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

Quiz Start: "Should we go to Shadow's Temple before setting up camp?" Sheena questioned,
"...Yes." Raine nodded, "We should try and stay away from Meltokio until we clear our names.
"Then let's stay at the same place we stayed last time, right outside the entrance." Lloyd suggested.
"Y'know, if we get their fast enough, why don't we just go into the temple?" Zelos questioned,
"That...wouldn't be a good idea." you argue,
"Why?" Regal asked,
"Shadow's temple is huge and complex, it'll take a while for us to work our way through it." you explain, "And also, there's no way to tell time in there...it could be well into the night before we get to Shadow's altar, and we wouldn't even realize it."
"We should rest now to be in top form to fight Shadow." Presea nodded, "I agree with Aura."
"Then let's get going." Raine advised, "The sooner we get there, the better."

It was a few hours of flight through pleasant weather before landing just outside shadow's temple. You were somewhat anxious as you helped Regal prepare dinner, wondering if you'd get the rest of that memory back every time soon.
"Are you alright, Aura?" Regal questioned, looking at you somewhat strangely, "You seem...preoccupied."
"Hm?" you looked towards him from where you'd been stirring the stew you two were putting together, "Ah...Well--I've been getting back parts of a memory," you explained, "It started the first time we came here, and I'm wondering if...If I'm going to get the rest back any time soon." he nodded slightly,
"Hm....I see." he smiled slightly, "But maybe you should take Sheena's advice and let memories...'come when they come'." you laughed lightly,
"Right...I'll try and do that."

You all ate dinner with light conversation, making sure that the blue candles were kept safe and together so they were ready for tomorrow. After which everyone bundled up in blankets, despite the fair weather, when Zelos warned that the weather was known to change suddenly once the sun went down.

As you slept you felt your heart beginning to race, like you were having a nightmare.
You sat bolt upright, looking around frantically. Next to you, on something of a futon-bed, you saw Kratos lying, pale, still... your heart sped as you grabbed his shoulders, shaking him before you realized what you were doing,
"Kratos...Kratos, wake up!" you order frantically, feeling tears welling in your eyes. No, no, no, he couldn't be dead...! You and Yuan saved him! "Wake up!" Kratos' eyes snapped open at your frantic calling and shaking, he stared up at you, worried and confused,
"Wh...what? What? What's happened?" he asked, you could feel his heart racing and his chest heaving under your hands. You stared down at him for a long time, not speaking or moving. Your hands were trembling on his shoulders as you continued to stare at him. He wasn't dead...he was alive...he was fine. "Aura...?" he questioned, the worry in his eyes fading slightly and being replaced with slightly more confusion, "What's wrong?"
"You're....you're alright...?" you murmur, feeling tears running down your face
"Y...yes..." he responded, trying to catch his breath. He stared at you for a long moment, a certain understanding passed across his face after a short time and his expression became sympathetic, "Aura..." he raised a hand and cupped your cheek in his palm, carefully brushing away your tears with his thumb, "Aura, I'm alright... You had a nightmare..."
"A-are you sure...?" you ask weakly, your tears fading slightly as you leaned into his touch. Every nerve in you remained you how he'd betrayed and hurt you... how he didn't care... But you tried to fight them back; this wasn't the Kratos that hurt you, this was Your Kratos. The one that loved you for real...

Kratos hauled himself to a sitting position and brought his arms around you, holding you close to him,
"I'm fine...please don't worry...You just had a nightmare." Kratos murmured soothingly, his head leaned against yours as he tried to help calm you. Your shoulders sagged as you sighed, finally releasing your tension and relaxing, your eyes slipped closed; you let your whole body go slightly limp in his arms as you rested your head against his chest. He crooned soothing words in your ear, stroking your hair slowly. You let out another shaky sigh when you felt tears beginning to form in your eyes again; you turn your head slightly and hide your face in his shoulder. But it was just a moment too late; Kratos had already noticed the tears. "Aura...look at me." he asked softly.
"...." somewhat reluctantly, you pull your face from his shoulder and look up at him. Your eyes were still brimmed with tears, and a slightly sad look crossed his features when he saw them. The man cupped your face in his hands tenderly, lowering his lips to your forehead,
"Shhhhh..." Kratos' voice was a whisper as he spoke softly against your forehead. You rested your hands on his arms, "Calm down, Aura.... It was a nightmare--just a dream... I'm alright, I promise you."
Again, your heart stung at the word 'promise'...
"I-I know..." you whisper. He leaned his forehead against yours patiently, watching your expression carefully, "I know it was just a dream...but, today...when I opened the coffin and saw you..." you squeezed your eyes shut as tears threatened to overflow again. Your heart started beating faster, your stomach churning at the thought of him almost dead, "Honestly...I honestly thought you were..." you choked and pulled from him to burry your face in your hands as you tried not to cry again.
"Shhh..." he wrapped his arms around you once more, and pulled her close to him. "Just listen, alright?" he asked, gently pressing your head against his chest, positioned so that your ear rested just over his heart. Your quiet whimpering grew even softer as you listened to the steady, rhythmic sound of his heartbeat. "I won't die..." he promised softly, hugging you tightly as you continued to listen to his heart, "I won't leave you, I swear it..." He paused for a long moment, "Do you believe me?"
"Y-yes..." you whisper, finally feeling calm again, as you brushed tears from your eyes. You pulled away from where you'd been listening to his heart. Kratos raised his hands to hold your face again; your heart fluttered both nervously and hopefully when he titled your head up slightly. It almost stopped when he lowered his lips to your for a moment. Your body relaxed noticeably, and he pulled away not long after
"Do you want to go back to sleep?" Kratos questioned softly, leaning his forehead against yours, his eyes peering into yours, "Or would you rather stay awake?"
"I..." you trailed off as you thought, eyes moving away from his. Going back to sleep could mean another nightmare, but staying awake would mean you'd be exhausted tomorrow. You close your eyes to think for a moment. After you were silent in thought for a long moment tingles shot up your spine when he kissed the corner of her mouth slowly. He nudged your nose with his tenderly, and murmured softly,
"If you would like to stay awake, I'll stay awake as well... I don't mind..."
"No...it's alright..." you decide, opening your eyes and smiling ever so slightly at him. You moved a hand around his arm and slowly brushed your fingertips against his cheek, "I... I would like to go back to sleep."
"Very well..." he responded, nodding his head very slightly. He kissed you softly once more before pulling away with a very slight smile on his lips.

Despite the logical side of you yelling at you to wake up, you let him guide you to rest on his other side, then tug you down with him when he laid down. You pillowed your head against his chest, now resting over his heart, so you could calm yourself if you had another nightmare. He wrapped his arm firmly around her waist, and mumbled, "Goodnight..."
"Goodnight..." your eyes shut.

"Mmmm..." you rolled on your side, pulling your blanket closer. After peaking an eye open you saw Zelos sitting near the fire, fulfilling his duty as night watch; it couldn't have been later than midnight or one in the morning.
"Zelos," Raine's voice almost made you jump,
"My shift's finally up huh?" Zelos yawned,
"Yes." Raine never came into your field of view, but you listened to her sit down across the fire from the redheaded chosen.
"Night..." he pulled the blanket around his shoulders closer, and laid back on the ground, pillowing his head on one arm. You roll over to face away from the fire, faking a small mumble of sleep, then closed your eyes. You kept wondering...Kratos really did love you, once; there was no denying that. Yuan had even confirmed it. But what about now? Did he still love you now...? You just didn't know...you couldn't tell anymore.

It seemed like you'd only just shut your eyes when you were then gently being roused by Colette,
"Aura, wake up! It's time to go into Shadow's temple." she urged as you sat up. You folded your blanket and pushed it back into your pack. After which everyone gathered and Raine passed a candle to you, Genis, Colette and herself,
"We'll need some people fighting while we're inside." she explained. She then turned to you three, "All four of us can use magic, which requires little movement. Is carrying the blue candles alright with you?" the three of you nodded in response,
"Sure." Genis assured,
"Yes, I'm fine with it." you agree, and then set off inside.