Disclaimer: Unless you've been completely ignoring everything I said in the last eight chapters, you should know I don't own Tales of Symphonia. If I did, lots of people would be pretty sad. I kill off way too many people. ; )
A/N: First of all, sorry for the late update. I've been uber-busy and fanfiction isn't the only thing I do you know. Anyway, thanks for all the reviews! At this rate, I'll DEFINITELY have 100 review. This will be my third story to reach over 100 reviews! ALRIGHT!
Anyway, I also wanted to mention that this entire story has been a new retelling of a previous event in the ToS universe. Can anyone guess which one? It should be pretty obvious by the end of the chapter. Hint: every main character in this story plays the part of another character from ToS.
Okay enough chit-chat! Read and Review people. I know you will..
Chapter Eight: The Power of the Heart
Lloyd and Sheena leaned down as they prepared for the on-coming assault. Their enemy, once friend, Presea was ready to slice the two in half. Genis watched with an evil glee as he continued to input demands into the Mana Cannon.
It happened at once. Presea flew at them, her axe swinging with deadly force. The axe came down, crashing into the floor in front of them. Lloyd slashed across the girl, but missed her barely. As she retrieved her axe, Presea slashed at them yet again.
"Sheena!" Lloyd called, blocking the axe. "I can handle Presea. You go stop Genis!"
"Right!" Sheena cried, jumping up. Her cards flashing with white-hot intensity, she ran at the Half-Elf Emperor. "It stops here, Genis!"
"Oh, does it now?" Genis asked, looking at her. Madness gleamed in his eyes. He stopped typing, and turned to face her. "Very well, if you wish to fight, then I will not stop you. As soon as I finish with you, I will finish my work here. Enjoy your last moments of life."
"I intend to!" Sheena cried, running at him, throwing her first card. The card hit the wall, as Genis dodged to the side. His eyes glowing, he grinned and looked over at her.
"Is that the best you can do?" he asked, grinning evilly. "GRAVE!" he cried, holding up his hand. At once great stalagmites rose out of the ground and struck Sheena. As she cried out in pain, Genis cried out "FLAME LANCE!"
The great flaming...lance...struck Sheena as well. As her vision disappeared behind earth and fire, she could see Genis readying another spell. Just in time, she cried out "GUARDIAN SEAL!"
As her shield came into effect, a great geyser of water erupted beneath her. Genis had been using the Spread spell! Sheena could now tell he was being dead serious about this, he actually wanted to kill her!
"It didn't have to be this way, Sheena!" Genis cried as his spell washed away the fires he had set. "You are like me, you are a half-elf! You could have lived in my perfect world!"
"I am nothing like you!" Sheena cried. "You are no longer the Genis we once loved! You are nothing like the strong, caring boy we once knew! And that means I will feel no regrets when I defeat you!"
"Well, you are right on one account," Genis said, grinning. His body glowed bright as he prepared his next spell. "The Genis you once knew is dead. JUDGEMENT!"
As the beams of light struck Sheena, she tried dodging out of the way. But there is no way to effectively escape Judgement. The beams of light struck her and wounded her. Still, Sheena got back up and continued fighting.
Back over at Lloyd, things weren't going much better. Both Presea and Lloyd suffered from dangerous slashes and cuts. They had, apparently, agreed on using no Techs silently. Neither one used any form of magic. This was an honorable duel, not a magicians battle.
"You...don't have...to do this...Presea!" Lloyd cried, slashing against her with all his might.
"I must...obey my master," Presea said, blocking the attack.
"Why? Why must you listen to him?" Lloyd asked. He blocked her next attack and delivered one of his own.
"He...is my master. Genis...is my friend," Presea said in her monotone voice. "Genis will always be..my friend."
"Genis is no longer anyone's friend!" Lloyd said, grabbing her. As the two struggled, Lloyd twisted her head to face Genis. "IS that what you love? That monster?"
"I...I..." Presea was actually speechless. Her friend, her master, her love...was attacking Sheena with deadly force. Every spell he used pushed Sheena closer and closer to death.
As Genis delivered another bolt of lightning, Sheena dodged. Throwing another card, it struck Genis in the shoulder. Sheena cried out two spells and Genis burst into flames. As the Emperor roared, he was then thrown into the air. He struck a pillar and roared yet again.
"Genis..." Presea said, her eyes changing. They were no longer the ones that held no emotion. They were filled with worry, with fear. She had come back to normal. "Genis, no..."
"I am sick of this!" Genis roared. "INDIGNANT JUDGEMENT!" he cried. All three of the other combatants screamed out loud as the attack hit them. Their bodies were being fried from the inside out, and they couldn't stop it. Even Presea cried out in pain and horror.
"Genis, no!" she cried, picking up her axe. "Martel forgive me..." she muttered as she ran. Her axe raised above her head, she ran at the roaring Emperor. Evil energy flowed around him, crackling and smashing. Walls began to break and collapse as his dark magic struck pillars and walls.
"GENIS FORGIVE ME!" Presea cried, swinging her axe. As Genis looked over, his eyes widened. He was seeing his most trusted servant run at him, about o rip him in half.
"Presea, what are you..."
He never finished his sentence as Presea brought down her axe on top of him. As he cried out in pain, dark magic blasted out of his body, striking Presea down. Genis grabbed at his stomach, which was now openly bleeding all over the damn place.
"No..." he muttered, realizing he was dying. "If I die...I'm taking all of you with me!" he cried. Jumping up, he ran over to the Mana Cannon controls. Typing in the final coordinational directions, the computer glowed with life. The Mana Cannon began to glow bright as it sprang into action.
"My dream will succeed...I will rule!" he cried, growing weaker every second.
"No..Genis, I'm sorry!" Sheena cried, holding up one last card. As she muttered one final incantation, the card glowed with life. The rest of them could see a heart painted on the card.
"No..." Genis muttered. "You wouldn't dare."
"That choice is not hers!" came the voice of the summon spirit Sheena had just summoned. As a rainbow of colors flooded the room, Verius was summoned.
Lloyd and Sheena huddled together, helping each other stand. Presea was close to tears at what was happening. Genis just stared at the Spirit with hate in his eyes.
"And what are you going to do? Kiss me?" Genis said, maniacal laughter escaping his lips.
"Something like that," Verius replied, smiling. As he opened his mouth, it began to glow a great pink. Letting out an otherworldly tune, the pink energy burst from his mouth.
Geni's eyes widened as the pink energy beam struck him in the heart. As the pink energy flowed around his body, visions flew through his head at impossible speeds. His eyes widened.
He saw himself as a young boy, helping Lloyd with his homework. He saw himself helping Colette stand back up after she tripped. He saw himself protecting both his friends in a magical battle. He saw himself trying his best to impress an emotionless Presea. He saw himself betraying his friend Mithos to save the rest of his friends. He saw himself praying to Martel that Lloyd and Sheena would win against Destron.
And then he saw the more recent times. He saw Raine die at the hands of some amateur bandits. He saw himself tell off Presea. He saw himself murder a gang of humans. He saw himself commanding thousands of Desian troops. And he saw himself destroying the entire world.
"NOOOO!" he cried, holding his hands to his head. "MAKE IT STOP! PLEASE, MAKE IT STOP!"
As the Emperor fell to his knees, Presea ran over to him. Lloyd and Sheena followed her. Genis was on the ground, his eyes wide with fear, his hands gripping his head.
"What have I done..." Genis muttered, his voice filled with fear and suffering. "What have I done!"
"Genis, it's okay," Lloyd said, holding his friends hand. "We can get you through this. We can all leave together."
Suddenly, the moment was ruined as a loud boom could be heard from the Cannon. All four looked over to see the Mana Cannon was glowing brightly. It was about to fire!
"Genis, we need your help!" Sheena cried, asking her friend, her enemy. "We can't shut down the Cannon! If we don't stop it, everyone will die!"
"You're right..." Genis said, realizing his mistake. "The Cannon can't be controlled, I've been a fool. Martel, what have I done?"
"Genis, please," Presea said, holding Genis' hand. "We cannot stop he Cannon. We need your help. I know you can do it."
"The Cannon...can't be stopped," Genis said. "At least...not by you three."
"Genis, what are you talking about?" Lloyd said. "We're not letting you do it yourself!"
"You have to!" Genis exclaimed, yelling at him. "I'm the only one here with enough black magic to stop it. None of you have the kind of power I have!"
"Genis, I can use the Summon Spirits..." Sheena tried.
"No, it's too risky," Genis explained. "Using their mana could just as easily set off the Cannon. I'm the only one that stop it. You three have to go, escape! I will stay here and stop the Cannon. There will be an explosion, so you three must escape."
"We're not leaving you!" Lloyd exclaimed.
"You have no choice." Genis sighed. "Stopping the Cannon will force it to explode. The explosion will kill all within the range of the core, right here. I will die, but you three can still live. I have done enough evil already, and I won't let you three get hurt."
"But Genis..." Sheena said. Presea looked close to tears.
"Just let me do this," Genis. "I will not die a monster. I will pay for my sins by saving the world I once despised. Now, go."
"Genis..." Presea muttered.
"GO!" he cried, turning to face the core of the Mana Cannon. "I will not have your blood on my hands as well!"
At once, Lloyd and Sheena jumped up and ran for the exit, looking back at their friend. This would be the last time they ever saw Genis. They were glad it was when he was sane again, as their friend. As Sheena and Lloyd sprouted wings and took to the sky, Presea looked back.
"Genis, I cannot leave you!" she cried, her eyes watering. "I love you, and I can't leave you like this!"
"You have to," Genis said sadly. "I must stop this machine, it is my responsibility. But Presea?" he asked. She looked at him, still sobbing. "I always love you. I will miss you, my love."
And with that, Genis turned back to the Mana Cannon core. As Presea ran behind him, he smiled. "I will always love you, Presea."
Facing the core, he stretched out his arms. Roaring, he forced all of the dark magic he had accumulated into the core itself. As the pumped round after round of magic into the core, it began to shake violently.
"I will not die a monster!" he cried, letting all his magic loose.
Then don't die, came a mysterious voice. Turning, Genis faced the ghostly image of Mithos Yggdrasill.
Those pathetic beings out there don't care for you. They never did, Mithos told him. Come back to me, Genis. Together, we can rule this world again. Together.
"No..." Genis said. "I am no longer your puppet, I am no longer your friend. Your legacy ends here, tonight! You don't control me anymore!"
Good for you, Genis, came yet another voice. Genis looked to the other side to see his sister, Raine. Her ghostly image took over Mithos', and she and to him like she had always done before.
I am sorry I could not help you before, Genis, Raine said, sad. But I am proud of you. What you are doing is right. I couldn't ask for a better brother.
"Thank you...sister," Genis said, pumping mor and more black magic into the core. As the tower began to shake violently, Genis stumbled. As he fell, he felt two hands stop his fall. Presea.
"Presea, I thought I told you to leave..." Genis said, panting. "I...can't make you stay here."
"You don't have to," Presea said, picking him back up. "Without you, my life would be pointless. I cannot live without you."
"Presea..." Genis said.
"I love you Genis," Presea said, kissing him. "And I will never leave your side again."
"Very well," Genis said, taking her hand. As the two stood up, they embraced yet again. Still holding hands, the pair approached the core. Holding up the hands that weren't being held, a blast of dark magic erupted from both of them.
"IT ENDS HERE!" Genis cried, his eyes wild. All of their black magic was being ripped from them, into the core. The core began to shake and implode in various areas.
"FOR SYMPHONIA!" the pair cried, releasing them selves into the core. As the core exploded, the pair was vaporized. The tower collapsed as the Mana Cannon exploded. Chunks of rock and stone fell into the ocean as the battle outside ceased.
It was over. The saga of the Half-Elf Emperor had ended.
: Two Weeks Later :
In the quaint little village of Iselia, six figures were gathered around a large grave stone. Colette Wilder cried openly as Zelos held her close, his own eyes watering. Regal stood watching the stone, his eyes sore and bloodshot. Even Kratos shed a tear for the pair that the gravestone belonged to.
Sheena cried openly as well. Lloyd hugged her close. His own eyes were suspiciously dry, like Regal's. His sore eyes were set on the gravestone. With all the strength he could muster, he read the stone yet again to himself.
Genis Sage Presea Combatir
Two friends, two lovers.
The path they chose was never certain.
But in the end, all that mattered
Was their love for each other.
Finally, Lloyd let out a tear. Three of his best friends were now dead, and he had been unable to stop it. He looked around at the rest of them. At one point, even they would be dead.
But that's not what's important, he realized. What is important is appreciating the time we have left. Lloyd looked down at his wife, who was now smiling back up at him. Gently, he smile back.
"Come on," he said, tugging her closer. "Let's go home."
THE END
A/N: And that's all, folks. Man, I hope you guys like this story as much as I loved writing it. This is the final chapter and conclusion to Heart of Darkness. I want to personally thank each and every one of you for reading and reviewing this story. If it wasn't for your great reviews, I wouldn't be here. I'd probably be spending my time working at Subway, or something. So thanks.
No, to tell you guys the retelling. This entire plot is a loose retelling of the end of Tales of Symphonia. Each of the characters represented a major Seraphim from the game. For example, Genis played Mithos. Raine was Martel, and Kratos was Yuan. Presea played the part of Kratos, being the trusted servant that turned on her master. And Lloyd and Sheena played...themselves! They played the same roles in both storylines!
Well, I hope you enjoyed this story. Glad I could provide you all with quality story-telling. So, until next time:
PEACE OUT!
