ToSS Rewrite

Quiz Start: Colette and Genis helped Nova's children cook, while you and the others set up bedrolls under the dry tarps. You didn't pay much attention to the story that Nova told, putting more effort into not letting your headache foul up what you were trying to do.
Lloyd was distracted blowing into the Linkite nut that Nova's daughter, May, had given him. He liked the sound it made and almost managed a song once or twice. The sound the nut made only made your headache worse, and with the increased pain came a few flashes of a mint-haired girl and a panpipe... Lloyd and Colette were having fun though, so you didn't say anything about it.
"It's too bad the Linkite tree is gone," Genis said glumly. "I want to see Aska with my own eyes."
"Don't spend too much time thinking about it," Raine advised. "There's nothing we can do about it now. It would be impossible for us to find another Linkite tree, let alone heal one if we did find it and it was dead."
"What's up Colette?" Lloyd asked as everyone ate. He glanced into her bowl. "You already full?"
"...Are you not feeling well?" Raine asked.
"N...no...it's not that," Colette said, blushing lightly. "I was just thinking it's a lot to eat."
"Really? Looks like you've actually got less than normal," Lloyd said.
"Ah...don't worry. I'll make sure I finish it." Colette promised, though she seemed uneasy about it.
"Aura, you've hardly eaten a thing as well," Raine said.
"It's my headache, that's all," you say. "It's been bothering me since last night and I didn't sleep well. I just need to rest, that's all."

In your dream, you were standing on a plane of white facing two foggy figures. You glanced between them, confused.
"You know everything that's in the book of Spiritua," the one on the right said. "Even though you don't remember it."
"That voice..." You mumble. "Yuan?"
The fog around him cleared, and Yuan stood there. "Not exactly. You're only dreaming, after all." You look at the other figure.
"Who's that?"
He glanced at the fog, and then looked back to you. "You know."
"..." You look back and forth between them for a moment. "...Kratos?"
The fog cleared from around the second figure, revealing, indeed, Kratos standing there. He was wearing a different outfit than you were used to, this one white and blue and covered with leather belts and buckles.
"I knew it!" You exclaim. "We know each other! Why are you lying to me...?"
"Because I made a promise," he said. "You don't consciously remember it, but you know it. You fled from your memories and sealed them away, and you made both of us promise to keep them hidden from you."
"What?" You blinked. "What...What did I do to want to hide it so badly?"
They both simply looked at you.
"We can't tell you that," Yuan said finally. "But what we can say is that you're on the right track if you truly want to figure it out. The way you're going now, you'll remember a great deal."
"...I know where the seals are, don't I?" you say. "Those flashes I saw--the geysers and the ruins, those are seals."
"Yes," Kratos said.
"Why do I know all of this?" You ask. "I have wings--am I a Chosen One?"
"We can't tell you that, either," Yuan said, shaking his head. "Even if we, ourselves, know the answers to all of these questions, as we are now we're just projections of your subconscious. We know what you remember, and what your subconscious knows."
"So, even if I don't remember it..." You pause and try to think of how to phrase it. "I...I know that I know where the seals are, even if I don't remember that I know it."
"That's right," Yuan said. "And you know that you know us, and we you."
You shake your head, "But I don't remember either of you, really..."
"Just remember that I'm your friend, Aura. You know that, deep down," Yuan said. "When we see each other again, trust me. You're in danger, and I want to protect you."
"And try to understand," Kratos said patiently. "The promise I made is dear to me...as you once were. I won't simply toss it aside now. You sealed away your memories for a reason."
"But I don't even remember what that reason is!" You exclaim, letting your frustration show. "Can't you at least tell me that much?"
"Fear," Yuan said gravely. "And sorrow."
"And pain," Kratos added, his voice dark. You shuddered, glancing between them. Fear, sorrow and pain...?
You woke with a gasp when a large drop of cold water splashed on your face. You rub the wetness away furiously, blinking the blurriness out of your eyes.
"Good morning." Genis greeted, yawning. "How's your head?"
"Hm?" You blink at him.
"Your headache. You said you had one all day yesterday."
"Oh... Oh, it's gone. My head is fine," you say, too distracted to be grateful.
Fear, sorrow and pain...
"That's good!" the little elf said, grinning.
You smile back. "Yes, maybe I'll actually be useful today!"
"Alright, now to catch up to those guys!" Lloyd said once he was finally awake and everyone was ready to move.

As you traveled you kept glancing at Kratos, purposefully walking slightly behind him so that he wouldn't notice, lest you have to explain yourself. Thinking back on it, he did seem surprised at Martel's Chapel when you didn't recognize him, and after that he'd taken on a resigned sort of attitude. You'd originally thought it was due to having to accept your help, along with Lloyd's and Genis'. But, perhaps, it had been more about resigning himself to keeping the 'promise' he'd mentioned in your dream, and acting the stranger.
You found yourself frowning at the back of Kratos' head, wondering what exactly he was hiding from you. Fear, sorrow and pain... You shuddered. If you tried to talk to him about it, what would he do? You'd said his name before he'd introduced himself and he'd smoothly acted like he'd never seen you before. With how fervently he'd denied knowing you so far, he'd probably just keep at it even if asked a direct question. And doing something like that would probably ruin the casual friendship that had started to form in the scant week you'd known him. Alienating him would do even less for your memory than his constant stonewalling, and the idea of forcing him away like that made your heart ache strangely with guilt and loneliness.
Yuan had been willing to talk, at least--if only a little. He'd seemed ready, if reluctant, to explain things and answer your questions, but the timing had been all wrong. What would have happened if you'd stayed with him, rather than flee with Lloyd? Your friends would have been worried sick, or even blaming themselves, for one thing...
But all of these current assumptions were coming from a dream. How actually reliable were they, in the first place? At this rate you were going to give yourself another headache before day's end. Trying to avoid it, you followed Lloyd's logic and focused on being angry with the imposters.

When your group finally arrived at the small, homely House of Salvation your eyes were pulled down the road that headed south-east. You remembered the image of the geysers from your dream a few nights ago, and for a moment you saw a doorway opening in the mountainside behind the geysers. You knew where the seals were, even if you 'didn't know you knew them'...
"Let's go inside, maybe the imposters are still here." Lloyd suggested fiercely.
"They probably wouldn't stay here so long if they're going to Hakonesia Peak," Genis said. "It's so late in the day now."
"Genis is right," Raine agreed. "It would probably be best to continue on, seeing how we know their destination. Unless anyone needs to rest?" Everyone voiced the contrary. The walk had been easy and uneventful, with only one group of monstrous insects intercepting you on the road.
"Then let's head out," Lloyd said.

The entrance to Hakonesia Peak was similar to the Ossa Trail, but there were flags drawing attention to guided tours led over the peak, as well as an old building waiting at its base.
"That has to be the shop where they were going to sell the book," Lloyd said. "Let's go inside."
As you all stepped inside the red-nosed old man, Koton, waiting in the corner announced, "If you're looking for road passes, it's 100,000,000 gald per person."
"Wha?! What kind of price is that?!" Lloyd demanded. "That's robbery." Beyond robbery! That amount of gald was just impossible.
"Silence, boy!" Koton ordered. "I'll have you know, I hate men!"
You sigh and look around at the stuff in his shop. There wasn't any point trying to negotiate, he seemed like the thickheaded type.
"That means even those on pilgrimages with the Church of Martel can't make it past here," Raine said disapprovingly.
He turned to Raine, grinning a creepy grin. "Oh, my, you're quite the beauty! If you're on a pilgrimage, you should join the Asgard ruin tour at the Palmacosta travel agency."
"Hey!" Genis exclaimed, "You're in cahoots with the travel agency!"
"Oh, shut up!" He scowled at Raine's little brother. "If you don't have any money, then get out of here!"
Colette took an interest in an ancient, worn out but cared for book sitting on a pedestal to the side of the room. "Hmm? That's a very old scripture..."
"Oh, my beautiful maiden! You have a good eye!" Koton said as Colette approached the book and you joined her. "This here is something I purchased from the Chosen of Mana. It's a very rare--"
"This is the Book of Regeneration, the Legend of Spiritua," you say, examining the dry, ancient cover. "Look at this writing, it's angelic..."
"Ah-haa, beautiful and smart!" Koton said. "That's right! I've been waiting to get my hands on this for ages! It was very fortunate that the Chosen herself was willing to part with it!"
"Let us have that!" Lloyd exclaimed. "At least let us look at it for a bit."
Koton glared at him. "You've got to be kidding! Why should I have to show it to you people?!"
"Oh, come on! Colette is the Cho--" Genis started.
Raine slapped him to silence him. "Stop. We'll be the ones treated as imposters." She ordered.
"The Cho?" Koton asked.
"The Chosen of Mana's devout followers." Raine nodded towards the two of you, "They wish to view artifacts that the Chosen has possessed. Colette and Aura are faithful believers, and they're even versed in the language of the angels."
"Y-yes that's right," you say. "It's our dream to one day meet the Chosen of Mana."
"We've studied the Chosen's rituals and the angelic language since we were children," Colette added.
Koton frowned between the two of you and then rubbed the back of his balding head. "Well, if it's that important to you, the maiden, beauty and angel can have a look at it. More than anything, I want the Spiritua Statue that is displayed in the House of Salvation. If you bring me that, I'll consider showing you the book." Consider... You held in another sigh.
"You're so stingy!" Genis whined. "Like it costs you anything to just let us look at it."
"Shaddap! Get the heck outta here if you don't have money and you don't have the statue!"
You all step outside, shaking your heads, to find a group of people gathered around the path's entrance. A woman dressed in similar pilgrimage-guide clothes to Chocolat's was at the head of the crowd.
"Hmm?" Lloyd mumbled. He approached a woman standing nearest to the door, "What's wrong?"
"Oh, you don't know?" She asked.
"You all would be better off waiting here for a while," a man chimed in. "No matter what, you should stay away from Palmacosta."
"Did something happen in Palmacosta?" Lloyd asked. You remembered Chocolat's attitude and then what little you knew of Magnius' temper...
"It seems the Desians are headed for Palmacosta!" The pilgrimage-guide said.
"What?!" Genis exclaimed.
"Plus, they say the leader of the nearby Human Ranch, Magnius, is with them," the man said. "I'm going to wait here until things cool down. You should hold off going anywhere for a while, too."
"Magnius is going to Palmacosta himself?" you mumble. "This isn't good... When Forcystus came to Iselia he practically burned it to the ground."
"The militia will stop him, right?" Colette asked.
"I doubt he'd be going if he thought he could be so easily stopped," Kratos said. "Whatever his intentions, they can't be good."
"We have to get back to Palmacosta! Now!" Lloyd exclaimed.

You fly back down the road, covering the distance in almost half the time, though it left everyone exhausted. You burst into the city, finding a few injured militiamen lying at the entrance being tended to by nurses.
"What happened?" Lloyd demanded.
"The square..." One nurse said weakly. "They went to the square..."
You rush through town, finding it deserted, and come to the square. The Desians had set up a gallows in front of the Palmacosta Academy, Cacao standing atop it with a noose around her neck.
"Lord Magnius approaches!" One Desian called. A man you recognized as Magnius, mostly due to the red dreadlocks, walked towards the gallows.
"Cacao!" You gasp.
A man standing closer to the gallows gasped, "It's Magnius from the eastern Ranch..."
Magnius whirled on him, grabbing him by the neck and hoisting him into the air with one arm. "That's Lord Magnius, vermin!" He squeezed the man's neck until there was an audible snapping sound. Your stomach chilled as he dropped the man's corpse to the ground and climbed on the gallows.
"This woman defied the wishes of the great Lord Magnius and refused to provide us with supplies." The first Desian announced.
"Therefore," another picked up, "While the designated death count has been exceeded, we have been granted orders to carry out this woman's execution!"
"Dammit! Why isn't the city militia doing anything to stop this?!" Lloyd exclaimed.
"Most of them are out on training exercises right now--they just left a skeleton guard here," said a man from the watching crowd. "And the Desians just tore through all of them..."
"The Desians must have waited for this opportunity!" Genis swore. "Slimy jerks!"
"Mom!" Chocolat's voice exclaimed from behind you. She dashed past you all and into the square.
"Stop right there, woman!" A whip-wielding Desian ordered as Chocolat neared the gallows.
"If you interfere, we'll make you suffer in ways that will leave you begging for death!"
"You think Governor-General Dorr will let you get away with this?" Chocolat shouted up to Magnius.
"Dorr? Hahahah! Don't get your hopes up, woman!" Magnius cackled. He waved his to the Desian at the gallows' base.
"No!"
A rock smacked Magnius in the face, stopping him mid signal. A boy from the crowd was throwing pebbles at him--the boy that had been talking to Dorr about his missing dad.
"You...disgusting little vermin!" Magnius snarled, leaping off the gallows. Your sword appeared in your hand and you charge after Lloyd as he ran into the square. The little boy turned to run but fell. You leap in Magnius' way, "What the--?"
Lloyd struck him in the leg with his demon fang arte, shouting, "Stop right there!"
You smash into Magnius with your beast arte, sending him stumbling back and giving you time to scoop the boy up in your arms and retreat away from the Grand Cardinal.
Grand Cardinal. Forcystus, Magnius, Rodyle, Kvar, Pronyma. You wince when your head aches again.
"Are you all right?" you ask the boy, setting him down once you were behind Lloyd. The Desians moved from the gallows, all except the one manning the trapdoor, and surrounded Magnius defensively.
"M-my knee..." The little boy sniffed.
"Lloyd, Aura, stop!" Raine ordered, running up to you as you healed the bleeding cut on the boy's knee. "Do you want this city to turn into the next Iselia?"
"This is different!" Lloyd argued, still facing Magnius with his blades drawn. "This city doesn't have a non-aggression treaty with the Desians!" "This city doesn't have a non-aggression treaty with the Desians! How can we go on a quest to regenerate the world if we can't even save the people standing right in front of us?!"
"We can't just stand by and let this happen, Raine," you say. "We would be worse than the Desians if we just abandoned these people.
"Lloyd and Aura are right," Colette said, drawing her chakrams and coming to Lloyd's side. "I won't just stand here and let this happen!"
"...You!" One of the Desians called. "You're wanted criminals #0074 and 0075... Lloyd Irving and Aura Asakura!"
"Well now!" Magnius said, shaking off the damage Lloyd had done to his leg. He looked at Lloyd, "So you're that boy with the exsphere..." He looked at you, "And you're the girl our leader's spent years searching for! Hahahaha! This is perfect! After I take that exsphere from you and hand Aura over to our lord they'll make the leader of the Five Grand Cardinals! Get them!"
One of the casters hurled a fireball at Lloyd, but Genis deflected it easily with his defensive arts.
The little elf smirked at his friend. "Ametures..."
"Dammit! You worthless idiots!" Magnius cursed. "Enough of this! I'll take care of this woman first!" He waved his hand to the Desian waiting at the gallows.

"Stop!" You yell
"No!" Colette screamed, hurling her chakram. The bladed hoop flew true and sliced the rope around Cacao's neck just as the boards opened under her feet. Cacao fell safely to the ground, landing and falling to her side.
"What the--?" Magnius cursed, watching the chakram circle back.
Kratos dashed up to the Grand Cardinal while he was distracted. The Mercenary decisively smacked aside the staff of a caster who swung at him and then dealt Magnius a hard blow to the side. He leapt back, out of the range of Magnius' backup, and gave him a brief, cocky smirk.
In the stunned silence that followed, Kratos announced, "Let us respect the wishes of the Chosen."
The watching crowd gasped and started to murmur. "The Chosen?..."
"She is the Chosen!?"
"The Chosen herself has come to save us?!" You couldn't tell if they were looking at you or Colette, but at the moment you didn't care.
"Do you all realize what you're doing?" Raine asked heavily. "If you defy the Desians, this city may be attacked just like Iselia."
"That's right!" Lloyd said, "And I know full well what I'm doing! I won't repeat the same mistake again. I'll destroy them all! The entire Ranch!"
"Lloyd...!" You gasp.
"Lloyd that's insanity," Raine said.
"They're only after Colette, Aura and me anyway." Lloyd turned to Colette and grinned. "And besides, we have the Chosen on our side! The savior who will regenerate the world! Right, Colettte?"
Colette smiled back. "Yup. I'm going to fight for everyone's sake."
"Oh! Lady Colette!" Pastor Marche said. "The great Chosen of Mana!"
"I give up." Raine sighed. "You're all hopeless... But I'll help, since I'd be worried about you otherwise."
"Professor Sage! Thanks!" Lloyd said.
"Damned little... Enough of this crap!" Magnius cursed, kneeling on the ground and clutching the wound Kratos had dealt him. "I'm leaving them to you. Get rid of them!" He teleported away, taking one of the casters with him.
"How dare you lay a hand on Lord Magnius!" One of the remaining Desians cursed. "You're all dead!"

The three he left stood little chance... But you wondered if he'd known that and not cared. That seemed to fit Magnius' personality. The gathered townsfolk cheered when the remaining Desians fell. You healed the bruises and cuts Cacao had received when the Desians apprehended her and escorted her back to her shop.
"Thank you," she said earnestly.
"Thank you so much for saving my mom!" Chocolat added, tears in her eyes. "I don't know what I would have done if they'd murdered my mom as well..."
"As well?" Genis asked.
"My husband volunteered in Governor-General Dorr's army...and was killed in a battle against the Desians," Cacao explained. "And my mother...was taken to the Ranch."
"It was grandma that originally founded our shop," Chocolat said. "We have to protect it, not just for ourselves, but also for grandma's shake, for when she returns."
"Your grandma... Marble? Like the shops name?" You ask. Lloyd and Genis glance at you.
"Yes, that's right," Chocolat said. "This shop is named for her." You felt your throat tighten but don't let anything show on your face. Lloyd and Genis' heads tilted down a fraction and Colette glanced at Lloyd, worry in her eyes. "That's also the reason why I work at the Church of Martel Travel Agency. To help support our item shop. But it's not like I believe in Martel or anything..."
"Chocolat!" Cacao gasped. "How can you say such a thing!"
"I know, I know. I'm grateful for the Chosen. But Martel didn't protect dad or grandma. Even this time, it wasn't Martel but the Chosen and her companions that saved you. How can anyone believe in a goddess that sleeps while we suffer?"
"I understand," Colette said sincerely. "But I still think Martel exists."
"You think?" Chocolat asked.
"I'm sure of it. She exists inside you and me."
"Well, if the Chosen says so... Then I'll at least try to believe." Chocolat said. "Anyway, I'd better get going soon. It's almost time for the next Asgard Pilgrimage."
"Are there really people that want to go on a trip right after what just happened here?" Lloyd asked.
"It's after events like this that both those with and without faith feel the need to go on a journey in search of salvation," Kratos said.
"That pretty much sums it up," Chocolat agreed. "Well then, thank you all very much!"
"Excuse me, Cacao," you ask as Chocolat disappeared down the stairs.
Cacao turned to you. "Yes?"
"There were a lot of injured militiamen at the city's entrance..."
"Yes, they tried to hold of the Desians but were overpowered," Cacao said gravely.
"Where would the injured be taken?"
"To the militia's barracks near the city's entrance. Why?"
"I'm going to heal the wounded," you say.
"Heal the wounded?" Genis asked. "Why?"
"Why not?" You respond. "I know healing artes, and there are people injured. They got hurt trying to defend their city, and with the way Magnius is Palmacosta might just need every able-bodied member of the militia that it can get."
"It might sound heartless, but we need to focus on the journey of regeneration," Raine told you. "The kind of healing you're talking about takes time--time we don't have to spare."
"Night's falling," you say. "We were going to spend the night here anyway, weren't we?"
Raine sighed, though she smiled while she did it. "You can be just as stubborn as Lloyd when you want to be."

Cacao gave you directions to the militia's base and you go straight there.
"You don't think someone from Palmacosta would be taken all the way to Iselia, do you?" Genis asked uneasily as your group navigated the streets. "It's so far!"
"Surely Magnius' Ranch is in the area," Raine said. "If Cacao's mother was taken by Desians, she was taken there."
"Marble isn't exactly unique name." You add, trying to assure yourself as much as them. The people outside of the milita's headquarters didn't put up much of a fuss as you approached the doors, they seemed more concerned with the entrance to town. They kept staring that way like they were expecting the Desians to come back at any moment.
"Everyone... You don't have to stay here," you say. "You all should go to the inn and rest."
"But what about you?" Lloyd asked. "Shouldn't we try and stick together?"
You smile reassuringly. "I'll be in Palmacosta's militia headquarters. I think I'll be alright."
"Don't push yourself too hard," Colette said, her face adorably serious. "You have to be careful, okay?"
"Yes, I know."
"Raine, are you going to stay, too?" Genis asked.
"...No." Raine gave you a weary smile, "With what I know about Aura she'll be up all night healing everyone who's injured, even if I did offer my help, and come tomorrow she'll be exhausted. One of us needs to be awake and alert to heal us as we journey back to Hakoneshia Peak tomorrow."
You rub the back of your head. "Hey..."
"Listen to Colette, Aura," Kratos said. "Don't push yourself."

You step inside as everyone left, though Kratos gave you a lingering look over his shoulder. Inside the front door was a small entryway, and a man leaning heavily on a crutch greeted you.
"Who are you? Not another new recruit..."
"I've come to heal everyone who was injured in the attack today," you say.
"You know healing artes?" He asked hopefully.
You nod.
"B...But we can't afford to have you heal everyone..."
You shake your head furiously, "No, no. There's no price, there's nothing to afford. I don't want your money. Please, just let me help."
"Are you sure?" You glance over him and spy bandages on his right hip peeking out from a gap between his shirt and pants. You cast first aid over him.
"I'm sure," you say, your voice firm but gentle. "Can you walk now?"
He tentatively leaned his weight onto his bad leg and then looked at you, amazed. "Th...Thank you... By Martel, thank you so much! This way, hurry!" He led you through an abandoned dining hall, introducing himself as Thompson over his shoulder. Next you stepped into a long infirmary, completely crowded with men and boys anywhere from eighteen to fifty laid out on cots and bedrolls. All of them were injured in some way, and there wasn't a great deal of free space left around.
"All of these people..." You mumble.
"Most of them were guarding the city," he said. "The others were injured in training exercises today. The Desians rounded up some monsters and sent them after the people who were training to try and keep them away from the city longer."
"Mangius..." You growl, shaking your head. With a deep breath you push the anger away, knowing it wouldn't help your healing and you had a long night ahead. "Where are the worst injuries?"
"This way..."