No, you guys are mistaken . I didn't say that they will abandon Regal completely. I asked if Kratos should stayed longer there or not.
But I'm surprised O.o a lot of you guys asked him to meet Regal instead. So there will be delay on meeting Lloyd...but
...this would be the only fanfic where Kratos was actually friends with Ratatosk a long time ago...
I still don't own anything.
---
Izoold…
…A nice beautiful small village near a beach.
The group had arrived in the small town early in the morning; right after Emil secretly encountered Richter. When they got here, there was a strange burnt smell. It was quite a phenomenon for fire to occur in that place since it was located near the ocean.
"Hey, do you guys smell something it smells sort of familiar?" Genis started obvious.
Marta nodded while touching her nose, "Like someone's cooking fish or something."
"Izoold does have a booming fishing industry." Raine sighed.
"It smells like its burning." Marta replied.
Kratos then gave another logical explanation, "It might have something to do with their usual activity… Cooking fish, perhaps?"
"It smells more like someone's incinerating fish than cooking it."
"Ah! I get it! It smells like Raine's cooking!"
"What do you mean by that?" Raine glared at her brother dangerously.
But Tenebrae spoke honestly, "I interpret it to mean you are a poor cook, Raine."
Ouch…
"Tenebrae…do you have to speak it so bluntly? You can't even taste." The Seraph sighed.
"Oh do I? Even you secretly chant healing power whenever you consume that dreadful food."
Kratos wine eyes twitched, but only slightly. Nevertheless the Centurion of Darkness spoke the truth.
"How…dare you!" The half-elf woman stammered and then glared at the Centurion, a slight recipe of Centurion Steak had crossed her mind.
Then Emil came to the rescue, "Forget about that, let's go find the source of this smell."
"He's right." Kratos spoke.
Even though they didn't worry about Tenebrae's insult, the group was still discussing Raine's cooking. Eventually, they were talking about Raine's most astonishing discovery: Spicy Chocolate, and Candied Pickles.
Sometimes it was the best to not have a sense of taste.
When the group arrived near the water, the burn source was revealed. A cart was abandoned with a fisherman nearby watching it. Of course none of them realized Raine's gaze fixed to the ocean, she seemed worried.
"Raine is something wrong?" Kratos asked.
"Uhm… wha?? Nothing!! Nothing at all!" She stammered.
Emil's yell brought attention, "Look at that!"
"What do you think happened? The smell is coming from that box." Marta observed the place.
Raine then stepped forward and asked the man, "Excuse me, what happened here?"
"There were seafood gels in there but they all got burnt up." He answered
Emil brightened, "Ah, seafood gels! That explains the fishy smells."
Raine investigated again, "You say they got burnt? How?"
"An arsonist" The fisherman answered, "Some punk's been lighting up the town. We finally managed to catch him though."
Genis blinked in confusion, "Wait… if you caught him, wouldn't that mean there's someone else?"
"That bastard must've broken out of jail!" The fisherman roared.
"What makes you so sure it's the same person?" Marta titled her head.
"Whenever he sets something on fire, this strange bright light always appears. Same thing happened when these seafood gels went up in flames. I told them that dinky prison would never hold a huge guy like that."
Raine suddenly turned back to the group, "That's horrible!! We must put a stop to this arsonist before we leave!"
Genis titled his head, "Well, we could, but I'm surprised to hear that coming from you. You usually are all, 'Stay focused. We have to find the Centurion Cores' and stuff."
"W-What's wrong with that? It's not as if we're in a hurry."
"But we have a task to do." Kratos answered.
Genis continued, "Yeah! I mean maybe not you, Kratos and I, exactly but Emil and Marta still have to locate the Centurions Cores before Lloyd gets to them. Shouldn't we at least head to the harbor and find out when the next ship is leaving?"
"The harbor…" Raine muttered…she seemed to be paled.
"I see…" Suddenly Kratos already understood the situation.
Genis stammered, he too had realized, "Oh that's right… You can't swim so-"
SLAP!
Before the boy could finish, Raine had stepped forward and smacked him.
"Fine! We'll go to the harbor!"
---
Kratos took a long time gazing on the sky over the blue sea. He was looking…searching…
…nothing.
"Kratos?"
The Seraph turned his back to see the Knight of Ratatosk calling feebly.
"Yes, Emil?"
"What are you doing?"
"I was looking..." He whispered.
"Looking for what?"
"I was hoping that I could sense Lloyd, but…"
This must've been Yuan's work. As soon as Kratos almost got Lloyd, he just disguised his mana tracks. He muttered a curse to his old friend…
"You can sense Lloyd's presence?"
The Seraph didn't answer directly. He still locked his wine eyes to the sky…until he suddenly whispered, "You could also have that kind of ability, to track other people's mana…"
"Wh-what?"
Kratos then looked straight to the boy, "Emil…" He began, "You don't know who you are, did you?"
"What do you mean?" the boy blinked, "I'm Emil Castagnier, right?"
Kratos sighed, "Never mind… We should look for the harbor."
They joined quickly to find Marta and the Sages talking to a Sailor.
Unfortunately, a problem occurred…
"Sorry buddy, no ships are gonna be leaving port anytime soon."
Emil stammered, "Why not?"
"Well, you must've heard about that last fire we had. That arsonist must be on the loose again. If we shipped out now, he might escape by pretending to be one of the passengers."
Genis cried, "What are we supposed to do if we're in a hurry?"
"We just had another fire, and you're in a hurry to leave town? Seems a little fishy to me." The sailor snorted.
Emil's eyes suddenly became red, "What did you say? Why don't you try saying that to my face, smart guy?"
"What? If you're saying you're not then…" the sailor stammered.
Without warning, the red-eyed Emil grabbed the sailor's collar and chocked him, "Then what??!!"
All of the group gasped.
"A-argh! I can't breathe…"
Kratos stepped front and touched his shoulder, "Emil…let him go…"
"Shut up! I'm busy."
"Please be considerate…"
He began to hesitate.
"Emil, stop it!" Marta yelled.
And Emil quickly loosened the man, "I…I…"
The man choked as Kratos checked his injury. Emil stepped back, he was too shocked at what he had done.
"Forgive us…he was overwhelmed." Kratos told the man.
Genis spoke, "You can't go into Ratatosk mode here! Emil, you should apologize to the guy, too!"
"R-right, I'm very sorry."
"Ye-yeah…sure…" he shivered, while Kratos helped him to stand.
"S-so back to the arsonist, let's find him. Once we do we can leave on the ship."
"Yeah. Let's check out the jail first to see if we can find any clues."
"Y-yeah…" Emil began wondering what happened to him.
---
Now Kratos began to deduce who Emil was. But he realized it all along, how could this happen? As an angel for thousand years, he has the ability to sense Mana. This Mana however…leads to another power. He may theorize that Emil's mana was strong because Ratatosk lend him his power, but why trouble to chang his personality too?
While Kratos sank in his deep thought on the back of the group, he suddenly overheard him.
"H-hey Marta, does Emil really go into Ratatosk this often?"
Marta shrugged, she seemed worry, "Hmm I don't think it used to happen quite much."
"I wonder if there's something keeping him on the edge."
"Maybe having my sister and me around all the time is stressing him out…" Genis voice trailed off. It was a strange assumption he came up with, considering now him and his sister didn't have to hide that they're half-elves.
Raine still silent, she was in deep thought, she stole a slight glance to Kratos for a while but soon took her book again.
Assumption…perhaps?
"Tenebrae…" Kratos spoke quietly, calling the Centurion.
"Yes, Lord Aurion?"
"There's something had triggered that boy to be Ratatosk again…"
"Emil had been distressed lately, Lord Aurion."
"Could it possibly happened because...of me?"
"…" Tenebrae was suddenly silent, "I do not understand what you are talking about."
"Tenebrae…" This time the Seraph called with serious expression, "This is serious, if Ratatosk awakens someday. He would be in range to see my presence."
"Oh? By all means he was in Marta's forehead. What does it have to do with Emil?"
Kratos narrowed his wine eyes, "Do not change the subject, Tenebrae…"
"Lord Aurion, if Ratatosk awaken I would convince my master to be merciful toward you, if you were worried. After all you were his favorite human companion a long time ago."
Kratos winced mentally.
A flashback…
"I am Ratatosk, the Summon Spirit of the Kharlan Tree, and Lord of the Monsters…and yet, you did not fear me."
"Because I found no reason to do so?" young Kratos looked up to him with honest expression.
"You do realize that I can take your life easily. Since I am the administer mana around the world. Human's are weaklings after all."
Kratos snorted, "Humans are not weak. They have a heart, and strong heart can even change the world."
"Is that so? How amusing." The Summon Spirit smirked, "You're the bravest human I've ever met, and you keep that ideal sincerely."
Ratatosk… He met Ratatosk back when he was young. Back when he was a teenager, before he was appointed to be one of the highest knights. A long time ago when Yuan and Martel were preteen children and Mithos was nothing but a toddler. They had a strange secret playground, Ginnungagap, where the Lord of Monsters guarded the Nifelheim. Ratatosk was amused with his bravery, they were quiet close…his first Summon Spirit friend.
But he betrayed Ratatosk, and he vowed to not trust human and half-elves again.
There was an old tale that says: It's easier to forgive enemies, than friends…
"Lord Aurion…?"
"Why do you still title me that?" Kratos sighed, "You remember what I had done…the unforgettable betrayal."
Tenebrae smiled, "We Centurions respected you, Lord Aurion. Your bravery for opposing Ratatosk… It's historical."
He frowned, then changed the subject, "Honestly Tenebrae, I do not care if he'll spare me or not, but…"
"Ah…" Tenebrae raised an eyebrow, "That red lad?"
"Y-yes…"
"It won't be easy. The lad had taken Lumen's Core, the Centurion of light. Ratatosk was quite touchy if any of his belongings were in possession of other than himself. That is…if Emil doesn't kill him first."
Of course, Mithos once accidentally took something from Ratatosk a long time ago… Ratatosk was very peevish.
Kratos had to defend his half-elf friend, and convince the Summon Spirit to forgive her. Oddly enough, the Summon Spirit easily complied, and believed him.
Kratos gave an insignificant long pause until he spoke, "Can you at least let me converse to Lloyd first before Ratatosk will awaken?"
"Lord Ratatosk will not awake until all the Centurions Cores hatch. You still have time… Of course he might spare the lad if the Centurions return to him. It still depends on the situation."
"And…Emil?"
"Emil might have revenge on him. But he is far more merciful than Ratatosk. Of course it would not be that easy, he saw Lloyd kill his parents right before his eyes."
"I know Lloyd…he would never do such things like that."
"How do we know, Lord Aurion? From what I have heard that young man was your apprentice…so was Mithos. What is the difference? He will soon jeopardize our master again."
Kratos growled, "Lloyd is not Mithos…"
"Then please convince us so. The lad did not want to cooperate."
"I will…"
Maybe…just maybe…
---
They reached the jail, which was not that far away from harbor. It was a strange location for a peaceful city in Izoold. The group has been asking where the escaped arsonist went, strangely the jail guard scoffed. He told them that the man hadn't been anywhere, he's still in jail.
"He is!" Emil declared, while he looked at the barred window.
Marta stammered, "What's going on here?"
"If the arsonist is still here then the latest fire must have been started by someone else." Genis narrowed his eyes.
Raine then spoke, "Do you mind if we have a word with the criminal?"
"Sure but be careful"
And surprise…surprise…
When the group when inside they found Regal Bryant.
"Regal??" Raine stammered.
"Raine, Genis…and Kratos?" Regal spoke his companion's name, but the last was unexpected. Kratos was getting used to this, "What are you doing here?"
"We were wondering about your presence in this jail too." Kratos answered carefully.
"I'm embarrassed for you to see me like this."
No surprise, they saw him being a prisoner too on their first meeting…
"Is this a friend of yours?" Emil asked.
Raine nodded, "Yes, this is Regal Bryant. He was with us in the journey of world regeneration."
"He's also the president of the Lezarano Company." Genis grinned.
"Lezarano? But they're huge! Why would their president be starting fires?"
Kratos sighed, "I cannot imagine that fire was caused by him, Marta. He is a considerable man. He would not waste times to do such things."
"Indeed." Regal spoke, "To be honest. I don't really know myself. I was in town on business when I happened to meet a man named Berg, a gel maker who said he'd seen Lloyd."
Kratos perked up slightly…a man know where Lloyd went.
Regal continued, "While we were speaking. I suddenly found myself engulfed by this strange light, and just like that. I blacked out."
"When I came to, the building was in flames, and Berg was lying unconscious. I grabbed him and ran outside."
"Where you were arrested and blame all the fires." Raine spoke.
"Exactly, but I had nothing to do with any of it."
"Of course we would never think you would."
Marta then spoke again, "So you wouldn't know anything about the most recent fire?"
"What? There was another fire?!"
Kratos nodded, "We're looking for the person that started it."
"Arson is one of the most cowardly crimes. If I could leave this prison, I would gladly join you in your search." Regal gritted his teeth.
Marta then said. "The man you met, Berg. He didn't vouch for you?"
"Unfortunately, he's still out cold. He may have inhaled a lot of smoke during the fire."
"Hey, Marta. Do you think you might be able to use healing artes to help Berg?" Emil asked.
"I'm not sure, but it's worth a shot." She answered.
"Then let's go. If we can get him to wake up, maybe we can clear Regal's name." Emil said enthusiastically.
"Good idea. Let's do that." Raine nodded.
"Okay!"
"I heard Berg was taken to his house. Please do anything you can. And oh…Kratos…can you stay for a while? I wanted to talk with you."
"Of course…"
After the group went to search Berg's house. Kratos was alone with the Lezerano's president.
"What is it Regal?"
"You were looking for Lloyd aren't you?"
Kratos narrowed his wine eyes, "I could have assumed the same thing for you."
"I've heard from Berg, Lloyd had gone to Flanoir, he was going to the Ice Temple…"
"Is he?"
"I suggest you should go there."
"We cannot leave you like this."
"They can't but you can. Please Kratos… From what I've heard Lloyd has become…different. He wouldn't talk to any of us. I think you are the only one who can."
"At least let me discuss with the group first… Please be patient Regal."
"I will…"
---
As soon as he headed outside, Kratos found the group.
"What happened?" He called.
Emil answered, "We had encounter Berg. But we can't heal him with Marta's artes. Tenebrae says we need to find Rosemary plant to heal him."
"Rosemary? In this place? I've heard the plants had become extinct due to the outlandish weather."
"Emil, had convinced us to search for it in the Camberto Caves." Genis declared.
Kratos commented again, "But the search would take a lot of time, and it will postpone your Centurion Cores hunt. Are you positive about this?"
"Yes… But he stubbornly wants to. He acts just like Lloyd, doesn't he, Kratos?" Raine smiled.
"…" Kratos grimaced slightly.
He could see that Emil blushed slightly.
"So Kratos, what did Regal tell you?" Marta asked.
"He told me where Lloyd was heading and he suggested that I go search for him."
"I think it's a good idea. We want to accompany Emil and Marta first to help Berg and freeing Regal."
"I don't think it would be wise to depart so soon."
"Oh we're going to be fine, Kratos. Go get Lloyd!" Genis spoke enthusiastically.
Kratos turned his attention to the grumbled Centurion beside him, "Are you all right with this, Tenebrae?"
"I am fine with any of Emil's decision."
"Then why so sore?"
"They're irritating me…" Tenebrae growled, "Why do humans and half-elves tended to call some creatures with strange names? It was a nazdrovie."
"The light frog?"
"Nazdrovie!!" He yelled suddenly.
Kratos blinked his wine eyes, "Ah, so the incident was caused by the light frog."
"You too…?" Tenebrae twitched, "Fine! See if I care!" He then disappeared into a black mist.
"Old people are so grouchy…" Genis giggled. And it took seconds for Kratos to realize, that he was talking about Tenebrae.
---
Kratos soon dispersed with them as soon as they gone to Camberto Caves. But Marta and Emil didn't say farewell anymore, they believed that they will meet again. The Seraph then flew to Ice Temple.
…and soon enough his search was aimless again…
He wondered if he should've stayed with Emil and Marta, at least their journey was more reasonable. He began to doubt Berg's direction. Lloyd wasn't anywhere near the Ice Temple. Thus, his search for his son took days. Even in the end he decided to stop near Flanoir's gate, hoping to find his son in that city.
He would expect the soft snow sound…
…but instead his angelic hearings heard uncountable people cries and screams of agony.
…and where he stood, people's corpses were everywhere.
He did found a man that was dying, barely alive. Kratos kneeled on the man's side, checking his injury. Sadly, there was nothing he could do to help him.
"Are you all right?"
The man couldn't think straight all he can say few words.
"Easy…don't talk too much. Who did this to you?"
"L-Lloyd Irving…" The man chocked blood.
No…this couldn't be happening.
"W-where is he?"
The dying man raised his hand weakly. There was a trail of blood. When Kratos was about to ask the man again, he had died… For the sake of respect, the Seraph closed the man's eyes, inside praying that the man had found peace.
He then quickly followed the trails of blood. And eventually he found a cave with Lloyd inside it.
…in bad condition…
Lloyd was leaning against the walls of the cave. His brown eyes stared wide eyed in a bridge of insanity, his breath ragged uncontrollably. When Kratos stepped into the cave, his blade suddenly raised and was an inch of the Seraph's neck. The warrior in red then lowered his swords, when he realized it was his father.
He shivered while his eyes still blank, "Kratos…"
"Lloyd, what happened?" Kratos whispered, but he began to worry.
"Flanoir people…they…died… all…t-they…"
And then the hero in red collapsed, lieing flat on his stomach. Kratos quickly caught him before his son collasped to the ground.
"LLOYD!! LLOYD!!"
---
Behold! this was the result! Another cliffy!! (receives glares from the readers*)
Feed the writer! Review or you will suffer the cliffy too long.
Now how will Lloyd get away from Kratos this time? Should it...
1. Lloyd will drug Kratos to sleep D8 (under Yuan's order of course)
2. Or Yuan come and take Lloyd from Kratos
Yuan: (see the second option) I assume the will was finished?
Me: So did you find your replacement?
Yuan: (drowns in sorrow....) not yet.
And yes! I will make another flashback on Kratos friendship with Ratatosk in the next chapter O.o...