Tales of Symphonia: The Releasing Orb
Chapter 13 'The Situation'
A group of six familiar friends sat together ready to discuss the circumstances at hand. The seventh person felt out of place. Kane sat and watched them speak to one another, and he started to feel distant. He thought he had found a group that he could belong in, but it seemed that the relationships before him were places he could not reach. He watched the newcomers faces as Yuan told his story about the enemy's uses with Exspheres. They watched Yuan intently, and when he finished Raine began her story.
"I came here wanting to speak with Yuan. I wasn't expecting to find Colette and Lloyd with you, Yuan. Seeing you two here makes everything more suspicious. You have been branded traitors of Symphonia."
"You're joking!" It seemed to Lloyd that the bad news would not stop, "How could they pin something like that on us? And you believe them?"
"They had a video." Genis began. "It showed you three attacking the king. It's just kind of odd finding you three together."
"WHAT? We never touched the king! AND..."
"Lloyd, stop yelling. This is the enemy's work. Before we headed to the ranch we had a conversation with the king. We were on the same side then. I wonder if Kastus is now controlling him like he did to Regal?"
"That is most likely the case, Yuan. Now, you told us the enemy's uses for Exspheres. But I wish to know how exactly Kastus, the king, and this man," Kratos directed his attention to Kane, "directly involved?"
"Alright, well," He paused to find the right place to start, "It seems that Kastus has been lying about his true identity, which is evident by now. He is the leader of the Desians. This is a true fact, for he let us know it when we arrived at the ranch. As I told you earlier he uses Exspheres to control the minds of others like he did to Kane and now I believe the king, too. However, there is a way to overcome this. Kane did so himself..."
"But how?" Lloyd interrupted which is something everyone was getting use to.
"...I think he is able to trick the minds of those who do not know where they belong." Yuan continued slowly, "And in the kings case I believe the situations of late have caused his mind to grow weary. I assume that made him an easy target. As of now, that is all we know. We have not learned what Kastus is after, or how to stop him."
"So basically all you know is how he is achieving his goals..." Yuan nodded in response to Kratos's remark.
"It's your turn." Kratos looked up at Kane.
"Kane is right. I want to know your story." Lloyd was waiting for a response
"I will tell you if you promise not interrupt, Lloyd" Lloyd looked defeated, but nodded in agreement. "To begin with, most of the machinery on Derris Karlahn is still intact. There was always a way for Yggdrasill to keep his eye on all the human ranches, and the way was made possible through some of the machinery. For months the signals sent to Derris Karlahn from the ranches have been growing. The signals grew so strong that it hinted the human ranches were back in full working order. It was only natural that I feared what was happening back on Symphonia."
"I had the half elves help run some of the other machines to find out what else could be happening. One machine detected a pulse coming from the Egalitarian Tree. It had grown weak, and its signal was slowing. I believe everyone knows that this means the tree is dying. With this threat, I asked that the Angels use every bit of their power to return Derris Karlahn back to Symphonia. They used Darris Karlahn's mana to enhance their powers, and we began to drift back to Symphonia."
"Once we got near Symphonia I sent out tracking devices to find you, Lloyd. You were detected almost immediately because of that orb you carry. Your quite an easy target, you need to be careful. Anyways, I noticed that you were in the Iselia ranch. I had my army of angels make a direct assault on the Desians, while I snuck in another way to find you in the underground maze. I followed the halls around and finally heard you kicking and screaming. I fear though," Kratos looked down as if the statement was not meant to be aloud. He looked up at the rest of them to finish his thought, "My army was no match for the Desians. They are missing their Exspheres, which are lost in space. I'm not saying that we use Exspheres again, but what other choice do we have right now?" Kratos finished, and he joined everyone in their lost confusion.
Everyone sat in silence to go over the information in their own heads. There was too much that they did not know, and nowhere to go with the information they had. Lloyd finally broke the silence with the question that was itching at his brain, "So what's our next move?" This seemed, if possible, to make the silence increase. None of them wanted to wait around for Kastus to make his move, and none of them knew what next move to make.
"Ahem..." Everyone turned to Kane surprised. "I think I know some things that need to be done. Real spies need to be watching the Iselia ranch..."
"Actually," Kratos interrupted, taking after Lloyd, "The ranches are all connected. It would be best to have spies set at them all."
"Alright," Kane continued, "As for the second task, I think another group should visit the Egalitarian Tree. There is a rumor that says the protector of the tree is there. If it is true then maybe we could gain some information from it."
"It is true." Lloyd was recalling the day he had stood by Colette and named the tree.
Kane nodded to acknowledge what Lloyd had said, "Finally, I think an army should be assembled. It's quite obvious that a war is upon us. Contacting allies for this battle would be important. We need a financial support to say the least."
"I have political connections. I don't think all the people would have sided with the king so easily. Also, since Kratos is at the head of the Angel army... I will allow you to organize the Renegades while I am out on business." It pained him to say those words to a rival, but he had no other choice. Kratos nodded at Yuan.
"Genis and I can go to Heimdall and speak with the elves there." Raines suggested. "It is a long shot, but it's worth a try."
"I think Lloyd and I should visit the tree, since we have been there before." Lloyd agreed with Colette's idea and started to jump up to run out the door. However, one look from Kratos and Yuan each caused him sit immediately.
"Then it is settled. Why don't we head out tomorrow? It is late, and we are all tired. I will have my guards take you each to your own room." Yuan got up and began to call out for his men.
"I have to decline. I am going back to Derris Karlahn to report the situation. Excuse me." Kratos stepped out of the room. The rest were led to areas were they could rest.
Kane sat alone in his own room. Once again he was the odd man out. Even though he had given them ideas on what to do when they had all been at a loss he still was left out. He was beginning to feel that maybe he did not belong anywhere. He was the former Desian, which he felt was not respectable. He thought of Kratos and the past that was kin to his own. However, Kratos had a different, special relationship with the others.
"There is one place I could go where there would be similarities... but I cannot go that path." He moved to lie down on his bed. He laid his head on soft pillow and stared up at the ceiling. "No choice seems to be the right choice, one way I am an enemy to Symphonia and its people... the other way I am alone." He stopped himself from drowning in any more self pity. He knew better than to torture his mind by going back and forth between decisions. He closed his eyes and let himself get lost in sleep.