The Backside of Life

19 years old.

'Altessa?'

The dwarf snapped back to reality as he heard the young woman in front of him calling his name. He looked into her deep eyes, seeing kindness; something the woman didn't show much.

'I am sorry, I was just thinking of the day I first met you.'

Tath sighed.

'You drag that up every time I'm here!'

'It is just because I admire your father's courage.'

'Courage? What damn courage?' she snapped.

'Such a high order within Cruxis… and he still went after to help you.'

'He could've helped me as Kvar tortured me with that project!'

Altessa saw the pain in her eyes as she thought back on her four years of torture in the Ranch.

The dwarf fell silent and got back to carving the Key Crest in her exsphere.

'Why go through all this trouble just to remain human?' he muttered to himself.

Tath looked at the dwarf, ready to snap back at him but remained silent. The dwarf was right, it was a great deal of trouble just to keep the Cruxis Crystal intact, not to make her into an emotionless angel.

Six years old.

Just as she'd woken up again after Altessa's work with the Crystal she realised something was wrong. At first she thought she was dead. She couldn't feel anything. But as she sat up, and saw Altessa and her father she realised what they'd done.

'No!' she gasped, 'Did you…did you evolve it?'

A glance at her father, that had now thrown away the hood, made her fear true. He looked at the young girl, seeing how much she suffered and regretted that he hadn't been able to save her.

She turned to Altessa. 'Take it away! I don't want to be an angel!' Desperation in her voice.

'Relax, child,' Altessa assured, 'you are not an angel yet.'

'But I will be!'

Altessa sighed and looked at first at father, then at daughter, although he was yet unaware of that they were related.

'There is one way.'

They both looked at him.

'Now that the effect of the Cruxis Crystal is reversed to feed her with strength, I could carve a Key Crest into your exsphere. It would suppress the effects of the angelism, but still give you the effect of the exsphere.'

Despite that the girl was only six years old she knew what the dwarf was talking about.

'It sounds too easy.'

The dwarf sighed.

'I know. Due to your strengthened exsphere, the Cruxis Crystal will be too strong for the Crest and will absorb it after say, one month or so.'

'What will be the effects?'

19 years old.

Tath sighed. She knew damn well of the effects. But she hadn't turned into an angel and for that she was glad, how much trouble she went through with avoiding it.

Meltokio, the Imperial City.

Some of the Papal Knights turned, looking with caution at Tath's sword as she entered the city. Ignoring them she kept walking, eventually hitting the rich part of the town. The ones that turned after her now were the rich and snotty women, who couldn't possible figure out what a 'dreadful lass' like herself had to do in the rich society.

A grin spread across Tath's face. Not too long ago, she had actually been one of them.

But no, her purpose here was nothing but interest to the fair ladies. For Tath was, in short words, bored. Her Key Crest was upgraded, she had fresh information of the Chosen and she didn't have to report to Ian just yet.

Therefore she travelled to Meltokio. Something always happened here, how peaceful it seemed to be.

Tath smiled. How long had it been since she came and turned upside down of the high society? Four, five years? She laughed, a sarcastic laughter, but still a laugh.

Her hand rested upon the hilt of her sword as she walked towards the castle…

She failed to notice the doors to the Church swinging open. Out came Lloyd, casting a worried glance at his friend Colette who didn't seem to respond to anything he did or said. After him came the siblings Sage, Genis casting shy glances of Presea, who was acting similar to Colette, and his sister Raine walking after, looking fascinated at the city. Last, but certainly not least, came Zelos, the always positive Chosen.

Tath would not have noticed if it weren't for the wings of Colette. Her mind reacted as fast as her body. She quickly dashed behind the wall of a house as she realised that it was the Chosen of Sylvarant. Fortunately, the group took no notice of her as they continued their walk out of the city.

Only Zelos, who was whistling on a catchy little melody, managed, out of coincidence to turn his head to the left to catch the dark blue eyes of the assassin. He looked back to the rest of the group until he stopped dead, realising that he'd seen those eyes before. But as he looked back, she was gone.

Tath followed the company with her eyes from her position on the roof of the building, sighing. It had been close to Zelos discovering her, too close.

So now the Chosen was in Tethe'alla. What were they going to do? Curiosity taking over her caution, Tath jumped down the roof and began following the company, at a safe distance.

Six years old.

Tath stumbled over the grass, fell over a rock and fell face down in the grass. She remained there, sobbing. She could not believe what she'd just heard from Altessa, of her Father! He, part of Cruxis, the very organisation trying to kill her?

The thought made her weak. What was she going to do? She sat up in the grass, looking back, in the distance seeing Altessa's house. In the morning he would discover her gone but by then she would be long gone. How could she stay, trusting him?

No, she couldn't stay. She shook her head, sighed, and rose to her small feet. She was only six years old, what was she supposed to do? Who could she trust?

She turned in the opposite direction of Altessa and started to walk, just walk, where she did not know. Her situation didn't show any signs of improving as it started to rain and soon the environment changed from an open meadow to the dark forest of Gaorrachia Forest and the night seemed darker.

It didn't take Tath long to run in to the first monster lurking in the forest. She was surprised, she had heard there weren't any monsters in the flourishing world of Tethe'alla but apparently the Forest didn't obey under that rule and she managed to escape, running in the mud, eventually tripping over the roots that lay in her way.

At dawn, it had stopped raining and Tath had got lost many times, barely escaped the monsters, and was weary and hungry, when she finally found her way out of the forest. She had no idea where she was but she spotted a village and she limped as quick as she could, but as she finally reached the gates to the village she collapsed on the ground.

The wind fled through the village causing stirring in the wind chimes, and someone picked up a flute a played a few soft notes.

Tath slowly opened her eyes to find herself in a room that seemed empty, but then she noticed an old man sitting in the corner of the room.

'Hello, child,' the old man said, smiling as he saw that she was up. 'How are you feeling?'

Tath rubbed her head. 'Better, thank you.' Then she looked around. 'What is this place?'

The man rose. 'Welcome, my child, to Mizuho.'

Tath frowned. 'Mizuho? What's that?'

The man chuckled and offered a hand to help her up. 'Someday you will know.'

Tath rose up to her feet and looked at the man, as he looked down at her.

'Where did you come from, child?'

Tath looked out the window, something sad in her eyes.

'Nowhere, and I'm not going back.'

The man gave a small smile.

'Then, what is your name?'

'Tatheya.'

Tath didn't know what it was that made her give the man that name, but there was something telling her no one should know of her true identity. She couldn't stand it.

'Well, Tatheya, you may stay here for as long as you like. Is there something you like?'

The question was as simple as that, but it proved to be the foundation of Tath's whole life.

She looked up from the floor, her eyes dark. The hunger for revenge burned in her.

'I want to fight.'

19 years old.

'Coooooooolette!'

'Zelos, what are you doing?' Genis came up to the two Chosens. Zelos raised an eyebrow, eyeing Colette.

'She really doesn't respond to anything,' he said. Genis sighed.

'I know.'

Tath followed them, her hand resting on the hilt on her sword. There was something about the group that made her… feel pity, she realised.

They were just a bunch of kids from the declining world. What were they supposed to do? They were heading for the bridge.

To Sybak? Tath didn't know, but she wanted to. She picked up her pace, trying to get closer.

'I hope the Research Academy will be able to help her,' Raine said, putting her hand on her younger brother's shoulder.

'I wonder what Sybak's like…' Lloyd wondered, his excitement taking over again.

Tath nodded thoughtfully to herself. So they were going to Sybak. To help Colette? That didn't make sense. What could the Research Academy do? She shrugged inwards.

Suddenly she stepped on a twig and as it snapped the Chosen of Sylvarant turned. Damn. Tath had forgot that she had improved hearing and she quickly dashed in by some bushes.

Lloyd stopped as he saw Colette's reaction. He looked behind them.

'Hmm, that's funny,' he said

Zelos turned. 'What?'

Lloyd shrugged. 'Ah, nothing. Let's go.'

Tath exhaled. That had been too close again. If she was going to track them, she had to be better prepared.

She thought for a while. Maybe it was a good idea to keep track of them. She had a feeling they were somehow important and that if she watched them, maybe she could see the big picture of it all.

But… like she said, she had to be better prepared. She looked up to the sun.

Evening would soon fall.

With one last glance towards the Chosen's group she walked away, on her way to report to Ian.