Author's Note: This is my first fic in ToS so I hope you enjoy it. After working on the information for the story for months, I believe I'm finally ready to type the story up. I'll write up the first chapter as fast as I can for you guys. Anyway enjoy!!

Disclaimer: Actually I DO own Tales of Symphonia- No wait....That was a dream. Okay, I don't own Tales of Symphonia..

A Mother's Choice

by Serene Takara

Prologue

If you could have another chance

Would you take it?

Another chance to correct your mistakes

Another chance to love once more

Another chance to make a difference

A second chance

to live?

All gifts come with a price

A price too dear to lose

What if you had to choose

between what you desire..................

.............and what you have to do?

A mother must face this task

All that is left to her

...is choice

Farewell, my shadow.

Her footsteps echoed throughout the silent forest. The wind shifted to her and swayed to the unusual mana that was present within her. Long before this strange girl appeared, the forest once had housed thousands of small creatures. At one point the monsters that dwelled here had been a threatening sight for weary travelers. Yet now the forest remained still and quiet. No sound, apart from her soft footsteps and the few breaths that escaped her lips, shattered this silence. She knew fully well what to expect. It was inevitable that the monsters should avoid her.

Go! I said go!!

She could feel her treasure's presence radiate within the forest. "I suppose I made the correct choice to come here. This place...this forest...this is most definitely her resting place," her calm voice whispered into the bleak darkness of the night. Yet she could feel the presence that resided within and it traveled with the force of the wind in an attempt to push her away. She tumbled back and almost smiled before she whispered once more into the night. "It appears my treasure does not wish me to be here."

"Almost a shame that I must deny such a request."

You, who stand at the end of the path I chose not to follow.

She rose once more from the ground and strode past, ignoring the wind that howled around her. She did not travel all this way, accomplished this much, to be stopped by something as small as the wind. It was of little consequence to her whether or not her treasure wished to take place in her plans. She would not let that wretched woman stop her from what she was about to do. With these thoughts in mind she continued down the dirt path of the forest.

...Please go. If you don't, I'll lose my respect for you.

As she passed by an old torn sign, she could not help but reminisce over a time when their reign had stood strong. Long ago, the Desians had been a sight that inspired both terror and pain to the hearts of many lives. Yet here that lay, mere shells of their former selves. Their ranch lay on the other side of this sign, completely devoid of the life it had once possessed. It was here that the wind seemed to strengthen itself, as if remembering all the pain this world has already faced.

I wanted my own world, so I do not regret my choice.

Finally, hidden deep within the forest, she came to a wooden house. She realized how obvious it was that a dwarf resided within this house. Every plank seemed to have been placed in a very specific way and every detail brought out both the simplicity and the beauty of this house. It seemed to have been designed to give off a natural safe feeling. Both the house and the plants that littered the area must have been a very welcoming sight after traveling through the Iselia forest.

Her hungry eyes then rested on a very delicious sight to her.

I've been watching all this time. Unable to move, unable to do anything. I watched all those foolish things you've done.

Beyond the wooden house, a secluded area caught her eye. A stone monument stood tall above the ground, surrounded by a small wooden fence to ward off intruders from the forest. In the center of this stone monument lay a newly carved letters and images.

A sudden gust blew towards her, it whipped around and used all its force to push her back. She quickly knelt to the ground and clung to the long slender spear that she held in her hand. "Heh...well I suppose a quiet entry is out of the question." She spoke finally as she rose from the ground. Her golden strands of hair whipped behind her as the wind blew around her.

I would make the same choice all over again.

She smiled. The beginning of the end was about to commence. It was finally time to strike out against this cruel world and begin the seeds of their destruction. Her treasure awaited, the last piece of the puzzle will soon be in place, and the hero will soon be in her clutches. After so long, her dream will be finally realized.

However, there was still something she must do. She had to be certain the dwarf would not interfere with her.

Living on without hope is worse than death, don't you think?

This land echoed with pain. Regrets, wishes, and dreams all gathered within a solitary spot in the land. She knew her treasure quite well and would do nothing to aid her. Her only choice at the moment was to add to the mingling sense of death surrounding the grave.

Her cold blue eyes fixated on the wooden door that she had walked up to and knocked three times.

I will continue to choose this path!

She took a cloth from the room and tried to cleanse her blood-stained spear. Beneath her, the small man lay in a pool of blood. He gasped for air, even in his state of unconsciousness, and groaned from the large wounds that ran across this chest. She chuckled slightly down at the body.

"Hardly worth my time."

Mithos....what have you done?

As she approached the grave once more, she noticed the change in the presence. Before it had been merely a warning and cautious nature, now the presence raged around her. Now a sense of dread, anger and fear filled her as she looked towards the grave.

What you have done....is wrong.

"Well well well....so I finally meet you face to face. Come now, did you actually believe I would leave him there to interrupt me?"

Her pale fingers brushed against the golden lettering of the stone monument. A smile twisted its way to her lips as she whispered in delight at the night sky.

"I finally have it...my treasure...."

You think I'm just gonna go along with that?!

"....my prize...."

She drew her spear towards her and gazed one last time at the stone monument.

"Welcome home....Anna Aurion"

Author's Note:You'll understand this prologue better as the story goes on. Until then, read and review! I really want to know whether anyone actually likes it or not.