Alaia Skyhawk: Man I feel SO sorry for Ratatosk right now... poor kid
-
I don't own Tales of Symphonia so please don't sue me. I do however own Krishka, Dallinius (Dalli), Aluran, the Alurannai and any OCs, except Sanaro and Annule, who belong to Mr Who 2123, Mika and Fiuras, who belong to WingedWithFireyMana, and Gaea Silverleaf, who belongs to Sparkling Moon Phoenix, so please don't steal them...
-
Chapter 5: Frail Opposition
-
He sat there in the dim light, huddled on his knees before the filigree span that represented the point where his will kept the demons from entering this passage to his world. Constant pounding hammered through the confines of this sphere, every one of them causing the boy before the arch to flinch in the pain of the effort it took to keep the door closed. Ratatosk trembled, shaking uncontrollably before the forces striving to taint and subvert Symphonia... while out in that world itself the mana began to go awry...
Feeling those distant mana levels twist and waver, leaving disasters in their wake, he reached out for one bare moment to restore them before with a moan of agony he returned his full power to the door that had begun to open in that moment of distraction. So far he'd prevented any disasters from occurring in the areas where the Humans, Elves, and Dwarves lived, the Races oblivious to the fact they were so close to destruction. The only problem was that every time he fixed the mana the door would begin to open... and every time it did it became a little harder to close...
Two weeks... it had only been two weeks since he'd created this door to protect Symphonia and the Tree, and even now it was slowly and inexorably slipping from his grip. He was too young, too frail, to maintain the effort against the power of the demons beyond... He was just a child, not yet into his full power, and woefully lacking in knowledge and experience... It was no use, he couldn't do it; he couldn't keep them out forever...
Hands clenched where they rested on the golden floor of his platform, Ratatosk continued to shake as he was forced once again to correct the mana beyond the rift, and once again had to struggle to close the door again. How many more times could he do this? How much longer could he last before his strength gave out? He didn't know, but he knew it wouldn't be long...
A single clear droplet fell into his lap, followed by another and another as he began to cry. Sat there in desperation, unable to move even as the tears streamed down his face, the child Spirit sobbed before wailing.
"Mother! Mother!" His lip trembled, his red eyes full of pain and fear as he whimpered. "Mother, I can't do it... I can't do this alone! I can't! The mana! I-I can't control it and keep the door closed! N-Not on my own! ...Mother..."
He continued to sob, still flinching with every drumbeat of doom that pulsed through the chamber. After a moment, he felt a tiny strand of power curl protectively around him as the Tree's distant voice brushed his mind.
Do as I did... I cannot create the mana and both change it to the Elements. I created the Greater Elemental Summon Spirits to fulfil that role, and so must you now create agents who will monitor the mana of those elements for you. Through them your power will create balance, leaving you free to focus on the door...
Ratatosk lifted his head, his once vibrant locks of pale-green hair now lank and dull.
"But I'm so tired... I don't have the strength anymore... I would need so many of them..."
Then I will create lesser agents for you, if you create servants who will take mastery and command over them... Let those servants be your Centurions, the generals who hold command over the rest of your servants in your stead...
The boy remained silent for a moment, before nodding tiredly.
"Yes... Yes, I have strength enough for that... I'll create one for each of the Eight Elements, if you will create creatures able to sense and control mana for each of them as well."
The Tree's next whisper, which came after a seemingly endless pause, brought a glint of hope to the young Spirit's eyes.
It is done... I have created the flora and fauna you have requested. Now create the Centurions who will lead them!
It was with agonising slowness that Ratatosk forced himself to his feet, still shaking from his already gargantuan efforts. Stood there before the arch of the door, he lifted his hands to his chest as if to cradle something, a scarlet crystal sphere containing an emblem appearing in his grasp. Regarding it for a moment, he closed his eyes and murmured quietly.
"...From the core of my power I bid thee rise and take a fragment of it. Make that a core of your own, bound to mine so that your strength feeds back to me. For the Eight Elements I create you, and bid you bind the servants made for you and add their strength to yours. Be my eyes in the world, so that I am free to hold this door closed and protect it..."
His core seemed to shatter for a moment, a spray of shards in the air that reassembled itself with no visible damage despite the fact that eight of the shards now drifted outwards towards the arch. Each shard grew, the eight turning into crystal spheres each the colour of an element and each containing a unique emblem to define them from each other even as their similarity proclaimed the source from which they had come.
Once all eight were the same size as the core they had come from, eight new voices resonated as one within the chamber.
We are the Centurions, and we give our aid to you, Lord Ratatosk. We will take command of the monsters as you have instructed, and now give the strength of our will to forge the seal on the Door.
The Cores blazed, power streaming out from each to create a replica of each suspended in the air beneath the arch. Seeing them, Ratatosk sent his own power out and set a replica of his own Core at the heart of the pattern, golden strands like those of the arch forming around and linking all nine together. Once it was complete, the pounding in the air stopped...
Ratatosk staggered, gasping in relief as the pressure of the demon's assault was forced into submission by the new seal. Catching his breath as he stood there, taking note that even with the seal his strength continued to decline, he looked up as eight cores continued to blaze and spoke to his servants.
"...Go, forge the bonds with your monsters and stabilise the mana for me... before I can't stop the taint from beyond anymore. You've bought me time, but only with your help can I continue to hold this door."
The Cores vanished, as the Centurions' voices whispered in reply.
...It will be done...
Once again alone in the chamber, Ratatosk sank to the floor once more and curled into a ball... whimpering again before slowly drifting into exhausted slumber.
"...I'm so tired... so tired... and alone..."
---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---
Eight streaks of light radiated outwards from the great depression at the island's peak, each streaking towards the area where they felt their element resonated most strongly. Far below them they could sense the creatures they were to command, tendrils of power showering down in their wake to bind those creatures to their will...
The Core of palest blue reached its destination first, the frigid islands to the north, flaring to become a blue-grey wolf whose form was traced in strands of purest white. Standing there, its howling call spurred its new servants into action.
"I am Glacius! Go my servants, restore the true balance of Ice!"
Next to arrive, on the continent where the Tree resided, the Core that blazed violet became a great purple eagle that crackled with shards of lightning.
"I am Tonitrus! Go my servants, restore the true balance of Lightning!"
Far to the distant south, the black Core became a cloud of shadow from which a black cat traced in purple emerged and sent out his command.
"I am Tenebrae! Go my servants, restore the true balance of Darkness!"
One by one the other Centurions reached their chosen areas, each calling out their first command. The serpent-like Solemn in the rocky mountains of the continent he partly shared with Tenebrae. Ignus, the fiery dragon, in the scorching desert of the world's second cluster of continents. At those lands' eastern edge the blue and black maiden, Aqua, with her cat-like ears and fishtail hair gazed out across the seas, while far north of her winds swirled around the feathered wings of the pegasus Ventus. Lastly, west of him, light coalesced into the gleaming golden eagle that was Lumen, her piercing cry heralding the movements of her monsters at her command.
Ice and Lightning, Darkness and Earth, Fire and Water, Wind and Light... Eight Centurions, eight elements, and the monsters attuned to them began the measured dance of influence that would balance to the mana of the world... While deep within the rift between worlds, a young Spirit sighed softly in his slumber as power radiated from his Centurions and flowed back to him...
---.--.---.--.---.--.---.--.---
Alaia Skyhawk: There you have it, the creation of the Centurions.