Insaneiac: Sup home boys? I guess you're all looking for my next chapter. Well, here it is, direct from crazy land. Finally, I start writing some of the sensitive stuff you all crave so very, very badly. Just remember folks, in an Insaneiac story, nothing stated is in stone until it happens.
Disclaimer: Tales of Symphonia is owned by Namco…which is not owned by me. Get it? Got it? Good!
Chapter 7: Why Lloyd? Why?
"Lloyd?" I choked out as I cradled his head in my hands. A trickle of blood rolled down from his pale lips, descending to the hard floor that the rest of his body lies upon. My right hand departed from the back of his head, trailing down to the hole in his chest. I could feel my hands trembling violently as it felt the wound, as it took in just how grave it truly was. My left hand tightened around the back of his head, afraid to release it, as though it would be the last time I ever hold it. My right hand forces itself back to his face, trailing his features in a desperate and fruitless search for some part of him that wasn't fading away. Nothing else seemed to matter as I ran my hand along his cold cheeks, his paled lips, along the rims of his eyes in a fraught search of some life.
I winced as I felt a gloved hand press against the side of my face, stroking it gently. I look longingly into his eyes, and instantly my heart is struck another blow of depression. His once lively and vivacious eyes were weakened and pathetic, the life from them seeping away from him as the rest of it had been. The tears I've been fighting against with all my being are freed, pattering onto his face endlessly. If anything at all, they seem to vivify him very slightly.
"Sheena." I hear him utter in a voice so weak, it could pass as a whisper. I lower my head as close as I can to his, my mouth moving to answer but no voice escaping my lips. I could feel his hand start to slip away, and I quickly rest my hand against his, holding it at the side of my face. "Take my…gloves off…please" Lloyd chokes out, his voice fading away with the rest of him. He was not long for this world, and I knew it. Resting his head on my lap, I remove the gloves from his hands, wrapping each of my hands around his hands tightly. I guide his hands gently to my face, pressing them on each of my cheeks. I could see the warm smile slowly form on his face as his gloveless, his free hands trailed gently along my face.
"Lloyd…I don't…" I start, failing miserable as my voice leaves me. His hands were so cold that it almost hurt me, knowing that this will be the last time I feel his hands on my face. I can't stop the tears at all now; they just flow and flow as he slips further and further from me. "I don't want you to die." I force out, almost painfully. I weep bitterly as his hands make their way to the back of my head, pulling my head gently towards his. I hear him cough painfully twice, before he weakly runs a hand down my facing, his fingers resting at lips for only the briefest of moments before he brings my face to his, pressing his lips to mine. If it is possible, I cry even harder as my lips rest on his. His lips, his usually so warm lips that I never failed to find comfort within, are like ice.
After what felt like an eternity and a day, He lifts my head every so lightly, very weakly bringing his lips to my ears. I swallow my frantic sobs, horrified that I might miss something that he would say; that I might miss the last things he would ever say. "Thank…" He takes a deep and ragged breath that draws more silent tears from my eyes. "…You Sheena. I'm…" Another breath, even weaker than the last breath he had struggled for. I knew his time was upon him, that Death was bearing down on us forebodingly. You can't have him you bastard. He's mine and I refuse to give him up. Not after all we've been through, all the times we've suffered and all the horrors we've seen.
"…Sorry. I'll always…" I knew the instant I heard his breath this time that another would not flow past his lips. Death was standing beside me, his cold icy hand resting on my shoulder, like the bastard was trying to comfort me. "…lo-love…you…" For the briefest of heart beats my tears stopped, as I am sure my heart did as well. His hands slipped from my skin, plummeting towards the ground with a brutal thud that resonated and echoed through the entire room. And then I felt every emotion attack me at once. Suddenly, I had my voice back, I had my words freed. But it didn't matter.
He was gone.
And all that was left was this bloody pain in my side.
"OW!" Sheena screamed, flinching in pain. She was about to get to her feet when she felt a gentle, gloved hand rest on her back. Sighing, she quickly relaxed as she realized it was Lloyd. Relaxed, that is, until she realized that the gloved hand was resting on her bare back. Suddenly, Sheena was very still, and very alarmed. "…Lloyd?"
And very threatening.
"Ye-yes?" Lloyd muttered, his voice unsteady and nervous.
"Why am I naked from the waist up?" When he saw Sheena stare back at him, her eyes carried the notion that if he didn't very quickly explain himself, she would hurt him. She would hurt him very badly and very permanently. It surprised her when she saw Lloyd doing his best to avert his gaze, keeping his eyes as far from her naked back as possible and focusing on either her eyes or what he had been doing before hand. Something she still did not know.
"Your side…it's got a deep cut in it…" Lloyd muttered, holding up some string and a needle. "My dad gave me some supplies before I left. One of the things he gave me was for injuries like this. He taught me how to sow up any large wounds, and disinfect them."
"You mean…but when you where…"
Lloyd glanced down and away from her chest region, even though she was lying on her stomach and, for the most part, obscuring any view of her breasts. When Sheena saw this, she forced back the fast approaching giggle. "I didn't try and peek, and I was really careful when…I…" Instead of trying to say it, Lloyd just coughed gently and sheepishly. He glanced back to the cut, still not completely finished, and after taking the roundabout route, made eye contact with Sheena. "Did you, um, want me to…finish?"
Sheena couldn't believe it. Most of the guys she had met during her life would have either killed themselves at 'dishonoring' her in such a manner without being married to her, or taken every chance to cop a feel and take in the view. Yet here was a person she had met maybe a week ago at most, doing everything in his power to protect her decency. It made her blush as the thought continued to roll around inside her head. Not trusting her words to get the point across, Sheena nodded to Lloyd, resting her head back on the ground and looking off to the distance. She had been stitched up before, only by doctors or Mizuho's other females. She knew that her steadiness meant both an easier time for Lloyd and a positively less painful time for her. With her mind free to wander, it first began by noting the fact that it was night time. A nearby fire crackled gently, almost melodically.
The next thing she noticed was the surroundings. Judging by it all, she could tell they were only a short ways from Luin, which meant less monster traffic. 'Heh…Lloyd. You're actually pretty smart.' It was about then when Sheena's mind turned to the rather vivid and, when it got all the way down to it, horrifying dream. Not to mention that a lot of it made absolutely no sense. Or that was what she just kept telling herself. As slowly as possible, her hand made its way to her lips, rubbing them gently. 'Felt so real…so cold.' How real the entire ordeal had felt, from the feeling of his lips on hers to the icy touch of his hands and to the fatal wound that had formed at his chest.
"And…" Lloyd started, biting down on the thread and breaking it. "Done!" Smiling at Sheena softly, Lloyd slipped his thread into the travel pack Dirk had given him. Standing up, Lloyd broke eye contact and blushed slightly, rubbing the back of his head. "I'm just…I mean…" Finally, Lloyd pointed off somewhere, hanging his head. "I'm going over there. Call me when you're dressed again." His voice was as quaky as that of a kid, and the way he almost ran off and tripped over himself only accentuated that fact. Watching him as he walked into the distance, Sheena shook her head and smiled. Gently, she ran a hand along the stitched wound, sighing softly.
Then she remembered something that just about killed her mood. Because of her…Lloyd had been labeled an enemy of the Chosen's group and, by extension of that, an enemy of his own world. Because of her he was now one of the obstacles in the Chosen's path. As she went about clothing herself again, that aspect began to eat her alive. She had cost Lloyd his life as he knew it. If ever a large populous found out, news would spread like wild fire. She deserved the path; she was fighting for her world as a choice. Lloyd wasn't fighting to save Tethe'alla or to help the people of Mizuho. He was fighting his best friends to protect her.
"That idiot." Sheena muttered, as she tightened the bow around her waist. Although her body still ached in several places, her side felt a little better. Chances are it would hurt to move for a while, but that was nothing new to her. She was used to coping and continuing on with a little bit of pain. After taking a few explorative steps, she gave a content sigh with her retained motion, and began to march towards where Lloyd had gone. She did owe him a rather hefty debt of gratitude for, and even on the day of her death she'd never vocally admit it, pulling her miserable butt out of a certain death situation. However, she was feeling much more prone to giving him a rather hefty smack to the side of his head for making such a stupid decision. She was as much his friend as he was hers, and the fact that he did something that threw his life into the same jeopardy she faced was stupid, short sighted, and completely…
"Selfless…" She spoke aloud, stopping mid-stride. She could see him just off in the distance, sitting on a rock and staring off towards the direction of Luin, the complete opposite of where she had been just prior, changing back into her tattered and torn outfit. Going into silent assassin mode, Sheena crept up on the unaware Lloyd.
"Sheena, are you okay?" Lloyd asked loudly, wondering why it was taking so long to get dressed. Of course, it had taken himself the better part of a clean half hour to take the unique costume off, and most of that was with very careful hand placement, and even less direct eye sight. 'Dwarven vow # 17: Respect another's privacy, doubly so for women.'
"Almost!" Sheena yelled, throwing her voice to the campsite. Lloyd took the bait, nodding once while staring off at Luin. Judging from the distance, Lloyd had carried her quite some way from Balacruf. 'Putting distance between us and Colette no doubt.' When she was directly behind Lloyd, a feat that took her a little longer than usual with the stiffness and slight injuries, an evil smile crawled across her feet. Lowering her head as close to the back of his as possible, she almost felt sorry for what she was about to do. "READY!" Sheena screamed at the top of her lungs. Lloyd, in turn, screamed like a little girl, jumping from the rock and rolling up into a ball, covering his head with his hands.
This was really quite stupid, seeing as how he should have gone for his swords instead of rolling up into the fetal position. When he heard Sheena roaring in laughter behind him, Lloyd turned a very deep shade of crimson. "Th-that wasn't funny!" Lloyd yelled, looking up at Sheena. It killed him even more to see her rolling on the ground, holding her sides as she laughed. An un-amused glare adopted itself into Lloyd's eyes as he waited for Sheena to calm down. Almost as though it was magic, Sheena started to stop, glancing over at Lloyd as he laughs turned to melodic giggling.
"I'm…" She started, pausing as another round of giggles escaped her. "Sorry Lloyd."
Lloyd looked away, unrolling himself from the 'protective' shape he rolled himself into, and leaned up against the rock he had been sitting on, just prior to Sheena scaring a few years off of his life. "Yah…I bet you are." Lloyd muttered, rubbing his face in hopes to wipe away his embarrassment. He waited for the summoner to finally stop giggling before his embarrassed face actually disappeared.
"Lloyd?" Sheena started, sitting down on the rock that had been Lloyd's temporary throne. The swordsman looked up at her, a curios look in his eyes. "Why the hell did you do that?" Sheena asked in a slightly raised and angered voice.
"You were bleeding and I was-"
"No! Not that Lloyd!" Sheena replied, rubbing the back of her head. Breaking eye contact with Lloyd, she sucked in a deep breath of air before attempting to continue. "Why did you come for me? Why did you choose me over your friends?"
"Sheena…" Lloyd began, caught off guard by the question. "You're my friend too!
"But…Lloyd, I'm trying to kill Colette!"
"No. You're trying to save your world and protect your people."
"I have to kill Colette to do that though! Lloyd, by helping me at all, you've become an enemy to the Chosen. You could…" Sheena retorted worriedly.
"Sheena, there has to be another way!" Lloyd began, turning to back to face her again. Their eyes met comfortably in the middle. "I think we should try and help Colette."
"Lloyd…are you crazy? That is exactly what I can't do." Sheena responded, her voice dry.
"Colette's father is an angel though. If anyone would know what to do, or how to help both worlds, it would be him."
Sheena paused at this for a moment, letting the thought enter her mind. "But what if he can't Lloyd? What will you do then?"
"I…don't know. But Sheena, it's worth one chance…isn't it?" Lloyd pleaded. "I don't want anything bad to happen to Colette, but I don't want anything bad to happen to you either. Why does one world have to suffer so another doesn't? There just has to be another way, and I'm sure Colette's father would know!"
"Lloyd." Sheena started, smiling down at her companion. She could feel his sincerity resonate within his voice. 'He was dumb enough to risk his life for me…' "Only on one condition Lloyd."
"Name it."
"If she and her father can't help…I don't want you forsaking everything for me. I will have to attack Colette again, if this fails. I don't want you to endanger your life for me and my world." It didn't surprise her at all when she watched Lloyd shake is head in response. In fact, she had expected it from the moment she began speaking.
"That's one promise I won't make Sheena. Colette abandoned me, left me alone in Iselia. So far, you've saved my life twice. I might not know what I'll do, if that time comes, right now…but I won't make any promises like that."
Sheena sighed deeply, watching Lloyd intently. "Why can't people like you exist on my world?" Sheena muttered, leaning back and looking up into the sky. She was fairly certain Lloyd was staring at her confused, but she really didn't care. The night sky was flawless, an ocean of stars that never ended. With the fire off a short ways back, still crackling gently, Sheena breathed in the air and sighed refreshed. "Suteki da ne."
"Huh?" Lloyd blurted out, looking at Sheena. She instantly adopted a hue of crimson as she realized she talked without thinking. Her view shot back to Lloyd, who was staring at her with his head tilted to the side.
"What?"
"What did you just say?" Lloyd asked curiously.
"Me?"
"No, the rock." Lloyd replied dryly. "Of course you, you goof."
"Watch it Lloyd." Sheena threatened teasingly, waving a fist in the air. "I said 'Suteki da ne.' It's a phrase from my village."
"Wow." Lloyd replied, scratching his head. "So what does it mean?"
'It's what a lover usually says to his true love before proclaiming his heart's intent.' Sheena almost blurted out, thankful that it only came out like that in her mind. Shaking her head and drawing a raised eyebrow from Lloyd, Sheena smiled. "It means, roughly translated, 'Is it not wonderful?'"
"Huh…wow. How do you say it again?" Lloyd inquired.
"Suteki da ne."
"Switeki duh neigh?" Lloyd replied, frowning as Sheena's head hung off her shoulders in embarrassment.
"No Lloyd. Like this…Sue-tech-ee."
"Suteki." Lloyd replied slowly, smiling as he got the word right. "Suteki…da ne?"
Sheena's heart nearly melted as Lloyd suddenly pronounced the phrase properly. Mizuhoan women used it when they would see something pretty and wish to acknowledge it while Mizuhoan men would, more often than not, only say it to the woman they held dearest and was usually followed by a confession of the heart. Giving her head another Lloyd confusing shake, Sheena flashed him a joyous smile.
"Right on Lloyd." They smiled warmly at each other one last time before gazing back up at the stars.
"Heh…Suteki da ne indeed." Lloyd finished, as the two gazed up at the ocean that existed above them.
------ Outside Balacruf ------
"Colette? Are you feeling okay?" Genis asked, as the young half-elf moved up beside Colette. He was worried about her since all she seemed to have been doing was staring miserably at the ground. Obviously, the entire group, aside from maybe Kratos, had been in a miserable state of mind. Lloyd had been a very close friend to them all, and his actions left them beyond sad beyond words. Raine and Kratos had gone off to talk business no doubt. Genis knew for a fact that Raine really treasured Lloyd, just as much as she did Colette. Colette and Genis might have been the smart ones, and Lloyd might have very well been the direct opposite, but Lloyd himself was just so different, so accepting. Genis knew she was not taking this well, even if it looked like she was.
But for some reason, Genis could not even begin to tell how Colette was feeling in the slightest. Since they had set up for the night, Colette was staring at the ground as though it were the most interesting thing she had even seen. Of all the travelers, Genis would have placed his money on Colette breaking down and crying herself to sleep. Yet as far as he could tell there hadn't been a single tear shed. Shaking her head and blonde hair briefly, Colette turned to Genis and flashed him the best smile she could.
"Oh. I'm okay now. Sorry." Colette replied.
"What are you apologizing for? You did nothing wrong." Genis replied, sitting down beside Colette. For a long while, the two sat in silence, watching the fire crackle hypnotically. Genis nearly jumped when he felt Colette rest her head on his shoulder, but opted instead to turn and look at her curiously. Curiously, if not a little embarrassed.
"Do you think it's true what Kratos and Raine are talking about?"
"What?" Genis replied, concentrating for a moment. All he could hear was the fire. "What are you talking about Colette?"
"I can hear them talking about Lloyd and that woman." Colette slowly turned and looked up at Genis, making eye contact with her friend. "They're trying to discuss what to do about Lloyd. How did our best friend become a "what to do" to them Genis?" Her voice depressed by the words she had heard and repeated, glancing back at the ground. "Is that what he is to us now? A "what to do"?"
"Colette…" Genis muttered, wrapping an arm around her comfortably. "Lloyd is an idiot!"
"No he's not!" Colette defended, looking up again at Genis. "I bet he was brainwashed! That has to be it! The Desians must have destroyed his mind and that woman saved him and now…" She stopped when she saw a tear rolling down Genis' eye, confused. "What's wrong?"
"Colette…I'm a liar."
"What do you me-"
"Lloyd was never kidnapped at Iselia." Genis whimpered, hanging his head. Colette's eyes opened wide with horror as she heard his words. "Lloyd…decided to leave me at Triet and travel on his own."
"But why? That doesn't sound anything like our Lloyd. What could have happened that…" She stopped when she saw Genis staring at her woefully.
"Remember the letter you left Lloyd the day you left for the journey?" He waited for a nod, albeit an excruciating slow nod. "Lloyd took it to heart. He felt that you had…abandoned him at Iselia. He left because he was afraid that when he saw you again, he'd blow up on you. So he left to train so maybe, when or if he met up with us again…he'd be stronger and less disappointing to you." Genis didn't need to look into Colette's dazzling sapphire eyes to see her pain. He knew she was hurting just by the way she wrapped her arms around the half-elf. "Colette…I lied to you about this and I've made everything worse because of it. I'm sorry…I'm so sorry."
"Do you know what the worse part about this is Genis?" The friend nodded, staring at Colette intently. "I can't cry."
"What? You mean you don't feel like crying?"
"No…I mean I can't cry anymore. I haven't been able to since the seal. I can still smile or frown…but I can't cry. But I want to. Because of me I pushed away one of the few people that loved me for me, not for what I am." Colette muttered, wrapping her arms around Genis tighter. "I want to cry and cry but I can't. And when I think about that, it makes me want to cry even more. Oh Genis…what have I done?" Colette lamented, burying her face into the boy's chest. Genis brought his other hand to the back of her head, stroking it gently. "What a failure I am…I can't even keep the people I love together."
"No Colette…you're not a failure. Right now Lloyd's just being childish…but he'll come to his senses." 'Why don't I believe that?' Genis could feel himself tearing up at it all, his eyes watering as the emotions began to overwhelm him. Right now he wanted nothing more than to ram large stones down Lloyd's throat for doing this to Colette. Resting his head on hers, Genis felt the first few tears roll down his cheek. 'Lloyd you dumb ass! How could you do this to Colette…to me…to Raine? What kind of worthless friend are you? And why…the HELL…do I still give a damn about you? Raine's right, you are our enemy now, yet I don't believe her. Colette loves you…and you go and do this to her. You selfish…heartless…'
"Genis…do you hate Lloyd for this?" Colette asked, her voice muffled from her face being pressed into his chest, finding comfort in the fabric of his clothes.
"I…don't know Colette." More tears came to his eyes as he felt the words force their way out. "What about you? Do you hate him?"
"I want to cry for him. This is all my fault Genis. Because of me, Lloyd is going to become our enemy. All I wanted to do was keep him safe and instead I end up making him an enemy. I want to cry for him."
"Then I'll cry for the both of us then Colette." Genis whimpered, as Colette pulled away and looked up at him. She could see the tears rolling down his cheeks. Their eyes met and for a period of time it was as though she was crying through him. And then the distance between them disappeared. Before Genis or Colette could realize it, the two had pressed their lips together and were locked in a tender kiss. It was the first kiss for the both of them, and it felt so strange as well, but it also felt so comforting to the both of them. Slowly, they broke the kiss apart, the two of them staring stunned at each other. Although they had both moved in for it, neither had really expected it to happen. Colette finally made a movement after a few minutes of nothing and rested her head on Genis' shoulder again, sighing gently.
"Genis?"
"Colette?"
She had wanted to say something, but she couldn't put it together. She had imagined saying these words to the man of her dreams, as he rode up to her on a glorious stallion, or to the humble man that helped her through life with encouragement. She had practically perfected in her mind saying the words. She knew she wanted to say it, she just forgot how to. But she knew that if she didn't say this soon…she'd never say it to him.
"I love you Genis…" Colette whispered, draping her arms around his neck. She smiled as she felt Genis rest the side of his head gently on hers, wrapping his arms around her body as best as he could.
"I love you too Colette."
------Elsewhere Outside Balacruf ------
"So then, what do we do about Lloyd?" Raine inquired, frowning disdainfully at her now useless staff. "I liked that staff too."
"We'll pick a new one up at Asgard when the morning arrives." Kratos muttered, as he watched Colette and Genis from afar. He had a hunch that Colette would find some degree of comfort within the half-elf, if only he would stop watching her and make his way over to her. "As for Lloyd…He has made his decision and forced ours. Lloyd is protecting the person that wants to kill Colette. Even if he has no intention of ever harming the Chosen, he has still become a threat."
"I was afraid of that. Dammit Lloyd, you idiot!" Raine cursed, driving her foot into the ground. They had set up camp just outside of the ruins, but Raine and Kratos were currently in the midst of speaking in private near the entrance to the ruins. They were the two adults of the group and it would be up to them to decide how to go about dealing with their new problem.
"To make matters worse…that woman is a summoner. She's too dangerous to be allowed to move freely. Just by being near her, Lloyd has single handedly earned himself more trouble than I believe he can comprehend." Kratos responded emotionlessly, watching as Genis finally made his way to Colette. He watched silently for a moment, smiling. "And here I was, afraid."
"You? Afraid of what might I ask?"
"Of Lloyd's betrayal damaging her resolve. If anything, it might have very well been a blessing in disguise." Kratos followed before standing up. "Lloyd is much our enemy now as that woman is. You and I might be the only two who can grasp that fact. I doubt that we can count on either your brother or the Chosen to assist us in another confrontation. If I may suggest anything, you would do well learning some offensive strategies now." With that pearl of wisdom, Kratos turned to walk off.
"Where are you going?"
"For a walk. While I might appear to have my thoughts arranged, I do have some matters that only a starlit stroll can help me sort." Turning back to stare off at Colette and Genis, Kratos smiled again. "Colette and Genis...let them be alone for a while. I would assume the Chosen would like to be alone with her loved one." As soon as he said that, Raine's head whipped to see Genis and Colette in the midst of a gentle kiss by the fire light. A warm blush and a smile crawled over her face as she watched it. "Colette needs him right now. I shall return in a few hours, but before dawn. You are close enough to the ruins that a monster attack will not be likely."
"Kratos?"
"Hmm?"
"You know what is going to eventually become of Colette, do you not?" Kratos, slightly hesitant, nodded in response. "This love…it will hurt Genis and her when it has to end."
"Raine, I speak from experience when I say that even a little bit of love, no matter how brief, can bring clarity and purpose to any man's life. Let them have what they have in peace." With that, Kratos strolled off, leaving Raine to gaze upon her little brother and her treasured pupil, wrapped in each others arms under the pale cast of star and moonlight, illuminated by the crackling fire near them. She rested her chin on her hand as she beheld the two, smiling warmly.
"Colette and Genis. I never would have guessed it." Raine whispered to no one.
------ On the Bridge to Balacruf ------
Kratos took one more sweep of the area, scanning it for any movement what so ever. The moment he was sure he had left the view of the group, he had brought out his wings and flown to the wooden structure, where he was sure that he would no be disturbed. Even Noishe, who seemed incredibly prone to following the mercenary, had been asleep and unaware of his departure. With a final sigh, Kratos pulled out a sphere like tool, and laid it upon the ground. Seconds later, an image of a blond man in skin tight white cloth floated in front of him, his large velvet wings in clear view. Kratos pressed a fist to his chest and gave a respectful bow to the man, who merely nodded in suit.
"My lord, we have a new problem." Kratos began.
"Yes, I expected as much. What is it this time Kratos?"
"An assassin from Tethe'alla has come to try and take the Chosen's life."
"With the assistance of the Renegades no doubt. Worthless scum."
"Yes my Lord. That is what I believe as well. However, it is a far more complex issue than that, I am afraid." Kratos responded, his face the picture of collection and coolness as he addressed the blond male. "You see…the assassin is also a summoner."
A slight expression of surprise and amusement crawled onto the man's face. "That is interesting."
"She has also…befriended my son. To the point of which he now stands against the Chosen. The Chosen and Lloyd are very close friends and I am afraid that any further interference from him will result in tragedy for her." Kratos finished. "I do not mean to act so caring towards her emotions, only that I believe a tragedy may very well cause her resolve and possibly our quest to falter and fail."
"Your concern is noted Kratos. Do you have an idea as to where this assassin and your son may be?"
"I would like to believe that they would try and put as much space between us as possible. My best guesses would be on either Hima or Luin." Kratos felt a prickle of worry crawl into his mind as he watched the man smile. Kratos had long since learned that a smile from him meant the worst for his enemies.
"Excellent. I'll have Kvar deal with them." A flash of anger slipped past Kratos' defenses, and reflected itself in his eyes. "You do not object to that, do you Kratos?"
'Arrogant bastard.' "Of course not my Lord. I see no fault within your plan. I am sure Kvar will serve you well."
A smirk crawled onto the man's face. "Good. Is that all?"
"Yes my Lord." Kratos once again pressed a fist to his chest. "For the glory of Cruxis." After his statement, the image disappeared, and Kratos was left to his own thoughts once more. Leaning back, he gazed into the starry night and sighed.
"Anna…What have I done?" Kratos uttered, bringing a hand to his face. "Please forgive me…"
A/N: Yes, an aftermath chapter. We got to meet a certain evil person that we all know and love, and see the effects of Lloyd's "betrayal" from three separate stand points. Hope you enjoyed it.
