Author's Notes: Yay, long chapter, enjoy it. I am really too tired to care right about now, and just wanted to post this in case I didn't have time later.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia.


Chapter 10: Seal of Fire

"Thunder Blade!" Yuan shouted out a spell. A large blade of electricity appeared in the air and crashed into the mimic from above.

Kratos pulled Lloyd back at the last second to avoid getting electrocuted by Yuan's spell, waiting patiently for the effects to diminish. The moment the area surrounding the creature was clear of thunder mana the two charged in once more, working to distract it as Yuan, Genis and Raine chanted out spells. Colette was ever and always between the two groups, going back and forth from fighting it melee style and hurling her chakrams at the thing.

Mimics, despite their size and appearance, were actually very dangerous monsters in that, though their attack range and speed was hardly notable, they were impervious to all physical attacks. Their main choice of attack, and what made them such deadly creatures, was their ability to shape shift to lure treasure hunters and travelers to their deaths. If not killed quickly and precisely they were quite a formidable opponent as their fangs were sharp and their jaws powerful.

Yuan was between the creature and the Sage Siblings, his swallow out and in front of him to act as a barrier. He as he stood between the two groups, Yuan chanted a spell under his breath. Lightning crackled in the air, and mana gathered around him. Suddenly Yuan leapt forward, using his swallow similar to pole-vault him over the mimic. Kratos jumped back, pulling Lloyd and Colette with him and watched.

"Thunder Crash!" Yuan yelled mid-air. Thunder and lightning were left in his wake, and the mimic convulsed from the electricity coursing through it even as Yuan landed safely out of the spell's range.

The half-elf whirled around the moment his feet touched the ground just in time to see the creature hit the ground and vanish as the mana in its body destabilized. Sweat glistened on his forehead, and his breathing was slightly irregular. All the other's where staring at him wide-eyed, some in amazement, others in shock.


Yuan scowled over at Lloyd, a mild resentment in his continence. "Would you quit staring at me like I have two heads?" the half-elf snapped, glaring at the boy.

Genis snorted. "Really Lloyd, it wasn't that impressive," the boy muttered to himself, shooting Yuan a dirty look when he thought the man wasn't looking.

"What?" Lloyd shouted angrily at his friend. "It was cool! Is there something wrong with that?"

Kratos chuckled lightly, showing the first signs of humor since they entered the pit. "Lloyd, Genis, I think the two of you are irritating Yuan."

Yuan snorted. "That's an understatement," he responded sardonically.

Lloyd frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Yuan sighed and shook his head. "I doubt you would understand."

Lloyd was about to respond, but Kratos cut him off. "I think this is the last lantern we have yet to light," he stated as they stood in front of a lamp hanging on a red-brick platform.

"Really?" Colette piped up cheerfully. "That's great! Now we can get to releasing the seals."

Kratos's head turned sharply to face the girl. A troubled look overcame his usual calm visage, before he managed to school his features into a look of indifference. "I suppose that is one way of looking at things," he muttered darkly. Kratos twisted the Sorcerer's Ring on his finger for a few moments, before pulling it off and handing it to Lloyd. "Care to do the honors?" He asked the boy as he placed the ring in his gloved hand.

Lloyd stared down at the tiny artifact in wonder and amazement. "Really?" He looked up at Kratos, eyes considerably brighter. "Thanks Kratos!"

The boy put the ring on over his glove and held his hand up so that the ring faced the lantern, just like the way he had seen Kratos do it. Channeling a tiniest bit of mana into it, like the way they performed techs, a little blaze, barely a spark, sputtered out of the ring. Lloyd frowned in disappointment.

"Try again," Kratos spoke up. "You're not channeling enough of your mana into the ring, therefore it is not creating enough of a spark to actually catch fire."

Lloyd tried again, this time using the same amount he used for a demon fang. A bright flame shot out of the ring and caught the entire lantern in its inferno. The candle wax burned brightly, even after the fire died away, and Lloyd put his arm down.

"Wow! That's so neat!" the boy exclaimed, grinning broadly.

Kratos cracked a small smile at Lloyd's excitement, and opened his mouth to say something, but a rumbling broke him of his concentration. The whole room shook, and knocked many of them, namely Colette, Lloyd and Genis, off their feet. The ground began to tremble beneath their feet, and platforms all around them began rising out of the lava, forming an upward path.

When the tremors died down, the children jumped to their feet, glancing at the room's new layout. Raine's eyes lit up in childish glee, and a manic cackle came from deep within her, causing those around to stare at her in nothing short of horror. Raine rushed toward the staircase, taking the steps two at a time; she nearly tripped more than once and almost plunged headfirst into the lava.

Yuan's eye twitched slight and he gave the school teacher a weird look. "I think we should follow her…" he said slowly.


Mana swirled around him, and Kratos gasped as his very being disintegrated and reintegrated at another location deeper in the ruins. He felt the breath leave his lungs, and he nearly started hyperventilating. He absolutely despised that feeling, and was quite certain he would never become accustomed to it.

He stepped off the platform, and the others materialized on the spot where he previously stood. "So… what is this place?" Lloyd questioned as he glanced around the room.

A strange orange glow seemed to emanate from the altar at the opposite end of the room. Purple colored pillars rose to the ceiling, ornately carved symbols running from the base to the tip. Gems of various sizes, mostly rubies and garnets, covered the walls on all sides.

"Marvelous!" Raine shouted, her eyes sparkling with a joyous light as she went to examine the pillars. "What marvelous structures! And look, the designs on these pillars suggests that…" Kratos tuned her out at this point.

He wavered between his group and the altar, knowing he had no choice, yet wishing to delay this moment for as long as possible. "Kratos?" Yuan asked softly, coming up behind him. "Are you alright?"

Kratos took a few more, small steps toward the altar, and turned to respond to his question. A red glow suddenly shot out of the Cruxis Crystal at his throat, and his eyes widened in surprise. The mana in the room condensed into a solid form just before the altar, and a large beast seeming made of red fire stood before them. Silver spikes went up and down its back, and down to the tip of its tail. As the creature opened its mouth, a blazing inferno could be see within.

"What is that thing?!" Lloyd shouted in alarm, hands going to the hilts of his swords.

Kratos unsheathed his sword not a moment behind, and said, "the trial I suspect. In order to release the seal, we first must prove our worth." Both hands were on his sword hilt now, and he held it before him nearly at eye level. Briefly, his eyes made contact with Lloyd's. "Don't die Lloyd," he commanded softly, causing the boy to blink in confusion.

Kratos and Yuan charged the beast, Yuan shouting, "Thunder Explosion!" at the top of his lungs as he swung his double-blade at the fire beast.

"Aqua Edge!" Genis yelled out the spell not a moment later, Kendema in hand. Even as the mana from his spell dissipated he began charging another.

Colette twirled in Chakrams around her index fingers before launching them at the beast, leaving shallow cuts on its sides. The creature started in anger, and bared its teeth at the girl, letting out a vicious roar. Colette stumbled back lightly as it began to descend upon her.

That caused Lloyd to jump into action, and even as Kratos was at its side, hacking at its leg, Lloyd was seen charging head on into the beast's face. Growling in frustration, it opened its mouth at let loose a blast of fire at the boy in its path. Lloyd skidded to a halt in front of the beast, and put up his two swords in defense, as if that would protect him from third degree burns.

Kratos, seeing this, leapt in front of the boy and shouted, "Guardian!" at the last second. He shot the boy an indignant look before turning back to face his opponent.

Kratos saw Yuan sneaking up on it from behind, and caught the man's eye and the half-elf gave him a nearly imperceptible nod. The beast lashed out with its tail, missing Kratos by mere inches as the man jumped back. He almost knocked over Lloyd, who was still reeling from shock, but the boy managed to retain his balance, and even worked up the courage to charge the creature. He didn't do much damage, and merely landed a glancing blow to its left shoulder.

It roared again, but this time in pain and it whipped its tail around, catching a glancing blow to Lloyd's front, knocking him back and impaling him with a few of the spines all at once. The creature reared back, trying to put some distance between it and the two swordsmen, forgetting entirely of the half-elf off to the right. Yuan swung his swallow at the beast's belly, imbedding his double-saber into its gut, and the creature fell back and landed on its side in the center of the room.

Lloyd looked up from his position on the floor. "Did we win?" he asked in a breathless voice.

Kratos stared down at the creature, but didn't sheathe his sword just yet. "It would appear so, but I wouldn't let your guard down," he said in response. The Chosen carefully walked up to the beast's lifeless corpse and, without hesitation, drove his blade through the heart.

It gave a small spasm then fell still again. "I think its safe now," Yuan stated dully, walking over to it to retrieve his blade. He stepped over the various limbs lying limply on the floor, paying them very little attention, and took placed both hands on the handle of his weapon, right between the two blades. Placing one foot against the fire beast, that was already beginning to lose the heat that once radiated deep within it, he gave his weapon an experimental tug.

Once or twice he did this, before firming up his grip and pulling hard. It didn't budge on inch. Yuan let out a breath in his annoyance and yanked it again, this time with more force. The weapon came loose with a sickening squelch and blood spattered on the half-elf's face and down the front of his armor, causing Yuan to flinch for no reason. The man fell back and landed on the ground hard, his swallow clattering on the floor near Kratos's feet. His shoulders trembled slightly, imperceptible to the naked eye.

Kratos knelt down, and carefully picked Yuan's weapon from off the ground. "Yuan, are you alright?" he asked gently.

The half-elf, still sitting on the floor, glanced up at the man, blue-green eyes briefly meeting with russet. "Yeah. I'm fine," Yuan stated, pulling himself together as he gracefully rose from the floor. Kratos handed his swallow back to him without a word.

"So… What now? You gotta release the seal now, right?" Lloyd asked as he gazed at the altar.

Kratos frowned. "Yes, I suppose I do."


Endnotes: ...I don't remember what I was supposed to say here. Goodbye.