Sorrow

Your last memory is the brown-haired child sitting in front of you. He looks surprised, as if he didn't expect you to be following him. He stops at the base of the castle steps, and looks up at you as you approach.

"What's going on?" you ask, puzzled.

"This," comes the deep, rumbling voice from behind you, "is a test. You are being given the chance to prove yourself." The man sighs, and his frown deepens. "Welcome to Sorrow's Keep. Step inside and find your way out again."

You look at the child and wonder what he will say to this. The child was once like you, but left home because his parents were to tragic. He felt for them over the year or so he was gone, and missed them deeply. You quickly take the lead and head up the steps. The man steps behind you.

The inside is much more than you expected. There are bright, brightly colored decorations everywhere. There are thick, stone statues of gods and animals in the corners. There is a large, round table in the center of the room. It is on this table that the man seems to appear. He is also covered in ornate decorations.

"Welcome to my house. My name is Sorrow," he says. "I shall be at your every beck and call. The moment you open the door, you will be under my control, but in order to do so, you must first do what I tell you to do."

"How do you know us?" you ask.

"You are Balthier and Celestia," he says. "I have spent all my life searching for the two of you, so when I saw you step out of that portal, all too recently for your appearance to have been normal, I knew I had found you. Now, follow your memories and see if they are real."

You head out into the hallway. "I think we need a guide," Balthier says, while you examine the hall. "Where is the next step?"

"I'm right here," Sorrow says.

"I mean a living guide, not an imaginary one."

The child laughs, "Imaginary or not, he is a part of our minds and our memories. If we are to see the truth on this, we need to follow him."

"I'm afraid I can't let you do that," you say. "We need help. If you just tell us what to do, we'll have it done in no time at all."

The man leans to the left. "Do you not trust me? What does that say about the young man who told you about me? Wasn't it the truth, or was it merely his interpretation of the truth?"

"It was halfway," the boy says. "There is good, and there is evil. This place is neither, as you can see, so we should watch you carefully, to see if you are really trustworthy."

You head down the hallway and into the kitchen. "Does this place seem strange to you?" Balthier asks.

"Not especially," you say. "I love the gold decorations and the statues, but I'm sorry, I don't understand why there are so many priests."

The child laughs, "I guess this is where the priests get fed for not being the best of people. But, the prison cells are real. You can see them only because of my guidance.

"I think we better keep going." You continue down the hallway, coming upon a large room with flaming torches.

The child pauses. "What is that?" Balthier asks him.

"Those are meant to draw us in," he says. "It's a trap, but we need to do something about it. Follow me. Closed doors usually aren't the best, so I want to free you from there."

You walk on through the hallway, but the child does not follow you any further. "Sorrow," he says, "I've got a bad feeling about this place. Maybe we should just leave, right now."

"I have decided to let you go your way as well," he says. "And all I have to say is that I shall see you when you get there."

You are confused and scared, but you have no choice but to continue through the hallway. The hallways become more ornate and more decorated as the journey continues.

Suddenly, a female voice calls to you over the soft murmur of the crowd. "Balthier," she says. "It's me, Melody. You need to see this."

You continue along the spiral, the lights of candles and lamps becoming brighter. The voice becomes more distinct as you approach the top.

"Balthier, you should see this," she calls louder.

She is standing by the last open door before the large, round table. Her face is clearly visible as she yells her plea. "Kellan, come on. It's been days."

You look toward her face. This can't be real. Her wild, red hair looks as it always has. She is wearing the same dress she always did.

"Kellan," she says again. "We have to do something. The wizards refuse to help, so what can we do?"

"I don't want her to die," the boy finally says. "Maybe I can do something." You watch as father enters his mind. You're questioning everything you have seen and experienced, and you're also wondering what has happened with the girl. Was she lying? How could she have gotten here?

A horrible, sinister laugh comes from the other side of the room. "Well, well. Look who it is. Oh, wait. She can't see me. Take your time. I'll wait for you."

"That's not you talking," the child says. "You're not real, either."

"I'm not what?" the voice comes from nowhere. "Of course I'm not there. I'm right here."

You reach the top of the stairs and you watch as the boy walks through the door. The young man is distracted, and you hesitate.

You hear the child calling, "Balthier, come on. You know we have to go on. We can't live forever in the present."

You quickly follow the boy through the door, and you enter a large room. You see the child standing to your left. He is looking at something, but you can't see what.

He turns around, "What is wrong? The door is right there." He points to the other side of the room.

You walk to the door. "Wait," the boy says. "You should look in, one more time."

You look back at the boy, but he appears to be unsure. "If it's the only way we can go on, then we have to take it."

You walk to the door and look in. It's a girl's room. The girl is sitting at a desk.

Someone yells behind you, "Go, run away. You have to run."

You look back and you see the boy and door in front of you. "Did you see her?" he asks.

You're confused. "See who? Who are you talking about?"

"We have to leave here," he says. "We have to see the world. Maybe there will be someone to help us down there."

You look back again at the girl's room and you see her lying on her bed. You realize what you're seeing. "The girl's dead. It's been days, and she's still there. She hasn't moved an inch.

"What does that mean?" the child asks. "I will tell you what it means."

"I don't think you should go through there," the boy says. "I don't think it's safe. I'm going to go, though. I'm going to save her." He walks through the door.

"Stop!" you shout. "Stop!"

You pull on your hat, then look back at her room. You are angry and crying. You take one final look as the door disappears from your sight. "I wanted to tell you that," the boy is heard saying through your mind. "I'm sorry. I'm gone."

You are angry and confused. "Why am I still here?" you ask. "I don't even know what he is talking about."

"I'm not sure," he says. "But, we're not alone. The one who was in there was the one who put me into the castle, the one that took the girl." He pauses, then says, "Let's keep on. Maybe we can get out of here."

You carefully pull yourself from your bed. You start to walk away, through the door. You walk down two steps.

You're lost, you think. Something doesn't feel right. You don't know where you're looking or where you're going. You just know that you must keep going.

You walk toward the large, red wall. You look at the person, who is sitting on the couch.

"Hi!" he says. "Here, follow this, and you will be relieved of your worries. Follow this, and you will be free. Follow this, and your heart will feel as though it will burst at any moment. Follow this and you will be free like you have never been free before."

"What?" you ask.

"Follow this, and you will be free in a place you have never been before."

You cannot believe he would say something like that. You knew that they would try to use you. You knew that there were those out there who liked to use people.

"Balthier," someone says. "You've returned." You turn around and someone is running at you.

They jump onto you. "I love you, Balthier. I thought you were dead."

"Melody?" you ask. You realize what has happened. "I didn't know you were the one. Why didn't you show it to me sooner?"

"I was confused," she says. "I know you hate me, but I didn't know you wouldn't like me."

"I don't hate you. I love you, too. We'll work it out."

She says, "I can't wait any longer, I'm starting to feel faint. Come on." She jumps in your arms.

"Kellan," a voice says. "Where have you been?" You see the boy walking toward you.

"What is that?" Melody asks. "Is it you? I like it."

"Melody, it's your brother, Kellan."

"I need you," she says. "The world has become dark, and everything is crashing around me. Will you come?"

"I can," he says. "I didn't want anyone to know that I was here, not anyone. I saw what they were doing to you. I knew they were going to take you; I couldn't let that happen."

"I'll take you," she says. "I'll take all of you. I have always wanted a brother. Let's go."

She grabs you and you hear a screaming sound as she is pulled away from you. You watch her disappear into the darkness.

"Kellan, you are my brother. You don't have to do this," the boy shouts. You turn and look at him. "Come on." He walks down the hallway. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you," he says. "I don't want you to go. I'd do anything to protect you."

"I love you, too," you say.

He stops. You turn to see what is happening. You look at the child.

"We don't have any other way out of here. It's the only way," you say. You feel a sharp pain in your chest. "Why can't we just fight them? Why can't we stop them?"

"Why?" he asks. "Because they're too powerful to fight. Look around. Everything is gone; they're trying to take us away from everything we have ever loved."

"We have to do something. There has to be a way to stop this. We have to fight against the darkness."

"But the darkness is your friend. Wouldn't you be against them too? Your kind does what they must."

"It doesn't make sense," you say. "I should be against them. I know I should be against them, but I can't stop loving her."

"You don't have to."

"What do you mean?" you ask.

"I mean that I make things a little easier every time I'm pulled away. I have to be careful with what I say. I don't want her to feel like it's anyone else's fault. She doesn't know you." He pauses, then says, "I'm sorry. I don't know why. I should have believed that you didn't need to hear any of this." He turns to walk forward.

"Wait! What did that mean?" you ask.

"I couldn't let you do anything like they had me do. I thought that once I told you, you would take your own path."

You look down. Your chest feels tight, and you can't tell if it's really tight or if you're suddenly sick to your stomach.

You begin to ask the question again. You almost say the words, but you stop. You see the boy and walk forward with him. "What did that mean?" You ask.

"It meant I could be a part of you. When they came and snatched me away, they did what they wanted to me, but they didn't get to me first. I felt something, and I saw you, and it all made sense. You and I listened to the same music, knew the same things, had the same dreams.

"I felt watched when I was young; I didn't know what it was, but I knew that I was watched. And then I felt something, like two thousand years ago. I saw my family; I saw my sister again. I was trying to get over here to you."

"I knew," you say, as though you'd heard it all before.

"Did you?" he asks.

"I think so," you say. "I don't know what it means. Something doesn't feel right."

"I've learned not to trust my feelings."

They grab you and pull you away. You hold each other as you are pulled asunder. You have no choice but to let go. You see the wizard and then you see Melody.

"You two were separated," the voice says. "There is nothing in this world that can come between lovers. My young love, it is time. It is time for you to join what you love. It is time for you to join with me. I can't wait any longer, Melody. I must go now. Be free."

Melody turns around and reaches forward, but nothing happens. She begins to cry, and you try to comfort her, but you realize that you cannot.

"It is too late, Melody," the voice says from behind you.

You turn to look at the boy. He is crying.

"She is bright, young, and pretty," the voice says. "I love her."

You can see the eyes of the boy as he looks at Melody.

"She is all I want in this world," the voice says. "You will not be able to join. Your feelings for her will not be able to overcome your feelings for the world. You will be happy in your own way, but I can never be happy. You will be with her, she will love you, and I will love her."

The girl is crying and the boy is crying.

"How?" you ask. "How is that possible?"

"In order to join, we must be equal. You will do anything to protect her, and you will not share with anyone else. You will be alone, and she will not be. You will not be able to join, because you will not be her."

You hear a loud, shrieking sound.

"I must go now, Melody," the voice says. "I will love you for eternity. Goodbye." You see the boy walk away. He stops. "You will join her soon, Kellan." He turns around and walks back toward you. "I'll do whatever it takes. We will make sure that you don't join. Go about your life. Be someone that you might have been."

The voice leaves. The boy walks toward you.

"Melody," the voice says. "Melody, please come back for me. I love you. I love you. Melody, please."

The voice stops speaking. The boy walks toward you.

"Melody," he says. "Melody, please," he says.

You see the eyes of the boy. You see the tears, although they cannot be attributed to him.

"Why do you look at me?" he asks.

"I'll be with her," you say.

"I want to be with her," he says. He does not cry. "Please," he says, "I don't want to be alone. I will do whatever it takes. Don't give up on me. I can't bear it."

"I'm not giving up," you say. "We have to have a better way to stop this. There has to be a way to stop them."

"We'll find the way when the time comes, when it's time. She's on her way. Remember, we can't fight them. We have to find the way to stop them."

You nod.

"I'll be a part of you. That will never change."

He goes away with her.

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