Hello there my readers (to those that are damiliar to my works) and welcome to another fic!

In case you have read my profile, you'll know why I'm publishing this fic at the same time as I'm working on Steel 'n' Blade Co., if you don't, allow me to enlighten you. This fic will practically be my first epic one and as so, will be extremelly long, so I figured it was better to start now if I ever hope to finish it. Now it won't affect my other fic, I'll try to dedicate myself equally to both, meaning if I can't write right now, I won't do writing in any of them! :D

Jokes aside, I SERIOUSLY need beta readers for this one! It's a big project, so I don't want to spend three chapters with my average grammar and spelling bothering you all. But for those that didn't see the announcement I left in my profile, I will put it here:

This is my first M fic, but I don't want anyone piting me for it. I'm putting it as M because there will be polemic themes, fighting, a little gore in some chapters, language and suggestive situations (not to the point of being too graphic. I don't have much experience there so I won't be focusing too much on this part).

Also there will be a Yuri couple here*. Why, you ask me? The "Tales of" series always talked about discrimination (half-elves, nationalities, even social classes), some more than others, but it was there, so I thought this would be a good topic to put here. Hate me if you want, but this is a reallity and is here, right in our faces. If you don't like because it doesn't match your likings, feel free to search for another fic.

I know you all must be tired of these warnings and want to simply proceed and read the story already, but bear with me a little more. I'll be using the entire cast of Symphonia, meaning there will be characters of the first and second game.

The fic is basically a "what if" that focus on a reallity where the Kharlan Tree died and never let the seed behind, Mithos and his companions weren't around to stop the war and it continued until something happened, making it end in one of the wrost ways possible. Destruction is upon the world, blah, blah, blah, you know the drill.

Oh and, before you start to complain about it, Nebilim is the villain. If you don't know him, no problem. If you do and is asking "why is he using him again?" I have one good reason for this: like I said in Age of Crystals, Nebilim is basically a name and a tittle (Dark Lord) in ToS1. He doesn't have a physical form as character, we just know he was a bad guy from the past with great powers and was so evil that he corrupted the weapons where his soul was sealed. Resuming, you can work on several different versions for his personality, motives, race and whatnot. This one, though uses almost the same appearance as the one of my other story (I think that look rocks on him!) is completely different. Want to see how much?

Well, let's now get to this show(finally)!

P.S.: If you can't guess who's narrating the prologue, I'll give you a tip: he narrated the one in the first game and its sequel

Everlasting Hope: Spirits and Demons

Prologue: The Second Invasion

Once upon a time, there existed a giant tree, the source of the world's mana and, consequently, life. However, war descended upon the two feuding nations of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla. At first, it started as little skirmishes, but, with time, it aggravated, turning into a world-wide conflict…

With the war, came the search for new, more powerful weapons. Weapons that could use the world's mana as ammunition…

The development and consequent use of such weapons, which were produced by the so called magitechnology, lead to the consume of vast amounts of mana, which had a direct effect on the Giant Kharlan Tree…

Eventually… the tree withered and died…

The war, however, did not stop, burning away the remaining mana in the world, leading to the extinction of several species of beings, including the elves…

Few beings survived the burning of the world's mana. Between them the humans, who caused the war, and the last beings with elven blood in their veins: the half-elves…

It is said that; when the last elf drew his last breath, it began…

Portals opened all over the world and from them came unspeakable horrors, which the world has never seen in such great amount… these creatures were known, since the ancient times, as the demons…

They came in waves, consuming and destroying everything in their path. The human nations tried to stop them, but their magitechnology powered weaponry was useless with the absence of mana and their old weapons were of little to no effect against the bloodthirsty invaders…

The war eventually came to an end… with all Aselia as the loser and the demons emerging as the supreme victors…

Dark clouds arose to the skies, as a city burned to the ground. Sounds of footsteps and boots could be heard from the streets. There were no more screams, for most of the population had either fled or was lying dead in the streets.

From the rooftop of a house built in one of the hills near the city, stood a solitary figure, with long, red-blood hair, divided in several thick strands that spread like snakes. His eyes scanned the burning scenery.

The figure wore a strange set of armor, which let the upper part of his chest uncovered, showing he had nothing under it. The rest of the armor was of a silver metal with inscriptions in several parts and its left shoulder and forearm protection missing. The figure also wore metal boots with details in red and brown and two metal, clawed gloves with two stones in the back of the hands.

The stranger finally found his target and smiled a wicked smile, showing two fang-like canines. He made a great jump from the roof of the building, seeming to disappear in the air…

According to the ancient elven histories, demons were creatures that came from a spiritual realm known as Niflheim. Their objective is to destroy the entire creation and return it to its original state…

The Summon Spirits, the guardian entities of Aselia and keepers of the world's Equilibrium, protected us from the demons as well. However, after the death of the Giant Tree, the Spirits left the world due to the absence of mana, discontents with the disrespects of mankind, leaving it completely at the mercy of the demons…

Yet… the demons chose not to destroy Aselia…

A blond, green eyed boy, wearing dark-blue clothes was running through the burning streets of the destroyed town, pulling along a brunette, petite, blue eyed girl, wearing white clothes with details and hems in brown. Right behind them was a group of armed people wearing helmets that covered most of their face, except the mouth.

The boy and the girl arrived at the city's plaza. They saw the other streets had been blocked by the rubble and the one leading to the exit of the town had more armed men, just like the ones pursuing them, coming.

The chasers finally caught up with the young couple, surrounding them with wicked smiles in their faces, like a predators ready to deliver the final blow to their prey. The boy and girl looked around and drew their weapons.

The boy had in his hands a sword with an inversed handle and the girl some kind of metal spinner. Their pursuers snickered. The young couple then felt an uncommon energy emanating from the armed men…

After just some years of unopposed rule over Aselia, the demons sought followers; people who would follow their orders in exchange for survival or simply power…

The rejected and discriminated race of the half-elves saw that as an opportunity to exact revenge for the years of humiliation and suffering in the hands of the humans and pledged their loyalty to the new lords of the world…

The demons then injected their blood in the converted half-elves, bidding their very lives to the commands and will of their high hierarchy brethren. These half-demons became known as the Desians…

Before the eyes of the young couple, their hunters became demonic beasts, growing fur, fangs and some even had their limbs shaped in weapons of bizarre appearance. Seeing the situation had gotten worse, the blond boy turned to the girl and said:

"Marta, run! I'll hold them off!", the brunette shook her head, stating in a firm tone:

"I'm not going to leave you to handle these monsters alone, Emil!"

One of the demon-Desians walked forth and spoke, in a deep gurgling voice:

"Hu, do you two really think you're going to leave this place alive? Our lord commanded your immediate deaths and we shall see to it!", the twisted half-elf lunged at the boy.

Like time itself had stopped, a pulse of energy came from Emil, who lowered his head, like a heartbeat. When the demon was half-way to the boy, with a feral grin in its face, its expression suddenly changed from victorious to one of pain.

The demon-Desian fell to the floor, a large gash on its chest, dark and purple energy emanating from it. Before a pool of blood could form, the grotesque creature turned into dots of red-poison light and evaporated in the air.

The other Desians looked up and saw Emil standing, with his sword stretched, the darkness from the previous attack dissipating. The blond boy then looked up, his eyes now a crimson color and a fierce, almost murderous gleam in them. He then spoke, in deeper, stronger and somewhat angry tone:

"Do you Desian scum think we're going to stay here and be your punch bags? Think again, you fools!"

Marta joined at Emil's side, with a determined look on her features. Some Desians swallowed dry, but lunged at the young couple notwithstanding…

According to the elven songs, when the world was young, before the coming of Derris-Kharlan, the demons were already at Aselia, which was but a young planet with primitive life forms. After the spread of mana, which acted as the exact opposite to the energy that sustained and powered the demons, it's said that the Summon Spirits came to Aselia and, together with the elves and the life forms that evolved with the help of mana, drove the demons and their lords away…

The invasion of the demons at the final of the Kharlan War became known as the Second Invasion… commanding the invasion was the most ruthless creature to put its feet on Aselia. An avatar of despair and hatred…

As the last Desian fell, Marta and Emil watched it dissipate in thousands of green-poison dots. It was then they felt a new presence approaching fast from above. The two looked in time to see a humanoid figure falling from the skies and crouching in the middle of the town's plaza.

The figure then stood tall, the shadow of its red-blood bangs covering its face. Marta let out a deaf exclamation as Emil clenched his teeth, recognizing the figure…

Nebilim…

The stranger then looked up to Marta and Emil, a psychotic and wicked smile on his face and eyes of a crimson tone darker then Emil's with slit-like irises. The stranger's form was human, however, his pointed years could indicat he was either an elf or a half-elf.

"Well, well, if it isn't my two favorite runaways…", Nebilim said, walking to them, his smile now reverting to simply wicked and dangerous. "You two always put up quite a show.", he looked around to the dissipating corpses of the Desians.

"Like I care about your opinion in entertainment.", Emil said, his tone seeming even angrier than before. "Get closer and I'll gut you alive."

"Huhuhu… always the one to threaten everything that displeases you. Isn't that right… ?", Nebilim turned his body to the side, closing his eyes as he spoke. He opened them, showing a malicious, piercing gleam as he spoke the next phrase in a deep, almost cold tone. "Ratatosk."

"And you always making a dramatic acting out of everything... now get out of our way!"

The blonde pointed his sword to Nebilim, who just smiled. Marta stood quite, observing the two. She wanted to do something to help Emil, but knew they weren't even close to match Nebilim in power. Not yet…

"Are you sure you want to fight me, Ratatosk?", Nebilim said, his smile never faltering. "You know very well your resistance would be a waste of both our time. Just give up and go reunite with your brethren."

"You're twice wrong, you demonic bastard.", Emil spoke, charging darkness on his blade. "I'm not going anywhere and my name is Emil! Dark Fang!"

Emil swung his sword, producing an ethereal blade made of darkness. Nebilim simply raised his hand and pointed his palm to the incoming attack. When it collided, it tried to push Nebilim's hand, just to start to shrink until it disappeared in the hand of the powerful being.

Nebilim felt another attack coming, this time it was wind blades. The powerful being avoided them with quick moves. When the attack stopped, he stood tall again, looking to Marta with a stone expression on his features as the girl just ended to spin her body.

"You certainly have an interesting taste for females, Ratatosk.", Nebilim said, putting his right hand on his side, his expression now a bothered one. "But I suppose you don't have the luxury to choose anything nowadays…"

Emil and Marta eyed their enemy, who spoke like they were having a casual conversation after a day of hard work.

"However, I'm afraid she won't mean anything in the end… but…", Nebilim then smirked again. "As a sign of compassion, I'll kill you both at the same time."

"I don't think so.", Emil said, his teeth clenched once more, as he inverted the grip on his sword and put it behind him, charging a new kind of energy on his blade; his spiritual energy. Marta noticed that and got worried.

"Emil. You can't be thinking on… !", she was interrupted by the crimson eyed boy.

"If I don't, we won't escape from him!", he said, as multicolored flames ignited around the blade.

"Hu, c'mon.", Nebilim said, still with his smirk. "You don't have enough power to use this Arte ye…"

"Wanna bet? Ain Soph Aur!", Emil then swung his blade, releasing a big blast of multicolored energy. Nebilim's smirk immediately dropped.

"No way. He shouldn't be able to…", the powerful being said to himself, observing the blast coming towards him. "Ungh!", Nebilim threw his arms to his front, using his metal clad hands to stop the incoming attack, which pushed back against him.

Emil was panting heavily as he observed the attack collide. Before collapse to the ground, Emil was caught by Marta, who called his name. The brunette felt he was still breathing and looked to Nebilim's direction, the ruthless being was still trying to repel the attack, which persisted in its attempt to engulf him. She passed Emil's right arm around her shoulder and bolted to the exit of the city.

"Wait... guh!", Nebilim said, looking to the girl, but the blast of spiritual energy pressed against him again. Nebilim grid his teeth. "Soul Reaper!", energy accumulated in the claws of the metal gauntlets, making the two crystals on them shine brightly. Nebilim then inverted the position of his hands and the claws of his gauntlets extended with demonic, flaming energy, piercing through the blast of Emil's attack.

The demonic general then spread his extended claws to the side, "ripping" the blast from its center to the borders and dispelling it. When the spiritual energy dispersed, Nebilim resumed his pose and looked to the entrance of the destroyed town. Marta and Emil were nowhere in sight.

"Dammit."

As people lost their hope against the seemingly unbeatable opponent, the world started collapse right before their eyes as a consequence of the spreading of the demonic energy known as chaos and the burn of mana…

Forests withered and died or turned into stone in matter of days…

Healthy fields turned into waste lands…

Deserts expanded and the seas around glaciers froze, as the water of lakes and rivers either dried up or turned into poison…

All these events culminated in the coming of a new force to Aselia …

Angels descended from the skies, fighting and driving away demons attacking villages. These angels proclaimed themselves as members of the heavenly organization, the Cruxis. Agents of the goddesses…

As a small light of hope lit in the heart of people, they pleaded for the angels to banish the demons from Aselia and restore the equilibrium to the world… however, the angels refused to do so, claiming that entire situation was a result of the unmeasured greed and disrespect of the men with the life…

Cruxis stated that if they were to destroy the demons threatening the world, humanity should atone for their crimes and the crimes of their parents and ancestors, following a path of illumination and atonement. Once the spirits of the men turned noble and earned forgiveness in the eyes of the goddesses, just then, the angels would save Aselia…

With that, the church of Cruxis was born, devoted to follow the Faith, a collection of teachings handed down by Cruxis themselves and which the new society should be build upon… however, the punishment to those who did not follow the teachings of Cruxis' Faith was violent and, for times, those who broke the teachings threatened to have their communities lose the protection of the angels, turning into easy preys to the demons once more…

When news of demons disguising themselves as humans to spy towns and villages started to spread, a general paranoia and panic took a hold of the heart of people and all those that broke the teachings of Cruxis' Faith were seen as agents of the demons, depending on the gravity of the violation…

Cornered between the constant demonic menace, the fanatic followers of Cruxis and the slow spiral of destruction the world was facing, hope began to give place to desperation, fear and indifference…

Even so, from the masses of the dreamless and hopeless, emerged two new groups. These groups, though composed by the population of the shattered, enemy countries of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla, abandoned the senseless hatred which was the cause of the war and band together for the sake of freeing the world from the demonic grip and finding an alternate path from Cruxis' seemingly unreachable one…

These groups are known as the Sylvaranti Liberation Front, the Vanguard, and the Tethe'allan Renegades…

*I'm sure you're imagining who's the Yuri pairing. Well, I can't say for now who it is, just that it doesn't involve Marta or Sheena. I don't want to get mauled by the Sheelloyd fanclub (which I'm a member of) or any EmilXMarta lovers. Oops, I let out the main couples. Oh well, it was intentional anyway.

Don't forget to check my profile to see about what I exactly need to be reviewed if you want to apply to read this fic.