Alaia Skyhawk: I'm REALLY sorry for the long delay, but my new job has really screwed up my writing times. The way things are I'll be updating once a week from now on at the weekend, since that's only time where I can get the 2 - 3 hours I need to write the chapters for my 2 current fics.
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, so please don't steal them...
Enjoy
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Chapter 54: Visit to a Friend.
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Mist drifted on the wind towards them, gilding the land around them with tiny droplets that glistened like diamonds in the light of the rising sun. A gentle wind rustled the leaves of the nearby trees, the sound blending with that of the vast waterfall that crowned the top of the steep sided valley they walked through. The group seven companions strolled along the track towards the first of the wrought iron bridges that connected each of the sections of looped path that led to ledges that were the only footholds to make the ascent to the top of the falls. The only way for those on foot that is. When they reached those ledges, the youngest member of the group brushed his blond hair back from his eyes as he stooped to pick up the little summon spirit that was his partner, before spreading his rainbow hued wings and taking flight, soaring towards the place high above where the water threw itself into the abyss to fall to the earth far below. Behind him came his friends and family, each flying with their own crystalline wings that glittered with light to rival that of the myriad droplets of dew from the falling water. Upon reaching the summit they turned to follow the simple dirt path to the only building that graced the lonely heights of the gorge.
The simple thatch roofed cottage had changed little from the way it had looked the first time they had come here. But still, there was one fundamental difference from that time long ago. Instead of knocking they opened the door and entered, without waiting, to see the face of their long time friend turn to look at them from the back of the room.
Dareillfin looked at them from his position at the large wooden loom that had previously been dominated by the rather acidic Allysia, who had been the storyteller before him. His latest work, a very complex story pattern, lay stretched across the loom. Its strands of carefully dyed mana leaf fibres seeming to glow in the soft light that came from the crystal lamp above it. Dareillfin got up and walked over to them, his appearance had changed only slightly in the three hundred years that had passed since their first meeting on that stormy day so long ago. The clothes he wore were the same simple style as back then, though now the drop shaped earring he had worn had been replaced by one made up of an oval stone that hung suspended within a ring, marking him as being older than two centuries. As he stopped in front of them, he tiled his head to regard them.
"It's been quite some time, nearly half a century in fact, since you last visited here..."
The silence that followed was broken by Martel, who gave him a mildly scolding look before moving over to him and enveloping him in a hug.
"I think you're spending too much time alone, Dareillfin. You're starting to sound pompous like your teacher."
The elf broke out into a wide grin and imitated a shudder of dread before speaking in a rather comical way.
"Heaven forbid that I should stray down the path to such a disposition as Allysia's. Spirits bless her rather effective way of scaring her students out of the door in less than twenty seconds." Kratos, Yuan and the others broke out into laughter as Martel gave Dareillfin a disapproving look. Pinned by that glare he hastily cleared his throat and added. "Not that I mean any disrespect to my dearly departed teacher." He stepped back and gestured to the low table near the hearth. "Might I interest you all in some tea and spiced fruit loaf? I baked it fresh this morning." In a flash Mithos darted across the room and sat himself on one of the stools around the table, which was also used as a worktable when students where in residence. From there he looked at Dareillfin with wide eyes and his most innocent 'little kid' expression. The Storyteller chuckled. "I see you're still using that look, Mithos. Though I fail to see why you persist on trying it on me. I know exactly how old you are so you're wasting your time."
As Mithos sighed in resignation, Sanaro grinned at the disgruntled half elf, his blue eyes dancing with amusement.
"Kratos said the exact same thing a few days ago. Apparently Mithos likes to practice so that he can wheedle discounts out of shopkeepers for us."
Dareillfin raised an eyebrow and regarded the youngest member of the group. He crossed his arm and gave Mithos a long look.
"And just how good are you at getting discounts?"
Mithos grinned wickedly as he rested his elbows on the table and returned the look.
"Once we bought a side of beef from a butcher, and they added the other half as a gift."
As Dareillfin stood there gaping in surprise, Kratos came over and patted him on the back supportively.
"Don't worry, you get used to it."
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A black haired figure, followed by another with hair of spring green, walked along the dirt path and out onto the last and highest of the bridges that spanned the river. Once there, she leaned on the railing and sighed as she watched the water flow over the edge and begin its descent into the channel below. Sweeping a single green strand out of her face, the other figure also leaned on the railing next to her.
"Are you feeling better now?"
Vayla turned and regarded Martel in surprise.
"What do you mean?"
Martel smiled slightly as she looked at her friend.
"You've stopped mothering over the others, so I'm guessing you've gotten over your latest bout of whatever has been bothering you." As Vayla blinked on astonishment, Martel continued. "The others may think it's just a quirk of yours, but I know you actually do it to hide your feelings from yourself... I do the same thing myself at times, though not in quite the same way as you."
Vayla chuckled at the last part of Martel's statement before once again looking at the water rushing below.
"You're right, I do..." Sensing Martel's unspoken question, Vayla began to explain. "You know how I'm engaged?" Martel nodded. "Well, there are times when I really miss Rennan. You see I never expected to have to wait this long to marry him... so I end up mothering over someone to distract myself whenever I begin to feel depressed about it."
Martel put a hand on Vayla's shoulder in support.
"When was it that you intended to marry?"
Vayla sighed.
"If things had gone as planned, I'd have married him between a hundred, and a hundred and fifty years ago... But with things going wrong, and the war getting worse, I..."
Vayla bit her lip to stop it from trembling as Martel put an arm around her shoulders.
"You decided to put the good of the world before your own happiness. You're strong, Vayla, and I know that you'll be fine. From the way you've spoken about him over the years, I know that Rennan loves you as much as you love him. He'll wait for you, for as long as it takes."
Vayla closed her eyes and smiled.
"Thank you, Martel..."
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Kratos, Yuan, Sanaro and Dareillfin sat in a semi circle around a hexagonal game board scattered with various red, green, yellow and dark blue pieces. In their hands they held cards that were each marked with symbols that were orange, black, purple or light blue. The game they were playing was ancient, so much so that no one was really sure which race had come up with it, though some of the symbols on the cards resembled Sumaityr ideographs from their earliest form of writing. The game was simply called Forces, since that was what the different colours represented and the aim was to capture pieces on the board by sacrificing an opposing card to move the piece in question towards their own area, or away from an opponent's, before drawing another card from the deck that was set to one side. This would continue until the deck was depleted, at which point each player would arrange the pieces they had successfully moved into their area and group them with any the complementary cards they had in their hand. The player with the strongest set at this point would be declared the winner. As they focused on capturing pieces and thwarting their opponents, none of them were aware of the half elf and summon spirit on the wooden platform at the very edge of the waterfall high above.
Dalli looked at Mithos with a very uncertain expression as he leaned over the edge of the platform to look into the swirling mist below.
"Um, Mithos, I don't think this is such a good idea. Jumping off and falling into open air is fine when you can see where you're going, but that mist is so thick that..."
Mithos pinned the little spirit with an exasperated look.
"Dalli I've been cliff falling for over two hundred years, I know what I'm doing. Stop trying to spoil my fun."
With that Mithos leapt from the top of the waterfall with his wings pressed tightly to his sides, Dalli watched him go with bemusement.
"Don't say I didn't warn you."
Mithos cried out in exhilaration as he plunged down through the misty air, keeping a mental track of how far he had fallen. As he plummeted past the ledge where the game of Forces was being played, the wind of his passage stirred the hair of the resident elf. Dareillfin looked over his shoulder at where Mithos had dropped past and said flatly.
"He should have done that from the other side of the waterfall."
The looks of puzzlement on the three faces before him were suddenly replaced winces at the sound from below that followed the elf's comment. There was a sudden yell of surprise followed by a tremendous splash. As they looked over the edge they could just make out what was to them a previously unknown pool of water on a ledge part way up the cliff, a pool formed by a small part of the waterfall being diverted by a large rock protruding from the cliff face. In a flash of light, Dalli appeared beside them and also looked over the edge at his partner, who was face down on the bottom of the pool.
"I warned him not to jump in a place where you can't see what's below." Seeing the looks on Yuan, Sanaro and Kratos' faces, he and Dareillfin answered the unspoken question. "He's alright..."
"But he's going to have the mother of all headaches when he wakes up."
The three companions looked over the edge once more, before shrugging and retuning to the game at hand.
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The soldier stood before the general, his face calm and his expression composed as he uttered the words that his commander had been waiting to hear.
"The men are in position... All is ready to proceed at your command..."
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Alaia Skyhawk: And there you have it. Sorry again for the 4 week wait, but with my new job things have been really screwed for me writing wise.
