Mr.Who2123: Well, here's the news…there are a total of 55 chapters in this story…so were more than halfway done! Wow, I thought I'd never finish this story…
Kratos: Well, good thing you are…though we inevitably know what will happen…but moving onward…Mr.Who2123 doesn't own anything related Tales of Symphonia.
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Sanaro and Anna were in the sky of Tethe'alla, ready to test Yuan's new crafts. Slowly, Sanaro signaled for Anna to push the 'world transfer' button, and they both did so simultaneously. Suddenly, the world went spinning as they suddenly went into a giant, rainbow portal, filled with all the Summon Spirits' power. They spun in circles, in harmony with their spinning wits.
Suddenly, it seemed there was a drop, and the two companions felt themselves fall down the colorful rift, but as they screamed for their lives, the two didn't see that the end of the portal was merely right below them, and they were being sucked in, and were NOT losing power.
The vehicles made a sudden stop, and the two found themselves directly above the city of Palmacosta, which was easily discerned by the closeness to the port and the mosaics that decorated the whole floor. The grass moved from the city, and towards the inside of the continent, stretching as far as the eye could see, even high above the air. Sighing, Sanaro sat back in his seat, the transfer portal being almost too much for him. It was a similar case with Kratos' fiancé, as they sat there for a couple moments before continuing to fly.
"That was…exciting," Sanaro commented loudly, as it was needed for the two to properly communicate.
"Yeah…well, where should we start searching for a dwarf?" Anna asked back. Sanaro smiled at the question, as well as the whimpering of Annule as the canine shook in the back of Sanaro's vehicle.
"We don't need to search…I know a dwarf with amateur skill that has lived near Iselia for years. He can make your band for Kratos while we can just say that we didn't find a dwarf. He's still a beginner, so it would be way beyond his skill to create a pact ring, and we can't take any chances anyways," Sanaro quickly explained in an extremely long breath. Taking a breath in after the long exhale of an explanation, he looked to see Anna nodding to him, waiting for him to lead.
Quickly, Sanaro used his internal map in his mind to fond the correct direction towards Iselia, and began to head in the direction, Anna right behind him.
It was a matter of hours, considering the high speed and technology of the machines as well as the small scale of the world to reach Iselia. Landing in the forest a small ways away from the village, but a small ways closer towards the dwarf's house, the two decided it would be too much if they landed in the city itself.
The two were in a large and thick forest when they moved off of the machines, stretching their tense and sore muscles while bearing their surroundings at the same time. It seemed like a completely harmless place, as there merely trees everywhere and a small dirt path to lead them. The sun shone brightly through the canopy of trees, making small sparkles of light shine on the tan, dirt road and the green grass. Casually walking through the forest, Sanaro led the way, knowing exactly where he was while Anna was completely lost. She looked about, seeing the serene mood of the forest and the quiet peacefulness of it, and smiled. She enjoyed the Iselia forest, her tenseness disappearing in a flash. Annule sat at the spot where the vehicles, waiting patiently for the two to come back from the dwarf's house.
It was a quarter of an hour before Sanaro finally led the way out of the thick forest, and step into a wide area, surrounded by thick, grey stones all around it. A small, homely house was on the rock, with a vegetable patch and a wooden bench on one side while there was a small garden of flowers laid around a small, natural waterfall of water trickling down a series of worn stones, falling into a small pond which nurtured the flowers greatly. Upon approaching the bench, Anna saw that it was hand crafted, with designs carved in the side as well as on the hand rails. Vines wrapped around the thick arm rests, curling up and along the back of the bench. Considering the large amount of dust, she guessed that it was merely for decoration and not for use.
Sanaro ignored the beautiful setting a knocked on the door a few times, the sound of glove on wood resounding across the whole area. Sanaro had to wait very little as the door was quickly opened, and a small man had appeared, his dark eyes on Sanaro. In an instant, the dwarf recognized the former spy, and beckoned him in, smiling at Anna as well when she followed her companion.
"Sanaro…I haven't seen ya for about fifteen years…what brings ya to my humble abode, friend?" he asked as he walked to a furnace, picking up a chisel and began to carve out a figure from the half-chiseled wood that was on the top of the burner, which served as a countertop. Sanaro had made himself comfortable by plopping himself on a chair while Anna did the same, though not as casually as her companion.
"Hey, Dirk, I wanted to have you return the favor that I gave you all those years ago," the man replied, his answering a couple minutes after the dwarf had even asked the question. His interest piqued, the dwarf set down his crafting materials and set his full attention on the blonde knight. "I want you to craft a wedding band from white gold for Anna's fiancé." Nodding his head to the side to indicate Anna, Sanaro waited for a response, which he knew would be an affirmative.
"Aye, I would do it, but I don't have any white gold with me. I'm afraid ya have to use a different material," the dwarf replied. The twinkle in his dark eyes went out when he disappointed his friend, although he really didn't. He waited patiently as Sanaro began to look in the pack he had brought, and pulled out a jar with the said material, and smiled at the dwarf's wide eyes.
"Where'd ya get this stuff? This is worth a fortune!" he exclaimed, staring at the mushy metal from within the jar. Sanaro grinned even wider and passed the bottle to the dwarf, who examined it with complete scrutiny. "Aye, it's real, too."
"So will you do it?" the former spy asked. The dwarf looked up and nodded vigorously.
"Come back tomorrow, and you'll have a wonderful wedding band, Anna," the dwarf replied, inclining his head. Sanaro nodded and stood up, his smile still wide on his face. Anna did so as well, her excitement growing with each moment as they walked out, thanking the dwarf.
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Yuan and Kratos had the machines Yuan had made as well. Noishe decided to stay behind near the mine rather than ride in the machine carrier, fearing the worst of what could happen. Kratos, ignoring the protozoan as it left the area for but a moment, gave Yuan a questioning look when the blue haired Seraph said he had them, silently wondering if they were safe.
"After all, I did save the best for last," was the half elf's comment when Sanaro and Anna were gone. Grinning, he pulled out another wing pack and let the machines out, one of them red while the other was purple. Kratos eyed them with folded arms and a small smirk.
The two mounted their machines, and soon in the air, the continent below now downsized to about half of what it looked like just minutes before. Yuan, without a hesitation in the least, began moving northeast, leaving Kratos to follow him in a hurry.
"Where are you going, Yuan?" the slightly frazzled Seraph exclaimed, but kept his cool around him. The blue haired companion looked back, grinning at what he had to tell. Quickly, Yuan slowed down, reaching to the side of his friend so he could more discreetly tell him what he knew.
"I actually know where a dwarf is, his name is Altessa. He worked with Cruxis, but ran away quite a few years ago," he explained. Kratos' face became one of joy and relief with the news, and nodded, letting Yuan continue.
"He's near Ozette, so we're really close. He'll gladly make the pact ring free of charge, considering I helped bail him out of Cruxis," he leaned closer, a mischievous grin on his face. "He could also make your wedding ring as well…we could use the diamond you got for her, and make quite a nice band…though I'm not sure whether there'll be enough white gold to make two rings."
Kratos grinned, but moved his vehicle forward, wanting to hold his euphoria by himself, and not let Yuan see the giddiness that was inside of him. He sighed after he held a stupid grin for some time, and let himself fall back to Yuan, who waited patiently, understanding his reasons.
Within minutes after the conversation, Kratos and Yuan were hovering above Ozette, and dropped very slowly near the mountainous cave beside the small village. Turning off their machines and both jumping off of the cushioned chairs, the Seraphim entered the cavern, seeing a door, and Yuan knocked on it, his strength rattling the whole door rather than just make a small vibration.
"…Come in," a gruff voice called, sounding agitated. Kratos immediately felt he was walking on eggshells when the two entered, finding themselves in the presence of a dwarf in a blue robe tied at the stomach with a brown rope. He had small eyes, hidden under a mass of eyebrows, matching the white beard that was grown to his midsection. A tall, thin woman, who seemed unusually similar to Martel, was beside Altessa, her big, green eyes staring at them blankly, almost like a lifeless doll. The dwarf noticed the figure of Yuan, and smiled, relief evident in his gruff face.
"Ah, Yuan, what brings you here?" he asked, stepping forward kindly. Yuan took a couple steps forward, removing himself from the draft through the door, and beckoned Kratos to do the same, and the Seraph complied immediately, showing respect with his friend.
"We need you to craft a couple rings for us, Altessa," the Seraph replied, folding his arms after he moved a strand of blue hair from his face. The dwarf nodded, accepting the task silently as he moved towards his workplace, a sign that everyone should follow. He stood next to the furnace, turning it on as well as pulling out certain crafting materials before waiting silently to hear the requests.
"I need to make a pact ring for Origin, using this diamond and this white gold," Yuan explained. He handed the bottle of the soft metal and the large, hard gem to the dwarf, his small eyes noting the high quality of each material. Yuan came closer, dropping his voice to a soft speech as he silently pulled out another diamond. "I also need you to craft a wedding ring for Kratos' fiancé." Kratos blushed slightly at the word 'fiancé,' his cheeks, though made barely a color change even though the Seraph could feel the warmth in his cheeks. Keeping a straight face, however, he continued to listen to the conversation.
"I'll be happy to make the rings, Yuan. However, this will be a full payback for saving me…the pact ring will be quite a challenge," he noted. Yuan nodded, agreeing, and turned to leave with Kratos by his side.
"Thanks again, Altessa!" Yuan called. The dwarf made no answer, but began his work on the rings immediately.
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It was the next day for Anna and Sanaro as they got up from their beds, stretching and yawning. They were in Iselia, and Anna had fallen in love with the little town. It was simple, like Luin, and the many people there were almost always cheerful, talking of either their religion, or how the next Chosen will definitely save the world. Although knowing Martel isn't a goddess and that the Chosen was merely a scam to get a dead woman back to life, it was great for Anna to hear the positive comments all the same.
She woke up, smiling as the soft sunlight of dawn fell gently on her face, waking her like a small nudge, barely noticeable, but still there, silently beckoning you to get up and face the day. By the time she had gotten dressed and shouldered her pack, Sanaro was at the door of the inn, waiting almost impatiently for the woman to come down.
Together, they left the town, Anna smiling to the villagers as they smiled back, waving to her as the two left Iselia. A few feet from the village border, Annule waited, and stood up upon seeing his friends. The wolf wagged his tail, padding next to Sanaro, earning a nice scratch behind the ears.
The two made it to Dirk's house quickly, and Anna knocked on the door, excited to see the results that the dwarf had made with the white gold they had brought. Annule waited a couple yards away, deciding not to surprise the man with his presence. The small man opened the door, welcoming them immediately, and beckoned for them to sit at the small table.
"Hey, ya two…how are ya?" he asked, smiling as he knelt down and opened a cupboard fixed below a countertop. He pulled out a small box, covered with a soft cloth, making it look beautiful. Anna smiled wide, hunching her shoulders as she imagined what the band could possibly look like.
"We've been good," Sanaro replied as he grabbed the box gently from Dirk, and handed it to Anna, a smile plastered on his face as well. Quickly, she opened it, and almost gaped at the sight. The band was simple, yet radiant with such a purity that it made the ring seem holy in that way. Small, simple designs softly etched the side of the ring, invisible unless you tried to see them. It was soft and smooth, Anna discerned when she picked it up, and had almost no weight to it.
"This is wonderful!" she exclaimed, placing it back in the box, though her grin was as wide as could be.
"I'm glad ya like it," he replied, smiling as well. Anna closed her hand around the box, her heart feeling like it was about to swell up. Oh, I'm so excited to show him this! She said in her thoughts as she drifted on Cloud Nine. I can barely wait!
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Kratos practically rushed downstairs from the inn in Ozette, reaching the door before Yuan even took a step down the small set of steps.
"Who put a nickel in you?" the blue haired mage asked, grinning as they left the house together after thanking the innkeeper. Kratos didn't respond, as he knew that Yuan was merely joking around, and the Seraphim both knew why the more solemn one was excited.
The damp and dark bearings of the village did not rain on Kratos' parade. He smiled, ignoring the dark trees and sad people with a gaiety that even scared Yuan. IF he's this happy over a wedding ring…then I don't want to see him AT the wedding! Yuan, however, kept his thoughts to himself as the two left the dark village, and the blue haired Seraph pulled out his wing pack. The machines appeared like before, and the two mounted them, Kratos starting his machine almost immediately.
It was definitely not long before Kratos was at Altessa's door, knocking on it hard, but not crazily. The gruff dwarf called for them to come in, and Kratos complied happily, entering the abode of the skilled craftsman. Upon entering, Altessa held out the two rings, already in professional and tiny boxes and one wrapped with a red ribbon, contrasting beautifully with the dark blue of the box. Kratos took them, thanking him multiple times before handing the pact ring to Yuan. Eagerly opening the box with the ribbon, he saw one of the most beautiful rings in the world.
It was a ring made with shining silver, similar, but not the same as white gold. Small, intricate designs covered the side of the ring, quite beautifully noticeable. The diamond adorned onto the ring was cut and sized down to a reasonable size, though its beauty seemed peaked with its angles making different colored sparkles in it. The silver part of the ring wrapped halfway up the diamond, holding it in place in a clever and beautiful way.
Kratos was left speechless as he silently closed the box, half not believing that he could have possession over something so precious and amazing.
"It's wonderful…thank you," Kratos said to the dwarf, regaining his composure and nodding thankfully to him.
"I'm glad you liked it, Kratos. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to finish another client's work," he said, making it seem as polite as he could. "It was great seeing you, Yuan." The blue haired Seraph nodded back as he led Kratos out, who was filled with thoughts on how Anna would react to such a beautiful ring.
I can't wait to propose, he thought, smiling as the door was closed behind him and the Seraph was faced with the outside. Suddenly, the man noticed so many more things than before; the birds chirped, the sky was a pretty hue of blue, and the world seemed so vibrant. Keeping his smile, he followed Yuan to the vehicles, clutching onto his box as if it were Anna's life.
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Mr.Who2123: There you guys go, a long, and hopefully cute chapter on the obtained rings.
Kratos: (Is reading) "…smiled with such a…GAIETY???" What kind of word is that?
Mr.Who2123: Sorry, just reading old books for school, two in fact at the same time from the 1800's, so they say "Gaiety" quite a bit…
Kratos: Humph…I do not smile with gaiety…
Mr.Who2123: Whatever…please review, so I can smile with "gaiety"!