Behind the Curtains

Chapter 1: Remiel: The Disappearing Act

Lloyd, Colette, Genis, and their new addition Kratos have disabled the barrier inside the temple with the Sorcerer's Ring.

Lloyd walked towards the blue circle. "Well, here's the warp. Everyone ready?"

"Ready if you are." Said Colette.

Kratos jumped on quickly. "We must hurry. There is no time for chitchat."

"Geez, what's his problem?" Lloyd thought.

They stepped on the warp one by one and find themselves in a chamber with a tall, domed ceiling. The light from outside shines in the colored glass mosaics, illuminating the room in which the group just appeared.

Genis looked up and squinted. "Is it just me, or do I see a ceiling fan way up there?"

Lloyd hesitantly agreed. "I think that I can glimpse it too, but just barely."

"I can see it too! But I'm not sure if it's a fan." Replied Colette.

Kratos hastily added, "It must be the light shining on the ceiling. Let's keep going."

They walked up to the altar.

Colette stepped forwards. "I will offer my prayers at the pedestal."

Lloyd didn't follow her. "We will stay back and observe."

Colette began to pray. "Omm... Omm..."

"Is she supposed to pray like that?" Whispered Lloyd.

Genis didn't care. "Who cares?"

Kratos matter-of-factly stated, "Just let her concentrate. I believe that 'omm' means 'I have prayers to offer' in the ancient angelic languages."

Lloyd didn't believe him. "And how would you know this?"

"I have studied." Said Kratos.

Lloyd replied, "Yeah, right."

Colette shouted back to the group. "I'm done! Look, a ball of yellow light is descending from the ceiling!"

Remiel quietly talked upwards to the ceiling fan operator. "Keep that fan on... nice and steady... just enough to keep me floating..."

Kratos muttered to himself. "He still needs a fan to fly?"

Lloyd thought he heard Kratos say something. "What was that, Kratos?"

"Oh, nothing." Replied Kratos.

Remiel almost shouted upwards. "Turn the fan up...now!"

Colette was very excited. "Look! It stopped right in front of me! Oh, it transformed! It's an angel!"

Remiel started to talk like he was on a commercial. "Good job reaching this point! I award... I mean, bestow upon the great Chosen of Mana, the Cruxis Crystal!"

Colette giggled. "It glows! How pretty!"

Remiel rolled his eyes. "It will grant you angelic powers and transform you into an angel one day! Don't you feel special?"

Colette was puzzled. "I think I do... Oh my! Look, I have wings!"

Genis went crazy. "Wow! Cool! Amazing! Awesome! Sweet! Radical! That rocks! How..."

"You two can stop now." Interrupted Lloyd.

Genis snapped back into reality. "Oh, right."

Colette smiled. "Whatever you say, Lloyd!"

Genis made a face. "Gonna get all mushy again, you two?"

"Shut it, Genis!" Yelled Lloyd.

Colette turned around. "Anyways, let's get back to the main focus."

Lloyd had a question. "Are you... Colette's real father?"

Colette wanted to know, too. "Yes, are you?"

Kratos started mouthing words to Remiel. "Just. Play. Along."

Remiel quickly caught on. "Yes, of course, hunnie... I mean, my beloved daughter, Colette. Hurry on to the next seal, and restore the world as fast as you can!"

Kratos sighed.

Remiel spoke to the fan operator again. "Now, just increase the power a bit, so that I can float up and disappear, okay?"

Colette didn't want him to leave. "Don't go! I have to tell you about everything I've been doing! Please! I'll clean my room!"

"Next time." Remiel stated impatiently.

Remiel continues to float upwards, until he's almost at the ceiling.

Remiel started whispering, but ended with a scream. "Now, turn the fan off! Turn it off! TURN IT OFF!"

-zzzzzzzZZZZZZzzzzzzZZZZZZ-

Remiel hit the ceiling fan and got shredded. Yellow feathers floated down.

Colette jumped. "What pretty feathers! Cool!"

"Darn, we'll need another Remiel clone ready at the second seal." Said Yggdrasil.