The Court Case
A Tales of Symphonia fanfiction
By TimeStop

Chapter 14: Lush Life Livened Up

A party of women was seen crossing the countryside of East Tahjra. Numbering to about twelve in all, the women sped across the bridge over the Manauille River, not stopping for anything. They halted before the Lake of Crystal Dreams. Flaren rushed her hands through her hair, and began to speak.

“There are twelve of us, and this is a four-sided sail. I’ve used this to cross before. We need equal weight on all sides. Myself, Embre and Scorch, we’ll be taking the south side, since we only know how to control this. You all-- the Redjewels, right?-- you can grab on to the east and west sides, or right and left. Sheena, Singe, and Crimsonia, you’ll have to take the north side, so try to not get knocked off by the winds.”

“Couldn’t we just summon Raise to get across?” Sheena asked.

“I suppose, but much of your mana would be take up, and we can’t have that happening. Lapisa could die even if only a few seconds are not spared. Now, let’s go. Sheena, only use Raise in emergencies. These winds are rough, but you must stay calm. Or else we’ll all die. And I don’t feel like it yet.” Flaren ran another hand through her hair.

A small smile spread on the girl’s face, but it soon became a straight line.

“Let’s get to it! All, get your sides.” The girls grabbed the sail as a wind approached. Flaren yelled over its howl, “Here it comes, strengthen your grip!”

The gust blasted the women off into the air, drowning out some screams.

Lapisa was now finding it very hard to stay balance on the Demon Fang. The waves had now become very steep in size, and the foam was making the girl seasick. Perhaps she had made a wrong turn; she couldn’t find the coast anywhere. As she grabbed some food form her bag, the wind began to form water-cyclones, making it hard for the maid to eat and balance, all the while trying not to die. She was swept off the Fang and soared into the air. Shooting another wave of energy, the girl landed swiftly. Trying to steer out of the cyclone’s grasp, she felt her grip become weaker and weaker…

“Dammit, we’re not even halfway!” Flaren yelled.

“Maybe Universa or Astra or Cresenta could help us?” Crimsonia questioned.

“There’s too much of a risk for Sheena falling off. I know Universa can teleport us, but still…”

Rubyi’s foot hit the water, and soon she screamed. A wave had caught her off guard, and the east side of the sail began to sink. The northern side also began to plunge into the water, followed by the west side and the…

“I’m not dyin’ here! Revedufeu!” Flaren whipped out the fiery rapier and began to shoot blasts of fire under the sail. It began to raise, but fall at a faster speed. Flaren panicked and tried to stay afloat. Her attempts were failing.

“I call upon the Mistress of the Skies. Raise, aid us!” Sheena yelled, and soon, the Summon Spirit of Skies blasted the sail across the Lake.

Rubyi was gagging up some water and Saphfyre was trembling a bit. Topazen shook herself off, resembling a wet dog, just without the smell. Dialmond tried to wring some water out of her clothes. Emereld straightened out her hair as it clung to her face while Sardnyox just sat there. Crimsonia cast some fire spells o warm everyone up as the LaHearts did the same, except Flaren, who was scolding Sheena.

“We can’t let you get tried! I don’t want you to--” Flaren began.

“I have more mana than you think!” Sheena retorted.

“But you--”

“Silence!” Crimsonia shut the two up, Flaren you’re wrong. Sheena has even summoned all the Summon Spirits she has made a contract with--except Raise-- in battle. She has much more than you will know! Let her continue! And Sheena, do not wear yourself out too much! Now, let us hurry up and proceed!”

A long silence occurred until Rubyi asked, “Holy crap. What the hell was that, Crimsonia?”

“Being assertive. Now, let us go. This shoreline is the beginning. And we must find Lapisa!”

“O-Okay!” Flaren said, still off-guard from the yell, “We’ve got about five people here who can weapon ride, so we should split up and--”

“Wait a minute!” Saphfyre yelled, “How will we get to Lapisa?”

“You know how to sail?” Flaren asked suspiciously.

“Yes, why?” Rubyi proudly yelled.

“Then you can use my raft! Don’t worry, it won’t fall apart; I got some ore from the Lake of Crystal Dreams to reinforce it. It’s stable, so you will have to steer and cooperate!”

“I can ride my weapon.” Singe suddenly said.

“What?” Flaren asked again/

“I can change this to a blade easily. I know how to transport myself with many weapons. It’s like an art, sort of…so I thought I’d practice in the Guard. I did, and I’m well at it! NO time for talking now, though let’s go!”

“One step ahead of you!” Sardnyox yelled, already out at sea in the boat. A wave soon carried them off, Saphfyre immediately yelling commands.

The other six blasted off into different directions, like darts of light. Sheena watched as cyclones caressed the tides flushing them into an obscene blue monstrosity. Crimsonia screamed as she slashed through one, waving her way through the water. Flaren flipped as she rode, gaining her some speed bursts and cuts through air. Scorch just struck his axe in the wave and rode on. Sheena did her own way of surfing on her katana and making it though the air. Singe, with her weapon as a blade, crouched on the weapon, holding the hilt with one hand and balancing with the other. Embre used her spirit-fight weapon to float through the air at a fast pace.

Lapisa was now nearing another cyclone, just barely escaping the other. She knelt on her Demon Fan as she saw a mass of land ahead. But with that mass were some huge waves, and many more tears of air. Being thrown off into the sparkling water, the maiden of Martel’s song began to panic. Shoving her way out of the water, Lapisa gagged as she couldn’t muster the strength to hold on. She let loose her blades as a wave came up, hoping it would throw her up. It did not seem to grant her wish, and the girl struggled to keep afloat. She grabbed onto a small rock, plunging downward to avoid another wave. As she held on to the stone the other hand began to drop her blades, which she had put in one hand to grab onto the rock. IT was more like a very small stone pillar, but it was connecting with a little spit of land. The current suddenly became swift and Lapisa dropped her swords. Crying to get them back, she let go of the stone and burst through the water not caring what happened. As she though death was upon her, the current swept her under the tiny piece of land. Holding her head with her hand, she hit something hard, but it wasn’t the rocky bottom of the really small island. It was a ledge. Gasping for air, Lapisa found herself grabbing onto the ledge, surfacing out of the water. Realizing there was more ledge, and perhaps even a floor, Lapisa lifted a leg up. Yes, there was definitely more land. Getting her other leg up, she found she was in an underground cave.

“Thank Martel!” she gasped, “Thank Martel!” She looked around at her surroundings; not too spacious, but some jewels were in the corner, along with some other things. Lapisa stared at the crystals; they were of natural formation and very beautiful. Breaking one off, Lapisa made a fire one some dried seaweed she had gathered together. Using the gem, a lapis lazuli, light shone throughout the cave. She was wrong, the cave was quite bigger than she expected. Becoming calm for a few moments, a bolt of lightning scared the poor girl. Startled, she focused her grip on the gem and continued to search.

“We can’t get past it! Even if we attack, they just keep coming!” Rubyi yelled, the boat getting tugged into a cyclone. The raft suddenly stopped being pulled. The maids had hit something, a reef perhaps? Trying to escape the pull of the cyclone, Saphfyre’s foot slipped, revealing a small cave. As she decided to take a risk, the scythe-wielding woman shoved her sisters in. The cave, pulling the girls in immediately, proved to have a strong current. Just as the six felt they were about to lose their breath, they hit land.

“What the…” Rubyi plainly said.

“Emereld, have you any idea what this is?” Dialmond asked the green-haired woman.

“An underground cave formation.” Emereld answered, “Probably formed by erosion of this sea, these tunnels were made by small islands. So when Saphfyre broke open that small section, we were allowed through. These tunnels are probably safe now though; they probably only took so much before becoming as the way they are.”

“But we came through a hole.” Sardnyox stated, “Won’t we drown if the Sea of Light’s water flows in here and fills this cave up.”

“No.” Emereld answered, “You see the boat has probably covered that hole, and since the Sea of Light’s organisms are so different than ours, the reef will probably restore itself.”

“In simple terms?” Topazen asked.

“The hole in the reef will become solid, so we won’t have any danger of dying.”

“I’m cold.” Rubyi blankly said, shivering.

“And I am not feeling well in my stomach…” Dialmond muttered, “Can we eat something?”

“There may be some fish in that water over there…” Saphfyre pointed, spotting a water source.

As the girls walked over to the water, they soon found it was filled with fish, just not quite what they expected…

“A lake!?!”

Sheena gasped for air as she fought against the whirling force of the air. Trying to hang on to her now-unconscious friend, Crimsonia, the female ninja found herself slicing through another whirlwind. Barely balancing on her katana, Sheena’s sole reliance on smashing the wind was a set of cards, her favorite set, Asura. She had always kept them with her, knowing she held a silly (but important) sentimental value. She couldn’t throw away the weapon she was so masterful at! Often, she thought of switching back to the cards, but the Katana of the Frozen Moon held even more value than her cards. Not being able to keep up any longer, the girl smashed into an island, which wasn’t very big, and had a random cave on it. It seems Martel brought fate to twisted means, the caves, what did they have in store for the adventurers?

Flaren panted heavily as an injured Embre was held in her arms. Holding her rapier in an awkward fashion, Flaren found herself falling and then rising, very bad at the whole thing. If Embre wasn’t there, she could concentrate. She didn’t want to blame her sister, but she also didn’t want her sibling to die. Her brother Scorch, who had ran into some rocks along the way (due to the harsh weather), offered his sister a lift on his axe. The two got on, Embre barely holding consciousness. As the three rode on the axe, a sharp wave tore through the air, making the trio fly up. Singe blasted out of nowhere, slashing at the huge axe with her small sword. Surprisingly, the weapon that was hit flew to the general’s target, another island with a cave. Singe barely made it, as she too got to the land.

Lapisa could be seen blasting through pages of an old, yellowed diary. Flipping through the pages quickly, the dual swordswoman began to find out more about where the coast was, and about this writer. Reading aloud, Lapisa filled with a nervous adrenaline.

“It seems that I have uncovered another secret of this cave. Earlier today, I found that this cave connects to another tunnel, with a lake! I am in luck! Fish, and clean water! Bliss! I also found that the lake may lead outside, but the current of it is much to strong to test. But, the other tunnel leading off from this cave that I’m in also may lead to the coast across from East Tahjra! I will finally cross the Sea of Light! Tahjra will know what’s on the other side! We’ll flourish even more then before! Not like those Other Lands…I’ll do it!”

Flipping to the next page, Lapisa kept reading.

“Yes, I can tell that the lake in that one cave defiantly leads to Manauille River. I found some of the crystal it has in its clear water! Though, I need to build a raft, and even before I think of escaping, I have to get across the Seal of Light! At least there’s a small town that the river flows through, so when I leave, I’ll just reside there. It’s called Dilvin, I think. It’s really small, and I heard many more people are going to live there. But I honestly don’t care bout that. Being from the town of Delvine, I will prevail! But when I left to go to the coast, I found the cave was a lot larger than I thought! So now, I’m sort of screwed…but I did find today that the cave near the lake connects to two small caves, but they’re not of any interest…”

“I’m not looking too good. My hair is a mess, and I don’t know what went wrong. I thought I could keep catching fish, but I screwed that idea over. Leaving for the coast, I found no food along the way. Am I destined to die here! I am hallucinating and I don’t even think I’m halfway! WHAT THE HELL IS ON THE OTHER SIDE, DAMMMIT! AHH!”

A large scribble was on the paper; looking at the paper more closely, Lapisa found there was a hole in it. Unable to stop herself, she kept on.

“I am more calm now. I just barely made it to the lake. I must find a way to make it to the coast without dying. Perhaps I can make this fish into a dry food source. I can’t really do anything but move forward. I can’t go back to Delvine, either. They’re way too strict to let me come back without finding something good. Ugh. I suppose I could live in Dilvin, but I want to get to that coast! It’s annoying me what is one the other side. And the stupid fish have learned to avoid me. So I have to make do with whatever I can get. I also hear noises at night now. Monsters can’t be here, what the hell is it then!? I’m really scared to sleep, but I have to. I am going to cross tomorrow.”

“I made it to the coast! It’s so beautiful! But, I can’t go further. I have to make it back to my cave. Now. I must, or I am going to die. I can barely move, so I really can’t climb out of the cave right now. Will I die here…? I think that noise was the tide…of this place, maybe? No wonder, the coast’s waves are really loud. But I will be getting back. I really think I don’t have much more time…”

Lapisa let out many a loud curse before continuing on, it was the last page of the diary.

“I will dead in a few hours. I have no food, and I can’t live on water. I will try to swim using my will. Through that stupid lake, I am not deemed of even living anymore, lest calling myself an explorer…But I want the reader of this diary to know something: Leave while you can. If you are still sane, and probably young, live out your dreams. Do not try to cross, I beg of you. There may be more than you expected, and since the coast is above that one part of the cave, you probably won’t have the strength to get out there anyway. I am not saying to give up your dreams, if you are an explorer, or trying to get to the coast, but I am saying…don’t do anything stupid. And don’t leave your family like I did.”

“Diary of Lapise Redjuwel”
“End”

“What!?!” Lapisa screamed, throwing the book against the stone wall, “This cannot be! How could that woman, a figment of me, not make it?! Ahhhhhhh!”

Slamming her fist into a wall, Lapisa’s tears freely made an artificial waterfall out of her face. Being told to give up--but oh, not really!-- was one of the few things that sent her off the deep end. Kicking the wall evem more, cracks began to form.

“It is foolish to tell me to give up in a disguised form. I will go on. I will continue, and I will find what I must!”

Punching the wall one last time, Lapisa went over to the cave that had a lake in it.

‘At least the writer gave me information there was water here.’ Lapisa coughed. She snuck in, drinking some water. She noticed some bodies near a fire, six of them. Her sisters. They were conversing amongst each other and all had their backs toward Lapisa. Finding a badly-made spear, the girl killed some fish and ran off. Tripping in the water she just drank, a loud splash occurred. She couldn’t be with anyone. Not now.

“Who’s there!?!” Saphfyre yelled throwing a spare knife at her direction. Saphfyre was a deadly good shot, the knife barely missed Lapisa. Looking up at the dagger inches above her hair, the dual swordswoman ran off.

“I swore I heard something…” Saphfyre muttered as she finished her fish.

“Yeah.” Rubyi chomped into her food. Staring at two tunnels off in the distance, she continued to eat. That was, until a very tired Sheena and a barely awake Crimsonia struggled in. They were followed by the LaHearts, who were also in bad condition.

“Shit.” Rubyi swore, “I’ll hear them. Emereld go catch fish. Sardnyox, go see if there’s more firewood. Topazen, Saphfyre, you two need to go help get them by the fire; they’re soaked and need to be dried off. Dialmond, go see what was in that other cave. You’re in the best shape.”

The sisters began to go to work as Rubyi revealed a series of medical tools…

Seles didn’t really feel like getting out of bed. Even when she was at breakfast, she honestly felt like sleeping in. A commotion began outside, and she looked out the window. Many people were in a bad mood, and the leaders of Dilvin were talking about some missing people and a Sea of Light. Seles, very tired and annoyed with being away, used a spare pillow to block out the sunlight and went to sleep. Except she couldn’t. Something was wrong. Looking at the coast, she saw a long black-haired man get off a wing…He then stared at her and then she, realizing who he was, hid. Burying herself in a mass of quickly-collected sheets and covers, Seles hid herself as the man approached…

Lapisa was tired but her will kept her going, now almost at the end of the cave, she could see what the writer meant; it was exhausting to walk such a ways! But now, the maiden could see light. Climbing out of the cave, she was blasted by a view of seemingly endless sunlight and tides that were amazingly still. Everything was quiet, and the girl went over to a small pond that had pure water, but nothing else, in it. She drank and got some fish out of her bag. St least she wrapped them in seaweed so they wouldn’t smell. The girl jogged over to some ruins and began to read.

“The Hymn of Heaven shall be sung here. The song….the song shall quell the storms and clam the waves. The one with this voice will activate the opening of the cave. They must not fear, but sing. Silence may be around, but tranquility will also spend its time here. After the hymns on the slates are sung…the singer will have a choice. To live here…or to leave. At the present point, it will sound like an easy choice, but trials are ahead. Follow your heart, Lapisa of the Redjewels.

-Martel Yggdrasil”

A little shocked by the last few parts, Lapisa saw three black slates on the ground. Reading the notes, she began to sing.

“Great tree arise, show me the earth, the wind. Show me the trials I have not yet faced. Show me the tides, the sea, the sun, the moon, show me the stars, and the end of today. Let them winds be quelled, let the everlasting storm be calmed. Let the waves flow over me as a shell. Shell of the earth, shell of the sky, hold in thine hands and do not cry. Let the tides face me, two three, four trials may await thine in the future. Five, six, or many more…Let the lights of the Hymn fly…Let the world see the land…let them see something Secluded…let them see me…let them see the everlasting Sea…Do not fall from the sky…stay aloft and do not cry…leave. Leave me. Leave me and live…let the lights fly over the sea, the earth, these hands of mine…let this voice be the time-lain blessing…open the gate…my gate of destiny…I have come to live…what is going to happen…I cannot predict. There must be a way…to save ourselves and our foolish pride…our sins must be purged…let us live today and forever…Time flow on…leave me and live…Should I sacrifice myself…I have fulfilled my duty…peace unto you, and me! Do not let your heart mislead you…fate will help you in these trials…Life and live…Life and living…Do not despair…The quiet shores will tell you what you must know…Go on and do not fail…Great tree arise to me and flourish and live…”

Lapisa finished as a sudden movement cause a cave to be revealed. Immediately heading over, a faint song was in the air. A sprout was in the cave; quite small and strange for such a dark area. Lapisa touched it, and immediately it grew, blasting out of the cave. She was suddenly shown the Giant Kharlan Tree of the new world, and for a slight moment, it flashed, then grew some more. Thankfully, nobody was around to see this unnatural occurrence. The girl’s sight was thrown back to the tree she had touched, and it had burst out of the cave, sheltering Lapisa from the falling stone. A slate fell from the tree slowly, landing in the girl’s hands. Another hymn. Lapisa took breath in, and released.

“Life has made me, life will go on. I must know the secrets of this earth…give me my wings my sign please Martel…give me my swords that have waited…so long…I will use them as the weapons of justice, I must take them with me…Please let my wings come to me, let them aid me forever…”

Lapisa suddenly felt a huge surge in her back. Feeling strange, she stood from her sitting position and stretched. White wings, edged with silver, erupted from the girl’s back as the song repeated throughout the land. Lapisa’s sword flew from their cases and sparkled. Becoming more lustrous and silver, the swords seemed to glow with the power of holiness. Lapisa watched as the hilts became more wing-like, while feeling on of her new wings. It was very soft, but had strong bone. The swords slammed themselves back into the sheathes, and Lapisa began to cry tears of joy.

“Is this why I wanted to cross so badly?” she questioned aloud, “I am so happy now! Martel, as one not of the Secluded Lands, I than you with the most honorable of honors!”

Lapisa soon found out, that just like a Chosen’s wings, she could make them disappear and reappear. When she came out of the cave, she saw the tree out in full bloom, and the coast sparkling onward. Looking at caves near her, she thought that they were for the others who had Martel’s blessings. Beginning to go back to the cave, a streak of light created a bridge to cross. Also, many women (and one man) suddenly came out of the entrance to the coast, Lapisa’s cave. Rubyi ran to her sister, tears falling off like nothing mattered. Embracing her, the red haired sister cried. Saphfyre and the rest also came up, and Lapisa cried as well. She began to explain everything and showed her new wings and weapons to the party. Explaining the caves, Crimsonia and Rubyi ran over to their designated caves, and two more trees blasted out. Both exiting, Crimsonia and Rubyi showed off their new qualities. Gilmia, the noble rapier, had a much more detailed hilt and a beautiful blade that was more sharp than the other one. Crimsonia’s wings were white as well, though they were edged with red. Rubyi showed off her new dagger, dubbed the name “Healera’ and tossed it around before showing her wings, they were a great crimson and sparkled nicely through the sun. The women caught up with each other during conversations and Scorch made conversation with Saphfyre out of boredom.

“So…” he started, “Saphfyre is it? So are you, like, leader of the Redjewels, or something?”

She stared at him seriously, “I’m not like anything. I am the leader of our family. I’d do anything for them. So is Flaren the leader of yours?”

“You could say that, yes.”

“You don’t look too bad…” Saphfyre suddenly muttered.

Scorch got his hopes up as the girls asked, “Would you like to train with me later?”

A little saddened, Scorch became better in an instant and replied, “Oh, yeah, sure! I have my own dojo, if y want to train there…?”

“I’d love to! I’m very interested in the Secluded Lands’ way of fighting!”

“Okay!”

“It’s a date then!”

Awkward silence soon came. Saphfyre blushed, “I’m sorry, what I meant to say was…”

“It’s okay. I can deal with you loving me.”

“Don’t be an ass!” She struck him on the head playfully.

The two laughed a bit and continued on. While crossing the bridge, Lapisa flew around, playing with her sister and Crimsonia. After a bit of walking, the people made it back to East Tahjra’s city of Dilvin, where many more things were trailed to occur…

A/N: I really think I’m writing longer more often. That may be because more things are happening. So, I will continue the character list in the next chapter maybe. Oh yeah, only nine days left till the case. Read on when I update, which is also progressing.