*Inside Raenef's workshop, the camera comes across Raenef hunched over at his worktable, sparks flying as he uses a welding tool. Behind him, Infinite Freedom enters and is confused at seeing a writer using a welding tool on paper*
I.F: Aside from defying obvious laws of nature, just what are you doing?
*Raenef stops and sits up, removing his welding helmet to look at I.F*
Raenef: What's it look like? I'm working on the next chapter.
I.F: …with a blowtorch?
Raenef: Do you remember what chapter this is?
I.F: *picks up notes* let's see…Cadell dead….Hima…*realization dawns*…now I remember.
Raenef: Exactly. *goes back to work, sparks flying everywhere as he continues*
Whew, boy. I've been waiting to do this chapter for a long time now. I apologize for the wait, but it took a long time to develop this just the right way I wanted it done. This may be a long one, so sit down and get comfortable. On with the show!
URGENT! To those who emailed me character designs for my character creation contest, could you please resend them? My email folders have decided to devour them, and I can't locate them. I intend to use them later on, so if you could please resend them, I would be very grateful. Also, to any others who wish to try, feel free to submit a character of your own design for me to possibly put in the story. If I can, I will most certainly include them into it!
Oh, and I also want to wish a Happy Birthday to Shin'en of the Chaotic Destiny. I happened to learn of it ahead of time, so Happy B-day!
Speech-normal speech
Speech-thoughts
Speech-Origin speaking
(Speech) Author speaking
Remiel hovered back and forth in place at his station in Welgaia, his patience becoming more and more strained as he awaited the arrival of the Chosen One. All of his work to this point: insuring the safety of the Chosen Bloodline, gifting the Chosen One with angelic abilities, guiding her from seal to seal, all led to this one moment. It was his time to shine in Lord Yggdrasill's eyes, and claim his right to become a Seraphim. The mere prospect of ascending to the next form almost broke through Remiel's calm exterior, clenching his fist as he tuned out the background sounds of the machinery of Welgaia at work. There was no way he could fail!
"Has the Chosen arrived at the Tower's entrance yet?" he asked one of the sentries placed at the monitors that kept watch over the Tower's security.
"Negative sir. The gate has not been opened or received the Chosen's presence." Came the monotone reply.
Remiel resisted the urge to yell in frustration. One noticeable downside to being an angel in Yggdrasill's service was the lack of any interesting personalities or discussions amongst anyone at all. Remiel had maintained his emotions and self due to being a half-elf, a status that granted him mercy from Yggdrasill who spared him of becoming no more than a mere servant. Had he turned to any of the wandering workers in the area, the best conversation he could expect would be how glorious master Yggdrasill was, or that all machines were functioning and at best capacity. It was enough to drive any sane being insane…of course, since these beings had lost all traces of personality and heart; it was safe to assume that they were beyond losing their minds.
Just as he was about to blast something, one of the sentries stood up suddenly. "Sir! We've detected Lord Kratos in the vicinity, with the Chosen One as well. They're approaching the Tower entrance!"
Remiel's anxiety quickly changed into excitement. "Excellent! Inform Lord Yggdrasill! I'm on my way down to meet them." He exclaimed, flying straight for the portal. 'Finally! The time has come for my ascension from mere servant to glorious general!' His mind raced as fast as his wings were carrying him, eyes gleaming with madness that if anyone met his gaze, they would fear for not just themselves, but the false angel himself.
With Kratos and Colette
Kratos stepped off from the dragon mount and held up his hand to assist Colette, who took it and stepped down as well. She gave a quick pat to the draconic transport, which nuzzled into the hand. Contrary to popular belief, many dragons are neutral, even friendly to humans depending on their experiences with them. The ones bred at Hima had had little experience with humans before the group had come along, and combined with Colette's kind nature, had taken care to give her a simple ride to the Tower.
"Get back safely! And don't let the other dragons be mean to you!" she said. The dragon gave a quiet hissing sound, probably the closest friendly reply it could give, before it flew away. Colette turned to look at the never ending height of the final milestone of her journey. "So…this is it…" she muttered to herself.
Kratos turned to Colette and thought of what to say. 'If I had a gald for every time I've seen that look on a Chosen's face…then again, it's bad enough that I've lived to see that many Chosen Ones, let alone be the one who had guided them to their end. But not this time. Not ever again!' Kratos gave a reassuring smile and put a hand on Colette's shoulder. The innocent look she gave him made his heart twinge. "It will all be alright, Colette. No one will harm you here. You have my word on that."
Colette did her best to stifle her nervousness and gave a weak smile in return. True, with Kratos as her protector, she was safe. The mercenary had been amazingly loyal and honorable throughout her long journey. He gave wisdom whenever someone sought it, and seemed to be unafraid of anything that came their way. "Thank you for being so helpful all this time, Kratos. Without you, I don't think we would have made it here. I know Lloyd would say the same, though he wouldn't want to admit it outright."
'If only she knew…' Kratos thought to himself. "You're too kind, Chosen One. For now, come. We have a journey to complete, I believe." He urged her onward, keeping to his role for now. Colette stepped forward towards the chasm that separated the Tower from the earth, and gave a gasp as transparent steps appeared before her, leading to the entrance. She gave a tentative step forward, testing the stability and finding her foot firmly planted. She smiled and let go of the breath she'd been holding. She made her way onwards, keeping to the steps cautiously. Kratos followed behind her, on watch as ever.
The blonde Chosen met the top and final step and came to the oracle stone that sat outside the doorway. She placed her hand upon it and felt the familiar rush of mana from her and into the stone. The doorway opened and was filled with light, and Colette paused to gather herself before she entered. Thoughts of the others came to her suddenly, and she turned to Kratos, who was behind her. "Does something trouble you?" Kratos asked quietly.
"I just…" Colette started to say before memories flashed in her mind of her teachings from the pastors at the church. Explanations of how she would rise to heaven and Martel when she completed the final release of the seal. Would she want her only friends to be here, only to witness her leave them forever? The comfort they would bring, only to be replaced with sorrow…she shook her head, blonde tresses shaking as she moved. "Never mind," she replied, "just a thought was all." She proceeded inside, and Kratos watched her go.
'Lloyd, I hope you get here soon. If not for my sake, then at least for Colette's.' Kratos thought to himself as he went in after her.
Kratos found himself in the all too familiar Tower's foremost room, where every Chosen has come to release the final Seal of the journey of Regeneration. He kept himself from glancing down the eternal pitfall that lay below him. He was not sure what purpose Mithos had in mind when he decided that the coffins of failed Chosen Ones should be on display for all to see, always floating in stasis around them. He found it mortifying, and did his best to ignore it. Colette, however, froze upon entering, and seemed to be afraid to take a step further. "Wh-what is this? Why are they all like this?"
"They are what remain of past Chosen who fell before reaching the end of their journey. Should ever a Chosen fall, it became tradition to bring them here to put them to rest." Kratos replied, walking forward to stand by Colette. "Do not be afraid, Colette. Their fate shall not be shared by you."
Colette did her best to take comfort from these words, but still found herself uneasy. It was mind-boggling to see just how many Chosen had fallen before completing their journey. She dared not even try to begin to think of how they could've failed. She had faced many perils herself, from the seal guardians, the Desians, even that mysterious shadow-man from the Ossa trail. But now she was here, at the Tower of Salvation. She had completed her journey, and would now save the world from its troubles. Colette moved onward, heading toward the platform ahead of her. It was time to bring an end to all this hurt, once and for all!
With Lloyd
Lloyd and Sheena landed their dragon and quickly leapt off, each giving a wave goodbye as it flew back towards Hima. "Ok, we're here. Where are the Professor and Genis?" Lloyd asked, scanning the skies. "They were right behind us, weren't they?"
Sheena joined him and turned to look towards the mountains from where they came. "They were…but I don't see them now. Do you think they went off course?"
"How exactly does one miss the Tower of Salvation?" Lloyd quipped.
"Touché," Sheena laughed, "It would be kind of hard to miss a building that goes into the sky."
Lloyd turned west and glimpsed a small black dot moving erratically in their direction. "I think I see them…but something's off. They're not flying straight like we did." Lloyd said. It moved closer, and Lloyd could see that it was their missing companions. But it looked as if they had lost control of their dragon somehow.
"I think…Sheena, we should move." Lloyd said, moving to his right by a few feet.
"Huh? What makes you say that?" the summoner asked, watching Lloyd and looking back to the black dot, which was now closer and moving faster. She could make out the forms of Raine and Genis now, though Genis and Raine seemed to be having a little trouble. They were yelling about something, and their mount suddenly dove down. "On second thought, move!" she quickly joined Lloyd, who moved back further towards the tree line of the clearing. A few moments later, they watched as their remaining companions came in for a crash landing, kicking up dust as the dragon skidded along the ground before coming to a stop. Genis and Raine were off on opposite sides, both groaning as they got up.
"Sis, why did you do that?" Genis asked as he rubbed his head. He had managed to hold on until they crashed, being thrown off at the last second. "What possessed you to do that while we were flying?"
Raine still had swirl marks for her eyes, mumbling aloud, "Research…I had to know for sure…"
Lloyd and Sheena sweatdropped at the sight before them. After helping everyone to get back on their feet, Lloyd asked the obvious question. Genis sighed before turning to look at Raine. "We were flying just fine, right behind you two, when Raine suddenly started asking me about dragons and how they fly. Next thing I know, she's steering the dragon up, down, left, right, every way possible. I guess the dragon got disoriented and next thing you know, we're crashing here."
Lloyd felt his sweatdrop grow as he turned to the Professor. She had the decency to blush before she looked away in embarrassment. "Well, it's not like I'd have any other chance to study a dragon! They're not exactly common creatures in Iselia!" she tried to justify herself.
Sheena sighed and turned back to Lloyd. "Well, everyone's here. We should probably go on inside." Everyone turned to look at the Tower of Salvation, each with their own thoughts. Genis looked upon the Tower with wonder, the stories and myths that he grew up with echoing in his mind. 'I wonder if there will be a guardian for this seal too...If there is, what would it be? An angel? No, that wouldn't make sense. Maybe some giant demon? Nah, that wouldn't work either. For all I know, there could be nothing there at all, since Kratos and Colette have already gone inside. But either way, this really is the end of our journey.'
'Look at how massive this structure is!' Raine noted to herself, trying to estimate just how high reaching the Tower of Salvation was. 'It must go on for miles and miles! How was it built, I wonder? What materials could they have used to not only shape the Tower, but keep it steady and unmoving for so long? No other construct exists similar to this! Oooh, if only I could get my hands on some of it, I could write to the Palmacosta Academy and revolutionize the science world!' Imaginary hearts floated around Raine as she imagined the prestige and honor associated with such a find.
'We've managed to make it this far, with no real problems. But I can't seem to shake this foreboding feeling I'm getting from this place.' Sheena thought to herself. It seemed odd to her that the supposed Tower that was to bring about the world's salvation would make her feel on edge. Then again, knowing what lay inside, Sheena chalked it to her Kunoichi instincts, honed senses that she knew to trust more than any other of her senses. 'The plan we drew together back at Hima is sound, but still…I'll just have to place my trust in Lloyd. He hasn't led me wrong yet, and I don't expect him to.' She turned to her friend-well, definitely more than friend friend-to see how he was handling being here again. 'I wonder what is going through Lloyd's mind right now…'
Lloyd's mind was relatively quiet as he looked upon the Tower of Salvation, though Lloyd found it better to be named the "Tower of Damnation". This one place had caused him more trouble, grief, and danger than anywhere else save Welgaia or Derris-Kharlan. It was tempting to consider stealing Rodyle's Mana Cannon to blast it down, and save him so much trouble. Of course, then he'd have to explain to the world how he justified shooting down an alleged "ladder to heaven". And Colette might have a problem with it too. He cared more for the latter than the former at this point. 'An angry Colette is one force I'd like to never cross…' he thought before clearing his throat. "Let's go on in. Kratos and Colette are probably waiting for us inside." Lloyd said before walking up the ghostly steps leading to the Tower's entrance. Sheena followed right behind him, with Genis and Raine in tow.
As Lloyd walked through the entrance, he could hear the voice of Remiel echoing as he was giving his speech to Colette, similar to each one he'd done at each Seal. 'More like his final speech…'
With Kratos and Colette
"…and so you've made your way here, courageously defeating the trials presented to you and surpassing any challenge that came your way. You've truly outdone yourself, Chosen One." Remiel finished another portion of his long winded speech. He had taken his fair share of time to practice and rehearse for when his big moment arrived. He had been going for ten minutes now, and felt he was going strong. Yes, the wannabe angel was quite the dreamer, wasn't he?
Kratos stood to the side, bored out of his wits. Normally by this time, Remiel had done his part and had the designated Chosen release the seal. This time around, however, he seemed quite focused on emphasizing his part in this. Kratos knew that Remiel desired to become a Seraphim like he and Yuan were, and knew that there was absolutely no way they'd let that happen. He was in no way on level with them in combat, let alone in strategy or cunning. He had reached his peak when he first gained his white angel wings. To go beyond it now would require something along the lines of the Eternal sword's interference.
Remiel paused to look at Kratos, and assumed his blank stare was due to how well he had done his speech. He was about to continue onwards when he noticed newcomers enter the room. He held back a grimace as he recognized it as the group the Chosen had traveled with for her Journey. "It would appear that we have visitors…" he muttered aloud. Colette turned and felt her heart leap at seeing her friends there with her. "Lloyd!" she exclaimed.
"Who are you to interrupt this sacred moment?" Remiel questioned. He had not planned on them being interrupted. Kratos withheld his snort.
Lloyd met Remiel's gaze and replied, "We're here to support our friend. After all, nothing wrong with watching the world be renewed, is there?" 'If I didn't know any better, then I would guess Remiel is bothered by us bring here…oh, wait. I do know better!'
Remiel felt a shudder creep on him when his eyes met Lloyd's. It was as if he could see just what it was Remiel was planning. Remiel shook it off and went back to his task. "Very well, I will allow it. Chosen One, if you would please?" He gestured below him, to the altar where Colette was supposed to be.
Colette nodded and started to walk forward to the altar, but paused and turned back to the group. "I…" she started to say. Lloyd knew what she was thinking and simply smiled.
"Don't worry, Colette. Everything will be alright, you'll see." Lloyd told her confidently.
Colette took these words and seemed to accept them, giving him a nod and turning back to the altar. 'This is it…it's time to regenerate the world!' Colette thought to herself before kneeling and beginning to recite the ancient prayer she'd been taught. It was much longer than the one she would recite normally, as this was her final seal before going up to heaven.
Remiel could barely contain himself as he watched the girl kneel and begin the final release. It was finally time for him to rise as Seraphim, to be one of Lord Yggdrasill's chosen elite! The urge to laugh in triumph came to him, but felt it would rather ruin the moment and his image in front of the peons before him. 'All of my planning, all of my hard work, will finally culminate in this one moment!' he thought to himself. He looked down at Colette again and smirked before something nudged him in the back of his mind. Something very important he had forgotten.
'Wait a minute…she's been able to talk this whole time…when one undergoes the transformation process, speaking is supposed to be impossible. Each seal is designed to remove one aspect of the chosen vessel's consciousness and existence until they reach here, where they sacrifice their final portion. Yet…' Remiel's eyes narrowed as his senses honed in on Colette's form. 'I detect no changes whatsoever! How can this be? Was she immune to the angel toxicosis effect?' Panic slowly entered him as his plan began to fray at the edges with this revelation. 'Something has gone wrong with the plan! I did my part accordingly…but what about the Chosen herself? This would mean…'
Colette was close to completing her final recitation when Remiel's voice boomed aloud, yelling "Cease this farce at once!" She looked up and paled under Remiel's angry gaze. "F-Father?" she stuttered.
"What is the meaning of this nonsense, Chosen? Why have you altered from your path? You dare to mock heaven itself?" Remiel accused her. His wings flared out, acting upon his emotion.
"F-Father, I don't understand…" Colette began to say before she was cut off again by Remiel.
"Do not call me by that word. I refuse to acknowledge someone who dares to go against the word of Cruxis. Why, Chosen, have you deviated from the path? You've desecrated yourself on your journey. Heaven will no longer accept you!" Remiel declared coldly, making Colette flinch at his words. She got up and stepped back, fearful of Remiel's anger.
"I have not done such a thing! What do you mean?" Colette tried to ask. She was frightened now, fearful of what seems to be some action on her part, though what she did not know.
Raine decided to step in, to help her student and charge. "What do you mean, she's desecrated herself? She's done no wrong here! We've followed the ancient scriptures, word for word. Why would heaven choose to not accept her?" she questioned.
'Dammit, dammit, dammit! What is going on? These meddlesome fools just had to be here to see this. My cover will be blown if I don't do something!' Remiel thought to himself desperately. He was about to speak again when Lloyd stepped forward. Remiel saw this and turned to him. "You! It was you who caused this…this…atrocity to happen, didn't you? Speak at once!" He demanded. His eyes were wild and teeth bore in anger.
Lloyd simply shook his head and replied, "I've done nothing to Colette, oh angelic one. Though it looks like your cover's blown, from the sound of it."
Remiel flinched at the accusation. "You dare to accuse me of being false? A messenger of the heavens themselves?" he bellowed. Kratos snorted again, humored at how this fool fancied himself a messenger of heaven.
"Lloyd, what are you talking about? What cover?" Raine asked, confused at her student's words.
"It's simple, Professor." Lloyd replied. He pointed a finger at Remiel, who growled in response. "This man, Remiel, as well as Cruxis and the Journey, is nothing more than a big cover up!" He declared, causing all present to gasp, save Kratos and Sheena.
"You dare to commit heresy, fool? Throwing away your faith for some other dark force?" Remiel questioned. 'What does this boy know? How could he possibly know?' he thought.
"It's not heresy if the religion itself is fake, now is it?" Lloyd countered. He began walking around the group, keeping his eyes on Remiel the whole time. He recalled to himself the rehearsed "evidence" he had thought up beforehand. "When you first showed up, claiming to be Colette's father, I wasn't really convinced of it. Then, we went on the journey to release the seals, seeing you at each one as you guided us onto the next one. I was curious though, as to how each time you never called her your daughter, or even by her name. A true father would never hesitate to call his daughter by their name instead of their title." Lloyd paused to get a breath in.
"Then, when we went to the Tower of Mana, we found an extensive library inside, full of books about the Journey and past Chosen. One book in particular caught my eye, a book written allegedly by another Chosen many years ago. This Chosen wrote a detailed description of her journey, and just so happened to mention you as well, as her father too."
Raine's eyes widened slightly at this information. 'A book on the past Chosen and their Journeys? That's an oddly specific book to discover out of that giant library. Better yet, Lloyd actually sat down to read it?' Raine's mind was boggled at the possibilities. 'I don't know if I should be proud or suspicious.'
"On top of all of that," Lloyd resumed, "is the evidence floating around us. The endless bodies of all the other Chosen who somehow failed. I'm curious as to why we were never told exactly how or why they failed, other than a shabby excuse of the Desians. It doesn't add up." Lloyd finished finally. Many of the Sylvarant group was stunned at these words. Raine added up what Lloyd had said and saw that with that evidence, there were many open loopholes in the Cruxis story. If all of it held true, then that left people like Remiel much to answer for, let alone the entire church as a whole.
Genis was analyzing Lloyd's words and was finding he was struggling to form a counter-argument for it besides his growing up under that belief. Genis always applied logic to when he was solving a problem under any subject, and this was no exception. 'So Cruxis is a lie? But…then…what have I believed in this whole time?' He turned to Lloyd and took note of how serious he was. 'Lloyd doesn't seem to have any doubt of this at all. He must really believe this is all true. But then what does he believe in?'
Colette was feeling as if she'd discovered her midlife-crisis at this very moment. Her belief, her faith, her very reason for existing was brought into question in this moment, and she didn't know what to do. Who does she turn to for answers? Subconsciously, her body walked her back towards the safety of her Professor, feeling in that moment that she wouldn't be safe except in the presence of her closest friends. 'Remiel…lied to me? He's not…my father? Why would he lie to me? I don't…understand…'
Remiel was near the point of frothing at the mouth at this point. This…this…meddling worm was destroying the careful ruse he had been crafting from the very beginning! All of his work, his planning, his hopes, dashed away in a moment. And all because of this one fool. He would make him pay dearly for it. "You…" Remiel growled out, "…you impudent heathen! You dare to challenge the authority of heaven? Then so be it…" his wings flapped and he lifted himself up before lowering down to the ground where they were. "Prepare to face the wrath of Cruxis itself!" he yelled.
Lloyd drew his swords and smirked. "I've been waiting for this battle for a long time…" he muttered before rushing forward to meet Remiel head on, the rest of the group falling in behind him.
With Yuan and Botta-a few minutes earlier
"All reports show as status green, sir. We're tracking the Chosen as well as Lloyd and maintaining contact." One soldier informed Yuan as he waited in his ready room. Botta stood beside him, overseeing the operation while Yuan observed. So far, everything had gone according to plan, with no foreseeable problems as of yet.
"Good. Have we detected any response from Cruxis yet?" The blue-haired leader asked from his command seat.
"Negative, sir. None of our readings detect anything out of the ordinary."
"Excellent. For now, maintain our watch on Lloyd and the others. Keep me informed of their progress." Yuan leaned back in his seat as he watched on his main screen Lloyd arriving and entering the Tower of Salvation. "Botta, I trust our emergency warp option is still operating?" he turned to his second in command.
"Yes, sir. Our engineers have provided us with the guarantee that we will be safely returned to base should the need to use them occur."
Yuan nodded. All according to plan. He had been careful all this time to insure that Yggdrasill never figured out that he was the leader of the Renegades, and for once, it was paying off. Using his influence as one of the Seraphim, he had taken measures to make sure that he had an eye inside Welgaia and the Tower of Salvation as he needed. It never hurt to cover all of one's bases.
"Sir! It would appear that Lloyd and (1) Sir Kratos have engaged in combat, along with the other members of their group." Another soldier reported suddenly. Yuan stood up and walked forward closer to the screen. Botta turned and ordered for it to be shown on-screen.
The view switched to show the inside of the Tower of Salvation, where Lloyd and the others were. Yuan let a smirk grace his features as he watched the false angel Remiel being pushed back by a Demon Fang and Fireball combo from Lloyd and Genis. The fool had the gall to believe he was strong enough to compare to himself and Kratos, when in all actuality, he could barely lay a hand upon them while they could run circles around him. "How long would you give him, Botta? 5 more minutes? 4?" he asked quietly.
"I wouldn't even give him 3, sir."
A small chuckle came from Yuan at Botta's response. Sharp with a sword and sharper wit. That was one of the reasons he'd chosen Botta in the first place. He continued watching as Kratos finished off Remiel before messaging Yuan using a small device planted on his collar. "Yuan, Remiel is down. We're clear to move onwards with the-"he was cut off suddenly by static, causing Yuan's stomach to suddenly sink. "What happened?" he demanded, walking over to one of the nearby consoles.
"Sir, it would appear that an unknown energy source is blocking off our transmission. I do not know how sir, but it appeared out of nowhere. We had no warning or indication of its presence until it just now cut off communications with Sir Kratos."
"Check for any of the immediate possible sources. Are we still clear for teleporting to the Tower?"
"Yes, sir. No interference has been detected concerning the warp core or any of its systems. I recommend though that you go now sir, before this block spreads to it." Yuan nodded and turned and walked out, followed by Botta. The pair made their way to Yuan's warp pad (2) and ordered for his men to be ready to go. Setting in the coordinates, Yuan and Botta vanished in a flash of light, followed shortly by Yuan's elite guard. They stepped up and the pad began to glow, but then suddenly stopped. "What happened? One asked, approaching the main engineer at the controls.
"I don't know!" he exclaimed. "One minute, the program's working fine, the next, it's telling me that the coordinates I've entered no longer are accessible! Whatever was blocking our video feed back in the main room must be connected to this."
"Get to work on fixing it immediately. Do whatever you have to in order to keep that warp channel open. It must be active if Lord Yuan and Botta are to return safely with Lloyd and the Chosen." The guard ordered before turning to his men. "Seeing as how we've been cut off from Yuan, we should do all we can to keep up our end here. Assist in every way you can, men!"
A chorus of "Yes, sir!" was his reply as everyone went back to work, the safety of their leader on their mind.
With Lloyd and the group, same time
(Cue Two Steps From Hell-Hypnotica)
"Treacherous heathens! You will pay for your insolence!" Remiel yelled as he fired off another blast of light energy, aiming to strike down Lloyd and missing as he dodged to his left. He kept firing as Lloyd ran, keeping his attention while the others moved in.
"If I had a gald every time I heard that line…" Lloyd muttered under his breath as he dodged another shot, returning in kind with a Demon Fang, causing Remiel to dash to Lloyd's left. Of course, this put him in the direct path of Sheena and Genis' attacks. He flinched and recoiled as fireballs and a Pyre Seal threw him off balance, having to flap his wings furiously in order to maintain control. He then leapt up as one of Colette's chakrams flew dangerously close to his face, leaving a small graze as he moved.
Colette had her wings out and was giving it her all in this fight. Her eyes burned with tears of sadness and anger in the same instant. Her world had been turned upside down by this one man, and as such, she could not let him get away with it. Her being the Chosen One, her journey, and all the trials they'd been through. All was covered under the shroud of deception woven by the false angel before her. "Angel feathers!" She called out, and flapped her wings once, twice, three times, releasing six magical discs of light that pursued Remiel. He saw them coming and formed a bow of light in his hands, taking aim and shooting down them all.
"Is that the best you can do, you failure? Do you truly believe you can defeat a superior angel like me?" Remiel boasted. He launched another barrage of light at her; making her fly to avoid being impaled by arrows that pierced the ground she'd been standing in moments before. "Grr…you cannot escape!" he yelled, channeling his light magic and casting Photon on Colette. Colette sensed the attack coming before it could happen, however, and quickly used Guardian to defend her. Though she could still feel some of the stinging barbs of light, their harm was significantly reduced. Once the barrier faded, she felt herself being healed by Raine, who followed up with a defensive spell to help protect her charge.
"Psi Tempest!" Lloyd yelled out, launching himself forward and spinning with his blades rapidly. He increased his momentum and picked up speed, becoming a whirling projectile aimed for Remiel. He turned and saw Lloyd coming, ducking to dodge the attack. It was exactly what Lloyd was counting on. "Rising Falcon!" he exclaimed suddenly, coming out of the attack in mid-air and pushing off from his position towards Remiel, blades held straight in front of him. His form gave the attack the appearance of a falcon diving for its kill, approaching with sharp speed, poised to strike.
"I tire of this nonsense…" Remiel uttered before turning and meeting Lloyd's attack head-on with his hands glowing with holy light. He caught the blade and deflected it to the side, though he wasn't able to completely protect himself, his hands issuing blood from Lloyd's blades. Lloyd landed off to the side, kneeling as he looked towards his foe. "It is time to end you five, with one holy blow that only a true angel like me can use!" Remiel declared, calling upon all of his remaining strength to fight back against these invaders. He raised his hand up and towards the never-ending roof of the Tower of Salvation.
"Strange how you count only five of us…you've forgotten the sixth." Lloyd replied, smirking from his kneeling position on the ground.
"Has madness taken you boy?" Remiel laughed aloud. "If it has, you need not fear. The wrath of heaven shall be swift and a quick mercy." The energies he'd been channeling neared completion and Remiel cackled, madness driving him beyond sanity and sense. "Prepare yourselves for Heaven's Judgment!" he cried out, unaware of the figure who rushed at him from behind, having hidden himself for most of the fight.
Remiel felt the hairs on his neck raise and fear struck him like a lightning bolt. All of his instincts told him to immediately stop and move, but he found he could not. The energy was too great for him to handle, and left him without mobility as a long broadsword ran him through his chest, causing him to scream in anguish as his power left him. "There is only one being who can cast true Judgment upon his foes…" he heard Kratos mutter darkly, "…and you are most certainly not that being!" He finished with a twist and wrenched his blade out, before striking him down with a Fierce Demon Fang. Remiel collapsed to the ground, blood seeping out of his chest as he lay defeated.
"Lord Kratos…how…why? You were…" Remiel tried to say before he coughed up blood.
"I was one of Cruxis, Remiel, but no longer. I have broken free of my sin, and choose to carve for myself a new path in this world, a path the likes of which you will never see." Kratos replied before flicking the blood off his blade and sheathing it. Remiel tried to speak again, but life left his eyes and he fell to the ground, unmoving. Kratos clicked a small button on his collar, whispering into it, "Yuan, Remiel is down. We're clear to move on to-"before he was cut off by static. He blinked in surprise before going to Lloyd's side, helping him stand. "Are you hurt?"
"Nah. If anything, just a little winded, but I'll be fine. Did you get the message to Yuan?" Lloyd asked. Kratos hesitated, causing Lloyd's brow to furrow. "Something go wrong?" Kratos was about to reply when Raine and the others regrouped with them.
"Is everyone alright?" Raine questioned, turning to each member of the group and looking for any obvious injuries.
"I think we're all ok. But…what happened back there?" Genis asked, turning to Colette.
Colette shook her head. "I don't know…I recited the prayer just as I was taught back in Iselia. I didn't do anything wrong! Have I…failed as a Chosen?"
Lloyd waved his hand in dismissal. "No way, Colette. You didn't fail. It's like I said before-"
"That will be quite enough of this nonsense." A voice rang out suddenly, causing Lloyd to turn back towards the altar. A small multi-colored light was drifting down towards them, a light that Lloyd was all too familiar with. Lloyd turned to look at Kratos whose expression was stony as he watched. Lloyd turned back and observed as it stopped floating and a flash of light blinded them all as a figure took its place. The light faded to reveal a tall blonde haired man, dressed in white spandex with immensely large wings that shined with every color.
"This farce ends here, once and for all." Yggdrasill stated coldly. 'Now for the hard part…' Lloyd thought to himself.
With Yuan and Botta-outside the Tower
Yuan and Botta materialized outside the Tower, both ready to expect a fight. Botta scanned over the immediate area quickly before declaring it clear of any potential threats. "Base, status report." Yuan ordered to his com device on his wrist. He was greeted with a garbled reply, causing him to immediately wonder if he had been discovered. "Repeat, status report." He tried again.
"Sir…we...Message…block…" the reply he was expecting was laced with static, much to his chagrin. He tweaked the controls on the device a little to try and improve reception, and finally seemed to break through. "Lieutenant, what's going on up there?" Yuan demanded.
"We've been dealing with some sort of jamming signal sir. It took place right after you and Botta warped. We've managed to adjust our signal to break through, but don't know how long it will last. We're still working on fixing the signal for the emergency warp, though we should have it up and running soon, sir."
"Understood. Once you get that system back online, maintaining it is our top priority, clear?"
"Crystal, sir." The lieutenant signed off, and Yuan sighed. "I should've known better than to think this would go by smoothly. Botta," the second in command turned to Yuan, "this may get much rougher than we expected. Make sure to be prepared in case we need to escape immediately. I'll go on inside." Yuan turned and walked through the entryway. Botta watched and said a silent prayer for the safety of his leader.
With Lloyd and the group
All was at a standstill as everyone looked upon the newcomer to the room. Lloyd was tensed but careful to make no sudden moves to draw attention. Kratos kept his eyes averted, not wanting to look upon the man who was once his friend and ally. Colette was shaking, torn between what she had been taught to believe, and what was now slowly becoming reality. She didn't know what to believe in more at this point. "Who…who are you?" she asked, her voice quiet.
Yggdrasill gave a small chuckle before replying. "Dearest Colette, I've gone by many names in my lifetime. But I suppose, since you've caused me so much trouble already, I will tell you my real name. I…am Lord Yggdrasill, Leader of Cruxis, and of the Desians!" he exclaimed, shocking most of the group at this revelation. He soaked up their surprise before turning to Kratos and asking, "Tell me, Kratos, what happened here that would cause not only the death of Remiel, but also the failing of the seal's release?"
Raine, Genis, and Colette turned to look at Kratos. "How do you know him, Kratos?" Raine asked, fearing the answer he might give.
Kratos ignored her for the time being and looked to Yggdrasill. "We were following the plan, as we originally designed. I escorted the Chosen One here and Remiel met her, when the rest of her group arrived. They did not interfere, however. They stood by and watched as Colette went about releasing the Seal. However, when she was about to complete the process, Remiel suddenly stopped her. He seemed to be possessed by madness, saying that she had defiled herself and that she could not release the Seal. He then moved to strike her down, when I and her group defended her. We subdued him, resulting in his death.
Yggdrasill's eyes narrowed as he looked upon Colette, the one he had chosen to be Martel's next vessel. He could not detect any foreign or outside source affecting her, but still…he could not risk losing the best potential body for his sister's rebirth. "Hmm…I see. Then we shall just have to take her with us instead, now won't we?" He waved a hand in a beckoning motion at Colette. "Come, girl. We're not through with you yet."
Lloyd dashed in front of her and held his blades out. "Over my dead body, you will." He growled out.
Yggdrasill considered simply blasting this fool out of the way, but seeing his face, he recognized him right away. "Kratos…I take it this is the boy you told me about before?"
Kratos simply nodded in response. "I see…then I suppose I shall spare him. The rest, however, will simply have to go…" he trailed off, looking behind them. "Aah, I see another of my fellow Seraphim have arrived." Yggdrasill grinned. Lloyd and the group turned to see Yuan approaching them from the entrance, looking all the part of a commander as he had hoped to. "What brings you here, Yuan? I did not recall calling upon you."
Yuan shared a look with Kratos before looking to Yggdrasill. "I hadn't planned on coming, but my men informed me of trouble here at the Seal. I decided to lend my hand in aid if the need arose, though it seems you have the situation under control." He replied.
"Indeed I do. I am impressed, however, by your dedication. It's why I chose you, Yuan. Now then, on to the matter at hand…" Yggdrasill turned to look upon Colette, who immediately shrunk back and hid amongst the group. "Now, now, no need to be afraid, Chosen One. I will not harm you in the slightest. It would be quite a problem if you were to be hurt. But I can see that you have no desire to come with me, so I will have to take you by force." He snapped his fingers, an automatic call for his sentries laying in wait up above. "Guards, take her away to the cells!"
Lloyd and the others tensed as they waited for their next fight to come. The seconds passed and Lloyd moved his eyes from spot to spot, looking for his next opponent. When none came, Lloyd relaxed a little, and laughed. "It looks like your guards don't feel like listening today."
Yggdrasill frowned and looked to Kratos, who only had a raised eyebrow as he had no idea what was going on either. "What is the meaning of this? Guards, I order you to come here at once!" he barked out, but received no reply. "How dare they disobey me? Who is responsible for this?" He looked up and let out a gasp. "What?" his question caused the others to glance up and they too were shocked. Where the ever-reaching ceiling of the Tower of Salvation was supposed to be was now a dark cloud that was spreading out over their heads. No light could penetrate it, and as it grew, it seemed as if the whole room was growing dimmer.
(Cue Two steps from Hell- He who brings the Night)
"I am afraid that I am responsible for that, oh mighty Yggdrasill. Forgive me, but I'm afraid that at this point, I must step in." a voice issued itself from out of nowhere. Everyone looked around for the source, but could find none. Behind them, the doorway leading outside was suddenly blocked off by the same dark barrier, cutting them off completely. "We're trapped in!" Yuan exclaimed.
"Yes…trapped just like the insignificant rats you are…Ironic, is it not? How the powerful can become so powerless in the dark…" the voice continued, haunting them maliciously.
"Show yourself! I demand to know who is interfering with me!" Yggdrasill bellowed as he looked for whomever it was who was causing this.
"Show myself? You would ask the shadows to reveal themselves, when it is their purpose, their existence, to hide one's self? But if you really wish to know, then by all means, turn around. I'm standing right here!" A shadow loomed over Yggdrasill, who turned to look above him on the platform above everyone present. Lloyd's eyes widened as he recognized the figure. "You again!" he exclaimed.
On the platform stood the very man responsible for the death of Dorr, as well as the same man who confronted them on the Ossa trail. His cloak was gone now, revealing for the entire world to see his face. His clothing was almost a duplicate of Lloyd's, though the colors seemed to have been altered to match his likeness. Where Lloyd's were red and white, the shadow man's clothes was black with red linings. He even had black coattails on his collar, dangling behind him. Even his facial features were a copy of Lloyd's, though one could see the madness in his eyes. "Yes, it is me again, in the flesh and for real this time. Tell me, did you miss me, Lloyd?" he asked with a deranged smile on his face.
"Is this some kind of joke? Who are you to intrude here?" Yggdrasill demanded. This being had entered his Tower without so much as a hint of him knowing, and that disturbed him greatly.
"Who am I? Who am I? Yggy, I'm hurt. Surely you remember me?" the dark Lloyd asked the angel. He adopted a mock hurt expression on his face and wiped away a fake tear. "How insensitive of you to forget me. After all we've been through?"
"I don't know who or what you are, but I do know that you won't be around for much longer to bother me. This is my last warning before I obliterate you." Yggdrasill stated, reaching out to the Eternal Sword and beckoning it to appear before him. In an instant, the sword materialized, resting in the ground of the altar.
Dark Lloyd eyed the sword carefully before laughing. "Ooh, someone's bringing out the big guns, aren't we? I suppose I can take you seriously for a moment, if only for a moment." His humor left him and he became serious. "You see, I'm afraid I need that boy there," he pointed at Lloyd, "And I can't have you whisking him away to do what you will with him. That just won't do. So I'm afraid it's you who has to leave right now." He held up a hand and darkness swirled around it until it formed an orb, which he flicked towards Yggdrasill. Before he could react, it impacted and he vanished, not leaving a trace of his presence save the Eternal Sword. Lloyd and the others were shocked at how he had removed him with so much but a flick of his hand. "Now it's just you…and me…" Dark Lloyd stated with an evil grin on his face again.
1. I chose to have Kratos referenced like this by the Renegade soldiers since he's been recognized as Yuan's equal in rank by Yuan himself, since they're working together now.
2. Warp pad…I swore I saw one at one point in the game, and I needed it for their plan to work. Besides, as we've obviously seen in the original game, teleportation is accessible in that world.
And cut! That's the first half of the Tower of Salvation piece, with the second half being filled with much more fighting as well as the transfer to Tethe'alla. I hope it doesn't take me as long to do it as this one did. It was hard this time around due to I wasn't sure how I wanted it to be spread out. I thought to make it a super long epic chapter, but then realized that it really wouldn't be that good as a long one. So I decided to cut it down and make it two chapters. As I said before, feel free to create your own character for me to try and put in the story in the future, and that anyone who has already emailed me one, please email me again so I may save it and keep a record of it.
Read and Review!