All in all, Sheena felt relieved to be out on the sea. No matter what Raine thought about sailing, there was something comforting about being on the water. Perhaps it was the connection that she now shared with Undine. Right now they were docked, and the others were camping out on the shore, but she'd come back here for peace and quiet.
Too bad that there wasn't anyone to share it with.
Granted, there wasn't anyone nearby that she really wanted to share it with. The only one who might show appreciation for it, wouldn't, because it was on the water. Zelos would only try to milk the situation for what he could get out of it. Lloyd would think it was great and blunder along with little inane comments, and Genis... the half-elf would ignore her to babble on to himself about the girl, Presea. Raine, with her multiple personalities and obsession with experimentation sometimes seemed the one in the group that she could most relate to. Maybe it had to do with the fact that both were willing to fight as hard as they could to protect the ones who were precious to them.
Of course, it could have been the dark cloud that hung over both of them; the dark shadow that lurked beneath the surface of their past, waiting to spring out on them unawares. Sheena turned away from that thought quickly. She didn't know what it was that bothered Raine, but her own trauma and trial was all too familiar. She felt a cold nose press against her hand as Corrine pushed against her. He didn't speak and Sheena was glad of the silence. In a way, the summon spirit was her closest confidant, never criticising, always there to listen. A slight ripple in the water below betrayed the presence of another summon spirit, yet another who gave her strength freely and without condemnation.
Could it be that life was there for her to live again?
Undine watched from below the surface of the water as Sheena murmured to herself. She sighed, knowing that the summoner was feeling lonely, and knowing that although her presence might help, it was human companionship and understanding that the girl really longed for.
That said, Undine could quite understand the choice of sitting out over the water. The sound of the ocean was quite soothing, the perfect place to relax and contemplate. Corrine peeked under the railing and winked at the water goddess. Grinning, Undine waved to the younger summon spirit before wending her way further into the depths.
It was times like these that sustained her through her long and weary imprisonment at the seal. Diving through the vast depths of the ocean, listening to the babble of countless brooks, the tiny echo of each falling drop of water in a fountain; these were the memories that gave her strength. She stilled her movements and let the currents play with her form. Yes, strength.
Memories of an angel flooded across her mind. Undine corrected herself in short order. Not one, but four angels, though only one of them stood out in her mind. Those days, the memories that remained of them, they were what had comforted her in the dark hours.
After all, what else were memories good for, if not to bring comfort and strength?
Perhaps they serve to bring forth pain.
Even as he alighted at the entrance to Derris Kharlan, Kratos replayed the memory in his mind. The day that heroes lost their way.
The war was over. Both sides had met and signed the peace treaty on the Holy Ground of Kharlan. It was perfect now, with both kingdoms disbanding their armies and laying aside the magitechnology that so plagued the world. It was at the base of the tree of mana that the rift occurred.
"How could you!" His own voice, the pain of betrayal still fresh upon its tone. His sword was out and pointed at the perpetrator.
"Martel!" Mithos was screaming in horror, looking at the still form of his sister as she lay on the ground. Blood from a lethal wound flowed in copious amounts into the dirt. Yuan stood nearby, his weapon at the ready, his face a study in tightly controlled fury. "You will die."
It wasn't as if there was anything that could be done to change the scene. It was, after all, merely a memory. The assassin hadn't survived the assault, and Mithos had knelt by the dying form of his sister, gently stroking her hand. His face had been wet with tears as he looked into her eyes. Martel seemed to be trying to say something, yet the young half-elf couldn't understand it.
Yuan crouched close on her other side, whispering words of comfort and trying to heal his beloved. Kratos had stood back, knowing that it was useless. Even the vaunted Angel regeneration couldn't handle the damage that had been done to her body. Tears filled his eyes, the only time that he allowed himself to cry in front of anyone else. The last time.
Mithos jumped to his feet and started chanting under his breath, hiccups and sobs interrupting him every so often. It wasn't a lengthly procedure, but somehow it seemed to take forever before the king of the summon spirits appeared before them. "Origin! You have to help me!"
Origin had shaken his head sadly. "She is already beyond my aid, mighty as it may seem to you. All that I can do for you is let you extend your farewells. Time will stop for you, that you may say your goodbyes in peace."
He disappeared without another word, and the world came to a halt around them.
Mithos dropped back to his knees, staring helplessly at his hands. He was mumbling to himself, but none of the others could hear what he said. Martel seemed to be straining to give him her final message, but his ears were closed all but his own words of recrimination. Yuan beckoned Kratos closer, ignoring the younger half-elf for the moment. The young man stepped forward and knelt down beside his friend.
"Kratos... Yuan... tell him... to make... my dream come true. A world... without.. discrimination. Where people live as one!" Martel's eyes pleaded with them, even as the light seemed to die out from within them. She shifted one last time to gaze at her betrothed. "Goodbye, my love."
At that, Yuan broke down into tears.
And Martel slipped away from the world.
'She would have been gone,' Kratos mused, 'except that Mithos had combined her crystal with the Mana Seed on that day.' He'd drained the last of the power from the tree to accomplish his task, and charged his friends with his great dream of resurrecting Martel into her world of dreams. At first it had gone well, people didn't even realize when the worlds were split. The sorrow that they had endured kept the three Angels close, pointed in the same direction, if not exactly unified in purpose.
And then had come that fateful day. The day that Mithos looked at him and asked him to be the seal for Origin.
"Kratos."
The words were harsh, as Mithos had become after his sister's death. The brown-haired angel turned and regarded the speaker. Mithos' eyes were hidden, his face held low, and Kratos couldn't discern exactly what prompted his leader to come to him. He nodded silently,certain that it would come out eventually.
"I need you to do something very important for me."
Ah yes, the important mission hook. What wouldn't he have done for his friend? He'd left his home, his country, behind. He'd abandoned everything to fight for a time of peace and equality. What was there left to do?
"They are trying to take away Origin, they say that he's too powerful to be left unsealed. So I've agreed to seal him away, like the others."
The news was unsurprising, really. For quite some time portions of the Church of Martel had been hungrily eyeing the power that Mithos possessed with the summon spirits. When he'd voluntarily sealed them away, most had dispelled with their passion to possess that power, but a few still remained. In order to solidify the organization in the worlds, Mithos would need to show a few acts of good will. "Has Origin agreed to this?"
Mithos nodded, still not looking up. "Yes, he has. There was only one stipulation; he asked that he be bound to you, instead of sealed where anyone might find his power and take it."
The former human had blinked at that, surprised by the odd request. Though perhaps it was not as strange as he first imagined it to be; after all, he had gotten on fairly well with all of the summons. Time hung between the two as Kratos considered his friend's words. It seemed so reasonable, and yet for a moment he hesitated. Something had been left unsaid.
"Very well, I will be the seal." Brown eyes caught the gleam that came to Mithos' face as he heard the fateful reply. For some reason, it filled Kratos with an uneasy feeling. Mithos looked up, his hand raised to lightly touch Kratos' shoulder.
"Thank you, my friend. I know that you will never allow Origin to be used against me."
Kratos passed swiftly through the throng of silent angels, ignoring and being ignored in turn. His eyes burned as he held back as always the tears that threatened to overwhelm him. It was not as hard now as it used to be, the years had provided at least that much comfort. That day had been the last sundering of trust, though he had not realized it at the time. Perhaps it had been for the best. He had still regarded Mithos as a friend, almost a brother. Him and Yuan both.
And now, there was only the pretenses. The illusion of a relationship, one that he clung to desperately in a vain attempt to resurrect the past. Kratos sighed quietly as he entered his spartan chambers. Perhaps it was time to lay down the old loyalties that no longer lived to make way for the people who needed to continue on in life.
Perhaps, just this once, he wouldn't fail to protect those he loved. And maybe it would return to him just a little feeling of absolution for his failures...
AN: Sorry, sorry! Long time between updates, yah? slumps Well, lot was going on. Changed jobs, got put on for weird hours, home life... well, too much stuff, not enough time! Anyway, I wanted to get this chapter out of the way, cause Kratos is musing, and Undine is musing, and Sheena is musing. I know - where's the romance? It will come, just give it some time! And yes, I hope to have a happy ending.
Kratos: -Raises eyebrow-
And yeah, he's skeptical. But what does he know? Anyway... enjoy. Read, review, and um, that's it for now.