Shadow's Return: A Fanfic by Gyppy
Timeline: Based 2 years after 'Crystal Feathers'
Summary: Nebilim's will had been broken for a final time, and Symphonia was finally at peace after four years of hard fighting. The group that saved Symphonia parted ways, expecting to never see each other again.
However, the miasma has returned, and Lloyd has no idea why. The Tower of Destruction's ground is concealed by a rolling shadow, one that threatens to conceal the land. At the same time, the crystals have returned, obviously to defend the land... so there are obviously two opposing forces at work.
Lloyd sets out once again on a journey to save the world. However, this time he will be saving more than just the world...
Pairings: LloydxColette, SheenaxZelos and KylexReala will be the predominant pairings, with a few sprinklings of others, especially LonixNanaly and LeonxMarian.
Author's Note: Okay, this is what you call serious AU. This fanfic is the hotly-anticipated sequel to Crystal Feathers, which was the third in a series dubbed 'Rising Shadow'. If you'll notice, the entire series thus far has had the same rating, with sexual references and language generally increasing with time. I can't guarantee anything about this fanfic, so please expect anything.
There will be big-time spoilers for Tales of Symphonia, Tales of Destiny and Tales of Destiny 2, so if you do not desire to be spoiled on any of these games, do not read on.
In this fanfic, who was Judas in Crystal Feathers is now Leon. There is a reason for this that was easily explained in Crystal Feathers, if you've read the fanfic.
To all you ZelosxSheena haters, I advise you stay very far away from this fanfic. Reason why? Zelos and Sheena are married in this fanfic. Yep, that's right. It happened around a year after Crystal Feathers, which was why it wasn't mentioned in CF.
Some of you may have noticed that although KratosxRaine is indeed an official pairing in this fanfic series, there haven't been very many references to it in the actual series. There is a reason for this that I hope you've realized by now: I do not wish to offend any of the purists who happen to read my fanfic. This is to encourage more readers (and hopefully, more reviewers), while still keeping the interest of those that like the pairing.
This fanfic is based two years after Crystal Feathers, four years after To Kill An Angel, six years after Rising Shadow. For those of you who can't do the math, Lloyd is 23, Colette is 22, Zelos is 28, Sheena is 25, Genis is 18, Presea is 18, Raine is 29, Abyssion is 29, Leviathan is 22, Seles is 20, Allurya is 10, Mithos is 18, Karina is 17, Kyle is 17, Reala is 18, Loni is 25, Nanaly is 21, and Leon is 18. Stahn and Rutee have also removed their Cruxis Crystals, and therefore they are, respectively, 21 and 20. Philia is 21 as well, but she is expected to be featured less than the other Swordian masters.
This fanfic has the potential to introduce some more characters later on; if so, they will most likely be from either Tales of Destiny 2 or Tales of Eternia. I already have planned another Tales of Destiny 2 introduction... you'll see just who later on ;)
Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia, Tales of Destiny/Tales of Destiny 2, Tales of Eternia, Namco, Final Fantasy or Squaresoft/Square-Enix.
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
Chapter 1: Troublesome Worries
Third-Person P.O.V.
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
Unbeknownst to Mithos, Kyle and Reala were out traveling with Loni and Nanaly. The four of them had decided to stop in Triet after a long day of traveling through the desert, as they had been seeking some combat experience.
As always, they had decided to get one room together. It was late in the evening when Kyle started feeling a little off.
abc
"Hey Kyle, what's wrong?" Loni asked, glancing at the pacing boy. "You've been acting really strange lately."
"Ah... it's nothing..." Kyle's voice seemed slightly strained. "I'm just... not really feeling that good..."
"Maybe you spent too much time outside," Reala suggested. "The desert heat gets to people quite easily."
Kyle sighed. "I wish it was just that... but I think there's something else too... I've been worrying about all this miasma lately... where did it come from? Why did it suddenly appear again? There are so many questions I have, none of which I can answer..."
"I'd say don't worry about it," Nanaly said. "Sure, the miasma's coming back, but as long as we find out why, we can just seal it away again."
"I don't think it's quite that simple," Reala said. "The miasma is some powerful stuff. It was easy enough to seal the first time since all Lloyd had to do was defeat Nebilim, but now the situation is different."
"We don't know where the miasma is coming from," Loni said. "It was coming from the Tower of Destruction the first time around. This time... it's coming from... seemingly nowhere."
"I read something about that last night," Kyle said. "It said that there was someone who lived a thousand years ago, a follower of Nebilim. His name was Barbatos Goetia. It seems he had the ability to create miasma, but never used it since there was basically no need. He's dead now, but that was a pretty sobering tale."
"He must've had a Crystal of the Underworld as well," Nanaly said. "All the servants of Nebilim who were in that high a position must've had one."
"This Barbatos sounds like a pretty scary guy," Loni said. "I'm just glad he's not alive anymore."
"There's still a possibility he could be alive," Reala said. "Remember, the Crystals of the Underworld are Cruxis Crystals too, albeit cursed ones. His spirit probably still lives on in the crystal."
Loni glanced at Reala, tilting his head. "That's a pretty sobering thought right there. I'll be careful to look out for anybody who seems to have a non-physical body."
"I hope that was a joke," Kyle muttered. "Remember, Marian's still alive..."
"Yeah, well," Loni said. "That's a different case. If this Barbatos has somehow come back to life, I doubt he'd be in the same situation as Marian."
Reala suddenly looked off into what seemed to be nowhere. "I hope Stahn is okay..."
"He'll be fine," Loni said. "I'm sure Leon's keepin' an eye out for him. Besides, he's my dad, why wouldn't he be okay?"
"Loni has a point," Nanaly said. "Stahn's pretty strong. He won't go down too easily."
"Thanks," Reala said. "I really hope you're right..."
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
The four travelers passed their time chatting, mostly about the journey that lay ahead of them and the friends they wished to meet again. The evening quickly faded into night, and before long it was time to go to bed.
Kyle and Reala shared their own bed, and the ensuing confusion at Loni's remark involving that fact quickly faded. Loni and Nanaly decided to have separate beds, at least until one certain occurrence.
abc
"No... this can't be..." Nanaly was saying something in her sleep, and she was clearly disturbed, trembling. "This... just can't be happening..."
Loni noticed this, and quickly walked over to Nanaly's bed, reaching over a hand and shaking her gently. "Nanaly! Wake up!"
Nanaly rolled over, opening her eyes and facing Loni. "Wha..."
"You were talking in your sleep," Loni said. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, I think," Nanaly replied. "Just a nightmare..."
Loni nodded. "I don't think you should be sleeping alone. You seem to be prone to nightmares... mind if I hop in?"
"Nah, not really," Nanaly said. "Just... don't do anything real funny, okay?"
"Oh, hell no," Loni said. "I don't think the two of us are close enough to do that yet. Besides, don't you hate me?"
As Loni got into bed beside her, Nanaly shook her head. "No, I don't hate you... it's just, sometimes you're a little over-the-top."
"A little over-the-top," Loni remarked, grinning. "I thought you said I was a lot over-the-top... practically all the time. Damn, you've changed a lot."
"You've changed a lot too," Nanaly said. "You're not nearly as perverted as you were two years ago. And I guess... that's what I like about you."
"So you really do love me," Loni said, his grin widening.
Nanaly glared at Loni. "Who ever said anything about love? I like you, and that's how it's gonna stay."
"Are you sure that's what you want?" Loni said, bearing a more serious expression. "I mean, we could move on in life, have kids, live a family life..."
Nanaly inched closer to Loni, shivering a bit. "You may want to do that, but I'd rather not think about it right now." She paused for a moment. "Wait... of course you want to have kids. You're always blabbering about how sexually appealing various females are..."
"Oh come on," Loni said. "You know you're the best of the bunch." He gently pulled Nanaly closer to him. "You're getting cold. Why don't you stick by me?"
"Yeah, I guess," Nanaly said, allowing herself to contact Loni's body. "Besides... at the very least, you love me, so you wouldn't mind it."
"Of course I love you, hunny," Loni said, grinning at the word. "I've always loved you from the time I first set eyes on you."
Nanaly snuggled closer to Loni. "Mm... you're nice and warm."
"Still acting like a kid, I see," Loni said, his ever-present grin widening. "Well, I can keep you warm for a while, at least until your cold rubs off on me." He laughed a little.
"I'm not that much of a kid," Nanaly muttered. "I'm just following natural human instinct to stick close to whatever is warm."
"And that warmth happens to be from your soon-to-be lover," Loni said, smirking.
Nanaly smacked him. "You better not do anything funny!"
"Relax," Loni said. "I was just joking. Besides, doesn't it feel nice to be so close to somebody?"
"Yeah, it does." Nanaly allowed her head to rest against Loni's chest. "It's really a lot better than being alone... I should do this more."
Loni wrapped one of his arms around Nanaly's body, holding her close. "You can't say you don't love me now, y'know."
Nanaly nodded. "Yes, I know. I guess I love you after all."
The two drifted off into sleep, still holding each other close.
abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz
Author's Note: A little fluff and a little chatting. That's basically all this chapter was. Although I think that got just a little too fluffy there, y'know:P
