Chapter 9: The Wind Seal and Colette's Secret
The next stop was Asgard. Kratos led the way, disappointment darkening his brown eyes and a heaviness that none of the other party members could translate. Not even Lloyd could figure out exactly what it was, but felt that it had something to do with: 1) the late night 'discussion' in the Triet desert after the first seal, 2) the midnight swim at Izoold, and 3) the events at the Palmacosta Human Ranch. If only he could figure it out... Anyway, he had bigger fish to fry.
"Why do we haveto go to Asgard again?" he asked, managing to catch up to Kratos, who had an impressive lead on the rest of them.
"Professor Sage believes that the next seal is in Asgard," Kratos asnwered curtly, not even looking at his apprentice.
"Is it?" Lloyd persisted. "I mean, You seem to know where all of the seals are."
"I do not know where all the seals are. Only the first two. And since we are past them, there is nothing to do but trust the professor's hunches," Kratos lied. He knew exactly where the next seal was, but he wasn't about to spill. He had to keep up the game, without showing his hand. "The sooner we get through the seals, the sooner we can infiltrate the Asgard Ranch and rescue Anna," he added as an afterthought.
"Why are you so worried about her? I mean, she can take care of herself, can't she?" Lloyd stepped in front of Kratos, halting his progress.
"I am worried about her because she is a member of our group. We cannot afford to leave her with the enemy for too long." Kratos stepped around the teen and continued on. "Leave it at that."
"Fine. After we hit the next seal, we'll go rescue your girlfriend," Lloyd teased, following Kratos closely.
"She's not my girlfriend!" Kratos hissed at the annoying boy. Then, he added under his breath, "And at least she's not in as much danger as your girlfriend..."
"What was that last part?" Lloyd sidled up next to Kratos and looked at him.
"I said... 'With the job of protecting the Chosen, I don't have time for a girlfriend.'" he answered quickly.
"Ah." Lloyd nodded and fell back, snickering.
Well, when they reached Asgard, Raine went Ruin-mode again. It got worse when they got close to the stone dias at the other end of town.
"This is absolutely MARVOLOUS!" Raine shrieked, running up the steps to the top of the stage. "Just look at the craftsmanship! It's amazing!" She twirled in a circle at the center of the stage. "Oh, this is fantastic!" She stopped and looked at the rest of the party. "We can't leave yet! I simply must study this!"
"There she goes again..." Genis sighed.
"I feel sorry for you, man..." Lloyd said.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhh!" a scream pierced the air.
"That sounded like..." Colette started.
"Professor!" Colette and Lloyd said at once.
"Raine!" Genis called as all three of them ran up to the dias. Raine was cowering on the edge while a huge monster floated over the center and hovered closer and closer to the archeologist.
"What is that thing?" Raine asked, shaking in sheer terror.
"Whatever it is, it isn't the seal guardian," Kratos answered, jumping up onto the stage, sword drawn and at the ready. "Come on!" he taunted the creature, who turned it's attention to the purple-clad mercenary. Kratos responded by holding his sword out in front of him and a pale brown ring appeared beneath his feet. After a few seconds, he called out, "Stone Blast!" and the monter stopped.
"You found it's weakness!" Genis called, jumping up and casting Earth-based spells while everyone else went all out melee. In no time, the Windmaster was defeated and a stone tablet appeared where the boss had been floating.
"What is this thing?" Lloyd asked, holding it up.
"It's a map..." Genis said, taking it from his friend.
"A map of the Balacruf Mausoleum," Raine clarified, looking over her younger brother's shoulder at the tablet.
"Does that mean that the actual seal is at the Mausoleum?" Colette asked.
"So it would seem," Kratos said.
"Then, it's settled. We'll head for the Mausoleum in the morning," Lloyd declared.
The next morning, they traveled to the Mausoleum.
"I hope this isn't just another false seal," Genis sighed when they got there.
"I'm positive that this is the real wind seal." Raine stepped up to the door. "Aha! There's another oracle stone! This is the seal! Colette, will you open the door?"
"Um, sure, Professor!" Colette answered as she climbed the steps up to the oracle stone and put her hand in the depression. The door slid open and the party was met with a gust of wind. "Come on, guys! Let's go!" Colette said as she skipped inside.
"Um...we have a problem..." Lloyd said, pointing to the problem. The assassin was running up to the ancient building.
"Noishe, guard the entrance," Kratos ordered. The gray-and-green protazoan whined and did as he was told. When the assassin approached, the dog growled at her and her pet while the others followed Colette.
Once inside, they found the Sorcerer's Ring change thing, and kept going. They found the windmill room, and tried different combinations. With one collaboration, they found a ribbon, and with another, they found an EX gem, lv. 2. Finally, they found the order that opened the door, and Colette was about to climb the stairs, but Kratos stopped her.
"Colette, are you ready? This guardian will be stronger than the last."
"Yes. I'm fine." She smiled and nodded.
"How do you know that it will be stronger?" Lloyd asked accusingly.
"It's simple. The guardian of the water seal was stronger that the guardian of the fire seal. It only makes sense that the Wind Guardian will be stronger than the water one," Kratos answered simply. "Why do you insist on making me angry with all of your stupid questions?"
"Geez! I'm not trying to tick you off or anything, really! They're just simple questions that need answers." Lloyd shrugged and led the way up the stairs. Everyone followed, ready to face the guardian. Once it challenged them, they discovered that Kratos was right. It was a bit stronger, but nothing they couldn't handle. Once it was defeated, Remial appeared again.
"You have almost finished your journey, my daughter. You have almost become a true angel...do not disappoint me, Colette. I will wait for you at the next seal."
COLETTE LEARNED SACRIFICE.
That done, they left the temple and Colette, being the klutz she is, tripped.
"Colette! Are you okay?" Lloyd asked, helping her up.
"I'm fine, Lloyd. Really."
"You're bleeding..."
"Really, I'm fine. It doesn't hurt." Colette looked around at the party as she spoke.
"Come on, Colette. You're bleeding! How could it not hurt?" Lloyd took out a cloth and started cleaning up the blood. "Ow! That's a big cut," he said when all the blood was gone.
"Lloyd...really. It doesn't hurt. I'm fine..."
"Colette," Lloyd started, but was interrupted by Kratos.
"If she says she's fine, don't press the subject. If she says it doesn't hurt, then trust her."
"All right."
That night, the group made camp again.When everybody else, except Colette and Kratos, was asleep, Lloyd walked over to Colette.
"Here," he said, handing her a cup of hot tea. "Careful, it's hot."
"Yeah...it is." Colette giggled, then took a sip. Lloyd watched her, and when she didn't show any sign that it was indeed hot, he decided to test the theory he had come up with while they were setting up.
"Actually, I lied. It's cold." Lloyd narrowed his eyes as he watched her reaction.
"Huh...really..." Colette stammered. "Yeah...um...it tastes cold..."
"No, really, it's hot." Lloyd said again.
"Hahaha, um..."
"I was right! You can't feel anything!" he said, horrorstruck.
"You're right, Lloyd. I can't. After the first seal, everything changed. I couldn't taste anything. Then after we cleared the water seal, I stopped sleeping..."
"And now, you can't feel anything. That's why it didn't hurt when you tripped and were bleeding..."
"Please don't tell everyone else...I don't want them to worry..."
"I won't," Lloyd promised.
Colette: Oh, yeah...that secret. Me: Ugh...Lloyd, take your girlfriend to a deserted island and leave her there. Lloyd: Um, ok, why? Me: You both need a vacation? Zelos: A vacation? Can I come? Me: Yeah. Whatever. Pushes Lloyd, Colette, and Zelos out of the den Whew. Glad that's over. Kratos: Quick question...since we're past the wind seal and everything, can we go save Anna now? Please? Me: Shhh! I can't ruin the plot!