Me: Thanks ShadowVDP, SymphoniaFreak, tiger002, Fukachi no Rin, and Happymystery12 for reviewing!

Yuan: AquaticWings does not own Tales of Symphonia.

Tenebrae: Enjoy!


Misery

As we walked down the stairs I could feel the fire's heat already on my cheek. To say that I was scared to death would be an understatement. "It's so hot in here…," Lloyd whined.

"Get used to it," Genis advised him, "we're going to be in here for a while."

"Aw man…" The adults, and Genis, sighed at him. "What?" Lloyd asked, turning around to face the rest of us. Just then, a bird with fire surrounding it charged at him.

"Look out!" I yelled.

"Wha- Ah!" It hit Lloyd square in the chest and sent him flying into one of the pillars. Lloyd wasn't fazed though, instead he was jumping around because his clothes were on fire.

"Aqua Edge!" Genis shouted, and his spell hit Lloyd and made him, again, fly into a pillar.

"Ow…"

"Lloyd!" I cried, "Are you all right?"

"Yea, but that thing's coming at you!" I turned around, and stared in terror at it. I wanted to run away, but my legs wouldn't move. I felt as if I was paralyzed.

"Stella!" Kratos shouted, almost screamed, "Move!" I felt my legs give way, and then I collapsed into the ground, the bird passing a few millimeters above my head. I could hear a battle going on behind me.

"Spread!"

"Air thrust!"

"Sonic Thrust!"

"First Aide!" I couldn't move to help though. I was scared of fire, but it never got as bad as this. Why am I so terrified…?

"Stella!" Chikita shouted. She ran over to me, "Are you all right?"

"Yea… I'll… be fine…," I wanted to help everybody, but how could I? I sucked at using a bow and arrow, the only spell I knew was First Aide, and I was afraid of fire. Am I only going to be a burden?

"Stella," Siryno started, "If you want you can wait for us outside the seal."

"I think that would be best actually," Raine said, "If she's that scared of fire then she'll be a burden to us here in the seal of fire."

"Hey!" Lloyd exclaimed, "Don't be so harsh on her! If she wants to wait outside then she can, if not she can say with us down here."

"Stella," Colette asked me, "What do you want to do?" Let's see, I want to go back home, be back with my family…

'Stella, go outside, it's safer up there then here.' I decided to listen to her.

"I'm going to wait outside for you guys, I'll see you later."

"See you later Stella," Chikita hugged me.

"Be safe, ok?"

"Of course I'll be safe Lloyd; if a monster tries to attack me I'll kick it in the gut!"

"I'll do my best Stella!"

"I know you will Colette."

Kratos looked at me worriedly, "Will you really be alright?"

I nodded, "Of course!"

"We won't be long," Siryno assured me.

"Be good," Raine told me.

"Yes ma'am." The others went deeper into the seal, but I turned around and walked back up the stairs. The light hit my eyes, making me squint. I sat down on the sand, preparing for the long wait.

"Whine?" I looked over at Noishe.

"Hey Noishe!" Noishe came up to me and lied down beside me. I slipped my bow and arrow off my shoulder and laid it down in the sand next to me. "Apparently I'm a burden to the others, so I decided that'll I'll just wait up here for them to release the seal."

"Whine…"

I sighed, "I really wish we could communicate by mind…"

'Yea…'

I stared at him, "What the heck?!?"

'You can hear me?'

"Yea I can hear you! Just like I can hear that woman speak to me in my mind!'

Noishe pounced on me and began licking my face, 'I'm so happy you can hear me! Now I can have someone to talk to!'

"Can't you talk to Kratos?"

'Yea, but the conversations I have with him are quite boring. How'd you know about Kratos and me being able to speak to each other?' He got off of me.

"Um… Well… I'm from a place called Earth." I was nervous about telling someone, or an animal, my secret. But then again this is good practice if I have to tell the others about me one day.

'Continue.'

"On Earth there's this videogame called Tales of Symphonia. Tales of Symphonia is where this boy Lloyd, goes on an adventure with Colette, Raine, Genis, and Kratos. They go on the journey of regeneration together, and soon a journey to unify the two worlds."

'So basically this video game is of us.'

"Yeah. And we find out about Cruxis, the desians, the Renegades, family relations, and about the Kharlen Heroes."

'Am I in this videogame?'

"Yeah, but you're a minor character."

'Minor character?!? I was very important before and during the Kharlen War!'

"What happened before?" Noishe grew silent. "Noishe?"

'Kratos or Siryno might tell you eventually.'

"Ok, but don' tell anyone about where I come from and about the videogame, ok?"

'Ok.' We were quite for a few seconds, then Noishe thought to me, 'Do you want your bag?'

"Sure." Noishe went and got my bag. He dropped it in my lap. "Thanks Noishe."

'Your welcome.' I grabbed the history book, but decided against it. Instead, I grabbed the summoning book. That thing I did with the monster a few days ago was like summoning, so maybe I'll learn a thing or two from this book. I really didn't get far though, because two fire element monsters appeared.

"Ah!" I dropped the book and bolted into the temple. I ran down the stairs, but tripped on the last one. "Ow…" I looked up, and saw the fire bird again. "Um… nice birdie?" It charged at me. I screamed and jumped up. I ran down the hall, and hid behind a pillar.

I panted, "Darn… monsters…" Then my eyes widened. The ground beneath me disappeared. I shrieked as I fell down a hole. I fell in complete darkness for a while, then I hit the ground hard. "Ow! Will my misery never end?"

I looked around the place. I was in a round room, with eight connecting hallways. The only light in the room was from the four torches on four sides of the room, well, I guess a round room doesn't really have four sides… But whatever. I shivered in the room, not only was I in a maze but I was in a damp, windy, and cold maze. Plus, I was alone.

I hugged my knees to my chest and sat where I landed. I was so lonely and scared. I've never wanted someone to hold me tight this much in my life. I buried my head in my knees, hoping someone would find me. I waited for hours, but no one came. I looked up through the hole that I fell down in. I could see no light from the other end. Had it been plugged? Was this a trap? I didn't know. I looked around me again, at every hallway. I had to get out of here.

I stood up and brushed the dirt off of my clothes. I stepped near one of the hallways, but then I turned toward another one. This went on for a while. "Ugh… Which one should I take? The one that doesn't lead me to my death?" I shuddered, "What a pleasant thought Stella…" I finally chose to go down one of the many hallways. As I walked it became colder, windier, and damper. Where was I walking toward? Even though I was in so much misery, I was so tired. I leaned against the wall and let my self slide down as I entered a deep sleep.

Later…

I woke up by someone kicking me. "Get up; you didn't fall down that hole to go to sleep." I slowly opened my eyes. I was still in the damp, windy, cold hallway. I slowly sat up and rubbed my eyes, forgetting there was someone next to me. "Get up, you're coming with me."

I looked up into… a frightful face. Black hair framed a white face. His eyes were not visible though. His clothes were black: a sleeveless shirt, pants, and knee boots that were laced. I stayed where I was on the ground.

He grabbed my hair and forcefully pulled me up. "Ow! Get off!" I tried to get his fingers out of my hair, but his grip was too strong.

"If you stood up when I told you too you wouldn't be in any pain right now." He let my hair drop from his hands, and then he studied my eyes. "You're the spitting image of her…"

"Who?"

"It won't matter once you're dead." Now I'm officially scared to death. I doubt I'll be able to get out of this… But it's worth a shot.

I tried to kick him in the shin, but he grabbed my ankle and twisted it. I cried out at the pain, "Very feisty, but you might want to lose the idea that you're going to escape. Now, follow me or I'll drag you." He let me go and stood there, watching me. I straightened myself, about to reach for my bow and arrows even though I'm terrible with them, but then I realized something. I left my bow and arrows with Noishe! Oh darn it…

The man turned and began heading down the hallway. After a few steps he stopped. Looking back at me he questioned, "Coming?"

I nodded, "Yea…" I walked behind him. I hope someone will find me soon. Wait a minute… Siryno! I forgot!

'Siryno! Can you hear me?' Silence. 'Siryno?' More silence. He can't hear me… Now I'm in big trouble. There's no way out of this mess I've gotten myself into. Or maybe there is.

'Hey, woman, can you hear me?'

'Yes, but I'm afraid I'll be no help to you.'

'Why?'

'I cannot contact Siryno either.' I was puzzled.

'What's keeping us from communicating with him?'

'I'm not sure…'

'Can't you posses me and get me out of here?'

'I wish I could, but something is limiting my powers. The only thing you can do is be careful.'

'Great… Now I'm really trapped…' I sighed quietly, and the man turned around and looked at me.

"Who were you talking with just now?"

"No one," I said nervously.

"Yeah right. I think I'll just knock you out and carry you there."

"Um… how about I be good and you keep me awake?"

"I don't think so, Stella."

I gaped, "How'd you know my name?!?"

"I know almost everything about you. Now, this won't hurt a bit." Something slammed against my head. I staggered, then I collapsed on the floor, losing conscience. It seems the world just loves to knock me out, but this time it's a bit different, because I don't settle into darkness.

Me: This chapter was hard to write.

Yuan: How?

Me: I'd write the chapter, and then I'd redo it because it didn't satisfy me.

Tenebrae: How many times did you do that?"

Me: A few times, I didn't count.

Yuan: Did you finally satisfy yourself?

Me: Yea, but I wish I cold make it longer, but I want to do the next part in the next chapter.

Tenebrae: Review please!