Tales of Symphonia Story, Sylvarant Chronicles (1)

QUIZ START: Again, you had braved the journey to Thoda Geyser via the washtub boats, and you again wound up at the island alright.
After rubbing your cheek for it to stop it's stinging, you make your way up to the geyser, and Colette approached the edge so that the path will reappear. The journey through to the alter was much, much quicker now, due to the fact that you had solved all of the traps already.

As you approach the alter, Genis and Colette begin to chant happily,
"Pact, pact!" Sheena blushed nervously, scratching the back of her head,
"I must admit, I'm intrested as well." Raine commented,
"A summoning pact...hmm." Kratos mumbled, also sounding slightly interested,
"Pht. It's easy for you to say!" Sheena commented, "I...I might fail you know."
"If you say your going to fail before you even try, you Will fail." you tell her, "I know it sounds a bit clichéd, but just believe in yourself. It helps." After she turned towards the alter, you put a hand on your head. It was starting to hurt *What's going on...? Why is my head hurting...?*
"You'll do fine!" Lloyd told her with a smile, "I mean, I don't really know how it works, but..."
"Lloyd's right!" the blonde Chosen agreed, "If anyone can do it, you can Sheena!"
"...You dont even know a thing about it!..." Sheena murmured, embarrassed by their encouragement. However, she agreed, "Fine. I'll do it. But don't blame me if something goes wrong and you get hurt."

She turned to the altar, and stepped up to it. A small, glowing blue, cloud of mist hovering above the alter, Genis commented that there was a lot of mana coming from the mist. As Sheena approached, the swirling mist shrank into a small, concentrated blue ball. The ground rumbled softly, and a bright light flashed; the light was such a shock that you were forced to shield your eyes. When the light faded you looked back up at the alter quickly. In the place of the blue ball, stood Undine.
You did your best to ignore the thoughts that the ground shaking, the mist above the alter, and the flashing light all appeared familiar; a throbbing pain built up in your head. Despite the fact that you'd never seen any of it before... The image of that blonde boy moved through your mind. That blonde boy had been speaking to Undine...had...had he been forming a pact too?

"You who possess the right of the pact." Undine greeted.
"Mm..." you mumble quietly, pressing a hand on your forehead when the steady throbbing you'd been enduring grew to steady pounding. You feel moisture had collected under your hand, *I-I'm sweating...? Wha--...what is going on?!* you wonder,
"I am one who is bound to Mithos." she explained, "What is your name?"
"...!" You stiffened abruptly, *M-Mithos?! No...no, no, no. That can't be the boy that I'm remembering...* you tell yourself, *It's imposable!!*
"Mithos?" asked Lloyd curiously, "The hero of the Kharlan War?"
"Not only was Mithos a swordsman, he had the ability to summon as well?" questioned Genis, awe in his voice,
"Mithos is a common boy's name." Raine argued, "Its not necessarily Mithos the hero." *Yes.* you agree mentally, trying to slow the pace of your heart by calming yourself with the thought. *That guy from my flashback was probably just some boy named Mithos...not Mithos the hero...* Even though the thought had you feeling better, something nagging at your inside told you that was wrong.
"I am Sheena!" the Summoner announced, "I seek a pact with Undine!"
"As things stand now, I cannot." the water spirit apologized.

"Wh--why!?" the Guardian User stuttered,
"I am already bound by a pact. I cannot form two pacts at the same time." she explained patiently,
"You mean your pact with that 'Mithos' guy?..." Sheena turned back, "What am I supposed to do now!? They never said anything about this at the Research Institute!"
"What should we do Lloyd?" Colette asked. You keep a hand on your forehead despite the fact that the headache had lessened slightly,
"Uh...hmm." Lloyd mumbled as he thought. Kratos sighed softly, probably thinking this entire side quest was a nuisance, and glanced back towards you,
"Ah...Aura?" he asked, noticing your condition,
"F-fine. I'm fine. My head is just hurting thats all." you assure,
"Can't you just get her to cancel the old pact?" Lloyd asked, finally coming up with a solution.
"How!? We dont even have any idea where this 'Mithos' person is!" Turning from you, Kratos spoke up,
"A Summon Spirit pact requires a vow. As long as the pact-maker upholds that vow, the pact remains valid." he explained.
"That is correct." Undine agreed.
"I know about that!!" Sheena told him, aggravation in her voice, "The Summon Spirit approves the pact-makers vow, and agrees to the pact."
"Exactly." the Mercenary continued, "Therefore, all you need to do is follow Lloyd's advice, and request the annulment of the previous pact. And form a new one. It's possible the previous pact-maker has broken his vow. Or he may have...already passed away."
"Is it really that simple?" Genis questioned. You open your mouth to respond, but stop yourself and merely close your mouth; you thought you knew the answer, but you would rather someone answer who was absolutely sure of what they were talking about. Kratos responded to the young elf's question
"I suppose you could call it simple. But if the previous pact-maker is still alive, and hasn't broken his vow, there's nothing we can do about it."
"Okay. I'll give it a shot." Sheena agreed, turning back to the alter, "Undine! I am Sheena! I ask that thou annulst thy pact with Mithos. And establish a new pact...with me."
"Before I can allow the formation of a new pact, I must test your worthiness as a pact-maker." she explained, "Choose Three to aid you, and draw your weapons." she stepped down from the alter as Sheena took a step back. A sword formed of water held together by mana appeared in her hands.
"Wha?...We have to fight?!" asked Lloyd. Sheena turned back,
"Yeah. I guess so...But only three of you...um..." In the end she chose Lloyd, Kratos, and Raine to help in the fight. You, Genis, and Colette move back towards the teleporter, and remain there for the battle.

After a while of struggle, Undine finally fell, her sword vanishing into a mere puddle of water on the floor. She returned to her alter, smiling approvingly,
"Splendid," she complemented, "Now, swear your vow. On what vow do you wish to form our pact?" your head jarred with intense pain abruptly; and it lingered there. The air was beginning to get hot and heavy around you, making it hard to breathe.
"Right now, at this very moment, there are people who are suffering." Sheena explained, "I vow to save those people."
"Understood. I pledge my power to you, Sheena!" Undine vanished into sparkles of mana, which then condensed into a small sphere of blue light shaped somewhat like an atom. Sheena touched it, and the shape vanished. The pact was formed,
"Sheena you did it!!" Genis laughed as she stepped of the platform.
"Yeah, Sheena. Your amazing!" Colette complimented happily. The summoner shuffled her feet bashfully,
"Heh, oh stop it..." she muttered,
"No really, you rule!" Lloyd told her with a large grin, "I can't wait to see you summon Undine!!" Raine looked back at Kratos curiously,
"You have a surprising breadth of knowledge, Kratos." she commented,
"I once had an acquaintance who was somewhat knowledgeable about Summon Spirits." he responded simply,
"I see..." you take a step back to leave, hoping that by leaving you would feel better. However your legs gave out from under you and you collapsed,
"Ah...!" everyone turned at your cry. You barely keep yourself sitting up when your world swirled and shook oddly,
"A-Aura?" Lloyd asked,
"Ah... M-my head..." you mutter, clutching at your head despite the fact that it meant you risked falling on your side, "My head feels like its going to explode..."
"Let me see..." Raine asked, putting her hand on your forehead. She jerked her hand away, startled, "Aura, your burning up!"
"....?" you barely heard her as you returned to rubbing your head. You closed your eyes when your head began to spin again.
"We should get her out of the temple." Kratos voiced,
"W-will that help?" Sheena asked,
"Aura always has some adverse symptom to entering the Seals." he explained, "Usually its as simple as a headache; but now it appears to be worse. Getting out of here may cure it."
"How? She can't stand!" Raine argued,
"...I'll carry her." he responded, "We have to get her out."
"A...alright."
"We'll protect you guys." Lloyd assured as Kratos slipped his arms under you, and picked you up,
"Ah...?" you made a noise of confusion, you hadn't listened to their conversation,
"Calm down. We'll get you out." Kratos assured softly,

You were in something of a daze most of the way out; you weren't even aware that you'd left the temple until Kratos set you on the ground next to the Oracle Stone,
"Alright...now, I suppose, we have to wait." you decided to keep your eyes closed, and knew that Kratos spoke because you recognized his voice. You raised your hands, slowly massaging your temples as the headache slowly ebbed away. It became much easier to breath very quickly, gratefully. You open your eyes slowly; the world wasn't spinning, so much as...sort of rocking a bit.
"Perhaps my healing arts..." Raine murmured,
"N...No, no, don't worry Professor." you argue. You wouldn't stand, you knew better than to do that, but you looked up at her and gave her a weak smile, "I'm...I'm fine, just...I'm just a little tired."
"But...hm," she pressed her hand against your forehead, "Yes...your fever has gone down considerably."
"Well, you were right Kratos." Sheena commented." the Mercenary hadn't been listening, he'd been watching you intently.
"?..." he raised his head when he heard Sheena say his name,
"What you had said, about Aura being in the temple... She got better when we got her out."
"...." he didn't give a response to her question, but suggested, "If you're feeling well, Aura, then I suggest we leave. If we wait too much longer the sun will be set before we reach land."
"Okay." you pushed yourself to your feet despite the fact that it made you feel a bit unsteady,
"A-are you sure?" Colette asked, "If we need to, we can spend the night here..."
"No, I'm alright. Don't worry." you assure.
"Well...alright then, let's get outta here." Lloyd agreed. As everyone made their way to the docks, you rest a hand on Kratos' shoulder,
"Ah...Kratos?"
"...Mm?" he turned back to you,
"Th...thank you for helping me earlier..."
"...that's alright." he responded, "Come, we need to catch up to the others."
"Right."