Me: Yes! I updated before the fifteenth!
Genis: Why are you so excited about that?
Me: Because, on the fifteenth I'm going to a convention and that means that most of my time will be put to preparing. So, I wanted to get a chapter out for the readers before I start getting ready for the convention. I won't start working on the next chapter for a couple days. I'm going with my best friend. It'll be so awesome. I'm going to enter the cosplay contest.
Genis: Hopefully, you don't end up like Will and Ellie from "Tales of Cosplayers" by Nightfoot.
Me: Nah, I probably won't end up like them, because sadly, I am not wearing a Tales of Symphonia cosplay. I'm wearing a BLEACH cosplay. Hehe, I'm gonna be Rukia and have the sword. My dad bought the sword for me.
Genis: Why do your parents buy you weapons?
Me: Because they buy me anything I want just to keep me happy. Anyways, anything in my hand is a weapon. Besides, it's a fake sword. Real weapons aren't allowed at the convention.
Genis: She owns nothing.
Me: Except anything that is not originally in the game.
"Huh, so this is what the inside of the Balacruf Mausoleum looks likes," I took in my surroundings.
"This is pretty cool! I feel like an explorer!" Lloyd exclaimed.
"…You always start out enthusiastic," Kratos stated.
"Let's just see how long it last this time," I added.
"Hey!" Lloyd shouted.
"I can hear the sound of wind…" Colette noted.
"Well, let's not stand around here. Monsters could attack at any time," I replied.
They decided to take my advice and start moving. I had to clip my hair back because the wind continued to blow it in my face. As we made our way through the ruin we ran into monsters and had to stop to solve the wind puzzles so that Raine could read the riddles on the wall. All and all, it took a while to get to the pinwheels.
'I hope this battle goes well… I seem to have a tendency of getting hurt during this fights… Oh well, like Zelos says "Whatever happens, happens." Hopefully whatever happens won't get me killed.'
I watched Raine and Genis as they tried to figure it out. It took a while but they did figure out the combination. I didn't help because, yet again, I was afraid they'd get suspicious. I was always careful about keeping secrets…Sometimes too careful, but I have been able to keep just about every secret I've had or been told. Although, sometimes it haunts me in my dreams… Er, whatever, I'll stop rambling and get back to the events.
As we walked up the stairs I realized something, how the heck am I going to be able to fight the Iapyx when it's a bird…thing. I couldn't use techs so I couldn't get in the air.
'Damn my Earth origin…No, wait, I like Earth…sorta…'
"We're finally at the altar…I'm sick of dungeons," Lloyd whined.
'Poor Lloyd, he has no idea how many more dungeons he will have to go through.'
"…You have no patience…" Kratos sighed.
It was really foggy around the area. But I didn't have time to comment on it because the evil, giant, bird thing called the Iapyx appeared. As soon as it appeared it attacked me. I dodged and tried to think of a way to hit it. Luckily, I still had my Cruxis Crystal on from all the battles we had while making our way there.
"…Stupid bird…can't even hit it…" I mumbled.
So, then I decided that instead of uselessly trying to hit it in the air, I'd wait for it to come down low enough for me to strike. That's what I did for the remainder of the battle, attack it when it wasn't to far up in the air. I felt pretty useless during the battle but at least I didn't get hurt too badly. That was an upside for the next battle to come. I'd be way more useful during the next battle.
"Chosen of Regeneration… you have done well in reaching this far. Now, offer your prayers at the alter," Remiel's voice echoed around us.
Colette nodded her head, "…Yes!"
Colette stepped up to the alter and prayed. I stood back and watched as the sweet, kind hearted Chosen took another step towards death. As much as I wanted to stop all this and guide them through only the necessary tasks, I knew I couldn't. This all had to happen or else the outcome of everything might not be good. I bite my lip as I watched everything occur.
"The end of your journey is close. Hurry and become a true angel. Do not disappoint me…" Those were Remiel's last words before he left.
'You're life is close to the end, but not this journey.'
Yeah, I was really bitter towards Remiel. I mean, if you knew what his true intentions were then you'd be the same. I really wanted to hurry up and kill the sucker. He was one of the biggest asses in the game.
"A true angel…" Colette breathed.
"What is it?" Lloyd asked.
Colette turned around and smiled, "Ah… nothing. I was just…thinking when I become a true angel, it'll be amazing!"
'She really doesn't deserve to go through all this. Too bad I can't do anything to stop it. Hopefully, my presence won't change anything dramatically and everything will work out fine.'
"I wonder how many more seals there are?" Genis said.
"That, we don't know…" Raine started to ponder on the question.
"At any rate, all we can do is keep going," Kratos stated and started walking down the stairs.
"Though there can't be many seals left. He did say that the end of the journey was close," I added.
We followed after Kratos and made our way out of the ruins…almost.
"Stop!" Sheena shouted.
We all turned towards the shout. Mostly everyone was surprised. I was surprised for a different reason than the others. The shout had kind of startled me because I didn't know exactly when she would show up.
"That voice…" Lloyd trailed.
"Oh, no…" Genis muttered.
Sheena ran down the steps towards us.
"This day has finally come. This ancient ruin shall be your graveyard…" Sheena started.
"Oh, you're here, too!" Colette chirped, stepping forward.
"S…stay back! Don't move! Don't touch anything!" Sheena shouted, again.
'She's probably afraid Colette will trigger something again… like with the maintenance hatch… That actually hurt…I'd kinda be afraid as well if I was Sheena.'
"Now that we've finally become friends, why do we have to fight?" Colette naively asked.
'Oh, how innocent and naïve… Man, I feel horrible for not saying anything… But at least I can move things along faster so that she doesn't have to suffer for a long while.'
"Since when are we?… I have no intention of befriending you!… Prepare yourselves!" Sheena got ready for a fight.
"Get ready," Kratos stated.
Sheena charged for us after summoning her guardian. I pulled out my weapon and charged for the guardian. I still had no intention of fighting Sheena. Lloyd, Colette and I worked together to take down the guardian. The fight basically went the same way as the last time we fought the with Sheena, only this time Lloyd and I had Colette's help and there were more injuries. Those guardian were strong!
Anyways, Sheena stood defeated. "…Argh! Why… why can't I win?"
"Goodness and love will always win!" Genis recited.
I really wanted to say, "Well, there's no winning for me then." because of the love part but I didn't want to spoil it.
Lloyd turned to Genis, "Genis, please don't bring up that stupid Dwarven Vow!" Lloyd groaned.
" "Goodness"?! What do you mean, "goodness"?! If you're good, I'm good as well!" Sheena snarled.
"Not you, too! Everyone, stop saying corny thing!" Lloyd responded.
I wanted to agree with him but Sheena started talking before I did.
"What do you know?! When you regenerate the world, my country will be destroyed! I won't let that happen… I swear!" Sheena explained.
"Wait. What are you talking about? If I regenerate the world everyone will be saved… right?" Colette replied.
"…This world will be saved!" Sheena ran off.
Everyone was shocked and confused, except for me. I didn't show it either. Lloyd ran to the spot where Sheena once was.
"Stop! Who are you?! So, you're not alone?!" Raine shouted.
"This world? What did she mean?" Lloyd wondered.
"That girl…is she…" Kratos muttered, slightly dazed.
Everyone turned to him.
"Do you know her?" Genis asked.
"…No. Let's get out of here," Kratos replied.
We started walking but I noticed Raine gave me a look of suspicion. I tried to ignore it, knowing that she would be too preoccupied with Colette to remember. As we walked out of the ruins Colette fell. Lloyd rushed to catch her.
"Colette!" he shouted.
"It's the Angel Toxicosis again. Let's hurry and let her rest," Raine informed.
"Are you okay?" Lloyd asked.
Colette sighed, "I'm sorry to trouble everybody again…"
"Don't worry about that, but-" He tried to help Colette stand but they both lost their balance and fell.
"Owww," Lloyd moaned.
Genis rushed over, "What are you doing, Lloyd?! Are you okay, Colette?" Genis asked.
I walked over and knelt down next to Colette. She had a puzzled look on her face. Genis came over as well.
"Colette? Wh… what's wrong? Did it hurt? Did you hurt yourself?" Genis asked.
'Ah, that's right… Colette looses feeling now… Which reminds me that I need to take off my Cruxis Crystal soon.'
"N…no. I'm fine. Hehe… I just blanked out for a moment," Colette replied.
We set up camp for the night. Genis was asleep almost immediately after dinner. Poor kid, must have been really tired. He was only twelve and the youngest by a couple of years, so I didn't blame him.
I knew Lloyd was going to try that 'hot-no-cold-no-hot' trick, so I decided to make the coffee for him since Genis was already asleep. I saw Lloyd lead Colette away from the camp sight and come back soon after. I was pouring the coffee into the cups when Lloyd came over. I handed him the two cups and smiled.
"Thought you and Colette might want something to drink. It's hot coffee," I said.
He smiled back and took the cups, "Thanks."
He then walked back to where he left Colette.
"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Kratos asked.
I turned around to face him. "Lloyd was thinking of doing it anyways. I just made them the coffee."
"I see… You should get some rest, we'll be traveling to Luin in the morning," Kratos suggested.
"Alright," I yawned.
I found a spot near the fire and fell asleep.
I was standing in a clean and gleaming white building. The room I was standing in was round and had eight hallways connecting to it. Everything looked the same. If you were to be blind folded and turned in a random direction then you wouldn't be able to tell where you were facing at the beginning.
I made a complete turn, examining the room. "What the…"
"Sarah…" a faint voice breathed.
I looked around frantically. "What… the heck is going on?"
"Sarah…" The voice called again.
I looked around and finally decided to try and follow the voice. There were two hallways in front of me and I went down the one on the right. As I traveled down the hall everything started getting darker until I couldn't see anything anymore.
"This is really starting to freak me out…" I whispered to the darkness.
After walking for a while more, the darkness was all of a sudden cut and everything was that wretched, gleaming white again. As soon as I stepped into the light I heard the faint noise of dripping. Like water dripping from the kitchen faucet. I followed the dripping noise.
"Seriously, I'm too curious for my own good… I'm gonna get myself killed one of these days because of it…" I muttered as I followed the noise.
I then started seeing small puddles of… blood?
"Oh my…" I breathed, my voice trembling and my eyes wide.
I continued to follow the puddles of blood. They kept getting bigger the farther I followed. I started to tremble with the more blood I saw. I looked ahead and saw a figure hunched over another. I paused for a moment and shifted. Then, I ran towards the figures. I stopped and looked to see who they were. My eyes widened as I realized who they were. The one hunched over was Kuro and he looked really sad and devastated, he was holding his head. And, the one laying on the ground, dead… was me. I was covered in my own blood.
I took a step back from shock. I closed my eyes and shook my head, hoping that it would disappear when I opened my eyes. But, when I did open my eyes, it was worse than before. The places were switched, Kuro was the one dead, while I was the one hunched over and crying.
"No… This isn't real… This can't be real… Please don't let it be real…" I shook my head.
I was going to scream but, like in all my other dreams, I couldn't. In every single one of my dreams I was never able to scream, no matter how hard I tried. It would always come out as a exhale of air. It reminded me of when Colette lost her voice in the game.
Then, everything blacked out and I felt someone shaking me.
"Sarah, wake up."
My eyes snapped open and I sat up.
"Sarah, are you okay?" Colette asked, worriedly.
I jumped slightly and looked over at her. I sighed and put on a fake smiled, "I'm fine. Don't worry."
"Oh, okay," Colette replied.
I looked around and saw that everyone but Lloyd was up. I breathing was a bit ragged from the nightmare. I moved my hand up to my neck and kept it there.
'It was just a dream… Just a dream… Dammit! Why can't I scream in my dreams?!'
I didn't remove my hand from my throat until I was calm enough to. I clasped my pendant in my hand and started trying to get the nightmare out of my head.
'That damned nightmare is going to haunt me for a while… Even though it was a bit clichéd, it was still scary as hell.'
After finally straightening out my thoughts, I got ready to start traveling to Luin.
'I'm finally going to be able to see Sammy again.'
I was mostly focused on that, since I had been missing Sammy quite a bit. So, when everyone was ready we headed out for Luin and I started logging the latest events of the journey.
'That dream… I should just ignore it. None of my dreams ever mean anything…So, hopefully this one doesn't mean anything either…'
Me: That dream really was clichéd.
Genis: Shouldn't you start getting ready for the convention?
Me: You're right! But first, sleep. I haven't had any yet.
Genis: Alright, good night.
Me: Please review, I like to hear what you have to say.
