time stop

[normalization]

Mithos kept his eyes forward as the Rheaird sped over Gaoracchia Forest. He was situated behind Genis, who was piloting the single craft, and somewhere behind them...was Lloyd, who had trailed them on their entire trip to the Fooji Mountains. Naturally, Mithos had sensed him. He wasn't certain if Genis had figured it out, but he supposed it had worked out in a way—he hadn't needed to use any of his own powers to help them ascend the mountain, and so they had obtained the Fandalia flowers without arousing any suspicion.

And Genis had agreed to stand by him, anyway. It was only natural. Lloyd may have accepted him for now, but he was still only human. He was still different.

Well, once his Age of Lifeless Beings was realized, they would all be the same. But for now...Mithos was already the same as Genis, and half-elves could only exist amongst each other.

"There's the house," he piped up over Genis' shoulder, his gentle voice betraying none of his sinister thoughts. Sure enough, they were almost directly upon the rock face where Altessa lived, and Genis brought the Rheaird into a quick descent, so that they soon landed in front of the dwarf's home. Surprisingly, all but Lloyd's Rheaird were now there—meaning the others had returned earlier than he expected. Mithos' angelic senses easily picked up words from inside the house, but...they caused him to narrow his eyes.

"Lloyd was supposed to be-"

"I can't believe this..."

"What are we going to tell the kid?"

Mithos held tight to the flowers they had gathered as they hopped off of the craft, and he gave Genis an encouraging smile tinged with worry. "Let's hurry in. Even if they found a doctor, they should still be able to use these flowers..."

He said that, but he was beginning to suspect that the doctor plan hadn't worked out in the least. Most likely, any high-profile doctor that the group thought of wouldn't waste their time treating a half-elf.

Comments

[twohares]

"Don't talk like you're my sister!" he called back, shoulders tensing beneath Mithos's hold. He knew better than this... He knew better than Lloyd. He would go his own way. He would save Raine, and he would convince Mithos to set things right. Once he was with Martel again, he was sure Mithos would feel better. What Mithos needed was someone who would always be beside him, and he would be one of those people.

He wished Mithos could see that not all humans were the same, but...maybe he was right. Maybe Lloyd wasn't that different in the end.

His eyes stayed on the ground as the light enveloped them, leaning into Mithos as he spoke. Yeah, it was going to be all right. He couldn't stand listening to Lloyd, much less look him in the eye now. They were going to go far away, and he'd never see Lloyd or any of his human friends ever again. Though, when he thought about it, could he even call someone a friend if they couldn't understand something that was so important to him?

In the end, Mithos was the one - the only one - who he could call his true friend. He didn't need shallow friendships with people who wouldn't understand him or stand beside him. If Lloyd couldn't do that, there was no way any other human could.

...

"I thought we were best friends..." he whispered to neither of them in particular.

[normalization]

The light pulsed as Mithos warped them across the land, to the tower, and finally to home. It faded then, revealing a small room with brown stone walls and sparsh furnishings. All was silent.

"I know," Mithos answered him in a bright voice to cheer him up. "But that's only because you hadn't been friends with other half-elves before. You couldn't know the difference until now."

He released Genis' shoulders now; they had work to do right away. "I know a lot has happened, but we should check on your sister right away."

[twohares]

When the light faded and Genis finally lifted his head again...he had no idea where he was. He could only guess from the mana that it was far away. He hoped this wasn't where Mithos typically lived.

"Yeah, you're right," he answered to his friend's assessment. Mithos was his first and only half-elven friend...something Mithos said was true for him, too. Though, now that he knew who Mithos really was, he wondered if that was true or not. And how much Mithos might have lied to him to hide the truth.

He could question that later, though. There were much more important things they needed to do. The distant, depressed look left Genis's eyes, replaced by a desperate kind of determination. He stepped back from Mithos, ready to go anywhere. "Ah, right! We can't waste any time! What should we do?"

[normalization]

The room served as a convenient point of entry to Mithos' world, but he could show Genis around in detail later. They had little time to waste, after all.

"We'll start by stabilizing the Exsphere like we originally planned," he replied confidently. That part of the plan hadn't changed; the soul would be lost without stabilization--and fragmented like this, it was liable to happen much more quickly.

"This way."

He led Genis to a metal door through a wooden door, which opened to a short corridor. At the other end was another door, though this one was cold metal that didn't match the rest of the architecture on this side. On the other side was a whole city of metal buildings and magitechnology, all for them to use as they would.

[twohares]

All Genis could do was nod. Mithos had explained this to him before, but he was still unsure on how the process would work. In any case, he trusted Mithos completely. He hadn't let him down yet, and he had no doubts that he would see this through now.

They'd bring her back.

He kept his eyes on the glowing fragments in his hands until the scenery suddenly shifted, the dull earth tones of the corridor giving way to a cold, steely white, and they were in a place Genis never really imagined existed.

His footsteps unconsciously slowed as he took in the tall, metal buildings, the black sky, and angels drifting around them unflinchingly. They were the only two walking on foot. They were the only two whose eyes seemed to have any focus.

"What is this?"

[normalization]

"Welgaia, the city of angels," Mithos answered with a small, casual smile. "The angels here were all once half-elves and have since become lifeless beings... They no longer suffer or feel pain. They exist here in peace." His casual tone lowered to a soothing lull as he looked over at Genis.

"Isn't it wonderful?"

Genis could become a lifeless being, too. He would almost certainly retain more will than most of the angels, since he couldn't revive his sister otherwise.

And they would revive her. For all the lies Mithos had spun, he had been much more truthful with Genis, and he meant his promise.

[twohares]

...

The more Genis looked, the more uncertain he was. He wondered if they were actually happy. Their expressions were blank. The air was still. There was no laughter or sudden movements. It was like watching fish swim around in a bowl.

...Mithos wouldn't make them suffer, though. This was a city Mithos built. Lifeless beings... They weren't half-elves anymore. This was the kind of world Mithos wanted. A peaceful one with no fighting...but was this okay?

He had turned a question onto him, but Genis didn't know what to think, and there were too many questions to ask all at once.

"It's...different. I never saw a place like it before," he finally answered, meeting his friend's gaze. "Is everyone like this?"

[normalization]

It was such an honest answer, Mithos couldn't help but feel a little amusement. Different, indeed... No overbearing, arrogant humans here. It would take a bit of time, but he was certain that Genis would see the benefits soon enough.

With a slight shrug, he replied, "Only those that lost their will or could not regain it. Those who have something to strive for can retain more, but the ones you see here are those who only wanted to exist." Although he said only, it was no trivial desire, and there was a touch of sympathy somewhere in the back of his mind...somewhere beneath the anger.

Wanting to live was no crime.

[twohares]

"I see..."

He...guessed that made sense. He guessed there were people who just wanted to live. There were probably a lot of people who just wanted to live...especially among half-elves.

The thought sank into him like a heavy weight in water. These people only wanted to live, and Mithos let them have that.

He wished there was a way they could do more than exist, but in the future, he was sure that was possible.

For now, he had his sister to consider. He stepped closer to Mithos, walked a little faster again.

"I hope they find their will again someday. They look sad..."

[normalization]

Mithos sent him a curious glance. "Sad? They shouldn't feel sadness anymore."

But with Genis picking up his pace again, Mithos did the same to lead them to their destination: the research district. It was nearly as silent here as the rest of the city, only a little more activity occurring. At one time, the research district had been bustling--relatively speaking. For Welgaia, anyway.

There was little research left to do now, though. Martel's vessel only needed to be cured of her illness, and that would be the end...

Except now he could put it to use for Genis. It was still needed.

"Lord Yggdrasill," an angel greeted them mechanically. Mithos barely gave it a cursory glance as he led Genis into a laboratory for magitechnology research, down silent corridors lit by cold white light.

[twohares]

"Oh. What I mean is, they don't look happy..." Genis corrected himself uneasily. It occurred to him that that the people here were probably more like Colette and Presea than anything. Like dolls without any desire except to continue living. A shiver ran down his spine. Countless people, just like the two of them. That was a choice they made, though.

The researchers didn't seem much different from the other angels. Genis's heart skipped a beat at the name Lord Yggdrasill before he remembered. Mithos was Yggdrasill. He was so used to that name that he didn't even need to acknowledge it. He always was and always would be the same person.

...he'd always be his friend. He took a breath, grasping the Exsphere in his hands. There was nothing to be afraid of.

That greeting seemed to be the only noise they heard for a while. Soon, they might as well have been alone again. Their footsteps echoed softly against the silence. It almost felt like they were walking faraway, forgotten ruins that no-one had visited in centuries. It was quiet and lifeless.

"...I wonder if Raine will like it here," he thought aloud.

[normalization]

Ah, well, he could agree that they wouldn't seem 'happy'. They had been freed from all feeling. "Well, they wouldn't. They left all emotions behind for the sake of their continued existence," he explained easily. It was a trivial thing, even if his own will was too strong to be swayed by the angel transformation.

They passed closed doors with no writing; the angels knew where they had to go. Eventually, Mithos stopped outside of one and waved his hand over a sensor to open it as he answered Genis.

"It's completely different from Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, so it might be a bit surprising." A bit. He led them into the room, where various pieces of magitechnological equipment and tools sat neatly arranged on shelves and tables. They were all in pristine condition but not in use...yet.

He picked up a clear capsule from one of shelves and nodded to Genis in encouragement. "But once she's accustomed to it, she'll see how much better it is for us to live here."

[twohares]

He wondered how Mithos could say that like it was no big deal. He frowned as he looked at Mithos, questioning if he was really okay with that. It was their choice, but...there had to have been another way, right? Living with no feelings seemed so sad...even if the angels couldn't even comprehend that now.

As they entered the new room, Genis had to slow down again to take in the sights. "A bit surprising," yeah. There was nothing like this outside of the Desian and Renegade bases. The room and all its equipment was all so clean and new. Everything looked completely unused, like it have been set up for them just now.

And Mithos looked so comfortable. It was no wonder Mithos always seemed to know so much before; Genis couldn't begin to guess breadth the knowledge Mithos must have had. He stepped closer, opening his hands to let Mithos work with the shards. They'd probably go into the capsule to be stabilized, he figured.

"Because there aren't any humans here?" he guessed.

[normalization]

Genis seemed a bit troubled...and while part of Mithos was disappointed, he still understood that they had just come through a whirlwind of events. Genis' entire world had just changed entirely--it had opened up into something glorious. He just needed the time to take it all in.

And he was worried for his sister, of course. Mithos understood.

Even that bit of disappointed was pushed aside at Genis' guess, and Mithos nodded. "That's right. Neither of you will ever have to fear those inferior beings again." He used magic as he spoke to gently carry the Exsphere shards into the capsule, and then explained, "this will concentrate mana around the Exsphere to stabilize it. Now we just have to connect it."

He motioned to a pipe-like tube that ran from floor to ceiling in one corner of the room; smaller pipes branched from the main one and ran all through the room like a web. No mana flowed through them yet, but only because the valves were closed. A small pipe close to them had a connection where the capsule could be secured. "Genis, connect it here. I'll open the mana flow, all right?"

[twohares]

Genis felt like that promise was what brought so many angels here. No longer needing to fear being hated or hurt... It was right, but it was wrong, too. He still couldn't fully stomach it.

By the time Raine returned, he hoped this place was warmer. He hoped he could do more for her than just make sure she no longer had to fear humans' changing attitudes and the possibility they'd need to run away again. Though, just that would make her happy too, wouldn't it? Not having to be afraid was something he always wanted...

As Mithos explained the process, Genis followed along with his eyes. That's right. This was just like a Desian facility. He could already imagine what the room would look like when the mana flow was opened and the pipes lit up. Just this one room would use an insane amount of mana, just to keep Raine alive and make sure her soul would never fade.

...he should be upset, but he was grateful. Just a bit of heaviness left his chest. If Mithos were actually coldhearted and indifferent to others, he would never do something like this for the two of them. They could find a way to make this place feel warmer. There had to be more than just surviving.

"Right," he answered quietly yet enthusiastically. He embraced the capsule in his hands once before carefully making his way to the connecting pipe. After this, he wouldn't be able to hold her anymore—not for a long time, he corrected himself. A strained smile came to his face before he gently placed the capsule inside. Everything would be okay.

"Thank you, Mithos..."

[normalization]

Mithos waited until the capsule was connected before he started to turn the wheel that controlled the valve. A trickle of mana starting to flow through the pipe, quickly becoming a large, glowing stream. It filled the capsule like liquid light, holding the Exsphere shards suspended in the centre.

It was no insignificant level of mana, supplied here now at the cost of multiple lives. But what did that matter? Not all lives were created equally, and sacrifices were a necessary aspect of life. Mithos just happened to be the judge who could decide who was worthy and who was not.

Genis was worthy, though, and so was his sister, so Mithos' smile to Genis was genuine. "We're friends, so it's all right. You and your sister will have as much mana as you need at your disposal." No matter how many lives were required, since other lives were insignificant in comparison.

[twohares]

Yeah, Mithos was really nice. It was easy to smile as he saw the mana filling up the capsule and pipes. She'd live here for as long as it'd take. His fingers gently traced along the glass, feeling the mana warm his fingertips. It was life. There was no way he could doubt that. His heart felt light again.

After a few moments, he turned to look at Mithos, though his hand stayed pressed to the wall.

"Yeah. I can't believe you can do all this. You're really amazing."

They would always be friends. Mithos was the same as he had ever been. He could worry about the future, the angels, the two worlds, another time. Right now, he couldn't think about anything but Raine and Mithos. Their sisters' lives were invaluable. At least they understood that.

[normalization]

"It's nothing. I've just had a lot of experience," he replied with rare humility. Mithos was confident in his abilities and knowledge, but Genis was so honest in his praise... He was a true friend.

And while Mithos was being truthful, there was something he could admit. "To be honest, I haven't worked with a broken Exsphere before. For our purposes, if they had been broken, they weren't much use, so we just kept them in storage for recycling..." He trailed off as he pondered. The ones in storage wouldn't be useful comparisons now; they had been broken too long. If he wanted experimental material to test the best way to revive Raine, he'd need one that was similar to her state.

"Genis, can I have your Exsphere?" he asked abruptly, but quickly reassured, "Oh, but don't worry. It'll just be temporary." Yes, he'd soon give Genis a much better one.

[twohares]

He laughed a little, as hollow as it was, hearing Mithos's answer. He was being humble, and it was so like him. He was Mithos.

The brief period of laughter ended with Mithos's admission, though. It wasn't that surprising. He was more surprised when Mithos told him that there was still a way to revive Raine even if her Exsphere was in pieces. He stayed silent, fingers nervously stroking the glass as if to comfort her - and maybe himself too.

Yet hearing Mithos's next question broke him out of his daze. Genis blinked, finally pulling his hand away from Raine's Exsphere to hold his own hand. "My Exsphere?" he echoed. He looked at Mithos as if that'd make things clear. Maybe it was because he and Raine were related, and their mana signatures would be similar? The pieces didn't connect in his mind, but in the end, there wouldn't be any harm to it. It would only be temporary, after all. He looked down, nodding slowly before pulling the crystal from the Key Crest. "Sure. Here."

He held out the blue Exsphere out to his friend with an open hand.

[normalization]

He knew that reviving someone from a shattered Exsphere was no easy task, to say the least, but Mithos would never consider it impossible. He had the world's best powers and facilities--as well as eternity--at his disposal; if he wanted something, he would make it happen.

No matter what.

"Thank you," he nodded and carefully grasped the Exsphere.

There was no hesitation. Mithos concentrated magic in his hand and snapped his fist shut, crushing the Exsphere with a small crack.

There was nothing to it. He didn't consider for a second whose lives might have been used to make it; he had a purpose for it, and that purpose involved smashing it to smithereens.

[twohares]

Genis's eyes widened, and he felt something else inside him break along with that snap. Genis stared in shock at Mithos's fist, unable to believe what just happened.

That was Marble's Exsphere... It was like a gift to him. He remembered all the times he could feel her presence alongside him when he used its power. And now it was in pieces, in Mithos's hands.

The pain he felt at that moment paled compared to the loss of his sister. He didn't have it in him to be angry or sad. The emptiness inside of him just grew deeper. He stumbled forward, looking from his friend's hand to his impassive face.

"Mithos... Mithos, what are you doing? You said that you were only taking it for a little while!"

[normalization]

Mithos response was only a casual, "Yes, I'll get you another one soon--a better one, even! So you don't have to worry. Nobody will hurt you here in the meantime." Certainly, without an Exsphere, he couldn't be as strong. However, as Mithos promised, no harm would befall him here. There were no humans or monsters to threaten him, and even if there were, he would protect Genis.

So there was no issue, really.

He opened his fist to briefly inspect his work. The Exsphere had broken into a similar number of pieces as Raine's had, and he nodded with satisfaction. "Good, this will work. Now let's stabilize it the same way as your sister," he instructed cheerfully.

[twohares]

His heart was pounding. He couldn't understand. He didn't want to understand. His face went pale, arms hanging at his sides. Mithos...

"That's... I-I know I won't get hurt here, but..."

The Exsphere was in pieces like Raine's was. It nearly looked identical. It didn't matter if he had another Exsphere or not. It didn't matter if nothing would attack him or if Mithos would protect him. He knew all that and trusted Mithos to keep them all safe. That wasn't the point.

"...are you going to try to revive her, too?"

Of course he wanted to see Marble again. Of course he missed her. But like this- this wasn't fair. He could imagine Marble's pain at that moment, her soul in pieces, being used like a trial run at reviving Raine. He felt like he betrayed her all over again. It was like when she was turned into a monster just to punish the three of them. She didn't deserve this.

He should have destroyed and buried Marble's Exsphere before this could have happened.

[normalization]

He observed Genis' dejected form with the barest hint of pity. "Yes," he answered, then amended, "partially. We can't just experiment on your sister, Genis. One mistake, and you could end up losing her forever." He tried to be soothing, but his voice was laced with warning.

That Exsphere couldn't have been anyone nearly as important as his sister, and Genis would have to grow accustomed to many more sacrifices. He would get used to it, or he would never be able to see his sister return to life.

"It will take some trial and error to find the best method for her. You understand, right?"

[twohares]

His face heated up. He felt like crying...because Mithos was right. It was wrong and unfair, but Mithos was right. He could lose Raine or, at best, hurt her even more if they experimented on her. To lose what was left of her soul—Genis didn't want to think about it.

He wanted his sister back. He wanted her back more than anything else. This emptiness was overwhelming.

Over the years, it must have swallowed up Mithos, too. That was how he ended up here now, not thinking twice about experimenting with another person's soul. Marble had already died... He'd try to make her continued existence as comfortable as possible. He'd apologize to Marble a million times later, but there wasn't any other way. In the end, he barely managed a nod.

"I understand," he murmured, a tiny bit of regret sneaking into his voice. Marble must understand, too... "There's no other way, right? We need to do this for her."

He could understand Mithos. They would both do anything for their sisters' sake, no matter how wrong it felt.