Mr.Who2123: This will probably be one of the last chapters, so let's fill it with stuff!
Kratos: It's a shame you're leaving. I like this story…kind of.
Mr.Who2123: Hehe, you can't hide it!
Kratos: I'll do the disclaimers if you shut up…
Mr.Who2123: Fine
Kratos: Mr.Who2123 does not own Tales of Symphonia, but someday, she will be famous…what? I'm just reading the script…
Mr.Who2123: Let's find out who that guy is! Though I'm sure most of you know. By the way, the beginning is just a quick summary…I didn't want to deal with the "are you okay?" asked Yuan. "I'm okay," replied Anna. "Are you sure?" asked Yuan again. Yeah…let's start.
-.-.-.-.-
He didn't wake the first or second day. Only on the third day did the solemn seraphim stir in the thick blanket which covered most of his bandaged body. Anna had diligently been watching him the whole time after they had escaped from Yggdrasil's clutches. There were constant angels around the invisible Tower of Salvation, watching for the escapees.
On the first day, Yuan had taken watch, and a whole battalion of angels had found the three. Yuan warned Anna quickly enough to be able to fight without any distractions. Yuan was able to kill them with his Indignation, a powerful strike of thunder mana, and save Anna and Kratos.
The second day, there was less luck. Anna was the first to notice some scouts, and began to run away to tell Yuan. The angel caught her and chased her. She tried to maneuver away from a sword slice, but the blade caught her shoulder. Yuan easily struck the angel in its glory of hit. Kratos' condition was stationary throughout the first two days, he caught a fever, and his body was seething hot. His breathing was not stable, but he was not in a critical state.
Anna's wound was treated with a liniment that Yuan found in Kratos' pack, and the wound began to heal, leaving a dark mark on her shoulder. It still constantly pained her; there was nothing she could do about that. The blade which had cut her was mana fused, and dark mana had been inserted into her body upon contact. The mana is dispersed in about a week, but it caused constant pain.
Kratos' eyes fluttered and slowly opened to take in the sights around him after three days of little consciousness. His lips moved slowly as if to speak, but not a word or sound passed through them. Anna was watching him with weary eyes, and when she saw his movement, all her weariness left her in an instant.
"Yuan, he's awake! He's awake!" she exclaimed, momentarily glancing at Yuan who was walking towards them. Kratos heard Anna and struggled a smile; at least she was safe.
"Kratos are you alright?" Anna asked, bending over him. His eyes met hers and they locked. Anna could almost feel the pain Kratos was in by the ache in his dark eyes.
"Don't bug him too much. He needs his rest," Yuan said. Kratos suddenly remembered Yuan in Derris Kharlan; a traitor. His face twisted in anger and pain as he awkwardly lifted his head and shoulders. Anna gasped and supported him instantly so Kratos could see his surroundings.
"Where," Kratos gasped through his pain. Anna shifted her weight to support her love in a more steady position and then finally answered.
"We are close to Mizuho, Kratos. Don't worry, were far from the tower," she explained patiently. Kratos breathed loudly in his pain and closed his eyes. Anna looked at him, wondering if he fell asleep.
"Yuan's a…traitor. Why is…he …here?" Kratos suddenly asked again, surprising Anna. Anna looked at Yuan, then at her hands, then to Kratos.
"He's back. He regrets what he did," Anna explained. She might have said that, but she didn't believe it. Yuan had no reason to go to Yggdrasil, and no reason to come back, and she had suspicions.
"Are you okay, Kratos?" Anna asked. Kratos shook his head, but he smiled. Yuan then knelt down next to his old friend and forced an apologetic smile.
"I'm sorry I did all of this, Kratos. I just had to see if Yggdrasil really does treat me like a pawn, and he does," he said. Kratos looked at him; his eyes were full of anger and disapproval, but there was a slight understanding in the brown eyes.
"You've been with…him almost…5000 years…and you did…not know?" Kratos replied angrily, but the anger stopped short in his answer with his strength waning. Yuan looked down at his hands and apologized again.
"Anna…are you okay?" Kratos asked, noticing the bandaged shoulder sticking out of her shirt. Anna felt it and winced at the pain, but she nodded.
"How'd you get it?" he asked, and Anna explained all that happened over the last couple of days, and how they were constantly chased. Kratos reached for the bandage on her shoulder and lifted it gently to see the wound. Brown, yellow, and red crusted the shoulder, and black veins pulsed around the wound. Anna winced as Kratos put the bandage back in its rightful spot and looked down at his hands.
"Don't worry, Kratos. It doesn't hurt that bad," she tried to coax, smiling. Kratos nodded without looking back to her and lifted his legs. Using all of his st.rength, Kratos lifted himself up to a sitting position, gasping for breath and sweat beading his forehead.
"We need to go," Kratos started, avoiding contact. "I don't want anyone in danger, especially you." He finally looked up to Anna, who pouted, like she used to when they first met.
"I'm not a little girl. I can defend myself," she replied.
"If you could defend yourself, then how did you get that wound, and so easily?" Kratos recoiled, his anger rising. Yuan stepped between the shocked couple and sighed.
"Kratos, I agree with, but you don't need to place your anger on Anna. So, let's just get going. Anna, pack our things, and Kratos, I can carry you," Yuan said, kneeling in front Kratos. Anna left without a word, and Kratos placed his arms around Yuan's neck and his head against the back of his head. Yuan grabbed Kratos' legs and stood up easily as if there was nothing on his back.
Anna quickly packed, and the three were off without another word to wherever their feet take them.
-.-.-.-.-
Noishe had been following the two strangers without their notice until the sunset. They unpacked their things and began to eat in silence. The wolf seemed to talk whenever he looked at his master, and the mercenary seemed to understand. Noishe slowly prowled closer to see what they were doing.
This is definitely against my standards. Spying…but those two seem so…different. They even have cruxis crystals! Noishe thought.
As Noishe was just close enough to see the strangers clearly when, as sudden as thunder, the mercenary pulled out his blade, and held it inches above Noishe's muzzle, threatening to kill.
Definitely…(gulp)…different, Noishe thought as he whined, backing away slowly from the blade. The mercenary lifted it slowly, surprised at the intruder.
"Don't worry, Annule. It just looks like a dog…wait a second…," the mercenary peered closer at Noishe. He inspected the strange ears as he felt them and studied the material with his careful eye.
iI wish I could tell you
"You…you're a protozoan aren't you?" he said after he finished inspecting Noishe. "I'm sorry for that earlier, I thought you might be a common thief. I'm Sanaro, and this is my friend Annule." The treatment of Noishe was so suspicious of him that he decided to stick with Sanaro. He looked at Annule. Hi Annule, he thought, padding over to the wolf. He sniffed at the wolf, studying its features and looking at the strange wings.
"What's your name, big guy?" Sanaro asked. Noishe crept carefully to Sanaro. The strange kindness pierced him, and he was attracted to him.
I wish I could tell you my name, but…I'm Noishe, he thought, licking Sanaro. He laughed and ruffled the hair on top of Noishe's head.
"I wish you could talk. You seem to look like you want to tell me something. We're actually looking for someone right now, if you're wondering," Sanaro started, reclining his head to the now darkened sky in the forested area. The trees clustered like penguins huddled, looking for warmth, and the scattered everywhere for miles. The city of Sybak lay not too far off, and the darkened trees of the Gaorrachia Forest lay on the opposite side. Stars began to show their first shine and the reds of the sunset turned to the indigos of the dark.
Yeah I wish I could at least tell you my name. I wonder who you're looking for though, Noishe said in his mind. He lay down and placed his square head on his paws, resting.
"We're looking for a man named Kratos," he said, and he sighed. "We've found no trace of him anywhere though." Noishe thrust his head in the air, panicking. He looked at Sanaro with suspicious eyes.
"What's wrong? You look like you know who this Kratos is," he stated, and he settled under a blanket.
-.-.-.-.-
Mr.Who2123: That was mostly a filler, but I like concentrating on my new peeps.
Kratos: Is he evil?
Mr.Who2123: You'll just have to wait for my next update...hehehe
Kratos: Which will be in a year…
Mr.Who2123: Hm? What did you say?
Kratos: …nothing. Nothing.
Mr.Who2123: …