Disclaimer: I do not own Tales of the Abyss.

Chapter 3

Undineday, Gnome-Decan 27, ND2019 – 10:30am local time (Daath)

Florian emerged triumphantly from the fonic glyph and looked around. The first thing he noticed was how hot it was. He was standing on a large fonstone, and the rest of the area was brown and rocky with orange liquid bubbling down below.

Lava, Florian thought. Am I inside a volcano? But the only volcano I know about is Mount Zaleho. That's pretty far away from Daath. Can a fonic glyph really transport someone that far?

As he carefully climbed down from the fonstone, he noticed that there was writing on it. He recognized the letters of the fonic alphabet, but whatever was inscribed on the fonstone was in a foreign language. It must be in Ancient Ispanian. This is the Score. But the Score was useless now, so there was no point in trying to read it. Florian continued to look around. There were bridges leading away from this section of rock. One of them led to what looked like a prison cell. Florian shivered.

What is all this junk? he wondered as he examined the seemingly-random array of equipment and materials sitting in piles all around him. And why does it look familiar...?

A memory from long ago surfaced. A huge machine, Grand Maestro Mohs, a tall man in gray and white, and a creepy man with glasses sitting in an absurdly large chair. A boy who looked just like Florian, glaring at another four boys with the same face and the same green hair. Later, those blank-eyed, green-haired boys disappearing one by one...

This is where I was born, Florian realized. This is the place I escaped from. I hid behind that rock over there, and then... He couldn't recall anything else from that time. His only other clear memories from long ago were of living in the forest, eating flowers and small animals, until Mohs had found him and brought him to Daath. After that, a small, dimly lit room that he wasn't allowed to leave. He hadn't even considered the possibility of leaving a place where he was warm, well-fed, and safe. He hadn't questioned anything.

But then he had been taken to the Absorption Gate and forced to read the Score on a small shard of fonstone. What had it said? Something about the end of the world?

Florian was beginning to get scared. I shouldn't be here. I should go back.

Innocent One, a deep voice called, echoing through the stone chamber. At first, Florian thought he was imagining things, but then the voice called him again. Innocent One...

Me? Florian thought. My name, Florian – the name Anise gave me – means "innocent one." That voice must be calling for me.

"Wh-who's there?" Florian stammered.

Innocent One. Hear my plea...

"O-okay," Florian replied tentatively. "Wh-what is it?"

Help me. I am trapped here. Help me...

Now Florian was really frightened. "Who are you? Where are you?"

I am trapped inside this mountain. Come to the passage ring. Release me from this prison.

"Passage ring?" asked Florian, confused.

Yes... The voice was beginning to sound impatient.

"I-I-I don't know what that is."

Cross the two bridges to the southwest and follow the path. Hurry, Innocent One. It hurts...

Now Florian was even more confused and afraid. "I don't understand! Who are you? Why are you calling me?"

It hurts. Hurry...

"I...I..." I'm so scared, Florian thought. I don't understand any of this. "I'm scared. I-I'm going back to Daath!"

NO! You must set me free!

"I can't!" cried Florian. "I can't help you! I'm sorry!"

NOOOOOOOOO...! Below the high rocks where Florian stood, the lava began to bubble.

"AAAAAHHHH!" Florian screamed, and ran. He scrambled back up the fonstone to the fonic glyph and activated it. Just as his surroundings faded away from him, he caught a glimpse of the lava rising up into fountains.

Then he was back in the secret room in Daath.

Anise, he thought in terror. Where is Anise? Anise will protect me!

He stumbled through the door back into the Fon Master's library, turned right, and put all his effort into running, running away from that scary voice...

Rounding the corner of a bookcase, he ran smack into Tear. Anise was with her, Florian saw to his relief.

"Why Florian, what's the matter?" Tear asked in puzzlement. Florian was too out of breath to answer.

"Hey, Florian, are you okay?" asked Anise, concerned.

At that moment, the room started to tremble.