Angel Tears
Chapter Three: The Glimpse of the Mana Seraphim
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Colette Brunel, Relations Director of Exire, former Hero of Mana and once Chosen of Syvarant, was learning how to make chocolate chip cookies from her friend Amil Arian. She had the same expressive blue eyes, same long blonde hair and same character as a year past, but now some things lingered near her presence: maturity, bliss and beauty.
She has certainly grown in both body and mind. She has grown much more in tuned to her surrondings and to herself. It has, after all, been a year since she arrived in Exire, and dealing with people not caring about each other, made her judgement much more well-rounded and clear.
Although many half-elves born on Exire accepted her right away and treasured her advice, no matter how blunt and crazy they were, the half-elves that moved to Exire from the Below Lands previously and recently were wary of her. They shunned her at first, refusing to even acknowledge her title, status and her friendly nature, but eventually, even they could not ignore such a kind person such as herself. Now, whenever new arrivals from the Below Lands came to Exire, Colette would surely be there to greet them first and help them settle in.
Amil Arian was the granddaughter of Colette's friend, Nellius Arian. Amil was about Colette's age, just a bit older by a year. She had long, dark blue hair and bright green eyes. Always patient, understanding and intelligent. She wore a brown dress and usually wore a white apron for she loved to bake. And like other half-elves, Amil had pointed ears.
They were sitting at the table of Colette's house, a house Ami envied because it was quaint, private and was built with a kitchen one would die for, waiting for the cookies to be done.
"How is Nellius?" Colette asked, worried for her ill friend.
"Grandmother is getting better. The colour is returning to her skin," Amil said, relieveing the Director of worry.
"I'm glad to hear!" she said while wiping something sticky on her hand to her apron.
"How are the Below Lands?" Amil asked, always wanting to hear of the world of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. She wanted so badly to sprout wings and fly down there herself, but knew she couldn't.
Colette didn't like going to the Below Lands very often, only when she was in need of gald or of items that could not be obtained in Exire. The world below held memories she wished to forget and people she did not want to explain herself to. However, it was just yesterday she went to the re-built Palamacosta for some fish besides the salmon that swam in her pond.
"It is well," she replied, a gentle smile on her face.
She lied. She must, or she'll taint Amil's beautiful world. She didn't have to protect herself from Sylvarant or Tethe'alla for she had seen the worst and have lived through it strongly. The truth was, even after the defeat of Mithos eight months ago, humans and elves were having a hard time accepting half-elves. Although the Elder Elf in Hiemdall and the King of Tethe'alla in Meltokio are trying their hardest to convince their people, there have been rebellions. Rebellions between the elves, humans, and even half-elves. Everything was a disaster.
"That's good to hear," Amil said, nodding.
"And what about you? How is your bakery coming along?" Colette asked, curious as ever.
Her friend's smile grew at the mention of her pride and joy, "Everything's going so well. Everyone loves my bread, cakes, cookies and pastries! Oh, Colette, I still want to thank you for helping me set it up!"
"No problem! That's what friends are for!"
That was when the timer went off and they each scrambled excitedly to the cookies. Amil pulled it out, Colette got the spatula to get them off and they both let the cookies cool down before taking one each and took a satisfiying bite out of them. Yes, these were just perfect.
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Colette was standing under her tree, the soft breeze carrying her hair and rippling her pond. The moon cast her shadow above the water where one could see the fish swimming and the stars were reflected in her eyes. She looked into the sky with her hands clasped together in front of her heart, wondering how things got the way they were.
Even after a year, she could still remember him. His smile, his laughter, his hair, his eyes... and just him. She couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if she didn't leave and confronted him instead. She knew Sheena would have gotten hurt. She knew Lloyd loved her back... maybe that's why she left. He loved her and yet he cheated on her.
"At least now, Sheena can have him," she whispered into the passing wind.
It was the beginning of summer and she was wearing a thin, silk sleeping gown that trailed onto the ground, illuminating her soft complexion. The gown showed her neck and her shoulders. Her hair, glowing in the moonlight, swam down her back. She tilted her head downwards, closed her eyes and prayed... prayed for everyone.
"Oh, Goddess Martel please let Lloyd complete his quest without harm. Let Sheena get what she most desires. Let Regal smooth out his past pain and let his bussiness blossom. Watch Presea grow into a woman full of life and let her know she is never alone. Let Genius become confident in his love for Presea, and let Raine find a way to love also. Give Zelos love and care at his time of need in his goal of riding racism... Please take care of everyone I love dearly."
And then there was silence as she let her faith flow through her. Hopefully, Martel can hear her.
"Colette... help me..."
Her head snapped up upon hearing the voice. She knew that voice... she recognized it...
"Help me..."
Her Cruxis Crystal burned slightly at the base of her neck. She tried, over the several months, to remove the exsphere, but every time she tried, something pulled her back, or something always interupted her. She just as well given up on the jewel. Suddenly, a vision appeared right before her consisting of a mob, of fire and...
"The Mana Tree!" she exclaimed, eyes wide in fear.
She unfurled her wings, raveling her hair around her and raining sparkling dust everywhere. Her wings have developed over the year, it had become more sophisticated and graceful, and it resembled Mithos Yggdrasil's wings. Though, his was all magenta, hers was violet and magenta, accompained by sparkles everytime she revealed them.
Taking a deep breath, she lept from her private floating island and dropped down to the Below Lands, her wings wrapped around her so that her decent would not be slowed down. When she got low enough, she spread her wings, catching against the wind, and flew towards the Mana Tree, or so Lloyd named it. It was an appropriate name considering that the little sapling was the source of all mana now.
In the distance she could see many people crowding the tree, tourches over their heads. Elves and the King's Knights were creating a barrier between the Tree and the angry mob of humans. She could hear Martel crying for help because the Goddess was the incarnation of the tree and was one along side it.
"Kill the Tree!" a man yelled above the others.
"Yeah!" the crowd shouted in unison.
"It's the source of all our troubles!"
"Yeah!"
"Gentlemen," a familiar male voice consoled in front of the people guarding the tree, "and lovely ladies, please be reasonable here. This is the Mana Tree. Without it, all living things will die. Surely, you don't want everything to wither away, right?"
"Zelos," Colette thought as she flew down softly and hid behind the rubble of the once great Tower of Salvation, and behind the elves and knights.
"If it weren't for this Tree then we wouldn't have had that stupid Kharlan war and none of this would have happened!"
"I placed my whole faith and being into Martel... only to find that she was a sham made by half-elves!"
"Now you want us to accept half-elves after what they've done as Desians," a Syvarant resident asked.
"Besides, they are below us," definetly a Tethe'alla resident said that.
"Seraphim of Mana... please help me..."
Colette turned her head to look at the Tree. It had grown since she had laid eyes on it before and she noticed that the sparkles it was emitting had lessened. She could feel the flow of Mana coming from it now that she was so close, but she realized that she couldn't feel it in Exire! How could she not have noticed that the Mana coming from it was slowly withering away? Is no one giving it adiration and love?... Not even Lloyd?
"Seraphim... please feed the Mana Tree with your own Mana and give it your love... that is the only way to save it."
"I will," Colette promised.
She got up from her hiding place, wings still open, casting an earthly glow around her. Around her, the crowd gasped at the sight as she walked towards the Tree. The Mana Tree's height was up to her waist, its leaves were beginning to shrivel up. She bent her knees and sat beside it as the moon cast its shadows upon her.
Zelos stared with eyes in disbelief. No one could see her clearly for she was shinning, only her silohette could be made out. As she put her hands above the ground the Tree stood and closed her eyes to concentrate, Zelos recognized the angel wings.
"Could it be?" he asked himself, taken a back by her sudden appearance.
Before long, a golden magic circle appeared beneath the Tree and Colette started to transfer her Mana into the Tree in the form of sparkles. The small spheres of light swam in the air, danced among the leaves and then was absorbed into the ground.
"Very well done Seraphim of Mana..."
Colette opened her eyes and breathed in deep before she took one of the now lush green leaves in her hand. She smiled in relief to feel the intense Mana coming off from it and the love it felt towards her.
Once she was sure that the Tree would live to see at least another year, she got up, spread her wings wide and flew off into the night sky. Zelos, feeling his Cruxis Crystal respond to the Mana coming from the Tree, watched her take flight and disappear.
"Colette... was that really you?"
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the point