Disclaimer: I don't own any of the main characters (except for one or two) since the rights to Tales of Zestiria belong to Bandai Namco and NOT me.
Wishes and Malevolence
Lights.
Sorey could only see this white bright light as he made several attempts to awaken, only to find his eyes fight and resist as they stayed closed.
He dragged open both of his eyes as they fluttered open while he became vaguely aware of the fact that there was nothing but white surrounding him; it was like a faint haze or fog but it seemed almost pleasant—it was as though some puffs of cloud and cumulus were brushing his face.
This looked like no place he'd seen before!
The last thing he could recall was him killing Heldalf and putting an end to his cursed immortality and his tyranny. He couldn't remember much else before he somehow arrived to this strange and mysterious plain. A million questions shot through his mind like stars shooting across the night sky as he tried to figure out where exactly he was:
What happened?
How did he get here?
What was this place?
Wait...WAS HE DEAD!?
In spite of his total confusion, the Shepard decided to make sure.
He lowered his left hand to the wrist of his right hand and proceeded to pinch the skin hard in between his index finger and his thumb. He couldn't help but flinch was the sting overwhelmed him for a split second and brought him back to his senses.
It was safe to say that he was very much alive...
He shook his head to himself and whirled around in order to get a survey of his immediate surroundings.
There was nothing to the left.
There was nothing to the right.
But he froze, astounded by what stood in front of him.
It was so shocking that he couldn't help but jolt up abruptly with eyes wide with shock.
There was a large white dragon perched right in front of him, it's large yellow eyes looking down at him with endless patience and it seemed to be smiling a kind smile. It sat down on the (invisible) ground and had this really pleasant and loquacious aura that was so inviting that the Shepard couldn't help but feel comfortable in the huge flying reptiles presence.
Sorey was too stunned to make much movement.
That didn't stop his legs, though.
He felt it as all the feeling was sucked right out of them and he collapsed to his knees with one great thud.
The only response the dragon gave was a noise that sounded much like a deep, warm chuckle that rumbled from deep within the dragons throat. He stared down with amusement at the bewildered human and proceeded to shuffle to one side and patted a spot next to him on the floor with one huge clawed hand to non-verbally invite the young man to sit next to him.
Still, Sorey didn't move for several moments as he still tried to register what exactly he was seeing.
Then, after what felt like an eternity, Sorey's mouth finally moved.
"...M-M-Maotelus...?"
The dragon nodded to confirm that he was, in fact, Maotelus whilst giving a satisfied huff through its nostrils.
"Maotelus, Laphichet, the light dragon, the fifth empyrean...I have a lot of names." He said.
The shepherd's knees trembled and shook as he moved to stand right next to the huge flying reptile and dropped to the ground, landing hard on his backside, and forcing himself to sit down. He sucked a deep breath into his mouth, withheld it for a few moments before releasing it in order to calm himself.
He kept himself cool and collected as he turned to face Maotelus.
He felt all the intimidation he felt previously melt away and started to felt comfortable in the empyrean's presence.
Sorey declared "Please...can you tell me everything you went through? I wanna hear it all."
He smiled up at the large white dragon with the purest of smiles ever. He had both his knees folded beneath him and he clutched his knees whilst looking like a child who had woken up on Christmas morning to find a mountain of presents beneath the tree. His eyes sparkled and shined with intrigue and his smile was big.
Quite honestly, Sorey's intrigue endeared the light dragon.
Maotelus just stared at the young man's face and he couldn't help but be taken aback by how he felt stricken with this familiarity —he remembered when he was once just as hungry for knowledge, when his nose was always stuck in a book and clutching a compass wherever he went. It made his gut wrench in remembrance but he ignored it as best as he could and decided to oblige to the young man's request since he realised that Sorey was owed an explanation for all of this...
What sort of guardian would he have been if he didn't?
He started to explain as he kept his eyes glued on the shepherd sat beside him.
"I was part of Innominat..."
Sorey just titled his head to one side in confusion.
"Innominat?"
The dragon nodded.
"You know of the four great empyreans, right?"
The Shepard just nodded his head and the dragon proceeded to explain.
"When Innominat was sealed away by the original Lord of calamity, Velvet Crowe, I had decided to take his place so I could avert the great catastrophes that would shake the land due to the powers of the four elemental Empyreans running amok. That was when I had decided to make my oath to not only become an Empyrean myself but also a protector of mankind. Afterwards, I had transformed into what you see now so, thus, I claimed the land and earthpulse for myself so I could spread my blessing and my silver flames all over this world."
Sorey was silent, taking in everything he was being told.
He hadn't expected to hear all of this —he hadn't expected to hear everything about how Maotelus came into being but he was always willing to accept for knowledge and history into his internal gallery of know how. He fully intended on listening with nothing but the keenest of interest. However, he couldn't help but grow curious about something as he thoughtfully scratched his chin whilst gazing skywards, he simply couldn't keep from blurting out this question:
"But...then what happened? I can't imagine that you'd turn to malevolence out of nowhere. What made you turn to Heldalf?"
This was when the dragon turned away, looking regretful.
"I..." He hesitated to answer that question but eventually decided that this young man who had risked so much was owed an explanation. "I...I suppose when you watch your friends perish over the years and watch as the very people you've sworn to protect abandons you, you begin to feel a tad upset..."
The huge light dragon felt as his spine stiffened and he continued to evade eye contact with the young man looking up at him.
"I watched as Velvet was sealed away along with Innominat, the two of them devouring one another forever. Then I watched as my friends lived their lives before they eventually passed on... Elenor, Rokoru, Magilou...and then I watched as Eizen turned into a dragon..."
Sorey's eyes popped wide open.
He heard that name before.
Eizen...
It wasn't too long ago since he last heard it, it was brought up several times when he was around Edna...and that was when he remembered and realisation struck, it had the same impact as a smack to the face. Maotelus, despite it being impossible-sounding, was probably talking about that Eizen...!
Sorey couldn't help but splutter whilst his eyes bugged out in a disbelieving manner.
"E-Eizen? Edna's brother?!"
The large white dragon nodded in confirmation.
"Yes. Eizen used to travel with our group."
Then Maotelus resumed his woeful tale.
"All my friends were gone, leaving me all alone...I didn't know what to do. So when my shrine was desecrated at the beginning of the Age of chaos and Heldalf was cursed with immortality by shepherd Michael's diabolical actions and by trying to use my domain for a war strategic point, I was upset and...and angry that I can't remember the rest."
Sorey looked down thoughtfully.
That must have been when Maotelus fell to malevolence, he supposed he could understand how someone could let it take over. He had lost his friends so was in a pit of despair, he'd lost the respect of those who he swore to protect and then his domain had been used as a place for war. His heart ached with sympathy for the huge dragon and his emerald green eyes watered slightly.
He couldn't have imagined how lonely Maotelus had been after everything that had transpired...
The shepherd just bowed his head and sighed, reminding himself that this was one of the reasons he'd volunteered to become Maotelus' vessel. While I was disheartening to hear what Maotelus had gone through, he also needed to be mindful of the fact that he should not be regretting his choices now for any such reason.
He was happy to be helping out the world at least.
Maotelus continued.
"What I can remember is that when that Heldalf man lured me to Artorious' throne one dark and dreary night, he was so full of malevolence that it was difficult to not succumb to it in the first place yet just it's presence wouldn't have been enough to affect me all that much. But Heldalf talked about how if I joined him and joined my power with his then not only would I be remembered again but I'd also be helping make a world free of Malevolence altogether."
The dragon bowed his head in shame and regret.
"I was a fool for not seeing passed through his deceptions..."
Sorey's gaze softened as he reached over to touch the huge light dragon's foot (he would have tried to pat his shoulder but he knew that thanks to the difference in size that this was the only other way to try and do something useful) and proceeded to pat it in both a manner of reassurance and of compassionate sympathy. He did it in a way that just said "there, there". He knew that Maotelus meant no harm at all and was just acting out of grief, loneliness, neediness and was fuelled by his wishes to help heal the world in spite of his hurt and heartache.
The Shepherd frowned as he made an attempt to assure his new friend.
"C'mon, bud...it wasn't your fault. I know you were trying to do the right thing." He said.
The former Malak continued to speak, though, kind of ignoring Sorey's attempts at assuring him.
"Back then, Seraphim were called Malakim and the lands were as wide as the ocean can take you! Believe it or not I was actually a Mala-ermmm-Seraph. Not only that but there was once upon a time when the Malevolence was known as Daemon blight and Hellions were known as Daemons."
Sorey hummed thoughtfully, lifting a finger to scratch at his chin as he pondered on this. He did know that Seraphs were once named Malaks yet he had no idea as to why the name for them changed over these passed hundred years nor why the name had changed from "Daemon" to "Hellions" but, nevertheless, it wasn't a question worth asking right this second since there were more pressing matters at hand to deal with.
"I think I read some of that in the Celestial record..."
There was silence for a few moments before the large dragon spoke again.
"...Do you want to know why I'm telling you all of this?" Asked Maotelus.
Sorey nodded eagerly, although he could sense some sort of grave importance in the dragons tone and he couldn't help but feel a hint of worry since he started to be overcome with concern, concern for those he cared about most such as Mikleo, Rose, Edna, Zavied, Alisha...oh, Alisha —he missed her more than words could convey...
He shook his head, mentally scolding himself for letting his mind wander astray from the initial topic.
Maotelus didn't seem to catch his momentary distractedness and started to explain.
"It is because there's a mission in dire need of your attention, Shepherd Sorey..."
Those words caught Sorey's attention more than any other sentence would; a mission? Strange, he thought he'd finished what he needed to do! He finished off Heldalf the lord of calamity and, as far as he knew, that was all there was to it...or was there? He remembered what Lailah had told him in regards to all of this and couldn't help but wonder what else he had to do...?
Maotelus continued.
"Not only can people still not see Seraphim but there's danger approaching upon the horizon."
Sorey blinked disbelievingly after hearing that.
He had forgotten that if people still couldn't see the seraphs then his dream of the two living in harmony still hasn't been realised but he was more focused on the second part of that sentence.
Danger?
What danger?
Before he could contemplate more on this, Maotelus said more:
"You will need to go and quell this impending darkness. I can't go myself since my power is still weakened after being out of action for all these years. I need you to listen carefully to what I tell you next because it's important you pay attention: While your heroic acts had wiped away a large amount of Malevolence, there's still some of it out there and there is a dire storm headed your way."
Sorey felt his mind light up when those words left the dragon's mouth.
That ominous warning left a sour taste in his own mouth.
He sat up straighter than before, his spine stretching more than he was used to, and he swung his head around to face Maotelus so fast that it could have easily caused pretty bad whiplash.
"A storm? What'd you mean? Does it have something to do with this mission you were talking about before?"
The concern in his voice was palpable and his emerald green eyes were staring up at him beseechingly, pleading for both an explanation and understanding of the situation at hand. He proceeded to stand on bent knees, using his kneecaps to balance himself, clasped both hands together in a begging gesture and bowed his head respectfully.
Maotelus sighed as he stared bluntly at the shepherd.
"You don't have to bow to me, Sorey, I see you as my friend and I'd rather my friend didn't feel the need to bow before me..."
When Sorey untucked his legs from beneath himself and readjusted his sitting position to rectify his mistake, he listened to his new friend's answer with one of the most attentive gazes ever worn on a human face.
"Anyways...yes, the storm does relate to your new mission. That's all I can tell you, though."
Sorey nodded but Maotelus had more to say to his vessel.
"I have to warn you, Sorey. Your body isn't used to consuming so much power at once and the burden of it will be heavy —if you thought you were struggling with the power you obtained when you had to deal with resonance, the malevolence and the powers that came with being the shepherd then this will be much worse!"
Sorey listened to all of this intently before looking away to process this information.
It was true —he felt awful side effects when he first became the shepherd; his eyesight went bad, he kept getting high fevers, kept fainting after exhausting a lot of power to the point where he'd sleep for three days, and he went through much more. He didn't want to go through that pain again yet, if it would aid him on his journey to save the world, then he would happily go through it.
Sorey just closed his eyes and exhumed a deep breath from his throat. He wasn't going to back down from any challenge, no matter how brutally painful or what it did to him. He reopened his eyes, sheer rich determination and heroism shimmering within his emerald green pools. He knew he couldn't make this decision lightly...but he had decided ages ago that if it would help the world and the ones he cared about then it was a risk that he'd have to take.
He stared into Maotelus' face, the answer he wanted to give already plain as day on his face.
"I'll do it."
Sorey didn't even hesitate.
His declaration made Maotelus grin a kind-hearted grin and the latter acknowledged the former's choice with a single nod before he prepared to transfer some of his power to his human vessel. He knew that this was an unorthodox thing to do but there wasn't much choice since the world and it's future was at stake.
The huge light dragon guardian raised a giant hand up in preparation.
"Okay...I shall entrust some of my Silver flames of purification to you."
Sorey didn't even have time to react before the silver flames spread all over his body.
Maotelus just snapped his fingers (or claws) and watched the process with intrigue.
Upon being set ablaze, Sorey took several steps backward in panic as white flames engulfed his body...but they didn't burn him, they didn't even hurt and it was once he noticed how the flames didn't hurt him at all as the mesmerising shades the flames came in (platinum, silver, white, ect) that he was also sucked in to its hypnotic effect. He was in silent awe as he watched the flames fizzle away but it also looked as though his own body was absorbing them. It had been scary at first but all that fear melted away almost instantly when he set his sights on the flames themselves.
Whenever the silver embers started fizzling out, they would retreat into his body with a bright golden glow.
So these were the flames of purification?
He stared down at both of the palms of his hands in deep wistfulness as he felt this warmth churn deep down inside that made his stomach twitch and his heart swell with this confusing sensation that he couldn't fully describe, let alone name.
Fascination?
Perplexity?
Maybe even a unique mix of confusion and a smidge of fear?
Whatever he felt, Sorey knew that he now had yet another burden unloaded upon his shoulders and he was determined to lug it around wherever he went for now. He didn't wish to unload this burden on anyone else but, if there was someone he'd want to share anything with then that would be the one who he saved his youth and his initial adventure with:
His adopted brother, Mikleo.
The two literally grew up together since they were babies, there was no way Sorey would dare leave him out of an adventure!
He made sure to store the goal to find him in the back of his mind for the time being.
That was when he started to hear a strange distant sound and feel a strange sensation tingle throughout his body. It was strange. He felt as though his bones were rumbling, his muscles quivered, he could hear a distant sound ring in his ears.
Not only that but, even though there was no wind, no draft, no breeze, he felt some force brush passed and it caused his signature feather earrings to blow softly.
It was getting stranger by the second but there was also this air of danger.
That was when the area that the dragon and the human shared started to lose its colour and began to practically fade away into nonexistence. This strange mystical mythical plain that both him and Maotelus occupied was growing dimmer by the second, it was almost as if the place was beginning to vanish and evaporate right before his eyes.
Sorey started to panic.
"W-What's going on...?!"
"This plain cannot remain stable much longer, I'm afraid that we shall have to temporarily go our separate ways!"
Sorey easily picked up on the panic tinting the reptile god's voice, that voice that sounded ominously like a young man —a young man still transitioning from a boy. Nevertheless, the shepherd blinked in surprise as he stared helplessly up at the large dragon empyrean, trying to keep himself standing upright on the nonexistent ground that even started to quake violently yet tremendously.
He tried to ask what was going on but didn't get the chance to even make an attempt at speaking before he was cut off abruptly by more violent tremors. He looked up helplessly to Maotelus but found that the light dragon seraph had stood up and now had his back turned to him with his wings extended.
Maotelus looked over his shoulder and back down at Sorey but he put on the most reassuring of smiles, trying not to worry the young man too much. He could see the fear and confusion on the young man's face as panic shone in his emerald green eyes.
"Don't worry." He said soothingly "I can't tell you much more for now, shepherd, but I promise that I will explain everything."
Sorey could do nothing but cry out helplessly.
"B-But...But what am I supposed to do, Maotelus!? I'm being dropped in the deep end here with little to no information!"
The world continued to shake, the vibrations getting more and more violent as the seconds ticked by. This world wasn't going to last much longer and the two sole occupants knew it. It looked as though something was trying to rip this world apart at the seams but what it was, Sorey had no clue!
"Don't worry, just follow the river to Ladylake and you'll take the first step!"
That was when Sorey started to feel his consciousness begin to fade away as the surroundings started to evaporate onto thin air.
Sorey's vision started spinning and his stomach began to churn about in his abdomen, he clutched his stomach whilst he doubled over, his legs buckled as he started to stagger around unsteadily and his head started to feel light and as though it was being stuffed with cotton wool.
His eyesight began to become bleary.
He was beginning to succumb to unconsciousness.
He dropped to the nonexistent ground like a stone in water and exhaled heavily. As his senses started to drown into the darkening depths of sleep, his ears caught one more sentence as his eyesight faded to black and the final clasp of consciousness slipped away:
"By the way, Sorey, please just call me Mao..."
A/N: Hi, everyone! Merry Christmas! I had finished Tales of Zestiria and decided to make a sequel fanfic because I was a bit unsatisfied with the ending and I decided to make my own fic to make up for it.
I hope you guys have had a great christmas day.
I have lots of plans for this fic.
Don't forget to fave and review, everyone.
-Chloemcg
