Alaia Skyhawk: lol, I've had the first part of this chapter written for over a year.
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
-
Chapter 52: Revelations
-
With a gasp she sat upright, silver hair falling into eyes only to be pushed away by unsteady hands as she looked around herself in confusion.
We were in the Tower, and Vayla killed Remiel when he attacked us after...
Raine lurched out of the bed, bursting out through a gap in the cloth screen surrounding it.
"Collette!"
She stopped. She was in what looked like a hospital ward, though it had no windows, and sat in a cluster of chairs at the far end was everyone who had been inside the Tower, bar Kratos, Lloyd, and Vayla... And Collette, who didn't sit at all.
Staring at her, not wanting to believe it, the half-elven woman couldn't deny that the girl's eyes were completely blank of emotion. They were empty. No sign of the bright and cheerful girl she knew showing in that motionless visage...
Sheena patted the chair beside her.
"Don't bother trying to speak to her, she won't respond. And I should warn you, don't make sudden moves while near her. If she perceives you as a threat, she'll attack you."
Raine sat down, glancing at her extremely bewildered looking brother before looking around at their surroundings some more.
"Where are we?"
The door at the far end of the ward opened, a figure dressed in a blue tunic walking in. Face covered by a surgeon's mask and hair wrapped up for hygiene, if it weren't for certain obvious characteristics then at first glance they wouldn't have been able to tell if they were a boy or a girl.
She set down the tray she had been carrying, and turned to face them, blue eyes visible above the mask.
"You are in one of the bases belonging to the organisation called the Renegades. We oppose Cruxis and their Desian pawns, making things as difficult for them as possible while saving as many innocents from being sacrificed as we can... Like the six Chosens that journeyed before Collette, all of which we took and gave a second chance at life to. The Alurannai are our main ally, and supply us with food and medicines. Lord Krishka brought you here when he rescued you from the Tower, though the roughness of the transfer knocked you all unconscious. Noishe and Mezo are resting in one of the upper rooms and will come as soon as they are needed, and Kratos, Vayla, and Lloyd are all with Lord Yuan right now. They'll be down as soon as they've discussed certain matters."
Sheena remained silent, petting the little spirit sat on her lap. She knew what the 'matters' were. Raine however was disorientated, confused, and not a little ticked off.
"So you're one of the Renegades? What the heck is going on, where's Kratos and the others?"
The woman reached up, pulling her head wrap off to release a coiled single braid of long golden hair. She then removed the surgeon's mask, uncovering her face as Raine gasped in shock before her eyes moved between this woman and the blank eyed girl standing nearby.
"I am Brinia, part-elven daughter of Sirala, the previous Chosen of Regeneration. She who was taken from Cruxis by the Renegades and given a chance to live." She walked towards them, stopping a short distance from Collette, whom she gazed at sadly. "I am Collette's cousin, and long have I waited to meet her. I just wish that it could be under better circumstances. Her Cruxis Crystal is bound with enchantments, far more than the norm, and as such we lack the equipment to remove them here or at our other base. Access to an advanced lab facility will be needed, and unfortunately the Renegades do not have such facilities in either of our bases, and at present asking the Alurannai to construct such would not be possible, not with Yggdrasil certain to renew his search for their places of hiding. Arrangements have been made for a possible solution. Arrangements that will likely be explained to you by Lord Yuan when he and the others come down here."
They all just stared in silence, as Brinia moved away from Collette and sat down in one of the empty chairs.
It was then that Genis suddenly remembered something Vayla had told him, over a year before, in Asgard.
"Wait, did you say Lord Yuan? Is he the Crystal User Yuan, Vayla and Kratos' friend from since the Kharlan War?"
Brinia nodded.
"Yes, he is. He was fifteen when he met them, and now he is five thousand and two. He is the leader of this organisation, and its founder. He acted as a double agent within Cruxis up until he left the Order a few years ago. He only stayed as long as he did because Kratos was within the order as well, as the Alurannai's jiisumura. They both kept watch, doing what they could to minimise the harm done to the people of the two worlds; all the while trying to get Yggdrasil, who was once their friend, to see reason. They left because they finally accepted that it was hopeless, and that all they could do was wait for the Chosen of Restoration. So they left, and each took up tasks among their own; Yuan here, and Kratos among his people."
Genis looked like he would have fallen over if they hadn't been sitting down. Raine, however, was on her feet in reaction to what Brinia had said.
"I found out a while back that Cruxis and the Desians were connected, but you say Yggdrasil was once their friend?!"
Brinia looked at the floor, solemn.
"So it would seem you've been told a little, but not all. The system of shifting mana between the two worlds was designed and set up by the Alurannai, to keep the two worlds alive after the Tree's death. Yggdrasil was the one they entrusted with the task of maintaining the balance of that system. But five years after the Tree's death he betrayed them and created Cruxis, moving on to dominate the two worlds and instate the Regeneration System. The mana was never meant to vary by such an extreme range, but he changed the limits on the shift so as to better control the people and keep them in submission. All he cares about is resurrecting Martel. Nothing else matters to him, bar getting revenge for her death. She died defending the Great Seed, the seed of the Giant Tree, from a band of almost four hundred human soldiers left with no purpose after the war ended other than their own selfish desire to control what little mana was left. She killed them all, with no weapon but her bare hands, but was mortally wounded in the process. So badly wounded that when Yggdrasil and the rest of their group found her, it was too late for healing arts to save her... He seemed to have accepted it, accepted that she had died with no regrets. It wasn't until his betrayal that the Alurannai learned otherwise. Everything that has happened since then, is all because he refused let her go..."
Raine stared, she too remembering something Vayla had once talked about.
"Martel... She's the Crystal User Vayla told us about? The one that she said Collette reminded her of? The one that died to protect that which she had sworn to?"
The medic looked her in the eyes.
"That would be very likely. As for anything else, I couldn't say for sure. The only ones who can tell you more would be Kratos, Vayla, and Yuan themselves." She got up, going to fetch the tray she'd brought in, which had food on it. "For now just rest a while and have something to eat. Things will be explained in due time."
--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--
There was barely a sound in the office, which had its security shield locked over the door. It wasn't a dread silence though, but rather one filled with hope as they waited watching the young alurannai boy who sat before them tense with concentration.
Lloyd had his eyes closed, as he reached out, searching. He remained still, as he had been for almost half an hour now, before finally he stirred. Brown eyes slowly opened, gazing distantly at the office wall as he refused to look at the expressions on their faces.
"I can hear it, faintly, the Great Seed... I can hear it singing... inside my head..." He closed his eyes again. "It's me, I'm the Chosen of Restoration... At the Tower it was the Seed, acting through me, that deflected Yggdrasil's attack..." He smiled, a faint chuckle rising as an errant though from far away reached him. "It's happy, and amused... Yggdrasil has no idea how I stopped that attack. He thinks it's something to do with Lord Krishka."
Kratos shifted in his chair a little, leaning forward.
"Wait, did it just...?"
Lloyd opened his eyes, chuckling again.
"Yeah, it sensed what I was thinking and told me he came down to the chamber where it's kept to pace around mumbling to Martel. He's still there... and really confused. It can't pick up much from outside that room though, so once he leaves the chamber it won't be able to tell me any more of what he's mumbling."
Yuan tapped a finger on his desk, expression thoughtful.
"Well at least we know we have some free time to play with. The sooner we get you all over to Tethe'alla the better. Every little bit of head start will help keep him off balance, though with Krishka going all out now to interfere with him using the Eternal Sword to track Collette and you all, he's going to be completely in the dark anyway." He got up, walking around the desk to ruffle Lloyd's hair. "You have no idea how much I've wanted to do that. It's been fifteen years of sheer suspense waiting to see you again with my own eyes, Lloyd. I know you'll do us all proud."
Lloyd smiled up at him, before Yuan then pulled him to his feet. Taking the hint, Kratos and Vayla got up as well.
"Well, since we now know that for certain, I think we'd better go rescue Brinia. If Raine's awake if could be quite uncomfortable down in the isolation ward."
They exited the room, Yuan removing the shield and opening the door to reveal Botta who had been stood outside. Beside him stood Noishe, Mezo, and Dalli, who had all gathered when they had sensed Lloyd successfully reach out to the Great Seed. Wordlessly they joined them as they walked down the hallways, which were nearly deserted at this late hour. Several minutes of this, along with a trip in an elevator, and they entered a room where the silence was decidedly tense.
Sheena jumped to her feet, eyes searching out Lloyd as the eight people filed in.
"Lloyd! Is it?"
He nodded.
"Yeah, I'm the one..."
Everyone else was on their feet, except Brinia who immediately understood what that statement meant... She wasn't the only one, however.
Genis walked forward, stopping halfway down the room as he looked at his best friend... and the little wolf beside him.
"Can I talk about it now? At least in front of those who are here?"
Dalli cleared his throat, and suddenly everyone in the room was within the sound ward he conjured.
"That would be somewhat pointless, since everyone in this room bar Collette already knows what you know."
Raine sighed, turning to face her brother.
"So when did you learn about Lloyd or Sheena being the Chosen of Restoration?"
Genis scuffed a foot on the floor.
"Back when we were in Triet. Lloyd really needed someone he could talk to, but he couldn't tell me it, not unless he could be certain I couldn't accidentally let anything slip. So I swore to a geas set by Dalli so I couldn't."
The half-elven woman looked at the spirit, her expression puzzled.
"A geas of silence... You've got some nerve, Dallinius, to push him into that after I'd told him never to swear to one."
Dalli gave a canine shrug, followed by a sudden blurring as in the small wolf's place was a full grown one appeared. He smiled.
"I'm the Summon Spirit of Unity, and Lloyd needed to be able to talk to a friend. Naturally I would step in to allow that... Now since everyone who needs to be is already under a geas, Genis, feel free to continue."
The silver haired mage looked rather unnerved at 'Dalli's' sudden increase in size, having never seen him in that form before, but figuring it wouldn't be the last surprise today he took a deep breath and continued.
"At Triet Oasis I learnt that Lloyd and Sheena were born too close together for the alurannai to be able to tell which of them it was... But now, I'm guessing, they can..."
Lloyd let out the breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding.
"And it's me... I'm the Chosen of Restoration. The one person in the worlds that can support the birth of a new Giant Tree... Genis, Cruxis is a lie. Martel, she isn't a goddess, she's a person that Yggdrasil is trying to resurrect. And the Desians, they exist purely to charge exspheres and cause suffering to humans. Cruxis is running out of Cruxis Crystals, and they've been searching for a way to turn charged exspheres into them. That's where Kvar's Angelus Project came in. The Church of Martel knows nothing of the truth. Cruxis is just using it as a tool for their own ends."
Kratos came forward now, letting Noishe and Mezo get out from behind him to a place where they could lie down or perch respectively.
"This is the true nature of the Regeneration System, a system where the very beings that supposedly watch over and guide the people, are actually the instigators of their suffering... All for the sake of resurrecting a woman who had accepted it was her time to die... Who would never want to be brought back. But now, with the Chosen of Restoration born, the Alurannai and the Renegades can finally act to bring Cruxis down and restore the worlds to how they are meant to be."
Vayla came forward now, regarding Raine and Genis with what looked like relief.
"I'm glad we can finally tell you all this, tell you everything. It's been so hard for us to hide it from you for all the time we travelled together. Raine, Genis... this is probably going to be the biggest shock to you of all... In this room stands five of the Nine Companions that ended the Kharlan War. Kratos Aurion, Yuan Azlarsha, Noishe of the Protozoans, Dallinius of the Summon Spirits, and I, Vayla Kevrania as I was known back then... We are of the seven that remain 'Companions'. Of the two others that no longer exist as part of our number... One was Martel Azlarsha, and the other was her brother... Mithos Yggdrasil."
As Raine and Genis gaped, the former reaching out for the back of a chair to steady herself, Yuan closed his eyes and bowed his head, his expression pained.
"These days we don't call him that. When we speak of 'Mithos', we speak of the man that existed before Martel died. When we speak of 'Yggdrasil', we speak of the leader of Cruxis... As far as we're concerned, 'Mithos' is dead... and Yggdrasil is the one that killed him. Of all of the Companions, I am the one who can most understand the grief he would have felt at Martel's death. He was her brother, and she was my wife..." He held up his left hand, showing them the ring he still wore even now. "Losing her was like losing half of myself, but still I accepted that she died with no regrets other than that we would never have the chance to live in a peaceful world together... Mithos couldn't do that. He attacked Dalli, his spirit partner; that act breaking his vow and severing their pact. I guess we should have seen it then, because that was the first sign that something was wrong. But we passed it off as grief, and five years later he betrayed us all."
Kratos put a hand on Yuan's shoulder, as the lightning mage held back tears of pain and frustration.
"When Yggdrasil approached Yuan and I, to ask us to join his new Order of Cruxis as his fellow Seraphim, we accepted so that we could keep an eye on him and try to minimise the impact on the worlds as much as we could. Twenty seven years ago he sent me a report detailing his newest idea. He wanted to create an 'Age of Lifeless Beings', claiming it would be the solution to ending discrimination between the races, for all races would become one and the same. That was when I knew for certain there was no turning back for him... and so Yuan and I left. Since then he's promoted Pronyma as his Second Seraphim. She is his most trusted general, and she's as ruthless as they come. If he told her to kill herself, she'd do it without hesitation. That is just how loyal she is to him, and is what makes her so dangerous. For that reason, when you leave this base, I will not be travelling with you. Instead I am going to keep Pronyma occupied. Yggdrasil has reasons to want me captured, and Pronyma is the only one he'd trust with such a task. I will keep her away from you while you work to return Collette to normal, and then proceed with the Plan."
Finally recovering enough to speak, though what she had just heard would still take some time to sink in, Raine sat down, her eyes wide and her expression lost.
"What... What plan?"
Sheena got up, walking over to her mother who reached out to hold her close and comfort her.
"The plan to bring Cruxis down... Our journey is far from over yet... More like it's just begun... It's not going to be easy, but as long as we work together we'll prevail. We have the Chosen of Restoration, and as long as Cruxis remains unknowing of what Lloyd is, we'll have the upper hand."
Lloyd twitched, turning to gaze off through the wall of the room in the direction of the Tower of Salvation.
"The Great Seed says Yggdrasil has just left the chamber where it's kept. He's still confused right now, so we've got time to rest before he begins a search for us."
Kratos frowned.
"Lloyd, does it truly speak? The only time the Alurannai had ever heard the Giant Tree speak was when it spoke the Prophecy in its dying moments."
Lloyd looked at him, tilting his head as he thought about it for a moment.
"Hmmm, not really. Mostly its just feelings, with a few actual words when it wants to emphasize something. I just instinctively know what it means, that's all... It really wants this to be over. It's waited so long, and even trapped in that chamber it can feel the suffering of the worlds. It wants to be free... and it wants Martel to be free too." Lloyd actually began to tremble. "She wants this to end as well..." Slowly, he looked up at Yuan. "I can't hear her speak, but the Great Seed is helping me feel her presence... She wants you to stay strong, and not give up. She wants us to stop him..." He paused, and then shook his head. "I'm sorry, it's gone... I can't sense her now, so I guess her soul is sleeping again..."
Yuan had tears openly falling from his eyes, as did all the others who had known Martel when she was alive.
"Thank you... Knowing that she too wants her brother stopped makes this easier to accept. Yggdrasil may be a mad man, but still he's my brother." He looked over at Genis and Raine. "I think it's best we all get some rest, and have some time to think. As long as I've lived, it still doesn't make hard things easier to face. Be they memories or present events."
As Yuan walked out of the room, Kratos turned to Lloyd.
"And you young man are going to sleep right now." A quick gesture and the spell was cast, Lloyd slumping limp into his father's arms. He too looked at Genis and Raine. "Don't dwell on what you've heard here for now. If you cannot sleep, Brinia will provide you with a sedative."
With that he left the room carrying Lloyd, the rest of those with him following. Only then did Genis spot the man in the grey and green robe at the back.
"Wait! He's one of the ones that attacked the Martel Tem..."
Brinia cut him off, putting a hand on his arm.
"That was my brother, Botta. The Renegades carried out that attack out of necessity. If we hadn't made at least one apparently serious attempt against Collette, Yggdrasil would have suspected something was up. If the two deaths the village suffered pain you, then I ask you to think on this. The Renegades lost four. Four men and woman who gladly risked and gave their lives for the sake of preserving the secret of the Plan's existence. They died to improve our chances of ending this... And I'll also point out that if the Plan fails, depending on how far through its course it failed, then Sylvarant and Tethe'alla will die either after a few years, or in as little as a few days... That is how important it is we take every measure we can to ensure it does succeed."
Sobered by that harsh revelation, Genis looked away from her, his expression lost.
"So it all depends on us? We're the ones whose actions will decide the fate of two worlds?"
The medic headed for the door, pausing once to look back at the young mage.
"Yes, we are. Four thousand years of waiting have led to this, and we are the ones born in this time, whom fate has led down this path. Remember that Lloyd is your friend, and that he is willing to give everything he has to see this through. All that remains to be asked, is will you stand by him in the trials to come?"
--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--
Taking one last look at the sleeping youth and the small white wolf standing watch over him, Kratos closed the sliding panels of the door and locked them. Lloyd would sleep until he came back in a few hours time, and here in the base there was nothing that could or would hurt him. Setting off down the hall, he had to admit that Lloyd being their Chosen made perfect sense, in fact it was so blatantly obvious that it was a wonder none of them had realised it. They'd spent just over twenty years with it staring them in the face, the reason was the Nartana's secret, their burden. It all made perfect sense, and had they realised it then he would have known before Lloyd was born that he would be the Chosen of Restoration.
Kratos sighed.
"T'wer it have been different, we could have prepared for this the moment I married, for once I had a wife it was simply a matter of choosing to have a child that would have given us our Chosen..." He smiled. "But it would not have been the same, and Anna and I may not have had the joy we did with our son. All things happen for a purpose, and this situation is no different."
Walking a short way down the hall, Kratos entered Yuan's office and passed through it to the private rooms beyond. The mage was already in there, along with Vayla, the pair of them sitting with expressions of deep thought in their faces.
Looking up as his friend entered and closed the door, Yuan waved him to one of the slouch chairs like the ones in which he and Kratos' crèche mate were sitting.
"So what now?"
Kratos sat down.
"Now we begin the next stage, and before you ask, no the Alurannai will not be taking Lloyd and Sheena racing around the Temples to get pacts the way they did with Mithos back at the end of the War. Lloyd and Sheena still have strength to gain before either Vayla or I will allow them to confront Yggdrasil, which means we have time to use up. It's going to be at least a couple of years yet before both of them have fully mastered their magic and summoning skills, and we cannot take the risk of moving to take the Seed before they are ready, which means it's been decided that they will travel as they have done for the past two years. On foot." Yuan began to get out of his chair, Kratos' words stopping him. "Right now Yggdrasil can no longer track their movements using the Eternal Sword, and there is still Collette's condition to rectify. The Alurannai are now on high alert, and keeping our people safe is the main priority. That means that the only place with the equipment needed to remove the extra enchantments binding Collette's Crystal is the Imperial Research Academy in Tethe'alla."
Vayla continued the explanation.
"Using it will require the permission of the King, and if we are seen by Cruxis' spies to be randomly moving around, apparently making things up as we go, then we know he will sit back and watch. He believes that as long as he has the Eternal Sword we cannot take the system from him, and that arrogant confidence along with his vengeful nature will make him watch what we are doing with amusement, thinking that in the end he will get to rub our noses in our failure. By sending Lloyd and Sheena around the Seals in that way, not only will Yggdrasil make things worse for himself in terms of the progress of our plan, but it will also give Lloyd and Sheena the time they need. The two of them are so young, and the strain they are under is already a great deal to bear. Rushing them may result in us destroying them ourselves with our haste. We've waited almost four thousand years already, what's a couple more to that?"
Yuan sighed, settling back down into his chair.
"From your 'sending Lloyd and Sheena' line, I'm guessing you two aren't going with them..."
The two alurannai glanced at each other, before the auburn haired of the two spoke.
"I will only endanger them if I remain with them now. Yggdrasil will likely set Pronyma to try and keep track of me, and by going a separate way I can keep her away from Lloyd and the others."
Vayla spoke now.
"I'll be staying with them until we get the King's permission to use the Academy facilities. After that I'm going to be working with my fellow healers to stockpile as much medical supplies as we can. We may face all out war by the end of this, and we need to be prepared. I'm one of the Alurannai's best healers, and certainly the best at medicines. I'm needed on my own path, and that path does not let me travel with my daughter, at least not right away. I might be able to arrange something after a while, but until we get things moving I won't be able to stay with her... We'll just have to trust that, with the help of their friends, they'll do fine. Both Lloyd and Sheena will be getting Watcher's Whistles, so they can call for assistance when they really need it."
The lightning mage nodded in acceptance.
"As much as I dislike the idea, I know for certain that you two like it far less. If you've accepted this plan, then so will I, and may the Spirits watch over us all..."
--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--.--
Alaia Skyhawk: And so the scene is set for the next part. Bring on Tethe'alla!
