It took forever to get to Heimdall mainly because a small elven boy asked us to retrieve a Ymir fruit for his mother. It wasn't till after we went through the whole deal with having the animals get the fruit over to us did I realize I could have simply used my magic to get the fruit but whats done is done. Now we stood outside the archway to Heimdall.
"I'm sorry but half elves are not permitted in the city. They'll have to wait outside." One guard said as the other looked at me and Hiro curiously.
"You,what are you, woman?" the other guard asked. "And what is your friend?"
"I forgot elves and half elves could sense mana." I sighed. "I am Cetra and Hiro is human."
"Cetra?!" the guards' eyes lit up and one of them ran off. "I'm sorry miss. You are welcome to the village but I'm afraid your friend is not."
"Why can't Hiro come too? He's human like the rest of us." Colette asked, looking at the remaining guard.
"There is something that is not human about him. He must remain here with the half elves." the guard replied, shaking his head.
Hiro sighed and shook his head. "It's because of Void. Oh well, I'll just wait with Raine and Genis. I'm guessing we might have to set up camp soon since its getting late but don't worry about us."
"Ok Hiro. We'll see you soon." I nodded, saddened by the thought that three of my friends had to wait outside Heimdall but curious as to why the elves recognized Cetra. "Take care."
"Our elder wishes to speak with you, miss. If you could please follow me." the first guard said as he returned. Lloyd and the others gave me confused and curious looks but I was as clueless as them and just shrugged as we were lead to the back of the village. As we passed the middle of town, I noticed an elf guarding the entrance to a forest and suddenly grew curious as to why it was guarded.
"Sir, may I asked why the forest is guarded?" I as we walked by.
"The Torent Forest is home to Origin." I looked up in surprise as the guard said that. "No one is allowed to enter without permission from the elder."
"Origin...I need to speak with him..." I muttered to myself as we walked away from the forest and stopped infront of what I guessed was the elder's house. The guard stopped and bowed before running back to his post leaving us to walk in ourselves. "Guess we talk to the elder. Let's go."
"So you must be the Cetran woman. Let me welcome you personally to Heimdall." an elderly elf greeted us as we all walked in.
"Um, thank you but how do you know of the Cetra? I thought they only existed in my world." I answered, looking at the grey haired elf.
"No, Cetra once existed in this world though they were few. They were said to come from another world and have evolved into humans. I am guessing that the world that this world's Cetra came from was yours but I am curious why there are Cetra still on your world and not ours. Did your people not evolve?"
"What? How is it my ancestors achieved dimensional traveling when..." Suddenly it hit me as my mind tried to sort it out. "The planet, the planet tried to save them from Jenova."
"Tiamatt what are you talking about?" Sheena asked in confusion as I continued to think it out.
"Jenova came to my world via Meteor and approached the Cetra as a friend before spreading a virus that killed the majority of the population. A few of the survivors stood up against Jenova and locked her away till she was found thousands of years later by Gast and later Hojo. Some of the Cetra had already begun the evolution but for those that remained true Cetra, they died out, surviving only by living as humans. If it wasn't for Terran choosing to live as a Cetra, I would probably be only a half Cetra." I explained.
The elf elder looked at me curiously. "So you are one of the last Cetra?"
"I am all that remains of my people.At least, till my children are born." I said, smiling as I said the last part. "They will only be half Cetran but my people now have a chance to return."
"I see. So the father is human but I guess you had no choice if you are the last of the Cetra." the elf sighed sadly.
"And just what is that suppose to mean?! Kratos is a good man at heart even if he's made mistakes. Besides what does it matter what race a person is." I shouted angerly causing the elder's eyes to go wide.
"Kratos? Then I suppose you know what he is and what he has done."
"So what?" Lloyd said. "People change and Dad is trying to help us! He even promised that he'd come back!" I smiled at Lloyd who was standing up for his father.
"Fine. I'll accept your choice. Now, why is it that you have come here?" The elf sighed, looking away from me.
"We need the leaves from the mana herb. A friend's life depends on us getting it." Sheena spoke up .
"We elves use the mana herb in our magic but we do not have it here. If you want it, take my staff and head for the gorge to the east. You should find what you need there." the elder nodded, handing Lloyd the staff. "Now I suggest that you spend the night here in Heimdall and leave tomorrow for the gorge."
"Excuse me sir, but several of our friends are outside the village. Two of them are half elves and the other is a human that your guards wouldn't let in. If you could please allow them to enter just for tonight then we'll keep a close eye on them." I asked.
The elf looked at me for a second before sighing. "Only if they only go to the inn and leave in the morning. They are not to be left alone and must be watched constantly."
"Thank you sir!" Colette said cheerfully causing the elf to sigh again. "Good night!"
We returned to the front of town and retrieved Raine, Genis, and Hiro, all of whom wanted to hear what had happened. Once that was explained, everyone eventually made their ways towards their rooms. Hiro and I were the last to leave for our rooms as we were trying to find more information on Void but with out much luck. Finally exhausted, I headed for my room but didn't have the intention to sleep.
I shared my room with Raine who was sound asleep and after waiting a few moments to make sure the others were asleep, moved towards the window. I could see the entrance to the forest and saw a new guard replace the one I had seen earlier as I eased the window up.Checking that Raine was asleep once more, I concentrated on one of the DNA strands that flowed through my veins. Within moments, I flew silently into the forest with the silent wings that owls were blessed with.
The Torent Forest, like the Ymir Forest, was also a maze and after a half an hour of flying through the forest, I finally reached a large stone tablet that stuck out from the ground. Returnign to my normal form, I looked around the small clearing that surrounded the stone before approaching it and putting a hand on its cold surface.
"Origin?" I said cautiously as I felt a strange energy build around me.
"Who is it that calls me?" the voice came from behind me and turning, I faced a strange four armed man. "Are you the one that speaks to the planet?"
I nodded slowly, eying the swords that he had in each hand. "Yes, and you're Origin. You made the Eternal Sword right?"
"That is correct. But what connection do you have with the sword?"
"Is Kratos truly the seal to the pact between you and Mithos Yggdrasil?" I asked, wanting to hear the answer from the Spirit's own mouth.
"Yes. Kratos Aurion is indeed the seal to our pact."
"So if the pact were to be broken then..." I didn't want to finish what I was going to say and could already feel myself choke up. Origin cocked his head to the side in curiousity. "Kratos would die wouldn't he?"
"Yes. The seal is his life. If he dies then the pact is destroyed and Yggdrasil loses the Eternal Sword."
"I see, so if we keep heading down this road then, I'll lose Kratos..." I mumbled, looking down.
"What connection do you have with the seal?"
"Kratos is my fiancee and the father of my unborn children." I explained, noticing a look of surprise flicker momentarily across the Summon Spirit's face. "Is there another way, some way that he doesn't have to die?"
"Prehaps but how I can not say."
"Your as bad as the Keeper of the Balance you know that?" I scoffed, crossing my arms before sighing. "I only hope that I do not have to lose another loved one."
"Fate can be changed as you should know, prophecy warrior. Life can be given a path but those who walk it have a choice to follow it or not. You have chosen not to follow the path that destiny set before you, which saved this world. Prehaps you, who have changed your path, can help Kratos switch his and take care of those important to you. Farewell." Origin disappeared in a flash of light that was absorbed into the stone, leaving me to think over what he had said.
"In the past, those important to me were hurt. Maybe the future will be better. I hope for the sake of my children that the future will be better." I said quietly to the stone before returning to the owl form and flying silently back to Heimdall.
Raine was luckily still asleep when I returned. Falling into an uneasy sleep, dreaming of the first time I meet Hiro...
"Hojo!" I screamed, pulling at the chains that held me to the wall as the scientist walked away. "You will pay for this!" Hojo ignored my cries and disappeared from the chamber, leaving me in the room full of broken people. I sighed and closed my eyes, letting my self relax as I tried to think of a way out of this situation.
"Hello." I opened my eyes to see a small blonde haired boy looking at me. He smiled at me as I looked at him curiously. "You seem nice. What's your name?"
"...my name is not important. But who are you brat?"
"My name is -"
"Hiro, I found you!" An elderly man came into the room, smiling at the boy whose face had fallen.
"You always find me Dr. Dexel!" the boy said, now smiling.
The man laughed before noticing me and sighing sadly. "So he's pulled someone else into his twisted game."
"Who are you?" I growled, noticing the Shinra insigna on man's coat.
"My name is Dr. Dexel. I work in the lab with Hojo." the man introduced himself, causing me to glare at him and growl once more. The child, Hiro, just looked at me. "Don't worry, I won't try to perform any inhumane experiments on you like Hojo. If you would like, I can get you down."
I said nothing as I continued to glare at him as he removed the chains from my wrists. Within a moment, my feet were once again touching the ground and I rubbed my sore wrists. "Why did you help me if you work for Shinra?"
"I am a scientist but I oppose the research that Hojo conducts. I currently take care of young Hiro here as well of as some of the other 'experiments'" Dr. Dexel explained.
"I see." I sighed, leaning against the wall and letting my hands fall to my sides as I slid slowly to the floor. "Thank you for you help." Closing my eyes, I heard the man walk off but felt someone else grab my hand and try to yank me forward.
"Will you play with me?" I opened my eyes again to see the grinning face of Hiro who was still trying to pull me up even though he appeared to only be 5 or 6 yrs old.
"I don't play brat." I mumbled, pulling my hand away and trying to close my eyes again only to find a weight on my lap. "Can't you take a hint kid?"
"Pweeease?!" Hiro begged, bouncing up and down on my knees. "Pwease pretty lady?"
"Thank you for the compliment but I already told you. I'm not playing with you." I picked him off my lap and set him off to the side. "Now go away." I put my hands behind my head and closed my eyes.
"I guess I was wrong. You're just a big meanie!" Hiro cried, kicking my shin.
"Ah!" My eyes shot open to see the blonde boy looking at me angerily with his arms crossed over his chest. "Why you little brat! I'm going to kill you for that!"
Hiro's eyes widened and he took off running with me close behind. I never guessed a little kid could be so fast but Hiro kept darting in between the other people in the room and when I finally cornered him, darted between my legs and restarted the entire chase. Finally after an hour of chasing the kid around, I fell to the ground exhausted and saw Hiro look down at me.
"That was fun!" Hiro said happily as I moaned. "What's your name lady?"
"Has anyone told you that you're a brat?" I mumbled, glaring at him but not moving as he cocked his head to the side.
"Nope! Only you!" Hiro smiled before grabbing my arm again. "Come on lady, let's play more!"
"My name is Tiamatt, not lady!" I growled, pulling my arm away again, and pushing myself off the floor. "And why don't you go ask someone else to play with you?"
"Tiamatt, I like that name!" the kid grinned. "Let's play Tiamatt!"
"Ughh!" I fell back on the floor and closed my eyes for a moment before opening them again. "If I play with you, will you leave me alone?"
"Uh huh!" he nodded.
Sighing, I stood up and looked at him. "What do you want to play?"
Hiro grinned as he grabbed my hand and pulled me towards the door where I noticed Dr. Dexel stood near by, smiling as he opened the door and lead us to a large padded room. Dr. Dexel stood near by as well as Shinra soldiers who looked at me with uncertainty untill Dexel said something to them. Various weapons were available to use and Hiro soon choose a small sword and stood across from me, still grinning.
"Let's play!"