Disclaimer: I do not own or have privelege of claiming rights to anything involved with Tales of the Abyss. That's all Namco, and they do it well. I can only lay word that the way I choose to parody the story is my own idea.

Key
Text Narration
"Text" Dialogue
'Text' Sarcasm, Saying's, and/or so-called... quotes
Text Character Thoughts, and/or Character Tittle
Text Sound Effects

Chapter 4

The first thing that Luke noticed when he entered the courtyard was Guy and Van talking together in whispers. As he was still on the stoop outside of the door he was too far away to hear anything they were saying. Master Van and Guy leaning close together and whispering with their hot breathe into each others ears? Guy never told me he and Van were like that ... Has Guy been holding out on me? He was about to try and sneak up on them to try and eavesdrop when old man Pere noticed him.

"Ah, Master Luke!" Pere shouted out at Luke just when he finished walking past the steps. It almost seemed like he did it on purpose just when he was about to get within hearing distance. Pere and Guy do share a room together, is he helping to keep Guy's secret? It wasn't fair, Guy was supposed to be his servant/friend. He shouldn't be keeping him in the dark to something like this. If he could deceive me about this, is he lying about being afraid of women too? No ... Luke had to stop himself before he started to question everything, he would just be sure to grill Guy later on about why he didn't tell him.

Luke puzzled what Guy would say. Curiously he asked. "Guy, what's up?"

If he wasn't already suspicious then Guy's reaction would have done it anyway. As soon as Luke asked him, Guy turned to him and crossed his arms over his chest defensively telling him. "Well Van is a master swordsman, so I thought that I'd ask for a little instruction."

Sword instruction huh, I'll bet. Luke would believe that the day his father and Ramdas admitted to being secretly in love with each other and had a man-baby along the way. I have to stop that or i'll make myself sick. For some reason today was just full of horror inducing thoughts. He blamed that voice in his head.

Sceptically he told Guy. "Really? That's not what it looked like to me." Now standing directly in front of them he silently dared either one to deny it with a stare.

Before the situation escalated however Luke could feel the familiar sensation of his head blanking out. He couldn't explain it but accompanied with the droning buzzing noise within his mind was the absolute certainty that someone was coming. Even stranger was that just before he was snapped out of it he could of sworn he heard a woman singing.

As suddenly as the feeling came it went away, leaving him staring into the distance oblivious to his surroundings. "Luke ... did you not hear me?" Master Van's voice anchored him back to the present.

Looking around he noticed that while he was distracted Guy and Van walked away from him in different directions. "Huh? Oh, right!" He said when he realized they were waiting on him. Hurriedly Luke got into his own starting position for the training.

Van's posture had assumed his teacher mode, where he would wanted no shenanigan's and would accept only complete obedience. Luke knew better than to fool around when he got like that. The last time he tried that he lost the opportunity to train and the next three weeks as well, he would rather sit through Ramdas's most tiresome lecture then try a repeat of that. "Are you ready?" Van asked him.

Eagerly Luke answered. "Yes, sir!"

"I guess I'll just watch from over here. Let's see what you've got, Luke." Guy said from his position of sitting relaxed on one of the benches.

That Guy, always watching. Luke thought in amusement. He was still a little miffed at him though so he dismissively told said. "Yeah, yeah." His tone showed how little attention he gave his friend. Impatient to get started Luke unsheathed his wooden sword and held it in a loose stance, feet slightly apart and sword hand held down at ease.

Once it appeared that Van was satisfied with his pupil's stance he began to instruct him. "Are you ready Luke? We'll start with the basics."

"Yes, Master." Luke answered in a clear voice. He once asked why he was always made to go through all the basics every time as if he didn't know them. Why they could not just skip straight to the cool moves. Master Van told him quite clearly that in order to accomplish anything he needed to have a firm grasp of the essentials, and that he was tested each time to make sure he had not slipped in his training between sessions. I still don't fully understand that. It was soon that Luke learned however that the sooner he accepted going through the motions without complaining then the sooner he would learn something new.

"First, movement. Keeping the target dummy in sight move fowards and backwards away from it." Van's first order rang out to Luke as he stood ready. Following orders to action he dashed fowards to within touching distance then back to where he began. Where did that training dummy come from anyway? It was strange how something that large could escape his notice like that.

"Space between you and your enemy is important in battle. Watch the conditions, and respond ... while I actually doubt there will be any need for you to ever fight." Van told him.

Just when Luke felt his master understood him he goes and say something like that. Of course he was going to get into all sorts of cool battles outside and wow everyone with his moves. He said as much, hoping to get his point across. "Humph. I want to show off some cool moves outside."

"This is not something for you to show off." Van rebuked him immediately again showing that dual nature of his. He seemed to go from helping him out and being understanding, to being close minded and treating him like a burden, with no warning. It seemed to be getting worse these days as well. "Next we'll move on to the more common attacks." Van continued.

Luke got in front of the dummy in a ready stance. Feeling raring to go he looked to Maser Van, who started shouting out orders in quick succession.

"Perform a normal slash!" This attack, Van had said, would be the most likely to be used. A fall back to always use whenever either engaging in a battle of attrition or when stalling the enemy to gather power.

Luke sliced across at the dummy's mid section using his left hand only. As his sword made contact with the target it made a noise and was pushed back a fraction.

"Now a strong slash!" Used primarily as the opening attack against an oponent, this attack was also said to be useful in breaking through an enemy's guard or stunning the foe temporarily with an overpowered slam.

With his other hand adding strength to his strike Luke continued his attack by putting more force into each thrust.

"Slash up!" The attack that should be used when facing an enemy that had the higher height advantage, or to knock up an enemy light enough into the air to disorient them and get a few shots in before they recover.

Quickly he reversed his blades motion and swung it into the training tool with a fierce upwards swing.

"Wide Strike!" Effective when surrounded and a little breathing room is needed as well as useful against an enemy that tries to use its lower height to its advantage.

After kicking out with his leg Luke swung his sword in a wide arc across the target, ending with the sword sticking behind him in a position that could easily trip up any enemy trying to corner him.

"Next we'll move on to defense."

Luke figured now would be the best time to voice something he had thought about lately. He tried to ask Guy about it once but all he got for his efforts was being looked at like he suddenly sprouted boobs. "You know, Master?" He said.

The older man looked annoyed when he asked. "What?"

Seeing he had Van's attention Luke continued. "I've always wondered, can't I just take out an enemy before it can attack?

Van got that highly amused look on his face again, the one where he thought someone said something rediculous. "Are you saying you could defeat me, Luke?"

Stuttering in denial Luke tried to back track his words. "Uh... No, I just ..." He decided to hold off on any more questions for awhile, he had suffered quite enough embarrassment for one day.

"So you understand that defense is important." It may have been his imagination but Luke could have sworn that Van looked very smug when he said that, but the look was gone by the time he told Luke. "The dummy will attack at regular intervals, guard against its attack."

"Che, I know that." Luke said in annoyance, still smarting over his earlier mistake. He then watched the dummy make a few swings of its weapon before rushing in to intercept the next one. Holding the sword firmly with his left hand and reinforcing it with the other he blocked the strike allowing himself to slide back a little to lessen the impact.

"Good, defense is a very important skill in battle. You will develop more ways to guard as you gain more experience in fighting. Now, to move on to the Artes." There went Van again contadicting himself, talking about fighting more just after saying how he never expects him to actually battle. "Are you ready Luke?"

"Yes, Master." Luke was very eager, it was only recently that he was able to tap into that power to use an Arte. He hoped if he showed how good he was at it now that Van would teach him another one. "I've been waiting for this. I'm ready anytime you are."

"I taught you Fang Blade, do you remember?" Van asked Luke. He remembered all right since it was only a month ago that he was taught it. He wasn't idle and had been sure to practice when ever he could find the time. He wanted to perfect it so he could impress his teacher into teaching another.

"Yes, Master." He kept his responses short, all the faster with to get to some new tricks with.

"Good, then try it." Commanded Van.

"Yes, Master." Running up close to the dummy Luke concentrated for a second before unleashing the power. Yelling out 'Fang Blade' he performed an ability amplified attack, his sword glowed with a bluish white light as he slashed down then jump lashed upwards cutting through the target and extending high into the air. There, there was no mistake there. It was just as he showed me.

"All right, this is the end. Perform a combo on the dummy of what you have learned." Van told him, and it was starting to become aggrivating. Van gave him no praise for doing so well. And what does he mean the end? He better mean the last bit of reviewing old stuff. If Van cut everything off after this then Luke was going to raise hell, Master or not.

At least he was able to take out some of his frustrations on the dummy. Running up to it he quickly sliced it across, up, down and followed it up by striking three times in rapid succession ending with a 'Fang Blade'. I'm not even the tiniest bit winded either. All that practice I did on my own paid off.

"Good work." Van said. The problem was Luke couldn't tell if he was just saying it because it was expected or if he had impressed him like he wanted. He didn't get a chance to ask as his teacher kept talking. "You will probably learn new Artes as you gain experience in battle. By gaining more skill you will be able to create your own variations as well."

"New Artes ..." Luke wondrously mumbled to himself. That was precisely what he wanted to do, learning new Artes would bring him a step closer to being acknowledged by Van. If not that, then at least it would add an extra thing to do around the manor.

A sudden flash of something shot across Luke's awareness causing him to lose his last thoughts completely and look around in confusion. "What's that?" Looking to Master Van he was surprised to see him grimacing as he struggled to stand.

A mysterious voice started to sing a really haunting melody then, and Luke watched in astonishment as his teacher was forced down to knee's. "Th- That voice!" Van said with a shocked tone.

Luke tried to rush over to help out Master Van, but he realized with growing horror that his body wasn't obeying him. "I .. I can't move!" He shouted in panic. Thankfully he could still see and hear, he didn't know what he would do if he couldn't.

"That's a fonic hymn! Has a Seventh Fonist invaded the manor?" He heard Pere cry out in a voice that sounded a mix of fear and amazement.

Guy's voice drifted over to Luke next, it sounded weak like it took great strength just to talk. "Damn it... it's putting me to sleep. What the hell are the guards doing?" When Pere and Guy were both seemingly taken off guard by this attack then Luke knew things were bad. Pere always acted like he was beyond anything and Guy had a damn annoying ability to appear untroubled no matter what, except of course for the matter of girls.

Luke was still fighting off his apparent paralysis when he saw what must have been the unknown attacker drop behind Master Van and run at him with the fierce battle cry of. "I've finally found you, Vandesdelca... Prepare to die, traitor!"

Just when it looked like his teacher was going to killed, Luke watched in relief as Van nimbly evaded the strike at the last moment. He found it odd that Master Van seemed to know this woman since he said rather determinedly, "Tear, I knew it!", before going on the attack himself.

The intruder dodged Van with a backflip and landed just a few feet from Luke. He was still in a state of shock over every thing going on, but it seemed he was the only one not in the know and that didn't sit well. "Who the hell are you?" He asked the woman. He couldn't see much from his position, just long brown hair, a cape-like dress, white gloves, and some kind of metal darts help in her hands.

Out of nowhere the recognized humming came back to Luke stronger then ever, he could even feel himself glow strange as it sounded. Whatever it was, it seemed to cancel the power that was stopping him from moving. Feeling energized now he rushed foward to take down this enemy while her back was turned. It might have even worked if Master Van didn't yell out, "No! Stop!", before he could strike.

The wooden sword he held clashed with a strange staff the girl, who seemed to be named Tear, wasn't holding a second ago. A strange rippling grew within the space where they collided and for the first time Luke heard that strange voice clearly. "Resound...! The will of Lorelei shall reach you... and open the way!" Not that he understood it.

"Not that weird voice again." He complained.

The girl standing across from him finally sounded surprised and not so harsh when she said. "The Seventh Fonon?"

Even if Luke wanted to answer her he found himself completely engulfed within the blinding light that in a flash flowed out from the distortion. The last thing he was aware of before passing out was of the screaming.

Review Reply

Promimo: Thanks for reviewing, I'm glad you liked. I'm finding myself having trouble writing it the way I want. If u have any suggestions I'd love to hear...

Ana Paula92: It is my hope that among the people Luke will have 'fun' with are such characters as Natallia, Anise, Mieu, Noele, Ion ... well, you get the idea. Thats what made me want to write this in the first place ... it's just getting to that point that I hit the snags.

Killerbunbun: Disregarded. Suggestions r welcum.