Epilogue :: Full Circle

"So what do you plan to do now, Kratos?" Yuan asked. Because they had Derris-Kharlan, Kratos and Yuan could both travel between the worlds at will. Additionally, their Angel Crystals gave them eternal youth, something they did not expect when Kepler presented them with the crystals. Kratos sat with Yuan atop a mountain near the recovering Asgard City in Sylvarant. Noishe was sleeping quietly at Kratos' side, ignorant of the turmoil that disturbed his master's mind.

"I intend to remain with Mithos, doing what I have done for the past years." Kratos answered. "I will stay at his side, guiding him in the right path."

"You realize that he is intent on reviving Martel no matter what," Yuan said.

"Of course. I am surprised you did not side with him in the final battle. Martel was..."

"Martel, Alice, Sirius. All of them sacrificed their lives so everyone, regardless of their blood, could live happily," Yuan said. "Turning on their hopes would be to dishonor their sacrifices."

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"There he is!" someone in a mob of angry humans shouted in the streets of Meltokio cloaked by the shadows of the night. Fifty years had passed since the two worlds were created. They chased a figure down an alley and cornered him. Pitchforks and blades alike thirsted for his blood.

"This man killed Altair!"

"Death to Dusk, the dishonorable knight!"

Dusk was on a mission for Erebus when Mithos defeated him. He never regretted joining the dark lord's side, but now he was facing a furious mass of people seeking revenge for his past crimes. Dusk's Angel Crystal was bound to the mana of Erebus and thus lost its power when he died. Without his wings, he did not have the strength to slay them. In fact, his hand trembled as he gripped his black sword's handle.

"I guess this is it," Dusk said. "At the very least, I'll die with the honor that I've never been able to have in my life."

He drew the Sword of Tartarus and rushed forward, but suddenly, a flash of light blinded the crowd. A being with long blonde hair and translucent red wings appeared before him. He was dressed in a tight fitting white outfit.

"It's an angel, a messenger from Erebus!?"

The angel held his hand out, freezing the time around them.

"Get up, Lord Dusk," the angel said.

"Who are you?" Dusk asked.

"Yggdrasil, the leader of Cruxis. We are an organization which strives to bring about an age where half-elves can live without oppression from these inferiors," came the reply.

"What do you want of me? I don't have any of the skills that Erebus gave me anymore," Dusk said, shaking with fear.

"Lord Dusk... or should I say Lord Ardentius Remiel, your knack for deception is impressive. If you wish to see a new era for half-elves, join us. I have a special mission for you," Yggdrasil said.

"How... how did you know my name?" Dusk said.

"I can see into the past with my powers," answered Yggdrasil. "Do you accept or shall I punish you here for slaying Alice Enigma?"

"I will join you, but what is it that you wish for me to do that requires my cunning?"

"Excellent," Yggdrasil said placing a new Angel Crystal on Dusk. "From this day forward, you shall be known as Lord Remiel, messenger of the goddess Martel!"

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Nearly four thousand years passed since Mithos slew Erebus and changed the world forever. During that time, he founded Cruxis with the remnants of the Delthis Desian army. In the newly constructed city of Welgaia inside Derris-Kharlan, Mithos, appearing as an older form of himself and taking the new name Yggdrasil, stood before the entire body of Cruxis. He assembled before him nearly ten thousand half-elves, and five prominent leaders: Lady Pronyma, a far off descendant of Erebus himself; Rodyle and Kvar, who both claimed ancestry to the master scientist Cornelius; Magnius, descendant of a Knight of Thor; lastly was Forcystus, Kepler's distant grandson.

"I was never one for long speeches, so I will make this short," Yggdrasil said, speaking from a podium. "This day marks a major step in our quest to bring the age of half-elves upon our realms. I promise you that that time is not far away. With the Five Cardinals at your lead, you will triumph!"

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"Enter."

In a room deep within the old Triet Base of Enigma's Ghosts, Yuan awaited the arrival of someone he had been expecting for a while now. Though officially disbanded since the fall of Delthis, Yuan reclaimed his rightful position at the head of the Ghosts, bringing together former members as Yggdrasil did with the Desians. For the past few hundred years, he had been searching through his ranks for someone to be his second, but nobody seemed to satisfy him. Darius had passed away shortly after the war ended; however, he left a legacy to the Ghosts in the form of a portal between the Arctic Base on Tethe'alla and Fortress Enigma on Sylvarant. Thinking that both bases were either abandoned or destroyed, Yggdrasil completely overlooked their existence.

"Lord Yuan," a black haired half-elf said. Strapped to his back was a giant red cleaver.

"You are Botta, correct? I have heard of your family name before," Yuan said.

"Yes, I am descendant of Lady Alice Enigma's brother, Sigmund," Botta replied. Yuan opened the window in his study to the outside from a switch on his desk.

"Your record is exemplary. I can only say the infiltration of Cardinal Forcystus' construction team was a textbook operation that even Lady Enigma would approve of," Yuan said.

"Thank you, my lord," Botta said. "Hopefully, that facility will not be operational for at least a few years."

Yuan chuckled, flipping through a folder on his desk containing aerial images taken of a fortress in construction. "We were originally formed as a group of spies fighting for a better world. How fate is fond of irony, for we are now up against the one who changed that world. If only Lady Enigma could see what we've become."

"I am sure she would be very proud, Lord Yuan."

Yuan stood up from his chair, walking over to the window and glancing out. "Lord Botta, your first assignment as my second in command will be to bring me information on Cardinal Kvar's revival of Angelus Alpha."

"Second in command, sir?"

"We will continue to work from the shadows. Do not forget that our hope rests in those who see a bright future."

Tales of Symphonia -
Through Shadow Eyes :: The Tragedy of a Fallen Dawn
To be continued....