With this fanfic, I'm trying to give some more depth to Garr's character, as well as point out the reasons for his actions at the end of the game.

Also, it's a great excuse for me to write about a berserk Kaiser, longing revenge by any means necessary. ^^

IMPORTANT NOTICE: FULL OF SPOILERS. If you haven't reached the middle of the game yet, I recommend not reading it.

A/N:

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Many thanks to Marilena, indispensable beta reading and advice.

For those of you from Japan, Garr = Garland. Blame the translators of the English version :P (to be precise I think it was some issue in the technical localization of the game)

Also I don't know how there can be thunders in a closed environment, better ask Capcom…

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Dauna Mines, shortly after Garr meets Ryu and informs him of the situation…

As they were walking along the dark, narrow corridors of the mine, Garr was explaining that there must be a greater threat than a dragon whelp for the residents to have summoned the fabled Guardian. "We should get this over with as fast as possible. The journey to the goddess will be a long one and you must learn the truth…" But the reason he wanted to hurry was none other than his guilt; his own desperate need to know the truth.

For ten long years he awaited this moment. Since that day at the temple, the seed of guilt had been growing inside him with the passing of each day. Even for him, who counted time by the centuries, every single day would not pass. His faith was shaken, his determination shattered, as the righteousness of his cause seemed increasingly doubtable. Five lifetimes' worth of beliefs seemed like nothing more than fog to him now, clouding his vision.

He was not ready to admit the whole situation; he could not tell Ryu, not just yet… Thus, he continued analyzing the threat they were going to face, as well as possible tactics, evading the troublesome subject that was plaguing both heroes' minds.

Garr's words sounded increasingly distant to Ryu, never quite grabbing his attention. The air was feeling short, but it was not the intense humidity that was rendering the atmosphere unbearable. He was starting to detach himself from the environment, memories where rushing through his mind - memories he did not even knew he had.

Soon he could not hear Garr's voice at all. He even stopped following him, and stood there, staring with eyes emptier than the abandoned mine. Inconsistent voices started to populate his thoughts… "These numbers represent the number of dragons we killed" "You are like me" "We are the heroes of cedar woods" Garr and the Goddess' Guardians… Teepo… and Rei… Forcibly taken away from him… He remembered his mother's warmth, though he could not recall her face. He wondered, "what have I done to deserve this? That guy's nerve… I treated him as a trusted ally only to have him attempt to kill me. He slaughtered my entire race and still was not satisfied. Friends, family, I've lost everything; I won't lose my life too!"

He was infuriated. His pulse was beating strong and fast in his chest, and his sight was blurred. He felt he was losing consciousness and self control, but it was too late to fight it.

A thunder crashed, and darkness engulfed everything… As it slowly cleared away, Ryu's hair were flashing gold, his eyes – golden too - pulsing with hatred. In a glimpse, his hand was squeezing Garr's neck. He single-handedly lifted him above ground.

"Do you have any idea what you're going up against?" Garr moaned, rather trying to breathe than to reply.

"You kept killing pretending to be a hero! This is the real power of the Brood! Do you think the power that bitch bestowed upon you can compare to this godlike power?" Leaning closer to his face, he whispered. "How does it feel to be helpless? Like the defenseless children and women you murdered, you pathetic coward!" Ryu's scream echoed through the empty corridors. "For what you did to this world, to my race, to my family, this is what you get! You dared ask if I could forgive you. The answer is, I am going to kill you!"

Garr's trembling as he started to suffocate was getting the berserk dragon even more excited and bloodthirsty.

The mighty Guardian felt his strength fade. He couldn't even grasp his spear; not that it would give him any chance against the Kaiser. What hurt the most was not Ryu's arm strangling him – more like trying to break his neck - but the truth in his words of fury. The goddess' lies had driven him to crimes even he could not forgive to himself.

Ryu threw the huge man to the wall with superhuman ease, crumbling the rock solid wall of the mine. As air filled Garr's lungs he got overwhelmed with a momentary feeling of security, a false one, that didn't long. His battle experience rapidly brought him back to his senses, and he sharply realized the extent of the danger he was facing. "This may be the end," he thought. "I can't say I don't deserve it. Vengeance for the deaths of innocents is not something even I could deny myself. How ironic… Have I been a sinner by following my goddess' commands? Were all of us , Guardians, villains in the tainted disguise of saviors?"

His mind's primitive part was pushing him to act, to save himself, but it was pointless. His own logic paralyzed his body. How could genocide be the right way? How could he be so blind as to believe that the dragons were the threat to peace.

"Ridding the world of you would give me indescribable pleasure… But then, her lies will be verified; lies that she is forcing me to make happen." Ryu looked away from Garr's face as he finished the sentence. He was disgusted about the way humans wiped out his valiant race, yet he was starting to realize what his duty was. The architect of this action could not remain unpunished. After all, he had to blame someone…

Still laying on the floor, he would not meet eyes with Ryu. Staring at his legs, disgraced and desperate, he tried to figure out why he had not seen this so long ago. His head down, he whispered, "I'm sorry. I have been an ignorant fool. Nothing justifies my actions, nor can I ever atone for my past. I wondered why… Why I hadn't realized it until now, that your kin was not a threat. Your immense power was there to bring balance, not to disrupt it. I never spent time to know any of you. So blinded was I as to deny your selfless trust… But even when I tried to kill you, you showed mercy." Turning his sight away he added, "Yet, I will once again ask for you to spare me; for I must learn the truth…" He knew he did not make much sense, but it didn't really matter. Ryu could not hear him anyway.

Drawing his sword, he spoke calmly. "Guardian, I will respect my legacy and I will not fight. I will accompany you to the goddess, for she must justify her actions. If you ever betray me again," he paused, glaring at him with arrogance, "I will kill you."

The gold radiance instantly vanished. Ryu dropped his sword and fell on his knees, holding his head with both hands. He inhaled slowly, vying to regain some self-control. "Garr, I'm sorry." He stood up, offering his hand to help Garr get on his feet. He accepted it with little hesitation as he could see Ryu's reassuring blue eyes watching him, friendly and ashamed. "I didn't mean to…"

"What you said, willingly or not, had little fault, young one. Apologizing to me is unnecessary." He turned his back and started to lead the way again. Ryu stopped him. "I understand that what belongs to the past cannot be undone, and your actions fair or not, had been driven by honest motives. I do not blame you. Not any more. Let's find out the truth together, as allies and friends. Nothing good can come out of lingering in the past, don't you think?" His smile took some of the burden off of Garr's shoulders.

"Your wisdom precedes your age, Ryu. I agree, and I am grateful to have crossed paths with you. From now on, I vow to protect you with my life and go to any lengths to aid you in your journey." Garr had already regained his attitude.

"Come on now, don't get all melodramatic on me!" said Ryu with a big smile, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

As they kept walking through the bleak mine, Garr felt temporarily relieved of his guilt, and atonement was no longer tormenting his mind. He was certain that the time would come, when he would have the chance to prove his remorse.

Thanks for reading. Non-constructive criticism is unnecessary.