Disclaimer: It's obvious I don't have Tales of Xillia, because it was properties of Bandai Namco. All I have is the OC here and most of the story~

Hello again in the update of this story~ So well, in case you asked what a Scorpactus doing in Aladhi Highroad... unfortunately I don't have any proper response except that the monster is funny :D (forgive my weird sense of humor). Writing part-action like this is quite hard and took some time so this one is quite old considering how long it sit on the draft.

"Hey, Kevin are you sure this is the right path?" Altair asked skeptically as he followed Kevin's lead since he knew more about the terrain of Aladhi trail. The terrain all around looked the same as the other for him that even Altair felt like they were lost.

"Of course, I'm not that stupid to forget about the road between the towns. Could it be that you are simply tired? Even when we only fought few mushrooms around…" Kevin said as his face turned into a mocking smirk to Altair who frowned at Kevin's mocking smirk.

"For your information, I am perfectly fine. I was only worried that you lead us into wrong path. I'm not wasting my time on that petty little head of yours!" Altair replied with a hostile aura to Kevin who looked like he was offended.

"What is that for? You bookworm weirdo siscon brother?!" Kevin replied with visible vein popping out from the side of his forehead. It didn't take a genius to know that Kevin is mad and so does Altair who glared at the merchant-in-training in front of him.

"Don't give me name as you please! You are the one who is a creepy stupid annoying stalker fan boy aren't you?! I swear your head is already dull!" Altair replied as he was ready to land a punch or two to Kevin who gripped the hilt of his broadsword. Apparently, he didn't bring his gun right now, so he fought with only his broadsword.

"What was that supposed to mean?! You-" Kevin countered with another long line of curses that bordered with the norm gap as he used a lot of modern slangs that was anything but kind.

Altair looked like he was about to explode as well about the long line of rainbow words that flowed from Kevin's mouth and as he went on fighting stance he shouted, "FINE THEN! WE'RE GOING TO FINALLY FINISH THIS WITH THIS DUEL! PREPARE YOUR DEATH KEVIN SVENT!"

Kevin withdrew his broadsword completely and went on his fighting stance as well when he said, "THAT'S MUSIC TO MY EAR! COME ALTAIR MATHIS!"

Alicia who saw this only looked at both male in confusion (while blocking whatever strange vocabulary the two boys had used) with Stella sighing beside her since she didn't want to waste more time to divide the fighting male. Stella quickly drew her sword and then swung it in the middle of the quarreling boys until it reached the land, creating a crack on the ground, forcing them to take a quick step back except they wanted some real pain. It was quite a reflex for those two as well since Stella was serious on cutting them if they didn't manage to dodge her sword in time.

Both Altair and Kevin were surprised as they turned to the side about to protest Stella for getting in their way. But when they saw Stella, who looked like she would get angry at any moment they merely gulped since the girl expression was downright creepy. Stella pulled her sword back to its sheath before saying, "If you two continue fighting, no dinner for you."

"What?! I don't want that, Stelly!" Kevin quickly protested as he looked at Stella, pleading for forgiveness. His will to fight Altair dissipate into thin air when he heard that he wouldn't get his well-deserved meal. It had been long and common fact that he and Altair couldn't cook even if their life depend on it.

"Even for a threat that was a little bit too much, isn't it?" Altair seconded Kevin's opinion, agreeing with his childhood friend for some rare time. He didn't want to starve in the night as the girl ate their rightful food. He had forgotten how he wanted to punch Kevin and made him scramble home.

"If you really want your dinner, don't fight and start walking. I don't want to battle this so-called strong monster with you two quarreling in front of me. If you insist on it, I will take the monster myself! You got it?" Stella said with both of her hands on her hips as she lectured on the two boys who had stood straightly in front of… a Stella that looked like a military trainer complete with her (imaginary) whip and scary look. She looked absolutely pissed with her friends silly fight.

"Yes ma'am!" Altair and Kevin responded in synch as they saluted to the girl.

Stella then smiled brightly before saying, "Now that it was taken care of, we better get going! Kevin I believe you won't lead us astray right?"

Kevin then responded positively at Stella's question. Alicia placed her index finger on her cheek as she thought, 'It looks like Stella is the strongest out of the three…'

Skit: No Presence…

Alicia: Hey, everyone…

Stella: What is it Alice?

Kevin: Yeah, what's wrong? Are you sick somewhere?

Altair: We could call it a day if you are not feeling well…

Alicia: Please… I'm not as weak as everyone thought of…

Stella: I'm NOT thinking of you as weak… the boys are.

Kevin: Wait, is that supposed to be an insult?

Altair: I'm just worried… yet I got scolded…

Alicia: Err, I-I'm sorry then… I just want to know something…

Kevin: 'Something'? Did this something have any connection with my crush? If that's so then it is obvious- *smacked by Altair*

Stella: Eh, who? *tilting head innocently*

Altair: *giving dead glare to Kevin*

Kevin: *gulp* … on a second thought, I won't say it. (I don't think this is a wise action for my life sake…)

Stella: Well, too bad…

Alicia: *moving away*… (They ignored me…)

After half a day walking through the Aladhi Trail, Kevin finally said, "Okay we are here. This is the place most people saw the monster appearing."

Stella and Altair looked around the area though they didn't see anything in particular, just trees and road, or at least not a big monster ready to eat you anytime. Stella who was slightly disheartened then said, "I don't see anything like a monster…"

"Maybe it was sleeping?" Alicia threw a random deduction for Stella's opinion.

"No way, the people said the monster is active during the day. That's why it was troublesome to pass through the road," Kevin replied with a serious tone. He had his pride with information gathering ability after all.

Altair thinks about it for a moment before saying, "Well, it might just hide itself as something. You said its affinity is Earth so it might just hide under our shoes the whole time."

Stella clapped her hand as she said, "Yeah, you are right! Kevin did you hear something like that when you talked with people? I'm sure strong monster had its own rule to obey!"

Alicia sweatdropped at Stella's comment before she took few steps away from the fighting-addict girl. Then she looked at Stella who was fired up when she thought, 'Isn't it better that we didn't meet the monster?'

It looked like Alicia didn't watch where she walked until she stepped on something. She quickly felt the chill on her back and didn't have the courage to look down so she said, "Hey… everyone…"

Stella, Altair, and Kevin who was still bickering quickly turned around to Alicia's direction. Stella was the first to ask, "What's wrong Alicia? Did you find something?"

Alicia quickly shook her head before saying, "I… I think I stepped on something…"

"Something?" the other three copied the sky-head girl word before looking down at her legs. No, not her legs, but it was something under her legs.

They could see something hairy underneath Alicia's shoes and it had red stone attached to it. As Altair looked at it closely, he could hear some whisper saying, 'Tell the girl to run…'

…and he did just that.

"Alicia, hide quickly! That's the monster!" Altair shouted as he wore his bracer followed by Stella and Kevin who withdrew their respective weapon.

Alicia quickly jumped and hides behind a tree that couldn't be seen by the monster that had emerged from the earth with loud roar. It was obvious that they couldn't run from the monster since it looked angry enough after being stepped upon. It had the body of a scorpion of some sort, something that didn't look like it came from highroad at all.

"That's Scorpactus!" Altair quickly said as he examined the monster. He remembered it from one of Monster Encyclopedia he had read before.

"Why it had such a weird name and how about its status? Could I hit it with element attack?" Stella quickly asked as she dodged the attack of the scorpion that she just heard had the name of Scorpactus.

But before she got her answer, the monster charged towards them, forcing them all to scramble. Altair who had managed a safe footing then said, "It is weak to Wind but since your affinity with those aren't the best just support us. It would take a moment but we could defeat it if we are careful."

Kevin charged first with his broadsword on hand as he shouted, "Like hell we would die here!" and circled the monster before giving him a good beating from the back stunning the monster for brief seconds. Normally it didn't give anyone enough time to do anything but Kevin knew better than that.

Yeah, brief seconds is enough for Altair to join in on the attack. He threw in a Demon Fist and effectively stunned the monster for another brief seconds. Kevin pitched in with his own Demon Fang and shouted, "Al, the usual!"

They stood right by each other and before they do the 'usual' he protested, "I didn't want to do it with my sister stalker!"

"Well, well, don't fret over it too much in the battlefield~" Kevin casually replied as he swung his blade backward as he readied himself to launch an attack with Altair.

Altair sighed exasperatedly before he drew his fist and commented, "We have to talk after this." Before both launched their version of Demon Fang as they linked it into Demonic Chaos.

Alicia who watched from the sideline had this passing thought that said, 'Did they just fight while doing Link Artes?'

Stella seems to be used with it as she took the back row of their formation. She used the tip of her right foot to create a circle surrounding her as she began chanting, "Waves, come forth!" and magic circle started appearing all around her body.

Stella concentrated to not think about the monster as she said, "Splash!"

After she said that, water poured violently on the monster as it winched in pain, causing Stella to wince slightly, her nature as a healer kicking in. And because it was a nature of hers, she stopped the Spirit Arte in a blink after her nature kicked in.

… Well, wrong moves.

It didn't take long for the monster to snap out from the splash of water that had forced it to halt. Its eyes landed on the caster pretty quickly, one might add, and with red in its eyes, the monster charged a direct attack to Stella.

Stella was stunned for a brief moment the monster charged to her. She wanted to draw her blade and just fight like nothing had happened but she was too late for a split second. Her memory crept into her head and all she could do was watching how it happens. Because… everything is her fault… Her feet were frozen in its place and she couldn't move her body as she wanted it. Everything was like how it was back then…

When Stella blinked once more, the monster had appeared right before her and she had no more time to put up any kind of defense to block the attack. She got a clear hit on her stomach and was sent to meet with the tree around the area.

Stella winched in pain as she let out a shaky groan when her back met with the trunk of a tree. In her mind, she took a note on how she would get bruise (and broke some ribs maybe) after this. She still felt the shiver that she felt when she saw that monster enduring the hit of her Artes. She decided to erase it and tried to make up of the monster that hit her and saw that it was already charging on her.

This time she got luckier as when the monster about to land a hit, she was dragged by familiar arms that encircled her waist. Of course, it was accompanied with a, "Stelly, you are too careless…"

Stella closed her eyes for a brief moment as a small smile was formed on her face, somehow knowing that Kevin come to her rescue reassured her heart. She felt protected and then she said, "I don't want to hear that coming from you, the one who would have the most injury out of us, Kevin…"

Kevin sighed and mentally rolled his eyes as he quickly put Stella on a safe distance from the monster as Altair distracted its attention. Kevin looked back toward Altair to check his condition before he stared directly to Stella's eyes. Stella mentally gulped when he said, "Stop making that face and support us… and by that you DIDN'T have to join the fight with that crappy Artes of yours."

Stella stifled a laugh at how Kevin cared about her in a weird way as she replied with a simple, "… fine."

Kevin smirked a little bit before shouting to Altair to stop playing with the monster and kill it already. Altair quickly retaliated that he didn't do that kind of thing when Kevin joined the front line once more, giving Altair the opening he needed.

Alicia who watched from the side quickly goes to Stella's side. With a concerned tone she asked, "Stella are you okay?"

Stella smiled before saying, "Yes, I'm fine… well, I need to help those two anyway so…" when she trailed down her sentence, she tried to stand up so she can use a Healing Artes to Kevin and Altair who were fighting on her behalf, but she found out that her leg is bleeding as well. She winched visibly when a sharp pain pierced her head as it sent her tumbling back on the ground as the blood soaked her shoes turning the blue clothing into crimson red.

Alicia noticed it as well and said, "Stella, you are hurt."

Stella seems like she didn't take the fact that she got more injury than necessary that well as she said with a cynical tone, "Yeah I did, Miss Obvious."

Alicia was stunned for the moment she heard the always-careful-with-word Stella said something so sarcastic. Alicia was reminded that Stella is Altair's sister and their attitudes mirror each other. It wouldn't be something surprising if Stella used Altair's choice of words from time to time, it didn't lessen the fact that it was still surprising though.

But Alicia didn't want to get on the wrong step right now since Stella needs to help the other. With a determined spirit, she put Stella's hands over her shoulder and lifted her up, helping the girl stand up. Alicia knew that Stella didn't expect this so she said, "You obviously need help Stella… and I wanted to be useful for everyone so… let's not debate on this."

Stella smiled slightly and muttered a small 'sorry' to Alicia who didn't bother to reply it. Stella placed her sword in front of her, and with her right leg that wasn't damaged, she created a circle surrounding her body as she chanted, "Rain down the breath of life!"

Kevin and Altair saw a vividly glowing circle under their feet and looked at Stella who was supported by Alicia. They just flashed a grateful smile (or grin, in Kevin case) before luring the monster closer to the vicinity of the circle.

"… Healing Circle!" Stella shouted as she finished her Artes. A circle that brought the blessing of life appeared right under Kevin and Altair. It drained her psyche, but she knew that if she didn't do this, they are doomed. Stella sighed in her head that she shouldn't try her luck at offensive Artes at the time.

After the effect of Healing Circle wore off Stella struggled to keep her mind straight as she casted another Healing Artes to keep Kevin and Altair from getting more injury than necessary. Alicia was worried sick since Stella looked like she would collapse anytime soon, but knew she had no meant on helping the girl.

'If only I could use my power…' she thought as she clutched Stella's shoulders in desperation sine she felt she couldn't hold Stella's weight more than once. Holding a girl is one thing but holding a girl who was chanting a Spirit Arte is different thing altogether, the pressure of Mana surrounding Stella is draining her stamina as well. It is something she knew as well that they way she is right now, her stamina is especially low.

Stella of course knew that Alicia couldn't hold her more than this. But seeing how her comrades are in pinch made her must push her body to its maximum endurance. It really is a bad idea doing a Spirit Arte in injured state Stella thought as she casted Pixie Circle to the fighting group.

It was then that Stella heard something echoing inside her mind like a ripple. It was a voice. That voice gave her warmth and secure feeling that she just couldn't brush it off as nothing. The voice in fact felt so nostalgic as if it was coming from her dad. But, there is this feeling that she had heard the voice somewhere in some distant memory. And there is no way she could shake it off especially when the voice said what she wanted the most right now.

Let me help you…

Let's play some guessing game right now. Whom do you think the owner of that voice? It was obvious I think but let's just call it. Well, I guess I would tell what is on the next chapter after all; we finally got some help for support line. Shot, it won't be much of a thing to guess of since it was practically visible. Well, if you want to please review and Rina Aria is out for now~