratos, how she had brought his tortured soul back from his self spun purgatory. And to think…Yuan himself, who knew what it was to lose the someone he loved more than anything, just stood by in hopes it would bring him his goal sooner.
"They…" Yuan walked forward. "They aren't lost to you…as long as you live on to keep their memories alive." Yuan put his hand on Kratos's shoulder. "Kratos…you must forgive yourself…"
Kratos looked up with a twisted kind of smile as the two angels pulled out of the memories. "I guess you were right."
"How?" Yuan asked.
"They weren't gone," Kratos said. "Not in the end."
Yuan smirked. "Don't think it changes anything," Yuan said sternly. "I'm still going to release Origin somehow. I don't care if your son and wife are alive or not."
"I know," Kratos said. "But it will be even harder to do so now." Kratos shook his head. "You must get past Lloyd first."
"Like that poses a challenge," Yuan smirked. He turned and walked away. Before he disappeared, he turned back to Kratos. "He's a lot like you, you know."
"Is he?" Kratos asked.
"Stubborn," Yuan said. "To the very end." He turned and walked off, hearing Kratos laugh for the first time in many long years.
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It had been a busy two weeks, flying around Tethe'alla and forming pacts. After Celsius, they had but one more to go, then they would have to figure out some way to get back to Sylvarant.
"Excellent," sneered Celsius. "It would appear that my freezing chill is but a summer's breeze to you. Now, speak your vow. A vow worthy of my power!"
Sheena stood tall, having grown more confident since conquering Volt. "For the sake of creating a place in which the two worlds no longer must sacrifice one another, I ask that thou grant me thy power!"
Celsius nodded. "Understood. Use my power well."
"COLD!!!!" Lloyd shouted after the summon spirit vanished. "Let's get out of this freezing place!" he shivered, blowing on his hands. Colette walked over and took his hands in hers, trying to warm them. Lloyd blushed, but smiled gratefully at her.
"You're such a wimp Lloyd!" Genis sighed as they trooped out.
"In the meadow we can build a snowman! And pretend that he is Parson Brown. He'll say 'are you married?' We'll say 'no man, but you can do the job when you're in town!'" Anna danced as she walked, scooping up snow in utter ecstasy. She had always loved cold and snow. She remembered how the lake in Luin would freeze and her dad would take her ice-skating. On earth, she and her mom would build snowmen and make snow cream. "Later on! We'll conspire! As we dream by the fire! Singing a song, as we go along, walking in a winter wonderland!"
"Must be another one of those earth things," Lloyd said.
"It is," Anna replied. "It's called a Christmas Carol!"
"Christmas?" Colette asked. "What's that?"
Anna stopped dead. "You don't have Christmas?" They shook their heads. "Oh my God! Christmas is where we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God in my religion. We exchange presents, and eat good food, and spend time with family and friends! And then there's Santa Clause!!"
"Who's that?" Regal asked.
Anna sighed. "I will acquaint you with Christmas this year! Just you wait!" She grumbled as they emerged into the snowy landscape. There was a loud rumbling noise. Overhead the sky was torn with swirling gray-purple crowds, oozing with the aura of evil. There was a great crash and a white hot bolt of lightening ripped from the sky and turned the land to flames somewhere ahead of them.
"What's going on?!" Zelos cried, a little too enthusiastically.
Presea's face went white. "That's…the direction of Ozette…"
Genis looked up at the sky. "What could it be? There's a staggering amount of mana flowing from that lightning…"
"I have a bad feeling about this," Raine said.
"Guys…" they turned to look at Anna. "We have to go to Ozette. It has been destroyed by Cruxis."
"No!…" Presea gasped. Quickly the group boarded the Rheairds and headed for the village. When they arrived, a scene of horror met there eyes. The blackened sky formed a cruel contrast to the flickering red-orange light cast by the flames enveloping the village. The charred smell of burning wood was everywhere and the intense heat washed over them in waves. Buildings collapsed as they watched and the horrible smell of burning flesh began to permeate the air.
" …This is…horrible." Presea said, shock bringing back her monotony.
Lloyd looked around in disbelief. "Why?" he demanded of Anna. "Why did they attack Ozette?"
"You will soon know," Anna replied.
"Look!" Colette cried. As a house collapsed, burning logs crashed to the ground, their light illuminating a blonde boy of about Genis's age, unconscious on the ground. Lloyd dashed over and pulled him away from the scene of destruction. They took refuge at Presea's house, which was unharmed.
Anna glared as the boy woke up, sitting up carefully as though he was hurt and innocent of the destruction around them. It was all she could do to remain silent as the man responsible for her death looked at her son. How dare he! He has no right to lay eyes on my boy, not after everything he's done. You evil, viscous, insane, black-hearted wretch! Curse you, Mithos Yggdrasill!
"What the hell happened here?" Lloyd asked.
"I don't really know," Mithos said. "Suddenly, lightning fell from the sky, and angels attacked the village."
"Angels?" Raine asked, a hint of suspicion in her voice.
Mithos pretended to look confused. "They had wings. Those with wings are angels… right?"
Lloyd clenched his fist. "Damn you, Cruxis!"
"So Ada was telling the truth after all," Presea muttered.
"Presea, are you okay?" Regal asked, much to Genis's annoyance.
"I'm fine," Presea replied. "But…this unsettling irritation…is this…anger?"
Zelos looked at Mithos, his eyes shining with everything he knew. "I'm impressed you survived. Are you the only survivor? What's your name?"
"My name is Mithos," he said. "I lived by myself on the outskirts of the village, so…"
"Wait, are you a half-elf?…" Genis asked.
Mithos took a step backward. "I…I…no…" he stammered.
"Relax," Raine assured him. "You can tell, can't you? We have the same blood flowing through our veins as you do."
Mithos's eyes widened. "You're half-elves, too?! But you're with humans!"
"It's okay, we're all friends!" Colette chirped.
Mithos looked at her in disbelief. "Humans and half-elves as friends? You're lying!"
Genis shook his head fiercely. "No, it's true. My sister and I are part of this group."
"Your reaction is understandable," said Regal. "I've heard that the village of Ozette is particularly known for its contempt for half-elves. If you lived an isolated life in this village, you must have suffered."
"And I must be an angel," Anna muttered.
"What happened here?" Altessa and Tabatha appeared, taking in the destruction of the village.
"What are you doing here?" Lloyd asked.
Altessa shifted uncomfortably. "I saw the lightning of judgment fall towards this village. But what in the world…"
"It was the work of Cruxis angels…" said Presea, her voice edged in anger.
" Presea! You've regained your true self?!" Altessa looked as though he wanted to ask how, but thought the better of it. "How could they do this? Is this their punishment for failing the experiment?"
Sheena jumped at that. "What do you mean, punishment?"
Altessa backed away. "Nothing. It's nothing!" he turned and fled.
Lloyd ran after him, but Tabatha blocked the way. "THE MASTER BELIEVES THAT IT IS HIS FAULT THAT OZETTE WAS DESTROYED."
"Altessa is connected to Ozette?" Colette said.
"YES. EXCUSE ME. I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE MASTER." Tabatha went after Altessa, leaving a stunned Lloyd in the dust. Presea stepped forward and said, "I'm…going to follow him."
"Yeah," Lloyd agreed. They convinced Mithos to come with them and followed the dwarf to his home, where he told them of his connections to Cruxis. Anna's mind kept drifting, partially because she had played the game so many times she could recite this in her sleep, and mostly due to the fact that her head was starting to hurt. Rather badly. She rubbed her forehead and excused herself, ducking outside to get some fresh air.
Anna walked over to a boulder and flopped down, leaning against it and staring up at the blue sky above. Somewhere up there was Derris Kharlan…and Kratos. She missed him terribly. She wished he was here to watch Lloyd growing stronger.
Suddenly, her head felt like it was on fire. She yelped and clutched her skull, her eyes going dark as the pain increased. There was a faint, rather familiar sounding chuckle.
Touching. Absolutely touching.
Anna grinded her teeth together. I didn't know you could read minds…MITHOS!
That wasn't smart. A spasm of pain shuddered through her brain and she had to choke back screams.
This isn't mind reading, fool Mithos snarled.It's telepathic communication. I wouldn't expect you to understand, inferior being. I can only read what is in your conscious thought.
Get out of my head, She snapped. Anna tried to keep her thoughts suppressed. Mithos hadn't figured out who she was, she meant to keep it that way.
Now now, Mithos scolded. I can't do that! Not until you realize just what is going to become of your friends should you give me away.
In her mind, she could see Lloyd standing in front of her, his swords out, fear in his eyes masked by tears of sorrow and anger. At his feet lay a crumpled Colette, blood blossoming across her front, her eyes opening and unseeing. Zelos lay some feet away, his head severed from his neck. Sheena had been cut to ribbons with her guardian seals. Regal had been strangled with his handcuffs. Presea…was split lengthwise in half.
Don't think don't think don't think don't think don't think don't think! Anna shrieked over and over in her head.
And what becomes of our hero Lloyd? Anna could here the sneer in his voice as Lloyd was stabbed through the heart, right before her eyes.
"NO!" Anna screamed, lurching to her feet. "You bastard! I'll kill you with my bare hands!" Unbidden, images of Lloyd and Kratos burst to the forefront of her mind. Lloyd being born, his first steps, his first word…Kratos looking at the stars with Lloyd perched, on his shoulder, Kratos teaching Lloyd how to hold his tiny wooden swords, Kratos holding her close…
What?!snapped Mithos. How can this be? You are dead! He paused for a moment. Oh…Oh I see…you are her after all…well…then it'll be all the more pleasurable to destroy Lloyd right before your eyes, should you give me away.
Anna got to her feet, clenching her fists. Anger such as she had never known was coursing through her, doubled, tripled by a fierce desire to protect her son. "Mithos…BEGONE!" At once, the pain, the voice, the images vanished. Her mind was her own again.
"Ada?" Anna turned and saw Lloyd coming out of the house. "We decided to stay here for the night. Why don't you- what the?!" Anna had sprinted over to Lloyd, grabbed him, and hugged him very tightly.
"Umm…" Lloyd blushed bright red. "Ada? If Cole-er-anyone sees this…"
Anna released her son and tried very hard not to cry. "I'm so sorry, Lloyd," she whispered before fleeing inside. "My son…"
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" …up! …Wake up! Lloyd! Wake up! The Professor's gone!" Colette shook the unconscious boy but to no avail.
"Genis?" Anna called.
"Aqua edge!" Genis said heavily. A shower of water rained down on Lloyd, drenching him into wakefulness.
"Gah!" Lloyd coughed and sputtered. "Wh…what?!"
"The professor's gone," Colette said, leading the way outside to the others.
Lloyd looked confused. "What are you talking about?"
"It seems Raine left a note saying she had something she wanted to investigate and then left," Genis said, shoving a piece of paper into Lloyd's hand.
"SHORTLY BEFORE DAWN, I SAW A RHEAIRD HEADED SOUTH. PERHAPS THAT WAS RAINE," aid Tabatha
Regal looked up at the sky. "South…so in the direction of Altamira…"
Zelos raised an eyebrow at Regal. "Now that you mention it, Her Highness was acting just a bit strange yesterday. She was going on and on about the Otherworldly Gate."
"What should be do, Lloyd?" Presea asked.
"I'm worried about her being by herself…" Genis muttered.
"Let's go find her. It's not good for us to be separated right now." Lloyd said, approaching the Rheairds.
"Ah…um…will you take me with you?" Mithos asked. Anna glared. "I'm worried about her. There are monsters all over Tethe'alla right now. This is the first time I've met another half-elf besides me, so…I want her to be okay."
"Sure," Lloyd said, "Let's just go."
"If you harm him, I will kill you," Anna muttered, knowing full well that Mithos could hear her.
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Damn Damn Damn! Anna thought furiously as the wound through the maze that was Altamira. What do I do!!!??? Yggdrasill knows all about Kratos's relationship to Lloyd AND that I'm alive. If I know Mithos, and I do know the demented son of a bitch, Kratos will suffer for this as will Lloyd. Forget the timeline! I'VE GOT TO FIND A WAY TO WARN KRATOS!!!!
They had approached the grave. Presea stood before her sisters tomb in complete shock. If she had been a normal girl, one not frozen in the currents of time, she would have sobbed, broken-hearted, for the last of her family was dead.
The exsphere in the gravestone shined brightly for a moment. Suddenly as hazy figure rose from the cursed orb. It was a girl who looked almost exactly like Presea, but older and with shorter hair. "Presea…sis! It's you, isn't it?" Alicia smiled.
Presea stepped forward, hardly daring to believe it. "Alicia?!"
"I'm so happy I can see you again before I disappear…" Alicia said, her initially cheerful voice becoming mournful as her fate became all to clear to her.
"What's going on?" Presea asked. "Are you still alive?"
Alicia looked as though she could cry. "I…I exist only in the Exsphere. Soon, even my consciousness will be gone. The Exsphere killed my body and absorbed my consciousness."
Presea was shaking as an unfamiliar tide of emotions welled up inside of her. So many things she had forgotten how to feel were pouring out of her as she looked at her sister's consciousness. "I can't believe you've become a victim of the Exsphere as well…"
"Presea," Alicia begged. "Please grant me my request. Before I disappear…please find my master. Please find Master Bryant! By killing me, he…"
Alicia's voice trailed off as she vanished and Presea's eyes widened in horror.
"Alicia!" Presea cried. "He killed you?! Please, tell me what happened!"
"…Please…Presea…"
Silence fell. Presea couldn't begin to quell the storm of emotions inside of her. She turned to the others. "Lloyd, please, help me find Alicia's killer."
Lloyd walked up to Presea and put his arm around her. "Of course. We'll beat this Bryant guy to a pulp and drag him back here!"
"Yeah! I won't let him get away with killing your sister!" Genis said, punching a fist in the air.
Presea looked away, unsure of everything at the moment. "Thank you."
Lloyd looked up at Anna, who was wiping away tears. Their situation so closely mirrored her and Kratos's own experience that she felt as though her heart was breaking. It brought out so many emotions.
"Ada," Lloyd said. "You know who the killer is." Lloyd looked back at the gravestone. "Where is he?"
Anna opened her mouth and closed it. She couldn't bring herself to rat Regal out. Lloyd narrowed his eyes. "Do you know who can lead us too him at least?"
Anna turned away. "Regal. We must tell Regal. He'll know what to do."
Lloyd nodded and led them outside. Mithos stood still looking at the grave. Anna looked ahead and saw the others in a small conference in the elevator as it disappeared. "…Exspheres are terrible things, aren't they, Genis?" Mithos said innocently.
Anna walked up to Mithos and tapped his shoulder, swinging one fist back. As the boy turned, she punched him with all of her strength.
But Mithos stepped aside with blinding speed and seized Anna wrist. He looked her in the eye and crushed the bones in one squeeze. Anna screamed.
"You test my patience, inferior being," Mithos said, walking away from Anna as she fell to her knee, cradling her wrist and looking the Seraph in the eye. "Do not think of doing so again," Mithos sneered. "I suggest you stay here for a while. I'll tell them you said go on a head." He laughed as the elevator shut and descended.
Anna growled in pain. He wrist hung limply, bleeding profusely as shards of bone emerged from the skin. Tears of both physical pain and emotional pain raced down her face. The past few days, weeks, the time she had spent in Symphonia recently, her short life before and after the ranch, the life she lead on Earth, all of it, came rushing out in a torrent of tears.
"Damn," she moaned. "Why…why must fate be so cruel." She tried to move her wrist, but nothing happened except a spasm of pain that made her cry out.
There was a rush of wind overhead. She looked up in time to see Kratos descend, landing in front of her. He crouched next to her and gently lifted her wrist. "Mithos…" he muttered before casting healing wind on her wrist.
"Thanks," Anna said, wiping the tears away. Kratos reached in his pocket and withdrew a handkerchief, which he used to wipe away Anna's tears. She looked up at him and saw that his face was dead white, his eyes ablaze with fury.
"Kratos," she whispered, flexing her wrist. "He knows."
"I know," Kratos replied tightly. "He wouldn't have done this otherwise. I assume he knows about Lloyd." Anna nodded. "I see…"
"Kratos," Anna wrapped her arms around him and buried her face in his chest as he hugged her close. "What is he going to do? I'm lost here. This isn't part of the story!"
"I don't know, Anna," Kratos said. "I don't know. I was afraid of this. It's why I have tracked his progress with Lloyd and you. Difficult, seeing as Pronyma is tailing me. You're lucky actually. Pronyma was called away by Yuan almost at the exact moment I found him again." He looked at her and brushed the hair away from her face. "I'm sorry that I couldn't stop him from breaking your wrist."
Anna laughed softly. "As if it's your fault, love."
Kratos smiled and got to his feet. "They're coming." He turned away and opened his wings. "I'll be watching. If he dares to lay a hand on you again…I'll tear out his throat with my bare hands. Watch over Lloyd."
"Kratos," Anna said as he drifted upward. "If he touches one hair on Lloyd's head…he will feel my blade pierce his blackened heart. I promise you that."
Kratos actually ground his teeth in anger. "I dare not think of him harming Lloyd. I couldn't stop myself if I did."
Anna smiled and blew him a kiss. "Go, my love."
"I love you," he replied before disappearing, just as the lift opened revealing George.
"Oh you're still here?" he asked, recognizing Anna from earlier. "Did you know Alicia as well?"
"Something like that," Anna mumbled as the elevator opened again. She gasped and jumped in front of George, unsheathing her blades as Vharley strode across the terrace.
"Hah!" Vharley laughed. "George! At last I have found you." He looked Anna up and down. "I don't know or care who you are little girl, but clear off it want to keep that pretty little head."
Anna smiled. "I'm going nowhere, you treacherous snake." She shot a demon fang at Vharley, who unfortunately dodged. "How dare you destroy lives for your own gain!"
Vharley laughed and looked at George. "Tell me the password to the inner area of the Toize Valley Mine! Now!"
George backed away, but made direct eye contact with the disgusting man. "I don't know anything about it."
Vharley laughed and started forward, as did Anna "Wrong answer!"
"How about I tell you instead," said Regal. Anna skidded to a stop as Vharley turned to face Regal, who looked at his enemy with hate to halfway rival Kratos's. Of course…no one hates like my angel. Wait…that isn't a good thing!
George gasped. "Master Regal! What are you doing here?"
Vharley sneered. "So the president himself decided to pay a visit. Perfect."
Lloyd and the others looked confused. "President?"
Regal walked up so that he was face to face with Vharley. "The route to the Toize Valley Mine opens by my voice print and cornea scan. Forcing it open would undoubtedly cause the Exsphere mine area to collapse."
"Is that so?" Vharley scoffed. "In that case, Regal, you're just going to have to come open it for us! I'm gonna be out of business if I don't get my hands on some more Exspheres."
"I think not," Regal said. "Besides, Rodyle will soon be dead. You will not have anyone to unload huge numbers of Exspheres on."
"Are you stupid?" Vharley snapped. "I don't need Rodyle. I've got the Pope himself on my side! And there's plenty of people around who'd love to get their hands on some
Exspheres!
Presea hefted her ax and strode forward. "That's enough. I cannot forgive you for killing an innocent person."
Vharley laughed. "Soon, the King will die and the Pope will take over. And when that happens, I'm going to grind your pathetic Lezareno Company into the ground!"
There was a familiar looking puff of smoke and Vharley was gone.
"Wait…" Sheena muttered. "That looked like…but it can't be…"
Regal regarded his servant. "Are you all right, George?"
George bowed. "Yes, Master Regal. Thank you."
Regal nodded and turned to his companions. "My name is Regal Bryant. I was granted the title of Duke by His Highness, and am also the president of Lezareno Company. Although, it would seem that the Chosen already knows me, as does Ada, obviously."
Zelos looked uncomfortable. "I saw you at one of the Princess' birthday parties."
Sheena rolled her eyes. "Oh, yeah…I'd forgotten that this guy's actually a member of high society, too." Zelos winked at her and laughed.
Anna stepped away from the gravestone and took Raine's line, since she had destroyed the timeline. "Then, Alicia's killer, Bryant, is…"
Colette gasped and shook her head. "W…wait, it can't be…Regal…"
Regal turned away as Alicia's exsphere began to shimmer again and her ghostly form appeared again. "Alicia!" he gasped.
Alicia smiled. "Master, I'm so happy to see you again before I disappear…"
Regal looked down at his shackled hands. "I'm sorry. Even after death, you still suffer…"
"It's all right. It's not your fault."
Presea, who had edged away from Regal, looked at her sister. "Alicia…what do you mean?"
Regal looked up longingly at Alicia, as though sheer force of will could bring her back. "Alicia and I were in love."
George chimed in. "Then I, his servant, interfered…and forced them apart."
"Alicia was handed over to Vharley," Regal said. "He wanted to use her in an Exsphere experiment."
"Was he…trying to create Cruxis Crystals?" Colette asked.
Regal nodded. "It seems so. But the experiment failed." He closed his eyes, still telling the story as the painful memories raced across his mind.
Regal stood near the sea on the edge of Altamira, a desperate, broken man as he faced Vharley. He was terrified for his love, but his voice remained firm as he spoke to Vharley. "I've fulfilled my promise. The mine is yours. Now, please, return Alicia to me!" He didn't care. All he wanted was to hold Alicia in his arms again, to tell her how much he loved her.
Vharley snorted. "Sure thing, bub. You can have her. I don't have any use for a failed piece of work like that, anyway."
"What?" Regal snapped. A huge shadow emerged out of the darkness. It was a horrible, scaly green monster.
Vharley waved his hand unconcernedly. "This is Alicia! She wasn't compatible with the Exsphere experiment. It worked just fine on another from her family." Vharley laughed and strode away.
"Master Regal…" It was Alicia's voice, mutated by what she had become. "Please…kill me!" Before Regal could react, Alicia swung at him, throwing him back into the railing. Regal struggled to her feet as she pursued, begging for death.
" I…I can't. I could never kill you with my own hands!" he moaned.
Her voice was faint now, as though it were fading away. "It's because I love you that I want you to do it!"
Regal dodged another blow as her heart began to crumble. He looked up as the woman he loved faded before his eyes. This time, as she swung at him, he seized the scaly arm in his hands and twisted, feeling the bones break and hearing her scream.
Regal returned to the present as Alicia spoke. "Master Regal killed me in order to save me. It was the only way."
"Just like Marble…" Genis said mournfully.
Alicia smiled at Regal. "I'm so glad I got to see you again in the end. I have no regrets, now. So please, Regal, stop punishing yourself."
"Alicia…but with my own hands, I…"
"I will disappear very soon," Alicia said. "So please, don't leave me anything to worry about. You don't need those shackles. You've suffered enough."
Regal shook his head. "I took the life of the one I love. These are the symbol of my crime, as well as my punishment."
"You don't need that punishment anymore. Please, Regal…" Alicia begged.
Lloyd stepped forward, his eyes hard. "Genis and I once experienced the same thing you did. And I also imagined what it must have been like…for my dad. When my mom turned into a monster, and he struck her down, he must have suffered as well."
Anna put her hand on Lloyd's shoulder, trying her best not to cry again.
Regal looked at Lloyd in horror. "Your father did the same thing?"
Lloyd nodded. "That's what I heard. I don't know if the decisions you or my dad made were correct, but I don't think my mom would have wanted my dad to punish himself and live the way you have."
"Of course she wouldn't," Anna said. "If some one you love saves you, there is no reason to seek vengeance or punishment. That isn't what love is about, Regal."
Regal looked at Alicia. "Is that true?"
Alicia nodded. "Yes. It's just as they say. At least, I don't want you to live like that."
Regal thought for a moment. "All right. But I will never use these hands as tools of death. I swear that to you. To you and to Lloyd. And once we have defeated those who use
Exspheres to toy with people's lives, I shall remove these bonds."
"Thank you, Regal." Alicia looked at her older sister. "Presea…I think I can finally rest in peace. Please destroy the crystal before I am totally absorbed into the Exsphere."
"Why?" Presea said, a hint of hope in her monotone voice. "Can't you stay like you are now?"
"If I stay like this, I will live on forever. An isolated consciousness, unable to even speak, existing for eternity… It would be true hell…"
Lloyd stepped forward. "Presea, Regal, what do we do?"
"Please, set her free," Regal said sadly.
Presea nodded. "Yes. Goodbye, Alicia."
Alicia smiled and vanished. "Thank you. Presea, please forgive Master Regal. Please."
As her voice faded, Lloyd drew his sword and destroyed the Exsphere embedded in Alicia's gravestone. Anna watched Lloyd as he surveyed the group. She felt the tears fall but made no effort to stop them. The situation was so close to home for the wielders of the twin blades. Anna wished more than any thing that she could tell Lloyd that both of his parents were here, fighting beside and for him, protecting them with everything they had. She knew he was thinking of it…of Anna and Kratos and how his life too, had been torn asunder by the exsphere. She could see it in his eyes, the shadows, as Regal and George finished their tale. She could see it in the way he lightly brushed the exsphere as they found the location of the Otherworldly gate. And as they soared over the skies of Tethe'alla, she could feel a powerful mix of sadness and love for her son, wishing with all her heart and soul that she could ease his sufferings.
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