Longest delay ever...

It's only been two days...

It could be worse...it could have been longer.

So be fortunate that I am actually writing something during summer vacation!

He doesn't own anything except the concept of the story.

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE ORACLE

Mithos couldn't believe his eyes. It was Kratos, in the flesh, ready to save the day! After telling Lloyd to get out of the way (which he didn't), defeated the ugly brute that was in front of them. The man who was known as Botta was furious but, none the less, defeated.

"Damn, I didn't expect you to be here," he said. "Retreat for now." And with that, Botta and his men ran away from the scene. After that, Colette was complimenting the mysterious man that saved her.

"Wow," she said in awe.

"This guy's strong," Mithos added. "Am I giving a compliment to Kratos? Okay, I officially hate this body!"

"Well...yeah, I suppose," Lloyd mumbled.

"Is everyone alright?" asked Kratos. "Hmm...looks like no one was injured."

"Thanks to you, the Chosen is safe now," said the old woman, who was known as Phaidra.

"So, this girl is the next Chosen?"

Colette's eyes brightened. "That's right! I have to go accept the oracle! Grandmother, I'm going to undergo the trial now.

"Trial?" asked Lloyd. "What trial?"

"The monsters I assume," replied Kratos. "An evil presence radiates from this chapel."

"Yes, that is correct. The Chosen is to receive judgment from heaven. But the priests that were to accompany her fell at the hands of the Desians," said Phaidra sadly.

"Then I'll take the job of protecting Colette!" exclaimed Lloyd.

"Lloyd? I wouldn't feel safe if it was only you..."

Kratos turned to Lloyd. "Your name is Lloyd?"

"Yeah, but who are you to ask for my name?" asked Lloyd.

Kratos stood there for a minute, thinking, "Who does he think he is?" He regained himself. "I am Kratos, a...um...uh..." Kratos was struggling because he couldn't remember the conversation he had with the Happy Mask Salesman.

Earlier that day:

"Kratos?" asked the Salesman. "Kratos, please get up."

Kratos shook himself awake. Groggily, he asked, "Where am I?"

"Somewhere in the future I suppose."

"And where is Mithos?"

"Currently possessing a young boy about twelve years of age who has white hair and blue eyes and clothing. His name is Genis Sage."

"I see...and I am?"

"You, of course."

"No, who's the body I'm possessing?"

"Like I said, yourself."

Kratos examined himself and found that he was indeed in his own body. A sigh of relief for himself.

"Finally, back to normal..."

"Fate has brought you to your own body, Kratos. You must use it to help Mithos see his future."

"And how do I do that?"

"Accompanying Mithos is a girl. She is the next Chosen of Mana. The Chosen has a very important job to do."

"And what is the job essentially?"

"You will see her purpose in time. Until then, you must protect her and Mithos from the dangers of this world. Do you understand?"

"...of course. I will do everything I can to protect them."

"Very good." The Salesman began to leave but then quickly stopped. "By the way, your occupation is a mercenary."

"Sorry, I wasn't listening. I'm a what?" But it was too late. The Salesman had already disappeared. Meanwhile, back to reality:

"Kratos, you didn't finish," said Lloyd impatiently. "You're a..."

"I'm thinking, I'm thinking," mumbled Kratos. "Damn...what did that Salesman said I was?"

"He's a mercenary," said a voice behind Mithos. It was the Salesman.

"You!" exclaimed Mithos and Kratos together.

"Do you know him, Genis?" asked Colette.

"Uh, yeah! He's a Salesman who collects rare masks and stuff. He was trying to sell me some of them."

"That is correct, I am a mercenary," said Kratos. "As long as you can pay me, I'll accept the job of guarding the Chosen.."

"Under the circumstances, I have little choice," said Phaidra. "Please be of service."

"It's a deal, then."

"You didn't introduce yourself to us," said Lloyd, turning to the Salesman.

"I am the Happy Mask Salesman," he said, giving a bow. "I travel across the world seeking rare and valuable masks." He turned to Phaidra and said, "I wish to be of use to the Chosen. I have some knowledge of the world that would be of use to her and her companions."

"And what are you expecting in return?" asked Phaidra.

"Why, nothing at all! I also wish to be a part of the world regeneration. To save this world from the Desians is my top priority!"

"Then please, make yourself useful to us as well."

"I plan to do just that." He gave a small grin. "At any rate, we should make our way into the temple..."

"W…wait! I'm going, too!" exclaimed Lloyd.

"Lloyd, you'll only get in the way," said Kratos. "Be a good boy and stay here."

"What did you say?"

"Did I not make myself clear? You're a burden. Go home."

"Um…Mr. Kratos, would it be okay to take Lloyd along, too?" asked Colette.

Kratos was stunned. Why would the Chosen want to take this poor excuse of a swordsman with them. "But..."

"Please. I get nervous when Lloyd's not around."

Defeated, he had no choice but to heed to Colette's request. "Do as you wish." He went inside. Colette followed.

"Let's go, Genis!" exclaimed Lloyd.

"Alright!" exclaimed Mithos.

"Hmm...Genis, for sure I thought you'd be against this idea..."

"And miss an opportunity like this? No way!"

"Pardon my intrusion, but are you two going in or not?" asked the Salesman.

Lloyd ran up to Colette and thanked her.

"It's the truth!" replied Colette. Kratos dropped behind in order to be with Mithos and the Salesman.

"What was the real reason of you joining us?" asked Mithos.

"To keep an eye on you two," replied the Salesman. "I don't want you two to reveal anything about yourselves. And when I say anything, I really mean anything."

"In the past, we could have revealed ourselves to our other selves," said Kratos, "And yet you were not with us. What is your real objective?"

"...I have my reasons. At any rate, we should focus on protecting both the Chosen and the boy."

"And why the boy?"

"He is instrumental in this whole thing. Without him, this world is doomed to follow the path of destruction..."

"And who's the idiot that put us on that path in the first place?" asked Mithos.

The Salesman starred at him, expecting to figure it out. It turned out that, in the past, Mithos was even more denser than Lloyd was.

"No, really, I don't have a clue."

"It's you, Mithos," said the Salesman. "You are the one that placed us on the road to sheer destruction."

"Then let us try to correct ourselves and place us on the right path," said Kratos, catching up to the others. He wanted to ask how they were placed on that road but it would be useless. The Salesman would never say anything that would reveal what was done in their future.

After fighting countless enemies (the Salesman did nothing but throw bombs out of his bag which surprised everyone), they had finally reached the higher levels of the temple.

"This appears to be the top floor," said Kratos.

"Yes and that's the altar," replied Colette, pointing at a round table-like structure. In the middle of it, was a crystal.

"Then that shining thing there must be the Cruxis Crystal," said Lloyd.

"That's right! They said I was born with that in my hand."

"The light is really wondrous," said the Salesman. Suddenly, a winged priest hovered above the alter.

"Wh...what is that thing?" asked Lloyd.

"An angel," replied Genis. "An angelic being from the heavens."

"So is that Colette's real father?"

" I am Remiel. I am an angel of judgment. I am here to guide Colette, daughter of the mana lineage, on her journey to heaven as the seventh Chosen. The time has come to awaken the Goddess Martel, who sleeps at the center of the world."

"Funny, the last time I saw Martel, she was inside a glass tube or something," Mithos said in his head.

The Cruxis Crystal glowed and made its way to Colette. Then, it implanted itself upon her. Remiel spoke again. "From this moment, Colette becomes the Chosen of Regeneration. We of Cruxis bless this event, and hereby bestow the Tower of Salvation upon Sylvarant."

There was a rumbling. From afar, sure enough, the Tower of Salvation made itself visible.

"So that's the Tower of Salvation," said Lloyd.

"And now this world will be saved," replied the Salesman.

"Or it appears to be," mumbled Genis. This caught the attention of Lloyd. Of course, he was suspicious of Genis ever since they got inside the temple. He decided that it was best to talk to him later.

"Colette, the Chosen of Regeneration. Unlock the seals that guard the Tower of Salvation and climb its stairs to heaven in distant lands," said Remiel.

"I humbly accept this task," replied Colette.

"Very good. We of Cruxis shall grant you the power of the angels with each seal you unlock. Once you are reborn as an angel, this eroded world shall be regenerated."

"Thank you. I swear on my life I will regenerate the world."

"First head south, to the Seal of Fire. Offer your prayers in that distant land."

"Yes, Lord Remiel."

As the angel began to leave, Colette stopped him by saying, "Uh, wait! Please wait! I have a question I wish to ask of you. Are you really my fa-"

Remiel stopped her from speaking. "First head to the Seal of Fire. Understood? My beloved daughter,

Colette."

"F…father!…So you really are my true father."

"We shall meet again at the next seal, my daughter." And with that, he disappeared.

"Now that was interesting," said the Salesman. "Chosen Colette, are you alright?"

"Yes...I'm fine," replied Colette. "Just a little surprised, that's all."

Mithos didn't know what to make of all this. Either this world was in trouble or this whole regenerating the world thing was a ruse created by himself. If it was a ruse, he'd had already figured out the who, what, what, and when. He just couldn't figure out why. Lloyd noticed Genis', or rather, Mithos' ponderings. Lloyd approached him and asked if he was alright.

"I'm fine, just tired, that all," replied Mithos.

"Are you sure? You haven't been acting like yourself ever since you've entered the temple."

"I've...decided to...change my personality."

"I prefer the way you were before..."

"Too bad, I'm keeping it."

The Salesman was smiling in the corner, thinking, "Heh. Nice recovery, Mithos..."

Kratos approached Colette, saying, "You've received the oracle. Then let us leave now, Chosen."

"…Oh, yes."

"We're going up ahead." Kratos entered the teleporter that lead them into the room and disappeared.

"Uh…thank you, both of you," said Colette. "Please stop by my house later." Colette too disappeared.

"She left," Lloyd said quietly.

"The rumor was true," said the Salesman.

"What rumor?" asked Lloyd.

"That Colette is the daughter of an angel and is not really related to her current father."

"Even if you're not related by blood, family is family… At least, that's what I think."

"Of course, I apologize."

"Heh, don't worry about it."

"Uh, guys, we should go, right?" asked Mithos.

"Of course, let's get out of here."

As the three exited the temple, they found Raine who was studying the temple. "MARVELOUS!"

"Professor?" asked Lloyd.

Raine spun around and found the three. She asked, "What? What are you two doing here! You're supposed to be studying in class!"
"Uh! Uh-oh!"

"Brace yourself, Mithos," whispered the Salesman to Genis.

"What for?"

Raine picked up Genis and gave him a rather harsh spanking.

"I have fought dangerous bandits, horrific monsters and the scariest anomolies out there but this has got to be the far worse evil I have ever faced in my entire career! And yet, she seems similar to Martel...in a twisted sense..." thought Mithos as he received the wrath of Raine.

After he was done, she approached Lloyd saying, "You're next Lloyd. Are you ready?"

"Whoa, no, hey, stop!"

And with that, Raine gave him a kick in the gut, sending him smack dab against a wall.

"Ow..."

"Now, you two, if you've learned your lesson, go back home. There will be no class for the rest of the day."

"What about you?" asked Lloyd.

" I've received permission from Phaidra to study this temple a little while longer. It's not often that ordinary citizens have the opportunity to enter this place."

Mithos and Lloyd made their exit. As they left, they heard a maniacal laughter.

"What was that?" asked Lloyd.

"A very happy professor," replied the Salesman, standing behind them.

"And where were you the whole time?" asked Mithos.

"Why, I was hiding from that woman. I didn't want the same punishment the two of you received. That would be just wrong..."

"Now I'm tired and beat," said Mithos. "I just want to sleep in my bed and just...well, sleep."

"Now there's something I can agree on," said Lloyd, as the three made their way down the stairs.

That was long...

Well, you only had to read it. I had to write the whole thing!

Anyway, please R&R this chapter. And no flames.

Thanks!