Disclaimer : I claim no rights to the game Tales of Symphonia.

Beta'd by : Jan Lee.

"We weren't exactly prepared to find what we did in the underground altar. But, I can honestly say that it was...amusing to say the least." - Lloyd Irving-Aurion.

Chapter Twenty-Five : A Foe or A Hindrance?

Lloyd soon figured out that the deeper they traveled, the more complicated the stairways became. Much to his frustration, he found himself stepping on one panel to activate one more than fifty feet away, only to do the same thing once he reached his new destination. It was tedious, maddening and downright insane. He was happy to see that he wasn't the only one becoming more irritable. Colette had become silent after the twenty-sixth glyph was activated, he could tell that she was angry by the darkening of her usually cheerful blue eyes. Genis, on the other hand, showed his anger rather than stifling it like Colette. More than once did the half-elf strike one of the walls with magic when one of the switches didn't respond. As for Emil, well, the noble decided to take out his frustration on the monsters that lingered in the darkness. He was quick to strike down the bats or rabid-looking wolves that managed to sneak up on them.

If Lloyd didn't know better then he would have sworn he saw a hint of red flash in Emil's bright green eyes as he finished off those monsters, but he quickly decided it was just his imagination.

"Hurry along, everyone!" Raine called out, waving her glowing staff in the air to indicate her location. "We're almost there."

"Why," Emil demanded, walking along the path, his boots clicking against the aging stone, "why in Martel's name is she so, so, cheerful?" He waved an arm along cracking stone walls which were decorated with different types of seals. "What is so exciting about this? I want an answer, dammit!"

"She's in ruin-mode," Genis stated bluntly, quietly cursing as his foot slipped off the narrow path- - he couldn't see anything in this darkness! "Once she's in any type of ruins she'll go absolutely nuts over it. I really don't know why this happens, it's just does."

"And you never thought to tell me about this, Lloyd?" Emil called back, his tone demanding and annoyed. "It might have helped, you know."

Lloyd honestly thought that telling Emil about Raine's "ruin-mode" wasn't going to help anything, but for once, he was going to keep his mouth shut. He didn't need Emil swinging his sword on him and knocking him off and into the pits below. Martel knew what was down there.

"Um, sorry?" Lloyd climbed the stairs after Emil, who huffed at his half-sincere apology. "I really am, Emil."

Emil whirled around to face him, his annoyed features lit up from the glowing glyph behind them. "I know, and I'm sorry for blowing up at you. It's just…I want to get out of here."

"Don't we all," Genis muttered sourly. "I'm sure Miss Happy-Go-Lucky knows how much farther we have to go." Genis scowled at the sight of his sister happily waving her glowing staff in the air.

"Shhhhh! Genis! She can probably hear you," Lloyd hissed. "You know she has really sharp hearing."

"Enough." Emil grunted unhappily. "Just get in the damn glyph and let's get this over with."

Not wanting to argue, nor anger Emil any further, Lloyd stepped onto the glowing glyph and was instantly transported to Raine's side. Raine smiled at him brightly in greeting. He wasted no time in continuing down the path and down a set stairs leading to a small altar.

"Is that it?" Genis asked from behind him. "Is that what we're looking for?"

"It better be," Colette muttered, a pout forming on her lips. "Lead the way, Lloyd."

Carefully stepping down the stairs, Lloyd walked down the narrow path leading to the circular altar. Taking two steps at a time, he approached the altar and frowned at the sight of the dark, purple orb.

"What is this?" he murmured, cautiously picking up the orb and holding it in his hands. It didn't look too dangerous, but then again, looks could be deceiving. Turning, he faced Raine who was twitching in obvious excitement. Not without a hint of regret, Lloyd handed over the orb.

"Tenebrae." Emil answered the question that hung in the air. "The Centurion of Darkness. I don't know why he's here, though."

"Neither do we, Emil," Raine murmured, "but we are going to find out. Come on, let's get back to the church and no complaining!"

Despite Raine's warning, groans of despair floated into the air.

Triet Ruins was a deceitful place, except for the weather. That was far from deceiving. It was hot, dry and he was about to faint had it not been for Aqua constantly hydrating him. He secretly thanked her for being the Centurion of Water.

"Let's hurry and find the entrance," Aqua muttered. "I'm frying here!"

"Hush." Richter leaned down and pressed the switch to the ruins, successfully opening a clear path in the ground. He rose to his feet and grinned at Aqua's triumphant cry.

"Be careful on the way down," Richter warned, jumping into the hole and landing gracefully on the ground below. Dusting himself off, he released a low hum as he took a good look at the inside. It was magnificent, if he was to use a word to describe it. Marble columns formed a circle, holding up the dark, vaulted ceiling. Images of fire beasts were carved into the wall, glowing in the darkness thanks to the torches on the walls and the rubies lodged into the carvings.

"This is totally unfair!" Aqua screeched, floating around the small altar where Ignis lay. "My chambers weren't this elaborate! Where does he get off?"

"Aqua," Richter deadpanned. "This is tame compared to what your altar looked like. It was mostly made out of marble and sapphire and it wasn't as damaged as this one is. Stop complaining."

Aqua merely huffed and floated closer and touching the orb, squeaked when the movement caused steam to erupt from her fingers. Foolish. She should have known better to touch it. Fire and Water do not mix after all.

"You deserve it for your tantrum earlier," Richter murmured, taking the orb carefully into his hands and placing it into his pack. "Come. We are done here."

"Good." Aqua huffed, waving her arm and transporting them back to the surface. "Where are we going next?"

"Asgard," Richter replied, sliding his back off and sitting on a piece of stone. Being inside the ruins didn't cool him off in the least. It would be best if he rested for a bit before moving on.

"Asgard," Aqua repeated. "Ventus resides there, but he won't be as easy to get as Ignis, Tornitius and Lumen were."

"I take it he is not as even tempered as the other Centurions?" Richter inquired, slowly rising from his seat and dusting off his clothing.

"No, I'm afraid not, but it is something that you shouldn't have a problem handling," Aqua stated. "I have all the confidence in the world in you, Richter."

"Thank you," Richter said tonelessly, ignoring how much love and devotion that was in the Centurion's words. He was no fool to miss Aqua's feelings towards him, but no matter what the circumstances he was in; his love, his heart, would remain with Emil and Aster.

"Come," Richter urged again, hoisting his pack to his shoulders. "We have a long way to go and no, it wouldn't be best if you transported me. It'll draw too much attention and we already have enough of that."

Aqua allowed her arm to fall back to her side. "You're going to walk?"

"You're going to float?" Richter bit back, a reluctant smirk ghosting his lips. "The walk would do me good and I could use the training and time to learn more spells. I'm going to need it."

"You're strong enough." Aqua floated alongside him as he departed from the ruins and back into the seemingly endless desert. "Who do you think is going to beat you?"

"Duke Kratos Aurion and his husband to be, Lloyd Irving," Richter replied, scowling at the thought of them. Lloyd he could handle, but Kratos…the duke was in a different league all together. He wasn't frightened of the man himself, but of the skill he possessed. Four-thousand years of swordsmanship was enough to make even the bravest man wary.

"Are they strong?"

"Very." Richter wiped the sweat on his brow and plowed on through the sand. "Should we run into them do not hesitate to attack them, understand?"

Aqua smiled, her blue eyes shining under the bright sun. "Understood."

Asgard, City of Ruins, was truly a sight of the past and present. A small, warm village sat in front of set of towering ruins; a remnant of the Balacruf civilization, a time long before he was born.

Sliding off his horse, Kratos grasped the reins and walked further down the path and past the village gates. As he expected, he was met with stares of envy and wariness. He would have commented on the stares, but he was too busy fighting off the strong gust of wind that seemed to come with every step he took. Frustrated with the matter, he pulled his horse and Noise to the nearby inn and secured them in the stables before going in.

"Wind give you some trouble, milord?" a jovial voice asked from the counter. "I won't hold it against ye if you're a tad bit incensed at me for it."

"I would not lash out in anger at you for a matter that is no fault of your own," Kratos murmured, dusting off his tight black shirt and pants. He would not bother with his hair at the moment. It was in too much disarray to fix. "But," he stepped closer to the counter, staring into the man's gray eyes, "you can tell me about these unnatural gusts of wind."

The innkeeper shrugged. "I'm sure an intelligent man like yourself would know of the legends of the Balacruf dynasty, but I doubt that's the problem."

"You mean the creature that lies in the ruins?" Kratos inquired. "It is of wind nature. You have sent no one to rid yourself of the problem?"

"We can't," the innkeeper muttered bitterly. "The guard that was stationed here was suddenly called back to Meltokio for an urgent matter." The man huffed with distaste. "Urgent matter my arse."

Kratos frowned, feeling a pang of guilt for being part of the problem. If it wasn't for him, then Asgard's matter would be settled. A quiet sigh escaped his lips. He would have to solve this himself it seemed. No one in this village could possibly be powerful enough.

"I will deal with your monster problem," Kratos stated, almost wanting to smirk at the shocked look he received. Nobles were known not to solve problems of the commoners unless it affected themselves.

"M-Milord? Are you sure? I hear the beast is quite fearsome."

"It will not be too much trouble." Kratos reassured the innkeeper, placing his hand against his blade. "I promise you."

As it turns out, it was just as tiresome to leave the ruins as it was to enter them. The irritation that Lloyd felt returned as they ventured out with the Tenebrae core in their hands. It was contagious, for Emil along with Genis grumbled the entire way, despite Raine's warnings not to. Of course, if their situation was merely for curiosity's sake then he would be angered at the fact that all they got for their trouble was an orb. An orb. As his booted foot reached the last stair, Father Maxwell's booming voice caught them off caught.

"Guards! Kill them!"

"You have got to be joking," Lloyd snarled, his hands reaching for his twin blades. "After all we went through we have to face some flimsy guards?"

"Think of it this way, Lloyd," Genis retorted, his fingertips alive, burning with mana, ready to cast a spell at a moment's notice, "at least we can get some of this frustration out."

"Raine?" Lloyd asked, unsheathing his blades, the metal singing as he did so. "Make sure that the orb doesn't get damaged."

"I'm afraid that it is too late for that," Raine said, her voice tinged with fear. "It's cracking."

"What do you mean it's cracking?" Emil demanded, keeping his eyes at the door. "Did you drop it?"

"No, I-"

"Nevermind!" Lloyd blurted out. "We'll figure it out later."

Without waiting for his friends, Lloyd rushed out of the stairway and into the fray of guards, plunging his sword through the thin armor of the first one. Twisting the blade, he pulled it out and turned to the next soldier who was stumbling back in obvious fear. As he lifted his blade, his ears caught Colette's surprised scream.

"What have you done?" Maxwell cried out, running towards the secret entrance. "He's not supposed to be awakened!"

Throwing a punch at the frightened guard, Lloyd raced back to the entrance, quickly putting his arm over his eyes as he was caught off guard by the sudden burst of light. As it faded away, he lowered his arm and tentatively stepped towards the entrance, keeping a tight grip on his blade. He peeked inside and stumbled back when a dog-like creature floated through the door.

"Run! Run away!" one of the guards roared, stumbling and running towards the church exit, ignoring Maxwell's scream of outrage at his departure.

"Goddess..." Maxwell whimpered before he too ran for the entrance, leaving Lloyd and his companions alone.

"Well," the centurion huffed, "I am not that ugly. I am not ugly at all. The nerve of those people." Turning, the centurion locked his cold gaze with Lloyd's. "Aren't you going to run as well?"

"No." Heart beating against his ribcage, Lloyd folded his arms. "We have a lot of questions to ask, Tenebrae."

A/N : And the chapter ends with the gang meeting Tenebrae and Richter and Kratos in Asgard. Confrontation? We'll see.

Thanks for reading!