I have no idea why I'm using Eugeve as Ion's hometown. -sigh- But, If I had used ToS, Zelos would have lived in Iselia.
Finally, The explanation! I hope that I remembered everything...
I do not own Tales of the Abyss!
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As The Nightingale Sings...
...People are telling his story
Chapter 1
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Eugeve was a small village which was famous of its friendly villagers and an amazing nature. It was silent and calm place. People liked to go there everywhere from Auldrant. Even though in the past Eugeve was ugly and small place now it has grown to a one of the world's most famous places.
"Life in Eugeve is good." People used to say. But they didn't know that the life in Eugeve would change forever after a one single child would grow up. They didn't know what that child would do in the future. They didn't know that thanks to the child, they were saved.
They just didn't know. After all, they were just a bunch of stupid humans.
- - -
24 years ago
- - -
"Just one more push ma'am." The doctor said. The woman in front of her had a long black hair and her beautiful, green eyes were full of pain. Next to her, was the woman's husband who's dark green hair was in mess and his brown eyes looked at his wife, a worried look in his eye. They both were still pretty young, still in their early twenties but they were both from rich families and they lived in a huge mansion on a small cliff in Eugeve. And now they were getting their first child.
"Just one more ma'am." The doctor repeated. The wife's husband whispered something in his wife's ear, probably some sweet words but it helped. The woman screamed and grabbed her husband's hand. The man bit his lip. He hated to look at his wife when she was in pain. The black haired woman continued screaming but then suddenly...
Someone else screamed. Someone who hadn't never breathed air with lungs. Someone who didn't know what kind the world was.
Someone... pure and innocent.
The green haired man watched as the maid took something... red from the doctor and took it, going away from the room. The man lowered his gaze to look at at his wife who was still panting slightly. She was looking at the doctor, a tint of worry in her eyes.
"Don't worry ma'am. She will return soon. She just went to take the baby's height and weight and she'll clean the baby." The doctor smiled calmly. The man smiled too. It was so much like her to worry someone else before taking care of herself. Soon, the door opened and the same maid came in, carrying a small bundle. She was smiling brightly, walking to the new parents and gave the bundle to the new mother.
"Congratulations. You have a son." The blond haired maid kept smiling after giving the baby to his mom. The baby whimpered a little and his mother started to smile, tears falling down her cheeks.
"It's so... Red." She muttered, getting a chuckle from her husband who looked at the small bundle. His son... Like his wife already said, it was red with couple of dark green tress on his head which looked weird against the baby's red skin.
"He is opening his eyes..." The man smiled and gasped in joy. His son had his mother's green and soft eyes. Soon, he too started to cry. The doctor watch the scene, writing down the baby's information. A normal, health baby boy.
The new mother was whispering something in her child's ear as her husband looked at her, smiling.
Finally. He had everything he needed to be happy. Suddenly, a cold wind blew as the windows opened loudly.
"Gah, you make me want to vomit." A cold, boyish voice came from the shadows, making everybody in the room to flinch. They turned to look at the corner of the room, the place where the voice had came. The person stepped closer and the people in the room gasped.
It was young boy, probably around fourteen. He was wearing black and long jacket with many details on it. He was carrying a long pouch. But the most weird thing was what covered his eyes. A yellow mask with red lines on it. His messy green hair pointed everywhere as he crossed his arms and snapped.
"W-who are you!?" The man shouted. He had to protect his family. His wife had wrapped her arms around their baby as the strange boy walked to them. The boy stopped in front of the baby and his mother's and to everybody's shock, the boy dropped the pouch, taking a sword from it. He rose the sword on his head and before anybody could react, he swung the sword. The mother made a loud shriek.
But the boy stopped moving the sword just before it was hitting the newborn baby. The mother looked at the sword and gasped. The sword was glowing in the moon light.
And then, they all realized who this boy was.
"N-No..." The mother gasped, new tears forming in her eyes. But this time, they weren't tears of joy. She stared at her son who was looking at the older boy curiously. The boy sighed, putting the sword back to its pouch.
"I, Sync the Tempest, the sixth God-General, am here to announce that the new Maiden of Hymns has born in the name of Lorelei. And I, Sync the Tempest, am here to announce that Van Grants has declared me, Sync the Tempest to be this Maiden's guardian, until he'll turn to 15, when I will take him to Daath, the home of the Six God-Generals and the fallen hero himself, Van Grants." The boy, Sync said the last phrase with a hint of sarcasm. The couple gasped, both with different reasons. The man was happy. His son, his flesh and blood was The Maiden. His son carried the second most important title in the world. His wife though, was sad that his son would be taken from her 15 years later. It was just so wrong.
"But... I thought that The Maidens are girls!?" The doctor said, breaking the silence. The masked boy turned to look at him, giving a cold aura around him.
"No you stupid mortal! There has been some boys in the history too! Even though She was a woman it doesn't mean that all Maidens are girls! Are all people this stupid!?" He snarled, crossing his arms across his chest. The green haired boy walked to the large window, opening it with aloud bang and looked the small baby at the last time. Even though he would never admit it, he was surprised that the newborn Maiden hadn't cried, even though he had shouted. The baby had just looked at him, a curious look in his green eyes.
"Tell to the king about this tomorrow." He said, stepping out of the mansion into the dark night. Once he was out of the village, he sighed, rubbing his temple.
"So this is how it begins..." He said aloud.
"I heard your little speech. You know that I could tell to Van that you have spoken about him with a disrespect tone. And you know what it means." An another voice came behind the tree, making Sync to turn his head.
"What you want Asch?" He said with a mocking tone. The person stepped closer, his red hair fluttering in the wind.
"Van ordered me to spy you until you have told the family. It looks like even if The Key of Lorelei choose you, Van doesn't want you to take this Maiden. You're still too young. And I agreed with him. In my case, it took 523 years and three weeks to get my first Maiden and I heard the with Dist it took 1.051 years! You have been immortal only 100 years. " Asch sighed.
"Well, Dist is an idiot who can't even fight! You know that he loves using me as a guinea pig because... Well, you know why!" The younger boy snarled.
"Yes, I know but that doesn't have to do with this. Did they believe you?" The older boy asked, getting a nod.
"Humans are so stupid! I can't believe that I was once one of them!"
"No one cares that you hate them. The most important thing is that they believed."
"I still don't get it why I had to go to the new Maiden when your the one who's going to stalk him!"
"For the last time, our job is not stalking! We have to protect The Maiden!"
" Yeah, and the Maidens must not see us... Sounds like stalking to me..." Sync muttered under his breath, making Asch to glare at him.
"Anyway, Van ordered me to give a message to you. He said that after you have told to the family, you must go back to Daath. He also said he might have a cure to you... problem." Asch announced, making Sync to raise his head as his normally cold aura vanished.
"He has found a cure?" He whispered, sounding like a lost small child.
"Maybe. Now go!" Asch ordered. The younger boy nodded and muttered the spell quietly.
"Teleport!" He shouted as a magical circle formed under his legs and his body started fading into air.
Asch sighed as the masked boy's body was away, looking at the stars. He thanked his luck that he wasn't mortal anymore. This all was so weird and he was stressed. Three days ago, Van had gathered all Six God-Generals to the hall so the Key of Lorelei would choose the next Maiden's guardian. To their surprise, it choose Sync. And that was a problem. Asch saw that he wasn't ready to this. His body hadn't still fully accepted that he is an immortal! So Van had to make a compromise. Even though Sync was the real guardian, Asch had to watch over the Maiden until Sync was ready. It would take days, months or even years. But till Sync was ready, he would start to protect the Maiden. But because he was the real Maiden's guardian, he made the announce. With a lie of course but it was better if the parents don't now that the other God-General is doing Sync's job.
Asch sighed again as the clouds darked and soon, it was raining. It has been over 150 years since he had been on earth. And at that time, he had to watch over his Maiden. And that girl had been spoiled and selfish bitch. And he didn't not miss her.
"I should go to watch after that new Maiden..." He sighed, walking to the mansion.
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5 Years later...
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"Mommy, mommy!" A small boy cried, as he ran to his house. His mother was already waiting him, hugging her son tightly as the boy reached her. The boy was sobbing loudly, making his mother worry.
"Ion, sweetie are you okay?!" The boy's mother asked worriedly as her son cried.
"T-The other kids were teasing me again! T-They said that I'm not like them! T-They said that I'm a freak!" The girly boy sobbed even harder.
"Oh sweetie stop crying! And don't care what those children says. You're not a freak!"
"B-But why people are treating me differently?" Ion asked, looking at her mother. The beautiful lady sighed. She knew that this day would come.
"Let's go inside. Then, I'll tell with hot-chocolate!" She smiled as her son squealed in joy.
Oh why Ion had to grow up so soon?
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"So let's see... I believe that you have heard the name The Maiden of Hymns before?" The woman asked as her son nodded.
"Villagers are always calling me that..." Ion muttered sadly, swinging his small legs on his mother's lap. "And that's why they treat me differently! Why they keep calling me that? I don't want be that Maiden if I won't get any friends..."
"Honey, it's an honor to be The Maiden. You're the one who have saved this poor planet. And maybe you are the real Maiden..." Ion's mother muttered, playing with her son's hair.
"The real Maiden? But you just said-"
"Let me tell a story, Ion. The story tells who you are and why you are here." Boy's mother smiled, her son nodding happily. He loved stories.
"This all happened over 2.000 years ago, when there was a lot disagreements between two countries. The countries names were Malkuth Empire and Kingdom of Kimlasca-Lanvaldear. Now these countries have fused into our country, Auldrant. These countries were on a edge of war. But there was a small island too. It hadn't a side at the bigger countries arguments. The name of island was 'Island of Hod'. The people who lived there had their own culture and fighting skills. The people there were strong and they had powers which could destroy the bigger countries but the people on the island loved peace.
But like I said, over 2.000 years ago, a small boy baby was born under the full moon at the Island of Hod. And they believed that if a child will born when the moon shines brightest, the baby will grow up to be a strong warrior.
The boy's parents named him 'Van'. And when Van grew up, he became strong and wise young man. He was kind to people and loved his parents and his little sister who was still a newborn. It looked like the Gods loved him.
But when Van was 11 years old, Malkuth an Kimlasca-Lanvaldear forgot their fights and they attention turned on the calm island. So, they gathered their two armies into a one massive army.
And attacked to the island. To a small peaceful island without any mercy.
Van was outside his home but rushed to the village after hearing screaming. But what he saw, wasn't something what he expected.
He saw how the soldiers where killing his friends... And how they were torturing his family... It shattered his heart into thousands pieces... And he lost the power to control his powers. We still don't know how many he killed but he was the only one who survived. All buildings were destroyed and the soldiers and villagers bodies were everywhere.
But the most horrible thing was that his power had killed his parents. Both of their bodies were in a horrible condition and Van buried them and the villagers but not the soldier's bodies. But then, he noticed that his sister's, Mystearica's body was nowhere. Van though that some other soldiers had taken her somewhere and killed her.
After the horrible slaughter, Van escaped from the island and traveled around the world. Sometimes he taught martial arts to the riches children to get money but never told anyone where he was from.
But then, 16 years later, the war started.
The war between Malkuth and Kimlasca-Lanvaldear was long and bloody. Van didn't have a side and he traveled on the battlefields, walking over the bodies. Van fought if he had to but only to survive.
But then, when he was resting at a small village, he heard a rumor. Rumor about Malkuth's secret weapon. They said that Malkuth used a young woman as a weapon and she had a power to make soldiers sleep only using her voice. This caught Van's attention. He made a new goal in his life, to find this woman.
And which happened couple of months later.
Van was at the latest battlefield which Malkuth won and saw some soldiers with Malkuth's uniforms. He watched as the soldiers stole from the dead soldiers. He watched as a young woman tried to stop them, saying that it was insolent stealing from dead. Van couldn't believe his eyes when he saw her.
The woman looked just like his mother.
He knew immediately that the woman was his little sister, Mystearica. But the soldiers were laughing at her and Van heard that they were calling her 'Tear'.
Tear and Van met many times at the battlefields. Tear was interested about Van because he was the only one who didn't fall in sleep when she used her voice. She wanted to know about this mysterious man and spied him if they sometimes met at outside of the battlefields. Van of course noticed this and wanted to tell her everything but was too scared. After all, he killed their parents and Van thought that Tear wouldn't forgive him.
But Van wasn't the only one who noticed Tear's odd behavior. There was a one soldier who was in love with her. He noticed that when she met that famous man, Van, she spied him. The soldier thought that she was in love with him. He became desperate and wanted to get his rival out of the way. But he knew that Van was better than him when it came fighting. So, he made a plan.
Some days later and new battle was born. It was like all the other battles between the two countries. People fought to survive and killed everybody who came close to them. Van and Tear were there, both with different reasons. Tear was a soldier so she had to help her people. Van came there because he wanted to protect Tear. And of course, it was a perfect chance to practice his skills. Even though Van was famous, many people didn't know what he looked like.
But the man who was in love with Tear, remembered his face and started to fulfill his plan.
The man's weapon at war was a rifle which could kill a human with a one shot. He charged his weapon but didn't target the enemy. Instead, he targeted Van's heart. But when he was about to pull the trigger, Tear noticed him. She watched in horror how the man was about to shoot Van. And then, she made her decision.
All what they all heard was a loud pang and all what they saw was how the blood splashed everywhere. And the next thing what Van saw, was two blue eyes, staring at him. The man who had shot was staring in horror the scene in front of him. The body who had covered Van fell on the ground, her long hair covering the wound.
The man had shot the one who he had loved. Tear.
When Van realized what had happened, the power inside him started to grow like 16 years ago. And soon, it was too much to Van. He released the power, killing everybody at the battlefield. But he didn't care anymore After he came back to his sense, he buried her sister's body under the ground. He started to regret that he never told to his sister about her past. The regret and sadness were so big that it caught the the world's creator's Lorelei's attention. He had always been interested about the only survivor of the Island of Hod. So, he decided to make a deal with the man. Lorelei landed in a human form in front of Van and said:
'Don't be scared mortal. I, Lorelei, the creator of this world, am have seen your past and I can see your pain and I have a way to ease it. I have a deal with you. If you want, I can reborn your sister's soul. It can take thousands years but I'll give you the skills of Gods and you would be an immortal. I would give you a title of god and people will praise you as a god.
However, in return, you will give me your soul and heart. Don't worry, you don't need heart after transforming to a immortal. The heart is only a cage which keep humans true powers inside of it. The soul is only to kill humans spirits. Believe me, if you want to, I'll make you and your sister happy.
So, do we have a deal?' Lorelei asked. Van didn't had to think about it long time. He said:
'To beg forgiveness by my sister. To repay everything I have done to make her suffer. To see her smile last time... I'll give my heart and soul to you!'
And so, it happened.
Lorelei went back to heaven, taking Van's soul and heart with him. Lorelei left a sword to Van which would glow as a new Maiden will born and it would help to find the real Tear's reincarnation. We call this sword as 'The Key of Lorelei'. Even though Lorelei left, Van, who was already strong without his immortal powers, stayed on earth to test his new powers. This induced to destruction of Daath. The rumors says that Van rose Daath to heaven where its citizens serves Van and the God-Generals.
Nobody knows how did Van survive the first two centuries without the God-Generals but he started to became desperate. Humans on the earth did have no idea who he was or what happened to Daath. He had troubles finding the Maidens and keep them safe from dangers. And the war was still going on the earth.
But then, after one Maiden died when bandits killed her, Van had an idea.
He landed back to earth after many years and started to search group of humans who had power, intelligent and courage. He searched humans who could left their lives on earth and who would change to immortal and became Van's employee and serve him forever.
He found six people with these features.
First one was Legretta the Quick. She was a respected soldier but was afraid of death. Van found her at the battlefield, deadly wounded and asked her would she become an immortal creature. Legretta said yes.
Next one was Largo the Black Lion. When he was a human, he traveled over the world even though the war was still raging. Before he met Van, he fell in love with a woman who had settled down with her and had a daughter. But then, somebody took their daughter from them, shattering Largo's wife's mind. She made a suicide soon after the kidnap and Largo started traveling again, meeting Van and joined him.
Van met the third one just after the war. Nobody knows his real name or the reason why he changed his name but we know him as Dist the Reaper. He was a scientist but people didn't respect him or his ideas. They though that he was mad man. Even thought he isn't the most sane person, he is very intelligent. He wanted to join because that way he could became famous and immortal so he could continue making experiments. Forever.
Fourth one was a young girl, Arietta the Wild. She was shy young girl who´s parents had left her into a forest when she was a baby and one of the monsters found her. The monster was 'Liger Queen', the leader of Ligers. The Queen raised Arietta as her own child but the other ligers didn't like this. And when Arietta was 16, the Liger Queen fell sick and died. The new Queen said to Arietta that since the old Queen was gone, she didn't have any reason to stay there. The ligers chased her, trying to kill her but Arietta could escape. But she wasn't in good condition and Van found her at the edge of forest, deadly wounded. Van saved her by making her immortal and some people even believe that Van resurrected the old Liger Queen too.
Van found the fifth employee in an interesting situation. This boy´s name is Asch the Bloody and Van found him only about 500 years ago. Just like Dist, Asch's really name isn't Asch and nobody knows it. He was son of a noble man and could handle any sword. Van found him in a abandoned laboratory when Asch was only ten. Nobody knows why and what he was doing there but the experience must have been horrible. But Van saw that Asch hold a powerful spirit and decided that he would wait until the boy was older and more powerful to be immortal. He waited 7 years, teaching magic and other useful skills to the boy. And when Asch turned 17, he followed Van to Daath.
The last and youngest one is Sync the Tempest. He was an orphan and lived on the streets, stealing from people. Sync was a sick boy and people treated him like trash and he learned to hate everybody and believed that his parents and little brother were killed because of him. Still, he is a angry person and believed that he shouldn't even exist. He met Van when he was 14. Sync's sickness was taking over him and he was dying. But still, he kept stealing and stole Van's sword, Key of Lorelei. Van didn't have any problems by taking it back but was impressed by Sync's speed and skills. He offered to Sync an immortal life because Sync's sickness would kill him soon. That's why unlike with Asch's case, Van couldn't wait because Sync would be dead soon. But Sync refused. He asked that why should he live an immortal life when he shouldn't even exist? But Van kept trying and then finally, he forcefully turned Sync into an immortal. But something went terribly wrong.
No one knows why, not even Van but Sync transformed into immortal slower that the others. The transformation took a month while with the others, it took only seconds. Maybe it was Sync's sickness or Van's powers but the transformation was slow and extremely painful to Sync. He couldn't eat or move. Van had to leave him alone because the new Maiden was going to born any time. But when the month passed, at one day, some other orphans where stealing from Sync. Sync, whose possessions where the last thing what reminded him from his family, got angry and stood up, glaring the orphans.
The next thing what Sync was the orphans corpses on the ground, pained expression on their faces.
Sync of course panicked. He decided not to move until Van would come. Van came one day later, and found Sync lying on the ground, a bandage covering his eyes. After Van made some tests, he too, was shocked because something like this hadn't happened ever. Maybe it was a curse from the Death himself because Sync was already dying but whenever he looks somebody in the eyes, the person will die. It's a horrible curse and it's separating Sync from the others. So, Van gave him a mask to cover his eyes. Sync, who couldn't stay back to earth, followed Van. But unlike the others, Sync isn't grateful to Van being immortal. Most likely because the curse.
But anyway, Van decided that these people where enough and fulfilled his plan. These six people forms The Six God-Generals. They too have inhumanly powers and skills but they still have their hearts and souls so they aren't real gods. Their job is to watch over the Maidens and protect them from any danger. But, when a new Maiden will be born, the Key of Lorelei will glow and show who is the new Maiden's guardian because only one God-General protects the current Maiden. But the guardian must not let the Maiden see him or her before the Maiden turns 15 years-old and the God-General will take him or her to Daath and the Maiden must do a test to prove is he or she the true reincarnation of Tear."
"What the Maiden must do?" Ion asked, eyes widening.
"They must sing." Ion's mom smiled. "Nobody knows what happens after the test. But even though it has been over 2.000 years, Van still hasn't found his sister. Who knows, maybe you're the one who will make him happy." The woman ended, the smile turning into sad sigh. They both were silent as Ion swung his small legs and his mom played with his green hair. The woman started to wonder. Why her son was so quiet? Maybe it has been too soon to tell him. She stared at Ion's back of the head, moving her hands from the boys hair to his flanks, hugging him tightly and noticed that he was shaking.
"Honey, are you okay?" The black haired woman panicked.
"I-It just that... It's soooo saaaad!" The young boy wailed. "T-They all h-had so awful past a-and... It's just so sad!" The boy kept crying.
The woman smiled kindly, it was just like Ion, taking care of the others and doesn't care what happens to him.
"You're right Pear pie." The woman grinned as her son turned to look at her, a pout on his wet face.
"I'm not a Pear pie!"
"But you look like a cute little pear and you're tasty as a pie!" The woman giggled. Ion kept pouting some minutes until asked:
"Who God-General is guarding me?"
"Try to guess." Ion's mother smirked and Ion thought about the chances.
"Is... Is it Dist?" He asked with a really small whisper, making his mother to laugh.
"Oh thank god no! Your guardian has a mask on his face!"
"That was...Sync!" The green-haired boy gasped, feeling proud that he knew who his guardian was.
"That's right! You're so smart!" His mother giggled as she watched her son's proud expression.
"I wanna meet him!"
"Honey, you'll meet him when you'll turn 15 years."
"I wanna meet him NOW!" The small boy shouted. His mom looked at him, shocked. Ion never shouted or had any tantrum. He was calm and kind child.
"Maybe, if you keep your eyes open, Sync makes a mistake and you'll see him!" The woman lied calmly. She knew that there was no way that a God-General would make a mistake like that.
"Okay! I want to meet him... I will meet him before he takes me away..." Ion muttered to himself.
At the same time, a certain red-headed God-Guardian moved slowly away from the window, head filled with many thoughts about this Maiden.
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So... What you think? Is it worth to continue? I think that I like it really much. I have always wanted to write my own fantasy story.