Insaneiac: So, since you miserable sods put up with my evil cliffhangers for what was the better part of the last five chapters, this is your reward. This is the finale to Act one of Faraway Promises and what a better way to end a beginning than with a climatic battle between two immensely powerful forces? No cliffhangers this time, I've pissed you all off enough with those. And for the record, this is one of the hardest things I've written.
Disclaimer: I do not own Namco, Tales, or anything associated with Namco. If I did, every game would have the "evil path" option in it.
Chapter 10: The Awakening, Part III
"Surprised?" Lloyd uttered, tilting his head briefly to glance at Raine. She was breathing raggedly but he was already sure the wound would not kill her. It would only keep her out of his hair long enough to 'bury the hatchet', so to speak, with Yuan. Only in this case, he fully intended to bury the hatchet in between Yuan's eyes. Of course, he would wait for the picture perfect gaze of boundless, pure horror to leave his former companion's face before doing anything.
"Mithos…you can't be here. There is just…no way!" Yuan shouted, unsteadily. He shut his eyes tightly and threw his head to the side as he tried to shake away the awful truth. "You should be dead!"
"Poor, poor Yuan…He's so stupid little brother." Lloyd replied, looking longingly at his exsphere. "He's such a silly little half-elf."
Yuan pushed himself to his feet, shaking his head as hard as possible. He glanced at Lloyd briefly, horrified by the fact that such a thing could happen. He had planned for several accounts of worst case scenarios, including Mithos burying himself within Lloyd's exsphere to revive himself at a later time. He had never in his wildest dreams or darkest nightmares considered the fact that Mithos would possess Lloyd. Not only that, but what felt most alarming was the fact that Mithos seemed to have become even further detached from sanity than he did in the last twenty years of his life. Now he was talking to his exsphere like it was a sibling. His view switched to Raine, who looked like she was in her own personal hell. Chances were she was dealing from just as much emotional trauma as she was physical pain.
"What are you sputtering about now Mithos!" Yuan demanded, pointing unsteadily at Lloyd.
"My little brother of course. I just wanted him to know everything is going to be alright, that big brother will bring vengeance to his betrayers." Lloyd spoke, his voice twisted like the words he sputtered.
"You're talking about Lloyd…you're insane. Lloyd's not related to you in any way. Who would want to be?" Yuan growled. He couldn't move fast enough to block the initial strike, a palm to the chest that hurled Yuan across the hall and embedded him in the wall.
"Yes…you're right. Lloyd doesn't feel like a brother…he's a part of me. He's my completion. I could never succeed because I was missing that final piece, but he came to me." Lloyd spoke, watching as Yuan slid to the ground in a heap, his eyes wide with a most numbed pain. "Lloyd and I are two sides of a coin, and now we're complete. I'd never let anyone harm a part of me, and Lloyd is very much a part of me."
"You're talking about the Aeon Jewel…aren't you?" Yuan choked out, coughing up a hefty amount of blood onto his lap.
"Maybe. True, I finally have my Godstone…but thanks to you and that useless half-elf woman, it never awoke fully." Lloyd growled, before dropping has hand away. "But Lloyd is in pain. Do you know why?"
"Because a ruthless little bastard decided that he wasn't content with being dead." Yuan growled, pushing to his feet slowly. "Or maybe because he's stuck with a freak like you playing around with his heart and soul. Either sounds like a living hell to me."
"Actually, little Yuan, you can blame yourself." Lloyd uttered, smiling at the surprised look from Yuan, and smiling wider as it quickly turned to anger.
"The hell are you talking about?" Yuan growled, picking his dual blade from the ground and starring viciously at Lloyd.
"You put him into that dreamscape did you not? You forced him to watch his friends turn on him and hang his heart's desire. In honesty, we both should thank you. Opening Lloyd's eyes up to the evils that this world represents was the best thing you could have ever done for him." Lloyd muttered, throwing his head back and laughing. "You see Yuan; it took being killed to realize that Lloyd wasn't my shadow, just blind! I'm sure Martel would want me to open my brother…my missing piece's eyes to the truth. That is what you do for someone you love Yuan.
Yuan cursed bitterly in response. "Who are you to talk about love? You abuse emotions, destroy emotions! You don't love anything!"
"I love Martel…I love Lloyd…I love my family. That is enough to remind me just what I am doing is right!" Lloyd muttered, wrapping his arms around himself. "And now, Lloyd sees with open eyes just how much the world hates him."
"So, you take the dream I put him in to help him realize his love for Sheena…and instead trick him into hating humanity…into hating the people living on Symphonia!" Yuan growled, grabbing the clasp on his cloak and removing it, tossing it aside. "How can you claim to love someone when you do that to them?"
"Well, maybe I helped out a bit. Guided the events from the shadows, made sure he never had the chance to win. But none of this would have been possible without you Yuan. Like it or not, you helped me more than anything else. As a reward, I'll let you glance freely upon your new God before I take your life from you."
A brilliant white light erupted from Lloyd as his statement finished, engulfing the room wholly. Yuan covered his eyes to avoid being blinded, but it seemed to fill everywhere, engulfing the entire area like a body of water. Finally, when it faded, the red swordsman Lloyd was no longer standing in his place. Kneeling in his place was a taller man in white, with long dirty blonde hair that descended to his shoulders. Slowly, the man pushed to his feet, and stood at full height. He wore a tight looking set of white armor, trimmed with black along it. At his shoulders where Angelic plates that pulsed a light shade of blue every so often. From each plate where ten strands of light that wrapped themselves around the gauntlets of each hand, the top of each a brilliant white, while the palm of the gauntlet was a void-like black. His lower body garb was much like that of his upper, the trims still the same black at the upper body. On his back where three large sheathes, two crossing over one large sheath, all filled with blades. From his back stretched out four large, angelic wings, starting as brilliant whites and fading into black. Yuan gazed in horror as he watched the former Eternal Swordsman transform into something that felt just as evil as it looked angelic.
"And so, the Angel Lord lives." The white one uttered, before lifting and tilting his head and glaring at Yuan. It horrified him how much he still looked like Lloyd, but how much he resembled Yggdrasill now. "Every God needs a name, one that will strike horror and demand obedience. I believe I shall be Llythos Yggdrasill-Aurion…but you can simply call me Lord Yggdrasill-Aurion."
"Mithos, you're insane. You said it yourself, the jewel isn't fully active." Yuan stated, gripping his Swallow tightly. He knew the speeches would soon fade. "And if think I'll call you anything other than your actual evil name, you're far crazier than you let on."
"The Aeon Jewel…the very product of what the powers of True Love and Pure Hate can do. You remember that, do you not? A crystallized soul of True Love and Pure Hate, their powers harnessed, combined to form an artifact of Godly power. That was what it said."
"So what?"
"Yuan…why do you think I ordered that exspheres should be made from human lives! Did you think I did it purely for revenge?" Mithos growled, stepping towards Yuan. Instead of maintaining the gap, Yuan went into a defensive stance, preparing himself for anything. "Do you think I wasted millennia after millennia of time creating these things for revenge? Come now, you cannot be that brutally foolish."
Yuan glared at Mithos darkly before continuing. "I thought you did it for revenge. You used the Cruxis Crystals as a basis for the exsphere, and we all know that those demonic things drain the emotions from a host. You…" Yuan stopped in mid stride, realizing very quickly what Mithos was talking about.
"Do you remember the Angelus Project? Kvar's little idea to get back into my good books?"
Yuan began to tremble, before locking eyes with Mithos. Even his eyes held the confident smirk that he wore on his face. It infuriated him. "You…no…" Yuan growled, shaking his head. 'He can't be that sick…that twisted. For the love of Martel, tell me he did not.'
"I wonder what Kratos would think, if he knew that I orchestrated it." Mithos muttered, holding up the exsphere. "That his pathetic love was just a step towards my conquest." Even Mithos was unnerved by the level of anger that sheathed from Yuan's eyes. "That his meeting Anna was never coincidence."
"Mithos…you sick…" Yuan growled, swiping the air in front of him with his hand, lightning crackling around it as his rage threatened to overwhelm him. He once more locked eyes with the "Angel Lord", glaring enraged at the former comrade. "Kratos... you used him and his heart! You knowingly manipulated a man's purest feelings." Yuan sucked in a deep breath before spinning his dual blade around, and holding it out in front of him. "I'm glad Martel isn't here to see what a demon her brother has become. I think…no, I know that if she saw you now…she would take her own life just to be as far from you as possible." That was the statement that did it. He could see the smirks and evil confidence fade away from Mithos. Whipping his wings out behind him, Mithos reached back and removed the twin blades. Two long, glowing blades of purple light the resembled the Eternal Sword almost creepily.
"Yuan, you do not have the right to call me by that name anymore more. From now to forever, I am Lord Yggdrasill-Aurion the Eternal. Wielder of the Eternal Sword and the Eternia Blades, possessor of the Aeon Jewel." He muttered, tightening his grip around each of his blades. "I am the new God of this pathetic and ludicrous world…and Lloyd and I are going to shape this planet in the proper image."
"If it's all the same to you, I think Mithos will do just fine. I'm also afraid that, no matter what you say, you damn sure not a God to me. You just scum with a nice white dress and a four-pack of pretty little wings!" With that, Yuan leapt forward, driving the flats of both sides of the Swallow into Mithos' stretched out swords. Before he could do anything in terms of counter-attacking, Yuan knocked his swords up out of his way, giving him an initial opening. Spinning sharply, Yuan sliced deeply into Mithos' stomach, forcing the Angel to back up. A low growl escaped his lips as he felt his stomach with his hands. "And you still are pathetic at melee combat."
"And first blood goes to the meek one." Mithos growled, before the gash closed up on it's own. Yuan's eyes opened widely as he beheld the seemingly impossible. Shaking his head, Yuan whipped the Swallow back to his side, and sprouted his wings. Swinging his own blades around viciously, Mithos charged Yuan, driving the first blade towards him. Yuan spun himself around, catching the sword with his blade. Spinning the Swallow, Yuan immediately turned his defensive into an offensive, delivering fast and fierce blows to Mithos. He moved like water, the lightweight but vicious Swallow slicing through the air with incredible ease. Mithos adeptly blocked each incoming attack, but the fact was that Yuan left no opening and gave no quarter. This aggravated Mithos.
Finally, Yuan pushed off on a final attack, launching himself into the air. Holding his blade behind him, his hand coursed blue with energy before several arcs of lightning shot towards Mithos. To his surprise, Mithos caught the lightning with his blades, dispelling his attack with ease. Flapping his wings twice, Yuan launched himself back at Mithos, who caught his initial stab with the Eternia Blades. Before Yuan could react, Mithos slide the twin blades along the length of the Swallow, slicing into Yuan's arm. A grunt of pain escaped the Renegade leader's lips as he pulled himself back, attempting to put distance in between himself and Mithos.
"HEAVEN'S LIGHT!" Mithos screamed, pointing the Eternia blades at Yuan. Grunting, Yuan held the Swallow in front of him as a blast of light enveloped him. Seconds later, Yuan sliced through the middle of the attack, knocking Mithos' blades to the extreme right. In response, Mithos went into a sharp spin and attempted to deliver a horizontal slash across Yuan's face. The attack was blocked with ease, and the two went into a back and forth of attacks, the clanging of swords becoming almost rhythmic. Eventually, Yuan deflected one sword, only to be stabbed in the left shoulder by the other. A scream of pain escaped Yuan's lips as he felt the sword dig through his flesh. Mithos went to stab him in the gut as a follow up, but was deflected barely by Yuan. Just as Mithos went for another finishing blow, lightning erupted from Yuan's extended hand, and into the face of Mithos, hurling him down the hall, and leaving his sword deeply imbedded into Yuan's shoulder.
"What do you fight for Mithos?" Yuan yelled, grabbing the sword and wrenching it from his body. He hurled it behind him, imbedding it deep into the wall of the hallway. "Your sister? Your foolish ambitions? Or is it all just a game to you?"
Yuan grunted as he saw Mithos push from the ground, smiling madly at him. "I fight to create a paradise free of discrimination, for me and Lloyd and Martel!" With that, Mithos pushed off, charging towards Yuan with only one of his blades. "ECHO THRUST!" Mithos screamed, shooting himself towards Yuan with his blade extended. Leaping off the ground, Yuan dodged the stab, and went into a spin, bringing the Swallow down onto the back of Mithos, and embedding it within his flesh. Before Yuan could attempt a follow up, a massive eruption of light exploded from Mithos, tossing Yuan down the hallway and into a wall. A grunt of pain escaped his lips as he felt the unforgiving wall instantly stop his flight.
"What about you Yuan? Why do you care about humanity? They took Martel from you! FROM US!" Mithos yelled, wrenching his blade free from the wall, and sheathing both swords. His hand reached for the center blade, pulling free the Eternal Sword. "What does this wretched world represent to you?"
Yuan looked up at Mithos as he pushed himself from the wall, glaring ruthlessly at the former hero. "This world…nothing. I just want to honor your sister's last wishes, that's all. Martel's requests mean more to me than anything you could comprehend. I refuse to let you destroy what her life meant by doing this in her name." Yuan growled, pointing a hand towards Mithos. "That is why I stand against you!"
"We have the same goal!"
"No, we don't. She wanted a world free of discrimination, for you to be happy. Instead, you're a bitter and resentful villain seeking to remove emotions! You would take away from this world what you loved about Martel. Her love, her smile, her cheer, her positive attitudes and her infectious smile!" Yuan screamed, as energy found it's way to his hands. Suddenly, the half-elf charged from the wall, running towards Mithos. The angel stabbed his blade forward, only to cut into the air. As he looked up, he saw Yuan standing on the Eternal Blade, energy coursing from his hands violently. Before Mithos could blink, Yuan unleashed an immensely powerful blast of lightning, enveloping Mithos and the hallway. He felt the blade move from out under his feet, and landed gently, staring up as the light faded. Before he could even breathe, a blast of purple energy collided into him, and sent him flying back into the wall. Within split seconds of the first attack, Mithos pointed the sword towards Yuan and unleashed a large blast of purple energy erupted from it, driving Yuan through the wall and into a rather large training area with the base. A large batch of renegades glanced at Yuan, prepared to rush over and help him when he held up a hand.
"GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" Yuan screamed, the men nodding quickly than departing. Grunting, Yuan force to his feet, just in time to feel a hand wrap itself tightly around his throat. Gagging in pain, Yuan felt himself lifted off the ground, and brought eye level to Mithos.
"Yuan, I promise you that before this is done, you will bow to me and beg for my forgiveness." Mithos taunted, squeezing Yuan's throat. Ignoring the pain as best as he could, Yuan clenched his hands around Mithos' wrist, and whipped both his feet upwards, driving them into his gut. Mithos dropped Yuan, and in turn, Yuan drove his fist as hard as he could into the side of Mithos' head. The latter was knocked down to the ground, giving Yuan time to try and get the Swallow back. Holding his hand out, an arc of lightning whipped towards his double blade, and called the weapon to his hand. As soon as his hand grasped around the handle of the weapon, Yuan went into a twist, catching the Eternal Sword's underside in mid stab. Whipping the blade upwards, Yuan threw Mithos off stance, driving the flat of his blade into Mithos' stomach. Mithos bent over in pain, waiting for his body to heal itself like usual.
Yuan jumped back, sliding a hand along the length of his blade. The Swallow began to light up with electrical energy, and as soon as Mithos got to his feet, Yuan made his move. Mithos once more went to stab at Yuan, only to find Yuan standing on his blade once more. This time however, he leapt off again, throwing the Swallow into the ground and creating a massive electrical eruption that threw Mithos across the room. Still airborne, Yuan pointed his hands at the downed Mithos and smiled.
"Feel the rage of the skies! INDIGNATION!" Yuan roared, as a circle of blue formed around and above Mithos. Before he could move, a brilliant and massive surge of electricity enveloped him completely, engulfing the room in a brilliant light. Landing on the ground lightly, Yuan lowered his hands and watched closely, checking to see if the blow had been enough to render Mithos defeated. In honesty, he did not want to kill Mithos. Not because he was still his deceased love's brother…but because he was inside the body of someone who deserved peace. Prying it from the ground, Yuan spun the Swallow around and held it behind him in a readied stance. With a growl, Yuan charged towards the attack center as the light began to fade away. Yuan never saw it coming as Mithos ran the Eternal Sword into Yuan's side. A blood curdling cry of pain escaped Yuan's lip as the mythical blade ripped through his flesh. Placing a free hand onto Yuan's shoulder, Mithos began to squeeze, slowly crushing the bones within his shoulder. Yuan screamed again as he collapsed to his knees in pain, eyes closed tightly as his voice began to leave him.
"Yuan…beg. Beg for the death that you deserve!" Mithos taunted, digging his gloved fingers into Yuan's flesh. The half-elf convulsed in horrible pain as he felt Mithos continue the punishment, his eyes open enough to see the pleasured smile resting on the angel's face. However, instead of scowling agonizingly, a slow smile formed onto Yuan's face. "What do you have to smile about?"
"You really should have killed that woman Mithos." Yuan choked, biting through the pain.
"And why is that?"
"Because healers don't die that easily!" A voice yelled from behind him. Mithos whipped around to see Raine standing, the wound healed nicely, with her staff glowing something fierce. "JUDGMENT RAY!" Raine screamed as a brilliant and massive ray of light slammed into Mithos' chest, and sent him careening into a wall. With an enraged scream, and a brief pulse of light from her being, the beam increased in size, driving Mithos' through the wall and out of sight. The beam evaporated, the light that filled the rooms with it, leaving Raine panting slowly. She glanced over at Yuan, who had just wrenched the sword from his body, only to have it fade from his hands. He glanced up at Raine weakly, before collapsing to the side.
"Yuan!" Raine hollered, running to his side. Resting her staff on his side and pressing her free hand to the side of his face, Raine began to heal Yuan. Slowly, the wounds begin to shrink and fade away. She knew it wasn't going to heal everything, but at the very least she could stop the bleeding and attempt to mend broken bones. Yuan coughed up another mouthful of blood, trembling as he forced himself back to his feet. "By Martel…Yuan…"
"Raine…how in the hell did you do that!"
"Time and place! Where's Lloyd?" Raine cried. It surprised Yuan that she didn't remember what Lloyd did to her. Or maybe she just wouldn't believe it.
"He's gone Raine…Lloyd's been possessed by Mithos." Yuan muttered, taking deep breaths to try and regain himself. "The only good thing is his exsphere wasn't fully awoken."
"But…Mithos is dead! I saw Lloyd finish him with my own two eyes! He even destroyed Mithos' Cruxis Crystal."
"In turn, his crystal was absorbed into Lloyd's exsphere. Raine, Lloyd was played just like you and I. Only he's getting the worse end of the deal. That bastard's possessing Lloyd to finish what he's started!"
"Possession?" A voice called from behind them. The two whipped around to see Mithos floating at the hole Raine had created, completely unscathed. "No…Lloyd wants this. Lloyd wants revenge for what you people did to the one he loves. I'm not forcing him to do anything, he gave me control. "
"You're lying!" Raine screamed, as Yuan stepped in between her and Mithos, Swallow drawn behind him in a battle-ready position. "Lloyd would never…NEVER want you back!"
"Lloyd is me Raine. We're the same. We complete each other, now and forever. All he needed to see was what it felt like to truly lose that loved one." Mithos taunted, landing gently on the floor, not five feet from the two half-elves. "This Aeon Jewel will change everything, will fix everything. With it, I can revive Martel, and Sheena. Lloyd and I can live happily with the two we love the most, over a paradise where everyone is exactly the same. We'll be one happy family, together forever."
"Mithos…" Raine muttered, shaking her head and delivering a glowering gaze to the angel.
"My name is not Mithos anymore. It's Lord Yggdrasill-Aurion! And I will destroy you." Mithos growled, as the Eternal Sword formed in his hand, pulsing purple. "I WILL DESTROY ALL OF YOU!"
------ Iselia ------
Zelos was currently tending to the duties Raine had left him, muttering under his breath as he went about his duties. It had been roughly a day since Raine had left, but even that was enough to annoy the former Chosen of Tethe'alla. He truly wasn't cut out for the duties of mayor-hood yet, and he knew it. More than anything, he wished he was back with Colette at the school, preparing the next day's lesson or helping her cook at her house. It surprised him the more he looked at it how much more he was doing for himself and others now. A stupid grin crawled onto his face as he came across a complaint notice from one of the young women of the village. It stated that she wanted the "Pervert red-head teacher to be forced to take a knee to the package." Zelos buried a hand into his hair as he laughed at the message before putting it aside.
He heard the door open up slowly, and looked up to see Sheena standing there confused. "Do you have an appointment?"
"Huh?"
"Oh yes, Miss Banshee… please go wait in the reception area, and I'll be with you in just a sec." Zelos cracked, pointing towards the bed. He laughed at the top of his lungs as he watched Sheena's face contort into the violent one he knew so well, which was actually a face she used to avoid looking embarrassed.
"Shut! Up! Pervert!" Sheena yelled, stamping her foot after each word. It really didn't help Zelos much, who seemed to laugh even more. Sheena, semi-patiently, waited for Zelos to stop cackling like a madman. In the back of her mind, she contemplated dragging her back up to the cliff and tossing him off again.
"Consider that pay back for pushing me off a cliff! I could have been seriously injured!" Zelos whined, wiping a tear from his eye.
"Ah yes…too bad you weren't."
"Oooh…harsh!" Zelos whined, feigning injury. "Why are you here anyways, my voluptuous hunny?"
"I'm heading to Mizuho now. Yuan said Lloyd would be going there when he was done with him. Don't want to keep him waiting too long, you know?"
"Oooh. Sheena." She gave Zelos an incredulous glare before he continued. "Need an escort?"
"Even if I did, I'd rather take Kuchinawa than you." Sheena cracked, delivering a sledgehammer blow to Zelos' ego. It was about that time when a rumbling ripped through Iselia, shaking it powerfully for a brief handful of seconds before stopping. Charging out of the house, Sheena and Zelos joined the massive collection of villagers as they gazed off towards the west as a massive beam of pure light shot into the sky, tearing a hole through the clouds. Their eyes went wide as plates as they watched the completely unreal seen, murmurs and hushed whispers being the only sounds they heard from the crowd.
"What in the hell is that!" Zelos yelled, turning to see Sheena pull out a wing pack.
"I don't know, but I'm going to find out!" Sheena stated determinedly. Just before she brought the Rheaird out, a gloved hand clasped her shoulder gently, shocking Sheena. She dropped the wing pack and drew her cards, ready to attack when her eyes met with a head of auburn hair. A slight gasp was all it took for the entire crowd to turn around, shocked to see Kratos standing with his hand resting on Sheena's shoulder. "Kratos! How the-"
"Now is not the time for pleasantries Sheena." Kratos replied, his voice hurried. Turning to Colette, he smiled warmly as his eyes met with his former client. "Colette, take Sheena inside and hide until I return." When he saw Colette tilt her head curiously, Kratos raised a hand in protest. "Do not ask why right now, just do it please."
"No, I'm going to that light!" Sheena replied determined. She was shocked when Kratos took both her shoulders in her hands, and knelt before her, locking eye contact.
"Sheena…right now Lloyd needs you to hide. I can't even begin to explain what is going on right now, only that Lloyd is in danger. So just for now, go with Colette and hide. Please. Lloyd would never forgive me if something bad happens to you." Kratos spoke sincerely, waiting for Sheena to nod before standing back up and looking at Zelos. "Coming?"
Glancing at Sheena, Zelos could see her beginning to tear up. "You bet. I can't let you very well go on your own now, can I?"
"Still as arrogant as ever." Kratos quipped, before his wings sprouted into view. Soon after Zelos' wings appeared, and the two flew off towards where the beam of light had been. Not wasting energy to talk, the two flew as fast as they could through skies. Back at Iselia, Sheena watched them disappear into the horizon, flying towards what she could only assume was the Renegade base. Why else would Lloyd be in danger. She wanted more than anything to go after them. The prospect of Lloyd being in trouble clawed at her heart strings. Yet it was what Kratos said that kept her from going anyways. Feeling a tug on her arm, she turned to see Colette, feigning a smile to try and calm the ninja down. Even Colette could see the tears of worry preparing to flow freely from Sheena's eyes. In the back of her mind she suddenly began to feel more afraid than she had ever felt before.
"Lloyd…please be okay." Sheena muttered, before following Colette.
------ Destroyed Renegade Base ------
The base was in pieces all around them in a deep crater, as Mithos' attack faded away. What it was Yuan had no clue, and was fairly certain he never would. Lying at his feet was a bloody and beaten Raine, her legs pinned underneath a large chunk of debris from the base. Her breathing was heavily hindered and dawdling, but she was still alive. Her staff was no more than mere splinters that were scattered around her head. Her silver hair was bloodied, though not from her. It was Yuan's blood that ruined her hair, from a wound that was the direct fault of a blade sheathed through his shoulder and into the wall he was pinned too. The Swallow was in two pieces, lying to his left. He could feel himself still breathing, but for the life of him didn't have the energy to even lift his head from where Raine was lying. He was staring worriedly at her, and she was staring horrified at him.
Yuan's eyes slammed shut and he himself let out another brutal scream of pain came as the other Eternia Blade was driven into and through his other shoulder, pinning his body to the wall. When his eyes did open, he saw Raine silently crying at the treatment of the fellow half-elf. Suddenly, his view was torn from Raine, and forced into Mithos' blue eyes as the fallen hero took a handful of the blue hair in his hand and dragged his head up.
"I'll end the pain Yuan…for my old friend. Just beg me for forgiveness."
"Go…to hell!" Yuan spat out. Mithos gave him a disapproving scowl, seconds before he drove the back of his head into the wall. A grunt of numbed pain escaped Yuan's lips as the impact rattled his consciousness ruthlessly.
"Leave him alone!" Raine called on impulse. Mithos' hand left Yuan, letting his bloodied head fall back to where he had it before, once again locking onto Raine's eyes. Raine could see clouds forming with Yuan's eyes and see the color fade from his face. Her attention turned to Mithos, who had drawn the Eternal Sword again and stood so he was over Raine's prone body. He pointed the sword down at Raine's neck, alarming the healer greatly. Her eyes opened in horror as she saw the sword position itself at her tender neck. She looked up at Mithos' face, disgusted at how much like Lloyd he still looked. Slowly, Mithos turned his head to Yuan, who had forced his head up to stare back at Mithos. Mithos could see the defeat in his eyes.
"Don't…hurt her!" Yuan forced out, tears rolling down his cheek. "Please…" Even the barely conscious Raine could here his agony as the words left his mouth. "…Lord Yggdrasill-Aurion…I beg your forgiveness." Yuan's head dropped again, the last shred of dignity drawn and impaled in front of him. "I beg of you…" He was surprised to hear the sword sheathed in it's actual sheath instead of in Raine's neck, and once more forced his head to look up at the evil that stood before him. Without remorse, Mithos pulled the two blades free, allowing Yuan to crumple to the ground in a heap, his body resting onto Raine's, his bloodied face landing on the ground just beside her face. Spinning each sword sharply, Yuan's blood was whipped from each blade before they were sheathed away. Kneeling down, Mithos grabbed a handful of Yuan's hair and twisted it, forcing his head up from beside Raine's briefly.
"I'll never forgive you Yuan. As far as I am concerned, you are as much to blame for Martel's death as the humans and elves!" He smiled as he saw the pain reflect itself with Yuan's eyes. "Kratos is coming…I can feel him. We can feel him." Mithos stated viciously, petting Yuan degradingly. "You can thank him for your life. But I promise you Yuan, this is far from over. In fact…this is all just beginning. Together…Lloyd and I will turn Symphonia into a true paradise, free of discrimination and emotions! And nothing can stop me!" With that, he let Yuan's head fall beside Raine's head. Stretching his massive white wings out, Mithos flew off into the sky, fleeing from the scene.
"Yuan…" Raine muttered, her ears twitching as she heard Yuan sorrowfully weeping. With what might have very well been the last of her usable energy, she wrapped her arms around the fellow half-elf, comforting him as he wept bitterly into the ground. "I'm…sorry." She muttered, before passing out.
A handful of minutes in the future, Kratos and Zelos landed on the ground beside them. Raine was unconscious, but Kratos could see Yuan still with them. Quickly, the two used their healing skills to stop any bleeding they could, but they were no match for Raine's healing ability. Kratos, kneeling beside Yuan, shook him gently. Slightly rejuvenated by the healing, Yuan lifted his still weeping head to face Kratos. He couldn't hear a word he had said, but he knew what Kratos was asking. Slowly, Yuan mouthed two words that struck a newfound sense of horror into Kratos' heart. The words were "Mithos' back", and it was the last two things the blue haired half-elf could say before passing out from blood loss.
"Kratos…what the hell happened." Zelos muttered as he pushed the debris from off Raine's legs. When he glanced to Kratos, he saw the usually composed warrior staring completely wide eyed at the ground. "Kratos?"
"It's Mithos…Zelos…He's returned." Kratos muttered, looking at Zelos. "Somehow…Mithos Yggdrasill has returned."
For the longest time, there was nothing but silence. Kratos picked up Yuan, tossing him over his shoulder while Zelos did the same to Raine. As the two lifted off, Zelos turned his head to Kratos, his face the picture of grimness. "Symphonia is in danger isn't it?"
"More than we could imagine Zelos."
Act 1 Fin
A/N: No cliffhangers, just a couple of nearly dead half-elves, a bit more revealed on the Aeon Jewel, and more importantly than all of that is the fact that Lloyd wants this to happen…according to Mithos. Is he lying? Who knows? What will happen now that Lord Yggdrasill-Aurion is here? And more importantly than all of that…is Lloyd gone forever? Find out when Act 2: The Almighty Aeon Jewel, begins three weeks from now. Until mid-April, check out Beneath the Surface if you get the chance, or keep an eye out for any one-shots I might do. Peace
