(A/N) Update, just as promised! I seriously love this chapter. Hope you guys enjoy!
Disclaimer: Someday I will own ToS. Then I will delete all of these disclaimers and replace them with boastful gushings. Until then, don't sue me!
Chapter 13
They sifted through the foliage like ghosts, quick and quiet- too fleeting to catch sight of and too sure-footed to crack branches. Kratos could now see the innate stealth that allowed the commander to pass for a ninja of Mizuho. Both he and his men had incredible prowess in the field of travel. Kratos' own training pulled him even with them- yet he'd never given it much thought how they managed to sneak into Tethe'alla. He knew that Tethe'alla had a number of operatives in Sylvarant, but it would be much more difficult for them to ingratiate themselves into the Sylvaranti's decentralized military structure than it might be to infiltrate the highly centralized monarchy that was Tethe'alla. Either way, if the Tethe'allans wanted to hold their own in this war, they'd have to be increasingly wary of this type of subversion.
As Kratos followed, somewhat awkwardly due to the ropes around his wrists, something was stirring. He could feel it like a charge in the air- tense and crackling with energy. It felt like an enormous upwelling, not within him, but everywhere. It was almost as if it was always there, like an unseen force of nature. Perhaps he was simply growing conscious of it, but the stronger the feeling got, the harder it was for Kratos to focus. The world and the air seemed balanced on the tenuous precipice of chaos. It was like a thick volatility, so precarious that anything abrupt might spark it and set the air ablaze.
The fifteen-year-old stalled in his steps briefly as the building awareness became near overwhelming. Whatever it was, it was everywhere. Unless he had just become hyper-aware of ionized particles- which he seriously doubted- Kratos was at a loss for the name of the substance. What could be so invisibly abundant? Could it be that he was sensing energy? Though the idea was about as ludicrous as growing wings, Kratos was forced to give it some consideration.
He felt his left hand twitch. The Cruxis Crystal was slightly warmer than the surrounding skin, but nowhere near as blistering as it had burned the first time. Xilia may have been correct in her assumption that the evolution of the exsphere was a result of exposure to stress. From what he knew, the exsphere had the ability to impact his senses. However, adding a completely new sense was unexpected.
"We're here," a Sylvaranti muttered softly to Kratos, pulling his arms to keep him from breaking through the brush ahead. Kratos let himself be drawn to a stop, examining his surroundings with a new perspective. The energy writhed and spread throughout the thinning section of forest that the party occupied. Kratos felt highly condensed, hectic bundles of the substance around him, and upon further observation, found them to be the Sylvaranti captors. Each person was a container for a vast amount of unbridled energy.
Kratos knew now, what it felt like to sense mana.
He forced this new revelation to the back of his mind, as he realized that the commander of the Sylvaranti forces was peering through the leaves ahead at the clearing. The ground had been transitioning to a rocky and uneven slope steadily, but in the clearing ahead, it seemed that the forest could no longer make do with such boulder-like soil. The trees broke in a clean line, a sharp division between the relative safety of obscurity and the bare openness of the rock face.
"So, what exactly do you know about Tethe'allan tactics in this region?" The commander asked without breaking his gaze from what was sure to be enemy troop activity. Kratos thought a moment. Not dying would be in his best interest, and staying unnoticed went along with that. A battle should be avoided at all costs.
"Considering that we're coming from the Eastern side, the majority of the forces will be concentrated along the ravine and especially the pass. Behind that initial line, though, there should be fewer troops. Far and in between anyway." Kratos shrugged. Most likely, the area needed reinforcement on the Sylvaranti side. Last he heard, the Tethe'allans were making significant territorial gains. He wouldn't be able to avoid conflict if this group was merely attempting to sabotage their enemy from behind.
"Is that so?" The Sylvaranti turned to look at him. Kratos just nodded slightly. On any other occasion he would have come up with a snide or sarcastic reply that involved him not having any particular desire to get blasted in the crossfire, but at the moment he was distracted with the fluctuating mana in the area.
Something big was nearby. Shifting, maybe. In fact, Kratos thought he felt it like a wave might look on the horizon. A gargantuan amount of mana was rippling towards Latheon Gorge. Slowly, but steadily looming before them. The feeling set him on edge. The mass of energy was sort of scattered on the periphery of his senses, but nevertheless prickled with intensity. Swarms of what he believed to be people marched alongside the intimidating mana signatures. Whatever it was, it wasn't living. That narrowed down the culprit to a select few powerful weapons. They needed to get out of there before whatever new mana weapon the Tethe'allans developed turned the entire Gorge into a crater.
"Let's go, then." The commander waved his troops closer to the forest's edge. Inching nearer, Kratos got a better look at the rocky plateau that made up the area in front of the Tethe'allan side of the ravine. It was wide and uneven. The grayish rock itself was sharp-edged and raw, as if the forces of nature had yet to wear it down and soften the harsh corners. The light was also bleak and washed out, despite it being late afternoon coming up on evening. Several figures shifted in groups a mile away, across the span of the rocks. Tethe'allans.
It was time to plan his escape.
Yuan felt the rush of victory subsiding as he regrouped with Kenta. Kenta's group looked no worse for wear, with just a few cuts and bruises and few casualties. This was impossible. There was no way that so much territory could be gained with so few men. Both his and Kenta's troops had pressed and constricted until they reached the bridge from the east and west sides respectively. The pass lay perfectly over the ravine- barren and devoid of activity from either side. The Tethe'allans had retreated all the way to their own territory, leaving the bridge like a gauntlet thrown down. Yuan twitched at the challenge.
Yuan sighed to himself. It had to be some sort of trap, he wasn't stupid enough to play into it. Regardless of that, though, he could still be frustrated by the temptation. Sylvarant had been working to control this bridge for years, and it was right under his nose. He'd be a fool to touch it.
"What the hell is going on?" Kenta breathed heavily, eyes examining the ancient bridge before them. He stood tensely, hands wrapped tightly around a short sword that rested lightly on the ground. Yuan stepped to his subordinate's side.
"I'm not quite sure." They could see to the other side easily enough, but the Tethe'allans had higher ground past the bridge so it was impossible to judge just how many troops hid behind the rise of grey rock. Tethe'allan troops had fallen into ranks several hundred yards from their side of the bridge, a good three hundred of them to Sylvarant's hundred. For Latheon Gorge, though, these numbers were miniscule. Usually thousands resided in this location in order to maintain position.
The pass was about a quarter mile across, due to the wide and fast flowing river that cut into the Earth so many ages ago. Yuan took a few measured steps closer to the bridge, so he could properly peer into the abyss that was Latheon Gorge itself.
It was easily twice as deep as it was wide, and the water at the bottom glittered a deep blue and foamy white where the rapids crashed together. The deep trench was littered with smoother rock structures, but it still gave the impression of a violent death if one were to fall.
"What are we going to do?" Kenta asked, trepidation filling his voice with unease. Yuan spared another look at the Tethe'allan troops that were still at attention across the void.
"There's nothing to do, but hold our position until they play all their cards." Yuan narrowed his eyes at the enemy, wondering just what they might have up their sleeves.
Kratos did his best to lag at the back of the pack, which was surprisingly easy. Funnily enough, he still had Yuan's dagger concealed in his boot. He also slid next to the same Sylvaranti that had picked up his sword. He wasn't losing that again.
The group of stealthy Sylvaranti had followed the curvature of the forest as far as they could for concealment, but now seemed to be headed towards the cliff's edge that dropped out over the ravine. It was as if they were circling the pass without actually heading straight for it. With the information he had supplied, Kratos figured they were attempting to circumvent the worst of the Tethe'allan lines by taking the more treacherous route nearest to the abyss. Kratos wasn't sure how smart that move was. If they got caught it would be a great degree worse than between a rock and a hard place. They could be pinned with their backs to the deadly drop easily. The Tethe'allans weren't going to be as wary of Sylvaranti on this side of the pass, though.
It was risky. Kratos wasn't planning on being a part of it.
The uneven terrain had become beneficial to the party, as it blocked them from any discovering glances that the Tethe'allans might spare behind them. They traveled low to the ground, ducking when the rocks were not as masking as was preferable. Though Kratos admired their audacity, he had little to no clue on their intentions.
Sabotage was likely the only option, but what could nine Sylvaranti do to an army of hundreds- even with the advantage of surprise? They didn't appear to have any special equipment. Perhaps they were simply trying to return to Sylvarant- but that was not a plausible option considering where they were. Latheon Gorge was by far the most difficult way to cross the border.
As Kratos' foot caught in a crevice, he stumbled forward a bit. They were obscured easily by the surrounding rock, so he would escape here. Leaning naturally into a forward crouch from the stumble, Kratos was able to slip his hand into his left boot and retrieve Yuan's dagger. Still near the tail end of the group, Kratos found his stumble garnered no extra attention. He smirked to himself at the irony. Yuan's dagger had helped them escape from the Tethe'allans, and now the Sylvaranti. Maybe the dagger was neutral to the war as he was.
Kratos sawed at the ropes quickly, and they fell away in no time at all. Still none noticed as he kept his hands behind his back. This point was his opening gambit. They were at a cross-road, metaphorically speaking. The Tethe'allan line- though not fully reinforced- begun to their right side now, behind the largest of the rocky rises, and the Gorge opened up like a scar cut into the land on their left. Kratos had no doubt that a loud confrontation would result in discovery, and an unfortunate position. That was his essential stratagem. If he didn't escape now, they all would be captured- and if they didn't look any deeper than his clothing, he might promptly be released. Hopefully these Sylvaranti recognized that.
Kratos walked closer to the unsuspecting Sylvaranti that had Typhon's sword on his belt. He kept his head down, as if concentrating on his footing, and bumped the man lightly. His left arm darted out from behind his back like lightning and sliced the leather strap that fastened the sheath to the man's belt. At the same moment, his right hand came up and caught the precious weapon before it fell. The Sylvaranti failed to react properly in time, and Kratos had his sword drawn and pressed against his neck before he could do more than blink.
The commotion had made a sort of scuffling sound, and the Sylvaranti commander spun around to see the source of the incriminating noises. Kratos felt the corner of his mouth twitch up. So he knew any sound could be everyone's downfall. Perfect.
"Ironic, isn't it?" Kratos hissed in a whisper. The situation was amusing- it was the precise opposite of what happened in the Meltokio sewers. The Sylvaranti's gaze hardened, eyes flitting away briefly to examine his soldier. The remaining men had tensed around them, but no one dared to move. Kratos admired their camaraderie, but he needed to split with them.
"Fine. Well played, even." The Sylvaranti conceded with a sharp shake of his head, "Go. I don't want to see you again." His grey eyes matched Kratos' own intense glare. "Whoever the hell you are." The commander added under his breath. Kratos felt victory within reach. The Sylvaranti turned around and begun to walk away, his subordinates nervously following with only a few furtive glances behind. Kratos lowered the tip of his blade and nudged the other Sylvaranti forward. His shoulders slumped in unspoken relief, and he walked off as well.
He stood motionless with his sheath and dagger clasped in one hand, and blade in the other as he watched them recede along the cracked cliff-side. Kratos let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding, and felt himself relax. His eyes found themselves examining the deep trench before him. The grey stones made steeply drawn, angular shapes where they hit the sun. For the most part, though, the ravine was painted in rich shadows. It was much deeper than wide, and almost gave the illusion that it led straight into the heart of the earth. Kratos had never been afraid of heights, but not wishing to stand near the edge here was more of a self-preservation instinct than anything else. It was oddly magnificent, in the harshly cutting and dangerous way that only nature could be.
Turning his head to look to the western side of the Gorge, Kratos could see a narrow pass. The bridge that everyone was hell-bent on fighting for. The structure itself was rather impressive, tresses and support beams ran underneath it as it arched like a gentle hill over the chasm. Kratos' eyes tried to pick out figures of soldiers on it, but his acute eyesight couldn't find any. Was the bridge unoccupied? That was impossible- yet it appeared not. His feet began to shift on their own, getting a closer look as he traveled along the edge of the trench to remove the obstructive rocks from view. Rounding the slight curvature, Kratos paused in his tracks for a second time.
Tethe'allan regulars stood in ranks on their side, apparently after a noteworthy withdrawal. Kratos' eyes followed the bridge to the other side, where a much smaller number of Sylvaranti stood in disarray. A teal head of hair stood out from the lackluster, grey scene. Yuan was here? There couldn't be many other turquoise-haired half-elves enlisted in the region. Kratos couldn't decide how he felt about that development. Both sides obviously stood at a stalemate.
The growing sensation of approaching power, though, would easily tip the scale in Tethe'alla's favor. It would be a massacre. Kratos quickened his pace to reach the bridge. He preferred this stalemate to any blood that was about to be spilled. In fact, he had just resolved to stop it. It was about time for a cease-fire.
Yuan felt a sudden pricking sensation. Being a half-elf, he could sense mana his whole life. He'd never felt anything like this, though. A massive wave of intense energy- refined mana- was coming. Mana weapons, probably a type of cannon, were on the way. It might be too late, now, to get an adequate distance away. He turned frantically to the accumulated troops.
"Fall back! Fall back now!" Instead of immediate and unquestioning following of his orders, Yuan was met with a hundred confused stares. Kenta was still facing the Tethe'allan troops across the way, and took several steps backwards.
"Holy crap!" His voice broke off half-way, and he turned to face the others. "Retreat!" Yuan spared a glance behind him. The massed troops were now even larger in number, soldiers pouring out between the crevices that made up the higher ground. Every three or four of them hoisted cumbersome looking mortars- the source of the daunting mana. Yuan figured they could easily fire the distance across and then some.
His Sylvaranti companions began a very disorganized 'run-for-your-freaking-life' recoil. The way the mountainous rocks were situated, though, made it rather unlikely that anyone would reach the cover of the ridge before it was too late.
Yuan felt the first blast before he heard it. It was like an explosion of pent up pressure, steadily drawn from the very environment it came from. It was as if the Tethe'allans were sucking the life from the ground and firing it across the void. The sound was a cacophony of loudness, staccato and grating against his elven hearing. Seconds later, the ball of mana struck Sylvaranti territory.
They were lucky that they had a head start, because the area that had been previously occupied by troops was obliterated. A shock wave traveled through the land almost like a small earthquake, and the boulders that made up the flat area before the pass were blasted into the air. The very ground was shattered and broken, leaving only a crater behind and debris littered around it. Yuan tore his gaze from the detritus. They were in over their heads. There was no way they could fight this kind of raw power. He'd be lucky to get his men out alive.
Kratos was just reaching the edge of the Tethe'allan lines when the first shot went off. The destruction that followed left him speechless. That kind of energy, and manner of delivery was simply horrifying. No one seemed to be hit, though, so he kept his focus on preventing anything else.
The air was sparking with mana, drawn out of the earth for use in the cannons. The mere quantity of mana necessary for one blast must be astronomical. It would kill the surrounding area. Mana deprivation was almost unheard of, due to how plentiful it was, yet it was the essence of life. Who knew what might happen when they used it up?
Think. He had to think about how to fix this. Or at least mitigate the damage done. What did he know about these weapons? Little to nothing- aside from the fact that they accumulated vast quantities of mana and then propelled them. Maybe he could cause one to self-destruct? The pending chain reaction might be enough to cripple the Tethe'allan arsenal. The problem was that the Tethe'allans would just return with more of the wicked mortars in order to take the stupid bridge. Kratos' eyes shot over to the bridge. The object of his loathing was rather empty and no one was really paying it any mind.
Kratos was behind the distracted Tethe'allan regulars, as several more mana spheres were launched at the Sylvaranti. If he could eliminate the bridge, then there would be no purpose in holding this location. Damn. This was almost suicide. Kratos absently noted that his hand was burning again with an even more intense heat than before. It was no matter, anyway.
He blended in easily with some of the regulars, and the lack of helmet didn't warrant too much attention given other helmetless soldiers presences. Following the curt and clean-cut actions of the newer troops that still marched out from behind him, Kratos noticed several new mortars were being wheeled in front of the others. The Sylvaranti troops on the other side were retreating at a quick pace, and it looked like most of them were out of range of the strange artillery.
The Tethe'allans were making a new line closer to the cliffs edge.
Kratos trailed with anticipation as he realized that they were setting up the machines as far out as possible. The bridge lay before him, and several cannons were placed near its opening. Three men worked each one, and he payed rapt attention as each did their jobs. God. Was he actually considering doing this? He must be crazy, he decided. The prospect of removing the bridge was cemented in his mind, now, as the only option. He could see the wreckage across the ravine, Sylvaranti had begun to fall with each deafening blast, and the terrain was in shambles. It was awful. He had to stop it.
He had unconsciously crouched next to the central cannon in the nearest line, prepping it to fire like he'd seen the others do. He made himself count slowly down before he acted. Premature action would be dealt with by the Tethe'allans harshly without any results. His right hand slipped into his boot to pull out Yuan's dagger. It was fitting, almost. When he thought the moment was right, he sprung up from his crouch and forced the dagger down the opening of the firing mechanism. As soon as it was firmly wedged in the back of the machine, he yanked his arm out and took as many steps away from the mortar as he could. In the split-second following he saw the action register on the other Tethe'allans' faces. The others working on the same cannon threw themselves back and called out. Kratos realized that he'd pushed himself out in the wrong direction too late. He was precariously close to the chasm's edge.
Then the world caught fire.
Yuan had called as many of his men as possible to follow him down the ravine's edge instead of a straight shot back from the bridge. The Tethe'allan lines didn't go too far to either side, and it was a shorter distance to run than to break for the ridge. His breath was heavy and labored. The air was crisp and dry, yet the sporadic explosions added flaming heat as they struck the earth. The dissipating mana burned like fire and the flying rocks that crashed down from the impact cut like so many shards of glass.
Yuan kept his eyes on the destructive weapons the Tethe'allans were working. He could see each and every shot course off and only hope it didn't take any lives when it hit. The Tethe'allans were shifting closer, hopefully it meant that his comrades were getting out of range. Yuan was distracted as he saw a flash of messy auburn hair. It couldn't be any other than Kratos, surely. Why was Kratos participating in such a horrid obliteration? It was the precise thing he despised.
Damn. Yuan stopped in his fleeing, facing the bridge again. His men hurried on, but he needed to see this. The figure he suspected was Kratos darted in front of one of the cannons, then-
The explosion was breathtaking- an awful self-destruction that lit the concentrated mana in the air aflame. Yuan kept his eyes glued on Kratos' slight form as the force of the blast hoisted him in to the air, and blew him backwards. The boy was falling down into the deepest depths of Symphonia. Subsequent explosions lit like wildfire across the Tethe'allan lines, catching each cannon and causing each to splinter into a million pieces. The Tethe'allans seemed to organize quickly and fall back before all of them were engulfed by the fiery demolition.
His attention was drawn to a crumbling structure. The bridge. The massive pathway caved in on the Tethe'allan side and could no longer support itself. It rolled in pieces down into the ravine. Chunks fell as it collapsed in on itself. It looked flimsy, now. A dazed form of shock crossed Yuan's face. His breathing was caught, and his hands clenched as he realized what Kratos had done. Kratos had just organized a cease-fire single-handedly.
Yuan scrambled to the edge of the cliff, no longer caring about the dangerous proximity. His eyes scoured the bottom of the pit, spotting only large chunks of rock and bridge amongst the fast-moving water. Yuan couldn't find his voice, nor would he have been capable of saying anything if he had. Kratos was nowhere in sight. Yuan had seen him fall.
The damn selfless idiot had just traded his life for a hundred.
(A/N) So I'm pretty sure that was my best chapter yet... it was also the longest! Promise to update soon! Please Review if you liked it, or even if you didnt XD! Thanx for reading!