Recently I've been playing my personal all time favorite game, Final Fantasy IX, and I decided to recycle one of the important plot lines into a ToS fanfic. So that's where I came up with the idea for this.

Just a side note: In order to make Sara's condition seem more realistic, I'm going to avoid using thought italics on her as much as possible. I want her to be able to communicate primarily though facial expressions and body movements, and leave most of her thoughts up to your own interpretation. Because let's face it, if she processes all her emotions in her mind so that the readers can see what she's thinking, it won't be much different from putting quotation marks as if she were speaking. :p

Kratos may be a little OoC in this chapter but I always imagined him to be at this point in his life.

Please excuse any typos or weird sentence error thingys. I'm pretty sure I've cleaned this through, but I transferred this chapter over from Microsoft Word and I notice that it can come out buggy at times for whatever reason.

Disclaimer: I don't own Tales of Symphonia or any of the characters in this story except Sara. If I did, there would be more Yuan and more Kratos/Lloyd father son FLUFF! :D

And now that I've chewed your ear off enough, please enjoy!

- Aemiz

Dozens of fresh corpses piled up against the side of a steep cliff that towered over the forests of Iselia. The growing stench of blood and decay loomed up into the sky and crept its way through an intricate maze of trees and bushes, attracting a multitude of various creatures looking for food. If anyone had been travelling along the main road connecting Iselia to the sea, a half-elf or perhaps a dwarf, their sense of smell would have been completely captivated by the vulgar stench and might have led them to investigate the source of it.

As the last of the Desian corpses smashed against the rocky surface of the ground below, Kratos Aurion soon followed, landing gently on one knee with his majestic turquoise wings outstretched. His left hand was coiled into the shape of his fist, digging his nails into his own skin as it rested against the ground while his right arm extended away from his body as it trembled, clutching the hilt of his blade as if he were about to lose his grip.

The former Seraph slowly rose to his feet with his eyes downcast as he took one giant whiff of the intoxicating air. He winced as his heightened sense of smell absorbed the fragrance of decapitated corpses and twitched in irritation.

After reluctantly adjusting himself to the disturbing stench, his crimson eyes hesitantly wandered over the bodies lying beside his feet, afraid to face the horrifying sight of the mangled bodies of his wife and children; his beloved wife, Anna, and his precious children, Lloyd and Sara. They had fallen to their deaths just as the Desians lying beside his feet had. He knew that… didn't he?

By a thread of hope he had descended the cliff, frantic to find the family he knew he had taken for granted all these years;but as he continued to stand motionless in the same spot he had landed moments before, he felt himself lose the will to move. As he loosened the grip of his hand on the hilt of his blade, he felt himself lose the will to fight. And as his took in another whiff of the nearly tangible stench of death, he slowly began to lose the will to live.

It's hopeless…He thought to himself as he fell to his knees in anguish, staring down at the coarse ground as his clenching nails dug into the soil. I have lost everything… Lloyd, Sara… Anna… They're gone. No…No! They might still be— He rose to his feet, his heart racing as he mustered the courage he desperately needed to continue his search. I…I have to see it with my own eyes! I have to...

Kratos withdrew his majestic wings and sheathed his blade as he took a carious step forward, gradually gaining speed as he began his desperate search. At first he simply scanned the surrounding area for any sign of a woman and two small children, or perhaps his faithful protozoanwho had also become a victim. He perked his ears up to pick up any nearby sound, hoping to hear the whimpering cry of a child or Noishe calling to him.

If there really is a goddess…

"ANNA!!" He called out, his heart racing as he waited impatiently for an answer he knew he'd never get. He pierced her with his own sword; saw the blood rush out of her corpse as it disappeared into the mist below. There was simply no way she could be alive...

More time passed as he began to pick at the piles of corpses pressed against the side of the cliff, hoping to find the hemp of Lloyd's red shirt or one of Sara's brown boots. In his growing frustration he tossed the bodies aside with inhuman strength, flinging them into the woods or head first into nearby trees. He knew they were dead, but that didn't stop him from pretending they weren't as he felt the need to unleash his wrath.

"LLOYD!! Where are you!?" He called out once again, his fierce gaze wandering frantically in every direction; once again receiving no answer.

Eventually his anger dissolved back into hopelessness. He was covered from head to toe in the blood of the perpetrators who had pursued his family for several years; and now they were dead. Not all of them, but many. He killed them. He slaughtered every one he could find, but that did not bring him satisfaction. It didn't stop the pain. It didn't bring him any closer to finding his family.

I've failed them. I wasn't strong enough. It's my fault entirely… I killed her. I killed my beloved Anna, who lost her mind and struck down my precious children amidst the chaos. My only son and daughter... It's my fault. It's MY FAULT!

"SARA!!" He called out as he spun around to face the opposite direction, silencing his heavy breathing as he anxiously waited for a reply. He once again received no answer, but the faint sound of a gentle thump against the ground behind a group of bushes a few feet away immediately captured his attention.

As he turned his gaze towards the direction of the thump, he took note of the bushes leaning backwards in an awkward position as if someone had pressed their weight against them, or perhaps rolled over them. Taking each step forward with utmost care, his hand subconsciously found its way to the handle of his blade while the other carefully parted the bushes that blocked his view.

The pupils of his eyes dilated as he laid them upon the sight of his precious Sara's limp body. Her half-open, bloodshot amber eyes lethargically glanced at her father as she opened her mouth to speak, but couldn't. Kratos, too busy to notice, released the grip on the handle of his blade and ran to her side, sliding down to his knees. After staring down at her limp conditin for a moment, he gently began to cradle the back of her head in the palm of his hand and locked his gaze with hers.

"Oh, Sara…" He sighed a mixture of relief and concern. She was alive—fate had reunited him with his daughter, but what about his wife and son? He gently moved his free arm underneath her legs but froze as he saw her wince. His eyes scanned her legs as he removed his arm from underneath and gently applied pressure to her ankles, both of which she fidgeted in pain. "Humph… they may be broken." He murmured to himself as he relaxed the tension in his muscles.

Kratos's gentle gaze wandered from Sara's legs to her upper body as he noticed the sharp claws of his monstrous wife had left several scars across the child's stomach, leaving her shirt blood-soaked and torn. He carefully lifted her shirt to examine the wound, which was still bleeding a steady flow of blood and could possibly become infected if he didn't do something about it quickly. Desperate, he quickly tore off his own cape as he ripped it into a bind that he carefully fastened around her body, noticing that the blood began to seep through the bind itself. Tears began to roll down the child's face as the pressure of the bind pressed against her gaping wound, but she did not scream or make a sound of any kind.

"I know it hurts, but it'll keep your wound from becoming infected until we get you to a doctor." He cooed softly as he carefully fastened her shirt back in place, realizing the child was still too young to know what an infection meant.

"…" The auburn haired child who bore such a close resemblance to her father glanced up at him silently with a bewildered stare as his eyes wandered back to meet her gaze.

Meanwhile, a mysterious light began to float down from the sky, radiating a brilliant azure color as it silently landed a few feet away from the reunited father and child.

"Sara...? Don't you recognize me? It's me! It's daddy. Everything's going to be alright, I promise! I promise, I won't let you die…" He murmured softly, hesitating before sneaking his arm underneath her knees. But why weren't you with Anna and Lloyd…?

"You know as well as we do that the level of magitechnology on this side is too primitive to give her adequate medical attention." A piercing voice came from behind, followed by a snicker. "And going to Tethe'alla in your own condition would be unthinkable. Your mana is severely low."

"…Mithos." Kratos slowly shifted his gaze to the azure light that had transformed into the blond-haired Seraphim in his Yggdrasill form, his radiant rainbow wings keeping him afloat. Another light followed the leader of Cruxis down from 'heaven' revealing the blue-haired Seraphim, Yuan, who landed silently beside his superior and wandered over to Kratos's side, staring down at the dying child.

"…Her condition seems serious." Yuan murmured to himself and shifted a concerning glance at his human friend of four thousand years, who did not return the gesture but continued to stab daggers with his eyes at Yggdrasill.

"…I am aware of this." He answered coldly, his voice and hands simultaneously shaking. I cannot lose her…

"We can help her, Kratos..." The blond half-elf stared down at his former companion with a glint of desire in his eyes. "…this child of yours--"

"Sara." He answered quickly and began to raise the tone of his voice. "You offer your help after what you've done to us…? To me? To my family!?"

"Now, now; Kvar acted on his own completely. I'd never wish for your unhappiness as long as your allegiance lies with me. I would have accepted your family had you stayed a member of Cruxis."

"That's a lie!" Kratos snapped.

"Is it, Kratos? I am willing to save your human child, because she is yours. I would even allow her to live with you on Derris-Kharlan, and you would still have at least one of your own!" Yggdrasill added eagerly. "From the look on your face, I'd say you cannot find her twin brother or your wife anywhere. They're probably already dead and I'm more than certain that you're aware of this. After all, weren't you the one who dealt the finishing blade to that monstrocity...?"

"Grr…"

"It's a miracle even she survived." Yggdrasill added with a hint of sarcasm as his words became piercing daggers that shattered every ounce of hope the somber widower had left. "Do you want to be alone forever, knowing that your family died because you weren't strong enough to save them?"

I wasn't… strong enough…? He gritted his teeth, returning his gaze to his fading child as she rolled over on her side ever so slightly; pressing her face against her father's chest as she quietly listened to his soothing heartbeat.

"But there is a chance that… I-if I look around this area a bit more then--" The former Seraph added desperately, but was instantly cut off by Yuan who had stayed quiet throughout the whole discussion.

"Sara doesn't have that kind of time. And I doubt either of our healing spells could hold her off in her condition."

"…"

"Pledge allegiance to Cruxis and we can save her together! If we work together we can eventually save Martel! And someday, we'll save the world again, as well; but I cannot do this without you... my friend." His eyes adamantly lit up with hope.

"It's because I'm Origin's seal."

"I won't deny that, but it's not the only reason." He quickly saved himself. "Well, Kratos?"

"I..." It was now or never for the ancient Seraph. If he rejected Cruxis, he may be able to locate Anna and Lloyd... if they were still alive; but by going out of his way to search for them, he would inevitably prolong Sara's suffering and endanger her life. If he pledged his allegiance to Cruxis, he may be able to save the last remaining member of his beloved family; but he would be trapped within their grasp for the remainder of his eternal existance, and he would never be certain as to whether Anna and Lloyd ever made it out alive or not.

"Before you give us your answer, just remember that there is nothing left for you in this world. And if you stay, everything you see and do will remind you of th—."

"As long as you can save her life, I pledge my allegiance…" He cut Yggdrasill off as he dropped his head obediently while holding Sara in his arms. "…to Cruxis."

"And?"

"…And I will not betray your trust again, my Lord." Those simple words were all it took. His allegiance to Cruxis had been reinstated. He could no longer go back to his old life. If by some miracle Anna and Lloyd were alive, there was no way he could go back for them. He was trapped for good, an eternal slave in Cruxis, all for his daughter.

Yuan's intent gaze lifted from the now-unconscious Sara to her father, who looked as if he had lost all of his pride and dignity within a single moment that he had successfully maintained for thousands of years. He pitied his friend, moreover he was disappointed in him. Though when the half-elf's eyes drifted to his ancient companion's child resting peacefully in his arms, his hardened expression had softened a bit as his mind began to wander. If he had a family, the family he had always dreamed of having with Martel, would he have had the courage to make a sacrifice such as this?

"Excellent. You have chosen wisely." Lord Yggdrasill grinned with brimming excitement. "Yuan, take the child to the medical ward on Derris-Kharlan while I send someone to assist Kratos."

"…As you wish." The blue-haired Seraph scoffed after releasing himself from his thoughts. He slowly got down on one knee as Kratos returned his gaze to him, his bloodshot eyes filled with concern as he reluctantly entrusted his child to someone else. Thankfully, that someone else was Yuan and not Yggdrasill. Yuan nodded reassuringly at his friend as he gently pried the young child from her father, murmuring to him in a whisper. "Don't worry. I promise I won't leave her side as long as I have her in my care..."

Let me know what you think!

I've already written out all the ideas for this story so there shouldn't be any plot holes. If you notice something is off please kindly let me know, but chances are I've probably already addressed it in my rough draft.