Alaia Skyhawk: DUNDUNDUNDUNDUN! (on a side note, if you have the song 'Is is sad' in whatever music player you have on your computer, play it while you read. I played it while I wrote and it makes this even more tear jerking in the middle.)

I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr.Who2123, and Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, so please don't steal them...

Enjoy

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Chapter 51: Tower of... Salvation?

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The wind rushed past them, fresh and full of life... and mana. Sylvarant's mana levels were so much higher now that they were near unrecognisable from the desiccated wisps that had drifted on the winds just two years ago. Already this world was beginning to prosper, crop yields increasing, droughts suddenly becoming rare, the people breathing a sigh of relief as life returned to their dying home... And now it was time for the price to be paid...

Gazing down at the land below, at the trees that were now lush and green with summer growth, Collette then lifted her eyes to look at the white tower ahead of her. At her side flew the man who had come to her that morning, two days after the group had set off from Hima, removed her receiver crystal, and then led her away while the rest of the group slept. Only Vayla had seen them leave, watching them go in silence with eyes full of regret. Regarding that white pillar now, the young Chosen was suddenly full of fear, and wished that she could talk of it to he who flew with her, but without that amber crystal she could 'speak' no longer.

This is it... It's over... My journey is at its end, and all that is left for me is to...

She bit her lip, her heart beginning to pound as she got closer and closer to her destination.

Mom... Dad... Grandma... I wish it never had to be like this. I'm about to give Sylvarant salvation, but you'll all have to live in the regenerated world knowing it cost me my life...

She let out a shuddering breath, a hand suddenly touching her shoulder, making her turn her head and look at its owner.

Kratos' expression was solemn.

"I am sorry, Collette, that there was no other way the Alurannai could help the world survive... Know this, that had there been another way then Vayla and I would never have led you here, and that if it had been possible then we would have taken you and your family far out of Cruxis' reach. As it is, we can only hope that circumstances will allow it to be that you will be the final Chosen to take this path, and that the Prophesy of Restoration will come to pass."

It was then that he began to descend, drawing her attention to the vast clearing in the trees that had opened up below them, a clearing that held an immense ravine, out of whose deep shadows the white tower rose towards the heavens. He landed beside a pair of white pillars that stood right on the brink of that abyss, and knowing what she had to do, Collette landed between them. No sooner than she had done so that a stairway of light reached out from that edge and up to a doorway visible upon the tower, just above where the three supports and the narrow base merged to form the thicker column that soared up into the skies.

Taking a deep breath she began to climb that stairway, each step taking her closer to the end she'd been taught that she was born to face. The climb might have taken but an instant for how quickly it had seemed to pass, only a glance back at the pillars now far away and far below telling her that it must have taken nearly ten minutes to reach the door. As she faced the path again she saw that again Kratos had gone ahead while she hesitated, the man now standing beside the final Oracle Stone she would touch. Touch it she did upon reaching his side, and together they watched the door fade into a wall of light.

Biting her lip again, Collette strode through it, not seeing those who had come into view at the bottom of the steps far below, coming to a horrified stop when confronted by what was within.

"...!!"

A gasp of shock was all that her locked voice could muster, but it was enough that again a hand was set on her shoulder as she stared at the rising spirals of countless open topped coffins within the vast empty shaft, all of them that were visible full, their occupants as cold as the pale blue glow that suffused the interior of the tower.

"These are the bodies of the few Chosens who have reached this tower but failed to merge with Martel, and also the bodies of all the young women bred on Derris Kharlan for the same purpose and whom met the same fate and failure." Kratos looked down at her, his expression now emotionless in its bleakness. "Your family are not the only ones who face death for this cause, and it is only here in this tower that the Chosens learn that; the people who have escorted them here forbidden from entering for that very reason... Cruxis wants Martel revived, no matter what the cost in peoples' lives. The Chosens of Mana are too few and far between for them to simply sit and wait for the next and not keep trying in the meantime." He took hold of her hand and pulled her towards a teleportation panel sat at the end of the glass walkway they stood upon, pointing up to draw her attention to another platform suspended above them, built of stone and wrapped with what looked like moss covered vines. "You must proceed without hesitation to that which is your destination. To falter now will only cause you more pain and fear."

Heart pounding ever faster and harder she stepped onto the panel, she and Kratos appearing a moment later on that upper platform. There before her lay the final seal, or rather she realised that the entire platform was the final seal, the familiar circular recess from all the previous seals set into the centre of the circular structure, surrounded on three quarters of its circumference by the steps to either side and the raised half of the platform beyond, above which her Guardian hovered, waiting...

He looked down at her, face showing little emotion at her arrival.

"Welcome, Chosen One Collette. You have come far, and through much, to reach this place..."

It was with hesitant steps that she headed for those stairs, Kratos remaining where he was in silence. As soon as she reached their top and walked to stand below Remiel, she then knelt down and closed her eyes above clasped hands.

My heart's racing... I'm so afraid... I don't want to die... But I must...

--

Five sets of feet pounded up the stairway of light, Collette having vanished from view just a few moments earlier, the huge tower rising above them as the two half-elves and alurannai youths followed behind the alurannai woman who had led them on this journey right from the start. Vayla had woken them all just after Kratos and Collette had left, giving the pair just enough of a head start for Collette to be actually on the final Seal when the rest of the group caught up. She'd already discretely sent the Spirits away, the duo leaving to meet Noishe and Mezo at the North Triet Sentinel, which was where hopefully the entire group would meet up with them after the coming confrontation.

Still running the five of them passed through the wall of light that was the open tower door, the silver haired siblings skidding to a halt on the glass beyond as they saw the coffins, only to scramble after the three alurannai who hadn't slowed in the slightest. The trio vanished as they stepped on a teleportation panel, coming into sight again as the two half-elves came through behind them. There stood Kratos waiting for them, and on the raised area on the platform's far side knelt Collette, her hair stirred by the the gentle wind generated by her Guardian's beating wings.

A look of triumph appearing on his face, the angel gazed down at her.

"It is time to release the final Seal... Come forth, Chosen, and complete the final sacrifice of your human existence! Your heart and your memory! By choosing to sacrifice your human life you will become a true angel, and this eroded world shall be regenerated... For only life, can pay for life!"

"What?!"

Genis took a step forward, face a mask of horror as his sister grabbed him. She gripped him tightly as he struggled to break free.

"Collette knew it would end like this! She chose to come here knowing how it would end! Are you going to try and stop her from doing something she's spent over two years heading towards?"

Her brother looked up at her, eyes filled with an expression of betrayal.

"Y...You knew? But..."

Raine shook her head, not letting go of him.

"Yes, I knew. Phidra told me not long after I agreed to be part of Collette's escort on this journey. Everyone in the group knew, but we didn't tell you because we knew how you'd react, and how that reaction would make it so much harder for Collette... Genis, Collette could have backed out of this, and several times her faith was so tested that she nearly did, but instead she's come all the way here to do this, for the sake of all the people whose hopes and dreams she carries on her shoulders."

They all heard a rustle of cloth, looking up to see Collette rise to her feet. She turned and looked at them; eyes full of fear and yet also full of determination. She gave them one single sad smile, before turning and taking a single step towards the waiting angel.

"Collette!"

Genis began to struggle again, but this time was also grabbed by his best friend, against whom he had no chance of breaking free. Up on the altar light had begun to rise around Collette, tendrils of it swirling around her before passing within. As the last of them vanished she turned to face them one last time, newly unleashed tears flowed down her cheeks as by sheer will she managed to croak out one final word.

"...G-oodbye..."

Against her will her wings spread themselves out behind her, and as they lifted her to hover beside Remiel the last of the light faded from her eyes as blue turned to deep rose, her face now devoid of all emotion, of all trace of the person that was Collette Brunel.

Remiel began to laugh.

"We've done it! We've finally done it! And with this vessel, when I present it to Lord Yggdrasil, I will become his new Third Seraphim!"

Genis had ceased his struggling and was now staring at the angel in shock... Shock that was gradually turning to anger as the quick mind of the young half-elf suddenly put a number of pieces together.

"'Lord Yggdrasil'? That's the name of the leader of the Desians!" He turned his head to look up at his sister. "You knew! That's why you quit following the Church of Martel! You found out!" He stared at her and the four solemn alurannai in disbelief. "Why didn't you say anything?! Why didn't you, any of you, tell Collette the truth?! Why?!"

Vayla averted her eyes, unable to look at him for the guilt she felt in this moment.

"...Because there was no other way that Sylvarant could survive... and knowing the truth would have turned Collette's journey into a nightmare for her. It was kinder for her not to know..."

"Of course, now that I know you two half-elves know the truth, I cannot allow you to leave. You have two choices... Join Cruxis or die!"

Raine and Lloyd let go of Genis, the boy glaring at the gloating angel. He clenched a fist, his other hand slipping around his back to grip his kendama.

"You've gotta be joking! If you think any of us would join you then you're as insane as you look!" Mana began to crackle around him in his fury. "I'm not going to let you take her! She's my friend, and there's no way I'm going to let her be killed for a lie!! ...EXPLOSION!"

Remiel grabbed the hovering girl and flung her to float off to one side of the platform as he dodged the inferno of the spell and sneered down at them.

"So that is your choice?"

Lloyd drew his swords, the others in the group readying their weapons as well.

"Sounds like a good enough reason for me... What do you think, Ata, Vayla?"

The two alurannai adults nodded, one solemn and the other smiling wickedly.

"I agree."

"Same here. After all, it wouldn't be the first time the Alurannai have had to come up with a way to save the world on short notice."

Lloyd smirked up at the angel.

"I guess that's means you're about to get your rear kicked."

Remiel said nothing, instead blazing with a white glow as with a sweep of a hand he threw a blast of raw mana at the group. As Raine and Genis ducked, Kratos, Vayla, Sheena and Lloyd simply absorbed the strike and then threw it back at the angel as dark mana. Remiel was flung backwards with a cry before he moved to strike them once more. Mana gathering like a halo before he unleashed its fury, fury like the expression on his now partially dark mana marked face.

"You are fools!! JUDGEMENT!"

The spell covered the whole of the lower area of the platform, leaving them nowhere to go. Kratos and Vayla flung their children at the two cowering half-elves and stood over them.

"GUARDIAN!"

The platform shook under the force of the impact on the hastily raised shield. As the two alurannai adults fought to hold off the onslaught, Lloyd looked up from between them at the blank eyed Collette.

I'm not going to lose you Collette. You're in this situation because we needed the Summon Spirits to be awake. He fixed his gaze on Remiel. Time to teach that bastard a lesson.

Lloyd light jumped behind the angel and flung a wave of energy at him, throwing him to the floor.

"BEAST!"

Red wings flaring behind him, Lloyd landed and struck out with his swords sending two shockwaves along the ground to hit the downed Remiel.

The man cursed as they struck him.

"You little pest!"

He conjured a bow and fired a string of arrows at the young swordsman who barely managed to dodge them, falling over in the process.

"LLOYD!"

With a sudden flap of his wings Kratos slammed himself into Remiel, disrupting the spell the angel was about to cast on his son. However, Remiel produced a dagger from a fold in his robes and thrust it into the Inartu's stomach, causing him to drop to the floor with a gasp of agony. Kratos clasped the blade, the wound wouldn't kill him but it was serious enough to leave him unable to attack.

Laughing at the man who had once been one of his masters, the angel kicked him where he lay bringing a stifled scream to the man's lips.

"The only reason I didn't strike to kill is because you are the Origin Seal. You're son won't be so lucky."

He suddenly ducked as the blade of Vayla's glaive cleaved through the air where his head had been moments before. With further swings she drove him away from Kratos as Raine rushed over to heal him; Sheena rushing to Lloyd and helping him up before the two of them moved back to guard the kendama wielding Genis.

"THUNDER BLADE!"

The half-elf's spell crashed down on Remiel's head, slowing him just long enough for Vayla to hit him square across the chest with her weapon. With a choked gasp the angel fell to the floor, wounded beyond all hope of saving by the sheer force behind the enchanted blade's strike.

"Lord... Yggdrasil... I failed..."

Vayla turned away from him and dashed to Kratos' side. Raine had already removed the dagger and closed the wound, but the swordsman was still unable to get up. With a groan he tried to get his feet under himself, but failed.

"I think the blade was drugged, my body feels numb."

"On your knees is exactly where you belong you traitor." They looked around, searching for the source of the voice, and found it. Light flared and Yggdrasil appeared, glaring down at them with cold emerald eyes. He summoned the Eternal Sword and held it aloft, amethyst crystal silhouetted against long golden hair. "Your precious Krishka can't help you this time, Kratos. No summon spirit would attack me so close to the Great Seed, not even him. Not without there being anything to shield it from the backlash."

He pointed the blade at them, its power flinging Vayla and Raine to the edge of the platform and pinning them to the wall that edged it. Kratos struggled to get up, but failed once again. All he could do was watch in horror as Yggdrasil turned his attention to the three youths who stood immobilised by shock on the lower level.

He reached out as if to stop it.

"NO!"

Yggdrasil sneered.

"Say goodbye to your children. Think of it as the price for defying me." His eyes filled with hate. "Eternal Sword! Destroy them!"

Vayla strained against the power holding her in a desperate attempt to reach her daughter.

"Alysii!"

Power coalesced around the sword before shooting towards the two alurannai and the half-elf behind them. They brought their arms up defensively when suddenly a shriek filled the air. An azure shield covered the three, the attack splintering against it. At this point the sound was joined by another scream as Lloyd dropped to the floor clutching his head, trembling as the shield grew brighter still. Sheena reached out to him, but the moment she touched him she pulled back in shock at the tremble of sheer power she'd felt through her fingers. It was then that Lloyd shuddered and his screams stopped, shakily climbing to his feet before he held a hand out before him. In an instant the barrier was shoved at Yggdrasil, knocking the enchanted blade out of his hands as an ethereal song echoed around them, and all the while Lloyd just stood there in a trance, hand still held out.

After shaking him and not getting a response, Sheena put herself between him and the stunned angel as her mother and Raine moved in and dragged Kratos towards her.

Yggdrasil snarled and reached out to call the Eternal Sword to his hand once more, but stopped as a strange voice, that was not a voice, rang out.

Krishka! Child of my Children! Take them from this place!

In a flash of light, the great dragon appeared and threw a wall of power around the group, including Collette, before vanishing with them, the one thing he could do so close to the Seed. Yggdrasil roared with rage, he knew he could not follow them. His sole advantage over them was useless against the dragon, and had also somehow been repelled by the boy. His anger rocked the room, burning the remains of Remiel to ashes as he screamed in fury.

"I will not let you stop me! I will bring Martel back no matter what it takes!"

--

Sand was blasted outwards by the sudden unnatural wind, the man and two Protozoans stood in the doorway of the nearby building spluttering as it hit them. Using the corner of his cloak to rub the dust out of his eyes, the man brushed turquoise hair out of his face before going wide eyed in shock at the sight before him. There stood the Summon Spirit of Life, and on the ground below him lay the unconscious bodies of several people.

"Kratos! Vayla! Lloyd!"

Yuan charged over to them, dropping to his knees beside the nearest as Krishka looked down at him.

"They're fine, but lacking any notice before the Seed commanded me to get them out of there, the transfer was far from gentle. They'll wake up before long, though the obvious precautions will need to be taken with the Chosen."

The half-elf and the spirit both glanced at the white clad girl sprawled on the sand, the former unclipping a transmitter from his belt.

"This is First... Get a med team outside on the double and prepare the secure ward in the med wing. We've got several people to move and we need to do it fast." Clipping the device back into its accustomed place, he picked up the individual he'd stopped beside, turning and carrying them into the base as several Renegades came rushing out. Glancing down at the boy in his arms, he continued on oblivious to the rush of people he passed. "I've waited a long time to see you again... Lloyd."

--

Alaia Skyhawk: TA DAH! Now you know which of them I picked to be the Chosen of Restoration. (I know I did't actually state it in the chapter, but it's so blindingly obvious lol) I did have reasons for either of them being it, but Lloyd's were less convoluted than Sheena's and made a lot more sense. So there you have it. On to the next one!