"You've taken so many innocent lives," a voice that once spoke to him so kindly, was now speaking to him in an exhausted, sad, accusing tone.
"I never meant for that to happen," he tells her desperately, his legs running with all their strength to avoid being sucked into the dark purple vortex that pulls him so hungrily.
"Is that what you'll tell them?" she inquires gently, "The people of Iselia, Palmacosta. Is that all you have to say to them… to me?" her voice never rises in volume but it does in its tenacity and…even more so he hears her abhorrence.
"As one of those people you've murdered through your carelessness, I can tell you, it's not enough," her disdain is prominent as she looks down on him.
"I'm sorry, I tried…" he attempts before something catches in his throat, "I tried to save you, I did but it, it was too late,"
And although, in his mind, he knows that this is not the person he knows. He doesn't want to use that as an excuse not to listen to what she has to say because something's she's saying rings true.
"And I know I've made mistakes, mistakes that took people's lives and I'll never forget that. I don't want to forget that. I don't want to forget them." his voice picking up in volume, conviction starting to move him, "…but I can't let myself stop moving forward towards my goal to stop people from suffering and becoming sacrifices. I don't think what I'm doing is wrong," he tells her looking her in the eye.
"And you think everyone is equal," She says robotically, knowingly, "Yes, I've heard this all before but these are all childish ideals from a boy. A boy whose mother was killed by the Desians. Half-elves. People you can't forgive,"
"That has nothing to do with it. Race doesn't have anything to do with their actions; it's about what kind of person they are."
"…Well said," she concurs surprising Lloyd, "And your actions have said more than enough to show what type of person you are." Suddenly yet slowly, a dangerous amount of blood begins to pool at the rim of her hairline and floods along the right side of her face.
Lloyd's eyes widen, his pupils constricting from the extra light exposure. "…" Lloyd silently gasps as his mouth falls slightly agape. He follows a drop of blood that drips to the floor.
"Ahhhh," she contently sighs her head slowly tilting upwards letting the blood begin to drip over her chin, then down her neck.
"Marble…?" He quietly questions, "Marble…I…..ahhhhhhhhh!" He cries out agonizingly.
"Lloyd! Wake up!" a familiar voice shouts from below, "That's not the woman you once knew! It's an illusion made by Yggdrasil! You know that!"
Looking up at her face again, Lloyd feels his chest tighten, "But…she's…"
"You've caused enough pain. The best thing you can do is separate from them, leave them and join Yggdrasil," She tells him slowly, in her old, hoarse voice, "It's the only way you can redeem yourself. The only way I can forgive you, we can all forgive you."
As Lloyd opens his mouth to respond, a 'Vrrrrp' noise signals from behind.
"Yes," Yggdrasil's smooth, low tone begins, "Lloyd, join me and atone for your sins."
"What?" Lloyd utters under his breath, "Atone for my sins?"
"Lloyd, if you do as he says, you'll only be running away!" Kratos explains strongly, "You taught me that remember?" his tone changing to a more strained one, in his attempt to be heard.
"You hate the person who killed your mother, don't you?" Yggdrasil asks darkly receiving a painful noise to erupt from Kratos.
"Come," Yggrdasil commands softly, "Let's take our revenge together."
Lloyd's head had been hanging lowly for some time now, just trying to focus on running before suddenly gaining some hidden away strength, running harder and lifting his head determinedly.
"But it wasn't my dad who killed mum…It was your subordinates and the way you've made this world treat people as living experiments…That's what killed her…" he explains heatedly, glancing at his Exshpere with a sorrowful expression.
"And I'm going to save the world, the way I think is right. That's the only way that I can receive redemption," He says resolutely, facing towards Yggdrasil.
Turning back to 'Marble', slightly softening his expression, "I'm sorry but I've vowed to protect this world and its people so that no one has to be a sacrifice," he tells the illusion, "Yggdrasil won't make that happen."
Coming to a complete and total stop, Lloyd begins getting pulled backwards towards the centre of the mauve whirlpool. He prepares himself as he begins to fall; only to be quickly greeted by the ground, realising the platform had been a look lower than what he had anticipated and had only been five feet in the air.
Although nowhere in sight, Mithos' voice bounces around the room.
"Save the world? Don't be so foolish. Humans cannot be saved by continuing as they are. They'll only bring about more pain."
The voice fades away along with the platform and vortex.
"Thanks," Lloyd smiles gratefully.
Kratos nods faintly in response before staring at Lloyd with that usual serious yet unreadable expression, plastered over his face.
Nervously Lloyd asks, "What…?" Unsure of Kratos' intense attitude.
"It's nothing." He assures after a slight pause, "Let's go."
The two go on their way in search of the others, their footsteps seeming to echo throughout all of Welgaia . And as they do, Lloyd looks back towards where Yggdrasil once stood.
'He's going to give everyone a chance to join him, isn't he?' Lloyd wonders sadly, 'I guess, even he doesn't want to end up alone.'