Preface

I still remember the very first time my friend showed me this game Tales of Symphonia. I wasn't thát into the hack and slash style, I was more interested in the story. So, I lend it from him, to play for myself and yeah, I was sold. I bought it for myself (it was pretty expansive for a GC game, but I didn't care) and played it on my Wii.

The story still hits me, up until this day, it gets grabs onto heartstrings and goes ham onto them. God, how I absolutely adore this game. I have played it for almost 200 hours in total and will keep coming back to it without a doubt. I am also a fan of the anime; it is pretty awesome.

So, being such a big fan, I always wondered; what if this, or that was different? And I came up with the following story. It is a different telling of ToS, because the start will be totally different and as I will move forward it will kind of go back to the original, but with clear changes. Some characters I had to leave out, because they didn't fit into the story I felt like. For the record: I don't hate Regal or Presea! I love all of the characters, though my fav is (maybe obviously) Lloyd. I already am writing another fanfic with him as the lead role, it's a crossover between Legend of Zelda en ToS called Tales of the Wild. These two stories have no connections, but I'd still appreciate it if you'd check it out ?

With all this said, and assuming you have read the summary, I will just start the story from here. (first chapter will be a bit short, but I hope to post longer ones in the future). Please keep in mind that English is not my first language, so there can be grammatical errors as well as maybe a weird phrase and such. If you come across them, please let me know, but please do so kindly, thank you!

And of course, please consider to write a review, what your thoughts are on this story. I would love any kind of feedback, as long as you keep it polite. Positive and useful feedback go a lot further than being negative with no real reason. I'm doing this for fun after all.

Rated T because of some violence, cursing, blood, heavy topics such as depression, death etc.

Disclaimer: Tales of Symphonia and the characters are property of Bandai Namco.


Change of Heart

a different telling of Tales of Symphonia

Chapter 1

Loss

Blood. His hands were absolutely covered in the red liquid, dripping on to the ground.

It was not his own. This blood, belonged to his wife, his beloved, the absolute light of his long life. The sword he had used had fallen on the ground, while he himself fell on his knees next to it.

Anna... Why?! Why did this have to happen? Why did you ask me to kill you?!

Hands shaking, he let his head fall into them, tears mixing in with the red liquid, so it almost seemed he was crying tears of blood.

A very young boy was watching this. He had watched it all. His mother, crying out in pain, twisting and turning, yelling to them to run. Her skin turning a filthy green, arms and legs extending, growths and veins appearing all over. Even her face changed. It became big and round, vein like roots all going to one thing right in the center; a glowing red orb.

The only proof left that this was once a human, were the clothes. Though they were ripped, they were still there, and it was very clearly the dress his mother loved to wear.

His father had set him at a distance, told him to look away. But Lloyd couldn't. He was not able to ignore the screaming. One, the close to desperate voice of his father, the other of his mother, so distorted that he could hardly recognize it.

Did, did his mom really just turn into this thing, this monster? How, why, what was going on? Lloyd was shaking and crying, calling out to his mommy. He wanted her back. She had to be there! This monster couldn't have possibly taken her place.

The desperate voices failed to reach her. Anna tried, she tried with all her heart to fight this thing back. But it was futile. The infection had spread to far. It was a miracle already that she still had a bit of her conscious left. But she knew that wouldn't last long.

Anna said her last words then, with pain in her heart. She didn't want to ask this of Kratos. But this was the only way.

"Please Kratos...kill me!"

It was not often to spot so much emotion in Kratos his eyes. It was a mix of shock, horror, pain. Desperate, but hopeful at the same time as he clenched his fist.

"I would never, Anna. Fight it, I know you can!"

The monster stepped closer and swiped towards him with sharp claws. Kratos dodged this with a backward flip, landing neatly on his feet. He opened his mouth to plead again, but...

It was going straight for Lloyd, with no intend to let up. Drawing his sword, clenching his teeth, he hurried in front of the monster and stabbed straight ahead.

The angels found them in one hell of a mess. Kratos covered in blood, and a lot more of it on the ground. The child frozen up in sheer shock, eyes wide open, staring at his father, but his gaze seemed glazed over.

Tears, denial, fear? The angels didn't care, even gave him no mind. One of them pulled out his communicator. It will be difficult getting a connection in the declining world, but not impossible.

The projector struggled to life, flickering constantly. Still, the small image of a man with long hair in a loose ponytail appeared, his arms crossed.

"Lord Yuan, we have located them. I will send you the coordinates."

"Very well."

After a few beeps, the man audibly sighed. "Cunning as ever I see. One moment."

The communication was broken from his side, so the angel put the projector away. Rays of light came down like rain and after a bright light, the same man from the projection was standing there, in the exact same position.

The two angels there bowed for him, both saying "Lord Yuan," in acknowledgement.

Yuan only nodded to them as he turned to study the scene. And what a scene it was. It was not hard to guess what had happened. They all knew what an exsphere could do to a person. Had this been about four thousand years ago, he would have felt for Kratos, he would have comforted him, like a friend would.

But those years were far gone. And he felt no pity for Kratos. It was his own fault, getting involved like this. She was doomed from the very beginning and he knew this. But still he got his little family.

Yuan clenched his fists. How dare he? Leaving him alone with a very emotionally and mentally challenged kid that forced himself into man just so he could be more intimidating, basically.

How dare he try to be happy again, after all the pain they went through? Turning his back to all their work and giving himself a second chance?!

With this built up anger, Yuan stepped closer, raising his fist to knock Kratos out. He had expected him to at least try to duck, avoid, anything. He for sure saw and felt this coming. But he didn't move. The last look in his eyes before the lights went out, were those of a broken man.

"Pick that up." Yuan grunted to one of the angels.

Why even bother? Kratos will be as useful as the dolls that were waiting for the next experiment. But, Mithos' will was law, after all.

"My lord, what about the boy?" The other angel asked.

"Hmn?"

Only now, did Yuan pay attention to the kid. He did notice him before of course, he just did not acknowledge him.

The kid was still standing and staring, as if rooted to the ground. He didn't even move when his father was picked up by one of the winged men and thrown over his shoulder.

A severe case of shock alright. It was interesting that this kid was still standing and had not fainted. What were they to do with a child? Yuan had no clue, but Mithos was very clear about bringing them back. So, he had no choice in the matter.

The blue haired man stepped closer to Lloyd. He only noticed because the mist in front of his eyes was finally clearing. Did someone come to comfort him? To tell him everything will be alright? He desperately longed for such warm gestures.

But the child received none. Yuan grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and lifted him up, as one would pick up a cat. The boy was shaking, big brown eyes staring into cold green ones. Yuan then shoved him into the angel's hands.

"We are taking them back home."

"Yes, my lord."

The angels would not dare to question their commander and teleported along with him. Back home, toward Derris-Kharlan. Kratos is not going to like this. Not that Yuan cared, he almost mused the thought.

"Bring him to his chamber." Yuan ordered the angel holding Kratos.

"My lord?" The other angel was left, holding the child.

Lloyd was being held under his arms, a little too tight, so breathing was a bit difficult. He wanted to cry, he wanted to kick and scream. But something told him it was best to be quiet for now. Fear won it over all.

"Throw him in a cell. I have to report to Mi... Lord Yggdrasiel."

An angel was the last to question morals. They had none to spare, unfeeling as ever. So, he just did what was told and brought him to the cells with the transparent doors.

Poor Lloyd, a three-year-old child, was left in a cold steel prison, in a place he didn't know, surrounded by people who clearly didn't care. He curled himself up against a wall and cried softly.