Well lookie here, Laura's updated for your holiday veiwing pleasures:D hehe hope everyone has had a very enjoyable christmas, I know I did. Ah wow, let me tell you this story was really fun to write, I enjoyed it mucho! I hope you all did as well, I put alot of work into it, and I hope not too many people got confused Xx haha I think I got confused myself...haha! Anywho enjoy the final installment of...BLUE SKIED SYMPHONY!
Phanos looked onward, he had tunnel vision and only a small circle of light penetrated into his gaze. He looked down at his body shackled to the massive tree; a loud grumbling and crack made the group before him turn their heads to the Chaos Tree it was dying. The leaves were no longer bright vibrant red, but a pasty white, and the roots no long moved lighting fast but sluggish and labored as if a huge force was pushing down upon the trees very existence. Phanos felt surprisingly calm, it confused him he should be burning with hatred about now, but he was tired ever so tired and wanted nothing to do with anything anymore. The field was bathed in light once again and the many personas of the Goddess each one holding an identical staff towards the blue expanse of sky reformed into one sole entity, which immediately came crashing to the ground.
"Martel!" Mithos cried he ran as fast as he could towards her, she was falling backwards, just like that time, so long ago…Mithos's eyes stung with tears as he dove out behind her catching his sisters body in his trembling arms, he pushed back a strand of hair on her cold lifeless face.
"Martel! Wake up! Please!" Mithos cried gripping the limp body, Kratos looked on gravely Yuan at his side. Kratos heard Yuan take a sharp intake of breathe, he turned to his blue hair friend who immediately collapsed as well.
"Yuan…" Kratos knelt down placing a hand to the half elf's forehead, which was hot with fever. Kratos's head shot up his eyes narrowed.
"Raine! Come quickly." He whispered as the white haired half elf ran over and knelt by Yuan's side, Yuan popped open one crystal blue eye, which was clouded by his current condition.
"Yuan! Stay awake please!" Raine said pleadingly as she began to search her pack for a healing gel. Everyone turned towards them.
"Professor what's wrong with him?" Colette asked concerned as she walked over. Raine was concentrating on finding the gels, so she didn't reply.
"Kr-Kratos…it's all right, I-I promised Martel, that I'd give her some of my mana, that's all." Yuan said his voice barely audible he winced and closed both eyes. Kratos's eyes narrowed.
"Yuan you're in no shape to be making those kinds of promises! What were you thinking?" Kratos asked anger flooded his voice. Yuan took a shaky breath before answering, he grabbed Kratos's wrist.
"I…felt so, so useless I, I didn't want to loose her, not again…I couldn't let it, Mithos, he's upset again, I couldn't let him go through that." Yuan coughed and Raine looked up fear in her eyes Kratos shook his friend's shoulder.
"YUAN! Stay awake damn it!" Kratos hissed.
"Martel…you're all right!" Mithos exclaimed as his sister's hand came up to his face and with her index finger gently brushed away his freshly fallen tears. A chuckle from the Great Tree made everyone go silent and Mithos and Martel stood side by side looking towards Phanos.
"You…fools, you think this is over just because you sealed me? Ha ha ha pathetic, you're all so…pathetic." Phanos spoke his voice failing at the end as a wave of coughing and crimson fluid crashed to the ground reddening the rainbow colored chains. Lloyd who was standing away from the group looked sadly at the broken defeated man. Lloyd walked closer until he was a mere two feet apart Phanos glared at him eyes flashing red blood dripping from the corner of his mouth, his bangs hung over his left eye keeping it hidden from the red covered swordsman.
"You never wanted this, did you?" Lloyd asked his voice filled with sadness. Colette's eyes fell to the floor and Kratos was the only one who noticed her gaze shifting.
"Of course not, who would like to be a puppet for the one race said to be evil." Phanos retorted angrily. Lloyd sighed.
"Then why? Why did you let it happen?"
"In a world devoid of peace what is there worth living for Lloyd, tell me that." Phanos asked tiredly closing his eyes. He reopened them to find the young swordsman smiling.
"Devoid of peace, I don't think so that's why we're here." Lloyd said giving him a thumb up, Phanos let out a clean pure laugh.
"Is that…so, I-I guess…I was wrong about that after all. I'm-I'm."
"No need to be." Lloyd interjected, "You just rest, okay?" Phanos nodded and with that the Tree's grip on him tighten pulling him in closed to the trunk.
Mithos looked away biting his lip, Martel rested a hand on his shoulder. Raine knelt down beside Yuan whose breathing was labored now she lifted his head up and placed the vial filled with apple gel to his lips, where he sipped it slowly. Her eyes had a look of deep concern her hand was coated in red blood as she laid him down again.
"Kratos, Yuan needs serious medical attention." Kratos looked down surprised at the sudden seriousness of the half elf's voice.
"Raine…you…" she got up and walked over to a dirty ragged Genis whose clothes were torn at the edges. Kratos sighed a slight smile on his face.
"What are you smiling about, Kratos?" Yuan asked.
"Oh. Nothing." Kratos said seeing that his life long friend was glaring at him from his position on the ground. Kratos turned to Lloyd. Phanos sighed.
"You're all so, foolish, stuck in a perpetual illusion, that's what you are." Phanos said tiredly.
"Why, why do you say that!" Colette cried out everyone looked at Phanos whose face held a smirk.
"Do you really think that humans, elves, and half elves can truly live together? After everything that went on between them do you think they'd just forget it and go on living their lives as if nothing happened?" Phanos asked his eyes scanning the group.
"Of course not. But that's why we're here to show people how to forgive and move on." Regal stated Presea nodded her head.
"The anger which you live off of can and will be stopped." the pink haired girl said.
"I await that day…but until then I will live on forever, never ceasing to exist." Phanos whispered sorrow in his voice.
"And we'll be there to stop you, no matter what." Lloyd replied. Phanos let out a laugh.
"I await…our next meeting then Lloyd Irving Aurion." Phanos said as his body began to turn into white balls of light as the Great Tree merged him with itself.
"I will not be forgotten…ever." Lloyd's eyes widened as he looked at the others who seemingly didn't hear Phanos's last sentence. Lloyd spun around as he felt a small hand on his shoulder, a blue eyes blonde haired half elf with purple bracelets on his wrists looked at him apologetically.
"I'm sorry, everyone." Mithos whispered, as he looked at everyone who nodded in agreement. He turned back to the surprised swordsman.
"Thank you Lloyd…for letting me rectify at least one of the many problems I caused. And for letting me protect her…my sister." Mithos said a slight smile spreading across his face. Lloyd nodded, he looked at Mithos as he felt the half elf's hand wrap around his arm.
"But, something isn't right…something is still out there. Waiting. Be careful." Mithos whispered as he saw Kratos approaching Lloyd opened his mouth about to ask what exactly it was but Mithos turned his back to the swordsman. The Cruxis leader walked up beside his sister who looked down at him with green emerald eyes that sparkled in the sun's light.
"Goodbye, my friends." Mithos said as he smiled his eyes lingering on Genis. Genis looked at Mithos saddened at the knowledge of what was going to happen next. Just as Phanos disappeared both the goddess and Mithos did as well, leaving everyone in a quiet silence. The linkinite tree swayed in the light breeze playing a requiem for those lost and sealed away. The wind picked up a bit and a cry made everyone's gaze turn upward.
"Sheena! Zelos! You're all right!" Genis and Colette cried running towards the ninja who was standing next to a sheepish Zelos his hand around the ninja's waist. The three sylphs stopped flying about them and the air platform instantly disintegrated and caused the breeze to return to normal. The sylphs waited patiently beside Sheena as she hugged Genis and Colette. Kratos eyed Zelos warily.
"Not to worry I'm clean." Zelos said a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Kratos snorted as he stood arms crossed over his chest. Lloyd turned as Colette called his name his white ribbons billowing out behind him. Sheena walked towards the tree.
"Where's Phanos?" she asked.
"There. Sealed for eternity." Lloyd stated sadness in his eyes and voice. Sheena rested a hand on his red clad shoulder.
"We did all we could Lloyd sometimes people just can't be helped." She said taking a step closer to the tree. Lloyd looked down at the ground he clenched his fist.
"He didn't deserve that though, he never wanted that." Lloyd whispered. Sheena looked at him with her almond colored eyes. She began to summon the goddess of Ice.
"Ah Sheena's summoning my cool Ice Beauty!" Zelos said his eyes sparkling with excitement. Raine whacked him on the back on the head with her staff her eyebrow twitching.
"Owww what was that for!" Zelos cried as Colette and Genis giggled. Raine sighed.
"You never change, do you?" Raine said sighing. Zelos huffed rubbing his head indignantly.
"I call upon the light of the heavens. I summon thee, come, Luna!"
"I call upon the Red Giant, the Ruler of Hellfire! Come! Efreet!"
"I call upon the disciple of everlasting ice. Celsius!"
"I call upon the servant of Mother Earth. Gnome!"
"I call upon the maiden of the mist. Undine!"
"I call upon the hammer of godly thunder. Volt!"
"I call upon the envoy from the dark abyss. Shadow!"
"Ancient ruler of the elements, I summon thee, Maxwell!" Sheena finished summoning the last of the summon spirits which now stood around her. Lloyd looked at her uncertainly.
"Sheena, what're you doing?" he asked as Origin appeared beside him. She turned to him winking.
"Adding a little extra protection to Phanos's seal. All right guys! Give it your all! Summons of Symphonia! Seal this beast within and grant your protection upon the heart of the world!" Sheena cried out her hand extending forward the summon spirits moved in front of her and from each of them a beam of light matching their element sprang forth, all ten beams of light collided together forming a rainbow colored disk, which floated suspended in the still clean air.
"Elemental Prism!" the ninja's voice rang out once more. From the disk a thin hair like strand shoot forward it touched the surface of the Kharlan Tree tentatively as if alive, and checking to make sure it was the right object. It then began to wrap itself around the massive Tree's trunk it became transparent as it stretched along the tree outlining its leaves and bark in a rainbow colored thread. The thread ended at the top of the tree's bundle of bright vibrant green leaves where it exploded in a flash of pure white light, everyone turned away as to avoid hurting their eyes, balls of multicolor radiance rained down upon the green earth around the tree.
"Ah it's-it's so beautiful!" Colette exclaimed a sparkle of happiness flashing through her eyes. Lloyd smiled he was happy that his friend was finally able to smile once more. Genis smiled as well turning to Lloyd a grin on his face. Raine looked up from her position beside Yuan, who was also staring with amazement. Sheena dusted herself off and turned back to the group smiling.
"There we go…all finished." She said swaying a little Zelos walked behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders to steady her. Raine's eye's narrowed in objection to the red heads movement. Zelos smiled, and Sheena nodded to Raine saying it was all right. A gasp made the silver haired half elf spin around.
"Yuan! What do you think you're doing! You're not supposed to be moving." Raine said angrily as she walked over to him hands on her hips. Yuan glared at her his blue eyes burning with indignation.
"Don't treat me like a child, I'm old enough to know how much my body can take." He said his whole body shaking, as he tried to take a step forward, but fell onto one knee his cape flying out behind him, Kratos ran over, bending down.
"Yuan! We need to get you to a hospital, now." Kratos stated looking up at a worried Raine who nodded in agreement.
"Well then what are we waiting for lets beat this joint!" Zelos said cheerily as he ushered Sheena to a pink Rheaird. A gust of air sent everyone to moving their hands over their faces as Zelos took off.
"We'll meet you at Flanoir!" he cried over the noise the Rheiard was causing. Lloyd nodded as he got onto his own Rheiard he helped Colette climb into the hovering craft. Genis got in with them as Raine and Yuan piloted a different one. Regal and Presea took the spare that Yuan had on him, and Kratos looked up.
"I'll be there shortly, I have business elsewhere." Kratos said emotionlessly. Yuan from the Rheiard knitted his eyebrows as Kratos's figure became but a tiny speck from their view is the cloudless azure sky. What're you thinking now, Kratos? Yuan wondered as he tiredly closed his eyes to the blissful waves of air crashing against his fevered face. Kratos watched them leave and when he was satisfied with their distance he walked over to the tomb of Phanos. He knelt beside it and let out a sigh.
"I don't understand you sometimes. You were the middle but why, why like this? What the hell made you think…that I'd join you." He got up off his knee, and dusted himself off he unsheathed his sword and stuck it in the soft ground in front of the Great Tree. He turned his back and unfurled his wings.
"Goodbye, Phanos." He whispered as he took to the air leaving the sword glinting in the sun's warm light.
:6 months later:Flanoir:
He awoke to the sounds of hammers slamming, people giving orders, and the sweet aroma of a well-prepared breakfast. It had been six months since Phanos's demise, and everyone had returned to his or her usual tasks that they were going to do after Mithos's defeat. Lloyd and Colette returned to Iselia along with Kratos, Raine, Genis. Regal and Presea went back to Altimara to stop the mining of exspheres in the Toize Valley Mine. And he, well, he returned back to Meltokio with Sheena but was immediately sent to Flanoir to aid the people is its reconstruction, the damage done to it by Obsidian was worse than once thought. Zelos let out large yawn as he stretched his hands over his head he rubbed his eyes, and looked out the snow caked window, the sun was beaming, its iridescent rays causing the snow to sparkle and shimmer. A knock on the door turned his attention to it.
"Come in." he said rather coyly. Sheena walked through a slight smile on her face; she was carrying a tray filled with breakfast. Muffins, Coffee and pastries of all sizes and shapes. Zelos's eyes lit up.
"Sheena, you should've woke me up!" he said rising up out of the covers.
"It's all right, it isn't too hard to help people especially when you have summon spirits." She said as he placed the tray on the desk next to the table, she sat next to Zelos and leaned in closer as she kissed him.
"Heh, maybe I should sleep in late more often." Sheena sighed.
"Why do you always ruin the moment." Zelos laughed and wrapped his arm around her waist in a loving embrace.
"Oh I forgot to tell you!" she said looking at him.
"We have to go to Lloyd's today, for our annual meeting." Zelos sighed.
"I feel like I'm part of a tea club or something." Sheena laughed as he got up.
"Well, if you hurry up and eat, and get dressed we can get there sooner and leave sooner too." Zelos sighed putting the tray over his lap, and he began to eat, he looked at Sheena.
"All right, All right, I'll be ready in a few." She smiled and walked to the door closing it quietly behind her.
:Iselia:
Lloyd sighed as he paced outside of Dirk's house. The dwarf had been kind enough to let the borrow the house for a few days out of the end of each month so they could all return and discuss their advancements is ridding the world of both exspheres and discrimination. The whole fiasco with Phanos really knocked them back time wise. Lloyd let out another sigh as he rubbed his temples Kratos appeared in the doorway leaning against the side, he smirked.
"Lloyd what're you worrying for, they'll be here shortly, don't worry." Kratos said placing a hand on his son's shoulder, Lloyd stilled and turned to Kratos and nodded. A slight gust of air had both father and son looking up, and lo and behold Zelos and Sheena were descending from the bright afternoon sky. They walked out from the underbrush of the forest waving and smiling.
"Hey, Bud! Haven't seen you in what? Six months!" Lloyd growled folding his arms over his chest and turning away. He still looked the same, same red overalls same hair maybe a bit longer which made him look a little more like his father, but he was still the same.
"My name isn't Bud dammit." he stated Kratos just smirked.
"Mr.Zelos! Ms. Sheena!" Colette cried from inside the house, a loud thump and the breaking of glass was heard.
"Ah! I'm so sorry Mr.Dirk! I'll pay for them!" Dirk's gruffy laughter reverberated from the house. Colette appeared, dusting her self off, in the doorway. Zelos smiled.
"I see nothing has changed too much."
"Come on in we'll begin our discussion." Lloyd said walking in through the door and Sheena, Zelos, and finally Kratos after he closed the door. Everyone was situated in a circle, Regal and Presea sat next to each other and Genis was sitting next to Presea, an empty seat then Lloyd, Colette, Kratos, and two more empty seats. Zelos took the one right next to the auburn haired man and Sheena next to him. The only source of light was a tiny window above the dwarf's workbench.
"Whose the empty seat for?" Zelos asked, Lloyd's head turned to the stairs.
"Raine." Zelos's eyebrow rose.
"Where is she?"
"Upstairs with Yuan." was Kratos's monotonous reply. Zelos snickered, and Sheena glared at him. He immediately stopped.
"Why is Yuan…here?" the red head asked.
"Well, he wasn't doing very well when we were flying so we cut the trip to Flanoir short and brought him here, he'd lost too much blood and needed to recuperate and well, Dirk said we could leave him here and that he'd keep an eye on him so he wouldn't go sneaking off." Lloyd said explaining, Kratos snorted at the last comment of the boy's sentence.
"Well, what's wrong with him isn't he better after six months?" Zelos asked looking at the expressions of worry on Lloyd's face.
"I-I think, that fight with Phanos, really tired him out." Lloyd said looking at Kratos. A creaking of stairs had everyone look up Raine came down the stairs she looked at the group.
"How is he?" Kratos asked before Lloyd, who closed his mouth.
"His wings…he still can't use them, I don't think he ever will be able to again." Raine said barely above a whisper. Kratos folded his arms over his chest.
"Why did that have to happen." Colette said tears in her eyes.
"Why did…Phanos, do that." Kratos sighed and looked away his eyes resting on the dwarf's workbench.
"It, it's not his fault he was like that." Kratos said everyone looked at him.
"Mithos ruined his life, and he ended it too." Kratos continued.
"But Phanos was so strong! He could've just, fought back." Genis said looking at his hands. Kratos sighed and rubbed his eyes with his right hand.
"Mithos always thought less of the beings he supposed were beneath him, that's why he overpowered them, he made them think they were lesser but in truth Phanos could've stopped him by himself." Everyone turned to the stairs and standing upon them was a pale disheveled blue haired half elf.
"But why did he use Phanos to house his soul?" Lloyd asked now breaking the silence.
"Why not? With that much power he could do anything, and I'm the fool for not trying to stop him." Kratos said.
"We're both…fools, Kratos." Yuan responded from his position on the stairs. Raine got up and ushered the blue haired angel back upstairs, everyone was quiet for a long time; only the crickets could be heard from the surrounding forest and the soft intake and exhale of breathe. Nosihe's ears twitched slightly from his position on the wooden floor. Kratos sighed biting his lip and looking away. What do I do…how can I possibly tell them.
"I think…I'm ready to move on." Yuan whispered from his position on the windowsill. Raine looked up from her medicine bag her eyes connecting with his pure icy blue ones. Yuan sighed and turned back to looking out the window. It was pitch black out now with dots of slivery light from the scattered stars.
"I will never forget Martel, but I can't just keep going on like this. I've been forgiven, I think I can move on now don't you agree?" he asked turning to Raine.
"Of course." She replied.
"I'll always love her, Martel. I'd give my soul just to save her, but…I know she isn't alive anymore, I just."
"Yuan." The half elf turned his blue head towards Raine.
"You should rest…" she replied smoothing out the sheets on his bed Yuan sighed, and closed his eyes.
"Something is still out there, I can feel it." Raine raised an eyebrow at the half elf's statement.
"Like?" Yuan sighed.
"Don't know but it's there like a blanketing darkness before the final storm." Yuan said gravely.
"Well, then we'll just have to get through it together, like always." Yuan let out a laugh.
"Yes…together." He said, getting up and lying in bed.
"You know, we're the same, you and I." Raine looked at him perplexed.
"You didn't think my past was all bundles of happiness do you?" Yuan asked smirking.
"I don't really know." Raine responded sitting on the bed next to him.
"My mother was just like yours. I loved her so much and then, she betrayed me just like you, am I right." Raine looked at the floor.
"Yes, I was just a little girl and Genis a baby still when that happened." Raine said. Yuan closed his eyes, and Raine got up and quietly walked to the door and closed it behind her and descended down the stairs. Everyone was asleep besides Kratos who turned to her.
"He's…dying Kratos." Raine stated as she sat tiredly in a nearby seat. Kratos looked out at the moon from an open window, which allowed the nights cool fresh air into the little wooden house.
"You want to protect him don't you?" Kratos asked and Raine's head shot up at his question.
"I-I don't know I never felt like this before." She said hands clasped together. Kratos smirked and Raine growled.
"What's so funny Kratos, Aurion?"
"Oh, nothing, nothing." was the man's curt reply.
"Something is still out there Kratos."
"I know I've felt it ever since Phanos was sealed." Kratos said seriously. There was a slient pause before Kratos began to speak again.
"There was…an incident, in Luin," he began Raine looked at him imploringly. "A royal knight was killed there Raine, I don't know if Lloyd told you but a…a half elven dagger was found buried in his throat." Kratos said rather blandly, Raine looked at the floor.
"What do you think it means?" she asked, "Do you think me and Genis aren't trying hard enough?"
"It's not that at all, I just don't think it's getting through to people. But, the strange thing was, was that there was an emblem on the dagger…the letter P." Kratos stated. Raine sighed and ran a hand through her silver hair, which glowed in the moonlight. Kratos was reminded of Martel for a second, her hair always used to shine like that.
"I guess we'll just have to wait for it to make its move." Raine replied and Kratos nodded shaken out of his reverie.
"Night." Raine said as she got up and walked up the stairs to bed. Kratos stared out the window pondering what was to come.
"What-what is it that is out there exactly?" Kratos whispered his eyes gazing into the moons milky white glow. He shut his eyes slowly as a wave of peaceful sleep blanketed him. All their worries washed away as they descended into the land of dreams, and soothing peaceful darkness. The once blue sky was now washed over with a dark cover that would disappear as fast as it came and the world would once again arise to a bright, blue sky, the people no longer fearful of anything and yet the dark past of Symphonia still lingered and people pushed it away as if not wanting to recognize it.
But, that is the fate of man to be consumed with the deeds of the past, never to forget that which once was, and never to look ahead to that which will be.
And so the world moves on never to look at the mistakes it made, ignorant to the pain, fear, and anger in people's hearts. Thus, with light, there is always dark no matter what for without this the balance of the worlds would, and never shall be equal.