Chapter 1:
I'm waking up feeling unnaturally nervous and anxious. 'Why am I... Oh! Right, today's the day of the oracle and Colette's birthday,... Shit! I forgot to make her a birthday-present! Dad won't let me stay here to make it, so the only thing I can do is...' I turn, just to fall out of my bed onto the cold floor, head first. I stumble down the stairs and my throbbing head only worsens my already bad mood. 'I have to make it after school and give it to her, when she leaves'. I try to sort out my thoughts only to fail miserably. I don't even realize that I've dressed myself an ate breakfast, before Noishe tackles me to wake me from my daze. Still a bit grumpy, I make my way to school, to realize, that Professor Sage isn't here yet... strange. I take my seat, not even noticing the strange look Genis gives me. We start talking about everything that comes to mind to pass the time. Genis tells me, that Raine got a new Book and is a bit late 'cause of it. After a little while she 'finally' came to start the torture... *cough* I mean the lesson and soon after that I fall asleep.
I wake up and open my eyes only to close them again. The light was blinding, even more then the sun on the hottest summer day. I open them again, slowly, to see that the light is dimming and to realize that it's the oracle coming from the temple. As soon as it returned to normal, Professor Sage stood up and went out, saying: "I'm checking that. Stay here and do your homework!" and then she's gone. Turning to Genis, I see that he is already working. 'That's my chance!'. Slowly I get up and move to the door. Shortly before I get to it, I step on an Plastic duck and it quacks only to direct Genis gaze in my Direction. "Lloyd! Raine told us to stay here!" said Genis as he walked to me. "Come on, Genis! It's a exploration trip!" I say grinning. He just sighs so I turn to Colette and ask: "Hey Colette, wanna go with us?" "Sure." she answers, "Where are we going?". I sweatdrop at that."To the temple! It involves you directly, doesn't it?" "Uh... yeah" she answers and I turn back to Genis with a victorious smile. It makes him sigh again and he mumbles a slight "Fine" before we get going towards the temple and the massacre that awaits us.
Greeting us was a battlefield, no it's a slaughter! The last one standing is Phaidara. Everyone else is dead, killed by the so called renegades that are now threatening her. Her eyes widen as she sees us and she screams: "Colette, run!" what gives the opposite outcome. The renegades turn to us and attack us and Colette definitely won't turn back. So we fight. The Leader- Botta- stays behind and three of his underlings attack us. Genis immediately starts to cast a spell, Colette guards him and I'm on the front even though I only have some wooden swords. Te first one attacks ma and I defend while striking at his unguarded side, then sliding o the side to prevent the second from attacking Colette. Genis casts a few Fireballs at the third. After a few minutes, they're all defeated, but a bigger one comes. We don't stand a chance against him. He swings his weapon, ready to strike as a tall man with red hair attacks him. After a few strikes, the big one goes down, defeated. I watch him in awe, noticing the Exphere he owns. Botta retreats. Pheidara steps forward, saying: "Thank you for saving the chosen". "I see. So that girl is the next chosen. " he says, looking at Colette. "That's right! I have to go accept the oracle! Grandmother. I will now face the trial." A glint of determination enters her eyes. "Then I'll take on the job of protecting her!" I say happily. "Lloyd? I would be uneasy with just you." Phaidara rejects. The stranger looks at me and asks: "Your Lloyd?". A strange Tone underlines the question and I can't help but answer: "Yeah. But who are you to ask for my name?" and it sounds totally arrogant. Still he answers: "I an Kratos, a mercenary. As long as you can pay me, I'll accept the job of guarding the chosen." and Phaidra gladly accepts. "Hey! I'm coming too!" I demonstrate and Colette helps me: "Please. I get nervous when Lloyd is not around.". For a moment Kratos looks like a grumpy cat. "Do as you wish." he says and moves to the temple. He gets even grumpier when I tell Genis that he has to come, too, makes him say: "This is not a fieldtrip." and that makes me grin. "Thanks Colette!" I say, still grinning. "It was the truth." she replies with a small smile. We walk inside, towards the waiting Kratos. He looks at me and asks: "Lloyd, was it? Did you learn how to fight yourself?". Nodding I reply: "Yeah, although a traveler that came passing by a few times thought me some, too". That statement made him think. "A traveler huh? Where did he want to go?" "Don't know, never asked" I say and start walking.
