Sorry again for the late chapter. At least you don't have to wait four months again. Thanks again for the reviews and favorites. Glad to see you all still care for this story.

Now, onward to the chapter.


Chapter 33: Fake Spirit


Genis spent the rest of the night unable to sleep. Instead of sleeping, he settled himself sitting in the hotel's lounge staring absently out an opened window.

He couldn't help worrying about his sister. He honestly didn't know what Raine was thinking. She should know better than anyone how powerful a summon spirit was. Did she honestly think that their ragtag group could equal one of the embodiments of nature?

"Genis, are you okay?" a soft voice asked, causing Genis to jumped in surprise.

"Colette, what are you still doing up?" Genis asked

Colette suddenly got a nervous look on her face. "I...I couldn't sleep."

"Worry about tomorrow too, huh?" Genis asked as he settled back into his chair.

"I guess," Colette said as she took a seat next to Genis. "But Professor Raine would never do anything dangerous if she wasn't confident. She must feel we will succeed."

"But we're going against a summon spirit," Genis said with some heat. "I mean, you maybe the Chosen, but the spirits are nothing to mess with. I mean, Efreet singled-handedly roasted an entire city millenniums ago."

Colette nodded in understanding. "I know, but I don't think what ills this city is a summon spirit."

Genis blinked in confusion. "What?"

"Lloyd told me stories about the summon spirits. He said Sylph represent change and independence. He's also the most playful of all the spirits and like to play pranks on unsuspecting humans." She giggled at the last part. "So, this spirit that is terrorizing Asgard can't be Sylph. It just doesn't sound like him."

"You actually believe Lloyd's stories?" Genis asked dryly.

"Why shouldn't I?" Colette asked. "Lloyd loves studying about the spirits and knows stories that not even the Church teaches."

Genis knew Colette was right on this. The summon spirits was a subject that Lloyd knew a lot about to the point of obsession at times. At the same time, he had a hard time believing half of Lloyd's stories about them. Maybe because he made the spirits sound more human instead of forces of nature.

"Also what Lloyd's talking about isn't actually the spirits, but the spirit symbols use in elven lore," Genis corrected. "There are not the same things."

Colette frowned. "Maybe so, but I'm sure things will work out regardless."

Genis sighed. Colette's habit of always looking the bright side could be annoying at times. "I wish I could have your kind of optimism."

Genis, for a split second, saw a sadness appeared over Colette's eyes. It was so quick that he would have missed it if he wasn't looking Colette in the face.

"Well, there's no point of being sad all the time. We much always look forward to a happy future," Colette said.

"Yeah...I guess," Genis said as he stood up. "I guess I should get some sleep. We are going to be fighting a summon spirit, after all."

Colette nodded. "Sleep well, Genis."

Genis gave Colette an odd look. "Aren't you going to bed? You need to rest too."

"Of...of course," Colette stuttered nervously. "I'll going to go to bed soon."

It was a little strange since Colette usually wasn't a night owl, but he decided to drop it. Despite her optimism, she too was most likely nervous about tomorrow.

"Okay then, good night," Genis said as he walked off towards his room.

Colette stood by the window as she thought about events as of late.

She wasn't so much worried about tomorrow, since she was sure that they would succeed, but the more immediate future. Once they reached the next seal, she would loss more of her humanity. Becoming an angel has already stolen away her ability to eat and sleep. What more could it take from her? She found the unknown to be scary than anything.

"Are you unable to sleep, Chosen?" a deep, yet gentle voice asked.

Colette turned around to see Kratos looking at her. He had an unusual look of concern on his face.

"Ah...no, I'm fine," Colette said quickly.

She didn't want to worry the man, but a part of her wondered if he knew what was happening to her. Unlike like the others, he never questioned why she didn't eat or sleep at night. He was far too observant not to know.

It could be he just didn't care, but Colette knew that wasn't the case. Despite what Kratos said about this only being business, she knew the man cared about all of them, especially Lloyd.

"If you cannot sleep, you should count the stars," Kratos said breaking her thoughts.

"The stars?" Colette repeated.

Kratos nodded as he looked through the window. "Although, a human life is far too short to count them all..."

"That's a good idea. I'll try that," Colette said with a small smile. "It's strange. It almost sounds like something Lloyd would say."

"Really?" Kratos questioned.

"Lloyd always loves the stars and the stories about them. He used to tell them to me all the time growing up," Colette said with a small smile. "He even told me he used to count stars to get to bed at night."

Kratos nodded and closed his eyes. "Lloyd has told me about his love for stargazing."

"I know. I hear you two talking at night when you think everyone is asleep," Colette said. "You and Lloyd have become very close lately."

"We share of bond of teacher and student," Kratos stated neutrally.

Colette gave him an odd look. "I think it's something deeper than that."

"You think about such things too deeply, Chosen," Kratos said in his cold voice.

Colette was silent for a moment. "You know, Lloyd once told me that he remembered looking at the stars with his birth dad. I think that's why he loves them so much. It makes Lloyd feels closer to him."

Kratos said nothing for several seconds. "Chosen, please rest. We have a long day ahead."

Colette simply nodded as she allowed herself to be guided to her room.

The night passed unnaturally fast and soon the small group was on their way to the dais. Apparently, news of what they were about to attempt spread across the city and nearly everyone in town had surrounded the ancient landmark.

"Mayor, you must be crazy," one the men said who stood next to the mayor. They were both by the dais as they waited for Raine. "You can't possible let this outsider go through with this."

The mayor shook his head. "What choice do I have? Summon spirit or not, it is bad luck to kill a priestess. Maybe the spirit will be satisfied taking this elf's life."

Genis turned angrily towards the mayor. "Don't talk about Raine like that!"

The other man turned towards to look at Genis. "Your friend is the one willingly risking her life. We didn't ask for her help."

Before Genis could argue further, the crowd came to life.

"The priestess Aisha is here!" someone yelled.

Everyone turned to see Aisha, Harley, Linar, and Raine approaching the dais. Raine wasn't wearing her usual teacher's robe. She was now wearing a long-sleeved brown striped shirt with dark brown pants. She also wore a hat that matched her shirt.

"Raine, what are you wearing?" Genis asked.

Raine tugged uncomfortably on her shirt. "These clothes are the outfit of the old priests of the Balacruf Emperor. I have to wear it as part of the ritual."

"It fits her quite nicely if you ask me," Harley said with a huge smile.

"There's still time for you to change your mind," Aisha said, her voice closed to pleading. "You don't have to do this."

Raine nodded. "I am aware of that. But, this is something I must do."

The mayor sighed. "Then, we should begin the ritual."

There was a loud murmured from the crowd.

Kratos put his hand on the hilt of his sword, ready for anything.

Lloyd followed his mentor as he watched his teacher climbed onto the dais.

Raine took her staff and began to do an elaborate dance on the stage. Lloyd was surprised by how graceful Raine was moving as she swung her staff around and slammed it several times into the stone stage.

"Wow, I didn't know Raine could move like that," Genis spoke in equal surprise.

Aisha nodded. "She was a really good student and was able to learn the maiden dance in just one night. It usually takes a person weeks, even months to master the dance."

"I guess the professor have more talents than we thought," Lloyd commented.

During the course of the dance, the dais began to light up as a blue hue rose from the middle of the stage.

Genis could feel the hair on the back of his neck begin to stand. The mana flowing out of the dais was amazing. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. Was this the power of a summon spirit?

A rumbled moved through the ground and the sky darkened slightly.

"It's coming...the summon spirit," someone in the crowd muttered.

A creature suddenly appeared before Raine, stopping her dance. It had long dragon-like wings and a tail like a serpent. Its face was also reptile like with yellow horns, sharp teeth, and purple skin.

"Is that Sylph?" Lloyd asked in disbelief.

He heard summon spirits could changed their form, but he never thought a summon spirit like Sylph would look so monstrous. The stories also said that Sylph often chose to divide himself, often into threes, instead of appearing as a single entity.

The creature hissed at them. "I have come for the priestess."

Colette gasped in shock as a realization hit her. "Professor, that isn't a summon spirit! That is an evil creature!"

"What!?" the mayor exclaimed in shock.

Kratos took out his sword. "You heard the Chosen. This monster is not the summon spirit, Sylph."

He was quite impressed by the Chosen. She was slowly gaining the ability to sense mana. By the time they break the third seal she may fully master it.

"Huh, then what is it?" Lloyd asked in confusion.

Raine raised her staff. "A Windmaster. An ancient monster that used to terrorized this region in the past centuries ago. They were thought to be extinct."

Genis felt relieved that they weren't fighting a summon spirit, but this Windmaster opened up some new problems. "But, why does he wants the priestess?"

Raine's eyes never left the monster. "A Windmaster grows stronger by eating those with strong spiritual connections. That's why it wants Aisha."

The Windmaster glared at Raine. "You're no priestess. What trickery is this?"

Kratos and the others quickly jumped onto the stage.

"Your deceit is over!" Lloyd yelled as he pointed one of his swords at the monster.

"Foolish mortals," the Windmaster hissed. "I will have your heads for this deception. Then, I will crumbled this shell of a city to the ground and take the priestess for myself."

"Bring it on, ugly!" Genis yelled as he charged a spell, his body was surrounded by red ruins. "Eruption!"

Several waves of magma surrounded the creature, causing it to cry in pain.

Kratos nodded in approval. The boy was quickly mastering his craft if he could pull such a powerful spell off right at the start.

The Windmaster soon counter with several Air Blades that nearly cut the young elf in half.

Raine kept this from happening by casting a barrier around her baby brother. "Don't drop your guard down!"

Colette threw both of her chakrams at the monster and managed to hit it several times. Her attacks, however, hardly slowed the creature down.

The Windmaster began to glow a bright green as it prepared another spell.

Kratos could feel something bad was coming. "Get out of the way!"

The moment he yelled that, the Windmaster released a giant cyclone at them, causing the small group to scattered. The Windmaster used this distraction to move in and attempted to cut Lloyd's head off with its sharp claws. Lloyd saw the attack coming and quickly blocked it with his swords.

"No way!" Lloyd growled as he got into a stalemate with the monster. They both were locked in this position as they circled each other.

The Windmaster was surprised by Lloyd's brute strength. "Why the hell is this brat so strong? He's just a mortal."

Lloyd gritted his teeth as he suddenly swung his sword, knocking the Windmaster off guard. "Beast!" he shouted as he rammed the monster and his mana took the shape of a raging beast.

Kratos moved in for the kill by thrust his sword into the monster's midsection.

The Windmaster was able to avoid the killing blow by flying into the air. Once he was high enough he began to cast another powerful spell.

"Angel Feathers!" Colette yelled as her chakrams hit the monster, this time having more affect as the holy energy rushed through its body.

"Aqua Laser!" Genis yelled, following up Colette's attack.

The Windmaster was ready this time and blocked the jet of water with his own Wind Blade. He flew down and attempted to tackle the young mage.

Before Genis could react, the Windmaster suddenly changed directions and flew right at Raine the moment she cast another barrier on her brother.

"Raine, get out of the way!" Genis screamed in horror.

Raine could do nothing as the Windmaster attempted to gut her. He was intercepted by Kratos who rammed his sword into the monster's side.

"Clever, but you are still too slow," Kratos stated coldly as he kicked the monster away, causing its blood to spill everywhere.

Lloyd stepped in for the killing blow, wanting to try out a technique that he has been working on for the past couple of weeks.

"Tiger Rage!" he yelled as he slashed upward into the air and took the Windmaster with him. Lloyd twisted himself in mid-air to slashed at the creature again. He finished the technique by slamming the monster downward and slashing him again across the chest, effectively gutting him.

The Windmaster screamed in pain as its body began to dissipate. "Damn you mortals! If only I had that priestess, I would have never lost to the likes of you!"

"Whatever, loser," Genis said snidely.

The Windmaster started to fully fade. "This isn't the end... I shall...return..." It completely disappeared. In its wake, there laid a stone tablet.

"Fantastic! You're all fantastic!" Linar cheered from the crowd.

The rest of the crowd followed suite.

"They beat the monster!" someone shouted.

"The curse has been broken!" another person yelled.

"Hah, that was hardly a challenging opponent," Raine remarked offhandedly. After going through two of the Chosen's trials and a Grand Cardinal, the Windmaster seemed weak by comparison.

Kratos walked towards Lloyd and patted the younger man's shoulder. "Well done. Your skills have improved."

Lloyd gave a wolfish grin. Getting a compliment from Kratos meant more to him than the cheers of the crowd. Not that he would ever tell him that.

The mayor approached the group. "You all have my thanks. Because of you, you saved not only the priestess' life, but our economy as well. We are forever in your debt."

"Oh, there's no thanks needed," Colette said kindly. "It was just the right thing to do."

"Nonetheless, you have our gratitude," Aisha said as she bowed before Colette. "The Goddess Martel truly smiles upon you."

While this was happening, Raine got a better look at the tablet that the Windmaster left behind. "This stone tablet has ancient Balacruf writing inscribed on it."

Linar's eyes widened when he saw the tablet. "That's the Map of Balacruf."

Raine gasped. "You mean the manuscript that opens the way to the Balacruf Mausoleum?"

Linar nodded. "It was thought to be lost centuries ago. Somehow, that Windmaster must have gotten it."

"Incredible," Raine muttered. Her eyes were lit as she realized what she had found.

"Let's decipher it right away!" Linar declared, barely containing his own excitement as he picked up the Map of Balacruf. "I have the necessary materials assembled in my house."

"Yes, let's go!" Raine yelled as he roughly grabbed Linar by his arm and dragged him through the crowd to get him back to his house. They ignored the crowd who still gave death glares at Linar.

"There's goes Raine," Genis sighed. "We might not see her again for days."

Kratos also sighed, knowing that the young elf was probably right.

"Hard to believe that thing wasn't a summon spirit," Harley said as he ran his hand through his hair. "Aisha was nearly killed to feed a monster."

"I'm sure Raine and Linar will investigate why a Windmaster was here," Genis remarked, not paying too much attention to Harley.

Harley gave a wide smile. "Yeah, that Raine is a half-elf after all. You can count on her wisdom."

Genis looked like he was struck in the head when he heard Harley's words.

Even Kratos gave a cold glare towards the young man.

"Half-elf?" Lloyd questioned in confusion.

"N...no, you're wrong!" Genis stuttered franticly. "Raine is…an elf. I'm an elf, too!"

Colette bit her lip as she looked at her childhood friend.

"Yeah, Profession Raine and Genis have always been elves," Lloyd corrected. "I guess they could past as half-elves since elves and half-elves do look about the same."

Harley looked confused. "What? Surely you don't think I'd mistake my own..." He paused when he saw the horrified expression on Genis' face. He also saw the mayor and his aides staring at Genis with interest. "...Ah, actually, I guess I was wrong. It seems you two are pureblooded elves. I must not have been paying careful attention."

Kratos turned his head away from the scene.

He hated how half-elves had to lie about themselves to keep from being discriminated against. He saw the sad look in the Chosen's eyes and knew that she now knew the truth about her friend. It was one of the many curses of being an angel.

Lloyd looked between Harley and Genis, feeling like he had missed something important. He finally shook his head and decided not to worry about it. "We should go and get some rest. Regardless of what Raine said, that Windmaster was no pushover."

Genis just nodded and allowed himself to be lead away by his friend. He had been terrified that Harley was going to reveal their secret. Having his friends know the truth about his origin scared him more than battling the spirits. The fear of rejections was just too much for him after he found some real friends for the first time in his life.


They spent the next two days relaxing in Asgard while Raine and Linar deciphered the Map of Balacruf.

Being free from her duties, Aisha took Genis on a tour of the city and shared stories on all the ancient writings and the history of the old Balacruf city. Although she wasn't as knowledgeable as her brother or Raine, Genis learned a lot from her. She also spent time with Colette as they both shared their knowledge of the Church of Martel and the Chosen's stories.

Lloyd, not being interested in any of this, spent his days with Kratos. The older man shared his knowledge of the stars, lore of ancient warriors, and listened to Lloyd's stories of Mithos the Hero as the dwarves told it. Kratos also told him his own stories about Mithos.

"The name of Mithos' teacher was Zilveren?" Lloyd asked in awe.

Kratos nodded. "That is how I heard it. According to legends, he was an ancient elf whose powers were nearly unmatched. He wielded a blade forged by Origin himself and held the title of Beschermer, guarding of the World Tree."

"Wow, I never heard most of this before," Lloyd said in excitement. "I also never thought that there was a summon spirit of the Kharlan Tree."

"I do not see why there wouldn't be," Kratos said. "Something as important as the Kharlan Tree would have a spirit to protect it."

Lloyd laid back on his bed in thought. "Well, Raine said that the Kharlan Tree is nothing but a legend that was made up to bring people hope."

"I would expect someone like Miss Sages to know better," Kratos said rather coldly. "With all the wonderments in the world, I do not see how an elf could doubt the World Tree's existence."

"She said that if such a tree did really exist, then the world should had ended the moment it died," Lloyd said. "I guess it makes sense since the tree was the source of all mana in the world and all. Without the tree, how can any of us still be alive?"

Kratos had a strange look on his face before he answered. "Does Miss Sages think of where mana comes from now?"

Lloyd thought about the question for a moment. "Well, she said that there are many theories, but no one really knows where all the mana comes from."

"I see," Kratos said as he pushed his bangs out of his eyes.

"But enough of that, tell me more about Mithos' teacher," Lloyd insisted.

"There is not much to tell," Kratos said. "Much of his story disappeared through history."

Lloyd noticed that Kratos' voice sounded more control than usual. It was like he was hiding something.

"But I have heard that Mithos himself had to kill Zilveren," Kratos suddenly said.

"What!?" Lloyd exclaimed as he sat up. "Why...why would Mithos killed his own teacher?"

It took Kratos a couple seconds to answer. "According to the legends, Zilveren had succumb to his own darkness near the of his life. The years of seeing death and injustice during the Kharlan War had twisted his mind and soul, turning him into a monster. He still had noble intentions, but his ultimate plan would have destroyed the world. Mithos, through some difficulties, had no choice but to end his life."

Lloyd bit his lips as he heard Kratos' explanation. "I've always heard that Mithos' teacher was killed by some evil entity."

"In a way, he was," Kratos said. There was a hint of sadness in his voice. "The evil entity in this case was his own blackened heart."

"If this is what really happened, why was the story change?" Lloyd asked. "Zilveren sounds like he became an evil person and shouldn't be praise as a hero like Mithos."

Kratos had to keep himself from laughing at the irony of his son's words. "Even if Zilveren turned his back on the world in the end, that does not erase the good deeds he did throughout his lifetime. The Dwarves most likely recognized that which is why they changed the ending to Zilveren's story. Some times, it is better for people not to know the whole truth."

Lloyd looked out an open window. "I can't really agree with that, but now I understand why Zilveren was forgotten by most."

"You cannot understand because you have a black and white view of the world," Kratos stated. "As you grow, you will realize that this world is mostly filled with gray."

"What do you mean?" Lloyd asked.

"Nothing," Kratos said quickly. "In either case, what I have told you is just one of the many legends surrounding Zilveren. Who knows if it is true."

"Hey guys!" Genis yelled as he barged into the room. "Raine finished deciphering the Map of Balacruf."

"Finally!" Lloyd exclaimed as he went to put his coat on. "This town was really becoming boring."

"Only you would find a city with so much history boring," Genis said dryly. "Anyway, Colette is already at Linar's house."

With Lloyd ready to go, they made their way back to the edge of town. When they arrived at Aisha's house, everyone was there waiting for them.

"It took awhile, but we finally decipher everything. There is so much history on this one tablet that it is amazing," Raine said. She had dark circles under her eyes and looked dead tired. However, her mania was still clearly there.

"Raine, have you slept at all?" Genis asked in worry.

"Who can sleep when they are on the verge of a break through?" Raine asked.

Linar nodded. "The Professor is amazing! She deciphered the complex Balacruf writing in no time at all! It would take any other person months, maybe even years to read everything."

Genis began to giggle. "Raine just gained another fan."

Lloyd also began to smile. "She's quite the catch, huh?"

"Uh-huh," Genis said in a deadpan voice. Raine may be nice at times, but he pitied anyone who became her boyfriend, or goddess-forbid, her husband.

Raine seemed to read Genis' thought. She turned around and slapped him across the head.

"Ow, what was that for!?" Genis asked as he rubbed his sore head."

Raine glared at her younger brother. "I know what you were thinking."

"Guilty conscious much..." Genis muttered.

Raine turned her attention back to the subject at hand. "It would appear that the monster was the cause of the calamity that afflicted the ancient Balacruf Empire."

"No way, that thing?" Lloyd asked in disbelief. "But it was kinda weak compare to some of the other monsters we faced?"

"Maybe we have become that strong," Colette said in a cherry voice.

"I doubt we're that strong," Genis mumbled.

"You are right about the creature being weak, but it was because of how long it was sealed," Raine answered. "As I said at the dais, a Windmaster grows stronger by eating maidens with strong spiritual connections."

"Yes, the Windmaster you fought was half-starved and didn't have most of its power. If it was really as powerful as it was during its peak, you could have never killed it," Linar explained further.

"Well, that nice to know," Lloyd said dryly.

"It seems that the summoner at the time used Sylph to seal it away, then built this stone dais to suppress the calamity," Linar said.

Kratos raise an eyebrow at this. As far as he knew, Mithos' pact with Sylph remained intact despite him breaking his vow. Most likely, this summoner made a verbal pact and not a summon one.

"In preparation for the day when this calamity might reawaken, he left this map in order for people to be able to locate the Summon Spirit of the Wind," Raine said.

"After a great many years, people eventually confused the calamity with the Summon Spirit of Wind," Linar finished.

"Seems like overkill now," Genis noted.

"Not completely," Linar said. "What made a Windmaster so feared wasn't just its power, but its ability to revive itself after so much time has past."

"You mean that thing can revive itself?" Lloyd asked in horror.

"But if a Windmaster can come back from the dead, how is it that they're all extinct?" Colette asked for everyone.

"A Windmaster's ability to revitalized itself depends on the output of mana in the world," Raine said. "Since the mana of the world has been severely low for the last several centuries, a Windmaster has been unable to come back to life."

Genis tapped his chin. "So, that means we don't have to worry about ugly coming back."

"If Colette succeeds in regenerating the world, then the mana flow will greatly increase. Therefore, the Windmaster could return someday," Raine stated.

Colette put a hand to her mouth. "I didn't know me succeeding could bring back such a horrible creature."

"How long does it take a Windmaster to come back to life?" Lloyd asked.

Linar shrugged. "It's impossible to know. It depends on both its environment and how much mana is in the air. It may never revive or it could come back in a couple of years."

"It is pointless to worry about such details," Kratos said, speaking up for the first time. "If and when it comes back, you can still easily kill it as long as it does not eat any maidens."

Raine nodded. "Kratos has a point."

"You guys makes everything sound so easy," Genis sighed. "On a brighter note, we at least know where the Summon Spirit of Wind is located."

"Of course and the location of the summon spirit is the location of the next seal," Raine said proudly.

"Wow, we may actually see a summon spirit this time!" Lloyd exclaimed in excitement.

"As I said with the professor, a summon spirits only appear before a summoner," Kratos said firmly. "Although one could appear before the Chosen, but I doubt that is likely."

"Yes, no other summon spirit has appeared before us at the other trials," Raine said, barely hiding her disappointment.

"If you're heading towards the Balacruf Mausoleum, I would ask you to be careful," Aisha said worriedly. "I heard that tomb is a death trap to all those who has entered it."

Raine nodded. "I am more than aware of the legends. We will be careful."

"I think you need to rest before we leave, professor," Kratos said. "You have not slept in days and we need you at your full strength."

Raine looked like he was going to argued back, but she quickly realized that Kratos was right. She was no good to them half-sleep. "Very well. We leave in the morning."

"Man, we have to spend another day in this city?" Lloyd groaned in annoyance.

"One should savor peace when it happens," Kratos stated firmly.

"In either case, let's head back to the inn," Raine suggested.

They all began to walk out.

"Chosen One," Aisha said, causing Colette to turn around. "I pray to Martel that you will succeed."

Colette nodded and smiled. "Thank you. I'll do my best." She then went to join her friends.


Almost finished with Asgard. I'm so with Lloyd. Can't wait to be done with this part of the story. As for the super long explanation about the Windmaster, this is to explain a story point from Dawn of the New World.

The main story starts moving again, next chapter. Until then, take care.