Li: People want to know what's going to happen next, so...he heh heh...Here's cycle four of ARCH, which is by far my most popular story up!! WOO!!! -dances about-
Kent: She's left out the fact that she's most likely going to get killed...
Sain: And we should be worried about this why?
Kent: Good point.
Li: Oh, you two are mean!!! -sniffle- Meanies!
Sain: Immature.
Li: You're one to talk!! -gets into fight w/ Sain-
Kent: -sweatdrop- ...Li-chan0767 does not own Tales of Symphonia. -grabs rice ball and eats it while watching the fight between Li and Sain-

Cycle four

"Haru? Haru, why are you distracted?"

"...I thought that I sensed something..."

"Was it another ARCH?"

"...Yes..."

"Which way?"

"That is the thing. I cannot tell; the aura is fuzzy and blurred." The two stood quietly, the fabric on their uniforms barely rustling as the wind blew by them. The one known as Haru turned her face skyward, sighing. "I had hoped, Kaze, that the last documents concerning ARCH would've been destroyed..."

"It seems not. But I did get word from Aki and Chi that the documents about the Regiments were neutralized." Kaze assured the first. Haru didn't respond, but rather sighed again, spreading azure wings as she took to the air. Kaze sighed and followed her, aqua wings alight.

The seven friends were stunned and petrified; Lloyd would lose all emotions...Colette still had not regained consciousness, and Raine was trembling from head to toe. Genius looked at his sister in concern, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"Sis, we..." He began, but ultimately ended with a shaky sigh; nothing he could say would convince his friends that Lloyd would get out of Welgaia unscathed, let alone the same good natured swordsman that they had known before. He would very much be their enemy.

"So, what do we do now?" Presea spoke up after a few minutes of silence, looking around. "The chances of us succeeding against Yggdrasil if Lloyd has indeed been transformed into an ARCH are decreased to...I'd say Point zero one to five billion against."

"Is that even possible?" Zelos asked suddenly, looking around in denial. "Look, we know Lloydie, right? He's got to have a way to avoid losing his emotions!!!" His seriousness startled the others greatly.

"The transformation is absolute, and above all else, irreversible from what the data says." Raine stated sadly, looking at the book with a sense of remorse. Rage began to build up in place of it, but she bit her lip from exploding while Colette awoke. The blond looked around at the room before her eyes landed on the book.

Her eyes narrowed, fuchsia wings flaring into life as she began to cry tears of rage. The others, who were shocked to see the angel so angry, backed up in fear as holy light began to build around Colette.

In a flash, the light had engulfed the book, incinerating it. The blond angel stood and walked out of Zelos' mansion with a huffed noise, not bothering to listen to her friend's concerned questions.

Finally finding the small park hidden in the shade, Colette walked over to a bench and sat harshly down upon it, her mind in utter rejection; Lloyd was NOT going to lose his emotions, he was NOT!!! Crying softly into her arm, the angel didn't notice the raven haired man walking towards her until he knelt before her.

"Are you alright, miss?" He asked, startling Colette into looking up at a pair of grey eyes. After a minute, she sighed and shook her head.

"No...One of my best friends...he was taken away from me..." Breaking down completely, she leaned on the stranger, who looked mildly shocked. Letting the angel sob against his shoulder for a minute, his head shot up at the sight of something high in the heavens.

"So...that's what I sensed all along...Dammit, what're you doing with that information?" He asked the sky, not expecting a response at all. But when the soft voice reached his ears, he didn't panic in the least.

'Follow them, Yuki. We might find out whether or not there is a new ARCH around, and just how it reached that level...'

(Welgaia)

Kratos felt his heart stop as the door to the chamber opened, and Lloyd's eyes opened slowly. The reddish brown orbs hadn't changed all that much, and as Kratos looked on, the brunette seemed to have changed little physically.

But what all had the stripping away of his emotions done to the newly transformed ARCH inside? Trembling inside from head to toe, Kratos watched as Lloyd looked at him without so much as a bit of hate-or any other emotion, for that matter-in his deep irises.

"Kratos." Lloyd stated simply, before turning to look at the blond angel behind him. "Yggdrasil."

"That is 'LORD Yggdrasil', young angel." Yggdrasil corrected him immediately, grinning madly. "As of now, you are a member of Cruxis, and all of your orders come directly from me, or from your father, Kratos." Lloyd blinked blankly before turning around to look at Kratos. For the briefest of seconds, the auburn thought he saw a flicker of shock there in Lloyd's eyes.

But how could he be shocked-he had no emotions, right? He waited for Lloyd to do something, his right hand clenched tightly into a fist. After a few seconds, Lloyd spoke again.

"Are you really my father, Kratos?" He asked, nothing more. The seraph sighed lightly.

"...Yes, I am." Again, the seraph could've sworn he saw a flicker of something in Lloyd's eyes, but it was quickly masked and he nodded mutely in acceptance.

"I understand..."

"While I am glad that you two are once more in good light," Yggdrasil broke in impatiently, "We must hurry and present Lloyd to the rest of Cruxis as our newest member, and test him to decide where he shall be in rank." The High Seraphim lied about the last bit ever so slightly; Lloyd was just as powerful as-if not more so- than he was. The teen would be on the same rank as the four Seraphim, and yet not a Seraphim-he was an ARCH, not a seraphim, and therefore in need of his own place.

"...I understand." Kratos replied before turning to Yggdrasil and bowing. "Lord Yggdrasil, if Lloyd and I may take your leave to go and prepare..."

"Go ahead. Lloyd's uniform should be at your place, and I shall present him with his weapons at the beginning of the trial." The blond dismissed the two Aurions with a wave of his hand, and after the pair left, he burst out with a bout of insane laughter.

--

Lloyd stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the pristine white overcoat that fell over his shoulders so that it didn't completely obscure the dark vermilion and bronze uniform that he wore beneath it, a grimace on his face. Finally satisfied, he turned around just as Kratos appeared in the doorway.

"Ah, good." Kratos smiled weakly as Lloyd walked beside him out into the empty streets of Welgaia. "Lord Yggdrasil is waiting for us at his castle, and we have to fly there." In all reality, they didn't have to, but Kratos wanted to see what his son's wings looked like.

"Understood." Lloyd monotoned, and a pale silver light glowed around him as a pair of large, spectral, dove grey wings grew from his back, unsettling the vermilion tails that hung from his overcoat. Kratos blinked in shock; he'd been expecting a color of some sort, not a pun on the meaning of Lloyd's name. Deciding not to bother with questions, the two took to the air towards the High Seraphim's castle.

The sight of Yggdrasil seated calmly in front of the rest of the angels as the Aurions arrived sent a chill down Kratos' spine. Squeezing his son's shoulder, the Seraphim flew off to stand at Yggdrasil's right hand as the High Seraphim stood. As if on cue, Lloyd knelt before the blond, dove grey wings fluttering mindlessly behind him.

"Lord Yggdrasil." He intoned, glancing up at the older angel in emotionless perfection. (A/N: Ooh!! That just sounds so...Jaffar-ish!! -Sage, you know who I'm talking about!)

"Lloyd Aurion," He began, shivering in delight at the sound of the name. "You have proven yourself to be a fierce warrior, and as a newly created member of Cruxis it is time to test your new potential that comes with the angel transformation. I, Yggdrasil, High Seraphim and leader of Cruxis, shall present that challenge before you now. But first..." Snapping his fingers, He beckoned Pronyma forward.

The Desian held out a pair of deep prismatic blades with silver and vermilion hilts. Taking one in each hand, the emotionless teen looked in respect back at Yggdrasil.

"Those are the Aether Blades, Lloyd Aurion." The blond gestured to Pronyma, having the woman stand at his left before continuing. "They are your new weapons, fitting of an angel of Cruxis, not to mention one whose birthright was to ascend to our highest ranks. Now, stand and prove your might, son of Kratos!!" With that, an immense demon appeared, its grotesque horns razor sharp.

Standing, Lloyd shifted his grip on the Aether Blades, a blank expression on his face. The runes on his hand glowed brightly as he began to plan on how best to attack the demon. Kratos noticed this and raised his eyebrows; what did those runes do?

Just as the demon struck, Lloyd sidestepped and severed its right arm with little effort before leaping up onto its back with unmatched speed and grace. As the demon flailed, attempting to get him off, the teen leapt into the air as he charged a spell.

"Denizens of heaven and demons of hell, show this soul to the afterlife!!" His blades began glowing with holy light, and iridescent feathers flew all around him. "Speak with the God of Death!!"

"Judgment!!!" The holy light rained down from on high, striking down the demon and putting it into a critical state. Brining his two blades together, Lloyd soared down right at the beast. "Divine Falcon!!" Diving straight through the beast, he stood as it crumbled to dust, and turned to the sound of applause. Kratos seemed pleased, and Yggdrasil was delighted. Pronyma seemed slightly scared, but none took much notice.

"Excellent!!!" Yggdrasil cried, turning to face the angels behind him. "I believe that appeases all of you correct? The son of Kratos has proven his worth to us all!!" Turning his back on the cheering angels, Yggdrasil smirked as Lloyd knelt once more, the swords at his sides. "You, Lloyd Aurion, shall be placed in a separate rank on par with the Four Seraphim, my ARCH."

"Heed me, angels of Cruxis!" Raising his voice as Lloyd stood once more and sheathed the blades, Yggdrasil commanded, "From now on, the youth before us shall be known as Lord Lloyd, and shall be treated with utmost respect!! Welcome young Lord Lloyd Aurion to Cruxis, and never fear the humans that defy us again!!"

Whilst the angels cheered their delight, Lloyd bent his head, seemingly looking at his feet. But in all reality, there was a dark smirk on his face.