Disclaimer: I absolutely cannot own Tales of Symphonia. If i did, Kratos staying on world would have been an option.

Okay, I saw this thing on youtube that was a bit from another ToS kind of game (don't know the title so don't ask) where Kratos made an offer to save Lloyd's life and I thought it would be something great to play off of. Still a work in progress, but hopefully people talking to me will get me to finish this one. Mostly short chapters but they will grow in length. This is an AU starting from the Tower of Salvation, first visit. Lines from the game and manga are here, but a lot of deviation afterwards. Doi, AU hunny. Some OCs as some of the characters I'm using have no names or personalities, and there's a lot of theorizing later so please be patient. Constructive criticism is loved, so tell me what I've got to adapt or what isn't consistent. Need to work on that.

Anywho, enjoy! Lost of Father/Son moments coming up so love it please.

Any Means Necessary

1 – Turning Point

Even before the battle started, Lloyd knew they would lose. One: he never beat Kratos while they were training. Two: he could use magic, often better than the Professor and Genis. Three: he traveled with them for months and knew all their strengths and weaknesses. And lastly four: Kratos was an angel. They were going to die.

It didn't stop him from trying though.

Desperate to get Colette back and set things right, Lloyd barely dodged the majority of the lights raining down all around them. The others weren't so lucky, falling to the ground in pain. Ignoring the blows he took from the heavenly-yet-deadly spell, he ran around the traitor and straight to Colette. Their best bet was grabbing her and running. He was almost begging her to run as he grasped on to her shoulders. "Colette!"

A sword found its way just inches from his throat, startling him off the girl now turned puppet. On the other end, Kratos' cold stare tightened his chest. "It's useless. Give up."

Torn and confused, his head spinning with everything the man did for them, and taught him specifically, Lloyd looked up to him imploringly. This couldn't be real. Kratos wouldn't... He couldn't... "Kratos... Did you really betray us?"

The terrifying angel didn't move, didn't speak. Just stared at him coldly like he always did. They knew it was just a mask but there had to be something of the Kratos he knew on their journey left in there, somewhere. The Kratos who shook silently when he saw Luin's destruction, who helped them destroy the Desians' ranches, who helped avenge his mother. Their companion wasn't a heartless angel. He couldn't be. "Answer me! Kratos!"

The angel brought up his sword for the killing blow, a final and swift end. Their eyes stayed on each other, neither blinking, neither moving. The sword would not swing down. Lloyd could not see past the man's mask, but as sure as there were wings on the man's back, there was conflict going on behind the man's eyes. He could not bring himself to kill the lad.

Hope started to spring forth inside Lloyd, only to be dashed by a new voice. "As I suspected, not even you could bring yourself to fight against such an opponent."

Both of them turned to look at a bright light diming to reveal yet another angel. A young slender man with long blond hair and emerald eyes graced them with a flourish and grace Lloyd never saw before. He wore a white and gold body suit and a rainbow of colors in his wings. A bright green gem rested on his chest, and an icy stare that put Kratos to shame. Lloyd openly gaped at the spectacle, ignoring his dizziness from his earlier fight. "What the..."

Kratos swiftly took to one knee before this angel. "Lord Yggdrasil."

This angel, Yggdrasil, looked beyond his servant to the obstinate teen bleeding out slowly. His stare sent chills down the mere human's spine. This guy really didn't like him. "Are you 'Lloyd'?"

Lloyd glared back, fight returning to him. This guy was not getting anything from him, let alone Colette. "Who are you?!"

That seemed to be answer enough for him. Blondie smiled darkly as he raised a hand, clearly starting some kind of spell. "Out of my contempt for the human race, I will answer you. My name is Yggdrasil."

A large, no doubt enchanted, sword appeared before him, just hovering. Lloyd barely saw Kratos stiffen at the sight of it as the superior angel kept going. "It is I who is the leader of Cruxis. And also the leader of the Desians."

Whatever spell Yggdrasil was casting with that sword, it finished the instant he stopped talking. The force of a cannon ball plowed into Lloyd's body, throwing him painfully across the room and into a pillar, breaking it near in half. Pain so terrible struck him from all sides, trying to force a scream out of him yet denying him the ability to do so.

His body fell limply to the floor, barely aware of what was going on around him. The pain was unbearable... Lloyd barely saw the two before falling onto his face. For the first time he could recall, Kratos looked horrified. The blond angel was still smiling sweetly and with eyes colder than a winter night. His entire body felt like giving up, yet his ears continued to function as he bodily hit the floor.

"Kratos," goldie started, "do you have any objections?"

For a long, agonizing minute there was silence. Hope died within the boy as his eyes closed, likely for good. He could hear a spell being cast once more and imagined that Yggdrasil raising his hand to strike him again.

"Goodbye, 'Lloyd'."

"Wait!" Was that... Kratos? As his ears started to blink out, with his consciousness, he heard the bargain for his life. "He has the Angelus Pro... Most compatible mana... Others could be used for..."

"You would..." Yellow haired Isil's voice came and went too, more than a little annoyed by the suggestions being given to him.

"...Personal responsibility... can make it work..."

"The Chosen?"

Lloyd tried to stay conscious and hear the rest, but failed. He had a bad feeling about all of this, but did take a little comfort to his rest. Kratos didn't want him to die. But what about the others? Colette? What was really going on?

Too many questions, not enough energy. The very last thing he knew was someone kneeling besides him, carefully turning him onto his back. The grip was strong, yet gentle. He could only guess who was holding him, if anyone at all.

"Don't die Lloyd. Don't die on me again."

A/N: well? How did you like it? the Renegades didn't make it in time. Kratos had to improvise. I honestly think that the renegades saving him and the others stopped him from reporting their base to Yggdrasil in the game, but that's me. Here though... well, that's where the mystery comes in. You'll have to see it for yourself. Enjoy! And don't forget to comment.