Disclaimer: I do not own Namco and probably never will.
A/N: Hmm… I was never very satisfied with my other fanfic, Tales of Symphonia: The Secret of the Angels. I won't delete it, but I kind of want to rewrite it in a way. I guess this could be a rewritten form of it, but it is much different. I'm not very pleased about how the other one turned out. I hope you guys enjoy this version! (Please review if you have any opinions or comments!)
Prologue: Yggdrasill
"This tree's name will be… Yggdrasill," Lloyd said proudly, staring up at the tree with confidence.
"Hmm… Yggdrasill… and what brings you to that name?" Nana asked, looking questionably at the poised swordsman.
"Actually, I don't really know…" he said, rubbing the back of his head, "It's just popped in my head somehow…"
"I think it's a wonderful name! Yggdrasill… it's perfect!" Colette cried and smiled at Lloyd.
"Yes… a wonderful name… Yggdrasill… I do think it fits the tree well…" Nana said and smiled a weary smile. "I do like it…" She gazed upon the mighty tree in its full stage of growth. Its brilliant leaves gave way to the rays of the sun and the wind blew lightly. The air smelled of a deep ancient scent, one that brought mystery. Butterflies flew daintily with the breeze and birds lifted off the tree with a loud flutter of wings. "Thank you, Lloyd… You have brought peace upon this land…"
"Heh, it was nothing…" the swordsman said, blushing with embarrassment.
"Lloyd!" Colette pouted and stared at the baffled face of Lloyd.
"What? What's wrong?" he asked.
"You saved the world! That's a big deal! You should at least give yourself some credit," she said, "Plus, you also did it without sacrificing me…" She flushed suddenly and Nana chuckled warmly.
"Yes, she speaks the truth. You should give yourself some credit," the half-elf woman said gently, "Because of you, the tree is saved, the world is saved, and the people are saved…"
"Yeah, but…" Lloyd started and suddenly looked very glum. "But I took many lives to accomplish all that." Colette looked worriedly at the saddened swordsman. "I've been thinking… Maybe not all of the Desians were bad… Maybe some of them were good… in a way… Maybe some of them just wanted to help their own race…"
"Lloyd…" Colette whispered, clasping her hands together.
"I mean, Mithos… he could have done so much more with his life… but I killed him… Was that really his fate? To be killed?" He shook his head. "Arrgh! Or did he want to die? I don't know what to believe anymore!" The young man fell to his knees and his hands formed fists in his lap. "What is the meaning of all this…?"
"Lloyd… don't burden yourself like that…" Colette said, with her eyes closed. "That's what you've always told me…" The young man still did not look up. "It's true that many died, but I'm sure many more would have died if you didn't save the world." She opened her eyes, glanced at Lloyd and to see he was not recovering, she frowned.
"Their deaths were not in vain," Nana suddenly spoke up. "Mithos had always wanted his sister back and to know that what he did was not what his sister desired was probably a great shock to him. I assumed he rejected the idea until he finally realized that Martel was truly unhappy to know of all the lives that were taken in the process of resurrecting her…"
"And this thing…" Lloyd finally said, staring at the red gleaming stone on the back of his hand. "These things… Exspheres… so many lives were taken…"
"But their lives weren't wasted! Because of these Exspheres, we destroyed all the ranches so the Desians couldn't make any more! Don't you think that was what the captives really wanted?" the blond angel asked and almost jumped up when she saw that her words were not breaking through. "You were the one who told us not to think of the past!"
Lloyd gasped and lifted his head as if a wave of static had stricken him.
"You've always told us Lloyd! Don't you remember? You told us that worrying about the past wouldn't help us! You said that we should never dwell on the past or predict the future, but instead, focus on the present. That was the only way we could build a better tomorrow!" Colette cried. "You gave me a future. You gave all those surviving captives in those ranches a future. You gave all those who were suffering hope and justice. Doesn't all of that mean something to you?"
The swordsman stared at her, wide-eyed. "I- I don't know anymore…"
"Lloyd!" a voice called from behind. "Sheesh! You're such an idiot! Don't doubt yourself so much, okay?" Running footsteps could be heard and behind Colette was the whole gang.
"Genis!" Colette gasped as she saw the faces of her friends. "Raine! Sheena! Everyone else!"
"Don't think we could have missed seeing the tree," Sheena said brightly, but then trailed off. "But to see our hero doubting himself like that. Now, that's uncalled for…"
"Get up, Lloyd!" Genis cried.
"You've saved both Genis and me… Give yourself some credit," Raine reassured.
"Lloyd, you've done so much… Please don't hurt yourself like this…" Presea said comfortingly.
"Presea is right. You have helped everyone and we wouldn't be here without you," Regal smiled.
"See? Even though so many people died, we're still here with you! We'll always be by your side!" Colette cheered.
"You're right, guys," Lloyd finally spoke and slowly stood up. "I'm thinking too much…"
"Now that's our Lloyd!" Genis exclaimed.
"Thanks, Genis…"
"No prob!"
"It seems that your friends are here now, Lloyd…" Nana said, "Do you wish to do anything before you leave?" The group thought for a moment.
"Oooh! Let's all pray together!" Colette said gleefully, "for all those people who were lost!"
"Great idea, Colette!" Genis complimented.
"Yes, it is such a lovely idea…" Presea said quietly.
"Okay everyone, hold hands," Lloyd ordered and everyone did as told. Nana smiled from outside the circle of friends they had made. "Alright, you start first Colette…" The girl smiled at him and then closed her eyes.
"I wish… I wish that everyone will be happy in this new world we've created… I hope that those who died are happy and our enemies can be forgiven. I pray for peace… I pray for my friends… and I pray for a bright future…" she whispered. Genis was next.
"Heh… I wouldn't know where I'd be if it wasn't for all my friends…" Genis quietly said. "Many times I've thought of how I'd ever live my life, see the future, avoid discrimination, but now, I'm more than what I'd ever be if I had stayed in Iselia. Everyone taught me so much, a gift I would have never received… This moment right now is truly a blessing. Marble… I hope you're happy… I pray for those who have lost their lives…"
"Genis has said almost exactly what I would like to say," Raine started. "I've always wondered how I'd ever survive in this world and I've always dwelt in the past. However, now, I've learned that dwelling on the past is useless. We must all make the best in the present to build a better future… I pray for those who have suffered like us and those who are still bound by discrimination…"
"I don't know how happy I am right now… to see this world all alive again… to see those suffering ones smile again… that is what I could ever ask for…" Sheena wished. "However, if I could have just one more wish, I would wish for someone else to be here with me… someone who died for someone else's happiness… I pray for him and Corrine and those people I had failed once… but never again…"
"I was never able to see the sun…" Presea said so quietly. "No matter how hard I tried, I could never see the sun… I was so hopeless and so forlorn in my own little world… These people… my friends… showed me the path of light that led me out of the dark abyss. They helped me see the sun after so many years of my life that I've lost… Now, after all the time I've lost, I promise I'll try my best to make the remaining time for me memorable. This moment is nothing I've ever dreamed of or experienced in my own little world… I pray for Alicia and those who were victims like me…"
"I'd never thought I'd live after I killed Alicia with my own hands…" Regal whispered. "I'd never thought I would be here… among my friends… in front of this great tree… Those people who were sacrificed for Exspheres… I pray for them… But as Lloyd said to me… I won't pain myself with memories of the past… I won't hurt myself anymore… I pray for Alicia and for the new life my friends have created for me…"
"Okay, Lloyd," Colette spoke softly, "you're the last one…" The swordsman took a deep breath.
"Being here with my friends is something I could have never dreamed of… This world… it really confused me… Many people confused me with their actions and their emotions… Many times, I've asked myself, 'Why do I keep fighting?'. Was it for revenge? Freedom? Justice? That I do not know and now I realize those drastic actions of my enemies… I understand why now… Why Mithos wanted so much to bring Martel back to life… I know why Zelos died for Seles' happiness… I know why Botta and his soldiers died for us… Their reasons can't be explained in words… they can only be expressed by their heart. I understand many things that I've never understood before… And to think that I'd be here right now… in front of Yggdrassill… is truly the greatest gift I could ever have… This memory… will last in my heart forever… I pray for my father, Kratos, who taught me many things and tried his best to protect his son… I pray for Anna, my mother, to be happy with this world we're going to make… I pray for those who were touched by our words of hope and those who will live forever in our hearts…"
Then, each one opened their eyes and bright light shone. Nana was gone and nowhere to be seen. Rays of vivid luminosity surrounded the circle of friends and flutter of wings could be heard. Golden feathers drifted down from the heavens and Colette began to sing. Her song could not be described in words. The melody was so lovely that Lloyd thought no one could sing better. Her song rang in everyone's ears as they gazed up toward the dazzling and sparkling light. Everyone was silent as they listened to Colette's angelic song.
It seemed as if her voice blended in with nature. Tiny orbs of crystal light floated and swayed in the air. And then, they all saw a blur emerge from the dominating brightness. A figure was formed and wings bore behind its back. The angelic character began to sing and united with Colette. Its auburn hair danced along its back; its mist-like eyes gazed sadly among the group. Tears rolled down its cheeks and became golden orbs of life.
Then, the figure slowly faded. Colette's voice became softer and softer until there was complete silence. And in a brilliant flash of radiance, Lloyd fell unconscious.
A/N: Heh… bad ending I know… Couldn't think of any other way to end the prologue. Anyways, please review and write any comments or opinions!
