A number of you reminded me that Colette cannot talk during the tower of salvation scene. Yes, it's true, I forgot about that little detail; however, since the story has already been written, I'll continue from there and do my best to make up for it!
Also, It saddens me to discover that I can no longer respond on fanfiction . net to my reviewers! I will try from here on out to PM everyone who has questions, but as I am not very familiar with the system, please do not be offended if I cannot respond.
Thank you to everyone for your support!
……………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Slowly, we walked through the tower of salvation. I really wished that Colette would hurry, already I could hear the others close behind us.
"You're an angel, aren't you?"
A gasp escaped my lips and I turned towards her in surprise. "Colette, why would you say that?"
"Because…" And, as she slowly turned towards me, I realized my exigent mistake.
Her lips weren't moving. "…you can hear me, even though I'm not speaking to you."
"Colette, I…" I faltered. This was new. Never before had I realized we angels could do this with the Chosen. Perhaps the other angels could not. For a moment I wondered whether or not Yuan and Mithos would be able to hear her as well…
"Kratos, it's ok." She smiled up at me. "I have known that you were different from the beginning, but even though I never knew you were an angel, I still believed in you. I… don't know how to say this but, I'm happy that you're here to guide me… and I'm happy that you can hear me… "
We were quickly approaching the central transport in the tower, and I knew that if I were to say something to her, it would have to be before we stepped through that dreaded warp circle. Stopping besides it, I held her back as well and knelt beside her. In a very quiet voice, one that I was certain nobody else would hear but her, I murmured, "Colette, I cannot explain why right now, but many things are about to happen which neither you nor the others will understand. You will be… changed… and soon the others will not trust me any longer. I cannot force you to believe what I am doing is right, but I promise you that I will find a way to amend the wrongs of this world."
I wasn't certain why I felt it necessary to tell her all of this. Perhaps I saw a bit of myself in her, frightened as the last of her angelic transformations were about to happen. Perhaps it was for Lloyd.
My heart ached as I heard the fast approaching roars of the other dragons. Standing up, I took her by the arm and urged her through the warp. "Forgive me…"
When we entered the other side, a sight none too pleasing met my eyes.
Mithos.
"Well well well. Kratos, it seems I can trust you after all. I wasn't sure if I could after you let that girl steal Undine from me." Mithos Yggdrasill, in his fully adult form, walked regally down the stairs and up to us.
Gritting my teeth, I dutifully ushered Colette forwards to Mithos.
"Colette, is that correct?" He asked, then laughed bitterly. "Oh wait, that's right, you can't speak anymore can you?"
The girl looked back at me uncertainly, but I could not offer her any other advice, not now. Possibly never again.
He reached out a hand and touched her long golden locks, causing her to gasp and jerk swiftly back around. She locked frightened eyes with Mithos as he caressed the fine strands of her hair and then her smooth cheek. "Yes… you will be a fine vessel…"
Suddenly, I was filled with a loathing for Mithos, all of his twisted ways, and everything that he stood for. I had questioned long ago whether what I was doing was right, and now I could be certain that it wasn't. I was indeed working for an order of monsters.
But now I had a new purpose. I had to remind myself of that constantly to prevent myself from doing something… very stupid. Instead of striking Mithos and forcing him away from the girl, I spoke quietly. "Lord Yggdrasill, her companions are approaching. Do you want them to know of your presence?"
His cruel laughter rang through the tower. "Hehehehahah! Kratos, you're such a laugh! What does it matter really? I suppose I'll sit back for now, but remember Kratos…" He withdrew back into the shadows of the room, disappearing away but leaving behind three ominous words. "…I'll be watching…"
As he disappeared, Remiel came to my side. "Lord Kratos, I will take things from here."
"Humph. Very well." I answered with a classic briefness. Chancing one last regretful glance at Colette, I nodded solemnly to her. I debated whether or not to speak to her again, but Remiel ended that mild deliberation by pulling her roughly forwards towards the center of the room. Turning away, I pooled my mana around me and warped to a ledge above, where I could easily overlook whatever would happen in the room below.
"Watch where you're warping."
I knew that voice.
Turning quickly to the source of the sound, I found my would-be nemesis sprawled on the ground in a very casual manner. "Yuan, what are you doing up here?"
"I'm here to watch the show, what else?" He smirked, then patted the ground beside him. "Have a seat, you won't be going anywhere for a little while."
"That's not what I meant." Reluctantly, I sat beside him, rigidly attentive to even the slightest detail. From the way he sat, I couldn't see the place where I had stabbed him just hours ago, but that didn't mean that Yuan wasn't still hurt. It had to have been Yuan that attempted to attack me, nobody else could have, and though it was dark, nobody else had eyes quite like his. I wanted to question him about it, but knowing Yuan, it wasn't something that he would talk about very willingly. Even so, it was worth a try. "Yuan, what were you doing last night?"
Rather than answer the question, he said something else entirely. Not very surprising. "Remiel is a bit… pompous and demanding, don't you think?" He asked, pointing towards the angel as Colette was finally shoved in the center of the room.
I didn't feel the need to reply to him, but I watched the scene with contempt. How I wished that I could prevent what was about to happen. But even if for some reason they did stop Remiel, I would not be able to help them. Quite the contrary, I would be forced to fight them…
"That's quite an ugly face you're making." Yuan commented offhandedly.
"Maybe things would be different if someone hadn't backstabbed me yesterday." I muttered, shooting Yuan a dark glance.
"If I'm not mistaken, you were, and will be, the only one doing the stabbing." He didn't even look at me, but instead gazed meaningfully at my son as he appeared through the door.
"Yuan…" I growled, but was hushed by the very elf I so despised.
"Quiet down, this is the good part."
No sooner had he said this, when Lloyd's voice rang clearly through the tower. "What!"
"Now, my daughter. Release the final seal!" Remiel commanded to Colette, who was praying in the center of the tower. "In doing so, you will complete the final sacrifice of your human existence… your heart and your memory. By doing so of your own free will, you will become a true angel!"
I stared aghast at Remiel. Why was he giving that away? Did he not understand that Lloyd would not stand for that? He was causing trouble…
"What!" Sheena shouted, taking an offensive stance.
"Sacrifice her heart and memory?" Lloyd seemed too shocked to say any more.
"Colette's going to forget about us!" Even Genis was filled with sorrow and outrage.
The only one who seemed to remain calm was Raine. "Colette's human life will now end, and she will be reborn as an angel."
Lloyd glanced incredulously at her. "Professor Sage, what is he talking about?"
"Lloyd, I'm sorry. I promised Colette I wouldn't say anything. Colette will give up her life in order to regenerate the world. Becoming an angel means dying." She answered quietly.
At this point, Yuan glanced meaningfully at me. "Kratos… it's not too late to stop them, you know."
"You know I can't do that Yuan." I whispered back. How I wanted to, but I knew my place right now, and it was not beside my son.
"That's not quite correct." Meanwhile, Remiel continued to make a bigger mess of things. "The Chosen's heart will die, and her body will be offered to the Goddess Martel. By offering her body, Colette will revive the Goddess. This is the true nature of the world regeneration! The revival of the Goddess Martel… is the revival of the world itself!"
I wanted to fry Remiel where he stood… or flew, to be more correct. "Remiel…" I shook my head, glowering with displeasure.
Yuan snickered beside me. Stupid elf. "He's your lackey."
"That…that's…" Lloyd murmured incredulously.
As this point, the group spoke again of Tethe'alla, and Remiel fed them some more lies. It was about time.
"Kratos." This time, Yuan's voice was more urgent. "That's your son out there. Don't you want to save him from the pain of losing someone so close to him?"
"I do, but I cannot fail my duties to Cruxis…" I murmured. I had thought before that Yuan was the only person I might have been able to trust, but after his attack last night, I was hesitant to divulge any information to him about my plans. No, it would be better if Yuan did not know.
With a disgusted sigh, he returned to watching the 'show.'
"Can't Cruxis make both worlds peaceful?" Sheena asked.
"If that is what the Chosen desires, she can lend her power to Cruxis by becoming an angel. Once the Goddess Martel is revived by the Chosen, the two worlds will surely achieve peace, just as the Chosen wishes." Good, finally Remiel was beginning to say something that wouldn't upset everyone quite as much.
Colette gasped, and though I may have imagined it, I thought she had spoken again. Next to me, Yuan also shifted a bit, gazing at her with a new interest.
"Is that true, you ask? You know why you have come here." Remiel replied.
"You're right… I'm sorry for not trusting you, father." Colette's words radiated warmth, even though she never moved her lips.
Yuan shook his head. "Father? Kratos… what have you lead that poor girl to believe?"
So Yuan could hear her too. This was definitely interesting.
"You can't… are you really preparing to die!" Sheena cried, clearly upset.
"Colette stop! If you sacrifice yourself, your friends who love you… and your family, and m-… we'll all be sad! It will be the same as sacrificing all of us!" Lloyd shouted. It seemed as though he was at his breaking point. I knew he cared a lot for Colette, perhaps more than anyone else, and though it was difficult, I kept myself from interfering.
Colette gazed desolately at him, sadness in her eyes. "Lloyd… I don't want to hurt you… but this is the only way I can save us all."
Lloyd tried to run forward, even though I doubted he could hear what she had just said. Genis, good friend though he was, held him back. "Genis! Let me go!"
Genis hesitated a bit, but still held onto him firmly. "I don't want anything to happen to her either! But what else are we supposed to do! The people of Sylverant are suffering too!"
"But…" Lloyd mumbled, glancing back and forth from Genis to Colette.
Before Lloyd could think of something better to say, Remiel interrupted him. "The sacrifice of one single person, the Chosen, will save the world. Are you saying that you would choose the Chosen's soul over the entire world?"
How disgusted I was with him. With the entirety of Cruxis and every twisted ideal that it stood for.
"Now, Colette. Come join your father." He commanded. As he said so, Colette prepared herself for her final task.
But before she could warp away, Lloyd broke free from Genis's weak hold and rushed forward, stopping Colette from leaving. "Wait! Remiel! Is there really no other way? Colette's your daughter. Surely you don't want her to die either!"
Then Remiel did something stupid again. "My daughter? Don't make me laugh. When I came down to play the role of guardian angel, you inferior beings just started calling me her father on your own. I merely placed the Cruxis Crystal upon this sacrifice, who was selected to become Martel's vessel."
"Wh-what?" Lloyd exclaimed, then took Colette by the hand again, not willing to let her go. "Colette!"
"Lloyd, it's okay." She spoke again, with her heart it seemed, and turned to face him with a warm smile. "I realized what was going on. Every time I met Remiel, I felt… that he was not my real father. But still, for some reason, I still feel like I want to cry."
"Colette! If you realized what was going on, then why?" So Lloyd could hear her too! This was definitely interesting.
"You can hear my voice?" Her eyes widened with shock, but happiness. "I'm so happy! I'll be able to say goodbye to you in the end."
"Colette… I'm sorry!" Lloyd said, lowering his head in defeat. "I couldn't save you… I'm so sorry! I promised I wouldn't make another mistake, but it looks like I have again."
Was he actually considering my words? It seemed Lloyd was full of surprises.
"No. Thank you, Lloyd. Because of you, I was able to find the courage to protect the world. Because of you, I was able to find the strength to live these sixteen years to the fullest. So please…" And though it seemed she wanted to say more, she looked away, as if hearing a calling from somewhere far away. Slowly, she drifted upwards and away from him.
"Colette!" Lloyd screamed, holding out his arms to the lost girl.
"It looks like it's time…" She said quietly.
Slowly, she rose upwards, a white light surrounding her as her final angelic transformation was about to take place.
"This is disgusting." Yuan turned away, gazing instead at the ground. "I can't watch."
I had no comment for him, but truthfully, I hated it too. I wanted more than anything else to dive downwards quickly, and snatch her up in my arms, taking her far away from her last devastating transformation.
But I couldn't.
The light shone through the entirety of the tower, touching everyone for one brief moment before it disappeared. When Colette reopened her eyes, cold indifference shone through her red pupils.
"I've done it! It's finally complete! Martel's vessel is finally complete! With this, I shall become one of the Four Seraphim!" Remiel cackled, unaware that we would never allow him to join our ranks.
"Wait just a minute! What are you gonna do with Colette!" Lloyd shouted angrily.
"He's going to take her to heaven." The good professor responded quietly.
"You bastard!" Lloyd fumed, glaring up at Remiel as he finally understood it all for the first time. "You'll pay for this! Cruxis, the angels, the Goddess Martel.. it's all a big lie, isn't it! Let her go now!"
"That, I cannot do, for she is Martel's vessel. This is Martel's new body which took years to complete." Remiel sneered, holding a mana charged hand up towards Lloyd. "I have no more use for any of you. Be gone!"
Lloyd was more than ready to fight him. With anger, he charged forward, falling victim to one of his light arrows in his blinded fury.
"Your son really needs to work on those fighting skills." Yuan commented.
"Yuan, not now." I murmured bitterly, watching them all intently.
"And why not? If not now, then when?" Yuan gazed at me with a look I didn't recognize. "Kratos… you've already lost the girl. Don't lose your son."
"Watch out for the spell!" Raine's warning rang out to everyone.
The blinding lights of Remiel's Judgment spell flew past us, striking both Genis and Sheena.
"Aaugh!" Genis cried, falling to his hands and knees, then regaining his strength a bit, he pulled himself up. "Don't bother me!"
Though Sheena went down too, she readied herself quicker and flew back into action, a dark aura surrounding her as she began to call for Undine.
Meanwhile, Remiel and Lloyd were fighting in close quarters, and again, Lloyd was struck down…
Even though I had seen him hurt numerous times during this journey, I flinched as he fell to the ground.
"I can't believe you're just sitting back and watching…" Yuan narrowed his eyes, gazing at me with contempt now.
Again I chose not to respond to Yuan. Instead, I watched, held between a terrible internal struggle. If Remiel won, then Lloyd would die, and so would everyone else. But if Remiel lost, then I would be forced to fight them, and if I used my true strength, they would surely die.
"Heartless, that's what you are." Yuan's voice interrupted my thoughts only briefly.
If they died, then not only would I lose my son, but there would be no hope for a change in the future. Mithos would still rule over both the worlds with an iron fist, and Yuan and I would still be trapped to do his bidding. But this wasn't for me, was it? All of this struggle wasn't some selfish desire of mine… no… it couldn't be.
But even if it was, weren't my goals still in favor with those of the rest of the world? Wasn't that what I had worked towards so many years ago, when I ran away with Anna? I couldn't just let those goals, those dreams, slip away! But how could I fight them and save them?
"Kratos, you make me sick." Yuan was clearly disgusted with me by now.
With contempt, I shot him another dark glance. He had no idea what I was going through right now, but I couldn't let him know. "Yuan, you don't know what you are meddling with."
"I think I do know." He responded ingenuously. "You're afraid of what will happen if you dare stand against Mithos again."
"Yuan…" I wanted to tell him so much, but even if he hadn't attacked me, now was definitely not the time.
"If you won't save your son, I will." He responded quietly, turning away from me and watching the battle.
I really didn't understand him sometimes, but unfortunately I didn't have the time to think about that.
With a final enraged cry, Lloyd and Sheena both struck Remiel at the same time, causing him to fall to the ground in a crumpled heap of tattered robes and broken wings. "Impossible… how can an angel, the ultimate being, lose to a group of humans?"
Lloyd ignored him, instead focusing intently on Colette. "Colette, come back to us! I'm going to restore you back to your normal self! I promise!"
The girl did not respond.
I stood up, sighing deeply and gazing at the poor people below me. People I had used as pawns. People I had grown attached to. People who would now think me an enemy.
"Colette… have you really forgotten me?"
I could wait no longer. Closing my eyes momentarily, I gathered my mana and warped back down next to the Chosen. "You're wasting your time. Not only did she lose her memory, but she has lost the soul to listen to your words. Now Colette is merely a puppet standing before death's door."
"Kratos!" Genis was the first one to respond with shock.
"Where have you been! What are you saying!" Lloyd fixed his gaze now on me, asking me questions that I wanted so much to explain.
"The Chosen desired the regeneration of the world and chose this path herself. By the summoning of the Chosen to Derris-Kharlan, the seal will be broken and the regeneration will be complete." I replied, knowing that Lloyd would not be able to understand it all. I glanced meaningfully at Raine. If anyone were to understand this, it would be her. Unfortunately, even her eyes did not register any sort of recollection either.
"Kratos? What are you talking about?" Lloyd asked again.
"It is what you wanted as well. We will take the Chosen as the new body for Martel." I answered solemnly. Surely he would understand now. And he would hate me for it.
"What are you talking about! Kratos… answer me!" Apparently he still didn't understand.
"Lord Kratos, have pity on me. Please… lend me your aid." Oh, Remiel was still around, wasn't he?
After what he had just done to Colette, I could look at him with nothing but scorn. "Have you forgotten, Remiel? I was once of the inferior race… a human. Does the ultimate being seek help from that which he despises the most?" Mercilessly, I turned away from him, not bothering to watch him die.
Lloyd turned to me slowly, staring at me with awe and shock. "Kratos… who are you?"
It was time.
No longer would I hide my identity from them. Lowering my gaze just a bit, I began to gather my mana around me, "I am of Cruxis, the organization that guides this world."
In a sparkle of light, I summoned forth my wings, allowing them to calmly flutter behind me. "I am one of the Four Seraphim, sent forth to keep close watch over the Chosen."
All of my former companions, minus Colette, gasped in shock.
"Kratos is an angel too!" Genis exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise.
Lloyd was livid, clenching his hands into fists again. "You deceived us!"
I looked at Lloyd calmly, my face showing no emotion although my very soul ached with remorse. I didn't want this to happen, but as of now I was powerless to stop it. And though I could not tell where he was, I knew that Mithos was also lurking around somewhere, watching this entire drama unfold.
For now, all I could do is play my part and hope that somewhere along this dangerous game he did not die. "Deceived? If the Chosen merges with Martel, she will awaken, and the world will be saved. Is that not what you wanted?"
"Once her body is taken by the Goddess Martel, Colette will truly die!" Lloyd shouted back.
"No, she will be reborn as Martel." I replied calmly. If there was one thing I could do, it was reaffirm that Colette would not die, and that there was indeed hope for him. Hopefully, he would live long enough to remember and use those words.
"Dammit! You think I'm going to let you do that! Colette is our friend!" Before I could say any more, Lloyd had run up the stairs towards me, his swords drawn and poised for action.
Reflexively, I blocked his initial attack, but I noticed out of my peripheral vision that his comrades, who had seemed not all that eager to fight before, were now ready for action. Raine and Genis were both casting some form of magic, and Sheena was running up the stairs, her magical cards in hand.
Not wanting to attack him, I continued to block Lloyd's attacks. Between his swipes, I chanced a glance upwards to where Yuan sat. With my enhanced vision, I could see him far above, the expression on his face similar to the one he wore when he told me not to lose my son. But whatever could it be?
"Pyre Seal!"
Suddenly, an explosion hit my back, and I was sent flying forward from the ledge. The force of the blow pushed me just barely out of the range of one of Genis's Ice Tornados. So I was lucky this time, but I could not be distracted like that again.
I landed on the ground very ungracefully, since I had not expected Sheena's attack so soon. "Nurse!" Raine casted, healing them all even though I had yet to attack any of them. Perhaps they were still injured from their recent fight with Remiel.
Lloyd and Sheena had both jumped off the ledge simultaneously, landing easily and running towards me at full speed.
I realized then that there were four of them and only one of me. Even if they were weak, I would never make it out of this battle alive if all I did was block.
Still, I could not bring myself to attack them fully. No, their skills were lacking too much for that.
Quickly, I spun around, blocking the next two attacks from Lloyd and Sheena. Why wasn't I fighting back? Hadn't I just decided that I must a moment ago?
"Kratos, you fool…you didn't listen to me, and now there is no other way." Yuan's voice drifted down so quietly that I was certain only I could hear it. "You had better fight them now."
I glared briefly at Yuan; I didn't need his distractions right now. But as I saw him again, I finally recognized the look on his face.
Pity.
Distracted by the other angel, I did not notice Genis's next spell until it hit me. Flames erupted around me, burning for a moment then disappearing as quickly as they had arrived.
Yes, now was definitely the time to fight.
Spinning back around, my eyes hardened a bit. Before she could attack me again, I sent Sheena flying away with a slash of my sword. Dashing over to the elfin brother and sister, I struck them both, disrupting their spells. Even though I wasn't hitting them with my full strength, it still pained me to hit them at all.
Finally, I turned towards Lloyd. He hesitated for a moment, apparently as shocked as I was that I would actually fight back. Resolutely, I thought to myself, "Lloyd, for these next few minutes… you cannot be my son."
Momentarily I closed my eyes, a spell circle appearing below me. Lloyd, recognizing the danger he was in, began to run towards me, but by now it was far too late. Before he reached me, I held my sword up into the air. "Lightning Blade!"
I turned away before the electricity could strike him. That was not something I wished to watch. Besides, Sheena had already sprung up from where I threw her. When she glared at me, ready for another attack, I knew what I must do.
As she and I ran towards each other, I gripped the handle of my blade, ushering mana into the weapon for the attack. Before we met halfway I shouted, "Light Spear!" Catching her tunic on the edge of my blade, I hurled her into the air and away.
Through the entirety of the battle, I held back each attack at the last moment, not pushing forward though I could have. Although it pained me to attack any of them, it especially hurt to strike Lloyd.
Lloyd, my son, was caught in between the struggle of the two worlds and Cruxis. I wished more than anything now that I could have saved Anna and taken him away from this all.
I hated myself for fighting him. I hated myself for losing them both.
Before I knew it, they were all sprawled on the ground, bleeding profusely and hurt more than they probably had ever been their entire lives.
As Lloyd fell to the ground, I held forward my sword. "You cannot oppose fate." Did I really believe that? I hoped not.
"D-damnit!" Lloyd grunted, kneeling on the ground. Even though he knew he had nothing left, he continued to stare at me with his piercing eyes.
I could not show emotion. I couldn't. Raising my sword in the air with both arms, I held it poised to strike the final blow. But… something within me held me back. Grimacing, I faltered.
I couldn't kill him. Even if Mithos was watching, I couldn't kill Lloyd.
"I guess not even you could bring yourself to fight against such an opponent…"
Mithos had returned, and for a short moment, I was almost glad. Putting away my blade, I knelt down. "Lord Yggdrasill." I dutifully said. Though I had refrained from such formalities when I brought Colette to him, it seemed the correct thing to do now.
Behind me, I heard Lloyd's companions murmur "Who's that?" and "Another angel!"
Ignoring them, Yggdrasill walked forward to where Lloyd knelt. "Are you Lloyd?"
Narrowing his eyes, Lloyd delivered his trademark line. "Give me your name, and I'll give you mine!"
"Haha… people need not introduce themselves to a dog." Yggdrasill commented offhandedly.
"What did you say!" Lloyd growled.
"Fine, I shall tell you my name, wretched human. I am Yggdrasill. Leader of Cruxis. and the Desians!" Before Lloyd could respond, Yggdrasill flew quickly forward, knocking him and the others down again. "How sad."
Summoning forth the eternal sword, he used its power to knock Lloyd into a nearby pillar.
He was being unusually cruel to Lloyd over the rest of his companions. I glanced at Mithos, wondering if he knew our relation.
Feeling my eyes on him, he turned his malicious gaze on me. "Kratos, I trust you have no objections?"
I did. Far more than I could say in the short time I had, but I found myself unable to voice any of them.
"Farewell." Just as Yggdrasill prepared to send them all to their graves, he turned to the side, dodging three mana strikes that threatened to hit him.
It was Botta! "Damn! The Chosen has already become an angel! We have no choice. We're taking her back with us alive!" He sent forth his minions, and even though Yggdrasill attacked a few of them, Botta managed to steal Lloyd, Colette, Sheena, Genis, and Raine away.
Clearly disgruntled, Yggdrasill commented, "Renegades. As irritating as ever. Still, it is of little consequence. Kratos, let us leave."
"As you wish." I replied, watching him warp back to the Cruxis base.
Before I left, I looked up to where Yuan had sat, but the half-elf had already vacated the scene. Is this what he had meant when he said, "if you don't save your son, I will?"
But Botta was a Renegade… so didn't the Renegades save Lloyd? It didn't make sense… unless….
And then it hit me. How could I have been so blind to it in the past? After all the hints that he had given me, without outright saying so.
Yuan must be the famed leader of the Renegades, the thorn in Yggdrasill's rear all these years.
With that thought in my mind, I half-smiled. Although I didn't know all of his plans, I knew one thing for certain. Yuan would not kill Lloyd or any of his companions. Quite the contrary, he would probably allow them time to heal and maybe even let them 'escape' somewhere safer… Tethe'alla perhaps. So for now at least, he was safe. "Saved by the Renegades. Don't die Lloyd."
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Lloyd: Things aren't looking too good for me, but at least I'm not dead! Authoress Marika wants me to tell everyone that this story will continue until the end of the game. So! Tune in next time for our exciting new adventure in Tethe'alla!
