Now Kratos and Lloyd are in Derris Kharlan… read to find out what happens there.

Disclaimer: Namco owns Tales of Symphonia.

Chapter seven:

No matter how many times Kratos entered the city of angels, Welgaia, a feeling of emptiness always seemed to drape across his shoulders. Perhaps that is why his personality had become so cold and hard. It was merely reflecting what he was forced to live with for nearly four thousand years.

Now, however, he merely shrugged off the feeling and pulled Lloyd closer to him, as if trying to protect his son from the consuming aura the projected from the city.

Lloyd peered up at his father's face. It was strange. Lloyd felt as if something was wrong, as if he was forgetting something important, but he couldn't find it. He started as Kratos pulled him back quickly around the corner of the wall, shoving Lloyd behind him.

"Dad?" Lloyd whispered fearfully.

"Quiet now." Kratos placed a hand protectively on his small shoulder, but quickly removed it as an angel floated around the corner.

"Lord Kratos." The angel bowed, "Lord Yggdrasil has been asking for you for some time now." The angel stared straight ahead, his wings flapping gently behind him.

Kratos nodded, "Tell him I was training and I will right there." The angel bowed respectively and immediately left, not noticing the small child behind the seraph.

Lloyd heard his father swear under his breath, "Daddy? What's the matter?"

Kratos turned around and knelt down, smiling at his son, "Nothing. Nothing's wrong." Kratos looked up at the swirling purple that surrounded the city. Sighing he looked back down at Lloyd. "Daddy needs to leave for a little while."

Lloyd frowned, "Why? Can't I come with you?"

Kratos shook his head, "No. I am going to be right back, and you will stay in my room, okay?"

Lloyd pouted, but nodded his head, "Okay."

Kratos picked him up, glancing around the corner; he quickly headed towards his room. He frowned. 'Where were all the angels?' the pathways and streets were empty. So far the only angel that he had seen was the one who reported to him.

Hurrying through the sliding doors, he set Lloyd on the floor. "I need you to stay here, Lloyd. Okay? I promise I will be back soon."

Lloyd stared up at his father, "I don't want you to go." He was fighting to keep the tears from falling, trying to be brave for his dad.

Kratos smiled, but he felt his heart starting to break as he saw his son holding back his tears. He reached around his neck and unclasped the locket he wore. He quickly placed it around Lloyd's neck. "Here. With this I will still be with you. You need to protect it and keep it safe for me."

Kratos kissed his forehead and hurried out of the door, fighting the urge to take Lloyd into his arms. Yggdrasil would be growing impatient and he didn't want him to find Lloyd here. Kratos closed his eyes as he started to warp away, "Be safe, Lloyd." a tear dripped on the cold gray floor.

Lloyd stared wide-eyed at the closed door where his father had just left. He was alone again. He closed his eyes and bent his head, bringing his little clenched fists to his chest. Alone.

He stood like that for a few moments, until he no longer felt like crying. 'I have to be strong for daddy.' Lloyd took the small locket in his hand and glanced around the large room. Everything was white and gray like the rest of the city. It seemed so clean and precise. Lloyd hiked up his pants that were starting to slip and walked to the bed. He noticed a picture on the table beside it, but it was turned away from him.

He half climbed, half scrambled on to the bed and turned around to look at the frame. "Mommy!"

The picture was one very similar to the one in the locket; however Lloyd was not in it. Anna was smiling, but instead of looking out of the picture, she was looking up at Kratos, her hands placed on his chest and her head leaning back slightly in order to see his face. Kratos was also looking at her, his one arm encircling her waist holding her close and the other hand brushed her cheek. He was smiling too.

Lloyd took the picture and held it in his lap staring at it intently, his small fingers gently touching Anna's face. "Mommy."

"Hello, Lloyd." A smooth voice called out.

Kratos quickly scanned the shelves of books, searching for the right one. He couldn't believe it. He had found Mithos staring at the Great Seed like he does so often, but something was off…

"Lord Yggdrasil." Kratos knelt stiffly then rose. "You called for me?"

"Yes Kratos. I find it foolish to have been so strict with you. I discovered that it was Yuan who brought you to that Dwarf's place in order to get you to release Origin. You have always been loyal to me, and I was wrong to have thought otherwise."

Kratos was stunned, but Mithos was still facing the Seed not seeing his expression. "Pronyma is also a fool. She would say anything to boost her own ego. No, I have decided to remove all restrictions I placed upon you. You are free to leave the city and have regained all rights and authority again. That is all." He waved his hand to dismiss him.

Kratos bowed, clearly confused, "Thank you." Then turned and quickly left.

Mithos continued to stare up at the Seed, his lips pulled back into a smirk. A low chuckle suddenly echoed through the room.

Kratos grabbed and book and quickly leafed through it before throwing back on the shelf. 'Why now? Why now of all times would he say that?'

His finger ran across the rows of book until it stopped at an empty socket. The book was missing. "LLOYD!"

"Hello, Lloyd." Yggdrasil smiled warmly.

Lloyd clutched the picture tightly, "Who are you?" he slid back slightly, not liking the strange man looking at him.

"I am a friend of your father's. He asked me to check on you." His voice seemed to flow smoothly, and Lloyd found himself becoming less afraid.

"He did?"

Yggdrasil nodded, "Yes, he was worried about you." He floated closer, his large rainbow colored wings flashing in the light.

"Your wings are very big, even bigger than daddy's." Lloyd pointed, his other hand still grasping the picture tightly.

Yggdrasil smiled, "Yes they are big. Do you have wings Lloyd?"

He shook his head sadly, "No."

"Would you like to have wings?"

Lloyd's eyes opened wide, "How?!" his fear of the strange angel almost completely gone.

"I can give them to you if you like?" Yggdrasil was now only a couple of feet from the boy.

"Would they be like my daddy's?"

"I don't know. You will have to see, won't you? Here come with me and I will show you how you can get them." He held out his hand, taking another step forward.

"Lloyd!"

Both Yggdrasil and Lloyd turned to see Kratos standing at the door, sword out.

"Daddy! I am going to have wings like you!" Lloyd smiled and bounced slightly on the bed.

"Ah. Kratos how nice of you to come, I was just have a talk with your son here." Yggdrasil sneered.

"Back away from my son!" Kratos stepped forward threateningly. "Lloyd, come here."

Lloyd's smile had disappeared and now he looked fearfully from his father to Yggdrasil. "What's wrong daddy?"

Yggdrasil smirked, "Yes, what is the matter Kratos?"

Kratos gritted his teeth angrily, but ignored his former companion. "Lloyd, it is time to leave. Come here."

Lloyd nodded quickly and was about to slid off the bed when Yggdrasil held up a hand. "Wait. Aren't you missing something?" He snapped his fingers and a book appeared in his hand. It was black and engraved with angelic writing. "I believe this is what you are looking for."

"I will give it to you. But are you sure it is what you want?" Yggdrasil moved closer to Kratos. "Think about it. You could raise Lloyd here in Cruxis. You could have your time back with him that you missed and start over."

Kratos felt torn between what Yggdrasil was offering and what he knew he must do. "I… can't…."

"Why not? He doesn't remember anything. It is like the night you lost him, only now he is right before you. Are you willing to give up the only chance you have of raising your only child?"

Kratos felt his grip on his sword slipping as Yggdrasil's words sank in. He stared at Lloyd. He sat on the edge of the bed, clutching the picture. "Daddy?" his large brown eyes staring fearfully at him.

"So what will it be Kratos? Will you give up your son and lose the last tie to your family? Or will you accept my offer and make him an angel of Cruxis?"

Kratos felt trapped. Yggdrasil had found his one weakness, and though he knew that it was wrong, he so wanted to believe he could raise his son again—to start over.

'But it is not what Lloyd would want.'

"Kratos, I grow impatient." Yggdrasil's charming smile was slowly beginning to dwindle, and the cold, icy tone was returning to his voice.

Kratos remained motionless, his eyes fixed upon his child across the room. "Daddy? What's wrong?" tears started to form at the corner of his eyes as waited for his father to answer him.

'I can't! I can't force my son to relive his life. I can't force him to forget his friends, his memories and his beliefs just for my sake.'

"He wished for this you know? He wished things could go back to the way they use to be." Yggdrasil pushed, trying one last time to get Kratos to agree with him. "So I granted him his wish. Are you willing to end it?"

Kratos started and stared unbelievingly at his son, 'He wished to go back? To start again? Or was Yggdrasil lying again?'

"Lloyd…" Kratos whispered. Yggdrasil waited, but when he didn't continue he lost all his suave and charm and yelled angrily.

"Fine if you won't choose, I will!" Yggdrasil threw the book he held to the floor, and then shot a ball of light at it. Immediately the book shot up in flames and began to burn. "Now you have no choice!"

Kratos stared horrified as the book slowly became nothing but a pile of ashes. "No!"

"Daddy! Let me go!" Kratos looked up to see Yggdrasil grabbing his son's arm.

"I gave you a choice Kratos, but you didn't decide. So I chose for you." Yggdrasil lifted Lloyd from the bed by his arm, causing him to drop the picture. It fell to the floor with a crash.

The noise seemed to trigger the last bit of courage Lloyd had and he could no longer hold back the tears. "Daddy!"

"Lloyd! Mithos you bastard, let him go!" Kratos started forward but stopped as Yggdrasil brought up his hand,

"Stop Kratos! Or I will not hesitate to kill him."

Lloyd's sobs had turned to a small whimper, but the tears still rolled down him cheeks.

Yggdrasil smiled, "Good. Now if you will behave and not attempt anything foolish, I will allow you to perform the angelic process on your son. After all I am sure he would be much more willing and comfortable if his daddy is with him."

Kratos, however, knew he had lost. Yggdrasil had destroyed Lloyd's only chance of returning to normal. Guilt washed over him once again as it had many times before. He nodded defeated, "All right."

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