"Lloyd, come here." Kratos said.
"Why, what is it, dad?" Lloyd asked, walking up to Kratos.
"I have to show you something." Kratos answered.
"Um, alright, dad." Lloyd said.
"Hey, where you two going?" Zelos asked, as Lloyd and Kratos headed for the door.
"I'm showing Lloyd something." Kratos said.
"Ooh! I want to go too!" Zelos exclaimed.
Kratos shook his head. "No!"
"Aww come on, dad! Let everyone see what you want to show me." Lloyd said.
Kratos sighed. "Fine!"
"Alright!" Zelos exclaimed. "Hey you guys come on; Kratos is going to show us something!" The group headed for their destination.
Soon they stopped in the middle of a forest. "Lloyd, this is what I wanted to show you." Kratos said, pointing to a magnificent mansion.
"Whoa!" Lloyd exclaimed.
"Are you telling me that Lloyd is heir to the Aurion Mansion?" Zelos asked. "I knew that your last name was Aurion, Kratos, but I didn't think you were that Aurion!"
"What do you mean, Zelos?" Colette asked.
"Well the Aurion Mansion was very famous back then, as in four thousand years ago. The Aurions were very rich too. And the owner of the mansion at that time was a famous general in a war between the countries of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla." Zelos explained.
"That was my grandfather. He was a part of group of soldiers who opposed that war, and fought between Tethe'alla and Sylvarant." Kratos added.
"Wow, that's so cool!" Colette exclaimed.
"Hey Lloyd, let's go inside!" Genis said. Lloyd nodded. The group entered the Aurion Mansion.
"Wow, is so wondrous and in great condition for a four thousand year old mansion!" Raine exclaimed.
"I kept it in good condition over the years." Kratos explained.
"Look, Lloyd, pictures along the staircase walls!" Colette exclaimed.
"Wow, they're in good condition too!" Lloyd exclaimed.
"They're pictures of Kratos, Mithos, Martel, and Yuan!" Genis said.
"Look, Lloyd it's you, in your nobleman outfit!" Colette said, pointing to a picture.
"That's not Lloyd, that's me when I was younger." Kratos said.
"Really? You look so much like Lloyd!" Colette said.
"Like father, like son." Zelos said.
"Kratos, will you tell us about your child hood?" Lloyd asked.
"I suppose, come on." Kratos said, leading them into one of the many living rooms. They sat down on the couches. "I was very much like Lloyd when I was young, very much indeed."
-Kratos' Past-
"Kratos, wake up, it's time for school!" Kratos' mother exclaimed.
Kratos moaned. "I hate school!" Kratos grumbled as he rolled out of bed. Kratos got into his favorite white nobleman clothes.
Kratos' mother pounded on the door. "Hurry up, Kratos!"
"I'm getting dressed, sheesh!" Kratos yelled back.
"Alright, but hurry up!" she yelled.
Kratos rolled his eyes, as he got his shoes on. "Where are they?" Kratos was looking for his two swords. One of the maids came in to find Kratos searching under his bed. "Ah ha! Found them!" Kratos crawled out from under his bed.
"Sir, Kratos, breakfast is ready." the maid said.
"Yeah, yeah, ok." Kratos said, putting his swords into their sheaths and buckling them around his waist.
"Your mother told me to tell you to brush that hair of yours!" the maid said.
Kratos grumbled. "Gosh, mom, you nag too much!" the maid left. Kratos went into his bathroom and fixed his hair. "What's so wrong with my hair, it looks good that way?" Kratos went downstairs to the dinning room.
"Oh, Kratos, your hair still looks awful!" his mother complained.
"Let him alone, Mary." Kratos' father said.
"But, Lloyd, he should look his best for school!" Mary said.
"It's the same village kids that he always hangs out with, there's nothing special." Lloyd said.
Mary sighed, "Fine, just hurry up and eat, you'll be late."
Kratos ate his breakfast and headed out the door. "Bye mom, bye dad, see you this afternoon!"
"You better bring hoe your homework this time!" Mary yelled at Kratos, as his ran off to school.
In the village at school. "Kratos, hey!" his friends exclaimed.
"Hey Genis, hey Colette!" Kratos said, running over.
"You actually remembered your bag this time, Kratos." Genis teased.
"Shut it, Genis, you sound like my mom." Kratos growled. The school bell sounded.
"Come on guys, let go!" Colette said.
Everyone sat down. "Today class, we'll be learning about the last war," the teacher said.
"You mean the war my grandfather was in, Professor Raine?" Kratos asked.
"Hmm, you mean General Aurion?" Raine asked.
"Yeah, Professor." Kratos said.
"Yes that war." Raine said.
"I didn't know your grandfather was General Aurion, Kratos." Genis said.
"Well his last name is Aurion, Genis. That last name isn't very common." Kratos said.
"Ok, ok, no need to get touchy, gosh, Kratos." Genis said.
"Your grandfather is General Aurion? That so cool, Kratos!" Colette exclaimed.
"W-well, heh, heh." Kratos said, rubbing the back of his head.
Genis shook his head. "You two can be strange sometimes."
"Alright, enough talking!" Raine demanded.
After school. "She loaded us with homework!" Kratos complained.
"Calm down, Kratos, we can work on it together." Genis said.
Kratos smiled. "I can always count on you, Genis."
"Ha, ha, ha, this doesn't mean I'm doing the work for you, Kratos." Genis said.
"I-I know!" Kratos said.
Kratos, Genis, and Colette sat down at a table. "I got some stuff I cooked." Genis said pulling out some snacks he made.
"I love your cookies, Genis!" Colette exclaimed, taking a cookie.
"Your cooking is always great, Genis." Kratos said.
"Yup, heh, heh." Genis said.
"I have some snacks my mom made too." Kratos said. He pulled out some of his mother's cooking.
"Your mom's cake is delicious!" Genis said.
"She put three slices in there for us." Kratos said.
"Your mom's really nice!" Colette said.
"Yeah, but she nags too much." Kratos said.
"Alright, let's get working!" Genis said.
The three took out their books and started their homework. An hour and a half later, they were finished.
"Gah, I hate homework!" Kratos complained. "And my hand hurts!"
"You complain about everything that has to do with school work!" Genis laughed.
"I'm glad its two weeks before summer break!" Kratos said.
"Yeah, we can go to the lake like we always do." Genis said.
"Yeah, I wish I could go with you." Colette said.
"Your father still won't let you outside this village?" Genis asked.
"Yeah, he said it's not lady like for me to be outside the village, hanging with boys." Colette said.
"Sheesh, your dad's strict!" Kratos said.
Two weeks later. "Come on, Kratos do it!" Genis whispered, harshly to Kratos.
"B-but I don't want to!" Kratos said.
"Oh you're such a chicken! If you don't I'll ask her for you!" Genis growled.
"N-no! You won't dare!" Kratos said, getting Genis into a headlock.
"I'll blast you with my fire ball if you don't let go!" Genis said.
"Try me!" Kratos laughed. The two playfully wrestled each other to the ground; Kratos was winning. "Alright you genius, try getting out of this one!" Kratos had Genis pinned to the ground.
"If I could reach my Kendama, I would." Genis said, struggling to get out of Kratos' hold. "Alright, alright, you win!" Kratos let go.
"You never manage to get out of my holds, Genis." Kratos laughed.
"Yeah, yeah, now ask Colette to the ball!" Genis said. Kratos gulped.
"B-but what if I don't want to.
"Come on, you embarrassed?" Genis teased.
"N-no, watch I will!" Kratos said. Kratos went over to Colette.
Colette had a sad look on her face as Kratos asked her. Genis saw Kratos' mouth drop open in disbelief.
"I-I'm sorry!" Colette turned and ran into her house, crying.
Genis ran over to the stunned Kratos. "What happened?"
"Colette's father is forcing her to marry someone and has forbid her to hang out with us anymore!" Kratos exclaimed. "She is going to marry some snobby rich guy!"
"Your rich, you're not snobby, but you are rich." Genis said.
"I know." Kratos said.
"What an ass!" Genis growled.
Kratos' fist clenched. "That bastard! I'll kill him!"
"Whoa, whoa! What will killing prove?" Genis said.
"Y-yeah." Kratos closed his eyes, fighting back tears. "I hate this place!" He ran off towards his house.
"Kratos!" Genis exclaimed.
"Welcome, back…" Mary said, as Kratos burst threw the door and ran up to his room, locking it behind him.
Genis ran up to the door, panting. "Oh, Genis, what's wrong with Kratos?" Mary asked.
Genis looked down. "Well…" Genis explained to Mary why Kratos was upset.
"Oh, Kratos!" Mary said sadly.
Lloyd ran in. "Mary, another battles coming! They're already picking soldiers to go!"
"Oh dear, not another one!" Mary said.
"They've chosen Kratos to be their leader." Lloyd said. "We can't go against it either."
"This is the same army that your father led, right?" Mary asked. Lloyd nodded.
"He's supposed to draft out soldiers from the village too." Lloyd said.
Genis looked up. He ran upstairs to Kratos' room and banged on it. "Kratos, it's Genis!"
Kratos opened the door. "What is it, Genis?" Genis walked in and closed the door behind him.
"Tethe'alla and Sylvarant are starting another war. Your grandfather's army making you their leader." Genis explained. "You can't go against it! Nevertheless, the good thing is that you get to draft your own soldiers from the village. My guess is that they already have some men outside the village."
Kratos sighed. "Alright then, you're my first pick, Genis. You can be very useful, being able to use magic after all."
"Yeah, together, we're unstoppable!" Genis exclaimed. "Why are you agreeing to this anyway, Kratos?"
"If I become famous like my grand father, I can prove to Colette's father that I'm much better than that stupid rich nobleman." Kratos said.
"I sinister plan." Genis laughed. "That's just like you, Kratos."
Kratos and Genis waved goodbye to their families, the army marching behind. The army marched towards a large battle-taking place at the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge. The people of Sylvarant were trying to take it.
"The people from Sylvarant are smart; the Grand Tethe'alla Bridge is an important part of Tethe'alla's trade route." Genis said.
"This is ridiculous!" on of the soldiers said. "Let's stop this before anything bad happens."
The battling soldiers looked up as the heard a loud cry from the charging soldiers. "Neutrals!" one of the warriors from Sylvarant growled.
The neutral army of ten thousand headed into battle. "Try and catch me!" Genis exclaimed, running from a charging soldier. Genis was fast, but he had no time to cast on of his spells. Genis swung around his Kendama and hit the soldier it the face.
"Alright, take this, eruption!" Genis exclaimed. His spell erupted on a group of Tethe'alla's soldiers. Genis looked over at Kratos who was recklessly slashing through soldiers of Sylvarant and Tethe'alla.
Soon, the battle was over, Kratos' army was triumphant. "Alright Kratos!" Genis exclaimed.
"Hey not bad, kid." a soldier said, coming over to Genis. "You're pretty skilled with magic."
"Thanks, and I'm not a kid any more, I'm fourteen years old!" Genis said.
"Oh really? Well, I'm Zelos Wilder." he said, holding out his hand for Genis to shake. Genis took it. "It's cool to actually meet a half-elven soldier!"
"My pleasure to meet you too." Genis said.
Months past, the war was over. Kratos and Genis returned home. Their village was devastated. The place was burned to the ground and everyone was gone. "Sis!" Genis exclaimed.
"Mom, dad!" Kratos exclaimed. Kratos ran into the mansion. The beautiful marble walls and floors were stained with blood. Bodies of servants and Tethe'allan soldiers were all over the place. Kratos ran into the kitchen, his father was lying there, dead. "D-dad!"
"Kratos, your mother she's in here!" Genis exclaimed. Kratos ran into his room were his mother lay, still conscious.
"Oh, Kratos, I'm so glad I'm able to see you before I go!" Mary said, blood running down her mouth.
"M-mom!" Kratos said, tears forming in his eyes.
"Just before the war ended, we were attacked…everyone was killed and all the half-elves were taken to half-elven slave plantations…" Mary said, painfully.
Tears were running down Genis' face. Mary was like a second mother to him and on top on that, his sister was enslaved. "Raine!"
"Kratos, Genis, you two have made me so proud!" Mary said.
"M-mom, don't talk! W-we'll get you to our doctor!" Kratos said.
"It's no…use! I will not live…Kratos, Genis; I love you both. Genis you have always been like a son to me and a good brother to Kratos…I want you guys to save all those half-elves as my last wish. Rebuild the village and clean up the mansion so they can have a place to live…" Mary coughed up some more blood. "Bury me and your father next to your grandfather…and the servants too, bury them…ugh!" Mary squeezed Genis and Kratos' hands tightly then died.
"Mom!" Kratos cried. Genis' head hung down and he cried too. "Damn those soldiers!"
"She-she was so nice! How could they do this?" Genis cried.
Kratos, Genis, and the soldiers buried the dead bodies in the Aurion Family Cemetery. They burned all the dead bodies of the Tethe'allan Soldiers. Later the village was rebuilt and the Aurion Mansion cleaned up.
"We have to rescue the half-elves of the plantation, that's what Mary wanted. To save my sister too." Genis said.
"Yeah, for mom and dad." Kratos said, standing up from Mary and Lloyd's graves. "Let's go, Genis. Genis nodded.
Kratos and Genis traveled Tethe'alla and Sylvarant, releasing all the half-elves and burning down the plantations.
-Present Time-
"The last plantation me and Genis went to is where I met Yuan." Kratos said.
"Yuan was a slave at a plantation?" Colette asked. Kratos nodded.
"Wow, that tale was really sad. They murdered your parents." Lloyd said.
"What happened to Colette and Genis?" Colette asked.
"Colette married the man and is most likely dead, Genis he was an angel of Cruxis, I don't know where he is now." Kratos said.
"Maybe you'll see him again." Genis said.
"Yeah, maybe." Kratos smiled, and looked up at Genis' picture on the wall. "Maybe."