Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of Symphonia or any of it characters. I'd also like to send a thank you out to AlbelsPosse for the encouraging review. That review gave me areason to continue this fic
Path of Ascension
Chapter 8
Once inside of the Imperial Research Academy Zelos lead the way to the front desk. Wait there was a young researcher with her noses stuck in a book about the ancient Kharlan War. Using his lack of finesse the red haired swordsman walked over to the young woman and said, "Hi there gorgeous. I believe that such a voluptuous lady such as yourself were waiting for me."
The researcher looked up from her book and glared at the redhead, "Yes, Chosen One I've been expecting you." She came out from behind the desk and stopped at Zelos, "By the way...that line didn't get you anywhere last week and it's not going to get you to first base with me this week or...any other for that matter. I prefer the high IQ type, not the shameless flirts."
Raine, Genis, and Lloyd all had a hard time not laughing at the horrified expression on the face of Tethe'alla's chosen. "I don't think I've seen anything that funny in the last four thousand years.", the Summon Spirit reborn thought to himself. He took Colete's soulless shell by her hand and lead her body in pursuit of the researcher.
Zelos followed muttering, "How can my masculine charisma have failed me? What did I do wrong? How could any woman resist this sexy Chosen of Mana?"
Genis rolled his eyes and followed Lloyd while Raine smacked Zelos in the back of the head. "If you're done with your pity part, then perhaps we can get around to helping Colette.", she said just daring him to utter one more complaint.
The redheaded swordsman just nodded before he and Raine rushed to catch up to the others. They found Lloyd and the others waiting for them outside of a research lab in the basement. The Researcher said, "This is as far as I go. More qualified personnel are waiting for you inside. They've been briefed on Colete's condition and are eager to assist in anyway that they can." She started to leave, but when she passed by Lloyd she said, "Don't let him flirt with the lady inside. She happy...married...and has a gun."
"Yep. This guy's a dead man.", Lloyd thought before opening the door. He lead the way into the room and met two people that looked like elves, but he could sense that they were half-elf.
The lady he'd been warned about walked over to them and greeted them, "Hell, nice to meet you people from Sylvarant. I am Kate and this is my husband O'Brian. We received the report of Colette's symptoms just a few hours ago and dug up our research data regarding the Chosen's Cruxis Crystal."
Zelos walked into the room and said, "Well now. So my crystal was useful. When Colette returns to normal. I'll need to make sure she thanks me generously." He ran a hand through his thick red hair while fantasizing about the blonde Chosen causing him to miss the pissed off expression on the incomplete Summon Spirit's face.
"If he keeps thinking like that...accidents shall seriously cripple his ability to reproduce.", Lloyd thought before masking his feelings. Choosing to turn his attention back to the Kate rather than risk blowing his secret he listened intently.
Kate activated a holographic globe with the needed data on it. Genis and Raine were the only ones other than the researchers that had any clue as to what half of it meant. "Cruxis Crystals are thought to be evolved form of Exspheres. Both Exspheres and Cruxis Crystals are lifeless beings.", she began acquiring a rapid response from the Professor.
"What did you just say?", asked Rain trying to hide her shock and curiosity.
Lloyd knew what it meant, but chose to continue playing the idiot. "Life...less? What? That makes no sense to me."
O'Brian came to his wife's assistance, "Lifeless beings. How should I put it?" He thought of the simplest explanation that he could and went with it, "Basically, exspheres are alive, thought not in the same way we are."
Kate smiled and said, "Yes. Both of these crystal are like parasites fusing with other life forms."
The younger swordsman shuddered and muttered, "Parasites...ugh...That's not a pleasant thought."
O'Brian nodded hearing the brunette and continued, "When this happens, the mana within the body loses balance and goes out of control without a Key Crest. This causes them to transform into to big, green, mindless monsters."
Both Lloyd and Genis looked down ashamed of what had happened back home. "That's what happened to Marble. We caused her to go through all of that.", they both thought making them both feel like crap.
Raine was discussing the more detailed aspects of the fusion with the parasites and Colette's condition when something occurred to Genis. "Sis, wouldn't giving Colette a Key Crest return her to normal?"
Kate's eyes widened and she smiled hugging the smaller half-elf, "Why yes it should. With the Key Crest in place Colette should be able to move about freely in control." She began to rub Genis' face and said, "You don't know how hard it is to find someone who could figure out something so simple around here. I'm glad that there are still a few brilliant minds out there in our youth today."
Lloyd glared at the woman knowing that she was talking about him which caused Raine to laugh. "There, there Lloyd. The truth hurts, but at least she's not deceiving you, right." The Professor saw her student very reluctantly nod his head before muttering a few nasty remarks that Raine didn't quite catch.
After pulling Raine away from the Academy labs they made their way back out to the main yard. "Now where are we going to get a Key Crest?", he asked his party.
Genis looked at him and said, "Can't you just make one."
"No. I could carve the spell in the ore, but I don't possess the knowledge on how to process the ore. Without the processed ore there is nothing that I can do.", he said. "I refuse to accept defeat. I will find a way to bring her back.", he thought while the others discussed different places to look for a Key Crest.
Unfortunately the Professor spotted a junk collector's stand nearby filled with trinkets and some relics.
Zelos noticed Raine's departure and motioned for the others to follow. When he caught up to her and found what had her attention he said, "What's this place? All that I see here is junk."
The Professor spun around and quickly kicked Zelos hard right in the stomach. "This is marvelous, not junk. This is ancient magitechnology carbon! Don't judge anything by it's appearance. Such things could be filled with historical value."
The two childhood friends from Iselia knew that Raine had gone off into her own little world and that they would have to wait until she came down on her own. Lloyd glanced over the items on the stand out of curiosity to see if he recognized any of it since, technically he was alive back then. A shiny object near the junk collector stood out causing the swordsman to shout, "There! It's a Key Crest!"
The greedy collector moved over to the young man seeing a potential sale and acted uninterested, "What? You want this piece of junk?" When the brunette nodded and asked 'how much' the collector responded, "Hmm, let me see. I'd say 10,000 Gald should be about right."
The angry Summon Spirit grabbed the man by the scruff of his collar and said, "That's taking advantage of people in need...Why you slimly little..." He felt his power beginning to rise to the surface, so he released the man before he accidentally hurt or worse, killed the man.
The junk collector smirked and said, "This is a business, after all. What did you really expect?"
Zelos had watched the spectacle up until now, but this guy's attitude was really ticking him off. He walked over smiling and said, "Why don't you call the one responsible for this bazaar right now. I'll make sure he can't do business here ever again."
"And just who the hell are you?", the man asked not intimidated by the demand that the redhead had made.
Flashing a smug smile Zelos answered, "I'm the great Zelos, the Chosen."
The junk collector lost all color in his face and his eyes widened to the point that Genis and Lloyd were taking bets as to whether or not they would pop out of their sockets. The filthy businessman immediately started sucking up, "Please, take this junk...un, I mean, I humbly offer this up to you. Please forgive me!"
Zelos patted the groveling man on the head as one would a dog and said, "Good boy. I like your attitude, I'm sure that I'll remember you." This caused the man to laugh nervously not sure whether or not that was a good thing.
After depositing the Key Crest into Lloyd's hands Zelos walked back over to Colette. He heard Lloyd say, "This won't work as it is. I need the tools to properly repair this Key Crest to a usable state." The redhead replied, "Well, let's just go use the Academy's equipment. They'd never deny me a request."
The incomplete Summon Spirit nodded and said, "You maybe a conceited, egotistical jerk...but you do come in handy."
"Same to you kid, same to you.", Zelos shot back.
Kratos was now just about three hours away from and he still couldn't figure out how Origin had escaped his seal. "I suppose being thousands of years older than myself might have something to do with it.", he thought to himself bitterly. He knew that he had to gain Origin's help in order to put his own plans into motion, but the question was 'would Origin help him after being locked away for so long?'
Glancing back over his shoulder he saw Pronyma following him trying to hide herself in the clouds. "Meddlesome pest. You're so lucky that I can't kill you without reprisals from Yggdrasil.", he thought while imagining thousands of different ways that he wanted to use to kill the snotty woman. "Anna was always a hundred times the woman you claim to be.", he said picking some speed.
"Oh no you don't Kratos. You're not going to lose me that easily.", said Pronyma to herself knowing that she had been spotted. "Lord Yggdrasil will be most displeased with my failure to remain hidden."
Before he could go much further Renegades on Rheairds came out of nowhere and started shooting a both the Seraphim and Yggdrasil's aide. "You shall go no further.", stated one pulling out a rocket launcher.
Kratos could tell that inside was a weighted net designed specifically to bring down an angel. "I don't have time for this...JUDGEMENT!", he shouted shooting down several Rheairds at once clearing himself a path, but leaving Pronyma to the mercy of the rest. He flew faster seeing the twenty rheairds joined by thirty more that surrounded the woman he despised. "Finally she makes herself useful. Now on to Syback and hopefully I'll catch Origin before he departs from the city."
In the distance Yuan watched his followers swarm Pronyma, but he was greatly angered that Kratos had slipped through his fingers. "Units five through twelve break off and engage the retreating angel. Don't let him reach Sybak.", he said over the radio.
Using his modified Rheaird he sped towards Sybak refusing to accept second place in this particular race. "If I can just get to Origin first, then I can break Mithos' grip on both worlds and end this madness once and for all.", he thought.
The blue haired half-elf and his men surrounded Kratos and began attacking him. "YUAN! What the...I should've known. How else could the Renegades know so much about Cruxis and the Summon Spirits."
"But of course Kratos. Like you I desire Origin's power, but in my case it's to stop Mithos as Martel would've wanted. You and I both know that she would be weeping uncontrollably if she ever found out what the three of us have become and the things that we have done.", growled Yuan before he pulled a gun on Kratos.
Before the gun could be fired the Seraphim grabbed his old friend's hand and tossed him off of the Rheaird. He looked at the Renegades and said, "You'd best catch him before he hits the ground or else it's all over for your group." To his immense satisfaction most of them broke off to save their leader and the few remaining half-elves he made quick work of.
Below Yuan had summoned his wings and glared at the Renegades when most of them appeared near him completely amazed at what they were seeing. "What were you people thinking disobeying my orders?", he barked at them.
"But sir, we thought that you were going to die. We didn't know about...", one of guys said trailing off while pointing at the wings coming out of Yuan's back.
"Kratos you bastard. That was a dirty move even for you.", he thought before turning back to his followers, "Go after Kratos now. I received word that Origin's signal was found in close proximity to Sylvarant's Chosen...that gives me an idea. Get to Origin before that Seraphim does or else we have no future."
The Renegades hightailed it after the escaping angel while Yuan worked out the specifics of his backup plan.
Back in Sybak Lloyd had finished and attached the Key Crest to Colette, but her condition didn't change. Raine suggested that they return to Sylvarant to ask Dirk what was wrong. "Sorry guys, but I can't allow you to return to the declining world. Orders are orders.", said Zelos truly sorry that he couldn't help them here.
"Come on man. This is for Colette and you can come with us oh Compassionate Chosen One.", said Lloyd really hating having to ask like this. The only reason he swallowed his pride was because as he had said 'this is for Colette'.
The red haired swordsman thought about it for a second and after listening to more pleading agreed, but that's when things got ugly. Several of the Papal Knights came out of nowhere and surrounded the group. "What is the meaning of this?", demanded Zelos.
One of the Knights glared at the chosen and said, "Chosen. We heard what you said just now. We hereby declare you and your companions to be traitors attempting to destroy Tethe'alla."
The Chosen snorted muttering, "Well that was perfect timing, Mr. Papal Knight." He didn't believe that it was coincidence that the Knights had heard what was said and he was right.
The same Knight said, "By the Pope's orders. We were to watch you on suspicion that you were plotting against the throne."
Zelos scoffed placing his hand on his sword and replied, "…Heh. Now that's amusing. So I'm the one who's plotting against the throne?"
They were restrained and while Zelos explained what was the testing was about the Knights began poking them with a strange device that Lloyd had seen before. "This isn't good. If they get to Raine and Genis then...", he thought knowing what would happen to his half-elf friends. Lloyd wasn't at all concerned with himself since the machine couldn't register a Summon Spirit, so the human body would be the only thing that the device could recognize. He tried to use his power discreetly to corrupt the hardware, but found it difficult to focus at present because of his power's lack of use in the last few thousand years..
Unfortunately it was already too late as one of the Knights had come up behind Genis and stuck the little half-elf in the arm. Looking at the results the man said, "…S…sir! We found a match! These two are half-elves."
Lloyd didn't even try to act surprised by this news which both half-elves immediately noticed, but didn't said nothing. Zelos on the other hand was in complete shock and said something along the lines of, "I don't know what it's like in your world, but over here, half-elves are at the bottom of the caste system." This earned the redhead a whack in the back of the head using more strength than a human should be able to. Thankfully the Chosen and the Knights didn't notice this.
Lloyd and Zelos were forced downstairs into the labs with Kate and O'Brian, whom they learned were also half-elves, while Raine and Genis are taken elsewhere. "Great, just great.", the Summon Spirit thought.