Tales of Symphonia: The Secret of the Angels
Disclaimer: I don't own Namco and probably never will.
A/N: Hi peoples!! Thankies again Blue-Angels-Wings! I hope this chapter will be pretty long... By the way, I made up a Summon Spirit so please don't be mad!!
Chapter 5: Era, The Summon Spirit of Judgment
"Kratos!!" Lloyd shouted and ran over to his long-gone father. Kratos put a hand on Lloyd's shoulders. Raine looked puzzled.
"I don't understand. How did you manage to come back?" Raine asked, "Derris-Kharlan was supposed to be separated for an eternity. How could you come back?" Kratos did a smirk.
"Well, I don't exactly know myself. Don't strange events like these tell you that something is definitely wrong?" he asked. Raine nodded.
"The Yggdrasill Tree is dying. We can't find the cause for it. It's very strange," the Professor explained. She looked at the warp point on the altar. "Can we still warp to Derris-Kharlan?"
"We probably can," Kratos said. "Why do you ask?"
"We need to go to Mithos' castle. It says it here on the prophecy," she explained. Raine took out the burnt piece of paper and handed it to Kratos. Kratos scanned quickly over the page and gasped.
"What's wrong, Kratos?" Lloyd asked. The man quickly shook his head.
"N- nothing!" he quickly said. Raine took back the paper.
"It says 'the hero's castle...' that should be Mithos' castle. We should head there for now," she said. The group proceeded up the altar and stepped on the warp point.
"Oh, yes, I made some adjustments on the warp point earlier, so we will warp to Mithos' castle instantly," Kratos said. Lloyd smiled.
"Everyone ready?" Lloyd asked.
"You bet!" Sheena exclaimed. Regal nodded.
"Yes," Presea said.
"Alright! To Mithos' castle!" Lloyd shouted and they disappeared into the warp ring.
-Mithos' Castle-
Lloyd and the others landed in the familiar building. They looked around.
"Well, it still looks the same!" Genis commented. Sheena nodded. Presea felt the walls.
"C'mon! Let's go!" Lloyd shouted.
"Yes, Lloyd is correct. We must hurry," Raine agreed. The group proceeded up the stairs and through the huge doorway. They looked out into the distance and gasped in horror. Off into the distant sky, where Mithos' castle should have been, there was a gigantic dark barrier. Nothing could be seen inside the barrier for shadows swallowed up everything in sight.
"It's horrible!" Presea shouted. Raine shivered.
"This is like the same evil when we saw the Yggdrasill Tree! Make it stop!" Colette cried. Lloyd walked up to the warp signal.
"Does it still work?" he asked. Kratos walked up beside him.
"It seems so," he said. "But where will we be this time if we warp?" Lloyd shook his head.
"I dunno..." Lloyd looked up at the huge dark barrier and sighed, "what's happening?" Genis interrupted.
"Lloyd! Lloyd! Do you hear that?!" he screamed. Lloyd scanned the area.
"Hear what, Genis? I don't hear anything," Lloyd said. Kratos stared suspiciously at the half-elf boy. He hears it? Kratos thought.
"That voice! Don't you hear it?!" Genis protested. Raine put a hand on his shoulder to make him stop.
"I think all these strange events are making him hallucinate and hear things that actually aren't there," Rained explained. Genis freed himself from his sister's grip.
"I'm telling the truth!" he shouted.
"Okay guys. Let's go!" Lloyd exclaimed. The grouped followed him. Only Genis lagged behind. I know I heard that voice. Why won't anyone believe me? It was a girl's voice... She said, 'Why me? Why?'. I think she was trying to tell me something... Genis thought. "Let's go, Genis!" Lloyd's voice broke in.
"O-okay! Coming!" Genis called. He ran up to Lloyd and the others and they warped again...
-Off in the barrier-
The group stared blankly at the barrier. The force field was much bigger than it had appeared before. Everywhere bore the stench of death. Lloyd backed up in fright. He was not afraid of the barrier, but of what was inside. His legs shook.
"Wha- what is that thing?!" he cried. Raine saw it as well and covered her mouth with hand.
"I- I can't believe this!" she screamed. Colette winced.
"It evil! Pure evil!" she shouted. Inside, inside the barrier, was the dragon. The humongous dragon Lloyd had seen on the piece of paper. The same terrifying dragon of the dark. The same gigantic dragon engulfed in the darkness. The dragon. The Dragon of Eternal Darkness. Everyone else was too petrified to speak. Only Kratos was able to examine their surroundings.
"There it is!" he shouted, breaking the silence. Everyone looked up.
"I- it's mana!" Genis cried.
"So that how all the mana was drained. Something that large must be fed with loads and loads of mana," Raine explained. Then, the dragon roared. Its screeching roar echoed and rang in their ears. The dragon turned its head slightly toward Lloyd and the group.
"Guys! I think it's gonna attack us!" Lloyd shouted. Genis screamed.
"We're goners!" the half-elf cried.
"Move!" Kratos urged. Everyone started to run back to the warp signal. Genis still stood there.
"Genis, run!" Lloyd screamed. Genis didn't move at all. He just kept staring at the dragon. "Run!" Genis shook.
"I- I can't! I can't move!" he cried. Tears came to his eyes. "I can't move at all!" Smoke revolved around the dragon's snout. It opened its mouth and formed a small beam. The beam grew larger and larger until it was at about the same size as the dragon's head. Genis shrieked.
"I don't wanna die!" Genis screamed.
"Genis!" Lloyd cried. The beam unleashed and exploded.
"Guardian!" Kratos shouted.
"Earthly Protection!" Presea joined in to protect the group from the flying debris. Lloyd shut his eyes tight. No, not Genis... Please, not Genis... He thought. After the debris had cleared, everyone opened their eyes. They all gasped at once at what they saw. Genis was crouched down on the ground, blinking back tears and shivering like a withered tree. And above him was a girl. She was floating and a white aura surrounded her like a goddess. Her eyes had a blank expression, her misty blue hair flowed around her as if it was the wind itself. Her clothes were as white as the clouds.
"It is alright... I shall protect you... Do not worry..." She said in a soft, mother-like voice. Kratos stepped out.
"Era! What are you doing here?" he asked.
"It was foolish of you to come... This place brings nothing but sorrow, hate, and agony... Why did you come to this horrible place...?" she said.
"The Tree is dying. We were just trying to find the source," Kratos explained.
"I see... Very well then..." the girl replied. Genis slowly looked up at the mystical creature.
"You- you saved me! Thank you so much!" he cried. The girl smiled a gentle smile. Sheena gasped.
"Wait! Aren't you Era? The Summon Spirit of Judgment?" Sheena asked. The girl nodded.
"Yes... I am called that..." she said. "But..." However, the dragon's roar interrupted her. "We must leave... Before it decides to attack again... Hurry..." Lloyd nodded.
"C'mon, let's go guys!" he exclaimed. Everyone nodded and headed for the warp signal. Genis paused.
"Will you come with us?" he asked. Era shook her head.
"No... I'm afraid not... But we shall meet again... I promise you... And do not forget... I shall protect you..." she said and slowly drifted away. Genis watched her disappear and ran to Lloyd. However right before he left, he heard that voice again, 'Why me? Why me?'.
"Why?"
A/N: I like this chapter! It's longer than the others! I dunno why, but I like creating people like Era. All mysterious and stuff. Anyways, I hope you liked it! See you next time!!