Tales of Symphonia Story, Tethe'alla Chronicles (3)

After a long time of walking, you all wind up in a spot in the forest that isn't overflowing with vines; the branches over head were thinner, allowing some light through. When you hear something funny. Kind of like a... 'clink' 'clink' 'clatter' 'clink' and footsteps. Lots of them. *Clinks? Thats not something you should hear in a forest.* you think *No matter how dark and creepy* the loads of footsteps and clinks were slowly getting louder.
"Huh?" you murmur, titling your head in the direction of the sound,
"So you hear it to?" asked Colette,
"I don't hear anything." Zelos commented.
"Colette and Aura both have angel senses." Raine told him,
"I hear something alright." you say, looking the way the sound was coming from. You finally recognized it, "I hear lots of footsteps and clinking armor. Believe me, it's a lot of them."
"Yeah...you're right." Colette agreed,
"That can't be good. Altessa lives over there." Lloyd commented, "Could it be more of the same guys from earlier?"
"I'll send Corrine out to scout." Sheena volunteered. Corrine appeared in a cloud of smoke, and then headed off to where the noises were coming from.

When you heard something Colette didn't. A light footstep, and a slight groan of a tree branch *? Wha?* you look up, but don't see anything. *...* But just before you were going to look away, that Convict with blue hair jumped out of the tree. He landed solidly on both feet. You all get jump back slightly, taking the initiative to protect you Zelos took a quick step in front of you,
"That's the guy from the Meltokio sewer!" Genis exclaimed.
"Man, it's just one thing after another with the Pope! Am I really that much of a problem to him?" asked Zelos aloud,
"I do not wish to fight you." the Convict said, shooting a glance towards Zelos whom had immediately assumed the man had appeared with the intention of kidnapping you. "...I just want to speak..." he looked to Presea, "...with that girl."
"With Presea?" asked Lloyd. Genis stamped his foot angrily,
"You've got to be kidding!!!" he exclaimed. "Or did you forget that you tried to kill us?"
"I cannot speak for any others." the Convict argued, keeping his tone level. "However, I, at least, never intended to take your lives. My orders, were to retrieve two girls named Aura and Colette."
"You mean us?" you ask.
"...I will do you no harm. Presea...is her name, correct? Please, let me speak with her." when he noticed her Exsphere "An Exsphere?!" he exclaimed "You are yet another victim?!" he moved to take the Exsphere off Presea, but she smacked his hand away.
"Preseas in danger!" Genis said. Lloyd drew his sword
"I don't know what the heck is going on but we have to stop this guy!" Lloyd agreed.

During the fight, the Convict was succeeding in holding his own fairly well despite being outnumbered. *...*
"Lloyd." you ask,
"What is it?"
"Keep him distracted. I've got an idea."
"Sure, whatever you say." Lloyd agreed, before charging the Convict again. You turn your staff over, so you were holding it near the blade. You sneak up behind the Convict,
"Sorry!" you swing the blunt end of the staff as hard as you could at him. You hit your target dead on: the back of his head,
"Ugh--!" he fell to the ground out cold.
"Good job, Aura!" Lloyd said. You pull the Mana from your staff back, and sheath your sword.
"...I'm just glad it worked." you responded.

"He sounds like he has reasons for his actions." Raine voiced, "Perhaps we should take him prisoner? I'm sure he has much to tell us." when Corrine came running back.
"Sheena!!" he exclaimed "There are a lot of soldiers and they're all coming this way! Run away, quickly!!"
"Looks like Colette and Aura were right." Sheena said
"Those footsteps and clinking are getting louder." you voice.
"I agree with Aura...They're getting closer." Colette said,
"Uh...shouldn't we get out of here?" asked Zelos,
"But the Papal Knights are waiting for us if we go back." Lloyd said,

"...It looks like we have not choice. I'll take you to the village of Mizuho." Sheena decided.
"Woah there, Sheena. Isn't Mizuho a secret village, kept secret from outsiders?" asked Zelos,
"But we'll be trapped from both sides if we don't do something. There's nothing we can do but take shelter in the village." Sheena argued,
"Okay, please show us the way, Sheena." Lloyd agreed,
"Hey Zelos, carry the big guy for us." Sheena ordered.

Zelos kneeled down next to the still unconscious Convict. And made it look like he was having trouble while trying to pick the guy up
"Me?! You want me to carry this ogre by myself? Are you kidding me?" he asked
"Zelos looks like he's having trouble. I'll help." Colette volunteered.
"Awww. Your so nice, Colette! We Chosen have to stick together, you know." Zelos grinned,
"Yeah!" she agreed. She put one hand under him, and lifted him into the air.

Genis, Lloyd and Zelos jumped; you did as well,
"Wow! He's really light!" Colette grinned,
"C-Colette--do you need help...?" you ask,
"Nope. I'm fine~!"
"Haha...I see..." Zelos said uneasily. "G-good job..."
"Men are so useless these days." Raine groaned. All the guys got sweat drops, giving Raine 'We're Right Here, Ya Know' looks.
"Come on!" Sheena called from where she was standing at an exit. "We need to go!"

You follow Sheena, Colette still carrying the Convict, while the others followed you. However, as you walk, you really start to worry. *I hit that man as hard as I could....I wonder if he's alright*

After not even 5 minutes you all get out of the forest, you squint your eyes briefly in the sudden light.
"Yay! Sunlight!" Genis exclaimed, stretching his arms wide.
"No kidding." Lloyd agreed, although the rubbed one of his eyes. His eyes, to, didn't like the sudden change in light. The convict was still out cold. While walking, you ask,
"Hey. Why do you think this guy has his hands shackled together?"
"What?" asked Genis
"I mean, you remember those other convicts in the sewer?" you say "They had those... metal things on their necks. But their hands were free."
"Yeah. You've got a point there." Sheena agreed.
"Perhaps we could ask him, once he wakes up I mean." Raine said
"Yeah." Genis agreed "And then we can also find out why he was after Presea." And you continue walking. After about an hour, you see a village in the distance.

Soon, you arrive at a village. It looked...kind of like a village from Sylvarant. Although all the people were walking around in different cloths. You saw a man who was wearing what looked like...a blue version of Kuchinawas outfit, although there wasn't anything covering his mouth. He got and stiffened when he saw Sheena bring in unfamiliar people. His name was Orochi,
"Sheena! What is the meaning of this?" he asked "How could you bring outsiders into the village?!"
"I'm prepared to accept my punishment." Sheena responded
"Punishment?" you asked, worried ,
"Don't worry." she whispered to you, then spoke to Orochi again, "Inform the Vice-Chief, I've brought the travelers from Sylvarant."
"From Sylvarant?" asked Orochi, "You are from the dying world of Sylvarant?"
"Well. Except for me." Zelos told him,
"I see. Sheena, come with me. The rest of you, wait in front of the Chiefs house." Orochi instructed. Then he left, and Sheena followed him.

After walking into the village Colette set the Convict down. You move next to him and hold out both hands,
"...What are you doing, Aura?" asked Lloyd
"...I just meant to knock this guy out...I wanna make sure I didn't hurt him to badly." you say, and begin to cast First Aid. But while the spell was taking effect, he woke up,
"Ugh..." he groaned quietly,
"Hold on a second." you ask.
"..." Soon the light faded, and you lowered your hands back to your sides,
"There. Done." he quickly got up to a kneeling position on the ground,
"?..."
"Oh, he's awake." Colette said. Raine took your arm and made you back up a little. The Convict stood, and looked around confused,
"Wh...Where am I?" he asked,
"Your our prisoner." Lloyd told him. "Don't try anything funny."
"I like to think that I'm smart enough not to start trouble when I don't understand the situation." the Convict responded.
"Lets go to the Chiefs house." you ask, "...I'm worried about Sheena."
"Good idea."