Beginning Author Notes:
I'm gonna be using some songs in here. Because I know some of you are going to wonder what songs I used, they are as follow in order:
I Don't Care: Apocalyptica featuring Adam Gontier
Drown: Three Days Grace
Monster: Skillet
It's Not Me, It's You: Skillet
Devil Beside You: The Used
Sealing the deal that would probably lead to my death one day.
Joy.
Jeez, I'm an idiot.
Chapter Three. Remembering the Past, And Battles in the Mine!
"Yeah, this is it."
I slowly approached the group from the only entrance and exit into the Toize Valley Mines.
"All right!"
I stopped. I could hear them, but I didn't want to give away my position just yet.
"Like I told you, try not to scratch it too badly."
"Yeah. I know."
Pause.
"What's the matter Colette?"
I started walking again, my pace slow.
Lord Kratos joined me, walking at the same pace beside me.
"An enemy?"
The Chosen's group was still horribly confused as to why her Cruxis Crystal was acting up.
"No...this reaction is different from the last one. This is...!"
"Wh-What?"
"Something is coming closer!"
By now they could hear us approaching, but we continued our pace.
I stared ahead blankly, my bladed tonfa at my side.
"Kratos!"
We had finally walked into view.
My eyes were trained forward, blank.
"We have come to collect the Chosen." I spoke slowly, emotionlessly.
Lloyd drew his swords. "Like we'd just hand her over!" He growled, "You traitor!"
"Lloyd!" Genis cried as Lloyd dashed forward.
I blocked his path with my tonfa, protecting the Seraphim.
"You're—!" His eyes widened in recognition, before I leap back and pushed forward, slashing at him. "Damn..." He muttered after I had kneed him in the stomach, and slapped him away with a backhand.
"Back down." Kratos ordered softly, and I glanced over.
"Who would?" Lloyd snarled at him, but I backed away respectfully, returning to the angel's side.
"Are you okay Lloyd?" Genis cried.
Silence.
"Lloyd!"
"No problem!"
"Even though I ordered you to kill him..."
I leap back as the runes appeared, and a light grew stronger.
I lowered myself to my knee, arms lowered nearly to the ground.
"As I thought, even if it was you, you couldn't earnestly exterminate them. Or allow her to do it for you." His head tilted back towards me.
I kept my head low, my eyes still blank.
I remained silent.
"You are Lloyd, I presume." He glanced towards the red-clad swordsman.
"Before you ask someone's name, state your own first!" The swordsman snarled, swords clenched.
"Hahaha, when asking a dog's name, nobody would actually state their own first. Neh, Nikki." He laughed. I kept my face down, but I felt a burning sensation as blood filled my cheeks in shame.
"What did you say?"
"I shall tell you, pathetic human." He spat the word like a poison. His wings flowed out as he spoke. "My name is Yggdrasill. I embody all that is Cruxis."
"Just don't deny it
Just don't deny it
And deal with it
Yeah deal with it"
Flashback: 1 Month Ago
I stood back and watched Lord Kratos cast the angelic spell.
"Sacred powers, cast your purifying light upon these corrupt souls. Rest in peace, sinners!"
There were hundreds of Renegades approaching the tower on dragons, but I had no doubt that this spell would annihilate them all.
"Judgment!" He called the name of the angelic spell, and immediately, hundreds of beams of light flew from the sky, completely killing all the Renegades.
He lowered his sword, and turned towards the stairs leading into the tower.
I moved from my spot against one of the pillars, and stepped behind him.
"Kratos!" A voice yelled.
A few dragons landed.
"Lloyd."
Has it been so long, I can't remember what's happening?
I've been here for half a year. The only time I've used my knowledge was when I spoke to Lord Yggdrasill. Everything is just so...different. It's real. I barely remember anything. Who anyone is. What happens.
"Why are you with the likes of them?"
I remain silent, letting Kratos speak with his son. I would never say anything about knowing that Lloyd is his son, to Kratos. Death sentence, right there.
"The ones riding the dragons weren't Desians." Genis spoke, stepping forward slightly.
He didn't know that Kratos was an angel, sent only to ensure the Chosen's journey would be completed.
Of course he knew they weren't Desians.
That's not what Kratos had been talking about.
He was asking why Lloyd would be with the Renegades.
"They are called the Renegades."
No shit, Sherlock. I just freakin' said that.
"We've decided to save Colette." Lloyd broke in. "Give us a hand."
Stupid, stupid Lloyd.
Can't you see he's betrayed all of you?
"You, of all people...You, of all people, should understand!"
"Hmph. It seems you're quite the trickster, Kratos Aurion." Yuan broke in.
I always knew of Yuan's treachery.
I never spoke of it.
I know of it, I know how he's the leader of the Renegades, and a Cruxis Seraphim, as well as Mithos' companion from 4000 years ago.
"The Chosen...To provide the Chosen's body for Lady Martel; that is the purpose of Cruxis." I spoke, my back facing them, though I glanced towards the auburn hair Seraphim.
"Cruxis?"
"There's no time. I beg of you, understand our situation!" Lloyd ran towards Kratos.
Neither of us moved.
As he reached Kratos, he placed his hand on his arm, but was blown away.
Kratos had drawn forth his wings. Mine had appeared at the exact same time.
My pale red wings a contrast to his shimmering teal.
"Angel wings...Kratos, you're..."
"I am one of the Seraphim who lead this world."
"And I am an aide, sent forth to protect, at any time, the Seraphim I am ordered to guard...in this case, Lord Kratos..." I added quietly.
"A member of Cruxis. We are the angels that ensure the Chosen's success."
"A-Angels?"
They continued speaking, until Yuan said something, and drew his sword.
Before I could intervene, Kratos turned to me.
"You'll only get in my way." The swordsman said coldly, "Do not let them interfere with the Chosen becoming Martel's vessel."
"Yes...sir." I replied quietly, putting my arms in front of me, tonfa out. "Oh holy ones...cast your purifying light upon these unholy souls...douse them with your light...Judgment!" I cast the angelic spell upon the three, leaping out of the way of Yuan's blade.
"Guardian!"
"Force field!"
"Force field!"
"I call upon thee, in the land of the dead...to unleash thy fury of thunder..." The purple runes surrounded me as I charged the advanced spell before they could recover from that last attack. "Explode upon thine enemies, and turn them into ash...Indignation!" The three leapt out of the way, and Raine and Genis began to cast something as Lloyd charged.
"Wanna charge?" Genis yelled, finishing his spell.
"Tiger Fury!" Lloyd yelled, before dashing out of the way of the spell.
I blocked Lloyd's attack, and had no time to guard before Genis yelled the spells name.
"THUNDER BLADE!" The lightning hit me full force, and knocked me back. The three dashed past me, quickly making their way into the tower.
I stabbed one of my tonfa into the ground, slowly standing.
Pointless, however, as Kratos slammed into me seconds after I stood shakily.
"Good morning day
Sorry you're not here
But all those times before
Were never this unclear
It's hard to walk
When you can't even crawl
Once I had this world,
But now I've lost it all"
Flashback: 5 Months Ago
"Get up."
Pain.
Oh God, it was so painful.
"Get. Up."
Fuck.
It hurt so much.
I can't move.
"Get. Up!"
The voice screeched again.
I curled further into my ball.
Blood ran down my side.
The tunic I was wearing was soaked with blood and dirt.
At this rate, my wound would be infected.
Still, no humanity taken by the Crystal.
I've been here for a month.
I can still eat.
I can still feel.
I can still eat.
I can still sleep.
God, I just want it all to go away.
It hurts...it hurts so much.
Make it stop...I just want to go home...why can't I go home...?
Make it stop...
"Impudent wench! Get up!"
More screeching.
I mumbled something into my legs.
"Prism Sword!"
Blinding pain.
I screamed. And screamed. And screamed.
All just one continuous scream as the pain blinded my senses.
The blade of light stabbed through my chest, and my eyes snapped open as I uncurled, convulsing on the ground.
"I thought Lord Yggdrasill said you were supposed to keep her alive?" A voice asked, his tone dry.
The one voice that made my heart flutter when I watched him in the game or anime.
Forcystus.
"If she would listen, we wouldn't have this problem." Pronyma snapped, crossing her arms over her large chest.
"Maybe if I wasn't being pounded into the ground, I'd cooperate a little more..." I mutter, hissing as blood spilled from the fresh wound.
"Get up," Forcystus said, though he actually moved closer to me and helped me. "We should get you patched up." He muttered, before turning his head towards Pronyma. "And don't think that this will escape Lord Yggdrasill, Pronyma."
The woman hissed a curse before everything felt funny as we teleported away.
"No one can hear me scream
Maybe it's just a dream
Or maybe its inside of me
Stop this monster"
"Are you alright?"
"Y-Yeah..." I muttered, slowly cracking my eyes open, "Why'd you save me?"
"I find you interesting."
Eh? I start blushing a bit, until he finished his sentence.
"Besides, Lord Yggdrasill specifically ordered us not to harm you, not as much as Pronyma has."
Oh...downer...
"..."
I don't comment, knowing that I'd probably let out some snarky remark.
Stupid idea when he just saved my ass. Might throw me back to Pronyma. Bad idea.
I swear, when I'm strong enough, I'm going to beat that woman's face in...If Lloyd's group doesn't beat me to it.
Which they probably will, considering they're against Cruxis and I'm with Cruxis.
Damn.
I really hate that bitch right now.
Stupid Pronyma.
Just cause she's the Leader of the Grand Cardinals...thinks she's King of the...I mean, Queen (though, for some, that's kind of debatable I think...minus the chest and curves, man through and through...), of the fucking world.
Bitch.
"And now you're gone away
I'm no longer choking
From the pain you put me through
And now I know that it's not me it's you"
Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow. Did I mention OWWWWWWW?
This time around, I get tossed around by Yuan.
He's teaching me how to use my magic.
"Like this...hold your weapon out like so, concentrate your mana, and say the incantation." He growled.
Just because I've messed up the past 10 times and singed his hair, he's getting all snippy at me.
Sheesh.
Take a chill pill there, Yuan.
"Volt's mighty thunder, I call upon thee...Lightning!" I called the spell's name loudly, making Yuan wince, though he growled when the purple streak of lightning caught his cape and lit it on fire.
"Concentrate on your target!" He yelled at me.
Guess I shouldn't tell him that he's my target, huh?
Might cast Thunder Blade on me.
Scary, scary.
One Week Later
"Lightning!" I called, and the bolt hit the dummy, causing it to explode.
"You can actually hit your target this time. Better." Yuan praised me lightly, still pissed off about me singing his hair and catching his cape on fire.
Multiple times.
Like, 20 times every practice.
Whoops.
Yesterday, I perfected the amount of mana I needed for this one spell. Today, my aim is better.
Course, I wasn't thinking about Yuan, so that's probably why I stopped hitting him with the spell.
Hee hee.
"We'll be moving on to some more...advanced spells. Not Thunder Blade. Spread maybe, or Air Thrust."
He explained how to gather the proper amount of mana for the spell again, with slightly different words.
"Now...concentrate, and release the spell, but hang on and release the mana in smaller amounts to hold onto the spell longer."
I nodded.
Seemed simple enough.
I concentrated, gathering the mana in my mind, and the pale green runes appeared around me, swirling.
"I call upon the winds of Sylph, devour my enemy and slice them with your mighty wind..." I opened my eyes, and locked them onto the target dummy. "Air Thrust!"
The blades of air sliced up the target, and fluff flew in every direction after the spell was released.
But...some air went out of control and sliced a few hairs from Yuan's ponytail.
He turned to me with a murderous stare.
"Nikki..."
I took that as a sign.
A very bad sign.
And what do I do with very bad signs?
I run like hell away from them.
"NIKKI!"
Whoops.
I'm thinking Yuan doesn't plan on training me in magic anymore.
He'll probably get me transferred back to Pronyma for training...
Shit.
"The devil beside you
To watch you die when you can't find a remedy
So nice to meet you
I hope I never see your face again"
Present Time
The blond Cruxis leader hovered smugly, smirking at the small group.
Kratos and I stood behind him, silent.
"I have been waiting for you, my vessel." The blond said haughtily, staring at the unresponsive blonde Chosen whose back faced everyone.
"Colette!" Lloyd cried. "Don't call her that!" He brought his right arm up, pointing his sword towards Yggdrasill. My foot shifted slightly, though I remained where I was.
Lloyd continued angrily, "Has everything been a part of your plot? Answer me!"
"The journey of the Chosen in order to become the vessel was the general idea." Yggdrasill stated simply, his tone plain, as though he were speaking to a dog. "As a reward, I shall give you one final chance. If you withdraw now, I may overlook you drawing your blade against me."
Sheena exchanged a look with Lloyd before both charged forward, "Shut up!"
Both Lord Kratos and I moved forward, only to stop as Yggdrasill raised his hand to stop us.
Lloyd spun in the air, sending a blast of mana at us. Sheena sent a wave of exploding cards towards us as well, though we waited in anticipation. We were protected by Yggdrasill, who had a shield up.
"How's that?" Sheena declared arrogantly, before the smoke cleared.
"That didn't work?" Lloyd exclaimed in disbelief as the smoke cleared, revealing all three of us unharmed.
"Auqa Edge!" Genis cried, unleashing the spell.
Yggdrasill raised a hand, dispelling the attack.
"N-No way!"
"Sharpness!" Raine exclaimed.
"Lloyd! I'll stop his movement. You deal the final blow!" Sheena yelled.
It was so funny how they thought this battle would be easy.
"Okay!"
My eyes narrowed as Yggdrasill's widened slightly, and Lloyd jumped forward, "Got you!"
His eyes closed.
"I shall show you the benevolence of a god." He said simply, before opening his eyes.
Everything turned grey, frozen. Everyone but Colette, Yggdrasill, Kratos and I.
The three of us stepped forward, walking towards the lifeless Chosen.
"Now that the duel has ended, the time has come to create Martel's vessel from a fitting Chosen One. The given hardships of the journey hasten the Chosen One's body, towards creating the perfect being." He held his hand out to her back.
"Now, come to me."
Those words acted like a trigger, as her crystal turned an eerie violet, and the comatose girl turned and placed her hand in his.
He smiled, before turning to the frozen figures.
"Now then, these persistent dogs should be punished."
He walked towards us, before looking back at them.
I extended the blades of my tonfa, and Kratos placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, glancing back at his stationary son.
Yggdrasill glanced at Raine and Genis' faces, before turning and walking down the tunnel, Colette, Kratos and I following obediently, releasing our grip on our respective weapons.
A blinding light filled the passageway, and the four figures disappeared, vanished to Derris-Kharlan.
Okay, my updates will be very rare...because I hath lost inspiration, once again, and school is a pain with my driving class afterwards.
But anyways, I think next chapter will just be filler, and I'll use dialogue and ideas from one of the Omakes from the ToS Anime. Most likely from Tethe'all-hen.