Chapter 3
Lloyd looked at the grave placed right next to his mother's. On the tomb stone was a small speech about Dirk, and how great a man/father he was. Lloyd placed flowers on the tomb stone, as he looked at it sadly. Wind gently blew, and blossoms fell from the trees. They were Ymir plants planted five years ago, and they were growing strong and tall as ever. Dirk loved them, and the blossoms had only made Lloyd think of his adoptional father more.
Lloyd still couldn't believe he couldn't do anything about that night, and slayed his father. But then he forced himself not to take the blame. He couldn't have done anything. It was that… Zeit, person. Zeit was going to pay, even more than Cruxis ever did.
Zeit. His face was permanently branded into Lloyd's mind. There was now way Lloyd would every forget that face.
"Lloyd?" a voice asked.
Lloyd turned around to see Colette. He was happy that he hadn't actually killed her. Since Colette was still an angel, she couldn't die, even though the wound wasn't all that vital. She was up and at it in a matter of hours. There wasn't even a scar showing where she was slashed.
Lloyd couldn't say anything to Colette, but rather just turned back to the grave. Colette gently walked up beside him, and looked at his face. He was a little depressed, more than a person should be about this. Sure, it happened a mater of days ago, and it was okay to morn, but Colette was worried. She'd never seen Lloyd act like this, never, not for anything.
"Are you okay?" she asked. And the moment it left her lips, she knew it was a stupid question.
"Yeah." He forced a smile, but Colette could see right through the lie. He really wasn't alright. He was weeping on the inside. Colette could literally feel his pain and torment.
"Lloyd, again, I'm sorry about this."
"Colette, this was going to happen someday. He was going to die someday." He said, in denial to his feelings.
"But you know that's not the way you wanted him to die!" she said, not believing the words that were coming out of his mouth.
"I couldn't do anything about it. I was weak. I couldn't protect one person that meant something to me. And here, a couple of weeks ago, I thought I had finally avenged my mom."
"And you did, Lloyd. Now, you have to find that Zeit and get revenge for your father."
"No." Lloyd said. "I don't think I can do it."
Colette was shocked. Lloyd never doubted himself, no matter how bad the situation. If he ever lost, he would train to get stronger, and try and try again until he succeeded. Dirk's death caused a part of Lloyd to die, and Colette didn't like what was happening. She wanted a world where people could be happy, not depressed beyond reason.
"Lloyd. You defeated Lord Yggdrassil. He was the person who had made the worlds split in half. That's almost as strong as the goddess Martel. Don't you think that maybe you can defeat a simple elf? He's not even that strong compared to Yggdrassil. You can defeat him."
"I had you guys help me with that. It was an eight against one battle!" Lloyd shouted. "I'm weak without everybody. I can't do this alone!"
Colette couldn't speak. Shock took over her body. Lloyd's fighting spirit and what made him, well, him had died. He couldn't fight anymore, because of this. A large burden of doubt had fallen on his shoulders and crushed him. Colette sighed.
"I'm going inside the house. I'll make us some lunch, 'k?" Colette faked happily.
Lloyd didn't respond, but stared at the grave. He couldn't believe he just yelled at Colette, but he had to keep his emotions from bottling up too long. And everything he said, he believed. He knew he was weak without the others. He sighed as he turned to enter the house. If only the others were.
"Lloyd!" Colette cried. "C'mere! Everybody, they're hurt real bad!"
Lloyd didn't know who she meant by everybody, but he ran to the house. When he entered, he saw everybody on a mat, battered and injured. Sheena's clothes were torn and her arm appeared to be broken; Presea clothes were also torn, but she had cuts and gashes and bites; Regal had a hole in his chest; and Genis had a large gash in his stomach. Raine seemed to be fine.
"Raine, what happened?"
"Lloyd. I heard what happened to Dirk. I'm sorry."
"Never mind that. What the hell happened?" he demanded.
"Well, I'm not sure about the others, but I was saved by Kratos–"
"Kratos is back?" Lloyd interrupted.
"Yes. I'm pretty sure he helped out with everyone else."
"That's right." A voice said, and when the two turned around, they found Kratos at the doorway. "I helped them escaped their death.
"How did this happen to them?" Lloyd demanded.
"Well, it was different things. Sheena had been shoved off a precipice, and I was able to rescue her before it fell on top of her."
"A what?"
"Precipice: a cliff."
"Oh."
"I found Presea in the infested seas of Altimira, and Regal was on the floor of the hotel in Altimira, already injured."
"Genis and I were found near Izool, where we were chased out. We were attacked by an elf named Zeit." Raine explained.
"ZEIT?" Lloyd yelled.
"You know of him?"
"He's the one who took control of my exphere and used me to kill my dad, and almost kill Colette. I swear, when I get to meet him–"
"Zeit? That bastard who pushed me off a cliff?" Sheena said, as she slowly, and painfully lifted herself up.
"Sheena, you mustn't get up." Raine warned. "You're not fully healed. Please. Sit back down."
"Like hell I will." Sheena said, holding her am as she lifted herself up with her legs. She gritted her teeth on pain, but she continued to move. "This Zeit took away my summon spirits and sent me off a cliff. I'm not going to sit down and let him run around with my summon spirits."
"He has your summon spirits?" Lloyd asked.
"That's not all he has?" Sheena said, and then she looked at Kratos. "Is it?"
"What? Why would Kratos know?" Lloyd asked.
"Well, Mr. Perfect has known everything in our last trip, why shouldn't he know anything about this Zeit guy?"
"Actually, I don't know much about this Zeit, except the obvious. Such as he's an elf, and he bares a grudge against us."
"Why would he bare a grudge against us?" Lloyd asked.
"I don't know. Perhaps we've done something to him in our past."
"But the only thing we've done was help regenerate the world." Colette pointed out.
"Right. But along the way, didn't you realize all the destruction that took place. Luin, Palmacoasta, Heimdall… We were linked to these misfortunes. There must be something we had done to have made him grow such hatred toward you."
"What if we had nothing to do with him?" Raine asked.
"What do you mean, professor?" Colette asked.
"Maybe… we didn't do anything to him at all." Genis said, getting up from his mat as well. He had the same pain-stricken face as Sheena did when she rose, but he was able to do it a lot quicker, and it didn't seem to hurt as much.
"Genis you shouldn't get up…" Raine warned him as well.
"Raine its okay. I can move. It doesn't hurt… much."
"What were you saying?" Sheena asked. "About him not having any links to us at all?"
"Well, I wouldn't say, 'at all'. Just, we haven't had any links in the past with this guy."
"But then why would he want to kill us."
"Perhaps he has the same case as Yggdrassil. Maybe we're some obstacle in his way to his plans." Kratos explained.
"But we haven't been doing anything lately to have anybody ruin their plans." Colette said.
"Then, perhaps he just has a grudge against you being humans and half-elves." Kratos said.
"It can't be that." Lloyd said. "He attacked us, and only us. He attacked everyone from the group."
"And there hadn't been any report of attacks around here, lately." Sheena said.
"Then, what can this Zeit person be coming after us for?"
"That's something we need to find out, isn't it?"
"Hmm." Raine said, a couple of fingers stroking her chin, her eyes dazed with thought.
"What is it, Raine?" Genis asked.
"I was thinking… Kratos, you protected everybody that was on the verge of death, right?"
"That is correct." Kratos replied.
"Did you ever run into Zelos?" she asked.
"Actually, I–"
"Did someone say my name?" a voice called from outside. Everyone looked at the open doorway, and saw the red headed wonder, with his grin across his face like normal.
"Zelos!" Lloyd said, feeling like his good-natured self. "Perfect timing."
"Hey, Lloyd, can I show ya somethin'?"
"Sure, what is it?"
"C'mere for a sec." Zelos said, motioning for Lloyd to come outside. Lloyd followed him, and he slowed to a walk once he headed out the doorway. Kratos and Raine stayed at the doorway while the others laid back down, still in pain.
"What did you want to show me?" Lloyd asked.
"This!" Zelos yelled, as he drew his sword and tried slashing towards Lloyd. Lloyd dodged the attack, scooting back, and watching the blade graze his hair.
"Whoa! Zelos, what are–"
"Lloyd, this is where you die."
"Zelos? What are you talking about."
"You traitor!" Zelos shouted and charged toward Lloyd again. Lloyd drew his weapons, and made an 'X' shape with them, just as Zelos' sword made contact with them. The dirt under Lloyd's feet gave way a little. But Lloyd stood his ground. Lloyd pushed back, far enough for Zelos to get back.
"Zelos, what are you talking about."
"You killed Sheena!" Zelos yelled, and attacked again. Three swipes, and Lloyd dodged them all. When Zelos couldn't hit his opponent with a sword, he summon three fireballs, which Lloyd leaped out of the way of. But as soon as he leaped, Zelos tried attacking again. Zelos met up with Lloyd, and Lloyd blocked at last second.
"What are you doing?" Lloyd demanded.
"How the hell could you even betray Sheena like that. She was a friend. She was a comrade, and you went and stabbed her in the back."
"Zelos, you're not making any sense." Raine called out.
"You!" Zelos pointed to her. "You were in this as well, weren't you. You helped kill her!"
"Zelos, we never–"
"I'll kill you all!" Zelos declared.
Zelos attacked Lloyd again, but harder and faster this time. Lloyd started slipping, having a harder time keeping up. Until, finally, one of Lloyd's swords slipped out of his hand, and landed across the field. Soon, the same thing happened with Lloyd's other sword. Zelos kicked Lloyd in the stomach, and Lloyd lost his breath, and fell to his knees. Zelos was still a couple of yards back, but Lloyd knew he couldn't move in the condition he was in.
"Feeling weak, Lloyd? I'm pretty sure that's exactly how Sheena felt. And she was about to get married, too. Well, there goes her future."
"Zel…os…" Lloyd grunted, trying to breath.
"Now, rot in hell." Zelos said, running at full speed towards Lloyd. There was nothing Lloyd could do. Zelos' movements were almost too fast for Lloyd to see. The moment before contact, Zelos cocked his arm back, ready for a blow, and Lloyd closed his eyes. But a moment later, Lloyd heard a small grunt from a great distance. Lloyd looked toward the direction that the grunt came from, and saw a body fall out of a tree.
"Damn." Zelos said, feigning disappointment. "It was only a fake."
"Zelos?" Lloyd said.
"You don't think I'd really attack you with a grudge like that, do you, bud?" Zelos asked with a smile, and holding out a hand for helping Lloyd up.
"Who was that person?" Lloyd asked.
"Zeit, I presume." Kratos said, walking up to the two.
"Zeit?" Lloyd asked eagerly.
"Yeah. He made up some lie about you killing Sheena. I figured that he was on to you guys too, and he would only leave you alive if he mentioned your name. He wanted us to kill each other, Lloyd. He was going to watch it, and there was nothing that was going to stop him from seeing it. So, I had to fake an act until I could pinpoint his location around here."
"You figured this out all by yourself?" Raine asked.
"Don't act so surprised. I'm the great, and superlative Zelos. Now you can get on your knees and thank me like the god I am." Zelos said, holding his chin up high.
"He hasn't changed." Genis said, making his way out to see Zelos.
"And neither have you, brat." Zelos said.
"So, do you have any information about this, 'Zeit' person?" Raine asked Zelos.
"Not much. I've heard a couple of rumors that he was a person from the great war of Kharlan."
"But the person to still be alive from that time is Kratos, and that's because he was part of Cruxis." Lloyd pointed out. "Was he part of Cruxis, Kratos?"
"No. But there was a great elven warrior with the name of Arieos Deo Zeit. He was a great problem for us. Last I heard, he was executed by beheading."
"What do you think this guy is, then? A ghost?" Genis asked.
"No. Perhaps he never was executed. Perhaps the war ended before his sentence was official." Kratos said. "But I can't believe he would start attacking at a time like this."
"Yeah, it does seem kinda weird that he would attack us now, out of all times. If he really wanted us dead, he should have joined forces with Yggdrassil, right?" Lloyd asked.
"Not quite." Raine said. "He was Cruxis' enemy, remember. It wouldn't have been likely that he, nor Yggdrassil, would want to team up with the other. I think that they would have killed each other, instead of worked together."
"But if we killed Yggdrassil, shouldn't he be happy with us? I mean, his enemy is gone." Genis threw out a thought.
"Or maybe he's not thrilled with the fact that we might have taken his kill."
"What do you mean?" Genis asked.
"Perhaps Zeit wanted to kill Yggdrassil and take down Cruxis with his own hands. His revenge was taken from him. Imagine how that must feel. Lloyd, imagine if somebody else killed your mothers murderer, Kvar."
"Yeah, I guess I wouldn't have been too happy about that."
"Exactly. So, maybe he's not happy with the fact that you took his opponent."
"Even so, how would he be able to live this long, and still look that young?" Raine asked. "Has he sold his soul to an exphere as well to keep different appearances, like Yggdrassil?"
"Not likely. Perhaps he mutated his exphere to live longer, like I did."
"But it didn't look like he had an exphere on him." Lloyd said.
"Now that you mention it, I don't think I saw one either." Zelos said.
"Nor did I." Raine agreed.
"So, how is this guy going around at such a weird age-keeping thing?" Lloyd asked.
"Who knows? Right now, we need to head back into the house. Lloyd, I'll go to Iselia to get food and other remedies. You make sure everyone's comfortable and well kept until I get back."
"When will that be?" Lloyd asked.
"Maybe sundown. Make sure that this Zeit person doesn't step inside the house, you understand?"
"Yes, Raine." Lloyd said.
And Raine headed to Iselia, happy that she was finally hearing her name in a tone other than her and Genis', and this time, it wasn't used in a hateful manner.
Yuan stepped in a swarm of people out of a food shop. He held a little bag of fish and other sea foods, and started to walk back to his home. He may have been a half-elf, but he was a respected half-elf. Everyone seemed to forget that he was one of the horrid race that everyone hated.
Yuan had started a new life since the regrouping of the two worlds. He settled down a little, quit being the leader of the Renegades, and bought himself a little house in the city of Sybak. He spent most of his day lounging around, reading a good book in the library.
But that didn't mean he gave up on his training. Part of being a respected half-elf meant you had to stay in fighting shape. You had to keep your strength up, and building, make sure that nobody surpasses you too much. His training was as gruesome as ever, but he didn't have annoying reports made to him every couple of seconds, and he enjoyed the peace.
Yuan headed toward his house, not really looking at anybody in particular. But then he noticed something. He saw a young elf boy walking down the street, freely. Yuan stopped walking, and turned around, and looked at the young male. Yes. He was definitely an elf. There was no doubt about it. The way his eyes shone with pride, the ears, and the shade of hair…
Yuan wondered why the young elf wasn't back in Heimdall. Most elves lived there, and the ones that didn't weren't this young. They were people who explored the world to see if humans and half-elves were really what their families and friends said they were. Yuan, thought about this, and gave the young boy a weird look, even though he was a great distance away.
The boy stopped walking, and Yuan felt a sharp pain his mind. A voice rang through Yuan's mind as this happened, telling Yuan, "Don't even give me that look, half-elf."
As soon as the pain was gone, Yuan removed his hands from his head, and looked at the direction the boy was, and didn't see him. Yuan, looked around, not seeing anything but a large crowd of human. Yuan, shook his head, making sure pain wasn't going to return, and he headed back to his home. But mind would never forget the way that elf looked. As soon as Yuan got home, he was going to strengthen his training's intensity.