Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia
Six balls of fire flew into a host of guards, knocking them back and sending up a blast of smoke. Kratos and Mithos turned and ran back before the stunned guards could regain their composure. After running for a while, they stopped to rest.
"Do you think that's enough time for Martel?" Mithos asked Kratos.
"She should have managed to get to the facility by now. I believe it is time we left these tunnels."
Kratos stood up and started walking off with Mithos following behind them. When they arrived at a fork, Kratos stopped and looked down both tunnels. One of them left the underground and went into the water while the other continued through the land. Kratos choose the land path.
"Your choice of spells has improved, Mithos. Your casting time is also much faster now. However, you still focus too much on the power of your attacks and not enough on your technique. Remember, while that focus may help you defeat many foes, those that truly know how to fight will be able to turn your strength against you. Learn to use your opponent's weakness instead of your own strength and your ability will greatly increase."
"…" Mithos silently listened to Kratos' instructions. While he disliked anyone criticizing him, he recognized that obeying Kratos would help him become stronger. As the human had noticed, he had obeyed him about using weaker spells when there wasn't enough time for stronger ones and the result had been very nice. So, Mithos decided he would bear with Kratos' instructions and follow along.
After hours of walking, Kratos and Mithos finally arrived at the location they were seeking. A ladder was attached to the side of the tunnel and led up to the surface. Kratos headed over to it and climbed up with Mithos following behind. When both of them arrived at the top, they found themselves in a small room with dim lighting and a single door. After opening the door, they exited the room and found themselves in a small hall containing windows that looked out onto a mountain peak. A set of double-doors led out of the room. However, standing before them was a single guard. As the human and half-elf entered, he turned to face them and drew a lance.
Sighting a slight glint of light from the guard's right hand, Kratos immediately assumed a defensive position and drew his Crystal Sword.
"Watch out, Mithos," Kratos warned, "he's one of the new exsphere guards."
The guard glanced over the two intruders lazily before turning around and locking the double doors with a key he stored under his armor afterwards. Then he turned and faced his opponents again.
"So you two are the ones who've been causing all the ruckus down in the causeways, are you?" He drawled out. "Well, it's time you two died."
In a sudden burst of speed, the guard appeared directly before Kratos, slamming down with his lance. However, the human had anticipated his move and dashed past him, slashing him across his left arm. As the guard whirled around and smashed Kratos in the back of the head with his lance, Mithos jumped at him with his Ether Sword. Before the half-elf could strike, the guard reversed his lance and held it above his head horizontally, blocking the incoming sword despite his injury. With his enhanced hearing, the guard detected Kratos approaching from behind him. He swung his weapon and sent Mithos flying into his comrade.
"It seems you're much weaker than I heard," the guard spoke in the same lazy drawl. "I'd been told you'd taken down one of the exsphere squadron along with a full patrol, but it doesn't seem like you're capable of that, does it?"
Kratos and Mithos stood up and stood beside each other with their weapons ready. They glanced at each other and Kratos nodded at Mithos. With a dash, Kratos launched himself at the guard while Mithos began chanting a spell.
Seeing the spell's symbol appear on the floor, the guard decided to quickly brush off Kratos' attack and then halt Mithos' casting but he was surprised when the blow he was expecting never came. Kratos stood before him, but he hadn't struck at him. Deciding that the event was of no consequence, the guard came forward and jabbed at Kratos with his lance only to have the human quickly knock it aside. Enraged, the guard yanked his weapon back to himself, raised it above his head and began spinning it.
Kratos tensed himself, preparing for the impending blow. He knew from having fought Yuan that the guard's speed and strength were far greater than his own, so he would have to be extremely careful with how he handled his movements. If he could move perfectly, Kratos was sure he could defeat the guard; however, even a single flaw would lead almost certainly to death.
The human noticed a slight change in the guard's grip on the spear and immediately leapt into the air, only a moment before the guard jabbed the lance at the place his feet had been. In mid-jump, Kratos shifted his weight, twisting his body until it was horizontal as the guard failed to hit him with one strike aimed for the legs and one for the head. Always keeping his eyes on his foe and anticipating his moves by reading the slight changes in his stance, Kratos rolled back immediately upon landing, barely dodging a blow that lodged the lance securely into the ground. With a single tug, the guard yanked his weapon back to himself and immediately stabbed as the human before him rose up.
Seeing Mithos' spell reach completion, Kratos decided to make his move. As the lance came at him, he raised his left arm, equipped with a Rune Shield, and rushed forward. With a deafening clang, the lance glanced off of the shield as Kratos continued on and stabbed with his sword, striking the surprised guard in the center of his chest. However, due to the exsphere's aid, the guard remained alive. As he tried to back away and draw the Crystal Sword out of himself, he felt a sudden power emanate from the weapon as a bolt of thunder struck him from above. Stunned, he could only watch as a second strike of thunder fell at him, this time in the form of a giant sword. He cried out with fear as electricity repeatedly seared his body, and within seconds his life had left him.
Seeing that the battle had ended, Mithos rushed forward, a huge smile plastered on his face. He came up behind Kratos, who finally released the grip on his weapon and then sunk to his knees. Surprised by his mentor's behavior, Mithos stopped.
"Kratos?" the boy questioned hesitantly.
The human stood up and turned to face him. "It's okay, just a broken bone. I just need a 'First Aid' spell and it should be fine."
"When did that happen?" Mithos asked, confused. He couldn't remember Kratos taking any major hits in the battle.
"His strength was augmented by the exsphere to a greater height than I imagined. When his lance struck off my shield, though it did was thrown aside, the force behind the blow that hit me was too great for my arm."
Mithos stood, silently contemplating the meaning of those words while Kratos recovered his arm. If that guard could break Kratos' arm through his shield so easily, then the strength of the exspheres would have to be very great. If this was only one guard, Mithos feared meeting more than one at a time. He shuddered slightly as he imagined the situations he could end up in at any moment. After all, they were inside Sylvarant's greatest military transportation network. It wouldn't be very surprising to run into a few enhanced guards. If only Martel were here, Mithos thought. She would've been able to comfort him.
"Let's go," Kratos' voice broke through Mithos' thoughts. "This is one of the remote guard houses just south of Hakonesia Peak. They should have a few rheairds stored around here."
The human reached down and pulled the keys out of the dead guard's armor and walked over to the double doors, unlocking them and stepping through as the half-elf followed behind. Once outside, they noticed there were two other buildings beside the one they had just left. The sun was just beginning to set and lights had already come on in one of them. However, the other remained unlit.
"That building is the guard quarters," Kratos informed Mithos, indicating the lighted structure. Then, he changed his focus to the other building. "That is the rheaird storage. You watch outside while I enter and secure us two of the rheairds."
Sorry about the huge delay in posting this chapter up. Certain events took place and I was unable to finish this chapter by the deadline, despite how short it turned out to be. I appologize for the lateness and hope it won't happen again.
Anyway, be sure to review!!