It all circles back to the beginning.

Disclaimer: I still don't own Tales of Symphonia or Harry Potter.

When one story ends, another begins.

The Goddess Martel watched the light fade as her pact-maker began the next part of his journey. She sighed and turned to face her visitor.

Is this truly necessary?

The man, if he could be called that, uncrossed one pair of his arms.

I do not know. He is not Mithos, and he has a destiny in both worlds.

Goddess Martel turned back to the sky, watching the place where the column of light had descended, for the third time in her memory and considered.

It seems…cruel.

Much does. That does not make it less necessary and… he could not leave this task unfinished. It would haunt him until the end of his days.

She sighed and turned to her new charge, the new Tree she was born to protect.

He cannot be like this forever; He cannot live in Two Worlds forever. What if they try to keep him from us?

They will not. Origin, the King of Summon Spirits declared. I shall ensure it. Lloyden Aurion will return to us when his destiny in that distant world has ended. He will have no choice in the matter.

He looked into Goddess Martel's eyes' Remember he is my Scion.

That is true, she replied, we have the stronger claim. Old things are stirring; he'll have to come back for that.

But even she thought that, she knew it would not be that easy.

What will you do about the Ancient Heroes?

Origin smirked.

Oh, I'm sure I can come up with some sort of explanation. After all, they fooled the world for four millennia; I think I can keep them busy for a while.

Goddess Martel laughed, a high bell-liked sound. Origin smiled at the newborn Summon Spirit, before his forehead creased in thought.

Besides, if what we think will happen happens, they'll be far too busy to worry about Lloyden Aurion's disappearance for long.

That's true.

On the other side of the world, at the island that housed Otherworldly Gate, clouds gathered. A storm was coming.

Colette stood on top of the Iselia Cliffs looking out in the general direction of the ruins of the Tower of Salvation. The light had long since faded, but if she stared she imagined she could see the shadow of her best friend's smile and here an echo of his laughter as he pulled off his trick.

She hoped it wouldn't be his last trick.

'Time to go back,' she thought. There would be excuses to make, theories to spin and questions to avoid. She'd have to lie to her friends again, in order to keep Lloyden's secret safe.

As Colette turned back towards Iselia she spared a thought to her best friend, who by now would be back in his own country, own world across the stars. He would have to face his Destiny as a Chosen One alone.

She understood why the rest of the party couldn't follow him, couldn't help him with what needed to be done but she still wished he would have let her help.

I need you here, keeping an eye on things, he'd said, for when I come back.

Colette had heard what he hadn't said, I can't lose you to him Colette and he takes everything I love from me.

'To be a Chosen, is to be alone,' she thought.

She hoped Lloyden's gamble would pay off.

Far across the sea of stars, Lloyden Aurion, The-Boy-Who-Lived, took his first steps on a new journey.

The Second Rising of Voldemort had begun.

END Book One.