Author's Note: Here's a third chapter. There're another old character appearing in this chapter. And hopefully I'll get reviews this time!

Disclaimer: Angelglory does not own Tales of Symphonia; that belongs to Namco. Angelglory does own the new characters appearing in this fic though.

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The Nocturne Saga: Chapter 3: Blood On The Ground

His senses slowly began coming back. At first he could only smell something. It smelt like burning wood. Oh no! Is the forest on fire? I have to do something! He thought.

His hearing then came back, as he heard two people talking. The voices were of two girls that sounded familiar.

"How is he doing?" one asked.

"He hasn't moved at all. But he's still breathing." The other replied. "Oh Lloyd, I'm sorry. This was all my fault, I should have been paying better attention."

"Please Colette, don't bring yourself down. You did all you could," the first voice said.

Next, his sense of feeling returned. His hands lay on, not the dirt path in Gaoracchia Forest, but what seemed to feel like a bed. This doesn't feel like the forest. Did someone find us?

Taste followed next unnoticed, while sight came in more vividly. As his vision blurred back into focus, he could see Colette and the other person from earlier.

"Presea, look, He's waking up!" Colette shouted joyfully.

Lloyd slowly moved his shaking hand up to where his wound was. He ran his fingers over bandages that were partially covered in blood. His own blood. "Oh man, that was a close call." He mumbled.

"Lloyd, how do you feel?" Colette asked eagerly, worried for her close companion.

The eternal swordsman rubbed the back of his head, as if to rub away the pain. "A little sore, nothing to worry over though." He commented.

His gaze shifted to the left, to a girl that looked familiar but at the same time didn't. "Presea? Is that really you?" he asked, taken by surprise.

Presea nodded in acknowledgement. "Yes, Lloyd, it's me. I've just grown up a little." She replied.

Presea had gotten a few inches taller over the past two years. Her time starting to flow once again and she looked about half her actual age (so she looks 15, since she'd be 30 now). Her hair was longer and her pigtails were hanging down the sides of her head rather that straight out. Otherwise, she looked the same.

"Presea found us in the forest, Lloyd. She brought us to Ozette and she even fixed up your wounds." Colette's voice beamed with joy.

"Thanks Presea." Lloyd smiled.

Presea lost her calm demeanor and it was replaced with a more embarrassed one. "…" She blushed.

Lloyd's thoughts drifted as he looked out the window of the house. His sights fell onto the sleeping Noishe. "Noishe!" The swordsman sprang to his feet and ran out of the establishment. His chest was pounding, mostly because of the pain, as he kneeled down to his slumbering friend.

…Look at what you've done to him, Lloyd. I'm surprised you didn't end up killing him. You have no control…You're pathetic…

The words from the unknown voice weighed the swordsman down even more. "Noishe…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you." Lloyd said, his voice shaking. The guilt of hurting his own friend was deep.

Colette and Presea watched Lloyd but stayed quiet for his sake. "Lloyd…" Colette whispered to herself.

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Everything was dark. Someone's crying could be heard coming from everywhere, without source. Off in the distance, standing alone was the young half-elven mage, Genis.

"…Raine…My horrible sister…How could you? …How could you leave me to die? …I thought you cared about me, your only brother…But I guess I was wrong…Raine…Raine…Raine!"

The Professor's eyes opened abruptly, waking her from her nightmare. The sky was cloudy and dark, given it was night now. The cloud foreshadowed the coming storm. It should start in any second now… She thought half-heartedly, trying not to think of the images she saw in her sleep.

Zelos, Sen and herself had made it to Ossa Trail in a matter of two days. The first was spent looking for Genis, resulting in failure. They had looked everywhere; they would've found him by now, right? Zelos somehow convinced Raine to start searching elsewhere for her younger brother, even though she wanted to keep searching the blazing desert.

The silver haired half-elf sat up from her spot on the ground and surveyed the area, eyes half open. They set up camp at the end of the trail, on the Izoold side. Zelos lay against the nearby tree, holding his precious hat against his chest. Sen, who was shivering in his sleep, slept in between the former chosen and the Professor. Zelos made jokes about treating Sen like his and Raine's adopted child. This, of course, only resulted in a harsh beating from the Professor's staff unto the idiot chosen.

"Gather 'round… ladies… the Great Zelos Wilder… is here," Zelos mumbled in his sleep.

Raine rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to the clouds as water droplets began falling from the sky. Standing up, her thoughts turned to Genis. Where is he? How could she let him vanish like that? Her thoughts were interrupted when a small whimper came from Sen. His fox ears twitched as the water hit them. What exactly is Sen, anyway? He isn't human, yet he definitely isn't an elf of any kind, that's for sure.

Putting those thoughts aside, she picked Sen up from the ground and held him like a mother would her child. Although he was surprisingly light, so it didn't really cause any problems. She walked over to Zelos and kicked his foot lightly. "Zelos, wake up." She said, loud enough to wake the ex-chosen but not the sleeping child.

The redhead quickly opened his eyes and looked around drearily, his eyes eventually fixating on Raine holding Sen. "Hey, my Glamorous Beauty, you change your mind about the adopted kid idea?" he asked, a playful smirk painted on his face.

Raine thought about giving the narcissist a swift kick to his 'Holy Grail', but instead, gave him a subtle, "Humph…" before continuing. "If you haven't noticed yet, it's raining out. I suggest we move into the tunnel unto the storm passes," She said sternly.

"Alright, alright, I'm going." Zelos replied, standing up and carefully put his hat upon his head. Don't wanna mess up my hair now, do I? He thought to himself.

The party proceeded into the abandoned tunnel to wait out the storm. Little did they know, someone else had just entered the Ossa Trail right after them.

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Three people sat around a round table, enjoying the food that was placed there. All kinds of riches and stolen goods lay around the tent. At the table sat Sata, Hulix, and another man who was covered by a large brown cloak and a sword by his side. The cloaked man remained still, not touching his food at all.

"So, lemme get this straight Mistress Sata. That kid was yours?" Hulix asked, before biting into a chicken leg.

"He isn't mine if that's what you meant. It's like I said before, it was a life debt, and so I owned him. My pet, if you will." Sata replied, after swallowing a bite of rice.

"Well, why'd you keep him a secret? We could skinned his ears and made a fortune!" Hulix exclaimed.

I don't skin my pet's you idiot! "Are you questioning my authority, Hulix? You remember what happens when you do that, don't you?" Sata asked, casting a cold glare at the huge man, while standing up from her seat.

The round man shook his hands with fear. "O-Of course, I do. I'm sorry Mistress Sata. Please, I was just rambling. Not making any sense at all." He said quickly in his defense.

Sata sat back down and watched the steam rise from her rice. "Good, as long as we have an understanding." She replied coldly.

There was an unsettling silence afterwards for several minutes, until Hulix spoke up again. "Say, Keji, you haven't eaten at all." He claimed.

The cloaked man, known as Keji, didn't reply.

"Come on, it's pretty damn good. You shouldn't waste good food like this." The large bandit said, pointing a drumstick at Keji.

Slash. In an instant, the chicken leg fell from Hulix's hands into two pieces split in the middle. "Hulix, don't point your disgusting food at me with those pig hoofs you call hands." Keji said, as his sword slid back into the sheath.

"Hey! What the hell's yer problem?" Hulix shouted, picking up the decimated drumstick and eating it anyway.

"I've been thinking. Sata, you realize that letting that child go, you jeopardized our mission." Keji said, looking up to show his face.

Silver hair fell around his face and only made his platinum eyes look even brighter. His sword lay down on his lap, with a black and red patterned sheath and hilt. "This could ruin everything we're striving for." He announced harshly.

Sata crossed her arms and sighed. "I know, damn it. But, I can't betray the code of life debts. That Raine woman saved Sen's life, so he belongs to her know." She said, reluctantly.

"Then we'll hunt down this Raine and kill her. Sen's blood matches the blood needed for the ritual. We need him soon." Keji claimed, standing up abruptly and leaving the room.

"Jackass." Hulix muttered under his breath, followed by Sata chucking a rock at Hulix's head. "Ow! What'd I do?"

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The former chosen of Sylvarant stood helplessly, watching Lloyd bringing himself down. And yet, the blonde didn't try to say anything, like she normally would. She wanted to help, but it wouldn't come to him. She was mesmerized by a voice echoing in her mind.

…Colette…Join us…Forget all of your sorrows…And fall into the darkness…

"Forget my sorrows?" The angel asked to herself.

…Yes, that's right…You won't suffer anymore…No more sadness…No more hate…

"No more hate?" she asked. She quickly shook her head. "No, I can't leave Lloyd and every else alone. I could never…"

…This salvation is for everyone…Your friends will be free from suffering as well…

"R-Really?" Colette thought, "It's too good to be true. You have to work for peace and unity, right?"

…Some work for that peace…but it always ends in someone else's hatred towards them…

"No, that's not right. Why can't everyone be happy and live peacefully?"

…That peace is impossible to achieve…Unless, you join us…

"No, I can't! Lloyd needs me." Colette spoke aloud.

…Fine…Then live in that suffering…Until you change your mind…

A severe headache flashed in Colette's head, causing pain and discomfort as she fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Colette!" Lloyd shouted in shock, as he turned his view to see her falling.

The eternal swordsman ran to Colette's side, along with Presea. "Colette! Colette, are you all right? What's wrong?" Lloyd asked worriedly, placing his hands on the blonde's shoulders.

"Lloyd, behind you!" Presea exclaimed.

Lloyd quickly looked back to see a man pacing toward him from some distance away.

…Greetings, Eternal Swordsman…

"It's that voice from before!" Lloyd thought. He immediately drew his blades and got into an offensive stance. "What did you do to Colette?" He asked demandingly.

…I just gave her a reminder…Of what this world is really like…

The stranger continued to approach Lloyd and now Presea, who stood beside him with her Gaia Cleaver, as well.

The mystery man wore a dark green trench coat. His identity was completely hidden by long black hair that fell over his face. He didn't seem to have any weapons of any kind. "Then how did he hurt Colette?" Lloyd asked himself.

…It's none of concern…Now, come quietly and I'll refrain from harming you as well…

"You're not taking anyone anywhere!" Lloyd shouted as he charged at the man, swords prompt for attack. The brown-haired swordsman leapt into the air then dived down at his foe. "Rising Falcon!"

Somehow, Lloyd's attack went right through the person in coat. The man quickly turned to face Lloyd, grabbing onto the teen's neck as he did.

…I warned you…Now you will to walk the path of pain…

The stranger's grip around Lloyd's throat tightened and shocks of electricity jumped up his arm and enveloped the struggling swordsman.

"Devastation!" shouted Presea as she brought her axe down on the man. But yet again, the attack went through. The man grabbed the axe-woman by the wrist with his other hand and in a twisting motion, brought her arm behind her back and forced her to the ground.

…Is this all you heroes can muster?…I don't see how you beat him…Dumb luck, I suppose…

Channeling electricity into both Lloyd and Presea's bodies, the man in the trench coat rendered the two attackers unconscious. He looked at each of the three heroes as he dropped the red-clad swordsman onto the ground.

…Now, which one…Which one will do?…

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The rain leaked down into the tunnel in a system of small streams. There was no sleeping in this tunnel that was for certain.

Zelos watched a few leaves float by along the tiny rivers. Boredom. Raine sat across from the redhead, still holding Sen in her arms. She drifted in and out of sleep, usually being woken up by the sound of the water.

The former chosen of Tethe'alla watched Raine with amusement playing on his face. Just seeing Raine acting motherly made him smirk. "Too bad she doesn't act like this more often," He thought. His thinking was dispersed by his right leg suddenly feeling wet. The streams had found their way to the chosen's pants. "Ah, damn it!" he complained aloud, obviously waking Raine up from her slumber.

The redhead looked at where the water made contact, only to see red. "What the…? Blood?" he put his hand to the red spot. Yes, it was definitely blood.

The red liquid came drifting down through the streams of water. "Someone must be up there." Raine deduced, slowly getting to her feet, Sen asleep in her arms. "Let's investigate."

The half-elf marched up the inclined entrance to the tunnel, followed by Zelos. It was down pouring by now, blurring to one's vision. The two adults looked around, following the stream of blood to the source, a woman face down in the mud bleeding heavily.

"Damn…" Zelos muttered as he saw the person on the ground.

It was a grim sight, yet there was still hope. She appeared to be breathing, slowly though. There was still a chance to save her…

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So there's Chapter 3. More to come next chapter. R 'n' R Please. Thanks!