The Truth and the Temple

MrWho2123: Was sup! This chapter is sort of a climax, so hold on to your seatbelts! As the title states, you'll know the truth…about most things. It wouldn't be fun if you knew everything! Will Kratos survive? Probably not! …I was kidding. Sheesh. Okay! It's disclaimer time! Come…uhhh…

Kratos: You don't know anyone to summon…

Mr.Who2123: Shut it! I know! Come Link!

Link: I have a pointy nose!

(Link pokes his nose, and his finger starts bleeding from the sharpness)

All: What the!

Mr.Who2123: All right, Link. Do disclaimers.

Link: Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia, but she does own all the O.C.s in her story.

Mr.Who2123: Thank you, Link. Would you like some tea?

Link: That would be splendid.

Kratos: o.O

Mr.Who2123: Cream?

Link: No cream for me. This is scrumptious!

Mr.Who2123: …act over, Ganon.

Kratos: What the heck?

(Link turns to Ganon)

Ganon: How did you know?

Mr.Who2123: You don't like cream in your sugar, but Link does so ha!

Kratos: …Okay…we're starting now.

Kratos looked back one last time before entering the temple. He pushed open the handle-less door open, and walked inside. He looked around, but it was pitch black. Kratos took one step, and the door suddenly closed. Kratos jumped and pulled out his flamberge, looking back at the door.

Kratos sighed when it was only the door, and sheathed his sword. As quietly as he could, he stepped through the large hall, alert of any movement around him, despite the dark. He tried to calm himself, but the darkness, and the echoing sound of his own feet hitting the stone floor scared him. Kratos looked around, and no life was seen.

I wonder if they live…somewhere else he thought as he stopped. The thought of leaving crossed his mind, but he shut the thought away as quickly as he could and continued his search.

Suddenly, something brushed against Kratos' back, and he turned around with his flamberge out. Sweat poured down his face, but there was nothing in his limited sight. Kratos sighed, but kept his sword out. He looked down at his feet.

Kratos knew he would die. Ever since druids attacked him, they were his number one fear. How could he possibly defeat one, if he was scared to death? Kratos looked up again, but when he did, he grew rigid and pale. He stopped breathing, and was shaking uncontrollably.

Ten druids surrounded him, their white, unchanging eyes fixed upon Kratos. Kratos held his sword up, ready to fight, but the druids didn't move. It was as if they were frozen in their place. Kratos looked around for an escape from the ring of druids, but they had him completely surrounded. Kratos held up his sword, and was ready to strike when two druids moved out of the way, leaving an exit.

Kratos was confused, but he ran for it, ready to get out of the danger that could befall him. When Kratos almost made it through the passage, pain suddenly erupted everywhere around him, and brought him to the floor, gasping for air, and unable to move.

The pain abruptly left when Kratos fell to the floor and looked up. All ten druids had one cloaked hand pointing straight at Kratos. Kratos was panting hard as he sat up, not daring to escape again.

Are they toying with me? Giving me an exit, but torturing along the way? He thought madly as he struggled to get up. When Kratos was about to move again, a figure blocked the exit. A druid, with a light blue cloak, instead of black one, was floating in front of him, his black eyes staring into Kratos'.

The druid made Kratos feel sick, and he couldn't look up at him. He felt deep evil and murder in those cold eyes.

What…are you doing…here? A cold, dead voice blasted through his mind. The very words themselves, made Kratos clutch his stomach. He gasped for air as sweat fell down his face. The voice repeated itself, and Kratos nearly hurled, but answered.

"I…was…attacked…by a druid…seven years ago," he barely managed to say. The light blue druid moved closer. Death was in front of him as he braced himself to be blasted by the attacker.

You have come for knowledge of what your fate is? It asked in cold harsh words. Kratos couldn't speak, and nodded instead.

Very well, the druid lifted its arm. Kratos managed to look up into the darkness from where his hand should have been, and felt dizzy. The dark seemed to overcome him as he fell unconscious.

Kratos woke up in dark, but somehow, he felt that he wasn't in the temple anymore. He put one of his feet on the floor, but no sound was made. Where am I? He thought as he looked around. Kratos couldn't even see his hand in front of him, and felt scared. Am I…dead?

No, the druid said in Kratos' mind. Suddenly, he was right in front of Kratos, his black eyes matching with the darkness around them.

"Aren't you going to kill me?" he asked nervously.

We cannot kill our own kind, the druid's voice echoed through Kratos' mind. "Own…kind? I'm a druid?" he asked, feeling slightly comforted by the fact he wouldn't die.

No, you are a shadow. Shadow? Those blood thirsty demons that terrorize every single person? How could be related to a druid if he was a shadow? As if the druid read his mind, he answered.

We are shadow, too. Kratos was shocked.

"So, are you sided with shadow, or us?" he asked. None. We desire no grudges against us. I suppose you would like your fate foretold, it said through Kratos' mind. Kratos nodded, and looked at the druid's eyes. Somehow, he didn't feel sick anymore.

The shadow lord, Vernandi, is just like you. Kratos widened his eyes.

"So he was attacked by a druid?" he asked.

He shared a similar fate. He began to want power. He became obsessed with it. Then he called demons of Hell to work for him. He grew in power, and now commands armies of demons in the north, preparing for war against humans, elves, and half-elves.

"We won't stand a chance!" Kratos exclaimed.

Yes, your people shall surely fall is nothing is to be done. However, the sources of his power are two pendants. Combined, they can and will destroy every living thing on this planet. Kratos was in deep fear.

"Wouldn't Vernandi just blow this world by now?" he asked in fear, his heart pumping faster.

These pendants would destroy him too, so he split the originally one pendant into two, and seeps their power.

"How do I come into this?" he asked, although he already knew his fate.

You are to forge the pendant into one and break it before it destroys you. The druid replied. Kratos was about to ask why not break them while split, but the druid continued. If you break them while split, all the power goes to Vernandi. Kratos nodded.

In the end, you will kill him, and destroy all shadow in this world.

"Won't you die?" he asked. Somehow, Kratos had begun to like the druids.

Our times are up. It is what will bring this planet to safety once more. Kratos looked down.

"I'm part shadow. What will happen to me?" he asked, almost in a whisper.

That, I do not know. Kratos sighed. He may die after all.

"How do I defeat Vernandi?" he asked, trying to distract his mind of the future.

You must learn to master your skills as a shadow. If you do not, the shadow lord will surely kill you with ease.

"How do I do that?" he asked nervously. He didn't know half of the things that happened to him, how could this druid expect him to master all of it?

You must find betrayal, friends, and death. You must go to the gates of Hell and back if you wish to truly become strong. Well that sounded difficult, but it was his fate to kill Vernandi.

"One last question: Where are we?" Kratos asked.

Inside the shadow of your mind, where you can communicate with me without dying.

"So if I was still in the temple, I would die from listening to you?" he asked. His flesh crawled when he saw the druid nod in the slightest. Kratos sighed, as he was teleported back into the temple.

The druids were around him again, but the pale blue one was gone. Kratos was on the floor, and he was freezing. The druids continued to stare at him as he got up. Suddenly, his pain came back. Kratos fell onto his knees again and hurled on the temple floor. After wiping his mouth of his deposit, he stood up, and walked out of the temple aching to the bone.

The druids continued to stare at Kratos, eve after he opened the oak doors, and was out of sight.

As soon as Kratos walked outside, he covered his eyes from the sunlight peeping from the clouds far away. He blinked, and then walked over to his horse, who was scraping the floor impatiently.

"Sorry," he said softly as he climbed Lucky. Before setting off though, he thought for a minute. I need to experience betrayal, friends, and death, he thought. Well, that was going to be hard, but what could happen?

Mr.Who2123: Oh yeah! I am good! Poor Kratos, he barfed. (EWW!)

Kratos: You made me do it…

Mr.Who2123: Your point?

Kratos: …nevermind. What happened to Ganon?

Mr.Who2123: oh, I just had Chuck Norris round house kick him, and I put Ganon in that cage.

Kratos: Chuck…Norris?

Mr.Who2123: Only the coolest Kung-foo guy ever!

Kratos: Please Review, and whoever this Chuck Norris is, please tell him he should kick Mr.Who in the face…