Conflictions of the Mind
-Chapter Four-
Falling out of Reach
Last time I talked to you,
you were lonely and out of place.
You were looking down on me,
lost out in space.
Laid underneath the stars,
strung out and feeling brave.
Watch the riddles glow,
watch them float away..
Mithos glanced upwards, the blue sky above swirling to pink above them, reflecting in his eyes, radiating with the hues of sunset swirling near the horizon. The Sky Terrace truly was beautiful, and aptly named, at that.
His gaze wandered back to the group. In his hands, he still held the shard. They were too busy staring at the vision of the soulless girl's sister. Mithos found himself preoccupied with more humorous thoughts.
'If they merged, they would become whole. Then they could give up themselves and join the age of lifeless beings. Humans are truly so weak. Not that I feel compelled to help them.' He had the means to merge two beings, of course; but he wondered if those girls – one alive, and one deceased – would prove suitable subjects. One had already failed the Angelus Project.
He could sense Raine's headaches through the shard. He held them at bay for now, though he knew that she must be taught to appreciate it sooner rather than later. 'Once I draw enough mana.. I'll be able to..' He was drawn out of his thoughts once more, dark blue eyes flicking back over to the group. The ghost of the girl was about to fade.
Presea.. Please.. find Master Bryant..."The noble you went to work for?" The girl's eyes were wide.
Yes.. by killing me.. he..
Another blow. The ghost had faded, but Presea seemed to possess emotion for once: a rare sight that had the others frozen for a few moments. "Alicia.. he.. killed you? Please.. tell me what happened."
Please.. Presea..
The pink haired girl stared at the spot where her sister had been, and then towards the ground, her language very clear in the surrounding silence. "..Lloyd. Please help me find Alicia's killer."
There was a pause. Mithos tightened his hands into his fists for a moment. The ungrateful girl! 'Genis tries so hard to please you, you useless failure,' he thought angrily. If anyone had been looking in his direction, they would have seen his dark glare. 'All the more reason that you don't deserve to be saved for him. Even if it is what he thinks he wants. But he will learn.'
His hand squeezed the shard, and his facial expression returned neutral, his eyes falling to the ground. To the others he would seem in thought. He was merely focusing himself upon the shard again, taking his anger out on Raine instead..
"..Yeah." Lloyd replied; sounding equally surprised that she had spoken to him. "We'll beat this Bryant guy to a pulp and drag him back here."
"Yeah!" Came Genis's more lively response, trying ot prove himself to Presea once more. "He won't get away with killing your sister!"
"..Thank you." It was hard to tell whether she was replying to Genis or Lloyd. Instead she turned and followed the group into the elevator. Now only Mithos was left standing.
Genis turned around, confused when the blond didn't follow. "What's wrong?"
Mithos gazed towards the grave, schooling a ponderous expression on his face. "..Exspheres are terrible things, aren't they?"
"Yeah." The boy replied impatiently.
Mithos still didn't move, and for a moment they just stood there. This time it was Lloyd who spoke. "Hey.. Time to go."
"..Okay." Slipping his half of the pendant inside his pocket, he slowly turned around and followed him back to the elevator, where the rest of the group remained haunted by Alicia's last words.
"Poor Alicia.." Colette murmured as she pressed the button for the ground floor. Sheena was holding the door open for everyone as they stepped inside. "I hope we find who did this to her.."
"We will," Lloyd said, looking at Presea as she stepped inside. "As I said before, we will track him down, bring him to her grave, and make him pay for murdering her."
Genis lifted up his Kendama as he stepped in after the taciturn girl. "Presea will get first dibs on him with her axe, of course. I'd like to offer my services by burning him to a crisp."
"All criminals must be punished." Mithos murmured under his breath.
Presea nodded. Her usual-empty gaze seemed very far away now. She didn't even notice Genis's attempts at being consoling. "I'll.. avenge you, Alicia.." she whispered.
The elevator reached the first floor, and the solemn group slowly made their way out of it. As they walked towards the exit, they heard two young men taking in low excited voices.
"..Isn't the otherworldly gate supposed to open tonight?" One of them was saying.
His companion nodded. "Man, I don't want to think about it. We could be sucked over into the hellish land of Sylvarant.."
Mithos refrained from a smirk once more. He loved it when scenarios simply presented themselves to him. Especially since the others hadn't noticed. "Lloyd, did you hear that?"
Lloyd blinked, and seemed to take a moment to actually process what the two were discussing before he walked up to them. "Excuse me." He began, startling them from their conversation. "That otherworldly gate you were talking about just now, where is it?"
The young men stared at him. "Who the heck are you?"
Mithos shook his head to himself before stepping in front of Lloyd in a 'let me handle this manner', pleased to be able to take this opportunity to play hero for them. "I apologize. We'd like to go see the otherworldly gate. Can you tell us where it is?"
The young men blinked, but seemed to warm to Mithos's words rather than Lloyd's. "Ah.. well if you're looking for the otherworldly gate, it is to the east of this city.. across the sea."
"Um.. are there any landmarks?" That was Colette, of course. Sometimes he wished that she would just stay silent until the transfer between her and Martel was complete. The voice coming out of that mouth was simply too obnoxious for him to listen to.
One of the young men nodded. "There are huge rocks all over it. You can't miss it. But tonight's a full moon. If the legend is true, then you'll be sucked into Sylvarant!"
Genis cast his eyes downwards. "I wonder if Raine is there.."
"I don't know.. but it is the only clue we have." Lloyd replied, giving a reassuring glance to his friend. "Lets take a look."
"I hope that she's all right," Sheena murmured. "If Miss Ruin-crazy was going to run off and look at ruins at any point during our journey, she would have done it a long time ago. There must be a reason."
"It'll be okay.. I hope.." Mithos cast his eyes downwards as well. "..I wonder what Raine wants to do at the otherworldly gate."
"Yeah.. me too.." Genis murmured.
Lloyd looked over at them. "This is the professor we're talking about. You know how she is with old ruins. She probably just wanted to get a look at them firsthand. Now we have to find her and tell her not to go off on her own like that."
"Yeah.. we should hurry." Mithos mumbled. To the others he looked positively miserable, and wasn't helped by a few more comments from the idiot chosen, Zelos. They didn't know that he knew where she was all along; that he knew that she was perfectly all right, if only suffering a bit. Nothing that they would be able to do anything about.
Regal rejoined them at the entrance, and after a brief discussion, they boarded the Rheairds again. Presea this time flew adjacent to the pair; Mithos kept a firm grip on the silver-haired mage as they rode.
"Are you two.. all right?" She asked.
"..I.." Genis was blushing again. Mithos wanted to kick him, but instead maintained his grip. "Yeah.. we'll find Raine. Lloyd's right, she's probably just researching something. Like a way to get us to go back and forth between the two worlds."
Mithos frowned. "..Perhaps. But doesn't it only work on a full moon? You have to wonder if.. she was planning to just leave us.."
Presea nodded. "I wonder that too. She has been acting.. strange lately. I do not think she would do this without a suitable reason. I.. am an older sister. I strangely.. relate to her." She looked down, lost in thought. "Yet.. I was unable to protect.. Alicia. I have failed."
Genis shook his head. "No Presea, you haven't failed anything. Everything was taken from you. There's a difference. And.. you haven't failed us."
The girl smiled softly; a rare thing. "..Thank you."
Mithos felt a pang of jealously from that exchange, and he gritted his teeth, but chose to remain quiet. He would have his time to speak.. and to prove himself.
And he would win.
Time passed, and she carefully slipped the pendant back into her pocket. "It's gotten late," The healer spoke aloud, this time not worrying about the fact that she was quite alone, glancing towards the sky. It was past sunset now, the blue darkening as the sun began to sink below the horizon and the first stars began to appear in the vastness. "Yet I don't know if I'm ready to leave.. this."
Raine looked down, and knelt, her hand reaching for the spoon. Fingers closed around it tightly as her eyes moved once more to those marks. "Those marks are faded, yet I see at least twelve. Yet it had to be more than that."
Returning to her feet, she turned the spoon over in her hands. "More than that. The food had run out for me, Genis. I promised you that I would protect you. You're lucky that you're young; that you don't remember these things. I won't tell you anything until you're older. If even then.. this isn't your world, your past.."
The spoon was slipped into her pocket. "A memoir. I suppose I may as well keep it. Just something more to add to my collection. Of junk, as Lloyd puts it." She smiled faintly, giving her head a shake. "One person's junk is another's treasure, though.. there must be a reason for my collecting things. Or perhaps.. I'm just a packrat, as Genis tells me."
There were some comforts to be had by voicing thoughts out loud, after all. Even though there was no one to speak with. Even that annoying voice that had buzzing around inside her head had vanished with the headache after she had held that shard long enough. Sighing a bit, she stepped back once more, studying the formation, absently brushing the dirt off of her robes. Silence, except for the water. Except for the cool wind blowing. Yet she remained still. At peace.
The hours continued to pass. Soon the stars came out in a clear night sky. "I remember seeing these stars at last." She murmured. "Before the light.."
She fell silent, wrapping her arms closer around her body for warmth. It had been nearly a day now. Hopefully the others were continuing on their path. If they made it to the Shadow temple, she would meet them there. By now those who were in charge of the Elemental Research Labotory were certainly back. That blue candle would do wonders for lighting up that dark cave..
"..And imagine the ruins.." She murmured to herself. There, a comforting thought at last.
"Professor!"She turned around, clearly startled. Lloyd, Sheena, Genis, and Mithos quickly scrambled off of their Rheairds, followed by the others as they ran up to her.
"..Everyone.. why are you all here?"
Lloyd stared at her. "Why do you think we're here? We were worried about you!"
Not to be outdone, Mithos quickly piped up, "Its dangerous to leave on your own. As a fellow half-elf, we can't just leave you here by yourself."
She shook her head a bit at the second comment. She had the urge to say that she had come to terms with being a half elf and found that she was quite happy about it, but the others were continuing to speak at once.
"Why did you come to this place?" That was Colette.
She turned away from them, sighing a little, and took several strides forwards. Might as well.. "..This is where Genis and I were abandoned."
A long pause followed. Lloyd was the first to question this. "..What are you talking about? You two are from Sylvarant!"
Raine shook her head. "..No. I happened to catch sight of this place when we rescued Colette. And it's been on my mind ever since. Then when I heard the story of where the two poles connect the two worlds, I became certain. The images in my memory.. the ruin, I've been searching for all this time, was here. In this place." This much was true. She didn't begin the search until about two years before they moved to settle in Iselia. But now a more caching of the truth was needed to protect Genis.
"So what are you saying?" Sheena asked, staring at her. "..The two of you were born in Tethe'alla?
"It can't be! All my memories are of Iselia. I don't know this place at all!" Genis exclaimed, staring at her. His eyes were filled with confusion. She wanted to take him into her arms.. to hold him, for an instant, weep once more.. but she couldn't. She was the Professor, after all. They would never see her that way.
"We were born in the village of the elves, from which we were eventually ostracized." She continued speaking, keeping her back turned, her voice almost the tone of a lecture. Clear. Distanced. "..We were abandoned here because this place was said to be the path to the legendary Sylvarant."
That's a blatant lie right there, The voice hissed in her mind. Can you protect Genis forever?
She tried to ignore it. Others were speaking. "The village of the elves? The secret village kept hidden from those except elvenkind?" Mithos asked, his eyes wide.
"Yes. I don't remember the details of what happened. But I'm positive that I was left with Genis here when he was just a newborn.." She closed her eyes for a moment, remembering the flash of memory. "..And we eventually ended up in Sylvarant."
"Then this time, let me send you to hell instead." A cold voice spoke behind them.
"Who's there?" Lloyd demanded as they all quickly turned around, startled.
"Kuchinawa? What are you talking about?" Raine glanced towards Sheena, who was now looking forwards. Kuchinawa.
...Wait, hadn't he been helping him? The healer frowned, but remained silent.
The red-wearing ninja laughed at them. Coldly. He seemed an entirely different person. "My chance to avenge my parents deaths has finally arrived."
"Avenge your parents?"
"Yes. You will finally die for causing the deaths of my parents and countless others when you neglected to control Volt."
Raine could see the surprise on just about everyone's faces. Including Sheena, though the girl seemed scared, now. "Wh.. what?"
Finally Lloyd characteristically took to the forefront. "That was an accident! Why are you doing this now?"
Kuchinawa waved his hand dismissingly. Raine found something eerily familiar about his coldness. "An accident? I could have just accepted things if she had just failed to make a pact with a summon spirit. But then, she failed to assassinate the chosen of Sylvarant, thereby putting Mizuho in danger. Yet look at her now! She's made pacts with summon spirits just like that!"
He snapped his fingers for emphasis. Raine tightened her hold on her staff, yet could not move. There was something in the air that bothered her. Something familiar. She shivered.
"You have it all wrong!" Colette snapped, balling her hands into fists and shaking them.
"Do I? I think she wasn't really trying during the first pact making. Because of that, she killed our parents and our people." Kuchinawa spat.
"They are Half Elves. We were betrayed by half elves... We cannot allow them to remain in this village. You should not have been allowed to stay here at all!"
"But.. but.. Elder!"
"Your children are not wanted here, Virginia. They must be removed at once. Removed or destroyed. Someone must pay for the exploitation of our village.."
"You are using my children as a scapegoat, rather than taking care of the true problem yourselves! Genis is a newborn! He has nothing to do with this! And neither does my daughter!"
"Sybak wants her. Isn't that enough?"
Raine shook herself awake. No time for daydreaming now.
"I did the best I could! I.." Sheena whimpered, unable to finish speaking.
"Enough excuses!"
The papal knights behind him without too much warning suddenly lunged forwards to attack. Sheena was too unnerved to move. Mithos, Colette and Regal stood off to the side, watching the others charge forwards. Raine watched, unable to aid with her healing spells for the moment. A dizzying wave of familiarness fell over her once more. Up above, the moon shone brightly.
Lloyd met them, with Presea, Zelos and Genis at his sides. "You're gonna regret this..." Raine heard her brother mutter, waving his kendama in a threatening manner. Indeed, it did not take the four of them long at all to defeat the knights; they did have strength when working together. They didn't even need her healing magic..
"Do not think ill of us." Presea spoke after they had defeated them. At first it had seemed a simple fight. Now glancing around proved that they were surrounded.
Raine closed her eyes tightly. 'There's only one way out of this.'
"Damn. There are too many of them!" Lloyd muttered furiously.
"Kuchinawa please! Don't drag them in this! I'm the one you despise, right?" Sheena's voice rang out suddenly, and Raine blinked, staring at the black-haired young woman. "Then I'm the only one you need to kill."
"Sheena stop talking like that!" Lloyd snapped.
Sheena shook her head. "It's okay! Kuchinawa.. please!"
The ninja seemed to consider this for a moment, then, "Fine!"
As Sheena stepped forwards, a long beam of light suddenly came down from the moon, striking the middle of the circle of rocks. It was beautiful, in a haunting way. Raine stared into it, suddenly forgetting her bearings.. almost drawn right back into that memory.
Light.. bright light... swallowing... forming a connection..
"You've got to be kidding me. Enough of this Sheena!" The red haired Chosen shouted, moving forwards and grabbing the girl by the arm. "Lloyd, come on!"
Before anyone else could think to react, Zelos had dragged Sheena into the gate that had materialized on the ground between the three rocks. Raine remained staring into it, almost frozen.
Lloyd however, snapped her out of it once more, and his words spurred her to run towards the gate that promised safety. "Everybody! Into the gate!"
A speeding blaze of light throughout the sky.. while it had been dark in Tethe'alla, it was afternoon in Sylvarant. Trees overhead swayed gently in the breeze as the group tumbled to the ground two at a time.
Thump. Lloyd and Regal were the last pair through the gate, and the last pair to end on the ground. Lloyd winced at his bumpy landing. Regal looked around; confusion displayed on his features. "Where are we?"
Raine stood up, smoothing her robes, relying on memory. "..Probably on the outskirts of Palmacosta."
"We're back in Sylvarant?" Colette stood up next, her blue eyes wide.
Having landed face down, Genis had yet to stagger to his feet. "The mana level seems to have risen, but its definitely Sylvarant."
Mithos rubbed his arms absently. An interesting turn of events, he thought, watching as the Tethe'alla chosen began arguing with the summoner. Kuchinawa was right, of course. Everyone needed to be punished. This time he decided to remain quiet, watching the tension spark within the group.
Sheena had stepped away from Zelos, though in her brown eyes there was a sign of uncertainty. "Are.. are you saying Kuchinawa is working for the Pope?"
A pause followed, before Raine took herself out of her thoughts and answered her. "It's likely. Those assassins with him were the Pope's men, were they not?"
"I'm sure of it." Regal affirmed, his gaze moving from his shackles over to the others.
It was Colette's turn to speak. The young blonde chosen pulled her hands into fists, shaking them in front of her, as she was wont to do when she was bothered about something and intent on making a point. She seemed especially so un-Martel like in those moments that made him want to scream.
"Sheena, don't do something like that again. Don't make the same mistakes I did. Nothing good will come of you sacrificing your life!"
Mithos knew better, of course. All lives must be sacrificed to make his world of perfection.
"I'm.." She paused. After a moment of Lloyd urging her to say something to Zelos, she slowly turned to look at him. "..thanks.." The black-haired girl replied to Zelos, albeit a bit hesitantly.
Mithos watched, and waited until their little personal situations seemed to be cleared up. Looking over at Genis and Lloyd, he managed to say, in a bright enough voice, "What are we gonna do now?"
Lloyd frowned, those brown eyes of his looking thoughtful. Mithos wondered how for a being so inferior, and with obviously low mental capacities, how the boy seemed to wrap his head around certain ideas when it came to planning. "Well since we're back in Sylvarant, why don't we find out what the Desians are up to, among other things?"
This stirred Genis to speaking, and he waved his Kendana in an annoyed fashion. "What about Mithos? We can't drag him into this!"
Inwardly, Mithos sighed. It was one thing if he was going to control Genis. It was another if the boy became too protective of him to allow him to show his usefulness to the group. 'Though perhaps it is better is they think me weak', he decided.
"Maybe we can ask the Palmacosta government to take care of him for a while." Colette said brightly. He nearly spat at her in distaste, but restrained himself. Those fools thought him a mere innocent child at risk.. it would be the perfect time to build their trust and break them down.
"I want to fight too!" Mithos protested, knowing this pleading wouldn't get him anywhere.
Genis shook his head ardently. "What are you saying? This journey is dangerous even if you had an exsphere!"
"He's right, Mithos. We do appreciate your sentiment." It was Raine who spoke this time, and he found himself wanting to smile. The hooks were safely in. It was almost time to reel them in.
Almost. And now, submission.
"I.. suppose you're right. I understand." He replied meekly, his expression reflecting his dislike of the situation, but his surrender to hold by their decisions.
"All right, so this is what we're doing," Zelos decided to take control once the nine of them had reached the Palmacosta inn, aptly named the Skipper's haven, waving his hand around in that condescending manner that he would sometimes use. "We'll rest here for the night, then in the morning take a look about this Sylvarant place. We'll get one room for me and my hunnies, and the rest of you can do.. whatever."
Sheena heaved an annoyed sigh. "How about we all get rooms, and let you sleep out on the street?"
"Quiet, both of you." Raine muttered in an annoyed tone, turning her ancient rod over in her hands absently. "I'll go query about the room situation. You finish up your business out here."
Mithos opened his mouth to speak, but Lloyd beat him to the punch. "No, Professor. We all have to stick together. Especially after what happened earlier."
Raine gave him a slight smile. "Thank you for your concern, Lloyd, but really, I won't do that again. You shouldn't have followed me anyway."
"Lets go see about those rooms, then." Lloyd replied, giving a glance over to the others.
Inside, the innkeeper greeted them with a smile. "Welcome to the Skipper's Haven. It will be two-hundred gald a night.."
"Do you have enough room for all of us?" Regal asked. "We are a rather large group.."
"I can set up some cots," The innkeeper said quickly. "Don't worry."
"Genis, Lloyd and Mithos can share one room; Zelos and Regal will have another, and us four can share the last room. How does that sound?" Sheena asked.
Colette nodded enthusiastically. "Oh yes, that will work."
Mithos frowned. "If you're sure.. I mean, couldn't Genis and I share a room with Raine, while Lloyd went with the other guys?"
Zelos winked at Mithos. "Now that's the kind of thing I'm talking about! Except, you know, the part where Lloyd sleeps with us 'other guys'. More like I get to sleep with the 'girls', if you know what I mean."
Sheena shot a glare at him. "Zelos!"
Genis shook his head. "It's all right, Mithos. I liked Sheena's idea. Sharing a room with my two best friends." The blond's face fell, but he nodded.
"Right. At least we'll be together." He eyed Lloyd warily. "Though.."
"I'm not the one who snores." Lloyd lifted his hands mock-defensively, glancing over at Genis.
"Hey!"
Sheena sighed, then looked helplessly over at Raine and Regal. "Well. We're plopped back in Sylvarant and what do these idiots start doing?"
Zelos quirked an eyebrow at her. "Don't throw that term around so loosely. After all, I did just save your life and all."
"Shut up." The summoner muttered impatiently.
After a few moments, the maid returned, telling them that the rooms were ready, directing each of them towards their selected room. Some of them went to bed right away, while the others sat around the fireplace, talking, until they got up and all left the sitting area.
In Lloyd's room, Mithos and Genis shared the big bed, while Lloyd took the cot on the floor. The blond half elf and Genis had been sitting up talking before Lloyd had entered the room, stopping abruptly when he arrived, and then the three of them had supposedly gone to sleep. Lloyd's only hope was that Mithos would realize that they all could be friends, together. He at least, never had any bias about what blood ran through them.
Genis rolled over in his sleep, snoring faintly. Lloyd was used to the sound now, though he couldn't help grinning a bit as he shook his head.
Granted, the young man was restless. Somehow the days had blended into weeks, weeks blended into months, and along the way, he lost track of time. Sometimes the journey had felt tedious; at other times it moved too fast for him. He hated losing his bearings. And now he could not sleep. The feeling of something amiss didn't allow him to rest as deeply as he normally would, as well as.. other factors.
The memories of his past failures were taunting him in his dreams. The tragedy at Iselia. Marble's death at his hands. Chocolat's shunning of him and subsequent capture. With a sigh, he pushed his spiky brown hair back and sat up, casting a last glance towards the bed. At least he didn't have to share a room with Zelos again. The chosen made too many strange noises in his sleep. "Might as well go for a walk," he muttered quietly, then got out of bed completely and walked towards the door, careful not to let it squeak.
As he stepped outside the door, his eye caught a figure down the hall hurrying downstairs and towards the exit. Blinking a little, Lloyd rubbed his eyes once more, and hesitated while deciding whether to follow or not.
The healer slipped outside of the inn, the night breeze blowing back her silver locks, gazing about the area as if seeing it for the first time. She had been in the town of Palmacosta many times, and yet she had never put two and two together. Until now. Until the memories refused to stay hidden any longer. 'It's only been twelve years,' she thought, frowning. 'This gap in my memories.. doesn't make any sense.'
Or perhaps it did. Once she was well enough, and old enough, she and Genis had begun traveling around, from place to place, looking for somewhere to call home. Along the way, the thirst for knowledge claimed her, and followed her, from her thirteenth year to now.. her twenty third. Ruins were her passion, and teaching would be the only way to fill the empty hole in her life.
"Quite the failure you are, Miss Sage," Raine told herself aloud, looking up at the night sky, tonight full of stars. Sylvarant's stars, which she had long ago memorized the names and their patterns. 'They are the same, and yet not.' She thought, and suddenly she sensed movement behind her, and before she could register this, someone spoke, almost in her ear.
"It isn't safe for you to wander on your own."
"Who's there?" Raine demanded, holding the Ancient Rod out in front of her defensively, blue eyes blazing. She hated being snuck up on; had nearly jumped when she realized that she was not alone.
A tall, auburn-haired man stepped out of the shadows. His garb was very familiar, and a long sword with fire running up and down the sides hung at his belt. Those dark eyes, usually void of emotion, seemed somewhat haunted. "Forgive the intrusion.. I thought that you might be here, in Sylvarant."
"You've betrayed us before, Kratos. What is it that you want now?" Her voice was cold, white smoke in the cool night air.
Kratos sighed, folding his arms across his chest. "I am here, Raine, to make sure that your group doesn't get themselves killed by going too far in this interference with the summon spirits. As you are the one that I deem the more sensible one to discuss things with, surely you'll understand my reasons."
Raine tightened her hold on her staff. "Your reasons. You wanted Colette to be the vessel for Martel. The story of reawakening the goddess has been a lie developed by Cruxis. You do not wish for the worlds to be united, nor for them both to have salvation at the same time; only to continue on this twisted regeneration mission that was brought about by.." Her eyes closed tightly; another one of those blinding headaches had come on out of nowhere. Don't question it. Don't question HIM. The voice practically screamed inside of her head, and she stumbled from the force of it.
Kratos frowned, studying her. "I chose to speak to you because you are smart enough to see that what you are doing will only result in disaster. The summon spirits cannot be freed. Do you hear me? If they are.."
The rod dropped as she pressed her hands to her forehead. The pain inside made her raise her normally controlled voice to a shout. "Stop it. Stop speaking. You betrayed us, Kratos, and I followed you blindly along! You were supposed to be a mercenary, helping us for a fee.. I am a teacher, not a puppet!"
Kratos sighed. "You aren't listening.. and what's wrong?" For an instant, his eyes were darkened with concern.. however, she couldn't see, as her eyes were squeezed shut.
"Nothing.. it's nothing, Kratos. I will not go along with what you say until you give me a suitable reason. If you don't give me a reason, I have no reason to do what you say, or mention this little meeting to Lloyd. Understood?"
Kratos frowned, but relented after a final sigh. "As you will, then, though it is you who does not understand. We shall meet again. Hopefully you will be willing to listen to me then. If it isn't too late."
She rubbed at her forehead. "I doubt that. Do as you will, Kratos, but if it is against us, you will find my opposition at every turn. If you try to hurt Lloyd in any way, I will be there. Don't you dare try to play me as your puppet. Do you understand? We will all do.. what's right for the world." The pain started up again, and her back crashed against the side of the building. "Get out of my sight!"
"How is it that you know what you do is right?" Kratos asked rhetorically, not expecting an answer as he knelt down and lifted up the ancient rod, leaning it on the wall next to her. "Make sure he doesn't die." He murmured, before vanishing into the night air.
"Damn you." Raine whispered, her hands over her eyes, trying to fight off the pain. Her right hand slipped down into the pocket of her orange robe, grasping for the crystal shard tightly.
You should have listened to him. The voice admonished her. You've been a naughty girl, Raine..
Instead of the usual soothing rays of warmth that the crystal normally brought, the crystal was white-hot. The pain at that moment was so great that it seemed as if it had burned straight through her hand.
The effect only lasted for a moment, though that moment seemed to last too long.
It sunk in. She let go.
"..Professor..?"
