Finally, I was able to purchase TOS, so now I'm not writing all this stuff from memories of two years ago. Oh and here's a little advertisement- June 8, 2007, the First Episode of the Tales of Symphonia OVA will be on sale on DVD in Japan. Seriously, watch the trailer on Youtube. It's amazing. Fingers crossed that it comes to the USA.
As ever-Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and stuck with me all this time. The end is in sight, sadly. But...that's no reason you shouldn't send me lots of reviews!
Disclaimer: If I owned Tales of Symphonia...I'd find some way to marry Kratos! (Sorry Anna!)
Anna and Kratos hobbled slowly through the gates of Asilaj. The Jalisa assassins stared at the two battle torn figures as though ghosts from their past had marched into camp. Anna smiled at Kratos, on whom she was leaning for support, and nodded toward the assassins.
"I think they believed us to be dead," she whispered, grinning mischievously.
Kratos grinned back. "Good. That means I didn't blow my cover as completely as I thought."
Anna shook her head. "Someday, you'll have to tell me what you did when you saw Noishe limp through the gate. I wish I could have seen the look on your face."
Kratos nudged her, glaring. "I don't want to be forced to look like that again, young lady. Do you understand?"
Anna bristled. "Don't talk to me like I'm an ignorant girl! I have more experience with these things…" she trailed off as Kratos raised an eyebrow. She looked down, her face reddening and muttered something about angels who thought way too highly of themselves. As the pair reached headquarters, they could here Ahmond and Denise talking inside.
"It's been almost a week!" Ahmond said. "Kratos still hasn't come back. The fool probably got Anna and himself killed!"
"And I'm telling you that they could not have gotten out of that place unscathed!" Denise replied hotly. "They're probably going slow due to injuries!"
Like Anna would get herself injured!" Ahmond shot back. "Kratos is-"
But he was interrupted as Kratos kicked open the door and stepped over the threshold, Anna's hand in his.
"Kratos is right here, safely delivering your leader and his fiancée," Kratos said, looking from Ahmond to Denise. Denise immediately threw herself at Anna in relief, hugging her friend closely. Ahmond gripped his desk tightly, his face very white, before he collapsed in his chair and buried his face in his hands, whispering a prayer of thanks to Martel.
Suddenly his head snapped up and he leaped to his feet. "Did you say fiancée?!" he bellowed.
A year later, Felicity was traveling through the forest outside of Asilaj, making as much noise as she possibly could. Any second now, one of the two people she wanted to see her would spot her. She ducked under a fallen tree, scraping her staff roughly against the bark.
"That bitch," she muttered. "Who does Anna think she is?! Leading the clan with that monster and starting a family! That no good son of hers is probably deformed from that angelic jerk and spineless from its whore mother! The Jalisa are MINE! Not Anna's! She has no ambition, no control, she's too sentimental-"
"Yet can keep her emotions in check better than some people," said Yuan from behind Felicity. Felicity jumped a mile and turned around glaring at Yuan.
"So there you are," she snapped. "I've news for you," she said leaning against a tree.
"Hmm," Yuan scoffed. "We shall see, won't we?"
Felicity glared. "Kratos and Anna gave birth to a son, three months ago."
"Do you really think I did not know that?" Yuan scoffed.
Felicity smirked. "I'll be willing to bet that you didn't know that her exsphere reacted, although there were no visible aftereffects. Additionally, Kratos rarely leaves his wife and son's side. They will not personally carry out any missions for the next year, and even then, it will only be sporadically. Meanwhile, without his wife's knowledge, Kratos, who does not ever sleep, spends his nights racing across Sylvarant and Tethe'alla in search of a way to not only stop the parasitic infection of the exsphere, but to find out what exactly the Angelus project does. I'm assuming he left before he knew of it, for there is no way he could know the concept and not have the cure."
Yuan stared at her, his face as bland as ever, but his mind was spinning. He couldn't figure out why Felicity felt this information to be so important. He also could not fathom how she had discovered things that not even his spies had picked up on, though she had confirmed his suspicions. He knew Kratos after all…which was responsible for the drop of pity he had for his one time friend. Kratos had been granted salvation and love denied to him for so long. But then Yuan saw Martel's lifeless eyes flash in his mind's eye and the pity vanished. Why should a pathetic human find what he, Yuan, was denied?!
"What is the relevance of this information?" Yuan snapped. "You've told me nothing I couldn't figure out?"
"Indeed," Felicity replied smoothly. "But I assume you haven't made use of these facts against him, have you?" She laughed. "Kratos knows that this exsphere is different. Kratos probably even suspects that it's growing a Cruxis Crystal inside of his wife. But until he knows the details, he will not do anything to endanger his wife and child. And it's his sentimentality, his carefulness, and the vile nature of this project that you can use to not only to bring him crawling back, but to deliver Anna to you to complete the project." Felicity cocked her head and smiled. "You will never out match him physically, Yuan. You will never get him to do what you want. You know that. You also suspect that Kratos may have left your organization for good reasons. I don't know. I'm not clear on the nature of Cruxis. So…if you can't force him…break him."
Yuan raised his eyebrows slightly, his mind drawing the pieces together. "Hit him in his heart," Yuan said.
Felicity nodded. "Send Desians repeatedly after Asilaj. I know the location. Have them attack only Kratos, Anna, and their son. This will speed the effects of Anna's exsphere. In the meantime, feed Kratos false information about the project, so that he never finds the cure. Kill the boy and Anna once the experiment is complete."
Yuan sneered. "You read my mind." He looked at Felicity oddly for a moment. "I suppose you want something in exchange?"
Felicity laughed. "Indeed. On your little escapades into Asilaj, leave as many people alive as possible. In particular, Ahmond Senshi is not be harmed." She grinned maniacally. "Jalisa is mine!"
Kratos sat atop the roof, looking at the stars and sighed. He had been at it for months, but could not find any information about the Angelus project. If he didn't find anything soon…Ana would-
Don't think like that! Kratos shook his head furiously. Anna will NOT! become a monster. I won't let that misfortune fall upon her…or Lloyd. Kratos ran a hand through his spiky hair and rubbed his eyes wearily. The only thing to do now…is act off of suspicion. It is most likely that that exsphere is evolving into a Cruxis crystal inside Anna's body. If only I hadn't left Cruxis when I did! But an "Age of Lifeless Beings?" Come on Mithos! That's not what Martel meant!
An infant's cry echoed from inside the house, followed by a small crash, sending a jolt through Kratos. He dashed silently into the house, drawing his sword as her ran to Lloyd's room.
Lloyd was crying softly in his crib. The crash was Noishe, who had knocked over a chair as he leaned over the crib, licking the five-month-old's face. Kratos chuckled and petted Noishe on the back as he sheathed his sword.
"Good boy, Noishe." Kratos leaned over and picked up his son carefully, rubbing his back gently. He carried him onto the balcony and sat in Anna's rocking chair, rocking Lloyd in an effort to put him back to sleep. He looked at his son, and realized it was going to be a while. The boy opened his mouth in a whimper revealing the emergence of another new tooth.
"Well," Kratos said with a smile. "No wonder you're being so fussy." He bounced Lloyd a little bit, startling a laugh out of the child. Kratos grinned. "You look so much like your mother, Lloyd." Lloyd looked at Kratos and frowned slightly. Kratos laughed, "Yes…she gives me that look too." He continued to gaze softly at his son as Lloyd dropped off to sleep. Kratos leaned his head back, closed his eyes and drifted off into to sleep. "I'll find a way…I promise."
"Well…if it isn't the mighty angle playing house," Yuan said, appearing on the balcony in front of Kratos. Kratos jumped to his feet, holding Lloyd and pulling out his wings.
"Yuan!" He spat, "How did you find this place?"
Yuan laughed. "It was hardly a challenge."
"Felicity informed you," Kratos said calmly. "I knew she would be trouble."
Yuan laughed. "Hardly. She thinks your comings and going are in search of help for your wife. She has no idea you're searching for some way a human," he emphasized the word nastily, "can wield the Eternal sword… Speaking of…have you found the way to do either?"
"And if I have?" Kratos asked. "Why does it matter to you? It's not as if you agree with Mithos's foolish idea. You'd know better than anyone that Martel would hate what he has done."
"Indeed," replied Yuan. "But that is neither here nor there. Your efforts for the cure and your foolish hopes of wielding the eternal sword are in vain."
"So it's true," Kratos replied calmly. "It is growing a Cruxis Crystal inside her. And because her mana signature is so close to Martel…"
"The process is going much faster than usual…even faster than with the summon spirit seals." Kratos glared. "What is it you want from me? You know the cure as well as I. And because of that…Yggdrasil is guarding the mana fragments against me. I assumed as much. What is it you want in exchange?" As if I did not already suspect…
"Release Origin's seal," Yuan replied. "I'll give you materials for the rune crest. After which…you will release the seal."
"And if I refuse?" Kratos asked eyes narrowing. He held Lloyd tighter. The boy squirmed, but thankfully did not wake.
"Then I will kill your son," Yuan replied.
Kratos's eyes widened in anger and shock. He could feel it…the mana in his body was roaring to match his rage. The air thickened as lighting and thunder ignited his eyes into flames of destruction. No…not my son. I'll kill you first and take you with me to hell!
Yuan felt it too. He took an involuntary step backward as a powerful aura radiated from Kratos. Never had he seen anything like this. Power radiated from the human, seeped with an animalistic urge to protect. How is this possible!
Yuan suddenly jumped asides as a volley of arrows shot upward from the town square. Simultaneously, the door behind Kratos flew open as a sword embedded it self in the floor where Yuan had just stood. Attached to the handle was an irate mother, Anna, flanked by Ahmond and Denise. Kratos handed Lloyd to Denise. "Get him inside." Denise nodded and left the balcony.
"Impudent wench!" Yuan spat, forming a ball of mana in his palm and firing it at Anna. Anna dodged and Kratos drew his sword in a flash, slicing it a t Yuan, landing a gash on his face.
"How dare you threaten my family, you monster!" Anna hissed. She dove at Yuan, who dodged again…but he had no idea how fast Anna could be and he cried in shock as her sword pierced his arm. He swung, connecting solidly with her jaw and sending her backward off the balcony.
"Anna!" Kratos bellowed. He turned to Yuan, rage such as he had never known filling him. He pointed his sword at Yuan and said in a voice of terrifying calm, "Photon."
Yuan yelped as a beam of light engulfed him and tore through his body. He managed to summon forth his remaining energy and teleport as Kratos struck the final blow in vain.
"Damn him!" Kratos yelled over Lloyd's wails from somewhere inside the house. He rushed to the balcony and saw Ana getting to her feet below. She looked up at him and she froze. Her eyes widened as a look of horror spread across her beautiful face. Kratos tilted his head in confusion and noticed that every one of the archers below was staring at him as well. Turning, he saw Denise had returned and was holding the baby as though shielding him from a monster. Ahmond looked as if he couldn't decide weather to speak or to draw his sword. Kratos couldn't figure out what was causing such fear, until her felt a soft breeze on his face. His wings glowed and the Jalisa stared in horror at one of their enemies.
Kratos sighed and took Lloyd gently from Denise. He flew over the balcony and landed in front of Anna, who dashed to her husband and son. "Kratos…" she began, but didn't know what to say.
Kratos sighed. "The secret's out," he said calmly. "About me…and our location. We have to go."
Anna looked at him in horror as she held Lloyd. "Go?" she repeated. "Kratos we can't…"
"We have no choice, Anna." Kratos said. "They'll be others. Yggdrasil himself knows where we are. We must leave or we put the entire clan in danger."
"No!" Anna spat, furiously. "Kratos, this is my home. This is my parent's legacy. My family's legacy. I can't throw generations of work and leadership away!"
"Would you rather be responsible for another attack on the village?" Kratos asked gently.
Anna gasped and stepped away from him. "How dare you-" she stopped suddenly and bit her lip hard. She looked at Kratos, her eyes beginning to fill with pain.
"Anna?" Kratos asked, going to her. "Anna what-"
She pushed her son into Kratos's arms and fled through the town square, out of a side emergency gate, and into the forest. Her scream of pain reverberated as she disappeared from view. But it wasn't emotional pain, Kratos could tell.
"Oh no!" Kratos whispered and he flew up over the gate after his wife.
Anna's hand was on fire and it was quickly spreading through her arm as she dashed through the trees. I've got to get away before Kratos comes after me. He mustn't know what's happening. I have to fight this! Another jolt of power tore through her and she fell to her knees.
"Damn you Kvar!" she screeched. "Damn you to Hell." Stop it! Get control of yourself girl! The more adrenaline, the more pain. Calm down. Lloyd…think of Lloyd. And Kratos. Don't think about the pain.
But it was no good. The fear and rage that had coursed through her when Yuan had threatened her son's life exploded in her heart. She clutched her hand and bit back a scream. NO ONE WILL EVER TOUCH MY SON!!! She repeated it over and over as she slowly lost consciousness.
Kratos found her collapsed in the forest, clutching the hand with the exsphere embedded in it. Holding Lloyd in one arm, he lifted Anna easily and carried her over to a soft patch of grass and laid her down. Lloyd reached for his mother, but Kratos hugged his so close. I won't move her tonight. We'll stay here. We're close enough to the village where the watch could note trouble approaching. He heard something coming out of the darkness and looked up o see Noishe. Noishe walked over and licked Anna's face before whining to Kratos.
"You'll keep watch then?" Kratos asked putting Lloyd in his lap. Noishe whined again. "Good." It still amazes me how much I can understand this animal. Lloyd yawned and tugged on Kratos's sword. Kratos smiled. "I know you'll be a swordsman someday, little one. It's in your blood." Lloyd clapped his hands and tugged on the sword again. Kratos smiled and leaned his head back on the tree and reached out to stroke Anna's hair.
This is my family. I have to protect it.
I bet some of y'all are asking: Where are the renegades? Hmm...where indeed! Let's examine that next time!!! Review please!